Is practicing your sets a lot like going to the driving range?

Absolutely. I’ve been recording all my practice sessions in the evenings then putting them to my ipod to listen to on the way to and from work the next day. I’ve realized that while you’re in the mix, you’re mindset is so much different from when you’re just listening to music. It’s eye-opening to hear what you did the night before in a completely different environment. What you thought was the most innovative mix comes across as awkward and stilted, and that time you screwed up all the EQs is barely noticeable.

Recording everything also puts some pressure on you like in a performance situation. If you mess something up, you can’t just scratch it all back and try again, you have to scramble your way out of it and move on.

You can’t get growth without reflection.

haha, yeah alot of my friends only bust out the driver at the range and basically play a game of “whos the bigger man who can pound the ball farther”. hardly ever stopping to bring out the short irons and trying to hit the greens of the flags 100 yards away. let alone ever stopping by the practice green to chip or putt.

thats how I see how my local djs mixing skills these days. they play all the wrong songs, probably the same stuff the learned to dj with years ago with songs that are severly outdated, and they only use the crossfader to transition between songs. start to cross over to half way at around the 8 1/2 bar marker than fully crossover on the 1. Its like once they learned that transition they no longer need to use/learn any other, just keep blasting balls as far as you can :rolleyes:

its the same thing at 90% of the places that I go too. its suprising these guys still have a job when all they do is clear dance floors.

IMO you have to be well rounded in everything the game has to offer. that goes for both golf and dj’ing. learn as much as you can and practice all your shots/transitions/mixes repeatedly. its one of those things were you can never perfect it no matter how good you get. its an evolving game and you always have to stay on the up on up about everything, progressing and keeping up with all the latest trends and techniques.

synthet1c, post: 18288, member: 1107 wrote: I think practicing every set before you play it live just sets you up for failure… If we stick with the golf analogy, it’s like planning out the exact position you want to hit the ball… you could be tiger woods and actually do it, but most of the time you will probably miss, and you are not factoring in other variables that could affect your game on the day… maybe it’s windy and want’s to blow you off coarse (the crowd doesn’t like your pre prepared setlist), maybe your on after a player dominates then gives you the finger (some little showboat plays a peak set early in the night and dowsn’t respect you enough to close properly), or raining (no one is dancing yet), your caddy is a no show (cant press sync), or you break you clubs in a freak buggy crash (equiptment fails).

You are better off practicing the different techniques you use in all different conditions, and be ready for anything (know your tunes and play what comes to mind in the moment) there is less pressure and much more reward.

But it is always good to watch yourself on tv after practicing so you get another perspective to improve your game and get feedback from others (record your mixes).

I would have to disagree with this. Know your songs and knowing where you want to make your transititions is an integral aspect of what you are doing. I think the way you used the golf Analogy is a bit flawed. Yes there are a million different conditions that may affect your game…but do you really go into a PGA tour not knowing which course you are on? Do you really not spend the time as a pro golfer to see the layout of each hole. Do you not already have it in the back of your head that you are going to start with your driver…then use your 5 iron or whatever. Yes as a DJ you should be prepared and ready to go based on the set you have. But the sign of a GREAT DJ just like a pro golfer is being able to adapt to your surroundings/weather conditions.

I think walking into a gig not having any kind of preperation/practice on your set and not having an idea of what you are going to do and just playing straight off the cuff sets you up for a BIGGER chance of failure than being totally ready and then deciding to go a different route.
It also depends on the medium you are using…If you use CDJs you need to know around what time to transition into each song, and when to start playing the other song…how many beats until i want to make my transition and working with the EQs. Personally Myself I think it would be a nightmare to have a PACKED dancefloor rocking songs that i dont know 100%.

If you are using SYNC…you should probably stay in the bedroom as a DJ

Here is a great article about exactly what we are talking about

http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/03/19/is-planning-a-dj-set-cheating/

uhhh im confused…whats the difference between planning and practicing your set?

Planning is practicing for the actual show is it not?

With the style of music i play i often have what my crew calls “showcase” 4 or 5 songs that go so banging togeather and are able to create that next level of energy. This is also very dependant on the style of music that you spin…HipHop or should i say NON-EDM genres you dont really need to plan ur sets as at most you are only blending around 32 beats if that before you transition into your next song. Most of the time its a slam or a scratch or a loop and u are off into your next track.

With my style of DJing i will often have 2 songs mixing togeather for upwards of 2 minutes of the song…throwing in loops and effects as i please…This you cannot do on the fly, well you can but you need to know your tracks inside and out and upside down. Between Showcases i will pick a song or two that i think fit then move onto my next showcase.

If you are doing Basic Intro to Outro mixing there really is no need to plan your sets as the likelyhood of songs clashing is at a minimal.

Me personally I think with todays day and age DJing is more about creating a unique sound out of what is already been made. Really anyone can pick the top 100 songs on a list and go play then out…But it takes skill to be able to create something new out of something that already is.