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| seven tips to make your crowd go wild / busy (DJs Tips) || meetmonastic |
Isn't it every DJ's dream? Banging out all your favorite tunes that you know no one else in the room knows or has, but you've got 'em, and they rock. The place goes crazy, those phones are Shazam'ing, there's a line of people requesting track titles, no foolish requests are coming in since everyone is dancing, and you're the MAN (or woman, naturally...).
So, why do we sometimes feel like jukeboxes, balancing on an impossible tightrope, straining to discover tracks that anybody enjoys, let alone having the opportunity to slip in the occasional tune they don't know to satisfy our own unique tastes? This post isn't about obtaining good gigs, or jukebox vs creative DJ, or how to please difficult crowds - but it IS about developing a strategy for getting to play at least part of the music you enjoy, at least some of the time. It won't all work for everyone at every job, but hopefully there's something here you can use.
1. First, entertain, then educate.
I've seen that numerous times. A DJ enters the stage, head down, right into what he or she enjoys - no regard for the audience, who came before, the flow of the night - nothing. And they're perplexed as to why their "great" music clears the floor. But there's another option, which I've seen from both underground and commercial DJs: you have a box of tunes that express you, but you also have tunes that you're quite sure would please the dancefloor. Smart DJs spend the initial part of their set delighting the crowd, but once they've gained their confidence, they slowly and considerately twist things around to their way of thinking.
It also doesn't hurt that the second half of the night is usually the most inebriated - or, to put it another way, individuals aren't going to get less willing to dance as the night progresses! So organizing your performance in this manner offers you more time to incorporate those 4am techno minimal must-hears that have been lurking in the back of your collection for months. Get everyone on board, then put your "excellent" stuff to the test - you might be shocked.
2. Experiment and tease
Of course, you don't want to play a bunch of songs that everyone knows, then bang into some UK white label dub country step (I just made that up - please tell me I made it up!) and expect the entire floor to join you. Here, teasing and testing are your best friends. You can tease riffs, beats, intro sections, vocals, drum loops, or anything else that sounds similar to what you want to play later, for a few seconds or eight bars at a time, to get people acquainted to the sounds you want to transition to.
This is your "test" - you're observing the dancefloor, seeing who recognizes things you didn't think they would, and getting a sense of what you might or might not be able to get away with. You're priming and preparing folks for the path you want your set to go in. You're pushing our boundaries carefully and always with the dancefloor on your side.
3. There is a distinction between "like" and "know."
Don't make the mistake of assuming that "like" and "know" mean the same thing. Just because your audience hasn't heard a song doesn't imply they won't enjoy it. You're a DJ and a music tastemaker. Allow folks to sample new music; they might enjoy it! Remember that not everyone knew every song at one point. Use your discretion to determine whether a music is appropriate for the occasion.
Of course, this is related to points 1 and 2: You may tease and test new music, and you can store it for later in your performance, but nothing beats "breaking" a tune that goes on to become massive - it's "yours," even if it's afterwards heard everywhere. People will remember it, and you for introducing them to it in the first place. Having an ear for a commercial song before anyone else is a big ability that should not be underestimated - just ask Pete Tong, who has signed hundreds of singles with his "record label" hat on over the years, to name one example.
4. Combine thoroughly.
Throwing in a different style is one thing. Playing a deliberate build up to a stunning twist in a pre-planned mini-mix is something altogether different. If you want to play a different style, attempt something new, or surprise the audience, it helps to plan ahead of time and make sure the manner you mix that new item in is brilliant, or at the very least smooth and accomplished.
There's nothing wrong with practicing mixes; it's not the same as strictly adhering to a pre-planned set, which is, of course, improper (in most instances) - Many DJs play from lots of 2-3 tune mini sets, slotting them together as they go, and this can be a great way of holding the crowd's attention with more challenging material - plus it makes you look good as a DJ, and pulling off pre-planned mixes in public that are perhaps that bit more technical as a result is a buzz in itself, whether the material is challenging to the audience or not.
5. You appear to be having fun.
When playing unfamiliar pieces, it's all too easy to appear bashful, afraid, or inflexible ("rabbit in the headlights"). It can happen to anyone - I remember multiple instances when I was DJing and I was so humiliated that I really hid (crouched down, pretending to look for something in my bag)! Fortunately, that doesn't happen very often...
The problem is, you're the party's leader. Most people (with all due respect) are sheep - they look around for cues and tips on how to act and will generally follow the crowd. What about the crowd's leaders? On the dance floor, they're staring at YOU. They are FAR more likely to copy you if you are confident, dancing behind the decks, and having fun (especially if the material you're playing is unknown to the audience / unexpectedly difficult). Make no mistake about it: when you DJ, you are leading from the front. Be daring. Make it as difficult as possible for folks not to appreciate your music!
6. Introduce styles through mashups and remixes.
Classic counsel, but it's spot on. In the "good old days," you'd layer a familiar acapella over a difficult instrumental. Girls can dance to the vocals, while boys can dance to the beats. Of course, this is not always the case, but perhaps you see what I mean: If you can incorporate something familiar into your new information, people will be more inclined to accept it - especially if you tie it up with 4 above.
There are more versions of all kinds of tunes available on SoundCloud than ever before. Find commercial remixes in the style you choose. Look for smart or entertaining mashups where the remixer has done the hard work for you. Try making your own re-edits to better fit the way you want to play or mix. Music isn't holy; it's just a tool to be twisted into any forms you can think of for your floors. And don't be concerned about not being a "purist" - remember, this is supposed to be fun! Break a few rules and you'll be remembered.
7. Persist
A DJ (whose name I've forgotten) once claimed that if he didn't empty the dancefloor at least once a night, he wasn't performing his job properly. Perhaps a little extreme, but you get his point, don't you? It's okay to like things that no one else (yet) likes. A song that is played one week may empty the floor the following week. Sometimes the same song that bombed at the start of a set will work at the end. There are no hard and fast rules; if there were, everyone would know what they were! So it's okay to make mistakes now and then. In fact, it's practically required.
The bottom line is that you do not have to play music that everyone enjoys all of the time. For example, don't we all have a favorite comedian? But we don't laugh at every one of their jokes. We don't think so. They are permitted to push it too far every now and then in order to "try out fresh content." It's the same with DJs: if what you do is part of a larger image, and you're showing people pieces of that picture every time you play, they'll understand. They recognize that they will not like everything you do. Be sincere, do your hardest, and keep your vision in mind, and you'll at least begin to figure out where and how to blend the stuff you really want to play in with the stuff you have to.
What other suggestions do you have? What positive or negative experiences have you had trying to perform the music you love? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments section.
