Do you play a different set everytime you play out?

Home :: General Discussion :: Do you play a different set everytime you play out?Reply
Do you play a different set everytime you play out?
Posted on: 14.06.2013 by Ilana Byam
Hi,

I try and play a different set every time I play out. But I would like to know if this is common for most DJs. I try hard to mix different songs every time I play out, but is it really crucial?

I find it hard especially when I have several gigs to play in a short space of time, also my music collection isn't extremely big. But I hate to be to repetitive, this is why most of the time, I try to make every set different.

I would just like to know how others do it, and your opinions...

Thank you
Qiana Castellucci
15.06.2013
Originally Posted by smittten
JD: Plastic Dreams, FSOL: Papua New Guinea, Leftfield: Song for Life & Wink: Don't Laugh are the only records I have ever played.
Works for me..... as long as its the Weatherall mix of FSOL.
Nana Mohs
14.06.2013
Originally Posted by smittten
JD: Plastic Dreams, FSOL: Papua New Guinea, Leftfield: Song for Life & Wink: Don't Laugh are the only records I have ever played.
Have you thought about trimming down your collection?
Dannie Dimora
16.06.2013
If you mean in the same exact order, then no.
(although i do have a couple of songs that just sound GREAT mashed together, or some acapella+instrumental live mashups, or just some transitions that i know i can use to switch tempos)
If you mean same tracks, then most of them yeah, especially since most of 'em are requests we take.
We always try to incorporate new music into the set, but it seems like people here where we spin are just too musically uneducated that they seem to confuse the dj with an old jukebox that always plays the same boring tracks.
Nena Leos
16.06.2013
I never play the same set, however; their are "combos" that I will usually play like 2-3 tracks i know that go well together and the crowd goes wild everytime. Besides my sets for the whole evening are completely different from the evening before, with the exceptions of those "combos". The combos are no more than 2 minutes long tooo.....

It's fine to play a few of the same tracks you played the evening before, but not in the same order. Every crowd is different and reacts different depending on the time of the evening
Kristel Wattenberg
15.06.2013
9 times out of 10, at a new gig, we play a new set. No matter what.
HOWEVER, there are times where we will be going to a new crowd and we remember an older set that we had played that got great reactions. So instead of being overly ambitious, we often times will play an extremely similar set for this new crowd. That way we know "for sure" that they will enjoy it.

In most cases, we only do this for crowds who aren't so used to EDM. They're always picky with the song they do/don't accept. So if we have played for a similar crowd before with success, we will attempt to do the same thing again.

Regardless, I don't believe there has ever been a time when we played the EXACT same set twice.
Audrey Pinda
15.06.2013
I consider it having "combo moves" at my disposal.

I never play the same set twice. It's always different. I would absolutely lose my mind if I had to do things in a set order every single time I got behind the decks... and it is also not very fair to the crowd.

That being said, one of my methods for preparing a playlist/setlist for a evening is this:

I usually have some new tracks that I've downloaded. I add them to the new playlist. I then go back through my last couple sets that I've played, and add the tracks that people really dug, and also songs that I really believe fit with the "color" or flow of the set I'm trying to build.

I then usually go back through my entire library and then try to find a couple "old" tracks to mix in as well. Gems you never really hear out anymore, but are tracks that inspired me.

For every one hour set, I usually have at least 100 tracks ready. It gives me enough room to change up the flow if I want, read the crowd, but also limits the amount of music I have at my disposal to go through. I'll probably only play 20-25 tracks (depending on how fast I mix them in and out). But having that other choice? It's priceless if I want to go in a particular direction.

I have had to catch myself a couple times. There are certain tracks that I just personally adore, and I have to make sure I am not playing them /every/ time I play. Given, they are good tracks, but you don't want to get stuck on that rut.

All in all, it's good to have preparation. But having the same exact set, or playlist, for every gig? It's a disservice to the art of DJing.
Merideth Garnder
16.06.2013
We play a lot (almost every week) at some of the top LA venues including those ran by SBE and Insomniac.

For the most part, you cater your sets to the venue and crowd you're playing to. I've seen some headliners fall into this category of playing the same crap over and over again....for example.....last week we opened up for Marcus Schossow and his track selection sounded like the Beatport Top 100. That same evening you hear guys like dBerrie and the likes (actual veteran DJs) and you quickly see the difference between someone who stays complacent and someone who keeps things fresh.
Federico Vilas
16.06.2013
This is why we are supposed to practice transitions... Etc... I never play the same set twice bc you have to read the crowd... Which every time is different...

I practiced a set for my buddy's wedding last weekend and the crowd didn't respond like I thought they would so I have to switch it up after the cake cutting ceremony... Once I switched it up everyone was dancing their asses off like we were in the club... Even with a pre planned practice set... Sometimes it just doesn't work out

Moral of story... Practice and know your shit so you don't embarrass yourself or be seen always playing the same mixes
Jerica Salava
15.06.2013
Deadmuas is a punk.
Augustine Mitzen
15.06.2013
yeah.

i have a few blends that i repeat now and then, but i can't really imagine playing an exactly same set twice
Qiana Castellucci
15.06.2013
Originally Posted by smittten
JD: Plastic Dreams, FSOL: Papua New Guinea, Leftfield: Song for Life & Wink: Don't Laugh are the only records I have ever played.
Works for me..... as long as its the Weatherall mix of FSOL.
Brunilda Kora
15.06.2013
Originally Posted by muffintop
brrrbrrrrbrrrr beat
Sounds cool...
Nana Mohs
15.06.2013
Beatmasher on a 808 kick&clap
call it brrrrrrrbrrrrrrrbrrrrrrr beat
Edwardo Rothenberger
14.06.2013
I just loop the first 4 bars and play with the filters for 2 hours. Works every time
Nana Mohs
14.06.2013
Originally Posted by smittten
JD: Plastic Dreams, FSOL: Papua New Guinea, Leftfield: Song for Life & Wink: Don't Laugh are the only records I have ever played.
Have you thought about trimming down your collection?
Len Lukawski
14.06.2013
JD: Plastic Dreams, FSOL: Papua New Guinea, Leftfield: Song for Life & Wink: Don't Laugh are the only records I have ever played.
Alla Bluemke
14.06.2013
I play some hits ever once in a while, and then play stuff no one has ever heard. But I most certainly never play the same set.
Latoria Kavulich
14.06.2013
i have tunes in my collection that haven't been played in 8 years lol
Logan Hochendoner
14.06.2013
Different set every single time while playing in key as well?
Latoria Kavulich
14.06.2013
Usually i would throw in 2-3 classic tracks into a two hour set. With my radio show i never repeat the same tune twice.
Brunilda Kora
14.06.2013
Looks like we're all answering different questions here.
Emelina Chillson
14.06.2013
If doing a stint of shows one after the other, I will play the same set with tweaks here and there depending on how the crowd is feeling it. I am scouring blogs, digital purchase sites, and other mediums regularly so usually by the tird evening Ive already switched out ten tunes just due to having new tunes.

When playing multiple gigs int he same city, I try to differentiate as much as possible tho. You never know when that person might return to hear you again.
Joesph Kasian
14.06.2013
Originally Posted by Patch
If anyone answers anything except "YES" to this question, they are punks.
You sound like a little crazy - when you are playing multiple shows in one evening , to very similar crowds across a country...sometimes you have to play very similar sets. It's just the way it goes man, life as a professional DJ is different than playing every few weeks. Especially if you want to play alot of your new tunes.

Saying this however, not every single mix will be the same, I wouldn't even remember the order, I'm just saying when your a busy DJ sometimes there is alot of duplication.

I remember hearing old rave tape packs when I was growing up and if you got one of the same DJ playing at both on the same date they would play exactly the same set. Crazy.
Ashanti Andreacchio
14.06.2013
lots of the same songs but not ever the same song in the same order. No way to play 2 a week for 4-5 hours and not playing any songs from last evening or week
Doreen Schurle
14.06.2013
Originally Posted by synthet1c
about 30% is brand new, that doesn't mean that the other 70% are the same tunes in the same order every set, but many familiar ones on rotation. You can't expect the crowd to listen to a whole set of tracks they have never heard, unless you are deep underground, but even then it will usually only work against you.

The way I can justify playing a couple of songs all the time in most sets is that the crowd changes every week, and even if you have die hard regulars they love to hear familiar songs and don't spend their life obsessing over music like we do, so you will probably tire of something long before they do. It's a compromise but you are always injecting new music in, if it's good add it to your rotation and soon you will become sick of it as you are constantly looking. But that's a good thing in reality, just fight your ego when it tells you that something is old.

^ looks like I'm a punk!
This. I play progressive house, so for most crowds I have to stick to the "big" tracks that they're likely to have heard before. For me, that's the difference between a crowd believeing, "yeah... this is okay", to completely losing their shit when a track they love comes on. The more frequently you play certain tracks that they DON'T hear anywhere else, however, the closer they get to that "omg" moment when it comes on, because you're essentially giving them time (over a period of weeks) to like the track.
Jonathan Chiuchiolo
14.06.2013
about 30% is brand new, that doesn't mean that the other 70% are the same tunes in the same order every set, but many familiar ones on rotation. You can't expect the crowd to listen to a whole set of tracks they have never heard, unless you are deep underground, but even then it will usually only work against you.

The way I can justify playing a couple of songs all the time in most sets is that the crowd changes every week, and even if you have die hard regulars they love to hear familiar songs and don't spend their life obsessing over music like we do, so you will probably tire of something long before they do. It's a compromise but you are always injecting new music in, if it's good add it to your rotation and soon you will become sick of it as you are constantly looking. But that's a good thing in reality, just fight your ego when it tells you that something is old.

^ looks like I'm a punk!
Brunilda Kora
14.06.2013
If anyone answers anything except "YES" to this question, they are punks.
Gaynell Rydberg
14.06.2013
Can't imagine playing the same set twice.

<< Back to General DiscussionReply

Copyright 2012-2023
DJRANKINGS.ORG n.g.o.
Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan

Created by Ajaxel CMS

Terms & Privacy