Reading Your Crowd & Music Programing For DJs - Part 2

[ve3nsv]

No I was being sacarstic VVooDz but it is frustrating when the crowd isn't responding and your hands are tied.

[VVooDz]

@ve3nsv: I hear this so often. Set playlists from B&Gs? mainly this comes form American based commenters and I find this quite worrying. it makes it sound like they don't need a DJ but a jukebox, especially when I hear that DJs struggle to earn $300 for a gig. Sounds like the DJ is treated with the upmost disrespect. I'm not sure how I'd react to such stubborn clients who don't realise that their reception will be gauged on the pleasure of their guests.

[VVooDz]

Try

Katy Perry - Firework into Party Rock Anthem.

or

Party Rock Anthem into Give me Everything from Pitbul.

Harmonically they could work better.

Not that I'm teaching Brain how to suck eggs, just throwing it out there for you.

Once you've built up your knowledge and have progressed onto knowing the songs more in depth, you can then start to look at how harmonically these song can be mixed.

[SuperMustang82]

Nice video and info.

[RootGinger]

I'd be interested if you cycle the dance floor Brian? That is, play a song that is of lower energy to get some of the crowd moving to the bar to increase their sales but without clearing the dance floor. It's something that club DJs do to increase the likelihood of them being booked by that club again and something I've found can work for a mobile DJ in a venue with a bar too.

[briansredd]

@RootGinger Yeah i rotate the floor at most gigs. It's good for bar at club gigs & good for parties like weddings to give everyone a little something bu changing genres thruout the night

[artofthepartydjs]

Thanks, Brian. Always appreiciate your videos. Happy new year, sir.

[jgaearley]

Knowledge (of Music) is so important and the mini playlist i.e. 2 or 3 tracks that work, comes with experience. and its important to have several in mind. for situations relevant. Prevously you talked about listening to various radio stations, i really do this everyday. Example also at a gig i was asked do you have a good collection of motown, not just the obvous ones i asked what in particular.... i had it knew it, loved it but hadn't heard or played it for 20 years....now its in my set! fab

[WeddingDJBusiness]

You will never please everyone 100% all the time throughout the night, but you want the majority to feel you have taken them into cosideration ie some for the oldies some for alternative etc. Empathy and being a good host helps Happy New Year Brian &DJ's

[WeddingDJBusiness]

Crowd reading could be renamed crowd pleasing. As with most good relationships the group of people you are playing to, you are trying not offend. In mixed groups it becomes a harder task but I often find the best philosophy is to play it safe or middle of the road ie no bad language/death metal etc

[lifeatlast26]

I like this video. It's legitimate.

[firexbomber]

I like to have club/dance remixes of most songs. I was playing dance/hip hop and this guy asked me for "rolling in the deep". I had a dance/club mix of it, I played it, ppl didn't notice, didn't clear the floor or anything, it just blended in. He was happy, ppl didn't care, I feel like it helps to have a lot of club mixes.

[briansredd]

@firexbomber depends on the crowd. Yes, they work great with some for sure

[VVooDz]

@firexbomber Having an alternative version can work or against you. It depends on whether you have the crowd 'in your hand'. Rolling in the Deep is a new song anyway. If someone asks for Bob Marley and you play some hyped-up electro house version, it could well work against you. I played the wrong version of The Rockerfella Skank once and I stopped the crowd in there tracks. Luckily they carried on dancing again, but I've had an empty dance floor before for not playing the original version.

[979CLOWNLUKE]

I would love to hear your advice on how we switch tempos, and energies though out the night. How do we bring the tempo back without clearing the floor out. Additionally, should we take the tempo or mood back after it is going (in a reception) or stick with dance music. I know these things depend on what clients ask for but let's say the client hired us to just DJ, no rules.

[briansredd]

@979CLOWNLUKE Eventually i want to do some vids like this, tips etc

[VVooDz]

@979CLOWNLUKE: Consider dancing to modern pop music (126-130bpm) as an active workout in the gym. The average person can sustain that energy usage for about 20-30mins. They would like to listen and dance to more but if you give them what they want they will get tired, stop dancing and could be too exhausted to return to the dance floor. it's best to cut the tempo risk an empty floor for 1 or 2 songs (8 mins) than end up with an empty floor for the rest of the night.

[skiing54]

Brian, would you be able to make a video about how you tell people who have requests no. This may seem like a simple concept, but I find it delicate, especially when it may be family of the bride or groom. THANKS!

[briansredd]

@skiing54 Good subject and we'll try to cover it

[skiing54]

@briansredd THANKS!

[VVooDz]

@skiing54: If you've been told by the B&G don't take request. Tell the person "unfortunately the B&G asked for me not to take requests. However; I bet if you speak with them they'll probably let me play it for you." Obviously this will only work if

1. You have the song.

2. You are prepared to play the song.

[kronixpr]

Hello. In my area theirs all sorts of dj's. but what people like about me is that i dont stick to only 1 style of music. Some people forget that we are their to entertain the people and not show them what music we like. yeah sometimes it suck to play stuff you dont like but i think its more of a fun challenge to me =) Best of wishes to all and happy new year!

[AlecZanderMusic1]

i heart you!!

[djboentertainment]

Very good!  Excellent points and a great way to break it all down. LIKE LIKE LIKE!

~DJ Bo~

[directsound]

Nice video Brian

Thanks

DJ Mikey Mike

[ve3nsv]

God I hate playlist Weddings. Nothing like setting up a playlist in your favorite DVS and then sitting back and watching a train wreck unfold.

[VVooDz]

@ve3nsv: This a very scary comment. I makes it sound like you literally sit and don't touch the mixer all night and haven't even organised the playlist into any sort of order.

I'm sure that's not the case...

[djwalt8]

Good video Brian, If i hear something on the radio before a gig i may write it down and maybe several others. Its a list to play "possibly" but not a playlist. Reading the crowd is definitely an art ! Ive seen dj's who have been at it long before myself and when you see them your just want to put a bullet in their head or is it yours for having to see such poor programming ! I always like the challenge on different crowds. Like most of you DJ's we do get crowds where we cant win :(

[briswatek]

Excellent advice Brian. I've arrnaged a lot of my Serato crates with those mini-sets in mind. The history feature is also good in that regard too. If you know a block of 3 or 4 songs works in certain situations, that can be the outcome of reading the crowd well--use that block!

[TheDjdevildog]

Hey Brian, Yet another great and informative video. Thank you for the quick response from my last question. Like I said yesterday I am trying to master the ART of crowd reading and this video did help. I think where I may be having a problem is early on in the night, with very diverse crowds. Later in the night isn't a problem, I can keep the floor packed pretty well, but early on I feel like I am doing what you said throwing crap up on the wall to see what sticks. Thanks again.

[PukkatronicAllstars]

Hey Brian, what is a reasonable number of requests to take during an evening? Could you say a bit about the plusses and minuses of dealing with requests?

[briansredd]

@PukkatronicAllstars It really depends on the requests you are getting. Sometimes i'll play litteraly all of them if they are requests that seem to work well. Other times, if i feel they are clear the floor, i'll avoid them

[PukkatronicAllstars]

@briansredd thanks for the reply Brian. I sometimes get a problem of one after another which I don't like. But it's hard to front people up if you play everyone else's.

[VVooDz]

@PukkatronicAllstars: There's no limit to the request you take. I had 2 request at one gig and over 60 at another. Try to play them all. Write them down and put them on different bit of paper according to genre. That way it will help you program them better. You may have the odd one that you feel genuinely will not get accepted by the crowd. However making that decision not to play, could be a wrong one. (A lesson learnt)

[PukkatronicAllstars]

@VVooDz I take a different approach, especially if it is a place or a crowd you have played to before. If you want to simply be a human jukebox that is up to you but my interest in the music goes a little bit further than that. I am never going to play 60 requests at any gig I do. All this is one reason why I am changing from DJing to playing electronic sets of more original music. To my mind if a crowd just wants to dictate the night's music then it's itunes they want not a person.

[VVooDz]

@PukkatronicAllstars: Unfortunately a comments section is never going to be long enough to explain my theories on the evolution of DJing from what a crowd wanted to accept to what they now expect. There is a time and place for taking requests. But we are talking about a Mobile DJ environment where 99% of the time the DJ should be there for the guest's enjoyment, meaning the DJ plays what the crowd want to hear not what the DJ expects the crowd to appreciate.

[PukkatronicAllstars]

@VVooDz I don't equate "guest's enjoyment" with "what a crowd want to hear". Guests can also enjoy the music when they hear a song they forgot they knew that comes out of the blue. o me the greatest DJ skill is a wide musical vocabulary.

[VVooDz]

@PukkatronicAllstars: This is true and it's one if the greatest things I love about DJing. It's all about keeping the balance between playing for the crowd, for yourself and for that individual. Without combining those three elements a private party (birthdays/weddings) are going to leave guests deprived which could reflect bad on the DJ. The skill of music programming is what a DJ needs to move from one request to the next, that also falls inline with what the DJ thinks the crowd will like too

[gmid24]

its a go-to playlist!

[DVACCARI70]

Brain, how many songs of the same genre do you play in a row? I know it depends on the crowed. But what ever genre the crowed is vibeing to, how many tracks would you play in a row?

[briansredd]

@DVACCARI70 man that really really depends. At weddings, sometimes early on i'll do only 1 at a time but i use very strong familiar songs from each genre. Later in the night, the sets get longer

[MrProDJSolutions]

I use a playlist for school dances and wedding receptions, but they are just an idea of what I think I might play for those events I don't follow it just use it as a reference.

[briansredd]

@MrProDJSolutions That's a "go to" list for reference, not a playlist

[DJSteveAlexander]

Hey Brian - It would be nice to have DJ's share small music sets that work well for them. I've come across some sets that I would never think of playing together. Just a thought...

[briansredd]

@DJSteveAlexander Yes, i was considering that, But am going to make the lazy people sit thru a video or twio more of theory before we spoon feed them too much of our hard earned info

[DJSteveAlexander]

Brian, I agree reading the crowd is key!!! As for playlists, I don't specifically use a certain playlist, however, I do reference past playlists from my history section of Virtual DJ. This helps me find good sets to use. And really if your a DJ who sits back and is not involved with your music. I might not want to hire you. Clients ask if I would like a chair.... I never sit down during a gig except for the meal. My hips are moving all night. If i'm not moving they surely will not be.

[DJYoungMachi]

This is exactly my mind set while DJ-ing... its all about trying things out, looking for what the people enjoy, and keeping the music fresh. Once again great video BRS!

[MrDJwiggy]

hey brian i use play list at weddings, pubs i put songs that are party songs in one country in another etc and use the playlist and pick out songs from the list as i m reading the crowd has worked really well i have a 25 to 40 playlist from top 40 right down to jazz each one has about 30 songs in it i don't play the list i swap change and add great way for me to keep the dance floor pumping and my customer happy plus really helps when you get the person who is paying your bill ask for a change

[briansredd]

@MrDJwiggy Again, go-to list, not playlist

[vibes4321]

In your example with the getting the Top40 crowd on the floor and realizing that there are other groups (older people) in the room what would be the next song you play? My thoughts are the majority rules and I stay within the type of music they probably like and the others will just have to follow, I might throw in a song for the other groups but only if I could properly mix it well with the current genre I am playing.

[briansredd]

@vibes4321 What to play next is the bit you need to figure out based on your skills as a programer. It really depends on who the people are, but you'd need to find a familiar tune to the older folks yet something the younger people would enjoy. With most weddings, for example, there is no demographic majority, only several generational & cultural tribes. The reason i'm succsessful as a mobile DJ is that I don't leave anyone "out" for very long. I mix it up reguardless of BPM

[vibes4321]

@briansredd thanks for the response

[noodlecake71240]

Playlists for mobile DJ's is a bad idea? I make playlists usually. If it's a sweet 16, I'll make one with top 40, new and old, along with other hits, along with whatever "must play" songs I receive. For the bar gigs, I make a playlist also. Maybe I misunderstood, are you saying making a playlist and following it like gospel? There have been plenty of times where I go outside my playlist depending on the crowd. There was a time were I completely scrapped it. It's just a suggestion list for me.

[briansredd]

@noodlecake71240 Go-To lists of songs is smart planning, but yeah, i am against playlists. That's just a few steps away from an iPod

[noodlecake71240]

@briansredd Then I'm probably worrying about mixing them a little too much. I try to put songs on that will mix well together and order them so I can make everything work together like one continuous song. I also have all the breaks in the songs marked. Probably not as important with mobile gigs as I was making it out to be

[briansredd]

@noodlecake71240 mixing is great, but i feel it's more important to play the right song next rather than the song that mixes in best

[arod006]

THANKS BUDDY

[flashanddancedj]

Great video Brian. I disagree about playlists though.. I have spent many many hours and put a lot of hard work into mine. I use mine as reference points to find songs easier. If a DJ walks in and just uses a folder on his laptop, and plays what just in that fold that is a form of cheating the customer... I will shoot a video on this to give you more in site into what I am Talking about.... Over all great video and I agree with it all....

[briansredd]

@flashanddancedj Go-To lists of songs is smart planning, but yeah, i am against playlists. That's just a few steps away from an iPod

[omar2045]

Great vid..I have been DJ`ing for a long time on and off......not my full time job..I had an experience at a party a long time ago it was for a young group of kids and nothing that I played was working to get then on the dance floor..Then one of the parents came up to me and said the heck with them play music for the older parents so thats what I did and guess what, when the kids saw moms and dads dancing they started to dance too......funny thing happen...:)

[DigitalExtacy]

Excellent.



[DJJASONPRODUCER]

HAHAHAHAHAA Hey brian i beet if he was a mexican guy he would love TRIBAL GUARACHERO thats the new thing for us =]

[emandjservice]

good vid!

[cmbmusic]

spot on Brian

[drcrippen324]

Sociology,psychology and a little intuition is what you need but no degree is ever gonna make you a good programmer just experience