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EDM - expanding my skill set
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EDM - expanding my skill set

RichardM3317 10:46 AM - 16 December, 2011
I was practicing and hit a mental block thought it would be a good idea to ask for some wisdom

Thought i had after i took a post-practice stog:

I've got to confess attaining proficiency in this family of music in terms of staying current with what tracks are heaters has been difficult for me. I played at a venue recently that tries to emulate that superclub vibe and I got a little nervous and fell back on premade lists of mini sets I've experimented with at home when the floor was primed for the 128ish. The 85- high 90 bpm range is where i really feel like im in my element giving the people on the floor tracks that'll have em grinning/ grinding / ones that they know the lyrics to. Feel like there's a time crunch to get the DJ Rick Lee-esque mix stylez (106.1 Kmel) out an hour earlier just to give 11:45ish and onwards to the ever faster top40 and the natural transition to anything EDM or even back down to dubstep (totally out of my element playing that but we do what we must - not too fond of playing it)

Whenever an EDM show on the radio 94.9 KYLD and 99.7 are on I listen intently and study their blending techniques trying to visualize the EQ'ing and how they work with songs that I have in my own library. I'm not aiming to be a jack of all trades but I feel like my longevity is depending on me approaching that level of knowledge and skill. Beezo.net and beatport are also some resources i reference. Good approach? Hip-hop and rnb never made it feel like practice, hashing together EDM tracks to practice on the other hand (listening to 4-8 remixes of the same song) feels like DJ conditioning for the spring break / summer club events. Don't get me wrong I like listening to it, but I feel like I'm overwhelmed at times developing an intuition when it comes to this style of music.

-

Where do you guys get your inspiration to excel at creating sets / producing this style of music? Why do you feel people enjoy listening / dancing to it? I like it because it a totally different energy when you're fucked up, crazy ass vibe totally different from hip hop but thats just me. I'll record something for an opinion - I value most people's opinions here.
BattleFunk 2:30 PM - 16 December, 2011
Quote:
I've got to confess attaining proficiency in this family of music in terms of staying current with what tracks are heaters has been difficult for me.


What? Do you talk like that with a mic in your hand?

you sound like you're playing it to pay the bills

If you spent more time practicing and less time talking elongated shite on forums, you would be better at your hobby.

Also, you need to stop calling that shit EDM. That would be like me going to a spot that plays URBAN music with my RnB crate and finding its a Drum and Bass night. If you dont "get" the music, stay away from it. There are plenty of DJs out there that would love to be playing the shit you cant work out
Dj-M.Bezzle 4:46 PM - 16 December, 2011
If u need inspiration to play a genre leave it alone, edm is about conveying a feeling and if you dont feel it itll show, edm is NOT about playing radio and edm top 40, its about digging and expressing yourself.

BUT, if u feel u must alot of djs in my area are like u, just search for sporty-o and play whatever pops up, my area is now full if "edm" djs who ar making a great living playing nothing but stanton warriors and deekline albums, its sad
echa1945mf 5:04 PM - 16 December, 2011
EDM is like huge ............. is it House?techno?tech-house?proghouse?trance?electro house? hell dont get me started on deep house, jackin house and all the sub genre .... thank god i only played Progressive House or undergground stuff














and no dirty dutch is not underground
DJ Remy USA 5:32 PM - 16 December, 2011
Yea the EDM world is a world unto itself. If you wanna mix the top 40 pop songs that have copied the sound thats kool play that stuff cause I love that stuff myself.

As far as playing "real" electronic music. I say go back to 80s were house started. Learn that stuff because the history will help you make better decision when diggin for the new music. The electronic genre is so vast that you have spin the music by the "feeling" House is a feeling the music is all about making those emotion peak and drop.

With that being said I jumped off the hiphop train when the dirty south sound took over. I have been on electronic/latin/ and other weird sounding shit since.
nicksubishi 6:41 PM - 16 December, 2011
i think your trying to analyse it too much, its all about how you feel the music and where you want it to take you.
If you cant feel it dont play it, i love listening to Hard House & Hard Dance but i cant play it because i dont feel the vibe behind the decks but i do feel Psychedelic Trance which is a completely different sound.
str8nger 9:30 PM - 16 December, 2011
One thing is stick to the music u know, if u ain't a edm Dj don't fuck with that, if u ain't no hip hop Dj don't fuck with that, fuck With what u like and if u cant feel the music, then u in the wrong business, I drop the Mexican stuff I was not feeling it, so I was sucking more at trying to blend it, so I stuck to what I like is house music and hiphop.
a DJ 10:52 PM - 17 December, 2011
I feel what yall are saying but I also understand the thread starter. EDM is still a mystery to me, even after being to 1 rave and 3 underground raves. We are now being forced to play at least the top 40 stuff that copies it. At least when I do private parties, dances, etc. The only time you can get away with only hip hop is at hip hop clubs, and that's very limiting for getting gigs.
Mr. Goodkat 11:05 PM - 17 December, 2011
beatport top 100s in electro house , itunes top 100 in dance. find the tracks you don't totally hate, and then find the ones of the stuff you dont hate from the obvious big artists that play on the big festivals of the year. that would be like skrillex, avicii, chuckie, etc. look at their remixes and look at who remixes them. pretty simple really.

i wouldnt really worry about 80s or 90s house, because it seems like you are only looking to dip a toe into the edm realm. While that stuff is important, its not really relavent to todays music, and as much as i love it and collect it, if you are just playing pop gigs, then stick with the obvious stuff.
DJ Nick Lee 3:43 AM - 18 December, 2011
This guy is pretty good, I took a lot of tips from him. Works the crowd and kills on the mic too.


Watchwww.youtube.com
toasted 8:49 AM - 18 December, 2011
Quote:
This guy is pretty good, I took a lot of tips from him. Works the crowd and kills on the mic too.


Watchwww.youtube.com


mad skills on the headphones, love to hear his old sound instead of "the new sound of a dj`s tits"
RichardM3317 10:23 AM - 19 December, 2011
No, i don't talk like that with a mic in my hand

Thanks for the insight / resources
RichardM3317 10:32 AM - 19 December, 2011
DJ Nick Lee I was inspired by that youtube link of your brother spinning at your 30th birthday party - thanks for sharing
DJDBAG 4:55 PM - 19 December, 2011
Quote:
This guy is pretty good, I took a lot of tips from him. Works the crowd and kills on the mic too.


Watchwww.youtube.com


Is it just me or is he not even close to being on beat at :59 sounds like freaking horses running around on a keyboard
eugguy 5:30 PM - 19 December, 2011
Start with songs that fit your style. There is alot of crap along with alot of great house still out today. You do have to feel the music as one person said here, but then again, isn't that the true attitude of any good dj? I think you should pick good songs, know the song inside and out, and don't be afraid to take a risk when you are mixing the songs together. The transitions between songs don't have to sound the same everytime, but I do think you should have the confidence to feel when to drop the song in mix, if you know the track well enough. It is also music that even though is becoming more mainstream, many people don't have an ear for. So if playing for a general crowd, I would mix it up well enough to mix your own tracks in every so often.
djaction 6:01 PM - 19 December, 2011
Quote:
edm is NOT about playing radio and edm top 40, its about digging and expressing yourself.


..Through computerized soulless music?
BattleFunk 9:18 PM - 19 December, 2011
Quote:
Quote:
edm is NOT about playing radio and edm top 40, its about digging and expressing yourself.


..Through computerized soulless music?


Like Planet Rock?
DjWoody 11:22 PM - 19 December, 2011
What club is your venue trying to emulate? What is your venue like? Is it a lounge? A small club? A large club? Any particular DJ's you guys are interested in? What sound you guys going after? No disrespect, but Beezo is horrible place for real EDM.

Like others said, there's so many different genres on the EDM circuit. For EDM clubs the warm up DJ is almost as important, if not, more than the headliner. They have to properly set up the mood for the night. Openers can make or break a night as well.

Best advice, go to the Super Clubs or EDM parties and try to get a feel for it. EDM is all about a feeling and setting up moods. Also, listen to famous DJ mixes but not just the ones you already know (aka Swedish House Mafia, Guetta, Chuckie). Stay away from those, you pretty much already know what they play and they're pretty much the Top 40 of EDM. Go for like Sander Kleinenberg, Roger Sanchez, Carl Cox, Hernan Cattaneo, Luciano, Digweed, etc. Those smaller, yet big, DJ's have wide range of styles and can bang it out from opener to headliner. They've been around for so long that they don't just play it safe and play all the hits.

Sander K in particular is a great DJ that can appeal to both the commercial and underground scenes. He can be really mellow or bang it out.

I'll get you started.

Sander Kleinenberg - Live @ ADE 2011 closing party
soundcloud.com

BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix
www.bbc.co.uk

Dance Department (Radio 538)
www.538dancedepartment.nl
DJ Nick Lee 1:51 AM - 20 December, 2011
Quote:
DJ Nick Lee I was inspired by that youtube link of your brother spinning at your 30th birthday party - thanks for sharing


Fasho
phonze 5:08 AM - 20 December, 2011
There are different types of genres within edm. Pick one you like and go with it. Eventually you'll start liking some of the other ones too after you understand one. Worst thing to do is just jump in and grab top ten lists of whatever. A top ten list of techno songs won't help you if you don't even like techno. You have to understand what sounds good and what doesn't, and that's not possible if you don't like the genre.
DJ Frank Labate 5:25 AM - 20 December, 2011
Quote:
This guy is pretty good, I took a lot of tips from him. Works the crowd and kills on the mic too.


Watchwww.youtube.com

Damn you have got to be kidding me. The kid played two tracks, couldn't beatmatch two house songs with similar BPMs let alone get the transition right and acted like Steve Angelo (playing with the mixer without actually affecting the sound/Jesus pose). Atleast the video made me laugh
RichardM3317 6:21 AM - 20 December, 2011
That video is brewin a shitstorm on here
DJ Frank Labate 6:32 AM - 20 December, 2011
It might actually be good advice to do the exact opposite of whatever the guy in that video does.
DJ Remy USA 12:29 PM - 20 December, 2011
Lol I was waiting for someone to call the video out cause it was wack...lol
echa1945mf 12:30 PM - 20 December, 2011
Quote:
Quote:
This guy is pretty good, I took a lot of tips from him. Works the crowd and kills on the mic too.


Watchwww.youtube.com
Damn you have got to be kidding me. The kid played two tracks, couldn't beatmatch two house songs with similar BPMs let alone get the transition right and acted like Steve Angelo (playing with the mixer without actually affecting the sound/Jesus pose). Atleast the video made me laugh



agreeed, that is downright horrible T_T


Quote:
What club is your venue trying to emulate? What is your venue like? Is it a lounge? A small club? A large club? Any particular DJ's you guys are interested in? What sound you guys going after? No disrespect, but Beezo is horrible place for real EDM.

Like others said, there's so many different genres on the EDM circuit. For EDM clubs the warm up DJ is almost as important, if not, more than the headliner. They have to properly set up the mood for the night. Openers can make or break a night as well.

Best advice, go to the Super Clubs or EDM parties and try to get a feel for it. EDM is all about a feeling and setting up moods. Also, listen to famous DJ mixes but not just the ones you already know (aka Swedish House Mafia, Guetta, Chuckie). Stay away from those, you pretty much already know what they play and they're pretty much the Top 40 of EDM. Go for like Sander Kleinenberg, Roger Sanchez, Carl Cox, Hernan Cattaneo, Luciano, Digweed, etc. Those smaller, yet big, DJ's have wide range of styles and can bang it out from opener to headliner. They've been around for so long that they don't just play it safe and play all the hits.

Sander K in particular is a great DJ that can appeal to both the commercial and underground scenes. He can be really mellow or bang it out.

I'll get you started.

Sander Kleinenberg - Live @ ADE 2011 closing party
soundcloud.com

BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix
www.bbc.co.uk

Dance Department (Radio 538)
www.538dancedepartment.nl



this !
DJYoshi 5:02 PM - 23 December, 2011
Quote:
If u need inspiration to play a genre leave it alone, edm is about conveying a feeling and if you dont feel it itll show, edm is NOT about playing radio and edm top 40, its about digging and expressing yourself.


+1,000,000
these days I have to incorporate electro and dance sets...mostly the top 40 sh** like on my live from marquee mix... but I try to sneak in other sh** to kind of open people up to however i'm feeling that night...

if you truly want to enter the electronic world... I'd say go to a festival..sh** changes your life...your outlook..your musical taste... your understanding of the movement.. it's a sub culture within a culture within music...

WMC is cool.... BPM is too... and wherever you are they have a ton of festivals that come.. just don't roll out to the club 1 night to hear Avicii, Chuckie, Jack or Dimitri Vegas b/c it's the in thing to do.... absorb.... be inspired...let the people that are there inspire you and give you a better understanding of what you want to accomplish...

at the end of the day we're dj's.. we're paid to make people have a good time, drink and dance... BUT the best part about the electronic music fans..and REAL fans.. they can spot a poser... most hip hop clubs you play and you play the right sh** you can be ok... but I've seen openers get boo'd b/c...they just didn't set a vibe right.... and looked as if they were just trying to be something they weren't.
echa1945mf 5:33 PM - 23 December, 2011
Quote:
Quote:
If u need inspiration to play a genre leave it alone, edm is about conveying a feeling and if you dont feel it itll show, edm is NOT about playing radio and edm top 40, its about digging and expressing yourself.


+1,000,000
these days I have to incorporate electro and dance sets...mostly the top 40 sh** like on my live from marquee mix... but I try to sneak in other sh** to kind of open people up to however i'm feeling that night...

if you truly want to enter the electronic world... I'd say go to a festival..sh** changes your life...your outlook..your musical taste... your understanding of the movement.. it's a sub culture within a culture within music...

WMC is cool.... BPM is too... and wherever you are they have a ton of festivals that come.. just don't roll out to the club 1 night to hear Avicii, Chuckie, Jack or Dimitri Vegas b/c it's the in thing to do.... absorb.... be inspired...let the people that are there inspire you and give you a better understanding of what you want to accomplish...

at the end of the day we're dj's.. we're paid to make people have a good time, drink and dance... BUT the best part about the electronic music fans..and REAL fans.. they can spot a poser... most hip hop clubs you play and you play the right sh** you can be ok... but I've seen openers get boo'd b/c...they just didn't set a vibe right.... and looked as if they were just trying to be something they weren't.


thats rite bro.. last time somebody has the nerved to request Rihanna's - we found love at my set while im playing Umek's - OMGWTF, i told em to get the fuck out LMAO !!! theyre in the wrong club
dj_soo 11:06 PM - 23 December, 2011
I never understood people who try to request top 40 at an obviously non-top 40 club...
echa1945mf 12:05 AM - 24 December, 2011
Quote:
I never understood people who try to request top 40 at an obviously non-top 40 club...


+10000
DJ Remy USA 12:30 AM - 24 December, 2011
Cause people are spoiled and misinformed to think they are center if attention no matter where they go
RichardM3317 6:50 AM - 24 December, 2011
ill put it into practice / meditate on this
DJYoshi 6:28 AM - 27 December, 2011
at least when producers play the track...they play a version that they remixed....Calvin Harris is GREAT for this!
DJ Garebear 4:53 PM - 27 December, 2011
Me personally you do not really "feel" what your playing until you make your own edits/mashups for it. We all have those moments when your behind the decks and your like...OMG I wish Lil Jon would start saying Yeah at this part. Or Ludacris would be cool as hell at this section. Etc. Etc. Forgive me for being one of those guys that throws rap lyrics or pop tracks over house beats, but to be honest house tracks at times sound sort of empty without words....now if I was at a rave/huge event I would be completely wrong but in your typical club environment it does sound empty.

Long story short, make your own edit/mashups then you'll truely feel it
DJ Garebear 4:55 PM - 27 December, 2011
Quote:
at least when producers play the track...they play a version that they remixed....Calvin Harris is GREAT for this!


Calvin Harris was the man in 2011. Also from how you sound you should look into simple rap-gone-house remixes. There are tons and TONS of them.

My final suggestion would be to check out Moombahton, lots of producers are making remixes of 80-90 bpm rap tracks and they sound ridiculous. I play them in my sets all the time, like this one for example: soundcloud.com
Dash Kinetix 8:47 AM - 29 December, 2011
Best advice in this thread "check out a festival". If that doesn't inspire you then EDM might not really be your thing (yet). following charts however can give you a clue as to what "safe tracks" you can play, but definitely recommend finding out what sub genre of EDM you like.
dj_soo 1:04 PM - 29 December, 2011
fuck charts.

too many of these newbs to the genre (either new to djing in general or coming in from djing mainstream nights) are using charts as the end-all be-all which is the exact antithesis of what electronic scenes are all about.

listen to the music, play what you think is good, develop your own style.

otherwise it just waters down the sound even more...
DJ Garebear 1:21 PM - 29 December, 2011
Quote:
fuck charts

Yup subscribe (google reader) to the right blogs and pick up the artists who you like over time
RichardM3317 6:55 AM - 30 December, 2011
Yeah I have to admit I'm using beatport charts as the go-to resource right now. Any suggestions as to any reputable bloggers out there?
DJ Remy USA 12:07 PM - 30 December, 2011
Depends on what your into, good material is on soundcloud which dig up a lot of gems from there. There tons of blog just google "house music blog" or any sub genre most of them have links to other great blogs. I haven't used beatport at all for electronica but but then again I'm constantly rocking pandora, and sirrus radio tune into there electronic station for some great sounds
DJ Garebear 1:40 PM - 30 December, 2011
There are tons and tons and tons. My best recommendations would be the obvious DailyTunez, Music Ninja, Fresh New Tracks, I would give you a larger list but I'm at work and I can't look at my google reader :(
RichardM3317 11:20 PM - 30 December, 2011
Right on Remy ma / Garebear
DJ Frank Labate 11:30 PM - 30 December, 2011
playcharts.com
dj_soo 6:07 AM - 31 December, 2011
learn labels - that's a good way to pick up on music as most labels tend to have a bit of a sound to them,,
dj_soo 6:08 AM - 31 December, 2011
but ultimately, the best bet is to dig. If you truly want to play to the edm scene, what makes you stand out is ultimately playing (good) tracks that no one else has or plays instead of recycling the same stuff that everyone else plays...
RichardM3317 11:28 AM - 31 December, 2011
Yeah I noticed while checking playlists / charts they're either the same big tracks or its some crazy ass weird eclectic ambient shit
DJ Nick Lee 8:04 PM - 31 December, 2011
last.fm is a good resource. Once you sign up for an account and explore all of the features you will come up on a lot of new music.
ruthless deejay 7:31 PM - 1 January, 2012
Another easy place to find tracks besides from blogs is YouTube. Lot of good edm fans that post beautiful edm collections and record labels that give you what's the freshest and the hottest tracks. Last but not the least are the comments from different users as well, you read what people have to say and sometimes learn from them.
DJYoshi 7:31 PM - 1 January, 2012
on nights that I'm off....or even on a night where there's a closing or opening DJ playing EDM... I'll go early or stay late to listen to sh** they're playing..how they play...
I listen to maybe 3 - 4 hours of EDM music a day figuring out what makes me feel happy, pissed off, what makes me fist pump..jump...etc... then I use those in my sets....and i'm not scared to ask questions to other dh's of what works for them and what they're playing.
Dash Kinetix 9:53 AM - 2 January, 2012
maybe you guys missed my point. I wasn't saying "download the charts" and your job is done. If this dude has no idea what crowds are listening to, he's dead in the water. Yes of course everyone should develop their own style but if you don't even know the basics you'll waste time on crappy blogs downloading bad 128 youtube rips. Beatport actually let's you track artists and labels for new releases (even if they aren't charting). Can't just tell somebody trying to get their feet wet "oh if you want EDM....go google", sadly that's the reason there are lots of crappy EDM djs because nobody is actually guiding them. I would say check soundcloud too but it's starting to feel like myspace.
echa1945mf 11:01 AM - 2 January, 2012
Quote:
maybe you guys missed my point. I wasn't saying "download the charts" and your job is done. If this dude has no idea what crowds are listening to, he's dead in the water. Yes of course everyone should develop their own style but if you don't even know the basics you'll waste time on crappy blogs downloading bad 128 youtube rips. Beatport actually let's you track artists and labels for new releases (even if they aren't charting). Can't just tell somebody trying to get their feet wet "oh if you want EDM....go google", sadly that's the reason there are lots of crappy EDM djs because nobody is actually guiding them. I would say check soundcloud too but it's starting to feel like myspace.


this guy,knows whats he"s saying +1000000
ruthless deejay 6:14 PM - 2 January, 2012
are there a lot of edm dj's that are video dj's?
DJ Garebear 6:21 PM - 2 January, 2012
hmmmm good question...I'd like to say no because EDM you don't really need a video...but I have no idea
ruthless deejay 6:25 PM - 2 January, 2012
Quote:
I'd like to say no because EDM you don't really need a video...but I have no idea

i can picture that. but it'll be really interesting just to see a video of an edm vdj.
DjWoody 7:44 PM - 2 January, 2012
In the EDM world, DJ's and VDJ's are usually two separate people. The VDJ is the person doing the visuals for the DJ live.
DjWoody 7:51 PM - 2 January, 2012
Read this thread:
www.tranceaddict.com

The first post is REALLY GOOD. It's about how to use Beatport properly and how to use its tools. For instance, when you purchase tracks, Beatport makes recommendations based on your purchase and it's accurate most of the time. A lot of times those recommendations are not charted so they're like hidden gems. I found a lot of stuff that way.
ruthless deejay 10:14 PM - 2 January, 2012
Quote:
Beatport makes recommendations based on your purchase and it's accurate most of the time.

is this the beatbot recommendation?
Andrew Holgate 1:20 AM - 3 January, 2012
Although "EDM" fans of every genre will talk at length about how different they are from each other, one thing binds them all together: they take themselves SO fucking seriously! Its an absolute joke how worked up people will get when defining their turf: "I only DJ post-ironic progressive house from East Germany... Know your genres dickhead!!" And you see it a lot but it makes me laugh when people put up a mix that they say demonstrates their "versatility" by combining two subgenres of fidget house.

I love a lot of dance music and if you look at most of the guys who produce the stuff and are really good at it, they at some stage have done music in loads of different genres not just of house but also hip hop, dubset etc...

Unless you're looking to break into a very specific crowd who love one subgenre (which i assume you're not because otherwise you'd already love the music...) It really makes no sense to be intimidated by all of this.

If you're just looking to get by with a working knowledge for relatively commercial purposes, you could do a lot worse than listening to DJ Vice's podcasts. I'm a big fan...
dj_soo 3:20 AM - 3 January, 2012
Quote:
they take themselves SO fucking seriously! Its an absolute joke how worked up people will get when defining their turf: "I only DJ post-ironic progressive house from East Germany... Know your genres dickhead!!" And you see it a lot but it makes me laugh when people put up a mix that they say demonstrates their "versatility" by combining two subgenres of fidget house.


yea - it's these douchebags that got me out of the playing exclusively EDM and their snobby party's and fans.

fortuantely, in north america at least, these people are fading out a bit - although I can see it happening again with dubstep...
echa1945mf 7:15 AM - 3 January, 2012
Quote:
Quote:
they take themselves SO fucking seriously! Its an absolute joke how worked up people will get when defining their turf: "I only DJ post-ironic progressive house from East Germany... Know your genres dickhead!!" And you see it a lot but it makes me laugh when people put up a mix that they say demonstrates their "versatility" by combining two subgenres of fidget house.


yea - it's these douchebags that got me out of the playing exclusively EDM and their snobby party's and fans.

fortuantely, in north america at least, these people are fading out a bit - although I can see it happening again with dubstep...


unfortunately i think im one of those douchebags LOL progressive house yeaaaah !!