Just re-read what I wrote there man… didnt write that in relation to what you posted btw…
I think half the craic is seeing what people want… if people want something that makes them happy & ifs its possible - wave the fkn wand.
Who, me?
[quote]ICN (17/06/2011)[hr]Just re-read what I wrote there man… didnt write that in relation to what you posted btw…
I think half the craic is seeing what people want… if people want something that makes them happy& ifs its possible - wave the fknwand.[/quote]
never had this problem, i think i’d also say that request are not accepted this night!
If it doesn’t work than just “accidentally” spill your drink over the girls boobs :hehe:
just use the old “sorry i didnt bring it with me tonight”
its on my OTHER laptop haha!
[quote]jbachjr78 (17/06/2011)[hr]
It’s no different than if someone went to see a cover band play. The cover band is there to play the music that people want to hear (like a commercial DJ). Whereas an original band plays their own tunes and maybe incorporates one or two covers to keep interest.
Let the backlash begin:cool:[/quote]
When I go to a night it’ll be to see the headliners obv, but I’d expect the warm-ups to be in a similar vein, and if they are sh!t then that’s a reflection on the night/promoter for me.
But then I’m into nights where its 300 people in a disused railway depot with a strobe on all night. If its a club that sells blue WKD and has words like 'Smooch, Hush, blush, Kiss, Pukka, Sensation, Bliss, Kinky, Devine etc in the name, then it might be a different sack of badgers.
Playing other peoples tunes is easy for sure, but rocking a dance floor surprisingly isn’t. Trust me, I’ve seen it done so badly so many times.
[quote]jbachjr78 (17/06/2011)[hr][quote]Roben (17/06/2011)[hr]No, playing Rhianna is NOT what I was there for. I’m booked by the promoter to play what they want me to play, i’d never get booked again if i went and played RnB just to please 1 girl and possibly her friends, the rest of the club or bar would empty however as they are there to listen to House music.
So no i don’t agree at all with the above statement.
[/quote]
The statement is true (based on my opinion :D). Obviously someone who went to a bar that was setup for one style of music and asks for another is a complete moron,but akind, “I’m sorry but we do not take requests here” is all that is needed. I have a feeling you are cool like that Roben, so I don’t think this applies to you. If hearing people ask for requests annoysa DJthen maybehe’s in the wrong business and an attitude adjustment is probably needed. I hate whensome DJ’s think they areHolier then thou just because they can mash up a few songs and treat people like garbage just because they asked for something they want to hear. By being a DJ you are in the entertainment business and your job is to entertain the masses so they have a good time and come back again.It doesn’t change the fact that you are there for the people, not the other way around.
DJ ≠ Rockstar[/quote]
Yeah totally agree with that, there are a few guys around Brighton who have that attitude, they don’t even bother to look at the floor and play to the crowd, they just play for themselves and expect everyone else to enjoy it, even when it’s clear they’re not.
I can’t stress the importance of reading your crowd and interacting. Sure if someone asked me for a tune in the genre that i’m playing i may play it, i’ve done it tons of times before, i have no problem with that. I just hate it when i’m asked for a genre that is clearly not being played and won’t be played because that’s not the musical policy of the night, that policy is put in place by the club management / promoter/s.
It’s a tough one, cos I get all that ‘playing to the crowd’ stuff, and obviously that is essential, but only withing the context of your own style. IE you might need to drop the tempo, raise it, or rely on some old favourites.
But I’ve always seen DJs as ‘performer’ much like a band or whatever, and not just a bloke to operate the music. At a big night (ie rave) there might be 10 DJs, some you know in advance you’ll like and some you know you don’t like - no biggie.
I expect them to play their respective style/sound and maybe adapt to the room to a degree (but only really a small amount in the scheme of things).
If I’ve been booked because of my style, why should I pander to the majority. You wouldn’t ask the Rolling Stones to play a bit of Country and Western if their normal style wasn’t going down.
Sure that is regarding established DJs, but my argument is… how else do you become established if as an up and comer you are always bending over backwards to please the crowd. All that will happen then is you’ll be a perpetual resident with no following beyond that regular night, or an average DJ without their own identity.
Put your balls on the table and play what you think is great, if you are right, you’ll deservedly make it into the upper rankings, if you’re wrong, so be it, you stuck to your guns and played what you loved, you’ll find an audience that likes it somewhere, and that should be how it is. Not the other way round.
You’re all DJing cos you love your music right?
one of my Dj tutors gave me a good advice long time ago.he told me to work the first 30 min for the crowd and the rest of the night work out the crowd . or something like that heheh
The annoying thing is that the whole commercial stuff is really where you get your money as a bog standard DJ. I know a guy that just used to DJ from thursday to sunday in Manchester and he made good money and didnt need a ‘real’ job.
Its harsh but its the truth that if you dont play what the masses want the promoter will find someone that will. Also you have to understand that drunk clubbers in these clubs are dumb and not very educated in terms of music knowledge. I remember playing trance for two hours at a club and having some drunk bitch coming up to me screaming at me to please stop playing house and play some Armin 
Also you need to know when a track is known by the masses, for example the song Babylonia is a massive hit now and i get hounded for it constantly, the first time i played it, my dance floor became empty.
Its really annoying cos u have to keep track of soooooo many things, is it popular, will it fit, is my style right, do i need to speed it up, slow it down how am i gonna mix this 130bpm house track with a 90bpm RnB track etc.
Another annoying thing is when your trying to mix/beatmatch and you get constantly distracted by people which in turn can **** your mix up. Also you cant tell people that you will play it later cos they will keep coming back untill you play it. It always seems to be the same people as well i mean think about it… There are millions of people that go clubbin at the weekend and are happy to just have a good time and dance whatever. So what makes these annoying assholes different, what makes them think that they have the right to harrass DJ’s? What makes them different?
One funny story was in a club i went to that was focused on House/Club music. The dancefloor was full and people were enjoying it, my friend who was DJing was getting harrassed by some drunk guy who kept asking for some dutch folk music. This of course is really annoying especially at a house night. Anyways after just having enough my DJ mate stopped the music, got on the mic and basically said something along the lines of, i know you are all enjoying yourselves and i know you came for some good house music but this guy here reckons your all complaining and just have to hear this music. He then played this folk music and the dance floor cleared and the drunk guy looked like a complete jackass.
Now sounds good right? No! My friend actually got fired from that gig cos the drunk guy magically had enough of his mind left and complained. The boss gave my friend some bull**** about blah blah blah paying customers etc blah blah and he got the axe.
I think this is bull**** tbh ni think if more DJ’s were to single out and embarrass people like this in nightclubs and really **** with their heads and make them feel insignificant and small then it would overall be alot better for all DJ’s to do their work.
I also love DJing in places where the DJ box is closed off from the people as they cant get to you, Txt numbers or request notepads are also a godsend. But i think this is a problem and debate where there isnt really a right or wrong its the single biggest annoyance that all DJ’s have to deal with. I think we all need to single these people out and embarrass them and it should teach em to not **** with the DJ.
I will however say though that if its fit drunk woman its ok 
They can bother me all night long… Thus an annoyance becoming a perk 
I guess a key difference is if you are a DJ playing at a bar, or a club that just plays house (no focus on the individual DJ performing). Thats a big difference to a night where you are going out purely based on the names on the flyers.
I’ve been coming from the angle of the latter, as that’s what I tend to think of, but I guess its a different ball game if your a DJ more providing a service to the club/bar owner
If that makes sense
[quote]jbachjr78 (17/06/2011)[hr]My feeling is this, unless your name is on the marquee and playing your own tunes or just have a name for yourself, then you’re nothing more than a puppet for the masses. If you’re not willing to play what they want to hear, then they’ll find someone else who will. This may sound harsh, but honestly if your just spinning other peoples stuff then you’re one step above a jukebox.
I always hated how some DJ’s get all God like when people ask them to play something. It’s what the f**k you’re there for. No one is there for you.
It’s no different than if someone went to see a cover band play. The cover band is there to play the music that people want to hear (like a commercial DJ). Whereas an original band plays their own tunes and maybe incorporates one or two covers to keep interest.
Let the backlash begin:cool:[/quote]
On the Money IMO.
[quote]slender (17/06/2011)[hr][quote]Roben (17/06/2011)[hr]No, playing Rhianna is NOT what I was there for. I’m booked by the promoter to play what they want me to play, i’d never get booked again if i went and played RnB just to please 1 girl and possibly her friends, the rest of the club or bar would empty however as they are there to listen to House music.
So no i don’t agree at all with the above statement.
[/quote]
Yeah but what if it was a fella Rob[/quote]
bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. what a burn.
i only pretend to be a DJ on TV.
lol. but seriously. jeremiah & I DJ all the time, but only in our studio haha. mostly just to practice and when we are drunk and wanna mash-up some music.
if we were 2 ever DJ... it be at a real party for our kinda music. and in that case, Im gunna play what I make, which is electro + dubstep. I dont care that i'm opening... im not gunna play a tech house set or a techno set... gunna play an electro set. because that is what we produce. any promoter I deal with is gunna know that about us.
If I can't DJ what I wanna DJ.. then im not gunna do it. i'd rather stay home and write a song.
If u are DJing at more of a Bar then a club. and u work 4 the owner...
u do what he says if u wanna keep ur job. otherwise... slag off!
The thing is ive played at nights with big name DJs and even they get people requesting songs, usually it will be said djs biggest hit but you can see it frustrates the djs as they are there to give a performance and take the audiance on a trip. Mabey all djs ARE just glorified jukeboxes, think about it what percentage of people go to see armin and see how his mixing capabilities or turntabalism is, or go to see how armins song selection will take them on a journey. Compare that with how many people go to watch armin play dongs that they know and like.
[quote]jjdejong0 (17/06/2011)[hr]The thing is ive played at nights with big name DJs and even they get people requesting songs, usually it will be said djs biggest hit but you can see it frustrates the djs as they are there to give a performance and take the audiance on a trip. Mabey all djs ARE just glorified jukeboxes, think about it what percentage of people go to see armin and see how his mixing capabilities or turntabalism is, or go to see how armins song selection will take them on a journey. Compare that with how many people go to watch armin play dongs that they know and like.[/quote]
Yeah, but being asked to play your greatest song is a long way from being asked to play Rhiannah’s :hehe:
[quote]bangthedj (17/06/2011)[hr]
If I’ve been booked because of my style, why should I pander to the majority. You wouldn’t ask the Rolling Stones to play a bit of Country and Western if their normal style wasn’t going down.[/quote]
Even the Rolling Stones have to pander to their audience. No they don’t have to play Country Western, but they know that if they go on tour, that there is no way in hell that the audience will be happy unless they play some of their greatest hits. WHich I’m sure they want to slit their wrists for as many times as they’ve had to play them.
[quote]Sure that is regarding established DJs, but my argument is… how else do you become established if as an up and comer you are always bending over backwards to please the crowd. All that will happen then is you’ll be a perpetual resident with no following beyond that regular night, or an average DJ without their own identity.
Put your balls on the table and play what you think is great, if you are right, you’ll deservedly make it into the upper rankings, if you’re wrong, so be it, you stuck to your guns and played what you loved, you’ll find an audience that likes it somewhere, and that should be how it is. Not the other way round.
You’re all DJing cos you love your music right?
[/quote]
Bang, I have to respectfully disagree with this. If you are just starting out the best bit of advice is to do almost anything short of giving a promoter a BJ to get some exposure. You need to build up some credibility first. When you begin to gain some noteriety you can start to introduce some of your own personal elements, but if you walk in all Frank Sinatra style and say “I’m gonna do it my way,” then you are sure to lose the gig and possibly others. I’ve seen it happen a hundred times.
I really think we are forgeting that this is a business and in business you are nothing without customers who are willing to buy your product.
Well said Jbach!
I’ve watched loads of DJ’s with their egos play for themselves, even if it didn’t suit the time slot they were given, and when it was emptying the floor. They need to learn to get their head out of their arse and realise that if there were no punters, there is no night, and thus… you have no job.
You’re there to entertain, even established DJs have to adapt and adjust what they’re playing depending on where they’re playing and what timeslot they’ve been given.
It’s not to say they play a different sound or style, it just means it’s adapted. I too also have seen established DJs adapt their sound to match the right time slot and venue/event they’re performing at.
A good DJ knows the right tune at the right time, it’s about grabbing the crowd by the balls and making sure they have a great time. If they have a great time, they will remember you and love you for it.
Leave your ego at the door, you’re only playing tunes, you’re not gods gift to man kind.
there is a big difference playing from promoters who push an established Dance Music Scene than a Promoter who wants u to promote his Club .
usually promoters who wants to only pack their clubs end up requesting their Djs to Play top 40s .
I had paid my dues playing ****ty Music with crappy Promoters. so i learned few lessons how to deal with them , .
Nowadays i only play in Events that pay me in Advance , sign contracts and I never take Request.
usually knowing how the Industry works gives you a good start how to deal with this ****ty Promoters.
@jbach it doesn;'t really sound like you are disagreeing all that much…
When I said:
[quote]It’s a tough one, cos I get all that ‘playing to the crowd’ stuff, and obviously that is essential, but only within the context of your own style. IE you might need to drop the tempo, raise it, or rely on some old favourites.[/quote]
That pretty much covers both those points you pulled me up on. I know its tough to get breaks, and you have to do some ground work to get early gigs etc, but I’ve seen a million guys do that and then just languish at that stage.
The talent is obviously giving the crowd what they want but all in the boundaries of your own style, which again I think is the point I have been trying to make all along.
Maybe its different in House, I’m not that familiar with it that much but for non commercial styles where an audience is there specifically for that genre, the ‘giving them what they want’ part is kinda partly taken care of I guess
EDIT as an afterthought… again, when I say play what you love, for me I guess part of that would include an expectancy that its going to go down well. You must be excited about dropping it because of your love for its danciness.
I dont mean self indulgent, playin Dark Side of the Moon in full kinda sh!t
Also, as an old fart, I suspect its different these days…
old man voice
In my day your group of raving friends at best had 1 guy who was a DJ, he’d be known locally and be at it all the time deep into his chosen style. He’d be active in the scene, and by default know some local promoters, as they would be his friends.
He’d get a few small gigs through this network and play his style, natural economics would take care of the rest, with the decent ones bubbling up to the surface, and the average ones ending up grumpy and arguing about it on forums 
Nowadays with yer Facespace and Mybook, everyone wants to be a DJ, and will have to compromise their soul if they want to get anywhere…
But many wont consider obvious things like getting involved, getting to know promoters over time, becoming friends, and playing an active role in their scene… or even putting your own night on (probably the first thing I’d do). They all want to be big DJs and as fast as possible, so different game altogethher