Carrying spare cables is one of the secrets that time-hardened DJs know for dealing with emergencies in the DJ booth.
The situation is all too familiar. You look out from behind the booth; everyone is having a great time. The dancefloor is packed, the music is pounding, and you are absolutely rocking the party, but then… silence.
The crowd stops and stares back at you blankly for a few seconds. Insults quickly follow: “Booo! You suck! What happened to music?!” “This DJ is lame! Let’s get out of here.” Your mind is racing and fingers are fumbling about while the room gets increasingly hostile.
When this unfortunate event happens to you (and if it hasn’t already, believe me, it will!) what should you do to ensure that the control is not lost? What do the pros do? Well, it’s a three-step approach…
The number one key to dealing with technical problems is to make sure you are well prepared.
The number one key to dealing with technical problems is to make sure you are well prepared. Not only should you have a variety of back-up solutions at your disposal but you should also use foresight to quickly solve sticky situations. Predicting the various scenarios that may occur during a gig and making sure you have the right equipment will save you from a lot of grief later on, especially mid-set.
There are of course, situations for which you simply cannot prepare for, so your secondary saving grace derives from an ability to multitask and think quickly under pressure – skills that come from practice and experience, but which can be taught to a certain extent.
Lastly, say you do happen to fall victim to Murphy’s Law and something goes astray despite all your preparation and skills; the diligence you put into reviewing what went wrong afterwards will help prevent problems next time.
So lets look at these before, during and after actions to help prevent the dreaded “radio silence” at your gigs:
Before…
Most technical difficulties arise from equipment, many of which are due to forgetting to bring something (so frustrating!). Furthermore, you need to have a good understanding your equipment and be mindful of what you require to perform efficiently. After all, what good are your party rocking skills and awesome scratching techniques if you can’t showcase your talents because of a faulty plug or a corrupted hard drive? Here’s how to prepare properly:
Have enough cables, cords, adapters
At least two pairs of each. This will ensure that you have back-up cables in case a wire gets damaged as well as extra cord length in case the sound system covers a wide area, plus an RCA to 1/8-inch jack cable (also known as a Y-cable) for emergency Aux In needs.
Make sure you can create every possible combination of audio connection…
Make sure you can create every possible combination of audio connection (XLR to RCA, quarter-inch to XLR, etc.) and keep in mind female to male plug compatibility. This is especially important in gigs where you are using a sound system other than your own. I’ll admit that many of my gigs when I first started were thwarted due to incompatible wiring.
Just to be safe, you might consider bringing your own mixer to events, especially at nightclubs/bars, where house gear is usually sub-par and victims of fallen drinks and cigarette smoke.
Finally, consider carrying one long extension cord and two surge protectors plus a spare USB cable for your DVS interface or Midi controller.
Learn your software well
Learn you software's shortcuts so you can operate it without any external hardware if need be.
If your software allows it, learn how to operate solely in internal mode. With all the possibilities that could go wrong with your controller or DVS system – USB error, needles die, control vinyl/CD missing, buttons stick etc – you need to be able to get by and keep the music going with the most basic and minimal set-up. Setting up cue points for all your tracks and memorising hot key layouts helps immensely.
If you are an SSL user, consider a small, portable Midi controller too, to gives you the option of a much lighter back-up set-up (good if you want to play at a house party without having to lug around your 1200s or CDJs, too).
Back your music up
I recommend copying your library onto at least two external hard drives, one kept with you on the road, and the other kept safe back home. Remember to back up often! I recommend using Time Machine for Mac or Acronis True Image Home for PC at least once a week.
I recommend copying your library onto at least two external hard drives…
If you can’t afford to grab this extra hardware, consider creating a separate folder on your desktop of your essential DJ tracks. This 1GB to 2GB-worth of music should be enough to last you an entire gig in case you have issues, and allow you to continue spinning, as long as you can access your drive.
If you store your music internally, then consider partitioning your hard drive so that you can allocate your essential tracks across different locations, and use the second partition to back up your primary drive.
Beef up your laptop
If you can afford it, upgrade your RAM (it will cost you about $100 but the switch from 2GB to 8GB RAM will turn a Macbook into a Crackbook!
During…
So what about these unforeseen obstacles that happen during the gig?
The first thing you have to do is pinpoint the source of the problem. Shut out the distractions and focus on your system.
Was the power cord tripped? Did a speaker blow out? Maybe your hard drive got disconnected, or you accidentally pressed the reverse cross-fade button (has happened to me multiple times).
Whatever the issue, make sure that you have a temporary solution until you can locate the problem. Here are some situations that could occur, and some suggestions on how to resolve them:
No power
If you find that the sound is cut and the LEDs from your mixer/controllers are dark, check your primary outlet to make sure it hasn’t been tripped on. Dial down your mains and check all your power sources. Nothing much you can do to stall so hurry up and plug it back in ASAP!
Remember that your mixer is the heart of your system: That's where your checking should normally start.
Remember that your mixer is the heart of your sound system, so check all the levels, reverse buttons, and power before checking other units. If only your controllers are down, check your surge protectors, find the isolation, and turn on your Aux input source.
If only the speakers are down, then this usually means that the amp has overheated, and bass usually goes first. This is a time thing, as it needs to cool down. Otherwise your speakers may have blown – not much you can do about that!
Best prevention is to making sure you don’t overwork/clip them during your set and if you are a mobile DJ, investing in a set of speakers that have automatic shut-off if overheated (like the Mackie SRM series
).
Freeze, or no music
One of the pitfalls of digital. Whenever I see my screen freeze, I still feel a wave of panic curse through me. DJ software can sometimes be wacky with audio dropouts if too much is going on (eg dropping samples on top of both decks while running video).
If your program freezes but music is still heard, don’t touch anything…
If your program freezes but music is still heard, don’t touch anything and just wait for it to unfreeze (it probably will). If music actually stops playing, have an alternative music source such as an iPod connected to your Aux input via a Y-cable ready to play immediately so you can shift your focus towards troubleshooting the software issue without interrupting the music.
Meanwhile, try to adjust the buffer sampling rate (higher rate decreases load on your computer but also increases the latency) and make sure your computer is not bogged down with other programs. Turn off your wireless, Bluetooth and automatic screensavers and close any other programs other than your primary DJ software.
Crowd issues
While the crowd is the lifeforce of the party, guest antics are probably the biggest distractions while on the job. People will be fighting for your attention to play their requests, make drunken shout-outs on the mic or – my personally favourite – ask you how to DJ. These distractions can invariably lead you to miss your cue points, let the track fade out or cause some other annoying disturbance.
To deal with constant requests, consider setting out a notebook and pen so that people can write them down. This way you can just point to the pad and not lose your train of thought while mixing all while keeping record of what songs are popular.
Clubbers are the lifeforce of your party, but they're also your biggest hazard when it comes to playing smoothly.
For all those nosy, wannabe-DJs, hand them your card and tell them to come back after the night is finished or email you later to talk shop.
If you use turntables and DVS, nothing is more frustrating when some floozy knocks a needle off the record trying to get your attention
For when this happens, set-up a hot key to quickly switch to internal mode so you can readjust the tone arm while the music continues.
After…
No gig ever goes perfectly, despite all your preparation and experience. That’s why the post-gig debrief is so important. It’s OK to make mistakes, but it’s a crime to repeat those mistakes.
No gig ever goes perfectly, despite all your preparation and experience. That’s why the post-gig debrief is so important…
Try keeping a gig log and recording each event you spin at too. The sooner you do it the better, since the night will still be fresh in your head.
Besides jotting down the basic information (eg. date, location, contact, amount paid, etc.), write down some commentary on issues you faced during the event: What requests were you not able to play? Why did the bass cut out in the middle of the event? How come the software was running so slowly? Asking yourself these kinds of questions will help you to prepare for your next event so that you can avoid redundant errors.
Recap the night with guests at your event. Not only does this help you better relate to your audience, but also these people may actually have some constructive feedback to offer and let you know how you handled the night. Additionally, the people who stick around until the end are usually the ones who enjoyed your performance and may be interested in hiring you for their own party.
Conclusion
Having the music cut off can happen for so many different reasons, but if you are able to locate the issue and react quickly, then it won’t seem so scary.
And finally, all this work will stand you in good stead for the occasions when you’ll be taking advantage of a free bar tab, as troubleshooting under the influence is typically far less straightforward!
• DJ Keeno aka John Huang is a pre-med college DJ who also runs his own pro DJ company. Check out his blog, visit him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
What was your worst gig nightmare? How did you deal with it? Have you got any tips you’d like to add to these? Let us know in the comments please…
Now go to:
6 Ways To Survive When DJing In Sports Bars
10 Types of People Who Make Requests (And How To Handle Them)
The Magic Mix for Successful Digital DJing?
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Tags: dj troubleshooting
i was once playing in an off-location where the power went out a few times. singing “happy birthday” worked the first few times and people started singing along, although it lost its effect after the fourth or fifth power cut.
[ link ]“He’s got the whole world in his hand” is also another one you can sing acapella
[ link ]Keep duplicates, but keep them seperate. your backup cables wont help if they are in the same bag as your normal ones, sitting at home.
[ link ]And sometimes my computer does this glitch thing when i have a lot running (in addition to dj stuff) where for 2-5 seconds, it loops a tiny part of what ever is playing, and makes a buzzy sound, then it picks up where it left off. Doesnt happen on gigs, but might go unnoticed for a dubstep night after a few drinks
Having witnessed at least one person dancing around a car because its alarm was going off, I have to agree about the dubstep bit!
[ link ]This is why we invented MDMA. Heh.
[ link ]Another reason for no sound: Overheating your speakers. It sucks! Give it a minute or 2 and then back down your music 15 percent and pray for the best! Also quit redlining meat head!
[ link ]ps im a jack ass and it was covered already in this…
[ link ]great article, I’ve had this happen to me at my old residence. The power wasnt installed great, so we’d sometimes get full booth blackout… which sucked… but they gave me that thick skin to be used to something like that and knowing the steps to take to help it. This article gave me a couple of good ideas … This is possibly what Dj’s have nightmares about …that and a dead crowd
[ link ]Stopping the wrong deck too. Classic mistake. Done that before (mainly using cd decks in the past). Cringe City.
Assuming you still have a working mic, get on it to either:
A) lie to the crowd about the problem ie its not your fault (of course) or announce “that tune’s so good we’re gonna rewind and play it again from the top!”
B) apologise or fill the dead air with some meaningful sounding mumbling
Failing that perhaps do an impromptu shout out or a rap? (while you reload/reboot/plug in your iPod). Or hide. But keep the vibe positive by whipping the crowd up after getting the music back on with a “let’s keep this mutha party going!!” yadda yadda.
In 15 years of DJing, I must’ve seen/done every failure/cock up possible at some stage. Most worrying when you are using all your own gear (no one else to blame!) or if it’s a special/well paid gig or the place is fulla drunk fuckwits. Saying that I did a big expensive corporate do for a London bank years ago, a PA company supplied racks of fancy gear and a monkey ‘sound engineer’ and that cut out at least twice making yours truly look like the twat in the hat. I smoothed over that one but it really bugs me when some punters instantly turn on the DJ having entertained them or hours.
I worry about laptops nowadays…
I take at least one spare of each lead and some adaptors in case but I always try to find out what gear/booths I’m up against before a gig if poss. Never tried this but maybe ask the vebue to email a photo of the booth and back ofthe mixer or at least name the mixer so you can Google it in case its got weird connections. Residencies are cool, you’ll already know how good (or shit) the house gear is. My iPhone is always loaded with some of my latest playlists and installed with the least fiddly and simple DJ app I can find (I’m liking Red Bull’s BPM pro, thank Jebus I’ve never had to rely on it for more than ten mins). I used to take two laptops but I can’t be mirroring both machines every week nowadays. I just keep one in best condition possible (anti virus, keep registry clean etc and ALWAYS check it actually works before leaving home). Twice I’ve installed or done something with my laptop before heading out and not checked it and had to mess about solving it at the gig and once the spare had to be used).
[ link ]Hope for the best, enjoy and don’t worry TOO much, assume something will go wrong one night and whip out the iPod (slash CD or usb stick fulla mp3s/choons or even an actual LP)
If there’s at least one thing I do miss about vinyl is analogue simplicity. It’s also a pleasure playing venues with decent gear.
Stopping the wrong deck…
[ link ]Guilty as charged your honour.
*hangs head*
To make it worse, I was playing in a competition when I did it. The resident who was judging told me I’d have won easily if it wasn’t for that epic fail. Live & Learn eh?
We’ve ALL done it.
[ link ]Haha how many times has that happened. Mostly frustrating in digital DJing when you replace the track that is playing (it’s always a cool peak time track) with another one! Cue, dirty looks and frustrated ladies.
[ link ]My friend used to do that so often we started calling him “Dan Eject” cus every time he finished the mix he ejected the wrong disc
That eject lock is there for a reason on CDJ1000′s people!
[ link ]Revised/improved reply (sorry Phil!):
Stopping the wrong deck too. Classic mistake. Done that before (mainly using cd decks in the past). Cringe City.
Assuming you still have a working mic, get on it to either:
A) lie to the crowd about the problem ie its not your fault (of course) or announce “that tune’s so good we’re gonna rewind and play it again from the top!”
B) apologise or fill the dead air with some meaningful sounding mumbling
Failing that perhaps do an impromptu shout out or a rap? (while you reload/reboot/plug in your iPod). Or hide. But keep the vibe positive by whipping the crowd up after getting the music back on with a “let’s keep this mutha party going!!” yadda yadda.
In 15 years of DJing, I must’ve seen/done every failure/cock up possible at some stage. Most worrying when you are using all your own gear (no one else to blame!) or if it’s a special/well paid gig or the place is fulla drunk fuckwits. Saying that I did a big expensive corporate do for a London bank years ago, a PA company supplied racks of fancy gear and a monkey ‘sound engineer’ and that cut out at least twice making yours truly look like the twat in the hat. I smoothed over that one but it really bugs me when some punters instantly turn on the DJ having entertained them for hours.
I worry about laptops nowadays…
I take at least one spare of each lead (inc laptop charger) and some adaptors in case but I always try to find out what gear/booths I’m up against before a gig if poss. Never tried this but maybe ask the venue to email a photo of the booth or at least name their house mixer so you can Google it in case its got weird connections or something.
Residencies are cool, you’ll already know how good (or shit) the house gear is. My iPhone is always loaded with some of my latest playlists and installed with the least fiddly and simple DJ app I can find (I’m liking Red Bull’s BPM pro, thank Jebus I’ve never had to rely on it for more than ten mins). I used to take two laptops but I can’t be mirroring both machines every week nowadays. I just keep one in best condition possible (anti virus, keep registry clean etc and ALWAYS check it actually works before leaving home, try not leave things to the last minute either, like I do!). Twice I’ve installed or done something with my laptop just before heading out and not checked it and had to mess about solving it at the gig and even once the spare machine had to be used).
Hope for the best, enjoy and don’t worry TOO much, assume something will go wrong one night and whip out the iPod (slash CD or usb stick fulla mp3s/choons or even an actual LP). Beer helps too (or worse if you are naturally a clumsy oaf)
If there’s at least one thing I do miss about vinyl is analogue simplicity. It’s also a pleasure playing venues with decent gear.
[ link ]Peace.
PS good article John. A lot of peeps don’t think about these problems, until the first time it happens! There is nothing worse than when that sweaty panic sets in…
[ link ]Backup everything!
[ link ]plug in a secondary power source, keep your battery in your laptop, have tons of adapters ready, have backup .tsi files (I have a Mixtrack Pro and Akai LPD8 and I have a separate .tsi for the Akai that lets me use it as a standalone controller), if possible have a backup sound card and a backup OS.. in other words be ready for everything.
The good side of being paranoid like me is that I always had a solution ready.. the bad side is that I lug around twice as much stuff and I worry too much
Touch wood only had traktor crash on me once and that was because I forgot to plug in the mains adapter and the battery went flat on me lol,
[ link ]Make sure you keep your mains adapter well away from any audio[phono] leads and lighting leads otherwise you will get a horrible buzzing noise over the sound system.
Lots of people used to use cds keep one cued up in the cd player just in case.
Records got scratched and jumped needles got fluff on em,cds jumped and sometimes just stopped lapops crash sometimes, nothings perfect!
Just did a party where one of my fellow DJs was passing drinks over my gear (I was distracted by a female at the time, go figure, and I was unable to prevent this) and emptied a full beer on all my midi controllers. Rather than risk shorting my gear by using it after this FAIL, I shut down all the controllers and went completely internal using only my mouse, and four keys on the keyboard (two cue points for each deck). I had practiced this setup before at a DJ comp that restricted midi controllers so I was used to this arrangment. Everything went off without a hitch, though many people saw the incident and it killed the vibe despite my yoda like emotional stability and ease with which I handled the whole thing.
I preach this to all my crew, have a backup, and a backup for that backup, and find out everything you can about the venue and how to troubleshoot common problems.
[ link ]Good point re backup files. I had this problem for a while where Traktor (or Serato itch) wouldn’t read iTunes playlists as the library file got corrupted. I backup the iTunes library files before all major imports of new music, and regularly export my painstakingly created iTunes playlists (to import on another laptop if necessary) and Traktor’s own playlists/database.
I do backup my music harddrive and keep that in the car and also put at least some best tunes on the local harddrive in case of loss or failure.
Also worth keeping driver install files for USB devices and the DJ software itself in case a reinstall is needed on the fly (saved me once when my new controller refused to play)
I even keep another brand of DJ software installed in case Traktor really goes tits up. Never had to do that (yet). I have carried my Akai LPD8 ready mapped whenever I’ve taken a new main controller out for the first time *just in case*. Sometimes I use it for low key gigs.
Absolutely true re CDs and turntables having their own failures, just usually way easier to solve! I’ve had venues swap out CDJs for me, nice if they have spares but they never seem to maintain their Technics.
[ link ]My advice. Don’t_ever_try_digital_djing_in_a_club_before_you_know_A_LOT_about_it.
And I mean. A LOT. Which stands for:
1. demoing the software while reading the manual.
2. buying the full version and reading the manual again.
3. looking for a dj hardware yourself, trying to learn everything about specific vocabulary and features of controllers
4. asking questions on relevant websites
5. buying the controller, reading its manual, etc.
you can try playing out then. and I can assure you all, that the music won’t stop (at least for long) if you know what you’re doing.
Oh. And forget about digital djing if all you can do on a computer is writing emails, checking facebook and playing games (“oh cmon how to get it working? … Crack? I dont do drugs.”) Digital djing is based on knowledge. And booze. But mainly knowledge.
Speaking about booze – that is a topic you should totally write something upon, Phil. Especially in context of audio failures and how to deal with them. Or how you can’t deal with them when you’re drunk. 99% of the time 1 beer is too much to act quickly enough and predict things.
Btw did I mention reading the OS manual, you computer’s user guide and booze’s FAQ?
RTFMs ppl, seriously.
(aff sorry for the long and whining post, but I have a friend who did everything exactly the other way last time and said it was all my fault that he didnt know how to change soundcard settings.)
[ link ]Yes drinking while DJing is certainly a good topic!
[ link ]Agree!
[ link ]And guilty…
One beer during a set helps you relax and you start letting go. 4 or 5 beers and your IQ might be reduced somewhat.
[ link ]Regarding having a backup up your music is a good idea but it will not help you if your OS crashes because of harddisk failure etc. Then you need to have another device from where you can boot. Installing OS on your USB device where you also have a copy of your music would be a better alternative as you can then boot from that device instead. But if your laptop is totally dead then only another laptop will help you. That leaves us to the question: Do we want two things of everything or are we willing to take some risks? I do not have two things of everything, so I take the risk.
[ link ]Why not take a backup CD wallet. It doesn’t need to be huge, just up to date(ish), and if the proverbial hits the fan, you can just use the in-house CDJs seeing as MOST places have them.
[ link ]Another reason to know how to beatmix the old fasioned way.
If someone is being truly obnoxious, and not taking the hint that you want them to go away, or worse, is fucking with your gear, here’s a quick solution: Grab your mic, slam the volume faders down to stop the music, and shout into the mic “This asshole won’t stop fucking with me, and this party is OVER until this douchebag leaves.”
It works wonders, and the asshole will most likely be escorted off the premises.
[ link ]I once pressed Cue on the wring Cd-Player. Just put another random song on and nobody even noticed it
[ link ]“If music actually stops playing, have an alternative music source such as an iPod connected to your Aux input via a Y-cable ”
So my traktor crashed at the gig last night. Unlike other gigs I didn’t bother to hook up the ipod cause it hasn’t crashed in a while and there was so much gear on the table: cdjs, tts, controller…
I think the foamy under the laptop did it. I installed my lappy on top of a tt with a big piece of foam. The cpu probably overheated from lack of ventilation.
luckily mac restarts are fast.
[ link ]Well I have had a few DJ Nightmares in my day and as a result have tried to add a few things to my gig rig. I once played for a party in a very large hotel when all of the sudden, one of the largest power failures in the history of the southwest caused all of the back up power to fail as well. One of the guests was a fire fighter with a truck outside equiped with a generator and with the hotels blessing, the show went on…with in reason lol. I also now take an ion block rocker and an acer aspire one baby lappy just in case. Check the http://www.ionaudio.com for the block rocker and walmart for your acer aspire one. They both have kept the party rocking on 2 different occasions. It’s not the end all but it will at least keep the music and announcements rolling if needed. These are just 2 suggestions for situations that may occure just like they did to me. Good luck and regards, DJ Malarky out.
[ link ]Wow, that’s preparation – carrying a block rocker with you! Respect.
[ link ]Well, in twenty years, I think I’ve had ALL of the above happen and more! This article brought a wry smile of bitter nostalgia to my face while I read it – and while not exactly fun memories to recall, I concider every one another building block to becoming a better DJ. The author is right; if it hasn’t happened, prepare because it most certainly will. I’d like to add a couple more pointers, if I may…
1. Stop. Breathe. Shut out the increasingly loud shouting and yelling you’re hearing in your ears (and, when it first happens, your head – the loudest voice shouting at you to get the problem solved will most definitely be your own) and stay calm and slow. Now, think. Scrabbling around trying to solve the problem will only make matters worse, especially when you finally discover it’s the most simplest of issues (a pressed mute button, a flipped crossfader switch or channel input…). Start at the clues and work back. Which leads me to…
2. Try to separate your power sources down for each element of your rig, especially if you are supplying more than just the audio source, such as lights, amplified speakers and effects. I read in the article to bring a back-up extension cord – I’d also suggests a couple more four/six-gang plug banks, which I use to split to each part of my rig when I set up. This way, when something does go wrong, I can gather in an instant where the problem might lie – has the sound source lost power but the lights are still on? Is the amp dark but the PC still spinning? Is the mixer still lit up but the laptop gone dark? (I usually keep the PC and drives on a separate extention away from the mixer). My mantra for setting up a mobile rig has been pretty much when I started: “One socket, SOUND. One socket, LIGHT”. And then separated down from there.
Now you can trace the problem back to the source and deal with it more efficiently, even back to the realisation that perhaps it’s the one extention cord (or even the plug switch on the wall) to the element that’s fallen over. And if EVERYTHING has gone dark, then it’s more likely not something you cannot sort out from your rig, like a tripped fusebox or a problem with the venue. In which case, take the abuse from the crowd with a smile and shrug – what else can you do? Hold your hands up, take the heckles like a pro and let it wash over you. Life’s too short to let it get personal. Hell, the chorus of “…Loser! Loser! Loser!” is usually started by myself – sod it, keeps them occupied while I solve the problem, right?
[ link ]Thanks for the very detailed and wise addition to the article there Lenny – much appreciated.
[ link ]3. Oh, if you’re using a mic, have something in mind to say to defuse the situation when you get the problem sorted. Pick a personal musical nemesis, one your target audience will appreciate… “Sorry about that, chaps – accidentally loaded a Take That track in to the player and the systems built-in Bullshit Detector kicked in! Hey, it can only handle so much, right?…”, and then just crack on and get on with rebuilding the night. (In recent years, when the digital DJ-ing has become a more visible element of my rig – 21″ HP Dragon, baby! – I’ve even gone post-modern with my first-line gag: “Y’see? This is what happens when you try torrenting ‘Midget Porn’ while playing! Multitasking, my ass…!”)
[ link ]Ha ha, it’s true – a sense of humour/likeability factor can get you a long way!
[ link ]Good article. This brings back memories back then when we first started our mobile DJ gigs. Power outages, speakers blown and weird stuff.
What I learned is that to invest in good sound equipment if going mobile. There’s nothing worse than dead speakers in middle of performance. Learned that the hard way and invested in better speakers. Take the time to learn about audio equipments is a plus and will save headaches.
Other reasons for power failure, too many people crowding around the DJ. Someone is going to knock or pull something by accident and kill the systems. Limiting people in the booth prevents accidents.
Like the article above bring lots of cords just in case. There’s times when our audio cords are too short or needs adapting. Luckily there’s Radio Shack nearby.
There were times when the room gets so hot and stuffy because there were lots of people and not much air circulation going on. That made our equipment stopped so we we brought in fans to cool down the equipments.
[ link ]I’ve had to do the “fans” thing several times.
[ link ]I sometimes have the issue where my USB ports fail if I don’t configure traktor to run off the same MIDI channels everytime
I’ve have my Controllers fail a zillion times and switching to internal mixing is a lifesavor while I fix the issue. Luckily, glitch hop can hide some of those mistakes hehe
[ link ]Although I’ve never done any gigs in the field as I’ve mainly played on internet radio stations, I have been thinking about this a lot:
As wrong as this might sound, prepare a backup mix on CD/portal player, with a mix that increases in harmonic keys, permitting you to pick up the key after fixing the problem at hand.
After covering for other DJs as well; as a courtesy to the DJ before you, make sure you’re around on time or at least able to take over quickly in case he/she can’t fix it. If you find yourself in the spot of not being able to continue and the next DJ offers to cover for you, don’t feel bad it and don’t feel bad about asking either!
In the end, it’s about the music and audience, and you as a DJ gain nothing from letting your ego get in the way of technical issues.
Just my 2 cents
[ link ]