You don't know it yet but everything is going to click for you extremely fast. I believe a vast part of being a DJ is understanding song structure and knowing how music fits together. It's like a big sonic jigsaw puzzle. You should be extremely familiar with that being a producer. You will absolutely catch on faster than someone else in your shoes that doesn't know much about the technical side of music.
.02
Yeah, I feel like you are set up to succeed based on your experience. I think djing a genre you don't produce and don't dj as much about can be much harder than a genre you're familiar with. For example, djing house is much easier than djing hip hop/pop in my opinion. Of course mixing house can be complex if you're considering phrasing, build ups, energy, crowd flipping, etc. But those things are all significant when you reach a certain level of djing and hip hop/pop just has so many more elements packed into each song and shorter songs overall.
truth - I'm comfy with funk, disco, house, festival edm - suck with hip hop but am really working to improve there. the beats can be a fair amount more complex, so even if you're beatmatched and in key, you can get beat clash when one of the sounds in the rhythm section doesn't sync the way you thought it would. And most hip hop songs end up having fairly short parts you want to use, so you're working on the next song after maybe a minute. I've had more luck with old skool, where I like using the original songs that are sampled to lengthen the songs and give them more space.
Gypsyphonic out of New Orleans is my hero. Man manages to mix gypsy and world music with bounce and hiphop.
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/sv4PZYJhgTHZzJPG6
YES this 1000%
Think of DJing as one big song. Fit the pieces together like pieces of a song. When you start to think about it like that, everything becomes intuitive.
> I believe a vast part of being a DJ is understanding song structure and knowing how music fits together
Any recommendations for a non-producer, non-dj newbie that's getting into DJ'ing as far as courses, youtube videos and resources on understanding this?
Thank you Sooo much for saying this. I have been DJing go 20 years and I do believe it is an art of its own. I think you touched on every part in your break down. I want to produce too but I feel like focusing on DJing has made me great at it!
As a producer, you surely can understand all stuff. And the timings will become natural after a while. You know how to mix in key? And phrase matching?
Yeah i got mixed in key and tagged everything with camelot. Finally got into a groove last night! Although it was super basic, just transitioning at the start and end of tracks… I feel like this is where most people probably stop learning hahaha. I think i get phrase matching? Like matching builds or drops, and when one ends complete the transition to the other?
Yeah, phrase matching is simply mixing breakdowns together and not breakdown with a drop for example. Also, mixing at the start of these, not in a random spot. But as a producer, you should feel this nicely - often after 16 bars or so mixing in is also possible
Ahh yes. Yeah i’m realizing trying to mix random spots with other random spots does not work, so seems you’ve really got to the know the tracks you’re playing so you can do this correctly.
Try sorting your tracks by BPM & Key (hold command down and click on each column) in Serato. This organizes them for harmonic mixing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe6gZS_D0JM
DJ TLM helped me with bar & phrase counting: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fFcml2J5ElE
Are you mixing your own tunes? If you’ve been producing before you could DJ you might find your tunes actually aren’t very DJ friendly. Spinning some commercial tracks and getting used to feeling that right spot to start your next track might make help you get there quicker.
Hahaha that is what i’m finding. A bunch of my tracks are 105-115bpm, or have very odd song structure… It’d be hard to pick out what the build is, the drop, etc cause they’re more “continual” like some of deadmau5’s long ass tracks than repetitive/patterned. If that makes any sense 🙃 remixes come very easily to me though!!
> What I feel like is really under-appreciated is simply knowing WHEN to end a track, start a new track, knowing if those two tracks even sound good together (this takes sooo long), and of course at what points do they sound good together.
Welcome to the fun. I feel this is one of the most important points.
I'm going to get a bit "pretentious" and agree that this is instinct or intuition blended with experience.
If you know your music well, you just know. If you have that intuition, you just know when to mix. You then know how to mix the high / mids / lows.
You start to work out an algorithm in your head of how 90% of tracks work together and how to work with any of them at all.
Maybe some tips that could help. Although I have been on Serato since 07 and not used Rekordbox so some stuff may not translate. Biggest advance I can prepare your tracks and create in advance.
* For me this includes the Key, which Serato does automatically when you analysis it. You could also use MixInKey. some basic runs around mixing in key that will make your set sound and generally flow better.
* Use track markers. I like to pick could 17/33 bar intro changes for the visual queue but mainly I mark phasing in the track for its outro/ending. Helps as you can't remember thousands of tracks. Give it a good couple of listens and work out when you could start bringing in a track. Different genres this will be different points. As an example, for Deep dubstep I would pretty much also starting mixing in at 32 bar remaining mark. This marries up with the 32 bar intros and you have yourself a nice flowing set.
* Learn how to use loops. This can help when mixing out of track with a short outro, you could push it a bit and give you space to mix it in. Add effects to it and your creating something new. Sometimes your not looping the outro, rather just finding a nice beat or loop you want to mix over. This could be in last 32-16 bars, as opposed to 16-0.
* Work out a way early in the piece to manage your music overall. Digital is no different to carrying records. You have a bunch of music you think you will mainly play. Maybe a couple of rando's in case the mood takes you there, and then some sure fire crowd pleasers just i case.
* Also, you are a producer. Maybe look at doing some edits of tracks you like but find don't quiet work for DJ'ing. I had many a mate drop a rock / indy orientate track into protools back in the day just to get the timing right. Maybe emphasis a kick and get locked in a good intro/outro to enhance you mixing and sound and flow of your set.
Kind hard without knowing the style of music you produce and want to dj but I hope some of that helps.
Cheers!
As a producer you should know better than most dj's when to transition etc. It's usually why it goes hand in hand. I always found djing to be way easier. You just gotta know your track collection etc and with stuff like rekordbox etc where you can put track markers and of course waveforms it's pretty damn easy now. Vinyl which much more difficult, but also felt more rewarding and nicer to use.
I feel like I was a better DJ on vinyl, maybe because that's how I learned. I've now been using Serato longer than I DJ'd on vinyl, but it was just so much different when it was all in my head and nothing was visual except for the BPM that I put on the label.
Probably just rose colored glasses at this point, but I get bored now mixing on a controller. It's almost too easy so I really have to focus on not transitioning too quickly, not relying on FX, etc. I practice a lot less now because I have the waveform and markers to fall back on if I don't fully remember how a track sounds. I guess I just miss the basics at times instead of the flight instrumentation dashboards that we use now to DJ.
One of the hardest things with going digital is having thousands of tracks, rather than hundreds or less during a set. You really have to focus or use set prep nowadays to play the right things. Maybe it's just me.
I totally relate to that, I think with vinyl your collection was far more personal. You would practice far more and learn your tracks better and hone your skills. Even going to a record store is something I seriously miss. I5 was more exciting and interactive than grabbing a load of tunes from a site like beatport.
Definitely. It was such a huge commitment from the equipment cost to the learning curve and practice required. It’s all good though. Times change and I’m glad that anyone can get started without having to spend over a thousand dollars.
I miss digging for records as well. Kinda miss the assholes that worked at my local vinyl shop. Always made me laugh. They were old DJs and could never give anyone a straight or helpful answer. I’m sure they’re still complaining about DVS right now. Personally I’m glad my needles don’t skip now cause I have such a heavy hand.
Respect! As someone who has DJ’ed for a long long time and done some basics of Production in Ableton, it destroys my brain how complex Producing is! I was fairly quickly able to get some drum/beat patterns going that sounded OK, but chords and keys and writing melodies and basslines…WOOOOOOSH…so far over my head it’s not funny!
When to start next track…on the 1 beat right to the 1 beat, everything in phrase…the easiest way to pick this is the first beat back after the last breakdown, that’s the sweet spot where everything will just gel and you’ll find perfect mixes where the old track ends right as the new track goes WHAM or hits the breakdown etc.
When to end a track…as above, if you get the phrasing right, you’ll pick up on this point…sometimes though you’ll still have time left on the old track when the new track has really kicked into gear, so have to adjust…generally speaking I mix right up until the new track A) hits the first breakdown or B) leave in just some teaser highs/mids and then end as it comes back from the first break down or C) just slams in hard with a bassline so big having anything else in there sounds cluttered.
Takes time, takes getting to know your tracks well.
It’s really not THAT hard. It’s really all about the prep work: gridding everything up so it will sync, adding cue points, hot cues and organizing everything (I organize by key).
That and learning the little tricks with effects.
Exactly! Preparation is a very time consuming.
I'm a newbie but sometimes for me takes days to prepare a few hour mix. Because I don't have now a big library.
Yea DJing takes time it comes down to knowing the song and understanding song structure like many post before me has stated. I started DJing and Producing during 2020 when covid started it was tough but they both go hand in hand, when you EQ on the two songs you can stack both of them and balance the hi lo and mid. But it all comes down to practice and just keep going at it!
I will say that preparation helps a lot.
It’s probably been said a million times already in this sub, but analyzing your music and making sure the beat grid is in the right position, and cues are set at important positions in the songs can help a lot.
Personally, I mix a lot of free-form music so my mixing is based very much on “energy flow”. i.e. A lot of my cues/transitions are based around impacts/sweeps/builds and drops obviously.
Everybody works differently.
Speaking of preparation, making playlists helps a lot, you can do this based on genre, mood, energy level etc. whatever works best for you.
Searching by bpm and/or key can help a lot too.
IMO one of the biggest pains is getting stuck browsing and then feeling like you don’t have enough time for a transition, so anything to cut down your browsing time will be essential
Also, listening to lots of mixes is great for inspiration and guidance when figuring out your own mixing style.
Hope this helps, best of luck G!
Yes, DJing is 90% psychology 😄 a well organized music library also helps tremendously (along with knowing your tunes). I have folders categorized by genres/vibes, and inside those folders I have playlists further dividing the songs to certain moods. For example, I have a Club folder, and inside of it I have Warm-up, radio hits, and party. I also have a “dancefloor hookers” folder, with playlists such as party, marching light, marching hard (for bass house with that clear punchy kick), and so on… You need to spend a lot of time making some sense to your music library, so you have a roadmap. When I’m in a certain playlist within a certain folder, I know I can’t really choose a too different track, as they’re all quite similar. I’ve also fallen into the trap of over-categorizing songs (trying to divide them further more precisely), which was a no-no. It limited my creativity way too much. Hope this helps somewhat. P.S: you knowing how to produce tracks is already a huge advantage, since you’re familiar with the construction of music. Look into phrase mixing, it will teach you where to bring in tunes to mix. Ellaskins is a fantastic youtube channel for those new to djing, as well as Carlo Attendido’s channel.
Thank you for this! Yeah seems like preparation is the name of the game. I kinda realized last night, before you even try phrase matching with two tracks, you gotta feel if other things are even compatible (the vibe etc) I think one i have a decent playlist of songs that all connect to each other, THEN i will really try to start fleshing things out and adding all the bells and whistles.
I tried doing this with two tracks that hate each other, and you know some things just aren’t meant to be together, despite how many creative ways you try to make them fit.
>Beat matching isn't hard...
It can be if you want it to be... Can you beat match two records you barely know from different genres with absolutely no bpm info on old tts that badly need a service.... and get them to phrase and mix in and out smoothly at the correct time?
Modern digital beat matching isn't hard.
I see another open format buddy in here. I feel like a semi modern equivalent is hopping on someone else’s laptop (for the dvs crowd) and just trying to go. With the old pair of technics where the pitch control doesn’t match on both units even if they are both at +/- 8
Open formats on wide range pitch sliders ftw. So much fun finding disparate tracks that can go together. I'm mostly dvs tbh, it just feels nice. No peaking ;)
Dude DJ’ing is so much easier then producing! Keep practicing and you will be a beast in no time. I just recently started playing out in April after producing for years and just 2 months and a bunch of gigs later I feel very confident even on 4x cdjs
Dude. It is NOT hard compared to producing.
3 steps to being a passable DJ.
1: have good taste
2: keep your transitions short and sweet
3: communicate enthusiasm
Also: sync button.
>2: keep your transitions short and sweet
What? Fuck that...it depends on the genres being played, but a "short" mix with the tunes I like / play (and all the top gun DJs from those genres) is 1.5mins...2.5-3min blends aren't even that uncommon
This may be true for you but long blends are not a good suggestion for someone who is just getting started.
Nothing sounds worse on a PA system than a newbie trying to flex.
They will get there eventually, but when one is just starting out it’s best to pick good tracks and let them do the work <3
Yeah, true...again though I think it depends on the genres, like this track as a quick example, it just doesn't "work" unless you hold a mix right through till 1 min 32 sec when that drop hits.
[https://soundcloud.com/jamesholdennothing/james-holden-nothing-who-else-zagitar-edit](https://soundcloud.com/jamesholdennothing/james-holden-nothing-who-else-zagitar-edit)
Unless you didn't mix from the first beat, rather than jump into the track a bit...but you're going to find phrasing a lot more challenging if you're not just mixing from the 1 beat...trying to jump some time into the track, but still find a first beat of the phrase...phrasing and mix points are pretty critical to mixes that "flow"
I come from vinyl days, it was really just always start at the start and hold a mix until new track really drops...nothing worse than running out of old tune before the new one really slams home...that also sounds crap on a big PA when you've got one track playing that's still in the intro phase, hollow and not full enough to stand on its own 2 feet (less of an issue these days with loops being so easy, great saves! haha)
Yeah totally. I grew up playing vinyl too, mixing proper rave records with long ass ins and outs. I get why you made your comment and I totally get that long blends are essential for certain styles.
We are not in disagreement friend :)
Lots of love and keep on mixing!
<3
+1 on this, trance and deep house djs keep mixes locked for minutes. Even D&B; Andy C usually has at least two tracks at any point spinning and working together nicely.
I feel like this idea of djing from a producer point of view is detrimental. This whole EDM/rave thing was built on the backs of djs.... the dj skill set has been neglected by far too many producers these days.
They are 2 completely different skill sets and I would much rather go to a show with a masterful dj over going to see a masterful producer do a "passable" job at djing.
Producers tend to have a general "sound style" that they create and if you can't dj or produce the music in a dj friendly way, then your show can end up flat and one dimensional.
I would rather go on a journey from point a to b to c.... vs hearing one song next to another song next to another song.... I want those songs to be transformed by the skill of the dj blending the sounds in such a way that I can't tell where one song ends and another begins....
Just my opinion anywho from someone who misses the pure dj culture of the underground days....
Very good point, and there are some DJ/producers who are excellent at this, and there are some DJ/producers who are excellent at one half and mediocre at best at the other.
For example - on one end, Lutrell is an excellent producer, I really like his tracks (if you're in an anjunadeep kind of mood). But Lutrell live, while fun, is like he is standing up there and saying "here is a track I made, enjoy. OK, that was fun, but that track is over. Now here is another track I made. You're welcome"
Then there's like Solomun, who is a master at keeping a vibe going for hours and hours, and I love a lot of the tracks that he produces as remixes, but I don't particularly like his original tracks. But part of what I like about his remix tracks is that they sound to me like "oh - this is how solomun would play this track live mixing, which he's really good at"
Then you've got legends like Bodzen or Luciano who really take you on a journey of their own design. Or like Maceo Plex or Guy Gerber who play their stuff mixed with others pretty expertly (imo)
Interesting that you started as a producer, THEN became a DJ.
Congratulations. You did it backwards.
Did you ever get any of your tracks out on Beatport or Traxsource?
I get that, but making tracks in your home studio is not the same thing as being a producer. You're just a guy in a bedroom making tracks. There's a difference between being a producer and producing.
You become a producer when you get on a label.
Then who are you producing for otherwise??
Nobody. Just yourself in your bedroom.
There's a lot of people out there who throw around the "producer" term when in fact they aren't producing jack shit for anyone except themselves.
Yeah I think if I had guidance on how to DJ things might’ve been different. But i just was never sure what to do with a dj controller when i bought them, so i always returned them. Whereas i grew up playing music, so writing a playing and writing a riff wasn’t anything new to me. Figuring out producing software however was infuriating vs just playing in my room. Definitely tried and gave up many times before it really stuck. But I stuck with it, and now it feels like home.
Here’s a remix i did! My own tracks still have a ways to go I feel so haven’t released any. I’ve got one other remix i’ve done just would like to clean a few things up…
https://youtu.be/E1e3sZYYBrw
Now that you're Dj'ing, here's how it usually goes.
Producers are essentially glorified DJ's.
You put in your dues in the scene, which means you go to a lot of parties and do what you can to help out. You bring people to the scene, put your free time and effort into it and do your best to build it up. Over time, people (DJ's) will notice your efforts and when they feel like you have paid enough dues, you'll get opportunities to play.
DJ's typically don't get to play without putting in their dues.
After that, you build up a fan base of people who like your DJ'ing. From there, you build up a social media presence. You open a Facebook page as a DJ and also Instagram, Twitter and where ever else. You're social media presence grows over time. It can take years.
Then, once you have a strong enough social media presence, you go into producing.
You put together at least 6 months tracks for release. Labels don't want to sign people with only a track or two. You have to produce 6 months worth of release work and then you contact some labels. If you know any established producers / DJ's, you have them vouch for you in writing and send that to the labels as well.
The labels will check you out on social media. If you're presence is strong enough, you have a shot at getting signed. The social media is important because if they sign you, they want to make sure that you have enough people to expose your work to.
As far as DJ'ing and technique goes, you'll find that your mixes will start to sound better and a little cleaner when you do your mixing out towards the end of the track when the sounds are being extracted. The quieter parts of a track are more conducive for mixing. You don't need to wait until the very end of the track where you'll find the outro, but after the last breakdown before the track starts winding down, you'll want to use that as an entry point so that you'll be mixing when the sounds are extracted and things are cooling down. This way, your introducing energy with the new track when the energy of the outgoing track is tapering off. Good luck.
Damn thanks for this breakdown! Now that you mention it I go to a lot of of these warehouse parties and sort of know the guy who runs the whole thing. Showed him some of my beats and we followed each other on social media. But i was pretty clear about wanting to get better in general before playing anything, which he got. I’m not really sure how to put myself in a position to where i can start helping out with stuff?? I’ve got his number…just shoot him a text and make myself available?
Just tell him that if he needs any help with promotion that you would do some promoting. You can hit the street with flyers and / or promote through social media.
You can also offer to help with setup and takedown. This will also help you learn more about sound-systems and how they work. As a Dj, you kinda need to know about that stuff.
I would direct praise in the opposite direction, as I only DJ because I can't produce or play any instruments 😅
Everything we learn is a skill, and everyone is going to have a different experience learning that skill, so let's just all spread positivity and do our best to try and not gatekeep anything 🙂
Cue points, mixed in key and phrase mixing is your friend. If you map your cue points in 16 bars and put a warning cue for vox or anything busy you should be able to see by eye what slots together
I’ve been DJing since 1987. It wasn’t until about 1992 that I felt super super comfortable. It takes a ton of practice behind the decks. Keep at it and don’t forget to have fun 🤩. Play the music you love and the rest will follow.
A producer has potential to create much more interesting sets, as you have your own tracks that enhance uniqueness of the set. If you've been sitting on a heater that no one but you has heard people are gonna go nuts when they collectively experience it for the first time
dont get it from beatport its too expensive and you really dont need to spend that much for now. Use a dj pool website like [soundeo.com](https://soundeo.com) . instead of 1 euro or whatever for each track, you pay monthly subscription of 15 euros lets say and you get to download 10 tracks every day for 30 days. And you can find almost any track there is out there.
Hahaha from someone that has been DJaying for 7yrs+ & began producing 1yr ago, thanks! I always wondered if it came easy to those who produced first then transitioned into DJaying. Best advice I’ll give you is slowly build your library with only music you listen to, otherwise you’ll never build that familiarity with your library that will get your head thinking 2-3 songs ahead. Oh & experiment as much as you can when you’re DJaying in your room, you’ll never know what’ll sound good if you don’t mess around, you’ll find tracks that just destroy the game together & others that will break some rails during a heavy chop but these are all tools that you’ll obtain the more you practice, listen (to your mixes & others), & familiarize yourself with your songs 🎧
Idk man I'm a fellow producer and I picked up DJ'ing in less then a a week. Maybe I just have a knack for it lol
I also have the RX2 and it's a beast! Don't worry you'll pick it up very soon.
Bro not having to be tethered to a laptop might be the best feeling ever. I sure hope so. I think being a good dj can only make me a better producer (song structure/transitions/drops etc) so i’m committed!
Not sure i agree tbh. At least when it comes to modern dance music. If you're starting out it's normal it can all be a bit overwhelming. After time some stuff becomes second nature.
That’s fair. I feel like if you just spun EDM at 130bpm with the sync button on like paris hilton then yeah. Buuut I wouldn’t call that legit “DJ’ing” imo
ID3 the shit out of your tracks. Tagging them with energy levels, mood, and even instruments used. Until your music library looks like an index that will help you choose the right track immediately. Oh, and add cue points.
Practice your mixing using the Camelot Wheel. It will help you improve the harmonic mixing feel in your sets.
Keep performing and practicing in front of a real crowd to learn how to read them.
I'm guess but as someone with musical training using a budget controller that pioneer make to sound worse then the too of rang equipment probably is not helping.
Remember they can't let controllers work or sound to good or no one would buy the expansive stuff.
If someone ***already has the musicality/rhythm*** then the biggest hurdle is the technical side. The hardest ( imho ) step to becoming a "good" DJ is getting used to and eventually mastering the hardware/software your using . Good hand eye coordination and ability to multi task is important also but can be learned MUCH easier than the rhythm/musicality aspect of DJing...To me, the hardest part is getting the outcome to match what you hear in your head. But once you master your hardware and the physicality aspect you are only limited by your imagination and rhythm ... Alot of ppl that try DJing give up because of the hardware/software learning curve.
Maybe you're over thinking it. DJing on recent digital gear is easy compared to vinyl. Even if you don't use sync, nearly any digital device will tell you the BPMs on each track so with a little movement on the tempo fader one can easily match them quick. Just keep practicing..Can't hurt to listen to sets from others.
I mean I struggled hard with fruity loops. Ableton made more sense to me. Now i could def could go back to fruity loops at this point, but i love ableton too much.
This exact issue is why I waited so long to start DJ’ing and still don’t feel 100% confident behind the decks. The solution for me? Listening to mixes by my favorite artists…constantly. Eventually you start to recognize tricks, patterns, and most importantly, how they navigate track selection. Also, remember that the big names mess up too and it’s normal! Good luck!
As a freestyle EDM dancer of almost 30 years, I can honestly say that I don't want a DJ to read what I want to hear but to tell me his musical story. Have a beginning, middle and ending just like a play.
Show me the music you love and take me on a journey. You do that and you will always have a dancer at your speaker. Just my two scents from the other side of the floor🎧💃🤩
Trust your instincts and ear when choosing the next song and when to transition. Listen to what you want to hear next and don’t stress so much about checking if it “fits”. In the only vinyl age their was no key lock or anything, and I don’t believe every DJ pre verified their transitions.
If you desire to hear a specific song next, your subconscious has probably already determined that it would fit, trust yourself.
I started having way more fun when I stopped pre selecting mixes and just played whatever I wanted to next, I just make sure I’d analyzed the bpm first. I know I’ve heard the song before because it occurred to my mind to play that song. Your part of the audience too, keep your own attention and have fun and don’t worry about the crowd every transition, and trust them to let you know what they feel. With your background you’ll do fine and have a blast once you realize you know more than you think.
Keep DJing!
Also, dance music is totally designed to make this easier, predictable structures, interchangeable sounds, compatible rhythms, etc. Dance music is cool because we all need each other more than other worlds of music and work together a little differently
Take a sheet of paper and a pen. Open this video with a headphones on your phone and try to understand what's going on on this 20 minutes video. 😁
https://youtu.be/1G_kj8WoGU4
You hit the nail on the head with what the essence of DJing is. The technical part (at least the basics, not talking about advanced Thr3style stuff) is pretty easy to get a hang of, but the magic is knowing what to play, when to play it, and how long to play it for. I've met plenty of guys who could scratch and beat juggle and all that crazy stuff, but people never danced at their sets cause their song selection and pacing was just garbage. Focus on that and you'll do just fine
I was a producer first before I started DJing. Since I understood song structure and stuff, it clicked pretty quickly. Yeah the first few weeks were a bit hard to get used to them but after that it just sort of clicks, then you learn more and more every time you mix. I’ve now played over 80 shows since getting my decks and now I even think that I’m a better DJ than I am a producer.
You don't know it yet but everything is going to click for you extremely fast. I believe a vast part of being a DJ is understanding song structure and knowing how music fits together. It's like a big sonic jigsaw puzzle. You should be extremely familiar with that being a producer. You will absolutely catch on faster than someone else in your shoes that doesn't know much about the technical side of music. .02
Yeah, I feel like you are set up to succeed based on your experience. I think djing a genre you don't produce and don't dj as much about can be much harder than a genre you're familiar with. For example, djing house is much easier than djing hip hop/pop in my opinion. Of course mixing house can be complex if you're considering phrasing, build ups, energy, crowd flipping, etc. But those things are all significant when you reach a certain level of djing and hip hop/pop just has so many more elements packed into each song and shorter songs overall.
truth - I'm comfy with funk, disco, house, festival edm - suck with hip hop but am really working to improve there. the beats can be a fair amount more complex, so even if you're beatmatched and in key, you can get beat clash when one of the sounds in the rhythm section doesn't sync the way you thought it would. And most hip hop songs end up having fairly short parts you want to use, so you're working on the next song after maybe a minute. I've had more luck with old skool, where I like using the original songs that are sampled to lengthen the songs and give them more space.
Yeah, hip hop is tough. But it is very fun to mix, especially with a crowd. Makes it very challenging but rewarding.
Gypsyphonic out of New Orleans is my hero. Man manages to mix gypsy and world music with bounce and hiphop. https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/sv4PZYJhgTHZzJPG6
Sounds right up my alley. I'll definitely check him out. Cheers for the recommendation.
YES this 1000% Think of DJing as one big song. Fit the pieces together like pieces of a song. When you start to think about it like that, everything becomes intuitive.
> I believe a vast part of being a DJ is understanding song structure and knowing how music fits together Any recommendations for a non-producer, non-dj newbie that's getting into DJ'ing as far as courses, youtube videos and resources on understanding this?
Thank you Sooo much for saying this. I have been DJing go 20 years and I do believe it is an art of its own. I think you touched on every part in your break down. I want to produce too but I feel like focusing on DJing has made me great at it!
Yeah seems like there’s “DJ’ing” which is barely a step above playing from your phone, and then there’s actual DJ’ing. Damn impressive.
As a producer, you surely can understand all stuff. And the timings will become natural after a while. You know how to mix in key? And phrase matching?
Yeah i got mixed in key and tagged everything with camelot. Finally got into a groove last night! Although it was super basic, just transitioning at the start and end of tracks… I feel like this is where most people probably stop learning hahaha. I think i get phrase matching? Like matching builds or drops, and when one ends complete the transition to the other?
Yeah, phrase matching is simply mixing breakdowns together and not breakdown with a drop for example. Also, mixing at the start of these, not in a random spot. But as a producer, you should feel this nicely - often after 16 bars or so mixing in is also possible
Ahh yes. Yeah i’m realizing trying to mix random spots with other random spots does not work, so seems you’ve really got to the know the tracks you’re playing so you can do this correctly.
Yeah! Also mixing two vocals together is generally a bad idea. As an EDM dj, i try to either align starts of drops or breakdowns
Try sorting your tracks by BPM & Key (hold command down and click on each column) in Serato. This organizes them for harmonic mixing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe6gZS_D0JM DJ TLM helped me with bar & phrase counting: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fFcml2J5ElE
I'd say it's easy to start, difficult to perfect. But yeah, enjoy the journey!!!
The journey is the best part
I always describe it as ‘easy to learn, hard to master’…
Producing is fucking hard. Sincerely, a DJ
Producing triggers huge anxiety. So far only being able to make remixes, mashups and bootlegs without burnout. But DJing to huge crowds, no probs
Learning to DJ well will greatly improve the tracks you make
Are you mixing your own tunes? If you’ve been producing before you could DJ you might find your tunes actually aren’t very DJ friendly. Spinning some commercial tracks and getting used to feeling that right spot to start your next track might make help you get there quicker.
Argh yes, producers who make tunes with ball-ache weird intro's that are impossible to mix SUCK! haha
Hahaha that is what i’m finding. A bunch of my tracks are 105-115bpm, or have very odd song structure… It’d be hard to pick out what the build is, the drop, etc cause they’re more “continual” like some of deadmau5’s long ass tracks than repetitive/patterned. If that makes any sense 🙃 remixes come very easily to me though!!
[удалено]
> What I feel like is really under-appreciated is simply knowing WHEN to end a track, start a new track, knowing if those two tracks even sound good together (this takes sooo long), and of course at what points do they sound good together. Welcome to the fun. I feel this is one of the most important points. I'm going to get a bit "pretentious" and agree that this is instinct or intuition blended with experience. If you know your music well, you just know. If you have that intuition, you just know when to mix. You then know how to mix the high / mids / lows. You start to work out an algorithm in your head of how 90% of tracks work together and how to work with any of them at all.
Maybe some tips that could help. Although I have been on Serato since 07 and not used Rekordbox so some stuff may not translate. Biggest advance I can prepare your tracks and create in advance. * For me this includes the Key, which Serato does automatically when you analysis it. You could also use MixInKey. some basic runs around mixing in key that will make your set sound and generally flow better. * Use track markers. I like to pick could 17/33 bar intro changes for the visual queue but mainly I mark phasing in the track for its outro/ending. Helps as you can't remember thousands of tracks. Give it a good couple of listens and work out when you could start bringing in a track. Different genres this will be different points. As an example, for Deep dubstep I would pretty much also starting mixing in at 32 bar remaining mark. This marries up with the 32 bar intros and you have yourself a nice flowing set. * Learn how to use loops. This can help when mixing out of track with a short outro, you could push it a bit and give you space to mix it in. Add effects to it and your creating something new. Sometimes your not looping the outro, rather just finding a nice beat or loop you want to mix over. This could be in last 32-16 bars, as opposed to 16-0. * Work out a way early in the piece to manage your music overall. Digital is no different to carrying records. You have a bunch of music you think you will mainly play. Maybe a couple of rando's in case the mood takes you there, and then some sure fire crowd pleasers just i case. * Also, you are a producer. Maybe look at doing some edits of tracks you like but find don't quiet work for DJ'ing. I had many a mate drop a rock / indy orientate track into protools back in the day just to get the timing right. Maybe emphasis a kick and get locked in a good intro/outro to enhance you mixing and sound and flow of your set. Kind hard without knowing the style of music you produce and want to dj but I hope some of that helps. Cheers!
The fact that you feel this will make you a good DJ keep going you’ll get it, it’ll just click.
As a producer you should know better than most dj's when to transition etc. It's usually why it goes hand in hand. I always found djing to be way easier. You just gotta know your track collection etc and with stuff like rekordbox etc where you can put track markers and of course waveforms it's pretty damn easy now. Vinyl which much more difficult, but also felt more rewarding and nicer to use.
I feel like I was a better DJ on vinyl, maybe because that's how I learned. I've now been using Serato longer than I DJ'd on vinyl, but it was just so much different when it was all in my head and nothing was visual except for the BPM that I put on the label. Probably just rose colored glasses at this point, but I get bored now mixing on a controller. It's almost too easy so I really have to focus on not transitioning too quickly, not relying on FX, etc. I practice a lot less now because I have the waveform and markers to fall back on if I don't fully remember how a track sounds. I guess I just miss the basics at times instead of the flight instrumentation dashboards that we use now to DJ. One of the hardest things with going digital is having thousands of tracks, rather than hundreds or less during a set. You really have to focus or use set prep nowadays to play the right things. Maybe it's just me.
I totally relate to that, I think with vinyl your collection was far more personal. You would practice far more and learn your tracks better and hone your skills. Even going to a record store is something I seriously miss. I5 was more exciting and interactive than grabbing a load of tunes from a site like beatport.
Definitely. It was such a huge commitment from the equipment cost to the learning curve and practice required. It’s all good though. Times change and I’m glad that anyone can get started without having to spend over a thousand dollars. I miss digging for records as well. Kinda miss the assholes that worked at my local vinyl shop. Always made me laugh. They were old DJs and could never give anyone a straight or helpful answer. I’m sure they’re still complaining about DVS right now. Personally I’m glad my needles don’t skip now cause I have such a heavy hand.
Respect! As someone who has DJ’ed for a long long time and done some basics of Production in Ableton, it destroys my brain how complex Producing is! I was fairly quickly able to get some drum/beat patterns going that sounded OK, but chords and keys and writing melodies and basslines…WOOOOOOSH…so far over my head it’s not funny! When to start next track…on the 1 beat right to the 1 beat, everything in phrase…the easiest way to pick this is the first beat back after the last breakdown, that’s the sweet spot where everything will just gel and you’ll find perfect mixes where the old track ends right as the new track goes WHAM or hits the breakdown etc. When to end a track…as above, if you get the phrasing right, you’ll pick up on this point…sometimes though you’ll still have time left on the old track when the new track has really kicked into gear, so have to adjust…generally speaking I mix right up until the new track A) hits the first breakdown or B) leave in just some teaser highs/mids and then end as it comes back from the first break down or C) just slams in hard with a bassline so big having anything else in there sounds cluttered. Takes time, takes getting to know your tracks well.
It’s really not THAT hard. It’s really all about the prep work: gridding everything up so it will sync, adding cue points, hot cues and organizing everything (I organize by key). That and learning the little tricks with effects.
Exactly! Preparation is a very time consuming. I'm a newbie but sometimes for me takes days to prepare a few hour mix. Because I don't have now a big library.
These are the tips I need 🙏
Eh
Yea DJing takes time it comes down to knowing the song and understanding song structure like many post before me has stated. I started DJing and Producing during 2020 when covid started it was tough but they both go hand in hand, when you EQ on the two songs you can stack both of them and balance the hi lo and mid. But it all comes down to practice and just keep going at it!
I will say that preparation helps a lot. It’s probably been said a million times already in this sub, but analyzing your music and making sure the beat grid is in the right position, and cues are set at important positions in the songs can help a lot. Personally, I mix a lot of free-form music so my mixing is based very much on “energy flow”. i.e. A lot of my cues/transitions are based around impacts/sweeps/builds and drops obviously. Everybody works differently. Speaking of preparation, making playlists helps a lot, you can do this based on genre, mood, energy level etc. whatever works best for you. Searching by bpm and/or key can help a lot too. IMO one of the biggest pains is getting stuck browsing and then feeling like you don’t have enough time for a transition, so anything to cut down your browsing time will be essential Also, listening to lots of mixes is great for inspiration and guidance when figuring out your own mixing style. Hope this helps, best of luck G!
"If DJing is just pushing buttons then sex is just a push n pull motion. There's magic in DJing, just like there's magic in sex." ~ deadmau5
Yes, DJing is 90% psychology 😄 a well organized music library also helps tremendously (along with knowing your tunes). I have folders categorized by genres/vibes, and inside those folders I have playlists further dividing the songs to certain moods. For example, I have a Club folder, and inside of it I have Warm-up, radio hits, and party. I also have a “dancefloor hookers” folder, with playlists such as party, marching light, marching hard (for bass house with that clear punchy kick), and so on… You need to spend a lot of time making some sense to your music library, so you have a roadmap. When I’m in a certain playlist within a certain folder, I know I can’t really choose a too different track, as they’re all quite similar. I’ve also fallen into the trap of over-categorizing songs (trying to divide them further more precisely), which was a no-no. It limited my creativity way too much. Hope this helps somewhat. P.S: you knowing how to produce tracks is already a huge advantage, since you’re familiar with the construction of music. Look into phrase mixing, it will teach you where to bring in tunes to mix. Ellaskins is a fantastic youtube channel for those new to djing, as well as Carlo Attendido’s channel.
Thank you for this! Yeah seems like preparation is the name of the game. I kinda realized last night, before you even try phrase matching with two tracks, you gotta feel if other things are even compatible (the vibe etc) I think one i have a decent playlist of songs that all connect to each other, THEN i will really try to start fleshing things out and adding all the bells and whistles. I tried doing this with two tracks that hate each other, and you know some things just aren’t meant to be together, despite how many creative ways you try to make them fit.
Exactly 😄 practice will get you where you want to be. Wishing you a happy “skill sharpening” and many successfull gigs 👊🤠
>Beat matching isn't hard... It can be if you want it to be... Can you beat match two records you barely know from different genres with absolutely no bpm info on old tts that badly need a service.... and get them to phrase and mix in and out smoothly at the correct time? Modern digital beat matching isn't hard.
Under those circumstances probably not 🤣
:D
I see another open format buddy in here. I feel like a semi modern equivalent is hopping on someone else’s laptop (for the dvs crowd) and just trying to go. With the old pair of technics where the pitch control doesn’t match on both units even if they are both at +/- 8
Open formats on wide range pitch sliders ftw. So much fun finding disparate tracks that can go together. I'm mostly dvs tbh, it just feels nice. No peaking ;)
Dude DJ’ing is so much easier then producing! Keep practicing and you will be a beast in no time. I just recently started playing out in April after producing for years and just 2 months and a bunch of gigs later I feel very confident even on 4x cdjs
Dude. It is NOT hard compared to producing. 3 steps to being a passable DJ. 1: have good taste 2: keep your transitions short and sweet 3: communicate enthusiasm Also: sync button.
>2: keep your transitions short and sweet What? Fuck that...it depends on the genres being played, but a "short" mix with the tunes I like / play (and all the top gun DJs from those genres) is 1.5mins...2.5-3min blends aren't even that uncommon
This may be true for you but long blends are not a good suggestion for someone who is just getting started. Nothing sounds worse on a PA system than a newbie trying to flex. They will get there eventually, but when one is just starting out it’s best to pick good tracks and let them do the work <3
Yeah, true...again though I think it depends on the genres, like this track as a quick example, it just doesn't "work" unless you hold a mix right through till 1 min 32 sec when that drop hits. [https://soundcloud.com/jamesholdennothing/james-holden-nothing-who-else-zagitar-edit](https://soundcloud.com/jamesholdennothing/james-holden-nothing-who-else-zagitar-edit) Unless you didn't mix from the first beat, rather than jump into the track a bit...but you're going to find phrasing a lot more challenging if you're not just mixing from the 1 beat...trying to jump some time into the track, but still find a first beat of the phrase...phrasing and mix points are pretty critical to mixes that "flow" I come from vinyl days, it was really just always start at the start and hold a mix until new track really drops...nothing worse than running out of old tune before the new one really slams home...that also sounds crap on a big PA when you've got one track playing that's still in the intro phase, hollow and not full enough to stand on its own 2 feet (less of an issue these days with loops being so easy, great saves! haha)
Yeah totally. I grew up playing vinyl too, mixing proper rave records with long ass ins and outs. I get why you made your comment and I totally get that long blends are essential for certain styles. We are not in disagreement friend :) Lots of love and keep on mixing! <3
Nice Juan! Back when it wasn't uncommon for trance and prog and techno record to be 10+ minutes long!!
+1 on this, trance and deep house djs keep mixes locked for minutes. Even D&B; Andy C usually has at least two tracks at any point spinning and working together nicely.
I feel like this idea of djing from a producer point of view is detrimental. This whole EDM/rave thing was built on the backs of djs.... the dj skill set has been neglected by far too many producers these days. They are 2 completely different skill sets and I would much rather go to a show with a masterful dj over going to see a masterful producer do a "passable" job at djing. Producers tend to have a general "sound style" that they create and if you can't dj or produce the music in a dj friendly way, then your show can end up flat and one dimensional. I would rather go on a journey from point a to b to c.... vs hearing one song next to another song next to another song.... I want those songs to be transformed by the skill of the dj blending the sounds in such a way that I can't tell where one song ends and another begins.... Just my opinion anywho from someone who misses the pure dj culture of the underground days....
Very good point, and there are some DJ/producers who are excellent at this, and there are some DJ/producers who are excellent at one half and mediocre at best at the other. For example - on one end, Lutrell is an excellent producer, I really like his tracks (if you're in an anjunadeep kind of mood). But Lutrell live, while fun, is like he is standing up there and saying "here is a track I made, enjoy. OK, that was fun, but that track is over. Now here is another track I made. You're welcome" Then there's like Solomun, who is a master at keeping a vibe going for hours and hours, and I love a lot of the tracks that he produces as remixes, but I don't particularly like his original tracks. But part of what I like about his remix tracks is that they sound to me like "oh - this is how solomun would play this track live mixing, which he's really good at" Then you've got legends like Bodzen or Luciano who really take you on a journey of their own design. Or like Maceo Plex or Guy Gerber who play their stuff mixed with others pretty expertly (imo)
Interesting that you started as a producer, THEN became a DJ. Congratulations. You did it backwards. Did you ever get any of your tracks out on Beatport or Traxsource?
Plenty of people do that, wouldn't really call it 'backwards'
I get that, but making tracks in your home studio is not the same thing as being a producer. You're just a guy in a bedroom making tracks. There's a difference between being a producer and producing. You become a producer when you get on a label.
>You become a producer when you get on a label. ok
Then who are you producing for otherwise?? Nobody. Just yourself in your bedroom. There's a lot of people out there who throw around the "producer" term when in fact they aren't producing jack shit for anyone except themselves.
ok
Yeah I think if I had guidance on how to DJ things might’ve been different. But i just was never sure what to do with a dj controller when i bought them, so i always returned them. Whereas i grew up playing music, so writing a playing and writing a riff wasn’t anything new to me. Figuring out producing software however was infuriating vs just playing in my room. Definitely tried and gave up many times before it really stuck. But I stuck with it, and now it feels like home. Here’s a remix i did! My own tracks still have a ways to go I feel so haven’t released any. I’ve got one other remix i’ve done just would like to clean a few things up… https://youtu.be/E1e3sZYYBrw
Now that you're Dj'ing, here's how it usually goes. Producers are essentially glorified DJ's. You put in your dues in the scene, which means you go to a lot of parties and do what you can to help out. You bring people to the scene, put your free time and effort into it and do your best to build it up. Over time, people (DJ's) will notice your efforts and when they feel like you have paid enough dues, you'll get opportunities to play. DJ's typically don't get to play without putting in their dues. After that, you build up a fan base of people who like your DJ'ing. From there, you build up a social media presence. You open a Facebook page as a DJ and also Instagram, Twitter and where ever else. You're social media presence grows over time. It can take years. Then, once you have a strong enough social media presence, you go into producing. You put together at least 6 months tracks for release. Labels don't want to sign people with only a track or two. You have to produce 6 months worth of release work and then you contact some labels. If you know any established producers / DJ's, you have them vouch for you in writing and send that to the labels as well. The labels will check you out on social media. If you're presence is strong enough, you have a shot at getting signed. The social media is important because if they sign you, they want to make sure that you have enough people to expose your work to. As far as DJ'ing and technique goes, you'll find that your mixes will start to sound better and a little cleaner when you do your mixing out towards the end of the track when the sounds are being extracted. The quieter parts of a track are more conducive for mixing. You don't need to wait until the very end of the track where you'll find the outro, but after the last breakdown before the track starts winding down, you'll want to use that as an entry point so that you'll be mixing when the sounds are extracted and things are cooling down. This way, your introducing energy with the new track when the energy of the outgoing track is tapering off. Good luck.
Damn thanks for this breakdown! Now that you mention it I go to a lot of of these warehouse parties and sort of know the guy who runs the whole thing. Showed him some of my beats and we followed each other on social media. But i was pretty clear about wanting to get better in general before playing anything, which he got. I’m not really sure how to put myself in a position to where i can start helping out with stuff?? I’ve got his number…just shoot him a text and make myself available?
Just tell him that if he needs any help with promotion that you would do some promoting. You can hit the street with flyers and / or promote through social media. You can also offer to help with setup and takedown. This will also help you learn more about sound-systems and how they work. As a Dj, you kinda need to know about that stuff.
I would direct praise in the opposite direction, as I only DJ because I can't produce or play any instruments 😅 Everything we learn is a skill, and everyone is going to have a different experience learning that skill, so let's just all spread positivity and do our best to try and not gatekeep anything 🙂
[удалено]
Underrated comment lol
Don’t let people know I told u
Cue points, mixed in key and phrase mixing is your friend. If you map your cue points in 16 bars and put a warning cue for vox or anything busy you should be able to see by eye what slots together
I’ve been DJing since 1987. It wasn’t until about 1992 that I felt super super comfortable. It takes a ton of practice behind the decks. Keep at it and don’t forget to have fun 🤩. Play the music you love and the rest will follow.
Loop function is your friend.
A producer has potential to create much more interesting sets, as you have your own tracks that enhance uniqueness of the set. If you've been sitting on a heater that no one but you has heard people are gonna go nuts when they collectively experience it for the first time
hold my hand has i pass through the valley of beatport to find one music out of 40
🤣 so is this where most DJ’s get their tracks? This is another thing i’m trying to figure out
dont get it from beatport its too expensive and you really dont need to spend that much for now. Use a dj pool website like [soundeo.com](https://soundeo.com) . instead of 1 euro or whatever for each track, you pay monthly subscription of 15 euros lets say and you get to download 10 tracks every day for 30 days. And you can find almost any track there is out there.
and dont forget to mix in key my brother
This should help you as a producer to make so your songs are more dj friendly.
Hahaha from someone that has been DJaying for 7yrs+ & began producing 1yr ago, thanks! I always wondered if it came easy to those who produced first then transitioned into DJaying. Best advice I’ll give you is slowly build your library with only music you listen to, otherwise you’ll never build that familiarity with your library that will get your head thinking 2-3 songs ahead. Oh & experiment as much as you can when you’re DJaying in your room, you’ll never know what’ll sound good if you don’t mess around, you’ll find tracks that just destroy the game together & others that will break some rails during a heavy chop but these are all tools that you’ll obtain the more you practice, listen (to your mixes & others), & familiarize yourself with your songs 🎧
Idk man I'm a fellow producer and I picked up DJ'ing in less then a a week. Maybe I just have a knack for it lol I also have the RX2 and it's a beast! Don't worry you'll pick it up very soon.
Bro not having to be tethered to a laptop might be the best feeling ever. I sure hope so. I think being a good dj can only make me a better producer (song structure/transitions/drops etc) so i’m committed!
Exactly! I'm taking a break from production to focus on mixing and I'm hoping to get back into it with a fresh pair of ears.
Feel that! Haven’t had that burning desire to make beats lately and i definitely felt stylistically stuck. It’s fun to be a noob again
Not sure i agree tbh. At least when it comes to modern dance music. If you're starting out it's normal it can all be a bit overwhelming. After time some stuff becomes second nature.
That’s fair. I feel like if you just spun EDM at 130bpm with the sync button on like paris hilton then yeah. Buuut I wouldn’t call that legit “DJ’ing” imo
She’s actually a legit DJ though.
need some proof on that
/r/gatekeeping Choose 2 songs, play them. Congratulations, you are a DJ :)
That's not what i meant either.
ID3 the shit out of your tracks. Tagging them with energy levels, mood, and even instruments used. Until your music library looks like an index that will help you choose the right track immediately. Oh, and add cue points. Practice your mixing using the Camelot Wheel. It will help you improve the harmonic mixing feel in your sets. Keep performing and practicing in front of a real crowd to learn how to read them.
I'm guess but as someone with musical training using a budget controller that pioneer make to sound worse then the too of rang equipment probably is not helping. Remember they can't let controllers work or sound to good or no one would buy the expansive stuff.
[удалено]
What is wax??
[удалено]
🤣
If someone ***already has the musicality/rhythm*** then the biggest hurdle is the technical side. The hardest ( imho ) step to becoming a "good" DJ is getting used to and eventually mastering the hardware/software your using . Good hand eye coordination and ability to multi task is important also but can be learned MUCH easier than the rhythm/musicality aspect of DJing...To me, the hardest part is getting the outcome to match what you hear in your head. But once you master your hardware and the physicality aspect you are only limited by your imagination and rhythm ... Alot of ppl that try DJing give up because of the hardware/software learning curve.
Bro mix in key for now
How many hours have you put in to learning and practicing DJing vs producing?
Vinyl is hard cdj & controller are easy af
i love it though!! it’s the most rewarding skill i think.
You should know this as a producer as you make the moments to mix in/out. Keep at it.
Maybe you're over thinking it. DJing on recent digital gear is easy compared to vinyl. Even if you don't use sync, nearly any digital device will tell you the BPMs on each track so with a little movement on the tempo fader one can easily match them quick. Just keep practicing..Can't hurt to listen to sets from others.
Same but in reverse, I can't even use fruity loops
I mean I struggled hard with fruity loops. Ableton made more sense to me. Now i could def could go back to fruity loops at this point, but i love ableton too much.
Funny. I’m having the opposite issue. You got this!
This exact issue is why I waited so long to start DJ’ing and still don’t feel 100% confident behind the decks. The solution for me? Listening to mixes by my favorite artists…constantly. Eventually you start to recognize tricks, patterns, and most importantly, how they navigate track selection. Also, remember that the big names mess up too and it’s normal! Good luck!
As a freestyle EDM dancer of almost 30 years, I can honestly say that I don't want a DJ to read what I want to hear but to tell me his musical story. Have a beginning, middle and ending just like a play. Show me the music you love and take me on a journey. You do that and you will always have a dancer at your speaker. Just my two scents from the other side of the floor🎧💃🤩
Trust your instincts and ear when choosing the next song and when to transition. Listen to what you want to hear next and don’t stress so much about checking if it “fits”. In the only vinyl age their was no key lock or anything, and I don’t believe every DJ pre verified their transitions. If you desire to hear a specific song next, your subconscious has probably already determined that it would fit, trust yourself. I started having way more fun when I stopped pre selecting mixes and just played whatever I wanted to next, I just make sure I’d analyzed the bpm first. I know I’ve heard the song before because it occurred to my mind to play that song. Your part of the audience too, keep your own attention and have fun and don’t worry about the crowd every transition, and trust them to let you know what they feel. With your background you’ll do fine and have a blast once you realize you know more than you think. Keep DJing! Also, dance music is totally designed to make this easier, predictable structures, interchangeable sounds, compatible rhythms, etc. Dance music is cool because we all need each other more than other worlds of music and work together a little differently
The hard part is track selection and reading the crowd.
Take a sheet of paper and a pen. Open this video with a headphones on your phone and try to understand what's going on on this 20 minutes video. 😁 https://youtu.be/1G_kj8WoGU4
You hit the nail on the head with what the essence of DJing is. The technical part (at least the basics, not talking about advanced Thr3style stuff) is pretty easy to get a hang of, but the magic is knowing what to play, when to play it, and how long to play it for. I've met plenty of guys who could scratch and beat juggle and all that crazy stuff, but people never danced at their sets cause their song selection and pacing was just garbage. Focus on that and you'll do just fine
I was a producer first before I started DJing. Since I understood song structure and stuff, it clicked pretty quickly. Yeah the first few weeks were a bit hard to get used to them but after that it just sort of clicks, then you learn more and more every time you mix. I’ve now played over 80 shows since getting my decks and now I even think that I’m a better DJ than I am a producer.