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DrFooFoo
Guest
What should someone expect who has never DJed at a party but is a reasonably proficient bedroom DJ (I know this is vague but I don't know how else to phrase it)
dJ sHoE
Most Critically Acclaimed
huh?....do you mean how would some expect a bedroom dj to be compared to one that has djed at a party?.....don't quite get ya...
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crock6000
New member
Well I know what you're asking but it all depends on the person. I've been DJing for ten years and I can say that I first started DJing my room and in only a few weeks I was DJing at all my friends high school parties....Mainly becasue at that time EVERYONE and their brother didnt DJ so I had the tables and the records so I spun. But now, there is a higher class of DJ...So just start busting out in front of your friends at house parties and one day before you know it youll be DJing at a house party with 300 people at it and if you're comfy you can be reasonably sure that you'll be cool at a club. Just do it!
PEACE
Adam
PEACE
Adam
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dj0ddie
Guest
Spinning for a live, volatile audience is an incredible experience. It's better than the walls cheering you on. You'll never go back! (Unless your first experience is a complete flop, which happened to me.) It's good to start out with small audiences of your friends, then move up to small parties with maybe 20-30 people, and then just work your way up until you're spinning at a midnight massive for 3,000 people.
Parties are the best!
Parties are the best!
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menergy
Guest
Ease into it
I am not understanding your post either.
In the interest of risk taking, let me take a crack at a possible spin on your question:
You are a bedroom DJ and feel good about what you do there, but, wonder what you would be like at a party? Perhaps you have never dj'd for a group and was curious how you might perform in a "party" environment?
If this matches your situation, then read on... Otherwise, skip this post and try the next one
Some ideas I have to ease into this situation follow:
If you have a friend that is also into the music, invite him over and play dj while sharing music with each other.
If if you have a friend that that also DJs, then play the game where he/she plays a record, then you mix out of that record, then he/she mixes out of your record, etc.
If you are doing good DJing in your bedroom, then all you need to do is get over your "stage fears" pnemomen.
Once you get comfortable playing in front of other people and relax and be yourself (just like in your bedroom) you will find that you will be invited to parties to be the music person
I hope this helps.
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Capricorn Productions
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I am not understanding your post either.
In the interest of risk taking, let me take a crack at a possible spin on your question:
You are a bedroom DJ and feel good about what you do there, but, wonder what you would be like at a party? Perhaps you have never dj'd for a group and was curious how you might perform in a "party" environment?
If this matches your situation, then read on... Otherwise, skip this post and try the next one
Some ideas I have to ease into this situation follow:
If you have a friend that is also into the music, invite him over and play dj while sharing music with each other.
If if you have a friend that that also DJs, then play the game where he/she plays a record, then you mix out of that record, then he/she mixes out of your record, etc.
If you are doing good DJing in your bedroom, then all you need to do is get over your "stage fears" pnemomen.
Once you get comfortable playing in front of other people and relax and be yourself (just like in your bedroom) you will find that you will be invited to parties to be the music person
I hope this helps.
=--
Capricorn Productions
=--
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Dj Tulip
Guest
ive been spinning got about a month now and i love to dj for my friends partys. it puts that presssure on me to try to not mess up and to see how the crowd reacts to what im playing. a friend of mine also just recently bought a small club that throws provate partys of around 200 people. i got to do a small set in that and was really happy with it. so what im trying to say is i bedroom dj all the time but will party dj any chance that i get. i love the energy you get from people when they love what your playing. i do it for the nod and the fist in the air waving at me!
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Ckerr812
Guest
What to expect...woohahah what a question 
NOt to intimidate you or make you nervous but there are ALOT of differences
First off expect your music to be 20 times louder then what you are use too....That dosen't sound so bad, but when you think that your mistakes will also be 20 times louder it gets pretty rough for a new dj. Also consider who you will be playing for, I know that alot of my frineds say they love my CD and tapes...blah blah blah....I love them for making me feel good about my DJing skills but I know they are saying that because they are frineds of mine, you will get the cold hard truth when you first start playing at a club because the people you are now playing for have no reason to like (or for that matter dislike you) unless they just simply don't like your style of music. I have played at clubs were I have almost got kicked off for playing to much Trance....gezz...the flyer said I spin Trance and Deep Trance I don't know what there problem was....I actually had to dig deep into my record box and play some Moody recors (arghh...I hate moody) to get the crowd going again. Anyway, that brings up another point well I am typing is not to be to critical of yourself and have very broad shoulders when your up there spinning in front of all those people....they might not like a song or a mix....just let it slide and keep on goin like nothin happened Hope this helps.... And good luck
NOt to intimidate you or make you nervous but there are ALOT of differences First off expect your music to be 20 times louder then what you are use too....That dosen't sound so bad, but when you think that your mistakes will also be 20 times louder it gets pretty rough for a new dj. Also consider who you will be playing for, I know that alot of my frineds say they love my CD and tapes...blah blah blah....I love them for making me feel good about my DJing skills but I know they are saying that because they are frineds of mine, you will get the cold hard truth when you first start playing at a club because the people you are now playing for have no reason to like (or for that matter dislike you) unless they just simply don't like your style of music. I have played at clubs were I have almost got kicked off for playing to much Trance....gezz...the flyer said I spin Trance and Deep Trance I don't know what there problem was....I actually had to dig deep into my record box and play some Moody recors (arghh...I hate moody) to get the crowd going again. Anyway, that brings up another point well I am typing is not to be to critical of yourself and have very broad shoulders when your up there spinning in front of all those people....they might not like a song or a mix....just let it slide and keep on goin like nothin happened
Hope this helps.... And good luck
D
DrFooFoo
Guest
Clarification
Me fail English? That's unpossible!!
Sorry for being unclear. What I am driving at is what can a bedroom DJ who's had no experience playing at a party expect when playing at a party? What difficulties that don't come up playing to the walls, come up in front of an audience? It's much louder, but how does that affect you the DJ? When I screw up playing by myself, I can simply stop and start again. What do you do when the mix comes apart at the seams at a party? Do any of you have problems with people bumping the tables at small gigs? Also, what do you do when you take over from a DJ who's set was going at a much lower bpm than you want your to be? Do you have to stop the music and then start again or can you gradually bring up the tempo? Also, I (as well as all of you) spent a very large amount of $$ on my gear. Should I be reluctant to take it to a friend's party? Do things get wrecked easily at partys? What other tips do you, oh experienced ones, have to share with someone who's never played for an audience outside my room?
Me fail English? That's unpossible!!
Sorry for being unclear. What I am driving at is what can a bedroom DJ who's had no experience playing at a party expect when playing at a party? What difficulties that don't come up playing to the walls, come up in front of an audience? It's much louder, but how does that affect you the DJ? When I screw up playing by myself, I can simply stop and start again. What do you do when the mix comes apart at the seams at a party? Do any of you have problems with people bumping the tables at small gigs? Also, what do you do when you take over from a DJ who's set was going at a much lower bpm than you want your to be? Do you have to stop the music and then start again or can you gradually bring up the tempo? Also, I (as well as all of you) spent a very large amount of $$ on my gear. Should I be reluctant to take it to a friend's party? Do things get wrecked easily at partys? What other tips do you, oh experienced ones, have to share with someone who's never played for an audience outside my room?
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Tristano
Guest
gear....
My last party was a complete disappointment: I played some prog house, house and later some techno and electro.
But the audience consisted of fools who only liked commercial music, and they refused to move to songs they didn't know. It was a complete mess, every mix I did people came at me asking if I could spin the latest Venga Boys record..
My point is, when you rely that much on the people, you'd even start thinking you ARE crap, even if you just spun your greatest underground set ever. You know what I mean?
About the gear: in most cases, the gear is old crap!
Off course you got the 1200s, that rule even after 20 years, but then..the mixer! jesus
broken xfader, broken lights, bad cueing,...
the list never ends
Yeah, the mixers can be a real pain in the a$$
My last party was a complete disappointment: I played some prog house, house and later some techno and electro.
But the audience consisted of fools who only liked commercial music, and they refused to move to songs they didn't know. It was a complete mess, every mix I did people came at me asking if I could spin the latest Venga Boys record..
My point is, when you rely that much on the people, you'd even start thinking you ARE crap, even if you just spun your greatest underground set ever. You know what I mean?
About the gear: in most cases, the gear is old crap!
Off course you got the 1200s, that rule even after 20 years, but then..the mixer! jesus
broken xfader, broken lights, bad cueing,...
the list never ends
Yeah, the mixers can be a real pain in the a$$
A
Alex TC
Guest
IMO party djing is always an awesome experience. Today I spin at big (3.000 + ppl) gigs and clubs, where I can play my underground house sets to ppl who understand and enjoy my music, but I still find joy in playing for friend's in smaller parties. It's intimate and cool, u fell the vibe from ppl u know better and u can see in their eyes they fell ur passion for the music u're playing. Besides, they like u as a friend!
Parties: even at professional mobile jobs the pressure to perform flawlessly is a whole universe smaller, if u screw a mix very few if any of the punters will notice. Music selection and the build-up of the night is very, very important though, and if u pull it up the mood is guaranteed.
Gigs and clubs: No dj gets lined up for one if the musical policy of the place/night/promoters does not go along it, so chances are the music u play is better accepted as certainlly u've been "pre-selected" and heard before. In this case, mixing proficiency is highly valued.
To end up, I'd say the only difference between bedroom and party djing is that u can't stop the music and go back: everything must be ok (sound, music selection, mixing) so u can perform a smooth set. The "fear" is ur worst enemy, but take a deep breath and realise that the only ones who never fail or commit a mistake are the one's who never try, so go for it and take it as part of the (joyfull) game!
Parties: even at professional mobile jobs the pressure to perform flawlessly is a whole universe smaller, if u screw a mix very few if any of the punters will notice. Music selection and the build-up of the night is very, very important though, and if u pull it up the mood is guaranteed.
Gigs and clubs: No dj gets lined up for one if the musical policy of the place/night/promoters does not go along it, so chances are the music u play is better accepted as certainlly u've been "pre-selected" and heard before. In this case, mixing proficiency is highly valued.
To end up, I'd say the only difference between bedroom and party djing is that u can't stop the music and go back: everything must be ok (sound, music selection, mixing) so u can perform a smooth set. The "fear" is ur worst enemy, but take a deep breath and realise that the only ones who never fail or commit a mistake are the one's who never try, so go for it and take it as part of the (joyfull) game!
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dj0ddie
Guest
I find that when I'm playing a live gig with lots of sound, I can afford to be slightly sloppier than I'd like and it's barely noticable. However, when you're recording, you can't screw up that 40 min mix and whatever beatmatching errors you make will be plainly heard. It's getting a good recording that counts, because that's what gets you the big gigs. Either that or you have lots of connections.
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menergy
Guest
Been there, done that!
Hey dj SUShi: I know what you mean being with an audience with the dreaded "play something I know" attitude.
But, back to the original topic and additional questions posed by DrFooFoo:
RE: Train wreck mix during party:
If you feel a train wreck mix comming that you can't scam your way out of, then fade out the incomming song as gracefully as possible and retry the mix at the next break. If you are running out of song, i.e., no more breaks left to mix out of or song is about to end, then simply do a radio-style mix, i.e. start beginning of new song as current song is fading. This is actually an excellent opportunity to change sets, change BPMs, or change music mood and can work dramatically for you.
At most parties, you will not get alot of bad comments from the audience for this type of f$%#-up. Some ppl may just chuckle. No big deal. Just move on and don't let it worry you.
RE: Bringing your gear to parties and ppl bumping into the table scenario:
First of all, I would never bring my gear, and more importantly, my precious music, to an "Animal House" style party unless a seperate room is allocated for the DJ console. Important rule: Know your party audience. In situations where you are doing this for hire, you can easy include this type of stuff in your contract with the host. Be specific. Specify remedies if problems occur. Again, be specific if you have concerns. Otherwise, just decline risking your investment in equipment and music (alot of which may not be replaceable) if you feel uncomfortable about a situation.
Another common problem is ppl trying to rip-off your music, i.e. specific songs. Again, planning the DJ console arrangement can help avoid this problem. If it's at a friends party and you know everyone, then this will probably not be a problem.
You can avoid these types of problems by co-ordinating setup arrangements with the host well before the party. Set expectations.
Private parties are really wonderful DJing experiences. The crowd is less general than a club crowd, making it easier for you to zone in on their hot spots, making the experience more fun for you.
I know, because I have had the pleasure of doing parties of this type and have had minimal problems.
I hope this helps,
Capricorn Productions
Hey dj SUShi: I know what you mean being with an audience with the dreaded "play something I know" attitude.
But, back to the original topic and additional questions posed by DrFooFoo:
RE: Train wreck mix during party:
If you feel a train wreck mix comming that you can't scam your way out of, then fade out the incomming song as gracefully as possible and retry the mix at the next break. If you are running out of song, i.e., no more breaks left to mix out of or song is about to end, then simply do a radio-style mix, i.e. start beginning of new song as current song is fading. This is actually an excellent opportunity to change sets, change BPMs, or change music mood and can work dramatically for you.
At most parties, you will not get alot of bad comments from the audience for this type of f$%#-up. Some ppl may just chuckle. No big deal. Just move on and don't let it worry you.
RE: Bringing your gear to parties and ppl bumping into the table scenario:
First of all, I would never bring my gear, and more importantly, my precious music, to an "Animal House" style party unless a seperate room is allocated for the DJ console. Important rule: Know your party audience. In situations where you are doing this for hire, you can easy include this type of stuff in your contract with the host. Be specific. Specify remedies if problems occur. Again, be specific if you have concerns. Otherwise, just decline risking your investment in equipment and music (alot of which may not be replaceable) if you feel uncomfortable about a situation.
Another common problem is ppl trying to rip-off your music, i.e. specific songs. Again, planning the DJ console arrangement can help avoid this problem. If it's at a friends party and you know everyone, then this will probably not be a problem.
You can avoid these types of problems by co-ordinating setup arrangements with the host well before the party. Set expectations.
Private parties are really wonderful DJing experiences. The crowd is less general than a club crowd, making it easier for you to zone in on their hot spots, making the experience more fun for you.
I know, because I have had the pleasure of doing parties of this type and have had minimal problems.
I hope this helps,
Capricorn Productions
A
Alex TC
Guest
Well put menergy, really! I take pleasure spinning for big audiences today, as every dj would, but sometimes I feel more rewarded by spinning a particular party for friends, as I said, I still do it today but only "pro bono" and again only when I feel it'll be a cool party It's nice to be "the gang DJ", I'd have to score a good and solid residency to accomplish that in a club! In today's "guest superstar dj" clubscene that's quite hard specially if u don't play müch commercial music... (I'm more into underground house styles).
I credit my pro sets at clubs and gigs today to the work I did as an independent mobile jock for so long: since music selection is vital, u learn fast to read a crowd, after all the crowd's closer to u anyway! Besides, just like the feeling and sensse, a perfect mixing comes w/ time and practice and live acts, even small ones, boost up the learning curve rapidly.
When I first started I was looking for a fix to the bedroom sickness and a quick jump to the top of the ladder (ie a club job) but I found it so much rewarding I never quit doing the party game, and I plan never have to!
and again only when I feel it'll be a cool party It's nice to be "the gang DJ", I'd have to score a good and solid residency to accomplish that in a club! In today's "guest superstar dj" clubscene that's quite hard specially if u don't play müch commercial music... (I'm more into underground house styles).I credit my pro sets at clubs and gigs today to the work I did as an independent mobile jock for so long: since music selection is vital, u learn fast to read a crowd, after all the crowd's closer to u anyway!
Besides, just like the feeling and sensse, a perfect mixing comes w/ time and practice and live acts, even small ones, boost up the learning curve rapidly.When I first started I was looking for a fix to the bedroom sickness and a quick jump to the top of the ladder (ie a club job) but I found it so much rewarding I never quit doing the party game, and I plan never have to!
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mindblunt
Guest
Re: Ease into it
this game is called "back2back", or short, b2b
menergy said:
this game is called "back2back", or short, b2b
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mattu
Guest
What I like most about playing parties is that you can basically do exactly what you want, play a straight house set for 45 minutes, throw on the Muppet Theme, go into a Kylie Minogue song and then watch the crowd laugh their a s s e s off while you bring in MC Hammer or something equally cheesy. You can play everything from hip hop to jungle to techno to the Rolling Stones (I have a thing where I mix "Sympathy for the Devil" over a Kenny Dope beat) and not worry if you screw up the mixes, or even if you mix at all. You're there to create a good mood in the room, and no one's gonna flame you for not executing the coolest tricks or the cleanest mixes.
In a club, though, it's a different matter. Here's where you gotta be clean as f**k in order to make an impact. Never let the beat stop, never trainwreck, never clash keys. It's fun too, although it places you in an entirely different situation, where what you do is more based on technique, selection and the ability to build a decent set. More mathematic, if you may.
Clubs are cool, but parties still rule!
In a club, though, it's a different matter. Here's where you gotta be clean as f**k in order to make an impact. Never let the beat stop, never trainwreck, never clash keys. It's fun too, although it places you in an entirely different situation, where what you do is more based on technique, selection and the ability to build a decent set. More mathematic, if you may.
Clubs are cool, but parties still rule!
D
dj0ddie
Guest
After a while though, my bedroom becomes a sanctuary for me. It's the kind of environment where if you screw up really badly, nobody will notice or hear it.... just the walls.
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White Trash
Guest
Good topic.
I'd mostly have to agree with Menergy and Mattu.
I love playing at parties, I have a really top circle of friends (well... you know, mostly) who are up for anything that has a beat. We'll do parties of about 50 - 200 people and pretty much play what we like. If they don't like it they go out for a bit and "mingle", if they like whats spinning then the respect you get is unreal. Mainly because it's coming from people you know.
Just don't get too caught up in trying to get everyone dancing at once and don't take things too seriously. Some people actually go to parties just to drink and socalise... no dancing! Really, it's true I've seen them.
Plus, you're probably doing for free so you have just as much right to enjoy yourself as the rest.
Nothing's more fun than your first fade to silence in front of a room full of punters. Mmmmmm humiliation
I'd mostly have to agree with Menergy and Mattu.
I love playing at parties, I have a really top circle of friends (well... you know, mostly
) who are up for anything that has a beat. We'll do parties of about 50 - 200 people and pretty much play what we like. If they don't like it they go out for a bit and "mingle", if they like whats spinning then the respect you get is unreal. Mainly because it's coming from people you know.Just don't get too caught up in trying to get everyone dancing at once and don't take things too seriously. Some people actually go to parties just to drink and socalise... no dancing! Really, it's true I've seen them.
Plus, you're probably doing for free so you have just as much right to enjoy yourself as the rest.
Nothing's more fun than your first fade to silence in front of a room full of punters. Mmmmmm humiliation