DJing Discussion

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Lack of Decent new tunes /shit gigs

BIGG BEAR 4:28 PM - 19 April, 2015
Maybe its me,I've had a couple of crap gigs recently,quiet nights you know,not my regular gigs,,but its got me thinking about the music.

Is it my imagination or is there next to nothing thats good and playable thats come out recently?

I play across the board pop,dance,comerciall house,edm,rnb,oldskool dance,party music etc etc.

I'm in a record pool I also get other promos,I look down the various charts and its all much of a muchness.

I remember back in the days of record shops often coming back with a load of new tracks that were usefull.
I'm still playing stuff in a pop dance set thats a few years old with the odd recent tunes thrown in.

Especially after a rubbish gig you start to question yourself am I missing out on stuff am I just playing the same shit but when I'm hunting for the new stuff its a bit thin on the ground.

I mentioned in a previous post that I have one or two tunes that I just won't play like that cheerleader shit but generally I'm very open minded.

I mix virtually everything and often play in small sets 20 mins of this then change genre rinse and repeat(is this still the norm),but with the lack imo of decent big tracks the genre changing is more difficult cause often I'm scratching my head for a big enough new tune with enough energy to chage genres with.

Anyone else struggling to find decent new stuff to play at the minute?

Its instant gratification ipod generation that we play to now maybe I've been spoiled cause I djed through the times where you could really play with the crowd,break new tunes play obscure stuff and they'd stay with it.All of this in venues were they were queing to get in on the main nights.Nowadays unless you have critical mass in the venue you play something they don't know or let a tune play out a bit longer and you lose the floor or thet're looking at their damm phones or some other distraction.

Come on young people you can educate this old dog or is that old bear in the ways of 2015 lol.
DJ Matty Stiles 4:57 PM - 19 April, 2015
I love your comments. I agree with everything you say. We live in an era of instant gratification. The iPod YouTube spotify generation. You used to be able to play the 12" cut of a record in the dance scene and maintain a dance floor. With these kids, one song they don't know and you can lose it. I guess there's not much choice but to learn to adapt. I never used to do this, but lately I'm finding myself just playing one verse and chorus for the most part of my set, and for the hype part just going from chorus to chorus, kinda funk flex kid Capri style. I am a little ADD sometimes and don't mind this. At least my hands are busy
Col1990 5:15 PM - 19 April, 2015
That cheerleader shit gets them dancing maybe you should try it out also yeah music now days is rubbish not that many good tunes I mix it up and play stuff from back in the day that people still enjoy
BIGG BEAR 5:30 PM - 19 April, 2015
Quote:
I love your comments. I agree with everything you say. We live in an era of instant gratification. The iPod YouTube spotify generation. You used to be able to play the 12" cut of a record in the dance scene and maintain a dance floor. With these kids, one song they don't know and you can lose it. I guess there's not much choice but to learn to adapt. I never used to do this, but lately I'm finding myself just playing one verse and chorus for the most part of my set, and for the hype part just going from chorus to chorus, kinda funk flex kid Capri style. I am a little ADD sometimes and don't mind this. At least my hands are busy


Thanks Matty,Would love to hear this high energy style in action especcialy in dance music. I still do play the 12 inch/extended versions, mostly I just set a cue point 8 bars before the main part of the track.maybe you're right though if I try just using the radio edits more,thats all the kids will be familiar with from their ipods and youtube.
DJ Reflex 11:31 PM - 19 April, 2015
Bigg Bear - I hear ya. I (sadly in some cases) have adapted to the "quick mix" style of just playing parts of a song, but there are still quite a few tracks that you can let ride and maintain the crowd. Even at school dances you can break in a few new tracks if they are carefully spaced. I do like that you also throw in classics and old-school jams. Seems to me that kids respond better to Hip-Hop Hurray than to Anaconda and day - and that's good news!

Those 12 inch extended versions are great for scratching, a bit of word play mixing, and into mixes to another song that you will play later in the night. Kinda like a teaser!
BIGG BEAR 12:25 AM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Bigg Bear - I hear ya. I (sadly in some cases) have adapted to the "quick mix" style of just playing parts of a song, but there are still quite a few tracks that you can let ride and maintain the crowd. Even at school dances you can break in a few new tracks if they are carefully spaced. I do like that you also throw in classics and old-school jams. Seems to me that kids respond better to Hip-Hop Hurray than to Anaconda and day - and that's good news!

Those 12 inch extended versions are great for scratching, a bit of word play mixing, and into mixes to another song that you will play later in the night. Kinda like a teaser!


Thanks are you using a lot of intro tracks like the ones you get off dj city and barbangerz and the like, along with radio edits of tracks?
DJ Reflex 2:47 AM - 20 April, 2015
I do like some of the Barbangerz tracks. Their 80's and 90's redrums are decent as well as the oldies tracks like The Twist and Rock Around The Clock. I am still using SSL, so no SDJ Flip Mode. I have to manually hit the cue points to hop through a song, but with proper prep you can reloop, short edit, or even extend good dance tunes on the fly. Mostly though, I get tracks from Amazon or iTunes. I have a couple Crooklyn Clan versions in there for fun, but I also do video so I have to be conscious of the visual content too.

What types of mobile gigs do you do primarily? I'd like to see one of your play lists. Sounds like you have a lot of experience dealing with diverse music styles.
Col1990 2:52 AM - 20 April, 2015
I use Intro's but also drop the radio edits if the bpms are out of range and don't have a transiton track to mix. I'm also a moblie dj so you I can't mix everything due to the switch in styles bpm's and requests.
 6 6:15 AM - 20 April, 2015
Decent redrum is an oxymoron.

nm
Dj-M.Bezzle 4:01 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Decent redrum is an oxymoron.

nm

There are some good oned out there
Dj-M.Bezzle 4:05 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Maybe its me,I've had a couple of crap gigs recently,quiet nights you know,not my regular gigs,,but its got me thinking about the music.

Is it my imagination or is there next to nothing thats good and playable thats come out recently?

I play across the board pop,dance,comerciall house,edm,rnb,oldskool dance,party music etc etc.

I'm in a record pool I also get other promos,I look down the various charts and its all much of a muchness.

I remember back in the days of record shops often coming back with a load of new tracks that were usefull.
I'm still playing stuff in a pop dance set thats a few years old with the odd recent tunes thrown in.

Especially after a rubbish gig you start to question yourself am I missing out on stuff am I just playing the same shit but when I'm hunting for the new stuff its a bit thin on the ground.

I mentioned in a previous post that I have one or two tunes that I just won't play like that cheerleader shit but generally I'm very open minded.

I mix virtually everything and often play in small sets 20 mins of this then change genre rinse and repeat(is this still the norm),but with the lack imo of decent big tracks the genre changing is more difficult cause often I'm scratching my head for a big enough new tune with enough energy to chage genres with.

Anyone else struggling to find decent new stuff to play at the minute?

Its instant gratification ipod generation that we play to now maybe I've been spoiled cause I djed through the times where you could really play with the crowd,break new tunes play obscure stuff and they'd stay with it.All of this in venues were they were queing to get in on the main nights.Nowadays unless you have critical mass in the venue you play something they don't know or let a tune play out a bit longer and you lose the floor or thet're looking at their damm phones or some other distraction.

Come on young people you can educate this old dog or is that old bear in the ways of 2015 lol.


I feel ya though. Ive posted about this several times before but Im currently in a situation where the crowd bitches if I play anything over 6 months old, the crowd bitches if I play anything over 70bpm, but that same crowd bitches that the musics to slow and the girls cant dance to it lol. I think its hilarious that they dont realise theyre killin their own time by demanding car tracks all night.
Col1990 4:08 PM - 20 April, 2015
what music do you play if you cant play anything over 70bpm downsouth hiphop?
Dj-M.Bezzle 4:29 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
what
What music do you play if you cant play anything over 70bpm downsouth hiphop?

yup, downsouth hood hip hop. I can get away with some webbie/boosie in the 80 bpm range and on a good day I can sneak in some current 100bpm bangers like idfwu, but its mostly the kevin gates, migos, young thug, rich homie quan, wakka flakka, k camp, kinda stuff
Col1990 4:50 PM - 20 April, 2015
Man I thought I had it tough but I couldn't just play that all night. How long do you play for?
djsmuve415 5:31 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
I couldn't just play that all night.

Fuck just spinnin' it - I couldn't listen to that all night. I would be personally bored to death with that tempo range. Not even being hammered off my ass in the booth could offer any relief.
Dj-M.Bezzle 5:32 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Man I thought I had it tough but I couldn't just play that all night. How long do you play for?

8pm to 4/5am
 6 5:45 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
I couldn't just play that all night.

Fuck just spinnin' it - I couldn't listen to that all night. I would be personally bored to death with that tempo range. Not even being hammered off my ass in the booth could offer any relief.



lol

nm
 6 5:45 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
Man I thought I had it tough but I couldn't just play that all night. How long do you play for?

8pm to 4/5am


Bezzle... tell them where you're at so these guys don't have a heart attack. They will understand once they know the location. lol

nm
Dj-M.Bezzle 6:13 PM - 20 April, 2015
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Quote:
Quote:
Man I thought I had it tough but I couldn't just play that all night. How long do you play for?

8pm to 4/5am


Bezzle... tell them where you're at so these guys don't have a heart attack. They will understand once they know the location. lol

nm



ROTFLMAO, My name is Dj MBezzle and since I been listening to Kanyes workout tape Ive been able to date outside the family, I got a double wide, and I rode a plane, rode a plane, rode a plane, rode a plane

Seriously though, a buddy of mine (a more traditional Dj) just copped a series of gigs in ATL, he hit up saying hes got most of em handled but the 3rd had a promo video that looked suspect so he asked me for my playlist just in case. He said he ended up using my playlist for the last 3 hours. He said the crowd LOVED it and he was getting tons of compliments but the whole time he just had it on auto and he used the time to clean up his dj bag, tidy up the booth, start breaking down lights ect all cause he was so bored lol.


A piece of my musical soul dies each weekend but there are alot of good DJs with musical integrity sitting at home all weekend while im booked Tues through Sat......Noone ever went broke selling dumb people garbage lol
Dj-M.Bezzle 6:14 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Man I thought I had it tough but I couldn't just play that all night. How long do you play for?

8pm to 4/5am


Bezzle... tell them where you're at so these guys don't have a heart attack. They will understand once they know the location. lol

nm



ROTFLMAO, My name is Dj MBezzle and Im from Mobile Al and since I been listening to Kanyes workout tape Ive been able to date outside the family, I got a double wide, and I rode a plane, rode a plane, rode a plane, rode a plane

Seriously though, a buddy of mine (a more traditional Dj) just copped a series of gigs in ATL, he hit up saying hes got most of em handled but the 3rd had a promo video that looked suspect so he asked me for my playlist just in case. He said he ended up using my playlist for the last 3 hours. He said the crowd LOVED it and he was getting tons of compliments but the whole time he just had it on auto and he used the time to clean up his dj bag, tidy up the booth, start breaking down lights ect all cause he was so bored lol.


A piece of my musical soul dies each weekend but there are alot of good DJs with musical integrity sitting at home all weekend while im booked Tues through Sat......Noone ever went broke selling dumb people garbage lol
Mr. Goodkat 6:35 PM - 20 April, 2015
if you dont wanna change then you will keep playing the same thing. if you dislike playing the same thing then you basically have to quit.

there was a point for about 3 years where i did 5-7 dates a week of open format djing and it is what it is. some nights are great, others are trash in that scene. most of those scenes are dependent on time and place ala for most summers are good and fall/holiday and the rest are sht as far as people really being into the music or even coming out. same thing with music, new music and pop hits are going to drop in the spring and fall, so thats the time to hoard and really look for trends. WIth the internet you really have to pay attn, although once you get your outlets for charts, new music, trends, you really have to go those sources for ideas.

its seems like the 2 types of people i hear saying there is no new music are people that wont play certain things or young guys that dont know how to or too lazy to look up new music.

but, i will say, i dont know how some of you guys play, literally, the same songs gig after gig, classic or not. i couldnt do it.

to me the current state of djing is whats destroying dj'ing, little effort at getting new fresh material and djing the hell out of that(dj am clones), or people not even really mixing/blending newer stuff and hitting play(hipster/trustfund/promoter djs).

on either of those levels, anyone or anything can dj. including itunes playlists.
 6 6:51 PM - 20 April, 2015
Great post above.
nm
DJ Reflex 10:03 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
Noone ever went broke selling dumb people garbage lol


True! Yet we sit here and complain about how much dumber their setting and how music is crap these days. Do we continue squeezing them for money or do we try to raise the bar?

Wait... I already know Bezzle's answer! :)
Mr. Goodkat 10:35 PM - 20 April, 2015
there is no raising or lowering any bars. you think somehow a few djs playing diff music in clubs its going to change the gang bang of pop culture driven down peoples throats through music?

the bar is not set by a dj, maybe at one time in certain places it was, but its set by the public that listens to music and goes to pay to hear it or buy it. you are either satisfying your patrons or you arent. if you're crowd wants to be challenged you know it, but you arent going to take some top 40 people and somehow educate them while djing in a club.
djsmuve415 10:46 PM - 20 April, 2015
Quote:
but you arent going to take top 40 people and somehow educate them while djing in a club.

this.
and I got news for some of y'all - a lot of the non-main stream, Top 40 stuff out there isn't so great either. just look at the NI release party for the Kontrol D2 controller they were streaming live about a month ago at WMC in Miami,, these dudes were playing minimal - and I mean MINIMAL tech house. straight up snorezville!! I was a sleep within 20 mins. so was mostly the invited crowd that was there - & almost everyone commenting in the chat section.
DJMark 2:10 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
there is no raising or lowering any bars. you think somehow a few djs playing diff music in clubs its going to change the gang bang of pop culture driven down peoples throats through music?


I have no illusions about changing "the gang bang of pop culture", but I do have the ability to promote a fun positive vibe (or not) through selecting the right music to be played where I'm DJ-ing.

My issue isn't with language, it's with witless negativity. Shmurda/YG/etc promote a highly negative vibe, whether or not unedited versions are played.

I'm playing videos, so I also stay away from videos where there's guns, torture or other disturbing stuff going on.
Dj-M.Bezzle 2:29 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
there is no raising or lowering any bars. you think somehow a few djs playing diff music in clubs its going to change the gang bang of pop culture driven down peoples throats through music?


I have no illusions about changing "the gang bang of pop culture", but I do have the ability to promote a fun positive vibe (or not) through selecting the right music to be played where I'm DJ-ing.

My issue isn't with language, it's with witless negativity. Shmurda/YG/etc promote a highly negative vibe, whether or not unedited versions are played..



I would disagree and say the opposite happens. Noone in that club is analyzing the lyrics and thinking ok, gangsta time lets go rob people in the bathroom. They hear that song and they get happy as all fuck and do a stupid little dance. The vibe to that song is no more negative than the wobble or crank dat.
 6 2:44 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
there is no raising or lowering any bars. you think somehow a few djs playing diff music in clubs its going to change the gang bang of pop culture driven down peoples throats through music?


I have no illusions about changing "the gang bang of pop culture", but I do have the ability to promote a fun positive vibe (or not) through selecting the right music to be played where I'm DJ-ing.

My issue isn't with language, it's with witless negativity. Shmurda/YG/etc promote a highly negative vibe, whether or not unedited versions are played.



I do have to co-sign to this.

nm
 6 2:45 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
there is no raising or lowering any bars. you think somehow a few djs playing diff music in clubs its going to change the gang bang of pop culture driven down peoples throats through music?


I have no illusions about changing "the gang bang of pop culture", but I do have the ability to promote a fun positive vibe (or not) through selecting the right music to be played where I'm DJ-ing.

My issue isn't with language, it's with witless negativity. Shmurda/YG/etc promote a highly negative vibe, whether or not unedited versions are played..



I would disagree and say the opposite happens. Noone in that club is analyzing the lyrics and thinking ok, gangsta time lets go rob people in the bathroom. They hear that song and they get happy as all fuck and do a stupid little dance. The vibe to that song is no more negative than the wobble or crank dat.


I'm quite sure you missed the point. lol

nm
DJMark 2:48 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Noone in that club is analyzing the lyrics and thinking ok, gangsta time lets go rob people in the bathroom.


Of course no one is analyzing anything, but I've watched negative music have a bad effect many times.

I think every single time I've ever heard "Move Bitch" played somewhere there were fights breaking out.

Fortunately there's plenty of stuff I can play that doesn't have the negativity, and I certainly have no problem at all saying "no" to someone requesting Bobby Shmurda or IDFWU or any other such crap.
Dj-M.Bezzle 3:12 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
Noone in that club is analyzing the lyrics and thinking ok, gangsta time lets go rob people in the bathroom.


Of course no one is analyzing anything, but I've watched negative music have a bad effect many times.

I think every single time I've ever heard "Move Bitch" played somewhere there were fights breaking out.
.

Sure, because move bitch isn't a silly song that people request to do a silly dance to
 6 5:33 AM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Noone in that club is analyzing the lyrics and thinking ok, gangsta time lets go rob people in the bathroom.


Of course no one is analyzing anything, but I've watched negative music have a bad effect many times.

I think every single time I've ever heard "Move Bitch" played somewhere there were fights breaking out.
.

Sure, because move bitch isn't a silly song that people request to do a silly dance to


I second the fact that that song has caused some fights lol

nm
Mr. Goodkat 5:36 AM - 21 April, 2015
i second the fact that song has made some people dance silly.
Dj-M.Bezzle 5:40 AM - 21 April, 2015
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i second the fact that song has made some people dance silly.

Agreed
 6 5:49 AM - 21 April, 2015
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i second the fact that song has made some people dance silly.


Lots of people make white people dance silly. lol

nm
 6 5:49 AM - 21 April, 2015
Lots of songs.... nm
Dj-M.Bezzle 6:07 AM - 21 April, 2015
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Quote:
i second the fact that song has made some people dance silly.


Lots of people make white people dance silly. lol

nm

Lots of songs make black people fight ;) lol
 6 2:18 PM - 21 April, 2015
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Quote:
Quote:
i second the fact that song has made some people dance silly.


Lots of people make white people dance silly. lol

nm

Lots of songs make black people fight ;) lol


hahaha

You need to visit a country bar btw lol

nm
 6 2:19 PM - 21 April, 2015
The bottom line for me is that if a song feels out of place for whatever reason, I just won't play it.

nm
djnak 9:33 PM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
The bottom line for me is that if a song feels out of place for whatever reason, I just won't play it.

nm

THIS....
Mr. Goodkat 10:17 PM - 21 April, 2015
new tunes though, they're out there, it takes staying a little ahead of the game so you have tunes that are sitting on the shelf waiting to play. its harder and harder to catch up like it used to be, because a song can be hot for 3 months but the last month is when it gets played on the radio and video or breaks . guess its a game of cat and mouse.
 6 10:22 PM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
new tunes though, they're out there, it takes staying a little ahead of the game so you have tunes that are sitting on the shelf waiting to play. its harder and harder to catch up like it used to be, because a song can be hot for 3 months but the last month is when it gets played on the radio and video or breaks . guess its a game of goodkat and mouse.


I see what you did there. :P

nm
Mr. Goodkat 10:23 PM - 21 April, 2015
redirecting :D
BIGG BEAR 10:50 PM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
I do like some of the Barbangerz tracks. Their 80's and 90's redrums are decent as well as the oldies tracks like The Twist and Rock Around The Clock. I am still using SSL, so no SDJ Flip Mode. I have to manually hit the cue points to hop through a song, but with proper prep you can reloop, short edit, or even extend good dance tunes on the fly. Mostly though, I get tracks from Amazon or iTunes. I have a couple Crooklyn Clan versions in there for fun, but I also do video so I have to be conscious of the visual content too.

What types of mobile gigs do you do primarily? I'd like to see one of your play lists. Sounds like you have a lot of experience dealing with diverse music styles.


I do some mobile and also bar and club gigs,I'm in the uk will try and get some playlists to you its nothing too exciting at the moment though!

Cues to shorten songs I used to do this quite a bit usually a hotcue on the last chorus before the outro,how do you go about doing this?
BIGG BEAR 10:54 PM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Cues to shorten songs I used to do this quite a bit usually a hotcue on the last chorus before the outro,how do you go about doing this?


I also put a short loop on the track thats playing on the fly to create an instant mix out point,I do this far more often than jumping to the hotcue as mentioned above.
Gio Alex 11:03 PM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
there is no raising or lowering any bars. you think somehow a few djs playing diff music in clubs its going to change the gang bang of pop culture driven down peoples throats through music?


I have no illusions about changing "the gang bang of pop culture", but I do have the ability to promote a fun positive vibe (or not) through selecting the right music to be played where I'm DJ-ing.

My issue isn't with language, it's with witless negativity. Shmurda/YG/etc promote a highly negative vibe, whether or not unedited versions are played.
I do have to co-sign to this.

nm


Cosign for this too.
BIGG BEAR 11:30 PM - 21 April, 2015
Hi Gents please can we try not to get this thread locked as well :)
 6 11:36 PM - 21 April, 2015
Quote:
Hi Gents please can we try not to get this thread locked as well :)


lol

nm
Gio Alex 12:02 AM - 22 April, 2015
As long as Goodkat doesn't internet stalk me in hopes of me giving him his big break.
 6 12:16 AM - 22 April, 2015
Quote:
As long as Goodkat doesn't internet stalk me in hopes of me giving him his big break.


lol

nm