First time DJ gig at a Club

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
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First time DJ gig at a Club

Hey guys I have my first gig coming this Friday downtown Toronto. I’ve been told I’m good at mixing but still honestly very nervous. Any tips on how to boost myself and how to throw a sick session?

Playing through:
Macbook Pro 13 inch
Pioneer DDJ-T1
Traktor Pro 2

Cheers :smiley:

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Where you playing?

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Just try and have a good time.

Remember that even if you make a mistake, you’re not playing to an audience of DJs and it’s highly likely no one but you will notice. Focus on song selection, not just mixing technique, and try to feel what the crowd is enjoying.

But most of all, have a good time.

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i was nervous as hell for my first gig, the hardest thing is getting that first few people dancing… once they do… start enjoying yourself and the rest will suddenly come naturally. christ i still look back the next day to see what i played the night before… i stop thinking and just play i know it sounds odd but it just kinda happens… good luck!!

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I have to agree with everyone above, focus on the music and less on mixing. I’ve seen people just drop mixing or radio style mixing and still get a place bumping. Get comfortable and get the place moving, the start to focus on getting the mix tight. Where abouts are you playing? I could come for moral support!

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  1. Relax and focus on song selection. But don’t stay glued to your computer screen.
  2. Don’t overwhelm yourself with complex transitions.
  3. Don’t fall into the 128 bpm trap. Move the energy of the dance floor up and down frequently. I see many DJ’s just staying at the same tempo for far too long and it gets boring.
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Thanks for the replies :smiley:

@fullenglishpint I will do my best to overcome the lack of confidence at first but once I start loosening up I have high hopes of having sick drops.

@brian_johnstone Haha wow I can only imagine I’m sure you’ve progressed enough since that first performance though, no doubt. Thanks for the support bruh!

@Argos & @quality_control I will definitely have a sick track list ready to blow up the place. But yes, you are more than welcome. It will be at Cabin 5 (10-11:30)

@sss18734 That’s exactly what I’m afraid of, it is more of a electro/prog house night. But either way I have already added a few decent mash-ups mostly done by myself in the set.

Guys one thing I wanted to ask was: You know how most ‘Original Mix’ tracks are 5-7 minutes long but that’s with 2-3 drops, etc. What I was thinking would it be better to have Cue points, loop within that track then let it play (half-way in) Or just play the whole track with easy transitions?

:smiley:

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you be fine, just practice and have fun. Ive been doing this since 93 and i still get nervous

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i agree with above.

DON’T OVERWHELM YOURSELF WITH COMPLEX TRANSITIONS. they are not DJ they don’t care how to mix in the next song. they just wanna dance.

Oh and another thing. you play all bangers high energy songs if you’re the early slot dj 9-10…because there will be no one there and that’s just weird.

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Good advice from kensic, you’re playing a warm up slot so program your track selection accordingly. Your job is to set the mood, to warm the crowd up, get them moving and to set things up nicely for the next DJ. I presume you’re not the headliner so I’d be tempted to leave the ‘sick drops’ to him. Warming up takes more skill and restraint in a lot of ways than headlining but a lot of beginners make the mistake of playing big tracks way too early…

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I have one other piece of advice for you that I generally follow when ever I play at a new spot. Read reviews of the place first. You would be surprised how often the DJ is mentioned in them and how often they give complaints that are really actually useful for you to come in an improve upon. I checked up on your place, and it seems like the previous DJs have been less than awe-inspiring. Check it out:
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/cabin-five-toronto. Depending on if I am busy or not, I’ll try to make it down to show some DJTT support.
Cheers.

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Thanks Argos will try my best to throw on a good performance. And yes you’re more than welcome.

Here’s the info:

Cheers :smiley:

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I’ll make the trek from the 'burbs when your playing alongside Mark Oliver, Manzone & Strong at The Guv.

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The one piece of advice I give anyone playing in a club for the first time is that everything sounds different. The first time you try to mix on a booming club system can be overwhelming! I recommend choosing a few easy to mix tracks to start with. That will help ease you in and give you a little time to get your bearings! Enjoy your first gig!

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I’ve got nothing else to say that hasn’t been said already except for… bring spare everythings (yes clean undies) but really spare cables a good multi tool and a torch and something to chew on. spare headphones are a good idea and if you have them a spare laptop and controller.

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What i did, is take a couple of drinks so i get in a nice mood.
And whatever you do, dont be shy, party with the crowd, jump, throw your arms around and so on! good luck mate

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Yeah, bring a spare shirt, i played a club in stockholm and my shirt broke haha!

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i just bring condoms

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Haha shirts and condoms, the venue was fantastic I ended up playing another hour b/c the next DJ had some sound issues. Had a lot of fun! Thanks for all the tips :smiley:

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How did it go?