Would You Consider This DJing? Put It On Playlist and Leave.

Terry_42, post: 30742, member: 1843 wrote: It largely depends on the event and venue. I would not consider hiring a DJ that is only using the iTunes DJ to fade between songs.
But for example at a wedding, when you play your “dinner music” while everyone is eating (sometimes including you) then I have put my DJ software on “automix” while eating or when I need to run to the bathroom etc.
Of course when the wedding party starts (after the silly games people play at weddings) I am again fully mixing my party set on my own.

Also many people do not care, which is sad. For example I DJed at a bar on Sundays for the whole summer. Sundays are usually slow, but thankfully when I played it was mostly packed and people seem to enjoy themselves, so I was happy.
Now in winter, due to the bar having a huge outdoor place, but small indoor facilities, I have been axed. As the owner says: I can fill up the indoors easily and put my laptop on iTunes Genius… Happens… I am not even mad at him, since he does not comprehend… maybe when the next 2 sundays his bar is again empty like the last one, he will come around…

When I moved on to another venue, I decided to update from iTunes to Virtual DJ. Looking at your comment, I guess I did the right thing.

squeeam, post: 30777, member: 1129 wrote: When I did my first set on Saturday night my brother-in-law, who’d asked me to do it, would have been happy with me picking the tunes and then using an ipod and letting it play. But I knew this wouldn’t keep the dance floor going. A lot of songs have long fade in’s and fade outs or sudden starts or take a while to get going. Fine for when you’re listening at home or in the car but when you’re dancing you want to get into the song as soon as possible.
Bearing in mind this was an ‘80’s concentrated set I set cue points for when the song gets going. So, instead of having the long synth intro, you have the big drum charge on Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer and everyone whoops immediately because they know the song has started. I also played Insomnia by Faithless and cut some of the build up to that, although I know that is a major part of the song, so that we can get to the beat quicker and people can dance.
Also, how can an ipod read the crowd, see what’s working , when to change the tempo. And an ipod can’t dance behind the decks/CDJ’s/controller and show everyone how much they are into it too.
I wasn’t worried about beat matching as I’m not proficient yet and wouldn’t yet inflict it on anyone else.
It is about the tunes but it’s also about executing them well so they flow and keep the party going.

I’m with you about the fades. Yet, so far, I saw no complaints.