I think I’m now at the level where I can play gigs and really impress crowds - I keep pushing myself to improve, even though I know I’m good enough I’d still be nervous beforehand.
Mixing into someone else’s set that’s playing before me - how do I know my levels are right? I’m using an S4. I’d need to manually beatmatch into their song wouldn’t I? or just play an instrumental intro over their outro. What I’m asking is how will I know if my song is going to be too loud or too quiet? Do I test it before the gig?
DJ booths - I’m quite tall so will I be bending down all night whilst mixing? I suppose I’ll need a stand for my Laptop and maybe the S4 because the last thing I want is to be having to bend down to mix.
Is there anything you can do to prevent ‘freezing’ when something goes wrong? I’ve done it a few times when playing for friends but it’s not that bad. I guess if I missed a cue point or something or accidentally stopped a playing deck I’ll be crushed for the rest of the night.
2 new night clubs have just opened in my city so this is a perfect opportunity for me to start gigging and making a name for myself.
Yup - you’ll have to learn how to manually beatmatch … still a critical skill
As far as levels are concerned, if they’re using the house mixer, chuck your master out into a line in on the mixer, and cue that line with your track playing … then use your ears (or trust the lights on the channel
and match the levels that way)
Welcome to my world! I’m 6’5" and most booths are a little low.
A proper booth should raise the level of the top of the mixer to about your belly button, so you should be ok - a ‘backroom of a pub’ type gig can tend to just use a regular table which can give me jip if I play for a couple of hours
Just be thankful we no longer need to kug huge bags of vinyl to gigs - that’d properly screw your back
Most people dancing aren’t listening, as in truly listening to the DJ, they’re more following the vibe. I tend to find I can come of thinking I stunk the place up to be told that I played a good set.
I guarantee any serious DJ has stopped the wrong deck/taken the needle of the wrong record/hit the wrong cue point more than one (I’ve done all three in my time)- the trick is to just get on with it and don’t leave dead air. If it’s that bad, just put your hand up to it and start the next record. Don’t beat yourself up too much …
Thanks for the reply.
I’m 6’1 so it shouldn’t be that bad, my desk at home is small though so I dj whilst sitting down which is much more comfortable for me.
I’ll get practicing beatmatching with my S4 then
I know I’m my biggest critic and I’m really self-conscious but at the end of the day I know I can mix better than most djs so it’s not like I’m ‘stealing a career’
feels a bit cheap using the S4/digital now though, it must be harder using CDJs but on the other hand my mixes probably sound better as I can do more with the time I’ve got and focus on the tracks rather than beatmatching and sorting out cds
I started a LiveStream channel and started DJing live, for my facebook friends and anyone who pops in, and it’s really helped me in thinking on my feet, keeping the groove going, as opposed to sitting there, and overanalyzing and overthinking what song needs to transition into what song, etc.
I think of it as a gig with training wheels. I think my friends would probably be more critical than a bunch of drunk people dancing.
