DJING: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
ABOUT THIS BOOK CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS BOOK FOOLISH ASSUMPTIONS HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANISED PART I: STOCKING UP YOUR DJ TOOLBOX PART II: NAVIGATING THE MAZE: EQUIPMENT ESSENTIALS PART III: THE MIX PART IV: GETTING NOTICED AND PLAYING LIVE PART V: THE PART OF TENS ICONS USED IN THIS BOOK WHERE TO GO FROM HERE DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATIONS OF DJING EQUIPPING YOURSELF MAKING FRIENDS WITH YOUR WALLET KNOWING YOUR MUSIC RESEARCHING AND DISCOVERING CONNECTING YOUR EQUIPMENT BEATMATCHING TAKES PATIENCE AND PRACTICE WORKING AS A DJ MAKING A LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE CHOOSING YOUR INPUT DEVICES THINKING ABOUT TURNTABLES (FOR VINYL DJS) DECIDING ON CD DECKS MUSING ON MP3S AND PCS MIXING IT UP WITH MIXERS MONITORING YOUR MUSIC WITH HEADPHONES POWERING THINGS UP WITH AMPLIFIERS FIGURING OUT THE FURNITURE CONSIDERING ERGONOMICS AND STABILITY SELECTING STORE-BOUGHT STANDS BUILDING BRICKS AND THE NEW VIBRATION KILLERS LOCATING YOUR DJ SETUP KNOWING YOUR GENRE’S FORMAT AVAILABILITY REFLECTING ON VINYL KEEPING UP WITH CDS BUYING RECORDS AND CDS SIZING UP VINYL FORMATS SUSSING OUT CD OPTIONS RESEARCHING YOUR TUNES LISTENING TO THE MUSIC WEIGHING UP THE PROS AND CONS OF CLASSIC ANTHEMS AND NEW MUSIC BYTING INTO MP3S SURFING INTO ONLINE RECORD STORES KNOWING WHERE TO GO PREVIEWING TRACKS ORDERING AND DELIVERY USING AUCTION SITES PROTECTING YOUR RECORDS AND CDS STORING RECORDS CLEANING RECORDS, CDS, AND THE NEEDLE REPAIRING VINYL FIXING WARPED RECORDS AND CDS REPAIRING CDS TAKING STOCK BEFORE YOU SHOP TRYING BEFORE YOU BUY BUDGETING YOUR MONEY BUYING BRAND NEW CRUISING THE HIGH STREET OPTING FOR ONLINE SHOPPING BUYING SECOND-HAND SCANNING NEWSPAPERS DIPPING INTO PAWN SHOPS BIDDING ON AUCTION WEB SITES MAKING SURE THAT YOUR KIT WORKS CHECKING CABLES TESTING TURNTABLES VETTING CD DECKS MONITORING MIXERS ASSESSING HEADPHONES SOUNDING OUT AMPLIFIERS AND SPEAKERS AVOIDING CHEAP TURNTABLES MOTORING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WATCHING OUT FOR PITCH CONTROL DESIGN IDENTIFYING KEY TURNTABLE FEATURES START/STOP ON/OFF 33/45/78 RPM STROBE LIGHT DECKPLATTERS TARGET LIGHT PITCH CONTROL COUNTERWEIGHT/HEIGHT ADJUST ANTISKATE REMOVABLE HEADSHELL/CARTRIDGE 45 RPM ADAPTOR CUSTOMISING YOUR SOUND WITH ADVANCED TURNTABLE FEATURES PITCH RANGE OPTIONS PITCH BEND AND JOYSTICK CONTROL TEMPO RESET/QUARTZ LOCK MASTER TEMPO/KEY LOCK DIGITAL DISPLAY OF PITCH ADJUSTABLE BRAKE FOR START/STOP REVERSE PLAY DIFFERENT SHAPED TONEARMS REMOVABLE CABLING DIGITAL OUTPUTS BATTLE OR CLUB DESIGN BUILT-IN MIXER SERVICING YOUR TURNTABLES SLIDING WITH SLIPMATS CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE SLIPMAT WINNING THE FRICTION WAR GETTING GROOVY WITH NEEDLES AND CARTRIDGES CHOOSING THE RIGHT NEEDLE FOR YOUR DJ STYLE FEELING THE FORCE WITH COUNTERWEIGHT SETTINGS NURTURING YOUR NEEDLES CHOOSING YOUR FORMAT: ANALOGUE OR DIGITAL MY WAY IS THE BEST! LOOKING AT THE PROS AND CONS CHOOSING A CD DECK THAT FITS YOUR STYLE LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE OF VINYL GETTING INTO MINIDISC, MP3S, AND PCS REMEMBERING MINIDISC DECKS WISING UP TO MP3S MIXING WITH IPODS MIXING ON PC FUTUREPROOFING WITH LIVE AND TRAKTOR LIVE TRAKTOR GETTING FAMILIAR WITH MIXER CONTROLS INPUTS OUTPUTS MULTIPLE CHANNELS CROSS-FADERS CHANNEL-FADERS HEADPHONE MONITORING EQS AND KILLS INPUT VU MONITORING GAIN CONTROLS BALANCE AND PAN CONTROLS HAMSTER SWITCH PUNCH AND TRANSFORM CONTROLS EFFECTS SEND AND RETURN BUILT-IN EFFECTS BUILT-IN SAMPLERS BUILT-IN BEAT COUNTERS BEAT LIGHT INDICATORS FADER STARTS CHOOSING THE RIGHT MIXER THE SEAMLESS MIX DJ THE SCRATCH DJ THE EFFECTS DJ THE PARTY/WEDDING DJ SERVICING YOUR MIXER CHOOSING A GOOD SET OF HEADPHONES SINGLE-SIDED, COILED CORDS SWIVELLING EARPIECES USER-REPLACEABLE PARTS STICK IT TO YOUR EARS REMEMBERING THAT THE VOLUME DOESN’T HAVE TO GO UP TO 11 USING EARPLUGS CHOOSING SUITABLE AMPLIFICATION SETTLING ON YOUR HOME STEREO PURCHASING POWERED SPEAKERS OPTING FOR AN AMPLIFIER AND SEPARATE SPEAKERS A POWER MARGIN FOR ERROR WORKING WITH MONITORS POSITIONING YOUR MONITOR NOISE POLLUTION: KEEPING AN EAR ON VOLUME LEVELS PROTECTING YOUR EARS KEEPING THE NOISE DOWN FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU REALISING THAT YOU ONLY NEED ONE SPEAKER GETTING FAMILIAR WITH CONNECTORS RCA/PHONO CONNECTIONS XLRS QUARTER-INCH JACK SETTING UP AND CONNECTING THE TURNTABLE DECKPLATTER TONEARM PERIPHERALS PLUGGING IN THE MIXER CONNECTING TURNTABLES TO A MIXER CONNECTING CD DECKS TO A MIXER CONNECTING IPODS AND MP3S TO A MIXER CONNECTING A COMPUTER AS AN INPUT DEVICE PLUGGING IN YOUR HEADPHONES CONNECTING EFFECTS UNITS TO A MIXER CONNECTING MIXER OUTPUTS CONNECTING A MIXER TO YOUR HOME HI-FI CONNECTING A MIXER TO POWERED SPEAKERS XV TABLE OF CONTENTS CONNECTING A MIXER TO YOUR PC/MAC CONNECTING YOUR COMPUTER TO AN AMPLIFIER TROUBLESHOOTING SET-UP AND CONNECTIONS KNOWING WHAT BEATMATCHING’S ALL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING BPMS CALCULATING BPMS DISCOVERING HOW TO BEATMATCH SETTING UP YOUR EQUIPMENT LOCATING THE FIRST BASS BEAT STARTING YOUR RECORDS IN TIME ADJUSTING FOR ERRORS KNOWING WHICH RECORD TO ADJUST USING THE PITCH CONTROL MATCHING THE PITCH SETTING PLAYING TOO SLOW OR TOO FAST TAKING YOUR EYES OFF THE PITCH CONTROL INTRODUCING YOUR HEADPHONES SWITCHING OVER TO HEADPHONE CONTROL CUEING IN YOUR HEADPHONES CENTRE YOUR HEAD WITH STEREO IMAGE PRACTISING WITH YOUR HEADPHONES WHY DJS NEED STRUCTURE MULTIPLYING BEATS, BARS, AND PHRASES HEARING THE CYMBAL AS A SYMBOL EVERYTHING CHANGES COUNTING ON WHERE YOU ARE STUDYING SONG STRUCTURE ACCEPTING THAT EVERY TUNE’S DIFFERENT DEVELOPING YOUR BASIC INSTINCTS LISTENING TO A SAMPLE STRUCTURE PERFECTING PLACEMENT INTROS OVER OUTROS MELODIC OUTRO MELODIC INTRO MIXING BREAKDOWNS CONTROLLING THE SOUND OF THE MIX BRINGING THE CROSS-FADER INTO PLAY DISCOVERING THE SECRET OF CHANNEL-FADERS LETTING YOU IN ON A BIG, CURVY SECRET BALANCING IT OUT WITH EQS USING MIXING TRICKS AND GIMMICKS SPINBACKS AND DEAD-STOPS POWER OFF A CAPPELLA CUTTING IN MIXING DIFFERENT STYLES OF MUSIC THE WEDDING/PARTY/ROCK/POP MIX THE R & B MIX DRUM AND BASS, AND BREAKBEAT NAVIGATING THE CD BUTTONS JOG DIALS PLATTERS WORKING WITH THE CUE LOCATING THE CUE STORING THE CUE CHECK THE CUE STARTING THE TUNE ADJUSTING THE PITCH TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SPECIAL FEATURES SETTING UP THE EQUIPMENT THE RIGHT WAY WEIGHING UP NEEDLES GIVING SLIPMATS THE SLIP TOUCHING UP MIXERS MAKING THE MIXER A HAMSTER SETTING THE RIGHT HEIGHT PREPARING FOR THE BIG PUSH WEARING OUT YOUR RECORDS MARKING SAMPLES FIXING THE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE SCRATCHING ON CD, MP3, AND COMPUTER SCRATCHING ON PC MARKING CDS AND MP3S MASTERING THE TECHNIQUE GETTING HANDS ON STARTING FROM SCRATCH AND BACK AGAIN SCRATCHING WITHOUT THE CROSS-FADER INTRODUCING CROSS-FADER FEVER COMBINING SCRATCHES JUGGLING THE BEATS OFFSETTING PRACTICE, DEDICATION, AND PATIENCE CHOOSING TUNES TO MIX TOGETHER BEATMATCHING – THE NEXT GENERATION MIXING WITH CARE GETTING IN TUNE WITH HARMONIC MIXING KEYING TUNES KNOWING HOW MUCH TO PITCH DEVELOPING A STYLE EASING UP ON THE ENERGY CHANGING THE KEY INCREASING THE TEMPO AVOIDING STAGNATION RESPECTING THE CROWD GETTING YOUR STYLE ON TAPE PREPARING TO RECORD THE DEMO PROGRAMMING YOUR SET PICKING AND ARRANGING THE TUNES BRIDGING THE GAPS PRACTISING YOUR SET SETTING UP TO RECORD CORRECTING RECORDING LEVELS LOOKING AFTER SOUND PROCESSING KEEPING AN EVEN VOLUME SETTING YOUR EQS PERFORMING THE DEMO STAY FOCUSED BECOME A PERFECTIONIST LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND MAKING A DEMO CD ON COMPUTER EDITING YOUR MIX BURNING A CD SENDING OFF THE MIX MARKETING YOURSELF FLOOD THE WORLD WITH YOUR DEMO PLAY FOR FREE OFFER OWNERS WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR JOINING AN AGENCY RESEARCH AN AGENCY MEET THE CRITERIA TO JOIN CUT YOUR LOSSES NETWORKING YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS SELL YOURSELF MAKE FRIENDS GO ‘UNDERCOVER’ MARKETING YOURSELF ON THE INTERNET INVESTIGATING THE VENUE SCOPING THE CLUB GETTING READY TO PARTY PREPARING TO PERFORM SELECTING THE SET ORGANISING YOUR BOX KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE CLUB DEALING WITH NERVES GETTING USED TO YOUR TOOLS WORKING IN A LOUD ENVIRONMENT PLAYING YOUR MUSIC READING A CROWD HANDLING REQUESTS TAKING OVER FROM SOMEONE ELSE FINISHING THE NIGHT STAYING CURRENT WITH MEDIA VISITING DJ ADVICE WEB SITES GETTING ANSWERS THROUGH DJ FORUMS READING OTHER BOOKS GETTING HANDS-ON ADVICE LISTENING TO OTHER PEOPLE’S MIXES PARTICIPATING IN COMPETITIONS HOSTING YOUR OWN NIGHT UPLOADING PODCASTS OR HOSTED MIXES IMMERSE YOURSELF IN WHAT YOU LOVE DO I NEED TO TALK? WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? HOW DO I GO TO THE TOILET? CAN I INVITE MY FRIENDS INTO THE DJ BOOTH? HOW DO I REMOVE THE BEAT, OR VOCALS? HOW DO I CHOOSE MY DJ NAME? DO I GET FREE DRINKS? (AND HOW DO I GET DRINKS FROM THE BAR?) WHO DOES THE LIGHTING FOR THE NIGHT? SHOULD I RE-SET THE PITCH TO ZERO AFTER BEATMATCHING? WHAT DO I DO IF THE RECORD OR CD SKIPS OR JUMPS? FORGETTING SLIPMATS/HEADPHONES TAKING THE NEEDLE OFF THE WRONG RECORD BANISHING MIXER SETTING PROBLEMS GETTING DRUNK WHEN PLAYING LEAVING RECORDS PROPPED UP LEANING OVER THE DECKS AVOIDING WARDROBE MALFUNCTION SPENDING TOO LONG TALKING TO SOMEONE LEAVING YOUR LAST TUNE BEHIND NOT GETTING PAID BEFORE YOU LEAVE ALL THE RIGHT RECORDS OR CDS MAKE IT PERSONAL WITH HEADPHONES AND SLIPMATS YOU’RE A STAR! MINIDISC RECORDER (OR A BLANK TAPE) PACK YOUR TOOLS AND SAVE THE DAY ALWAYS BE PREPARED: PEN AND PAPER KEEP FUELLED WITH FOOD AND DRINK SPREAD THE MUSIC WITH DEMO TAPES AND CDS KEEP MOVING WITH CAR KEYS HAVE WALLET, WILL TRAVEL JUST CHILL: CHILL TAPE FOR THE RIDE HOME RENAISSANCE – DISC 1 TONSILLITIS LA LUNA: ‘TO THE BEAT OF THE DRUM’ IBIZA 1996 RADIO 1 WEEKEND THE TUNNEL CLUB, GLASGOW JAMIROQUAI – ‘SPACE COWBOY’ JEREMY HEALY ALICE DEEJAY – ‘BETTER OFF ALONE’ DELIRIUM ‘SILENCE’ SASHA AND DIGWEED MIAMI 2002