How many songs does a DJ need?

**Sohra** · 03-03-2013

Hi, so I was wanting to start building up my music selection but wanted to know how many songs I should have at the ready?

Here was my idea

350 House
250 Trance
600 PoP / Hip Hop / Rap

Would this be a good start???

and question, do I need to know any of the songs or can I just be one of those people who goes and downloads / buys a cd, and doesn't listen to the song. Just have it there incase I need it. If option 1, how do people mantain these libaries in the 10s of thousands?

I currently know 100 songs off the top of my head between the above genres and planned to start listening to radio and google more.

**jagaloon** · 03-04-2013

Hi Sohra,

When I first started off DJ'ing I only had a handfull of tracks that I had experimented with and knew which ones worked well together. It's not so much about the quantity but quality. It helps to know a bit about the genre your playing which would help picking out tracks that much easier. Eventually as you get older you'll have to make room for new information so older info will have to go.

As the years progressed going from vinyl, to CD, and now mp3 with controllers, the one thing I've always done was highlight a few key tracks in my bag of whatever genre I'm playing as to jog my memory and for me that helps. With the aid of Traktor/Serato based controllers it's just that much easier now to figure out what goes with what and where.

It sounds to me that your well on your way! The best thing to remember is to practice, make new mixes and push outside of your comfort level.

Originally Posted by Sohra

Hi, so I was wanting to start building up my music selection but wanted to know how many songs I should have at the ready?

Here was my idea

350 House
250 Trance
600 PoP / Hip Hop / Rap

Would this be a good start???

and question, do I need to know any of the songs or can I just be one of those people who goes and downloads / buys a cd, and doesn't listen to the song. Just have it there incase I need it. If option 1, how do people mantain these libaries in the 10s of thousands?

I currently know 100 songs off the top of my head between the above genres and planned to start listening to radio and google more.

**jyri** · 03-06-2013

In my opinion, the key thing is to know your records (or mp3's if that's how you rock).. The better you know them, the better you'll be able to mix them with others. So it isn't necessarily about the quantity of songs you carry with you. I can see how mp3's could make one focus on going for a huge collection and maybe neglecting the getting to know the music part.

I play vinyl records and normally take about 100-110 well selected 12"/LP's with me on a gig and maybe a few 45's on top of that. This really depends on what I'm going to play, but it gives the idea. I mainly spin funk, disco, hip hop & jazz. There's usually a fellow DJ with me and we spin the whole night. The selection is always more than sufficient, I don't make setlists and like to select records on the fly, so I prefer having more records with me than I will need.

Of course, having a lot of music is always good, but just wanted to point out that it's better to focus on knowing the music than trying to quickly get over 10 000 mp3's when you would quite easily pull through gigs with what you have now. I would never consider playing a track I haven't listened to.

**swishbricks** · 03-07-2013

you only need about 100 just gotta please the audience

**AndyMcG** · 03-08-2013

Think its another Quality over Quantity thing with this, i aint a Dj but their is a reason why when a track is hot, most Djs in clubs have it playing, because its quality that the listeners enjoy !! The comment about knowing your tracks is right, the more you know about them the better you can Dj without having to continue to practice your sets before a Gig ... Although having lots of music can never be a bad thing !!

**DJapperz** · 03-08-2013

Lol I allready have 150 gig on House/Minimal/Techno only

**Wheres6** · 03-11-2013

Honestly it depends on the gig, if its a wedding, obviously a lot of top 40 and gay shit like that, if its a rave get about 2hrs worth of house, dubstep, dnb or whatever u wanna throw down