First DJ gig with Traktor S2. Any tips?
Hello,
I got the Traktor S2 controller a few months ago and have got my first DJ gig. Any tips to give? Strictly sync button and music during the first gig and play it safe?
My setup is Traktor, Traktor S2, laptop.
I don’t think sync matters when you can put the tracks at the same bpm so accurately anyway. There isn’t much that can go wrong. I find with my tracks the sync is out a bit more often than not anyway when I’m using traktor (which is rare).
Just DJ how you DJ. IF your tracks are prepped enough then sync if you want, but if they’re not, are you comfortable using the jog wheels to correct them there and then in the mix? If you’re not, then you shouldn’t take the gig.
Since you’re going to go and do the gig anyway, and presuming you’re running the S2 into a mixer, I would have another source of music, anything like a CDJ or even an iPad with a pre-recorded mix on that you can just throw into the mix if your Trakor decides to go bananas in the middle of a gig. Always remember:
“If it CAN happen, it WILL happen”. There’s no downside to being prepared for the worst.
Also, remember you’re playing for a crowd, know beforehand what kind of music they’re likely to want and then judge on the night how far within that musical boundary you can push.
You did not give any context about the gig…club, something else, who is providing the gear, event type, audience size & age, other DJs, etc. Those details matter…but I can still offer some general advice.
A song is played for about 3 minutes…you can average about 20 songs per hour. That is a good number to use for planning. I would prep about 30 songs for each hour of the event. Double check the load point, the bpm, and grid. Listen to these songs so you can recall the details - intro, lyrics, breakdowns, loop points, mix in/out points, etc. If needed, set some cue points, or loops…depending on how you want to use that song in your set. If you have to do a handful during the event to handle requests…that’s easy…having to do half the songs you are planning to play, that’s stress you do not need.
Know what EVERY BUTTON on the S2 does. Every single one.
Setup the laptop, controller, and whatever else you are thinking of bringing…play some music. Then pack EVERYTHING you just used into your gig bag. Ask what the connection to the mixer is, and make sure you bring TWO of that cable. In fact, having TWO of ALL the cables is not unreasonable.
Have some backup music ready to go. This can be a couple AUDIO CDs, a playlist on an iPhone (in airplane mode…no calls during your set), or even a thumb drive (if you are bold and know EXACTLY how to use that on the system at the gig). There is a GOOD chance you will need to use this when transitioning from one DJ to another (if there are multiple DJs playing…you didn’t say).
Eat a meal of REAL FOOD 1-2 hours before the gig starts. No junk food. No caffeine loading. No sugar loading. ABSOLUTELY no alcohol (or anything else).
Show up early. You would rather stand around for 30 minutes ready to go, than be even 1 minute late. Setting up in a rush is stress you do not need.
KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Play slightly conservative…stay within your comfort zone…both in terms of song selection, and mixing. Resist the temptation to get fancy with your mixing or effects. Less is more. For your first time out, a solid set that shows mastery of the basics is MUCH better than anything else. If nothing else, this will help to reduce your stress…and it may even give you some time between transitions to look out and see what is happening in the room.
Look at the room. Watch the people who are dancing on the floor, tapping a foot in the chairs, maybe singing along, etc. Also, try to find anyone who looks bored or like they are not having a good time…then change their mind.
Finally, remember to take a few moments and notice that you are having a good time. 
Don’t know if it happens with S2 but I was on one of my first DJ-software-gigs with an S4, I pressed “Browse” then deck’s “Cue” and the sound stopped completely. My friend pushed some buttons and I could play again. That was embarrassing. I don’t really know what I did and I don’t play with S4 or softwares now so I don’t really need to know anymore, but I wouldn’t do that if I were you…just in case…
Anyway, create some procedures for mixing, browsing tracks, beatmatching, etc. Don’t panic and start pushing buttons on combinations you never did before because it can end bad.
As others already said, having a pre-recorded mix is a good idea.
Fear is a good thing, use it for your own benefit.
Just my personal input, something I did right before my first gig…
Set your Traktor settings to make sure you can’t load a new track into a deck that’s currently playing. Saved my ass enough times.
This is huge, do this asap.
I can’t believe I haven’t done this yet, guilty of this on a few occasions, mostly alcohol induced.
settings>loading>load only into stopped deck
Bump.
Has the gig happened yet?
How did it go? What did you learn that you want to pass onto the next person who asks this question?
This x1000
Play good tracks, phrase properly and read the crowd.
Don’t rely on the length of “music” time you have based on the calculated amount of your playlist. I did that once for one of my first gigs. Like I had a 3 hour gig so I had a playlist of 3 hours worth of music. The truth is that you won’t be playing tracks from beginning to end. And if the crowd is not digging the track, you’ll want to mix in something else quickly.
I had plenty of music but since I ran out of music from my planned playlist, I had to go into “search for music on the fly” mode.
Hey Guys,
An update about my first DJ gig experience. I had the gig for a private fashion magazine party. 2 hours between 18.00-20.00
The show was interrupted by different other pre-planned small programs as catwalks etc so i did not play for straight 2 hours from my own playlist. Had to throw in different music as requested by the event planner for the small programs during the evening.
Was massive nervous 1 hour before. But once i showed up at the place everything disappeared. I set up my laptop and controller and started playing my music.
I practiced 2-3 weeks and learned both manual beat matching but still using the phrase meter and bpm calculator in Traktor. I made sure to beat grid all the tracks correctly and set up proper cue points. One function that helped me a lot is Traktors “beat to cue” countdown which you can set up in the preferences.
Once there i decided to manual beatmatch with phrase meter and BPM and also to focus on phrasing the mix ins and mix out points i set with cue points. Nothing went wrong and the small transitions which did not went smoothless was barely hearable for the audience.
It was a party where people socialized and drinking champagne so no dancing. Was playing lounge house music.