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Thread: [House] Playing full songs vs. transitions in between

  1. #1
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    [House] Playing full songs vs. transitions in between

    Hey guys,

    I have my first dj gig in a club on friday, but I have only 30 minutes of playtime, so I'm indecisive if I should play my planned songs full time ( about 4-5 minutes per song) or if I should play them shorter (2-3mins) and make transitions in between songs? Because 30 minutes isn't a lot of time...; It is a newcomer event in a club, where a few dj's get 30 mins of playtime for their sets. For me it is also harder to make smooth transitions in between songs, because for example when the 2nd buildup of a house song starts, I start with the transition to the next song. I also think that playing a song only 2-3mins is too little (this is for house music), because dancers will be irritated when I change the songs too quickly and don't let them play long enough.

    Thank you for the help!
    Switchback

  2. #2
    Moderator DJ Bobcat's Avatar
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    [House] Playing full songs vs. transitions in between

    Quote Originally Posted by Switchback View Post
    Hey guys,

    I have my first dj gig in a club on friday, but I have only 30 minutes of playtime, so I'm indecisive if I should play my planned songs full time ( about 4-5 minutes per song) or if I should play them shorter (2-3mins) and make transitions in between songs? Because 30 minutes isn't a lot of time...; It is a newcomer event in a club, where a few dj's get 30 mins of playtime for their sets. For me it is also harder to make smooth transitions in between songs, because for example when the 2nd buildup of a house song starts, I start with the transition to the next song. I also think that playing a song only 2-3mins is too little (this is for house music), because dancers will be irritated when I change the songs too quickly and don't let them play long enough.

    Thank you for the help!
    Switchback
    This is a question that really requires some differentiation. DJing in clubs is different from DJing wedding receptions. Quick cuts, scratching, and varied transitions are expected when DJing in clubs. SOMETIMES it’s OK for wedding receptions as well, but it greatly depends upon the demographics of the guests. Most wedding couples invite a wide age range of friends and family to their receptions. The genres of music and style of DJing should appeal to as many of the guests as possible. With older people, they prefer to hear their favorite songs the way they heard them on the radio, which is in their entirety. People who go to clubs have completely different expectations... they want a more fast-paced style of mixing. A good DJ plays the right music and uses the right mixing style for the event IMHO.

  3. #3
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    I wouldn't worry about it too much... Clubs that do this mainly do it to try pull extras, meaning your friends into the club. And, as the DJ's are usually free, it's something worth doing on the nights they can't fill. As long as you show you can work the equipment and hold yourself strong, you've shown what you needed.

    Learning to use the loop and dub echo is essential for playing cut down versions of songs... before we had this luxury I used to make shorter edits in COOL EDIT. It's important to remember the flow of a song and not to ruin that as some radio edits might. In some cases, sticking the mix bars on the radio edit was enough.

  4. #4
    Truck Driver Dix's Avatar
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    I think you need to do what is normally done in that club.


    Every club is different is some way. People go to specific clubs because they enjoy the music genre/style & atmosphere. If DJs normally mix 2 - 3 minutes, you need to also, in my opinion. If DJs normally play out the whole song, I'd advise doing that. Go to the club & hang out. Listen to what they do & keep that style.... in my opinion.

    As a rule, people dont like change. They go to that specific club for a reason.
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  5. #5
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    Hey guys, thank you for your answers!

    Ok so at electronic events in this club, people like to dance and "go with their flow" as I would describe it

    So I think switching too often in between would mess with their flow. At hip hop events it is different of course, there are faster changes and a lot of cuts in the dj's set.

    I think I will switch a little bit during the set, there are some of my planned songs with a significant "drop" which I could announce during another song, and then quickly switch to it when the drop starts. Other songs are better with smoother transitions.
    Last edited by Switchback; 05-02-2019 at 04:45 AM.

  6. #6
    Member djknowledge's Avatar
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    depends on the type of night. like you said, for nights where its mainly hip hop with a dash of edm (i hate using that word but it is different from house music) you def want to play the songs shorter. However, when i go to house clubs or nights, the rules dont apply. They play songs for up to 8 minutes or more and you can barely tell when one song finishes and another starts because there are so many different elements being mixed in, its not just dependent on these huge dramatic build ups and drops like in most edm festival music. i suggest you bring that element into your sets. maybe try bringing in the song 16 bars after the 2nd drop.
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  7. #7
    Most house tracks are meant to be played and mixed from end to end. House music tells a story and would be nice if the story is told without skipping to keep the flow going smoothly.
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  8. #8
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    Hey guys, thank you for your answers. It worked out quite well, I switched it up a little bit, so longer and shorter songs in between

  9. #9
    Member Hygro's Avatar
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    I find it really frustrating when DJs get unconfident and mix out too early.
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