[Question] Mistakes you shouldn't make at your first gig?

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[Question] Mistakes you shouldn't make at your first gig?
Posted on: 26.06.2013 by Dia Laryea
I got my first gig at a local club in August, pretty awesome!

Even though I've been DJ'ing for a few weeks only with a controller, I'm getting the hang of properly using EQ's, scratching, effects, relooping, etc.

But still with no experience, I want to know what mistakes I should avoid making at the gig.

Any advice is appreciated, thanks.
Lilliana Perris
27.06.2013
Originally Posted by Danek
This is definitely helpful, I wouldn't have thought to bring spare RCA's/USB's/bringing a power strip.

Thanks!
Pleasure mate.
Dia Laryea
27.06.2013
Originally Posted by sarasin
LOL....you generally only really hear this once you have started doing Harmonic Mixing.
Drives me nuts too.

Tips:

Dont try and do anything real difficult right off the bat.
Let the first few transitions be simple and get into it. Then rock out.

Don't jam both tracks bass at the same time. It will sound like shit.

Once you are sure you are beatmatched and in phrase, listen to the mix outside the headphones. (or have both channels playing in the cans)

Don't let punters distract you when you about to mix. Ignore them until you are no longer transitioning.
Getting into a chat while DJing can let you lose focus and then look back to see you have 12 secs left of a track...

Move ALL drinks and liquids away from the DJ box before you setup.

Take spare USB cables.

Take spare RCA's.

Don't assume the venue will have enough power sockets for you. Take a power strip.

Have a backup CD with tracks in case of shit.

Make sure you have your cue points and grids done before hand. Else you will be looking and working on your laptop for most of the time.

Understand the gain stage and don't red light the VU meters. Even if the DJ before you did.

Good luck!
This is definitely helpful, I wouldn't have thought to bring spare RCA's/USB's/bringing a power strip.

Thanks!
Lilliana Perris
27.06.2013
Originally Posted by nudedudewithattitude
Mistakes happen. You're human. But practice does make perfect(ish). Be prepared. One thing that really grinds my gears though is playing tracks with clashing keys. Shit drives me insane. Avoid that and you should be fine. Good luck!
LOL....you generally only really hear this once you have started doing Harmonic Mixing.
Drives me nuts too.

Tips:

Dont try and do anything real difficult right off the bat.
Let the first few transitions be simple and get into it. Then rock out.

Don't jam both tracks bass at the same time. It will sound like shit.

Once you are sure you are beatmatched and in phrase, listen to the mix outside the headphones. (or have both channels playing in the cans)

Don't let punters distract you when you about to mix. Ignore them until you are no longer transitioning.
Getting into a chat while DJing can let you lose focus and then look back to see you have 12 secs left of a track...

Move ALL drinks and liquids away from the DJ box before you setup.

Take spare USB cables.

Take spare RCA's.

Don't assume the venue will have enough power sockets for you. Take a power strip.

Have a backup CD with tracks in case of shit.

Make sure you have your cue points and grids done before hand. Else you will be looking and working on your laptop for most of the time.

Understand the gain stage and don't red light the VU meters. Even if the DJ before you did.

Good luck!
Dia Laryea
26.06.2013
Originally Posted by Patch
A few weeks?!?

Crikey, you are brave. Best of luck to you, mate.
I know, I'm only mixing for 30 minutes or an hour though I believe.

I've been producing for half a year, and the owner liked my work more I suppose in comparison to other young DJ's he had at his club.
Dia Laryea
26.06.2013		I got my first gig at a local club in August, pretty awesome!

Even though I've been DJ'ing for a few weeks only with a controller, I'm getting the hang of properly using EQ's, scratching, effects, relooping, etc.

But still with no experience, I want to know what mistakes I should avoid making at the gig.

Any advice is appreciated, thanks.
Latoria Kavulich
02.07.2013		good luck.
Dannie Dimora
01.07.2013		1) don't drink alcohol. If you want to "chill" before or during the gig, go speedwalk and take some fresh air in.
2)take everything with you, twice. two audio cables, power adapters, strips, usb, everything.
3) Make sure your software/hardware combo is working before you get to the gig. There, don't make any adjustments. You could run into some trouble that might delay your performance.
4) Don't do any scratching. In a couple weeks your scratches will sound like 10cm nails scratching on a chalkboard. Just don't.
5) Don't overuse effects. I'd suggest leaving them off completely except for some echo or delay. DO NOT TOUCH THE FLANGER OR PHASER FOR GODS SAKE
6) Don't drop air horns, beatgrids, and "put your hands up in the air" samples. Just don't.
7)Use EQs when mixing between tracks. Kill the bass on the one you're about to mix into, then gradually remove the bass from the previous and up the bass knob on the next track. The best sounding way to do this is to kill the bass 2 or 4 beats before turning it up on the other one, it creates a very nice breakdown-ish effect that will get the crowd pumping.

And that's basically it.
Don't worry, everything's going to be alright Just DON'T PANIC. And remember to always take a towel with you. Always.
Yong Aptekar
28.06.2013		Only a few weeks??? Good luck dude, I recommend making sure all of your tracks are beatgridded properly so you can use that sync buttons when things go pear shaped. Hope this works out for you, and if it doesn't, don't get discouraged, take it as a lesson to practice for months instead of weeks.

good luck.
Olin Easley
27.06.2013		Don't drink more than a pint.

How long is the set?
Lilliana Perris
27.06.2013
Originally Posted by Danek
This is definitely helpful, I wouldn't have thought to bring spare RCA's/USB's/bringing a power strip.

Thanks!
Pleasure mate.
Dia Laryea
27.06.2013
Originally Posted by sarasin
LOL....you generally only really hear this once you have started doing Harmonic Mixing.
Drives me nuts too.

Tips:

Dont try and do anything real difficult right off the bat.
Let the first few transitions be simple and get into it. Then rock out.

Don't jam both tracks bass at the same time. It will sound like shit.

Once you are sure you are beatmatched and in phrase, listen to the mix outside the headphones. (or have both channels playing in the cans)

Don't let punters distract you when you about to mix. Ignore them until you are no longer transitioning.
Getting into a chat while DJing can let you lose focus and then look back to see you have 12 secs left of a track...

Move ALL drinks and liquids away from the DJ box before you setup.

Take spare USB cables.

Take spare RCA's.

Don't assume the venue will have enough power sockets for you. Take a power strip.

Have a backup CD with tracks in case of shit.

Make sure you have your cue points and grids done before hand. Else you will be looking and working on your laptop for most of the time.

Understand the gain stage and don't red light the VU meters. Even if the DJ before you did.

Good luck!
This is definitely helpful, I wouldn't have thought to bring spare RCA's/USB's/bringing a power strip.

Thanks!
Robert Danno
27.06.2013		Biggest thing.. make sure you bring ALL the right cables.. if you are hooking into an installed sound system be sure you can go from your gear to it.
Lilliana Perris
27.06.2013
Originally Posted by nudedudewithattitude
Mistakes happen. You're human. But practice does make perfect(ish). Be prepared. One thing that really grinds my gears though is playing tracks with clashing keys. Shit drives me insane. Avoid that and you should be fine. Good luck!
LOL....you generally only really hear this once you have started doing Harmonic Mixing.
Drives me nuts too.

Tips:

Dont try and do anything real difficult right off the bat.
Let the first few transitions be simple and get into it. Then rock out.

Don't jam both tracks bass at the same time. It will sound like shit.

Once you are sure you are beatmatched and in phrase, listen to the mix outside the headphones. (or have both channels playing in the cans)

Don't let punters distract you when you about to mix. Ignore them until you are no longer transitioning.
Getting into a chat while DJing can let you lose focus and then look back to see you have 12 secs left of a track...

Move ALL drinks and liquids away from the DJ box before you setup.

Take spare USB cables.

Take spare RCA's.

Don't assume the venue will have enough power sockets for you. Take a power strip.

Have a backup CD with tracks in case of shit.

Make sure you have your cue points and grids done before hand. Else you will be looking and working on your laptop for most of the time.

Understand the gain stage and don't red light the VU meters. Even if the DJ before you did.

Good luck!
Dia Laryea
26.06.2013
Originally Posted by Patch
A few weeks?!?

Crikey, you are brave. Best of luck to you, mate.
I know, I'm only mixing for 30 minutes or an hour though I believe.

I've been producing for half a year, and the owner liked my work more I suppose in comparison to other young DJ's he had at his club.
Brunilda Kora
26.06.2013		A few weeks?!?

Crikey, you are brave. Best of luck to you, mate.
Marcelina Hanaway
26.06.2013		Mistakes happen. You're human. But practice does make perfect(ish). Be prepared. One thing that really grinds my gears though is playing tracks with clashing keys. Shit drives me insane. Avoid that and you should be fine. Good luck!

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