Essential Attributes Of A Good DJ?

[_cheef_]

Structure is important
Building a set up is crutial - an hour of tearout is too much - but building to some bangers is good

Be aware of your set time, or where you sit in a lineup
A drastic change of pace can fuck the night up. If you're warming up for a harder DJ, build it up for them - it's not a "who's got the nastiest tunes" competition. It kills me when I see the warm up firing out all the bangers, then the headline having to come on and lose the crowd because he's not started with a peak-time head-smasher.

It helps if you can actually mix
Sure, it's about tune selection, but if you have to ocnstantly rewind them to mix them in, or if you've got galloping horses all over the shop - go practice. It didn't hurt to learn how to DJ properly. There are videos on the net, tutorials, books, classes - find a mate who does it, and get them to give you some pointers. If you've got rhythm - it goes a long way. ALso helps if you can count to 4, 8 and 16.

Dubs vs Known tracks
I like to hear tracks I've not heard if it's a DJ I know will have good tunes - but if I go to see a DJ that I don't know, and they play entirely tracks I don't know, and they all turn out to be a bit crappy - it's pointless. It helps to have a point of reference, a hook,, a riff - something to hum along to. I like to recognise some tracks. Sure if you're Mala, or Loefah or whatever - people are coming to see you, and hear your top secret unheard dubs - but if you're a Joe-punter on the decks, there's no harm in playing stuff I might know. Variety is key I think. Too obscure, and you've lost me. Too familiar and I get bored.

Remember where you are
You're at the front (or back - or side, or whatever) of a club (hopefully) full of people who (probably) paid money to see you play. It's nice to show them you know where they are - you don't have to go Okenfold and wave your arms about like a tit every 3 seconds - but some encouraging gestures towards the crowd - or at least a few glances their way helps. The crowd wants to know if you're enjoying yourself - they didn't come to see someone stand and look like they're checking their email, or mixing in their bedroom.

Have fun
If you don't enjoy it - stop doing it, you're in it for the wrong reasons.

[dubloke]

Structure is important
Building a set up is crutial - an hour of tearout is too much - but building to some bangers is good

Be aware of your set time, or where you sit in a lineup
A drastic change of pace can fuck the night up. If you're warming up for a harder DJ, build it up for them - it's not a "who's got the nastiest tunes" competition. It kills me when I see the warm up firing out all the bangers, then the headline having to come on and lose the crowd because he's not started with a peak-time head-smasher.

It helps if you can actually mix
Sure, it's about tune selection, but if you have to ocnstantly rewind them to mix them in, or if you've got galloping horses all over the shop - go practice. It didn't hurt to learn how to DJ properly. There are videos on the net, tutorials, books, classes - find a mate who does it, and get them to give you some pointers. If you've got rhythm - it goes a long way. ALso helps if you can count to 4, 8 and 16.

Dubs vs Known tracks
I like to hear tracks I've not heard if it's a DJ I know will have good tunes - but if I go to see a DJ that I don't know, and they play entirely tracks I don't know, and they all turn out to be a bit crappy - it's pointless. It helps to have a point of reference, a hook,, a riff - something to hum along to. I like to recognise some tracks. Sure if you're Mala, or Loefah or whatever - people are coming to see you, and hear your top secret unheard dubs - but if you're a Joe-punter on the decks, there's no harm in playing stuff I might know. Variety is key I think. Too obscure, and you've lost me. Too familiar and I get bored.

Remember where you are
You're at the front (or back - or side, or whatever) of a club (hopefully) full of people who (probably) paid money to see you play. It's nice to show them you know where they are - you don't have to go Okenfold and wave your arms about like a tit every 3 seconds - but some encouraging gestures towards the crowd - or at least a few glances their way helps. The crowd wants to know if you're enjoying yourself - they didn't come to see someone stand and look like they're checking their email, or mixing in their bedroom.

Have fun
If you don't enjoy it - stop doing it, you're in it for the wrong reasons.

pretty much a perfect explanation

[fractal]

I've always enjoyed when a dj adds some gear or even instruments to his or her set, nothing like the perfect integration of multiple media... Can be a complete disaster as well tho

[cosmic_surgeon]

The magical ability some DJ's have to filter a dancefloor of its scumbags and wasters is always welcome.