lamont76
after taking to some people, i got an audition at a club, playing the first 2 hours. i know i have the skill of mixing, but damn was this an eye opener.
i chose to use the house system because i thought i would love the pioneer set they had, but it was way out of my comfort zone. pio. cdj1000 and pioneer 909 were good, but i thought i had more control on my gemini cdt-05s and urei mixer. stupid me, my mixer has 2 headphones - 1/4 and mini and i brought my regular headphones. didnt freakin fit the pioneer. i was WITHOUT HEADPHONES the whole night.
but regardless, i worked it out with my mix, some pointers the resident dj told me to remember next time.
bigger music variety. i was playing mostly top hits, hip hop, urban. but with the high variety, i couldve captivated the audience more, etc
talk MORE. this was my first club audition and i really need to step up the audience interaction. i need to get them more involved and appreciate what i do more
change up the technique. i first thought that i should be a smooth mixer, seemless transitions, etc. but he only did that 1/4 of the time. he would talk and murder a song and 1/4 way through he would just play another one wayyy different tempos. he said it catches them offguard, etc
but yea. not too bad for my first time. no hiccups in the 5.07 software, etc
i hope to heaven that i get a call from him tomorrow or even a second audition. ugh. in clubs i just gotta be more outgoing, etc and not nervous lol
hope this helps other first timers...
i chose to use the house system because i thought i would love the pioneer set they had, but it was way out of my comfort zone. pio. cdj1000 and pioneer 909 were good, but i thought i had more control on my gemini cdt-05s and urei mixer. stupid me, my mixer has 2 headphones - 1/4 and mini and i brought my regular headphones. didnt freakin fit the pioneer. i was WITHOUT HEADPHONES the whole night.
but regardless, i worked it out with my mix, some pointers the resident dj told me to remember next time.
bigger music variety. i was playing mostly top hits, hip hop, urban. but with the high variety, i couldve captivated the audience more, etc
talk MORE. this was my first club audition and i really need to step up the audience interaction. i need to get them more involved and appreciate what i do more
change up the technique. i first thought that i should be a smooth mixer, seemless transitions, etc. but he only did that 1/4 of the time. he would talk and murder a song and 1/4 way through he would just play another one wayyy different tempos. he said it catches them offguard, etc
but yea. not too bad for my first time. no hiccups in the 5.07 software, etc
i hope to heaven that i get a call from him tomorrow or even a second audition. ugh. in clubs i just gotta be more outgoing, etc and not nervous lol
hope this helps other first timers...
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 11:02 am
SBDJ
lamont76 wrote :
he only did that 1/4 of the time. he would talk and murder a song and 1/4 way through he would just play another one wayyy different tempos. he said it catches them offguard, etc
I'd get the sack from all my venues (especially Thursday and Saturday) if I DJ'd like that!
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 1:15 pm
PearlEx97
I agree. While that might work at the club where you auditioned. Most clubs want the floor to keep moving. Catching them off guard oftentimes makes a dancer feel uncomfortable, and thus get off the floor. Your job is to keep them on the floor, and make them thirsty with their dancing. You may need to talk more, but do it over intros, or instrumental breaks. Use the loop feature to create an intro if you need.
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 1:26 pm
Tear Em 'Up
Sounds too me like he was offering advice based on his experience at that club. Which is not a bad thing but. Create your own style. Do not become his, or anybodies, clone. Do your own thing, experiment. Shakespeare said it best "Too thyn own self be true"
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 1:30 pm
lamont76
i hear ya guys... the club is actually club h2o in ocean city maryland - under 21 dance club. so i guess the kids wouldnt care really...
but i was smooth mixing, slow intros etc and seemless trans and he said TOO MUCH of the same thing would bore the crowd too much.
but anyway
UPDATE
blackberry was dead for the day, got a voicemail saying that his manager, coming back from vegas, listened to my set and liked me. they want me back to audition for the guy and 2 other "scouts" from radio stations, etc
i am hella excited. props to vdj!
but i was smooth mixing, slow intros etc and seemless trans and he said TOO MUCH of the same thing would bore the crowd too much.
but anyway
UPDATE
blackberry was dead for the day, got a voicemail saying that his manager, coming back from vegas, listened to my set and liked me. they want me back to audition for the guy and 2 other "scouts" from radio stations, etc
i am hella excited. props to vdj!
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 7:05 pm
low-fat-al
congrats and good luck with hopefully landing a spot!
As far as talking too much on the mic, changing tempos, etc... I think it depends on the venue, market, concept, and format for the club.
Where I am working now... I never talk on the mic except to say last call and last song. Anytime someone comes up for a birthday shout out. I tell them I will put it on the screen. Almost seems better than saying to them! I will talk a lot more on the mic if I actually need to... and have in previous club situations. I try to let the music programming speak for me. You can "catch them off gaurd" by drop mixing into other tracks to change the pace... but I think that has to be carefully planned or you can lose and entire dancefloor quickly.
How long has the DJ whom was advising you been spinning in clubs? That extreme style may be what he is used to.. and has been working for him. But like what was stated earlier... find your style... learn to rock the house by programming and reading the room... those are key.
As far as talking too much on the mic, changing tempos, etc... I think it depends on the venue, market, concept, and format for the club.
Where I am working now... I never talk on the mic except to say last call and last song. Anytime someone comes up for a birthday shout out. I tell them I will put it on the screen. Almost seems better than saying to them! I will talk a lot more on the mic if I actually need to... and have in previous club situations. I try to let the music programming speak for me. You can "catch them off gaurd" by drop mixing into other tracks to change the pace... but I think that has to be carefully planned or you can lose and entire dancefloor quickly.
How long has the DJ whom was advising you been spinning in clubs? That extreme style may be what he is used to.. and has been working for him. But like what was stated earlier... find your style... learn to rock the house by programming and reading the room... those are key.
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 8:43 pm
fatkatzdj
Are you only gonna work there til the end of august when the season ends. I used to go there a lot and I know it's a ghost town when the season ends at least it used to many years ago.
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 9:21 pm
lamont76
yup i am. cuz then school starts again, etc (im only 16)
as for the dj there... hes pretty experienced, does celebrity shit, 5 clubs throughout MD, DE and VA...
i dunno, not exactly my style for djin but it works expecially for h2o when you never lose a dancefloor.
as for the dj there... hes pretty experienced, does celebrity shit, 5 clubs throughout MD, DE and VA...
i dunno, not exactly my style for djin but it works expecially for h2o when you never lose a dancefloor.
发表时间 Sun 22 Jun 08 @ 9:56 pm
Tim Bennett
congrats lamont, sounds like you are in a good learning situation. keep up the good work.
发表时间 Mon 23 Jun 08 @ 8:27 am
lamont76
update. i think i found my own style. last thursday was my second audition so i thought i had to be doing something right. i PLANNED my song set and what i was gonna say and i thought i did really well. played the crowd well and the other dj told me last time i dont gotta keep playing new hood music... widen the variety a bit
so i did, talked alot, all i forgot to do more of was to promote the bar and store in the back but o well. no word but at the end he told me it was a very good night. got my fingers crossed :)
and thanks for the tips guys
so i did, talked alot, all i forgot to do more of was to promote the bar and store in the back but o well. no word but at the end he told me it was a very good night. got my fingers crossed :)
and thanks for the tips guys
发表时间 Sun 29 Jun 08 @ 11:51 am