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epik1
02-29-2012, 07:36 PM
Tips on reading the crowd?
In my circumstances, it's usually someone asks me to DJ because they know it's a hobby of mine (weddings, show opening night parties, etc.) so it's not like I'm the showcase or anything.

I ask this because my taste in music isn't always what everyone else is in to and I'm not sure exactly how to read crowds in terms of what kind of music to play (hip-hop, electronica, etc.) I can read energy levels for the most part, I understand that much lol ( beginning of the night, chill out, slowly build up to harder rockin tracks, finisher?...hmm not 100% on what I would do with that, it's usually on-the-fly I decide what to do.)

I'm safe to assume I'll have to probably sacrifice some Top40 bs to please some peeps, I don't mind as long as it's not a song I can't stand like LMFAO or smth lol.

Damon_Chambers
03-01-2012, 09:04 PM
you should prob go into a gig knowing what kinda crowd you will be playing to. if you get asked by someone to dj ask them what kinda party it is, and what they expect. ask them out and out if they want techno or hip hop or top 40s.

if its a wedding expect to play a lot of stuff for wedding. if its a house party expect to play top 40s and some hip hop mixed in with more mainstream electronic stuff. if its a rave type setting then play techno.

epik1
03-01-2012, 09:45 PM
The "crowd" is usually just average people who aren't specifically there for hip-hop music or specfically for top 40, etc. for the opening night parties.

mrkleen
03-02-2012, 11:03 AM
When people talk about reading crowds, they really mean reading people and sensing when they are getting bored with a style or sound, before they actually get bored enough to leave the dancefloor.

In a more underground setting, a good DJ is constantly feeding off the crowd and making subtle changes to move things in a different direction...and keep the dancefloor moving and the vibe in the room where he or she wants it. In a Top 40 setting, reading the crowd is more about understanding when people are ready for the next thing.

If you are taking weddings and top 40 gigs and you dont like top 40 music...you are setting yourself up for failure. Either open your mind and start understanding that DJing at this kind of events is about pleasing the crowd. Or only take underground gigs where people are there to hear what you want to play. But you cant do both.

DutchApples
03-04-2012, 03:18 AM
I have 3 general rules when it comes to reading a crowd:

1. Demographics (Age, Sex, Race, Possibly Sexual Orientation, etc)

2. Goes off of one, throw a few songs on of different decades/genres and see what gets the best reaction.

3. The best piece of crowd reading advice anyone ever told me: "Do what you do and if they don't like it F--K em". I've been in situations before where a bar was dead, a group of people were sitting at the bar, didn't dance the entire night, then a few hours later came to me and said I was the best DJ they had heard there in awhile. Some people just don't dance!

Also just a piece of advice on the Top 40 stuff: When I started DJing, I would do what most DJs do and play the radio edit. You should find some remixes of Top 40 songs in the genre you do. Anytime a huge song comes out, I have inbetween 5-20 different remixes of the track just incase I encounter a situation where it would work well in my set. For instance, for Rolling in the Deep by Adele, I have a remix that is based off of early 90's vocal house and another that is straight up modern Electro.

Lost Connection
03-04-2012, 04:14 AM
Different top 40 song remixes are a great way to please people, since they recognize the track and it can still be a house/electro remix so you'll like it better. Hopefully :lol:

KLH
03-04-2012, 04:47 AM
you should prob go into a gig knowing what kinda crowd you will be playing to. if you get asked by someone to dj ask them what kinda party it is, and what they expect. ask them out and out if they want techno or hip hop or top 40s.
+1. Getting crowd expectations is key.

If you don't have it or need to reset, look for groups of similar age. Then for biggest group determine what decade the group was ~20. Play a BIG top40 hit from that decade.

The dance floor will come alive again and you'll need to determine to either stay in that decade or go onto next group.

-KLH

epik1
03-04-2012, 12:24 PM
I have 3 general rules when it comes to reading a crowd:

1. Demographics (Age, Sex, Race, Possibly Sexual Orientation, etc)

2. Goes off of one, throw a few songs on of different decades/genres and see what gets the best reaction.

3. The best piece of crowd reading advice anyone ever told me: "Do what you do and if they don't like it F--K em". I've been in situations before where a bar was dead, a group of people were sitting at the bar, didn't dance the entire night, then a few hours later came to me and said I was the best DJ they had heard there in awhile. Some people just don't dance!

Also just a piece of advice on the Top 40 stuff: When I started DJing, I would do what most DJs do and play the radio edit. You should find some remixes of Top 40 songs in the genre you do. Anytime a huge song comes out, I have inbetween 5-20 different remixes of the track just incase I encounter a situation where it would work well in my set. For instance, for Rolling in the Deep by Adele, I have a remix that is based off of early 90's vocal house and another that is straight up modern Electro.

Yes, I always loved the "play what I want, screw them" attitude, but I've tried that before only resulting in people coming up to me to change the song. I wasn't even playing anything super out-there.
lol "some people just don't dance" I'm one of those people if I'm not spinning usually, unless it's a bonkers set and I just go off.

Different top 40 song remixes are a great way to please people, since they recognize the track and it can still be a house/electro remix so you'll like it better. Hopefully :lol:
Yes, I realized this "loop-hole" quite some time ago and I love it :P.


thanks everyone, keep the tips coming :P I love to learn about this stuff.

Mahatma Coat
03-04-2012, 12:40 PM
I usually try to find separate small groups who look like they might represent the feeling of the night/club and just concentrate on making them dance.

Alternatively it can be good just to look at the girls, if you get the ******* smiling and having a little leg shake then you can be sure the guys won't be too far behind.

Get/keep the girls dancing and everything else falls into place.

mrkleen
03-04-2012, 08:12 PM
Some people in this thread are confusing "pleasing the crowd" with "reading a crowd" - two TOTALLY different things.

epik1
03-04-2012, 10:58 PM
I've been trying to come up with a reply that doesn't sound redundant eg : "I wanted to get more tips more on, reading a crowd in terms of, you put on a track how can you tell if they're into it or not? besides the obvious if people start walking away or someone throws stuff at you lol" but I read that and now I'm thinking, that sounds a lot like "pleasing the crowd" too.

So please elaborate, I'm always open to learning new things!

DjDisArm
03-05-2012, 01:54 AM
Yes, I always loved the "play what I want, screw them" attitude, but I've tried that before only resulting in people coming up to me to change the song. I wasn't even playing anything super out-there.
lol "some people just don't dance" I'm one of those people if I'm not spinning usually, unless it's a bonkers set and I just go off.

Yes, I realized this "loop-hole" quite some time ago and I love it :P.


thanks everyone, keep the tips coming :P I love to learn about this stuff.

icee what u did there

Mahatma Coat
03-05-2012, 04:37 AM
You've got to read a crowd to please a crowd.

And focussing on groups or aspects of the dance floor can be a way to effectively manage the entire room.

mrkleen
03-05-2012, 10:48 AM
You've got to read a crowd to please a crowd.

And focussing on groups or aspects of the dance floor can be a way to effectively manage the entire room.

Playing Top 40 hits, one after another will please most mainstream crowds. That has NOTHING whatsoever to do with effectively reading a crowd....it is simply about banging the hits and getting paid.

shocase241
03-05-2012, 10:55 AM
I usually try to find separate small groups who look like they might represent the feeling of the night/club and just concentrate on making them dance.

Alternatively it can be good just to look at the girls, if you get the ******* smiling and having a little leg shake then you can be sure the guys won't be too far behind.

Get/keep the girls dancing and everything else falls into place.

Stick to what he said and you will be fine!

Jimanee
03-05-2012, 02:26 PM
I'll give you a tip:

Reading the crowd is the easy part, reacting the right way is what takes years and a large music library.

Hamza21
03-05-2012, 11:05 PM
The stages of deejaying:
Pleasing the crowd - being tune with what the crowd wants to hear
Reading the crowd - knowing when slow it down and not wear your crowd out. People do need time to leave the dance floor to go get drink at the bar. Bars/Clubs make money from people drinking not dancing. Too much dancing and there won't be alot of drinking. If there's too much drinking there won't be alot people dancing. Just visit any hole in dive bar and you'll see what I mean. You got learn how balance it all out. that takes experience and time.
Leading the Crowd - Knowing how to make crowd follow you instead of playing same songs everybody else plays. If you all play is at top 40 clubs chances are you'll never reach this stage because you'll be too scared to take risks or even know when to take risks. You have to have good ears to reach this stage and that takes years of listening to music to know what a "good" song is.

SAVAIRE
03-09-2012, 04:24 AM
Alternatively it can be good just to look at the girls, if you get the ******* smiling and having a little leg shake then you can be sure the guys won't be too far behind.

Get/keep the girls dancing and everything else falls into place.

My "technique" as well! I do primarily teen and college events though :)

Manu
03-09-2012, 02:20 PM
When they are all leaving the dancefloor at once and sit down, you are definitely playing the wrong tune. (except if your intention is to flip the floor)And I am speaking from experience :teef: