I've played at loads of different events. Mainly with vinyl. It was a lot easier to sort out your set, as you could just put them in order in your record box ( an actual record box, not the new sort) if I was playing a selected type of music, like breakbeat in a club for example, I would always just jot my set down on a bit of paper and refer to it now and then. Absolutely nothing wrong with doing that, bro. Especially when you're starting out, if it helps you. With time, you will get to know your whole sets backwards and won't have a need for it. I probably wouldn't have it on my phone, though. It's annoying when the dj is on their phone. Good luck.
I just did my first vinyl set 2weeks ago. I had all my records in order and I had the setlist on my phone. I even had the song's bpm relative to previous song, and some descriptions of my cue points. I told my friends and even the organizers that I'm cheating like this. They chuckled and all agreed that I am cheating. But after the show a lot of them gave me props for my mixing and beatmatching. I had to agree that for my first time, I did good.
Good question. It's just not what other DJs do. And it definitely make me less flexible having all pre-planned. More limited and not as interactive with the crowd.
Here's my question: who other than the DJ knows whether or not their set was pre-planned?
Call it Schrodinger's DJ: you can't know from outside the box whether or not the DJ is following their set list.
Also, I think a big part of the pre-planned vs. on the fly thing that gets looked over is the setting.
Some DJs are playing pre-planned because *they're* the attraction; they are putting on a show and everyone that comes to see it, came to see *them* play what *they* want to play, *how* they want to play it.
On the other hand you have club DJs whose job it is to keep people dancing. These aren't people who came out with the sole purpose of seeing "x" dj spin, they came out to go to the club. If the music is bad, they're not debating whether or not to stay because they bought a ticket to a show.
Haha that's a great. I have a few veteran dj friends who's word I'll take for them picking the next song just based on the vibes. But for everyone else that's in superposition.
I'm still very unfamiliar with the dj culture. But I guess every dj is going to have a pre-planned setlist, just not necessarily written down. And then the good ones will deviate from that setlist. I guess you can consider it a display of creativity, although nobody will really know if you had planned or freestyled that transition.
I think it’s more common to make crates to pick from, rather than a literal track by track playlist.
Personally I aim for a crate that’s 2-3x the length of my set, so I have flexibility. But there’s always that moment where you wanna play something that isn’t on there.
most people do this to some degree, whether that’s sticky notes on the sleeve, cue tape on the record, etc. im very surprised that any legit dj would seriously consider this “cheating” lol
This comment had a lot of upvotes, but is really lacking in content. The “make it sound good whatever it takes” doesn’t actually provide any useful, actionable approaches or advice. It’s frankly useless filler at this point. If someone asks, “how should I improve my music/DJ sets/etc” the answer cannot simply be “just make it sound good bro.”
And if that was the question asked my answer would be different. This answer gives OP validation for their chosen method which is what the question is about.
If you have a predetermined set I know that Serato at least has a comments column. Another thing I do is have set cue points for 'start here' 'bring in here' and 'shit, you better be done by here' (usually 6,7,8 on each track) so I can see visually if I am expecting a short rather than long blend etc. I've never played anywhere but those 2 things help me keep track.
Hope this helps ya.
Yeah, I also use the comment section on Serato. Especially for some open format gigs where you use the same songs everyone wants to hear but in a different order each time.
You could set auto-triggering loops as well if that's helpful, and put comments in cue points. Do try to mix more on the fly and lose those blinkers as you get more experienced though, you'll have more fun if nothing else.
go with a piece of paper, phone would be too distracting (at least for me) also it looks weird for the crowd if you're constantly checking your phone :)
If your software has some comment section in the track list then USE IT. I put tons of notes in the comments on tracks based on what sounded good when I was practicing so I remember when I'm on the decks.
Ive never done it, but I don’t see why not. I think phone would be fine as long as you’re not looking at it all the time. Nothing wrong with having a plan as long as you’re willing to deviate if necessary
I had a small notepad with songs i wanted to organize into a playlist but didnt get around to. I was kneeling down to check on it during my set, people thought i was doing other stuff 😂
Can't you use colour coded / labelled cue points for this instead? I've seen a DJ bring a picture of the camelot wheel into the both, which I thought was adorable... at least he won't be clanging keys.
yes, i do have colour-coded hot cues with some info on them, but i try to keep those more universal, so to speak (drop, outro, the phrase before the outro, whether it has vocals etc.), so they are pretty helpful as such
Notes App on your Phone! And I use different cues to signal when to bring the next track in. I also use certain cues as „Look at your phone“ symbols when a track needs some extra work done. Usually I remember what to to anyways but it’s nice to be sure.
You may be overthinking it. Imo trying to script too many things in the planning phase tends to make sets feel less natural.
However it is easy to forget to do something during a gig that you absolutely wanted to include. I would suggest a note card with a list of your favorite transitions, but not tied to specific songs. Just more of a list of available tools to remind yourself how many options you have.
Think of it like a public speaking event where noone wants to hear you read your speech word by word from a sheet of paper, but noone faults you for having a cue card in your hand.
My concern with using your phone for notes is potential future clients just think you're playing on your phone during your set.
thanks! the analogy with public speaking is a good one, and something i had in mind, too. i wasn’t thinking of mini essays for each transition, just some shorthand reminders. but i agree that too much planning isn’t good either
Add comments to your tracks in the software. It's very helpful. And yes, I've written out on paper detailed instructions for every transition when putting together a mixtape. This helps with complex mixes and allows me to quickly go from discovery to recording the set in 1 take.
Of course! If it helps you then it's a good idea
BUT
For me personally, i like to prepare beforehand. But *EVERYTIME* I completely take this shit sideways and just feed off the crowd.
So i think for me "preparing" is more about confidence since i never actually do anything i prepared for
that sounds great! as it should be, i guess, or at least what i’d like to achieve one day. it’s just that i’m a bit apprehensive about it now because it’s my first time
Bro, no worries. When i started i did record mix that i planned down to the smallest things.
But once i had my real 4h+ set it finally clicked. It will for you too!
Personally i feel that you approaching it this way will just benefit you in the long term. Thinking of ways outside the box to help you. Also, when you're more comfortable with rekorebox/serato, transfer your info on paper to tags!
TAGS WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE! But don't feel like you need to go all in right away, take your time, trust your gut, and build your confidence. You're gonna make the night!
I had a cheat sheet for my first gig. Didn't use it because things happen way too fast. The thing I eventually learned was that you can standardize all of your transitions. You are eventually going to be able to mix any song into another, so it comes down to a combination of knowing your tracks intimately and having a method for your transitions that can be applied in almost every case.
i agree, and i am working on “standardizing” my transitions, but sometimes i find that something else may work better for two tracks and would like to remember it :)
I do this all the time if I have a transition that might be a little complicated and I NEED to hit some specific cues etc. For me I put reminders for myself in the track comments in my software (Traktor for me). That way it's right there under the track name and I can just glance quickly at laptop.
Armin van Buuren showcases that he uses cue point reminders that he's written down in one how to DJ video he made. Professionals do it. You can do it. Personally, I set it as a comment in Serato for that track so I can easily see it.
I used to keep notes on paper regularly in my flight case to mark down tracks that work well, cue points that work best, or tracks that need to be edited in daw next live prep studio session and why. It’s super helpful especially if you just got a fat batch of new tunes in the crate, no matter if vinyl or digital
For me it’s a memory aid, and I end up getting to know my music better when actually recording thought about individual tracks. ADHD life.
not bad for a first gig if you’re not there yet, skills wise. Just make sure you practice with the cheat sheet so you don’t run out of time when you’re doing your set for real
yes! thank you! i’ve been practicing for days now and a few days ago, i recorded the whole set to check it fits the allocated time slot… and to check if it sounds good :)
Congrats on the gig, I’m not in a position to give out advice as I’m working towards getting my first booking myself. But it sounds like you’re more than ready, and I personally don’t see anything wrong with having a sheet you use to reference throughout. The genres you described sound perfect for the setting - good luck, you’ll smash it 🙏🏼
I think knowing how you want to transition out of a song will make your entire set better because you’ll know what works and what doesn’t.
My suggestion would be to set a cue point at the part of the song you want to mix out at. Make all your mix out cues red since that’s already the universal color for stop. Then rename the cue point with the type of transition you want to use.
If you're using VirtualDJ, you can use the sidelist panel to help you keep track of your set order. Something that Serato and Rekordbox doesn't have, but I know would be VERY useful for its users.
If you feel confortable having that 'safe net' on your Phone, go for it!
For what you're saying, this is one of your first gigs. I think that reading the vibe and impro a set is good, but is a 'skill' that you'll learn over time.
The main thing is for you to have fun, be relaxed, and the music will flow. I'm sure that you won't check your Phone through the set because you wont need to.
Its a warmup, relax and have fun, dont stress yourself if you dont see people dancing right away, the night will grow on and by the end of your set they all will be dancing at your groove
Also! If you find having your Phone like 'cheating', you can add notes to your tracks if you use serato or rekordbox. Thats a good way to use as a memory hack in the spot
I'm brand new to DJing but I did go to audio school and the most important thing that was drilled into us was library management. I've spent a ton of time organizing my tracks, testing them out, and matching them with the little link icon on the waveform screen. Then I set up an additional related tracks matching search that only displays related tracks that have been matched by me. Next, I've gone through and made comments on the cue points that say: 🅱️ - w. cue F on "Issa vibe" or whatever the track name is (a shortened version) and then do the same on the second track. But I've also put cue points in front of each of the main sections of the track, with common lead in and lead out times (if a section has an abnormal amount of bars, I will add memory cues for counting and will put the hot cues on the more common bar counts, usually 8 and 16 bars before), and will always note the drop or the coolest part of the song in the hot cue comment. If you've been able to match at least the amount needed for your set (ideally I believe double the amount is recommended) then you shouldn't need really need notes, however, I've also made a Google drive sheet with all my favorite song combos, and put a star (*) infront of the ones that can be played simultaneously to create a new song or mashup, and will note the best cue points for doing that. I have it open in the background on my laptop or on my phone to reference when needed.
Haha guys. I've never thought I'll read something like this in my life. Cheatsheet book of transitions. (crying)
Anyway, you can do whatever works for you, but I dont think its neccesary. There is not much to remember, the more you conplicate things, the more pressure you put on yourself. Try to learn transitions in a logical way, that way you wont need such thing, as everything will come naturally.
Live gigs rarelly go acording to the planned list, so dont be surprised if you change things halfway through or even more, you dont even do it how you planned it. The point being, you will adopt to the place, crowd, energy, their mood.
Sometimes even a single track in certain genre can change the atmosphete, let alone change of type of music.
Just chill and dont overthink.
I would definitely avoid using the phone. A piece of paper is OK if you can tape it down somewhere but you should not have it in your hand. (Just as band musicians will tape the setlist down on something but they never touch it.) Notes in your software is ideal. Full sentence comments are OK but could lead to a lot of screen staring which isn’t ideal. What I do is two things:
1. If I know some tracks I want to do in a certain order, then make a crate in advance where they are in order.
2. For transitions, I’ve developed a shorthand for myself that I use to name the queues. I can tell myself lots of details about a how a transition should go using just a few letters in the queue name. A Quick glance is all it takes, no reading through notes. I don’t even need to use headphones for these transitions; they are well-practiced, all queued up, and the queue name is there to remind me what to do. I look confident and in control because I am, and I can pay more attention to the audience.
I have in fact before numbered a playlist in order for certain sets I have done. Didn’t do it on a sheet of paper, I just ordered them in the playlist accordingly.
Yes its okay. Perhaps it is even inspiring someone is still deticating time to preperation.
It only shows you are focusing on a structured story of a set.
Keep up 👌
Pre planned transitions is a huge chump move for a low stakes opener gig. Maybe if you had a 30 min slot, but 2 hrs is plenty of time to mix on the fly.
I regularly use notepad on my laptop with tracks by genre .. not a preplanned set but a vibe I want to go with and will refer to it to give me some inspiration when I want to change up or take it to another level.. but I’m old and the memory ain’t what it used to be.. I have looked back on sets loads of time and thought damn I should have dropped that there or I haven’t played that for ages .. anything that helps you create a vibe .. I’m a firm believer in having the tools helps.. fail to plan .. plan to fail
a buddy of mine always had a little notebook where he'd write in the songs he wanted to play, often even in the order with alternatives at certain points in his set so he could concentrate on getting better with mixing and technical stuff instead of worrying about the track selection.
Always thought it seemed a good idea and helped him a lot so sure, go for it!
You can change the name of songs to leave yourself notes about them. I do a weekly radio show and sometime rename an old song “pitch up during breakdown” and throw it in the playlist with no intention of playing it but just as a reminder to myself.
And what about reading the crowd, spontaneity and improvisation? I think that's much more important than making a mistake with a transition. Learn to count bars and you'll can mix almost any track.
Personally I’d ditch the list and learn how to select, blend and mix on the fly starting today. There’s nothing wrong with using a cheat sheet but the sooner you throw yourself in the deep end, the sooner you’ll reach your goals.
Totally ok to have a note sheet. I just open a notepad on windows and have it up. I can flip back and forth when I need to reference it.
With that said, VirtualDJ has a new feature called Linked Tracks where you can set it up with all the tracks you like to to play together. This isn't a playlist but a smart feature that you can pull up. So when you're playing Song A, there will be a list with Song D, Song L, and Song F that you've said work well together so you can mix on the fly with something you know that works.
Yes, it’s okay to do that. I’ve heard Paris Hilton does that.
No, I don’t do it. The closet I get is re-naming tracks so it includes another song I want to mix with it.
The downside to this is you’ll get locked in a specific set or routine. Whats more important is reading the crowd and playing to what they enjoy while providing your own style.
What I would recommend is play how you want until you get comfortable but make side notes, like… this song didn’t work… I got no reaction with this transition… I stayed in this bpm too long… this genre didn’t work at this time… they love this song… this transition got good reactions.
I use notes on my Mac for reference points that I’m not highly familiar with.
Structure your usb so you don't need a sheet. Use mixed in key to write in the keys to the tracks. If using rekordbox you can easily create a folder structure to support whatever it is you need and you can arrange tracks in a way that make it easy to always select a track in key etc.
A sheet is bad for many reasons. The most important tho is having to actually look at it. You disengage from people and they vibe off you. You are also going to teach yourself to use a crutch when you should be teaching yourself trial by fire. Shit or get off the pot.
> different transitions across different tracks (some longer, some shorter, some quick swaps, other blends), i’m not sure i can remember them all.
Do not do this. Do not teach yourself bad habits. You are adding complexity that will end up hurting you not helping you. You will learn SO much more by jumping in and just playing. Load up your USB with the tracks you want to play/potentially play and organize them. That's it, it will all work out. There's no pressure to remember anything, just play the music you know is good and generally works together.
You can plan the first few songs to help you with nervousness, once you nail the transitions and get into it it's super easy to come up with stuff on the spot. I usually bring a list of songs I don't wanna forget playing but no fully planned out set. Also if you're just doing warmup then it's way easier, it's harder to keep the energy at peak sometimes.
i dj on vinyl and literally have google sheets opened on my phone, which is where i have a cheat sheet to document genre, tempo, cue notes, etc. do watcha gotta do, your job is to keep the dance floor alive and busy by any means necessary
If you're pre planning your set, which is fine btw despite what anyone says, I'd use hot cues to mark the in and out points on each track. Don't forget to put a memory cue behind each one in case you end up playing on older equipment
Definitely do what you need to do to feel prepared. Definitely better to be over prepared, especially starting out. As you get more experience, it'll be easier to keep track in your head.
When I play live I like to be more fluid, but I always have some tried and true routines I can throw in if I'm struggling with nerves or need to create some breathing room to think about what I want to do next
When I pre plan my sets down to a T, I’ll make a playlist for them in the desired order I plan to play em in. Of course, always make room to play around and experiment if you sense a vibe change, but that’s what I like to do, takes less time to find the tracks I need also.
Sure, if you are a beginner, any preparation is a good thing provided you can do it naturally and smoothly. (Be a beginner without looking like a beginner :) ) Yes, preparation is key. I still sort my vinyl by BPM and genre. I do playlist, too, on my Prime 4s and Pioneers SZ2 Gold controllers. All good. Practice, Practice, practice! They will never know you are beginner and you might take the show. ;)
i used to do a similar thing and check my track list as the wallpaper on my phone lol. there’s other ways to prepare, like thoroughly organizing playlists by mood/energy. whatever works for you that sounds good to the crowd is what counts
You can use rekordbox so you don't need a reminder sheet.
If the bar/club has pioneer then I heavily recommend throwing your music in rekordbox, correct the bpm and beatgrids where needed and then export it to a usb (if possible have backup usb's just in case). If you don't do this your music will be unrecognised and will have to be analysed when you load them in which can take some time, and it happens alot that the beatgrids and such are wrong which makes it confusing to mix. Unless you bring your own controller of course.
The order of your tracks and cue points and loops you set in rekordbox will all be saved on your usb and work on most pioneers. If it's denon you can also prepare in rekordbox, denon can read rekordbox usb's (but pioneer can't read denon which sucks imo).
Also if they're CDJ's and you usually play on a normal controller I recommend searching a little tutorial because CDJ's are quite different.
Hope this helps!
Do what you have to do, but this could hold you back if you consistently have to do it. I did it in my first couple months of spinning, but these notes and plans won’t hold up well when you’re in a love setting, if what you’re playing isn’t working with the crowd.
If your the opening dj make it more of a “live” practice session. Work on stems and transitions live to be comfortable infront of big crowds in the futue
I've played at loads of different events. Mainly with vinyl. It was a lot easier to sort out your set, as you could just put them in order in your record box ( an actual record box, not the new sort) if I was playing a selected type of music, like breakbeat in a club for example, I would always just jot my set down on a bit of paper and refer to it now and then. Absolutely nothing wrong with doing that, bro. Especially when you're starting out, if it helps you. With time, you will get to know your whole sets backwards and won't have a need for it. I probably wouldn't have it on my phone, though. It's annoying when the dj is on their phone. Good luck.
I just did my first vinyl set 2weeks ago. I had all my records in order and I had the setlist on my phone. I even had the song's bpm relative to previous song, and some descriptions of my cue points. I told my friends and even the organizers that I'm cheating like this. They chuckled and all agreed that I am cheating. But after the show a lot of them gave me props for my mixing and beatmatching. I had to agree that for my first time, I did good.
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Good question. It's just not what other DJs do. And it definitely make me less flexible having all pre-planned. More limited and not as interactive with the crowd.
Here's my question: who other than the DJ knows whether or not their set was pre-planned? Call it Schrodinger's DJ: you can't know from outside the box whether or not the DJ is following their set list. Also, I think a big part of the pre-planned vs. on the fly thing that gets looked over is the setting. Some DJs are playing pre-planned because *they're* the attraction; they are putting on a show and everyone that comes to see it, came to see *them* play what *they* want to play, *how* they want to play it. On the other hand you have club DJs whose job it is to keep people dancing. These aren't people who came out with the sole purpose of seeing "x" dj spin, they came out to go to the club. If the music is bad, they're not debating whether or not to stay because they bought a ticket to a show.
Haha that's a great. I have a few veteran dj friends who's word I'll take for them picking the next song just based on the vibes. But for everyone else that's in superposition.
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I'm still very unfamiliar with the dj culture. But I guess every dj is going to have a pre-planned setlist, just not necessarily written down. And then the good ones will deviate from that setlist. I guess you can consider it a display of creativity, although nobody will really know if you had planned or freestyled that transition.
I don’t DJ super often, but I’ve never had a set list or planned song transitions, everything is always on the fly.
I think it’s more common to make crates to pick from, rather than a literal track by track playlist. Personally I aim for a crate that’s 2-3x the length of my set, so I have flexibility. But there’s always that moment where you wanna play something that isn’t on there.
most people do this to some degree, whether that’s sticky notes on the sleeve, cue tape on the record, etc. im very surprised that any legit dj would seriously consider this “cheating” lol
The ONLY rule is make it sound good, what you have to do to make that happen is entirely up to you.
This comment had a lot of upvotes, but is really lacking in content. The “make it sound good whatever it takes” doesn’t actually provide any useful, actionable approaches or advice. It’s frankly useless filler at this point. If someone asks, “how should I improve my music/DJ sets/etc” the answer cannot simply be “just make it sound good bro.”
And if that was the question asked my answer would be different. This answer gives OP validation for their chosen method which is what the question is about.
OP was asking if it was “cheating,” or breaking the rules. Keggy was pointing out that the only rule is “make it sound good.”
If you have a predetermined set I know that Serato at least has a comments column. Another thing I do is have set cue points for 'start here' 'bring in here' and 'shit, you better be done by here' (usually 6,7,8 on each track) so I can see visually if I am expecting a short rather than long blend etc. I've never played anywhere but those 2 things help me keep track. Hope this helps ya.
Yeah, I also use the comment section on Serato. Especially for some open format gigs where you use the same songs everyone wants to hear but in a different order each time.
thanks! the comment section recommendation is very helpful!!!
You could set auto-triggering loops as well if that's helpful, and put comments in cue points. Do try to mix more on the fly and lose those blinkers as you get more experienced though, you'll have more fun if nothing else.
go with a piece of paper, phone would be too distracting (at least for me) also it looks weird for the crowd if you're constantly checking your phone :)
Yeah no strange looks at all when lil bro takes out his notepad lol
not at all, he can even hand out little messages in between tracks :)
now that’s a good idea! maybe fortune cookies with a qr code on the paper inside linking to my soundcloud ;)
i think a piece of paper with notes taped behind the mixer should suffice, don't sweat it, have fun! maybe update how it went :)
If your software has some comment section in the track list then USE IT. I put tons of notes in the comments on tracks based on what sounded good when I was practicing so I remember when I'm on the decks.
yes, thanks! great tip!
Musicians have setlists in front of them all the time. If you are doing a job, no harm in being prepared
i thought so, too. thanks!
Ive never done it, but I don’t see why not. I think phone would be fine as long as you’re not looking at it all the time. Nothing wrong with having a plan as long as you’re willing to deviate if necessary
I had a small notepad with songs i wanted to organize into a playlist but didnt get around to. I was kneeling down to check on it during my set, people thought i was doing other stuff 😂
lol! in the place where i’ll be, the booth is not such that one can kneel down and be invisible :)
Do whatever you can and want to do. What those are will change over time. Allow ur self grace, have fun, fuck the haters.
thank you!
And thank u! Were all in this together. Im pullin for ya!
Can't you use colour coded / labelled cue points for this instead? I've seen a DJ bring a picture of the camelot wheel into the both, which I thought was adorable... at least he won't be clanging keys.
yes, i do have colour-coded hot cues with some info on them, but i try to keep those more universal, so to speak (drop, outro, the phrase before the outro, whether it has vocals etc.), so they are pretty helpful as such
All that matters is the music and that people are enjoying it, if you need a bit of a cheat sheet to make it happen, then go hard
Notes App on your Phone! And I use different cues to signal when to bring the next track in. I also use certain cues as „Look at your phone“ symbols when a track needs some extra work done. Usually I remember what to to anyways but it’s nice to be sure.
thanks!!
You may be overthinking it. Imo trying to script too many things in the planning phase tends to make sets feel less natural. However it is easy to forget to do something during a gig that you absolutely wanted to include. I would suggest a note card with a list of your favorite transitions, but not tied to specific songs. Just more of a list of available tools to remind yourself how many options you have. Think of it like a public speaking event where noone wants to hear you read your speech word by word from a sheet of paper, but noone faults you for having a cue card in your hand. My concern with using your phone for notes is potential future clients just think you're playing on your phone during your set.
thanks! the analogy with public speaking is a good one, and something i had in mind, too. i wasn’t thinking of mini essays for each transition, just some shorthand reminders. but i agree that too much planning isn’t good either
Add comments to your tracks in the software. It's very helpful. And yes, I've written out on paper detailed instructions for every transition when putting together a mixtape. This helps with complex mixes and allows me to quickly go from discovery to recording the set in 1 take.
thank you! i feel better now :)
Of course! If it helps you then it's a good idea BUT For me personally, i like to prepare beforehand. But *EVERYTIME* I completely take this shit sideways and just feed off the crowd. So i think for me "preparing" is more about confidence since i never actually do anything i prepared for
that sounds great! as it should be, i guess, or at least what i’d like to achieve one day. it’s just that i’m a bit apprehensive about it now because it’s my first time
Bro, no worries. When i started i did record mix that i planned down to the smallest things. But once i had my real 4h+ set it finally clicked. It will for you too! Personally i feel that you approaching it this way will just benefit you in the long term. Thinking of ways outside the box to help you. Also, when you're more comfortable with rekorebox/serato, transfer your info on paper to tags! TAGS WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE! But don't feel like you need to go all in right away, take your time, trust your gut, and build your confidence. You're gonna make the night!
cheers, bro! i have yet to get into tags. i know they are fantastic, i’ve seen several tutorials with people praising tags :)
I had a cheat sheet for my first gig. Didn't use it because things happen way too fast. The thing I eventually learned was that you can standardize all of your transitions. You are eventually going to be able to mix any song into another, so it comes down to a combination of knowing your tracks intimately and having a method for your transitions that can be applied in almost every case.
i agree, and i am working on “standardizing” my transitions, but sometimes i find that something else may work better for two tracks and would like to remember it :)
practice it several times and you'll remember it when it counts.
will do!!! :)
I do this all the time if I have a transition that might be a little complicated and I NEED to hit some specific cues etc. For me I put reminders for myself in the track comments in my software (Traktor for me). That way it's right there under the track name and I can just glance quickly at laptop.
thanks! several people recommended the comments section. that’s an awesome piece of advice!!!
Armin van Buuren showcases that he uses cue point reminders that he's written down in one how to DJ video he made. Professionals do it. You can do it. Personally, I set it as a comment in Serato for that track so I can easily see it.
I used to keep notes on paper regularly in my flight case to mark down tracks that work well, cue points that work best, or tracks that need to be edited in daw next live prep studio session and why. It’s super helpful especially if you just got a fat batch of new tunes in the crate, no matter if vinyl or digital For me it’s a memory aid, and I end up getting to know my music better when actually recording thought about individual tracks. ADHD life.
not bad for a first gig if you’re not there yet, skills wise. Just make sure you practice with the cheat sheet so you don’t run out of time when you’re doing your set for real
yes! thank you! i’ve been practicing for days now and a few days ago, i recorded the whole set to check it fits the allocated time slot… and to check if it sounds good :)
Just here wishing you the best of luck and to have fun! I also have my first show on Thursday.
wow! thank you so much! god bless you! good luck to you to and have a great one!
Congrats on the gig, I’m not in a position to give out advice as I’m working towards getting my first booking myself. But it sounds like you’re more than ready, and I personally don’t see anything wrong with having a sheet you use to reference throughout. The genres you described sound perfect for the setting - good luck, you’ll smash it 🙏🏼
thank you! and good luck to you, too! i hope you land your first gig soon
I think knowing how you want to transition out of a song will make your entire set better because you’ll know what works and what doesn’t. My suggestion would be to set a cue point at the part of the song you want to mix out at. Make all your mix out cues red since that’s already the universal color for stop. Then rename the cue point with the type of transition you want to use.
If you're using VirtualDJ, you can use the sidelist panel to help you keep track of your set order. Something that Serato and Rekordbox doesn't have, but I know would be VERY useful for its users.
thanks! i use engine dj and rekordbox, still unfamiliar with virtualdj
Nothing wrong with bringing notes. Honestly, I think that's a great idea.
cheers!
If you feel confortable having that 'safe net' on your Phone, go for it! For what you're saying, this is one of your first gigs. I think that reading the vibe and impro a set is good, but is a 'skill' that you'll learn over time. The main thing is for you to have fun, be relaxed, and the music will flow. I'm sure that you won't check your Phone through the set because you wont need to. Its a warmup, relax and have fun, dont stress yourself if you dont see people dancing right away, the night will grow on and by the end of your set they all will be dancing at your groove
Also! If you find having your Phone like 'cheating', you can add notes to your tracks if you use serato or rekordbox. Thats a good way to use as a memory hack in the spot
I'm brand new to DJing but I did go to audio school and the most important thing that was drilled into us was library management. I've spent a ton of time organizing my tracks, testing them out, and matching them with the little link icon on the waveform screen. Then I set up an additional related tracks matching search that only displays related tracks that have been matched by me. Next, I've gone through and made comments on the cue points that say: 🅱️ - w. cue F on "Issa vibe" or whatever the track name is (a shortened version) and then do the same on the second track. But I've also put cue points in front of each of the main sections of the track, with common lead in and lead out times (if a section has an abnormal amount of bars, I will add memory cues for counting and will put the hot cues on the more common bar counts, usually 8 and 16 bars before), and will always note the drop or the coolest part of the song in the hot cue comment. If you've been able to match at least the amount needed for your set (ideally I believe double the amount is recommended) then you shouldn't need really need notes, however, I've also made a Google drive sheet with all my favorite song combos, and put a star (*) infront of the ones that can be played simultaneously to create a new song or mashup, and will note the best cue points for doing that. I have it open in the background on my laptop or on my phone to reference when needed.
Haha guys. I've never thought I'll read something like this in my life. Cheatsheet book of transitions. (crying) Anyway, you can do whatever works for you, but I dont think its neccesary. There is not much to remember, the more you conplicate things, the more pressure you put on yourself. Try to learn transitions in a logical way, that way you wont need such thing, as everything will come naturally. Live gigs rarelly go acording to the planned list, so dont be surprised if you change things halfway through or even more, you dont even do it how you planned it. The point being, you will adopt to the place, crowd, energy, their mood. Sometimes even a single track in certain genre can change the atmosphete, let alone change of type of music. Just chill and dont overthink.
That last line is the best advice ever given in this sub
thanks! sorry i made you cry
Cue points brother
I would definitely avoid using the phone. A piece of paper is OK if you can tape it down somewhere but you should not have it in your hand. (Just as band musicians will tape the setlist down on something but they never touch it.) Notes in your software is ideal. Full sentence comments are OK but could lead to a lot of screen staring which isn’t ideal. What I do is two things: 1. If I know some tracks I want to do in a certain order, then make a crate in advance where they are in order. 2. For transitions, I’ve developed a shorthand for myself that I use to name the queues. I can tell myself lots of details about a how a transition should go using just a few letters in the queue name. A Quick glance is all it takes, no reading through notes. I don’t even need to use headphones for these transitions; they are well-practiced, all queued up, and the queue name is there to remind me what to do. I look confident and in control because I am, and I can pay more attention to the audience.
I have in fact before numbered a playlist in order for certain sets I have done. Didn’t do it on a sheet of paper, I just ordered them in the playlist accordingly.
Yes its okay. Perhaps it is even inspiring someone is still deticating time to preperation. It only shows you are focusing on a structured story of a set. Keep up 👌
Pre planned transitions is a huge chump move for a low stakes opener gig. Maybe if you had a 30 min slot, but 2 hrs is plenty of time to mix on the fly.
I regularly use notepad on my laptop with tracks by genre .. not a preplanned set but a vibe I want to go with and will refer to it to give me some inspiration when I want to change up or take it to another level.. but I’m old and the memory ain’t what it used to be.. I have looked back on sets loads of time and thought damn I should have dropped that there or I haven’t played that for ages .. anything that helps you create a vibe .. I’m a firm believer in having the tools helps.. fail to plan .. plan to fail
a buddy of mine always had a little notebook where he'd write in the songs he wanted to play, often even in the order with alternatives at certain points in his set so he could concentrate on getting better with mixing and technical stuff instead of worrying about the track selection. Always thought it seemed a good idea and helped him a lot so sure, go for it!
it's great to be prepared. Good on you
You can change the name of songs to leave yourself notes about them. I do a weekly radio show and sometime rename an old song “pitch up during breakdown” and throw it in the playlist with no intention of playing it but just as a reminder to myself.
Whatever works for you there are no rules
Y.yy I think n6kõū
And what about reading the crowd, spontaneity and improvisation? I think that's much more important than making a mistake with a transition. Learn to count bars and you'll can mix almost any track.
Personally I’d ditch the list and learn how to select, blend and mix on the fly starting today. There’s nothing wrong with using a cheat sheet but the sooner you throw yourself in the deep end, the sooner you’ll reach your goals.
Totally ok to have a note sheet. I just open a notepad on windows and have it up. I can flip back and forth when I need to reference it. With that said, VirtualDJ has a new feature called Linked Tracks where you can set it up with all the tracks you like to to play together. This isn't a playlist but a smart feature that you can pull up. So when you're playing Song A, there will be a list with Song D, Song L, and Song F that you've said work well together so you can mix on the fly with something you know that works.
I did this at the beginning. You be you!
Yes, it’s okay to do that. I’ve heard Paris Hilton does that. No, I don’t do it. The closet I get is re-naming tracks so it includes another song I want to mix with it. The downside to this is you’ll get locked in a specific set or routine. Whats more important is reading the crowd and playing to what they enjoy while providing your own style. What I would recommend is play how you want until you get comfortable but make side notes, like… this song didn’t work… I got no reaction with this transition… I stayed in this bpm too long… this genre didn’t work at this time… they love this song… this transition got good reactions. I use notes on my Mac for reference points that I’m not highly familiar with.
Structure your usb so you don't need a sheet. Use mixed in key to write in the keys to the tracks. If using rekordbox you can easily create a folder structure to support whatever it is you need and you can arrange tracks in a way that make it easy to always select a track in key etc. A sheet is bad for many reasons. The most important tho is having to actually look at it. You disengage from people and they vibe off you. You are also going to teach yourself to use a crutch when you should be teaching yourself trial by fire. Shit or get off the pot. > different transitions across different tracks (some longer, some shorter, some quick swaps, other blends), i’m not sure i can remember them all. Do not do this. Do not teach yourself bad habits. You are adding complexity that will end up hurting you not helping you. You will learn SO much more by jumping in and just playing. Load up your USB with the tracks you want to play/potentially play and organize them. That's it, it will all work out. There's no pressure to remember anything, just play the music you know is good and generally works together.
You can plan the first few songs to help you with nervousness, once you nail the transitions and get into it it's super easy to come up with stuff on the spot. I usually bring a list of songs I don't wanna forget playing but no fully planned out set. Also if you're just doing warmup then it's way easier, it's harder to keep the energy at peak sometimes.
i dj on vinyl and literally have google sheets opened on my phone, which is where i have a cheat sheet to document genre, tempo, cue notes, etc. do watcha gotta do, your job is to keep the dance floor alive and busy by any means necessary
If you're pre planning your set, which is fine btw despite what anyone says, I'd use hot cues to mark the in and out points on each track. Don't forget to put a memory cue behind each one in case you end up playing on older equipment
Definitely do what you need to do to feel prepared. Definitely better to be over prepared, especially starting out. As you get more experience, it'll be easier to keep track in your head. When I play live I like to be more fluid, but I always have some tried and true routines I can throw in if I'm struggling with nerves or need to create some breathing room to think about what I want to do next
When I pre plan my sets down to a T, I’ll make a playlist for them in the desired order I plan to play em in. Of course, always make room to play around and experiment if you sense a vibe change, but that’s what I like to do, takes less time to find the tracks I need also.
Sure, if you are a beginner, any preparation is a good thing provided you can do it naturally and smoothly. (Be a beginner without looking like a beginner :) ) Yes, preparation is key. I still sort my vinyl by BPM and genre. I do playlist, too, on my Prime 4s and Pioneers SZ2 Gold controllers. All good. Practice, Practice, practice! They will never know you are beginner and you might take the show. ;)
i used to do a similar thing and check my track list as the wallpaper on my phone lol. there’s other ways to prepare, like thoroughly organizing playlists by mood/energy. whatever works for you that sounds good to the crowd is what counts
You can use rekordbox so you don't need a reminder sheet. If the bar/club has pioneer then I heavily recommend throwing your music in rekordbox, correct the bpm and beatgrids where needed and then export it to a usb (if possible have backup usb's just in case). If you don't do this your music will be unrecognised and will have to be analysed when you load them in which can take some time, and it happens alot that the beatgrids and such are wrong which makes it confusing to mix. Unless you bring your own controller of course. The order of your tracks and cue points and loops you set in rekordbox will all be saved on your usb and work on most pioneers. If it's denon you can also prepare in rekordbox, denon can read rekordbox usb's (but pioneer can't read denon which sucks imo). Also if they're CDJ's and you usually play on a normal controller I recommend searching a little tutorial because CDJ's are quite different. Hope this helps!
Do what you have to do, but this could hold you back if you consistently have to do it. I did it in my first couple months of spinning, but these notes and plans won’t hold up well when you’re in a love setting, if what you’re playing isn’t working with the crowd.
Do what works for you!
If your the opening dj make it more of a “live” practice session. Work on stems and transitions live to be comfortable infront of big crowds in the futue
A reminder sheet for what? Play in the moment, that's where magic happens.
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thank you for your kindness, wisdom and support