Hey Steemians!
Surprise - here's one more piece of my life that I haven't shared with you yet. Soooo... I DJ sometimes. I am a dancer that is obsessed with West Coast Swing - which is an improv and connection focused style of dance. It's mainly just a hobby for me as I love going out dancing and taking workshops. Sometimes though, I complete, teach, perform or DJ!
I'm all lined up to DJ a local dance tonight and I couldn't be more stoked. Now this style of DJ'ing is a little different than what you might hear at a nightclub. I'm not mixing tracks or making my own re-mixes (although I want to learn at some point!). This style of DJ'ing is all about understanding the idiosyncrasies of a dance and then playing music that makes people want to move.
Choosing the Set List
There are a lot of factors to consider when putting together a set list. My whole purpose is to craft a mood with my music. I'll do this by changing up the genres of music, familiarity and beats per minute (Bpm). My experience DJ'ing has thought me that playing a mix of older, more familiar songs in addition to throwing in some new beats I found is key.
I've gone a little too heavy on new music before (because I'm stoked to play it for people!) and it's been too much because people love those feel good faves. I also have to be careful not to add too many older songs because then people will start to get bored of the same songs they've heard a million times.
There's a difference between classics that people love no matter how old the song is... and last year's fad pop song that is way overplayed. Knowing the distinction is key to getting a good mix.
Understand the Beats, Changes, and Emotions of each Song
Part of being a good DJ and crafting a creative space is understanding what songs have strong downbeats, upbeats, pauses, breaks and how that all influences how someone moves. Do you have songs that you just can't help but move and sway to once it comes on? As a DJ, my whole goal is create that feeling as many times as possible throughout the night.
Some songs just "Get into your feet" more than others, and the more I dissect the music and understand that - the more fun everyone will have. I also like to consider what emotions the song conveys and be careful not to play two songs with conflicting emotions next to each other. Perhaps one song feels like a raw, angry emotion, and the next one feels like hope. I may want to keep a theme going for a song or two and easily transition from one emotion to the next.
My Goals is to Make People Exhausted - Because that Means they Didn't Stop Dancing!
The highest compliment I could get as a DJ is to see a room of sweaty, exhausted people. Gross? Nah... it means the music was so good they couldn't sit down. If I notice there has been a song or two where a lot of people were sitting - that's my que as a DJ to switch things up and throw on an "old favorite" that will get everyone up. Once someone starts sitting and chatting - it can be easy to "get comfortable" and stop dancing for a while.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with socializing... but hey, we are all here to dance right?
Know your Audience, and Change Things up as you Go
Because I have been DJ'ing for this crowd for so long - I personally know the tastes and preferences of most of the people in the room. That means that if towards the end of the night, I notice a bunch of tango people are still there, I might throw in a few more tango inspired songs so they can rock out in their own way.
In the same vein of thought, if I notice we have a lot of Lindy hop dancers in the room, I may throw in a few songs that have a distinct rock step/triple pattern.
My Set List for Tonight
Here is my tenative set list for tonight. It's got a mix of pop, blues, lyrical, old and new songs. I'm sure this list will end up changing 20 times before the night is done! Like I've said earlier, it really depends on who shows up and how the vibe of the night is going. It's my responsibility to set the energy and keep it going!
xo, DJ Coruscate
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