music | Digital DJ Tips

December 22nd, 2012 Training

Your Questions: How Do I Build A Unique Music Collection?

by Phil Morse

Our reader uses Rhapsody as a streaming music service, but finds it to be too mainstream to discover hidden gems that will make his sets stand out from the crowd.

Reader Chris Games over on the Digital DJ Tips Forum asks: “OK guys so I’m building up my library now and my problem is, I want to find good songs, but not just stuff everybody’s already heard.

“I’m saying I don’t want to just play Avicii, Tiesto, Swedish House Mafia, etc. I want to cultivate my own unique library which of course has hits but has my own flavour of tracks.

34 Comments »

November 27th, 2012 News & Opinion

Is Music Worse Than It Used To Be?

by D-Jam

Has music hit a new low, or does today’s massive choice mean there’s more good music out there than ever?

Dance music’s recent mainstream acceptance as “EDM” has brought about a fury from certain elements in the artistic/underground scenes, which is nothing new in itself – it happens whenever anything “underground” finds love from the mainstream. 

From articles like a recent one in SPIN Magazine to those carried by a plethora of blogs, many DJs, critics, and producers have been claiming that the music has hit a creative zero. That we’ve lost that innovative spark that can do things like make one sound explode into a plethora of ideas and genres, as has happened in the past. That it’s lost its soul.

82 Comments »

November 24th, 2012 Training

Your Questions: What Is Balearic Music?

by Phil Morse

Privilege in Ibiza -the biggest club in the world, and a place I’ve been lucky enough to DJ in. Ibiza is where Balearic began.

Digital DJ Tips reader and forum member DJ Quantum writes: “You mentioned in session three of the How To Digital DJ Fast course a type of music you like to play that is derived from old rock? You called it “Balearic”?

Can you list some examples? Or point me somewhere that has a list? I have a lot of old classic rock, that I think would be fun to try and mix, but I am not familiar with the genre you mentioned at all. I would like to see what I have that would fit and is mixable/danceable.

18 Comments »

October 31st, 2012 Training

How To Book Guest DJs For Your Club Night, Part 1

by Phil Morse

Booking guest DJs is not as hard as you may think, and done right it can catapult your night from nothing to ‘on the map’. Here’s how…

So you have started a small club night in your town to showcase your DJing, and you want to book guest DJs to play at it alongside you.

Today we’re going to look at some of the dos and don’ts when it comes to hiring in DJs, who to book (and who not to book), and how to try and negotiate a price you can afford. In the next part, How To Book Guest DJs For Your Club Night, Part 2, we look at what happens after that. But first, let’s consider why you may want to book guest DJs at all.

13 Comments »

October 2nd, 2012 Training

Learning To DJ: Questions Beginners Always Ask

by Terry 42

Satoshi Tomiie rocks it, digital style. If you want to learn the skills that can put you in front of a crowd playing the music you love, today we answer some of your questions.

I’m one of the moderators of the busy Digital DJ Tips Forum. Because of this, I get a unique perspective on the thoughts, questions, fears and concerns of hundreds of people who are starting out learning to DJ, every single day.

Today I’d like to answer some of the questions that come up again and again among beginners on the forum. How can I learn to DJ? what gear should I buy? What about scratching? What’s the minimum I need to start? Where can I get help choosing DJ gear? Should I be learning to DJ on “pro” DJ gear? Here is our take on these and other common queries among new DJs:

25 Comments »

September 23rd, 2012 Training

Over To You: Can I Add A Controller To Traktor Just For Effects?

by Phil Morse

Adding an Allen & Heath K2 to your set-up would give you extra controls. Pic: Traktor Bible

Digital DJ Tips reader Perry writes: “I use Traktor Pro 2 to DJ with, alongside my Kontrol S2 controller and laptop, and while DJing I find it hard to easily vary the effects I can use. If I’m honest, the S2 just doesn’t give me enough options for controlling effects within Traktor.

“So I am writing to you today to asking if there are any external controller units that integrate with Traktor and allow for you to have more control over what you are doing?”

31 Comments »

September 18th, 2011 Training

Over To You: Best Place To Find MP3s Of Out-Of-Print Music?

by Phil Morse

Out of print vinyl: Not coming to an MP3 store near you any time soon?

Reader Redd writes: “Is there a record pool for out of print or hard to find music in MP3 format? It’s easy enough to find new stuff, but what about older records?”

Digital DJ Tips says: That’s an interesting question, because the is a lot of music that hasn’t been officially digitised and put on sale yet. I personally can think of whole piles of white labels, 12″s and undergrounds bootleg-style tunes from the old skool rave days that I know aren’t available on any MP3 stores.

13 Comments »

August 6th, 2011 Training

Your Questions: Are Russian MP3 Download Sites Legal?

by Phil Morse

One of the Russian MP3 sites whose prices are around a tenth of those in the West.

Digital DJ Tips reader and DJ Tony O’Sullivan writes: “Can you let me know if those non-US MP3 store sites are genuine sites and not scams? They sell individual MP3s as low as US$0.09 a track, which seems too good to be true.

“While the site I looked at is well presented, seems to be well stocked and looks bona fide, I find the prices to be hard to believe. What do you think? Are they legal to buy from?”

59 Comments »

May 1st, 2011 DJ Culture

Over To You: How Do I Find Song Titles From Other DJs’ Sets?

by Phil Morse

Shazam can be a godsend for discovering music, but it doesn't have everything on its database.

Reader Darren Haken writes with a music discovery question: “What tools do people use to find songs from live sets or indeed how do they track music down beyond the scope of the ‘Beatport Top 100′?

“I’m not after ‘naughty’ methods of getting music but just more how people dig a bit deeper. I tend to try and play a lot of deep house music and it’s a more underground genre. So for example I am a huge fan of Crosstown Rebels label but it is very difficult to ID tracks off sets by DJs on the label. any ideas?”

28 Comments »

January 27th, 2011 DJ Culture

Reader Survey Results Part 2 & Draw Winner

by Phil Morse

Find out what other types of music you're into, what gear you've got at home, what websites you visit, what you think of Digital DJ Tips, and whether you've won the draw...

At the end of last year we conducted our first annual reader survey. Last week we published part 1 of the results, and this week we’re publishing the rest – including what gear you own, what other websites you visit, and what you think of us!

Also, as there was a lot of interest last week in the types of music our readers play, we’ve got more of that information for you. And finally, we’ll announce the winner of the US$50 iTunes card. Read on for all the results…

11 Comments »

November 4th, 2010 DJ Culture

How Often Do You Have An MP3 Spring Clean?

by Phil Morse

Recycled beats: How often do you clear out your MP3 playlist?

I have had a few weeks off DJing. My main residency ended at the start of September when the tourists went home (I play in a resort town), and what with my own holidays and some unlucky bad weather (my gigs tend to be on beach bar terraces), I’ve not actually played since then.

So when it came to preparing my tunes for the Halloween gig I had booked, I was looking at lots of old, uninspiring music. The short of it was, I didn’t want to play most of it. I decided to be brutal – I cleared out a real big load of stuff to clear the way for the tunes I’ve been collecting since last DJing. I realised I tend to do this maybe three times a year – definitely some time after New Year, again before summer, and around now.

20 Comments »