Extensive Vs. Small Song Libraries

[riotto]

Question for everyone on here, which "strategy" seems better:

Having a large catalog of songs to chose from but you dont have as deep knowledge of every track with lots of songs that you "like" and find usable?

Or:

Having a much smaller catalog of songs, but you love every song in it and know each song inside and out?

[sparkbro]

I have a playlist for both (:

Depends if i'm playing out, at home / what mood i'm in etc.

Why limit yourself?

[Onimode]

I've read three articles over at Digital DJ Tips regarding library size.

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/04...ic-collection/

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/09...up-44000-mp3s/

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/07...l-of-my-music/

They all promote having a more personal library that you know through and through. I'm all for a smaller library, although shrinking mine is still an on-going process. :P

[Xonetacular]

I've read three articles over at Digital DJ Tips regarding library size.

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/04...ic-collection/

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/09...up-44000-mp3s/

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/07...l-of-my-music/

They all promote having a more personal library that you know through and through. I'm all for a smaller library, although shrinking mine is still an on-going process. :P

yeah i have been meaning to start doing this. right now my collection is incredibly bloated.

[DJ SB]

It's definitely a frustrating middle zone for me. I spend as much time as I can staying on top of new releases and getting unique tracks first but definitely don't know a lot of the songs I get as well as I'd like and don't end up playing some of them. With so many sources for music (lots of it being free from soundcloud, artist FB's, etc), it really is a full time job, and personally, I have to be in the right mood to listen and sift though tons of new music.

[Bassline Brine]

It's definitely a frustrating middle zone for me. I spend as much time as I can staying on top of new releases and getting unique tracks first but definitely don't know a lot of the songs I get as well as I'd like and don't end up playing some of them. With so many sources for music (lots of it being free from soundcloud, artist FB's, etc), it really is a full time job, and personally, I have to be in the right mood to listen and sift though tons of new music.

This.

Also, it's something I really make use of the "rating" system in itunes with. I rate tunes on how much I particularly like them, with lower energy usually hitting the ones around 3 stars.

I rate them while listening on my iphone as well in the car, and so it gives me a lot more control I've found going back and trying to put together solid stuff.

[keithace]

i really don't understand having so much music that you don't know your tracks...

why the need to have a million tracks?...most of which you will never play...

unless you are just torrenting tons of tracks...then shame on you...

if you don't have the time to properly listen to and sort your music...what are you doing?

carpet bombing isn't a suggested style of DJing...

[ellgieff]

i really don't understand having so much music that you don't know your tracks...

why the need to have a million tracks?...most of which you will never play...

unless you are just torrenting tons of tracks...then shame on you...

if you don't have the time to properly listen to and sort your music...what are you doing?

carpet bombing isn't a suggested style of DJing...

You're assuming that the only reason to buy a tune is to play it in a DJ set.

I've bought more than a few tunes that I'd be very, very unlikely to play, simply to show support for the artist's work. That's putting entierly to one side buying stuff for just listening to.

Personally, I feel a need to get more separation between my "DJ" tracks and my "I love music" tracks. I think I need to buy a MacBook Air to put my DJing stuff on.

Now to convince my partner that this is a sufficient use-case for a new MBA ...

[keithace]

pretty sure the OP's post was from a DJ-ing standpoint...

because what you are talking about is an easy way to sort things....two folders...

one folder says non-DJ music...the other one says DJ-music

[riotto]

Concerning my original post; I am mostly a trance DJ. Amongst my collection includes legit copies of many classic trance albums a good friend of mine gave me and modern trance tunes that i have purchased or downloaded for free from soundcloud. Some of these are tracks that I truly love, tracks I can listen to over and over while some were merely out of necessity to fill out a set, so give myself more options, etc.... . I do like these tracks aswell, but do i know them completely? No, do I like them? Yes.

Essentially what i was asking is what is the ideal library size. Is it a very extensive list with many options ( so most every mix sounds different ) or is it a smaller list of tracks you can truly call favorites.