SwingDJs

I've seen/heard this done, and when it happens I am not a happy camper. What do you think about playing the same song twice?

More info please.

I assume you mean the same exact song/version more than once the same night. I suppose it depends. I certainly don't expect it...

I"ve actually done it on a rare occasion, though here's the scenerio. I play a really cool song at the beginning of the night when relatively no one is there, so I might bust the song out again when the full group is around, and the song would seem to fit.

A DJ should use his best judgement on something like that.

Do you mean two different DJs playing the same song, even if the second DJ was listening to the first set?

Or the same song done in two different styles?

I went to an event this weekend where they played the same songs 3 times or so. They just had the CD/CDs on repeat. It was pretty bad.

yedancer wrote:I went to an event this weekend where they played the same songs 3 times or so. They just had the CD/CDs on repeat. It was pretty bad.

Well, of COURSE that's bad! There's no DJ!! Give us a trickier question like the takes on it that the others gleaned....

Different versions: depends on the song and the versions. I sometimes play different versions back-to-back to make a music appreciation point: for instance, the difference between Duke and Basie's rhythm sections. I try to make the difference obvious, though, so as to avoid redundency. Although I somewhat agree with GemZombie's point elsewhere that too many DJs are playing BAD alternative versions of standards, I just got hold of a copy of Joe Williams singing "Allright, O.k." live with slightly different rhythmic emphasis and phrasing that it totally revived my interest in that dead, overplayed song.

Different DJs/same song: shouldn't happen, but oh well.

To clarify...

One night, same DJ, same version. Not very far apart, perhaps within about 1 1/2 hours of each other - I know that can be very subjective, but it annoyed me, and I think it annoyed one of my friends.

I have been thinking about playing significantly-different versions of the same song. I know I'd like to hear that, and I think that others would, too.

Interesting idea about playing it twice at very different times. I'd like to do that, but I don't think that dancers here (Tampa Bay area) would like it.

Matthew wrote:One night, same DJ, same version. Not very far apart, perhaps within about 1 1/2 hours of each other - I know that can be very subjective, but it annoyed me, and I think it annoyed one of my friends.

I can only imagine that that was either an accident ("I forgot I'd already played that earlier") or indifference ("I really don't care if I repeat a song"). The former can be forgiven if it's an honest mistake and not a frequent occurrence. The later I'd be more concerned with.

I can't imagine the third option being a reality ("I love this song and can't play it often enough!").

Lawrence wrote:Different DJs/same song: shouldn't happen, but oh well.

Unfortunately unless every DJ is present for every other DJ's set, it's bound to happen sooner or later, especially with the overlapping tastes that many DJs have. Advice: be aware of the other DJs and their tastes and try your hardest to play stuff you think the preceding DJs wouldn't have already played. If you're unsure, you can always ask them about certain songs as well. This can certainly minimize the problem.

Jesse

Occasionally, if I have a really good song, I might play it twice. But, I'll only do that if I play it early on in the night, before most of the regulars show up, and then again later when most of the newbies have left and the venue is filled with regulars. But, that's very rare. It usually only happens when I play the song early on, not realizing that more regulars (who will really appreciate the song) are going to show up later.

JesseMiner wrote:Unfortunately unless every DJ is present for every other DJ's set, it's bound to happen sooner or later, especially with the overlapping tastes that many DJs have. Advice: be aware of the other DJs and their tastes and try your hardest to play stuff you think the preceding DJs wouldn't have already played. If you're unsure, you can always ask them about certain songs as well. This can certainly minimize the problem.

If I'm DJing a set in a night where there are other DJs spinning I will always be there for every other DJs set. First off, I want to get a feel for the flavour of the night as it's been up to the point where I take over. And second, I don't want to play the same version of the same song that another DJ played.

When I DJ in Sacramento, I don't really ever worry that anybody has played anything that I might play on any particular night. That's how polar DJs' flavors can be up there, heh. Like ice cream and Tabasco sauce...kinda.

Anyway, I never play the same recording (or even the same song but by different artists) twice in one night. Just personal preference though.

I find it annoying. If it's a different DJ I usually forgive it, if it's the same DJ I find it annoying.

Last night the same DJ played the same song 3 songs away from just playing it. pretty funny.

On Saturday I played a song and 2 DJ's later another DJ played the same song, I found it annoying but I could forgive it since I played it at 9:30 PM he was not there and played it again around 1:30 AM.

The reason I started keeping set lists was to prevent myself from repeating songs. It's worked, but I think the main reason it's easier for me to avoid repeating songs is a bigger music collection than I had when I started.