DJ Survey

I 100% agree with Vintage. Which is rare, very rare…

I have to agree with Chuck and Terry as well… reading the crowd is the KEY skill to learn, everything else is just icing on the cake. Some of my best memories are standing in the booth with another DJ friend and discussing the crowd as we read it – “there is your key audience member right there,” etc. Honestly, I wish I had more opportunity to DJ as a duo to be able to DISCUSS such things with someone else to help solidify it in my mind.

I’ll 3rd Vintage. Why do you think there’s that smoothie app for Traktor? Or the suggested track module (Best word I can think to call it) in Rekordbox?

All the other stuff you can learn if you are willing to put forth the time & effort. But knowing what to do next is something that makes a half decent DJ good and a good DJ great. It can also make a great DJ into a turd when they either A) Don’t care or B) get so inebriated that they can’t do it.

I’ll be honest, I’m shocked not all the major softwares don’t already have the option for this kind of thing integrated into the software. I know it will never be spot on and what have you, some old saw about knowing tunes, but I just like having a suggestion. It’d be great for practice sessions and the like, and I’m sure there’d be the lazy djs who use it all the time akin to Sync, But I definitely think it’s a feature that’s lacking.

1.Which technique has been the most difficult to learn in your experience

Turntablism,
But then again this is not essential in DJing, unless you put on a solo show featuring yourself showcasing your turntablism skills and such, or if you participating in DJ Battle

2. Which technique (if any) is the most important in your experience to keep the crowd happy

Reading the crowd,
Like most said above me is one of the key elements in DJ ing

Timing,
combined this with “Reading the Crowd”, you have the know the timing of when to drop that special music, or timing in this case is to keep the flow not losing the momentum