Doing my first show, need lots of advice!

[Sonika]

HAHA have you seen borat? Classic scene, when he's in te church with the evangelicals

[DJChron169]

I "Signed up" Because I had 2 months to learn how to DJ, thus giving my three things I need to succeed, Opportunity, initiative and inspiration. I've already got 30 minutes of a mix ready and learned some nice eq's and effects in ableton and can smoothly pull off most of my transfers, and I've still got a month left.

[eldoogle]

So you're doing it in ableton with warping em?

[benjam]

Ive just got got that mentality from being in bands where you practise your set til you have it nailed then see about getting gigs. im not getting at you personally mate im not bothered what you do, its just that concept seems weird to me

[Dystinkt]

Ive just got got that mentality from being in bands where you practise your set til you have it nailed then see about getting gigs. im not getting at you personally mate im not bothered what you do, its just that concept seems weird to me

i get where the OPs coming from, some of us just need a kick up the arse and the threat of total humiliation in front of a large crowd to spur us on

[DJChron169]

Cheeky gets me And yea, I'm using ableton, and Itll all be fine.

[Phase Down]

Relax, I'm sure their not expecting top notch stuff if they ask you to bring a laptop and keyboard and just play some stuff.. just line your tracks up in ableton with transitions ready made, link some effects and sounds/samples/risers to your keyboard and you'll be alright.

[daft cunt]

Do you have any idea how "good" the sound system will be ? If that's the usual conference speakers you have all rights to be anxious

Also, it seems you're going to be ready for this one but for a later occasion, buying an used Numark Mixtrack Pro to control Virtual DJ or Traktor is a solid option. I can't imagine myself faking to play for one or two hours

[ogunslinger]

Ive just got got that mentality from being in bands where you practise your set til you have it nailed then see about getting gigs. im not getting at you personally mate im not bothered what you do, its just that concept seems weird to me

i get where the OPs coming from, some of us just need a kick up the arse and the threat of total humiliation in front of a large crowd to spur us on

at least his crowd will have the heart to forgive him if he ruins the night

just pick some good tunes, don't train wreck and never ever ever stop the music and you should avoid disaster

[mks]

OP, you do know you are going to have to warp all of your tunes to play them in Live?

Manual warping is the best if you want to be sure that your tunes will stay in time.

I also feel that you shouldn't just make a pre-made mix in the arrangement view. You should be able to draw for your tunes at the right time and be able to react to the crowd.

[gen_]

I "Signed up" Because I had 2 months to learn how to DJ, thus giving my three things I need to succeed, Opportunity, initiative and inspiration. I've already got 30 minutes of a mix ready and learned some nice eq's and effects in ableton and can smoothly pull off most of my transfers, and I've still got a month left.

And you didn't think you would have to get a MIDI interface of some sort? In my eyes, you have a month to get the money to afford the MIDI gear. If you don't then you may as well burn your mix to a CD then practice the dance moves you'll do to keep the crowd entertained, cos without sounding mean its very very hard to keep a crowd pumped with a mouse and keyboard at a small event, and looking at the crowd will quickly start to give you an indicator of what to play next.

Unless these guys are that much on the angelical high that they would literally dance to a metronome you need to be the motivating force that will make them dance. If you cant do that, you won't enjoy the gig because they won't.

Either way, good luck!

/rant /2p

[DJChron169]

Well, I just need someone to give me advice on HOW to keep the crowd pumped haha. I'm not a dancer to be honest, but I can do the whole fist in the air, jump up n down thing. What I'm thinking though is that because I'm going to be the end of the conference, (it starts at 6 and I'll be on at 11) that everyone will be pumped anyways from all the other groups.
Can you give me some tips on what to do ON stage to make things a bit more exciting?

[mikeyp]

have you ever been to a show? seen a real dj? even watched videos of a show?

i don't mean to be rude but i just don't get how someone who's into edm and into it enough to where someone wants them to play their tunes out doesn't know the first thing about djing

[DJChron169]

Haha, I have been to a show, and seen a real Dj, and watched videos. All of this.
I know enough ABOUT Djing, I just never really paid attention, I just danced.
I just don't know what I should do on stage, if that makes any sense. Like I dont have the equipment to be moving back and forth in between, just my laptop and keyboard.

[mikeyp]

if it was a different environment i'd tell you to drink and smoke a lot but that'll come another day
other than that, i don't really know

anywho i just looked up controllers on amazon and for around $30 you can get a used nanokontrol (i think it was, closed the window) which has 8 knobs and 8 faders and some other shit. you could map that to virtual dj and at least control it somewhat using more than a touchpad

[DJChron169]

I have a mouse and I might do that haha. Uhmmmm I dont mean to be rude, but I'm looking at this dude, and hes not doing alot of dancing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t51SKG9s ... re=related

[mikeyp]

you don't have to dance necessarily.. but don't sit there hunched over staring at your computer all night

[DJChron169]

Haha dude, I'm not just gonna sit there, I get pumped up... in my room. I can't help it

[mikeyp]

then you're good

[gen_]

I have a mouse and I might do that haha. Uhmmmm I dont mean to be rude, but I'm looking at this dude, and hes not doing alot of dancing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t51SKG9s ... re=related

With all due respect you aren't there.

He has dancers, lighting, smoke machines. I make no assumptions, but I'm guessing its gonna be just you up there. Consider this, people follow the crowd. No matter how good the tunes are no-one wants to be the only one dancing, you have to bring the vibe, the energy in your self as well as your music. This is usually easy for me as when I'm playing I get pumped just thinking about how sick the next tune is gonna sound when i mix it in. The crowd are able to clock that energy coming from me as I start to mix another tune in. I simply have no idea how you imitate that when you already made the mix.

You'll see it at any gig when the next tune is about to come in, you might be skanking your head off, but 9 times out of 10 you still look up to the DJ to feel his energy and to let him communicate the drop to you! This is why you need MIDI gear! You have to be INVOLVED to communicate that energy!