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[Sumjugei]

until yesterday, i couldnt preview songs. but with a pair of USB headphones and discoXT, i am now able to preview my songs!

this opens up my playable music from the songs-that-i-know, to songs on my computer.

last night i played a set with the new set up, i just went at it like i would before. spent the afternoon listening to music i havent played in the last three months (or newly acquired music). put together a list to get me through 3/4 of the set. fill in the rest based off of the floor/requests. i dont get paid, so i dance and dj.

any tips from other djs who have made the switch from non-preview djing, to preview djing, would be a great help.


thanks,
aaron

[Lawrence]

Actually, don't change your habits. Previewing will enhance your ability to choose songs on the fly, and you will (and should) less and less play songs from your pre-arranged setlist. However, your prep for each gig is crucial for not only preparing for that night, but for getting to know your collection.

I would encourage you to continue to do it so that you keep finding those hidden gems in your own collection that you otherwise might just forget. Even with the ability to preview, you just cannot remember every single song you own on the fly.

Unless you are Peter Loggins, that is. He remembers everything and never previews, or so he claims.

[Mr Awesomer]

Unless you are Peter Loggins, that is. He remembers everything and never previews, or so he claims.

I've never seen him preview. I rarely preview. Whatev.

[Lawrence]

Unless you are Peter Loggins, that is. He remembers everything and never previews, or so he claims.

I've never seen him preview. I rarely preview. Whatev.

I can't imagine not previewing; I definitely don't preview every single song, but I do feel lost without being able to do it. I'm actually kinda impressed you can do it without previewing much.

[Mr Awesomer]

I can't imagine not previewing; I definitely don't preview every single song, but I do feel lost without being able to do it. I'm actually kinda impressed you can do it without previewing much.

Well, I'm pretty much constantly listening to my music. My iPod is spiting out music on random to and from work, at work, and when I'm getting stuff done around the house. Hell, sometimes I replace video game soundtracks on my 360 with it. Years of this has implanted it in my brain I guess. Probably the same with Peter.

[zzzzoom]

Same here. To and from work, the iPod is on random. Then listening all day at work and then at home. It is very rare that I preview anything. I have talked with a couple of other dj's and they don't feel the need to preview either.

[Haydn]

until yesterday, i couldnt preview songs. but with a pair of USB headphones and discoXT, i am now able to preview my songs!

... any tips from other djs who have made the switch from non-preview djing, to preview djing, would be a great help.

I've made the switch from not previewing with CDs to previewing with them (I've yet to move to DJing from a computer). I agree with Lawrence - don't change your way of working. Just keep listening to other tracks while the current one is playing to help you choose one that works well. I have found it takes time and practice to do this quickly and smoothly.

[Lawrence]

I can't imagine not previewing; I definitely don't preview every single song, but I do feel lost without being able to do it. I'm actually kinda impressed you can do it without previewing much.

Well, I'm pretty much constantly listening to my music. My iPod is spiting out music on random to and from work, at work, and when I'm getting stuff done around the house. Hell, sometimes I replace video game soundtracks on my 360 with it. Years of this has implanted it in my brain I guess. Probably the same with Peter.

I went for four or five years once listening to nothing but Swing-Dance music, and I know what you mean; but I completely burned out doing so, especially when added to teaching, socializing mostly with dancers, running my own venue, going to a series of Exchanges in a row for months at a time, and planning several Austin Exchanges. The overkill started ruining the experience.

I also love other music too much; South by Southwest here in Austin, for instance, keeps opening my eyes and ears to new music that I otherwise would never know existed. I still listen to Swing music in my downtime, just not at that obsessive, exclusionary level.

So I need to preview, if only to refresh my recollection. That said, previewing is definitely not a substitute for keeping in touch with your music.

[dogpossum]

any tips from other djs who have made the switch from non-preview djing, to preview djing, would be a great help.

Not so much a tip...
I've just started previewing as well (I've only been DJing about 18months). I started using headphones + external soundcard (+itunes and DJ1800) at an exchange a few months ago. First time I tried it I totally screwed up. Second time - muuuuch better. And things have only gotten improved.


I now always preview when I'm DJing.
It means that I don't make the 'oh crap, that's not the song I was thinking of' mistake. It doesn't necessarily make me any better a DJ. But I can hope, right?

Here are some things I've noticed:
cons:
- previewing means bringing more gear to gigs. I ride a bike or catch PT so this is getting to be a bit of a pain - I have to lug that gear on my back.

- I'm a bit worried about breaking my sennheiser headphones. But not that worried.

- I have noticed that it's a bit easy to get lost in my music playing the previewing game and too easy to get distracted from watching the floor. I'm so busy chasing the perfect song I forget to watch the floor. This doesn't happen often, but it has happened once or twice

- cord tangle city. I tend to play gigs at venues where the DJ set up is cramped and inconveniently close to high-trafic areas. Having a bunch of cords dangling off me and the laptop while adrenaline junkies scamper past is getting a bit scary.

pros:
- I like the hush of wearing headphones even when I'm not actually listening to music. I just like the quiet - it chills me out a bit and rests my ears. me = 100% dag

- I tend to play new songs - I don't rely on my standards so much. This is actually pretty exciting because I feel like I'm finally doing something new with my DJing, rather than just playing the same old Hamp/Basie mix. I'm actually using all my new stuff, not just my old faves.

- it saved my life doing a blues set recently. I hardly ever DJ blues any more, so I'm really out of touch with my music-for-blues-dancing. I listen to it, but I don't listen to it thinking 'would this be good for dancing?'. It helped me transition between styles (because I didn't have to rely on my memory of a song - I could listen and check the styles would mix), and it helped me play a wider range of styles (which was important for that particular crowd: hardcore party-hardy blues dancers into a range of tempos and with plenty of highenergy stuff - not just cuddling-and-grinding blues).


Something else I've done recently that helped me with playing new stuff: I accidently deleted my 'should play' shortlist. Which meant that I had to then go through all my music and select new stuff to short list. Stuff I hadn't played in ages or new stuff or just stuff that I should play.
I'm the queen of shortlists (I also have playlists called things like 'lindy hop', 'blues', 'recent lindy', 'hi-fi old school', 'fun scratchy', 'safety songs') and it's been good to 'start from scratch' with a whole new set of old/new songs.

This also meant I had to do more previewing, rather than just relying on a memory of how a song went ages ago.


Prepping
Lawrence's comment about prepping is important for me.
I'm the queen of 'practicing'. If I don't spend a couple of hours playing 'pretend set' before I do a gig, I'm more likely to play 'safe songs' and do an ordinary gig. I take more risks and do more interesting stuff if I've practiced.
I prep even though I also preview. And I kind of like it - it's fun and nice to spend some time just sitting on the couch playing with my music and ignoring the things I should be doing.


I don't get a chance to listen to music much during the day any more - I spend most of my time doing things where music isn't possible - working on lectures (ie preparing them, editing and previewing footage for screening, etc) and trotting around campus dealing with students.
I'm also having to watch a lot more telly and listen to a lot more non-swing radio because I'm teaching media and my jazz-obsession has kind of limited my exposure to mainstream media! Curse you for your addictive show, Mr Jesse!

[Lawrence]

- I'm a bit worried about breaking my sennheiser headphones.
* * * *
- cord tangle city. I tend to play gigs at venues where the DJ set up is cramped and inconveniently close to high-trafic areas. Having a bunch of cords dangling off me and the laptop while adrenaline junkies scamper past is getting a bit scary.

You can solve both problems by just carrying a small set of earbuds or some $25 over-the ear headphones with a shorter cord. (Laptop DJing eliminates the need for a long cord, eliminating cord clutter, which I agree is a bad thing).

I can't believe you bring anything Sennheiser for DJing (even cheap ones are expensive). They are great headphones, and you have good taste, but why burn them out and put them through the wear and tear?

[dogpossum]

I can't believe you bring anything Sennheiser for DJing (even cheap ones are expensive). They are great headphones, and you have good taste, but why burn them out and put them through the wear and tear?

They're literally the only headphones I own - and were a present. I've only just discovered how expensive they are.
I've been thinking about some cheaper ones, but these are just so nice to use... it's a dilemma. I guess part of me is thinking 'I can spend the money I save on riding a bike on new headphones'
But really, it is a worry and I have been considering new (cheap) headphones, but how can I decide between a new CD and new headphones?

[Lawrence]

But really, it is a worry and I have been considering new (cheap) headphones, but how can I decide between a new CD and new headphones?

By re-framing it into a choice between 1) unnecessarily ruining $300-$500 headphones while cluttering up your travel, and 2) buying just another CD.... A $300-$500 loss is more important to avoid than buying two $12 CDs.

[david]

I can't believe you bring anything Sennheiser for DJing (even cheap ones are expensive). They are great headphones, and you have good taste, but why burn them out and put them through the wear and tear?

I broke my Sennheisers while DJing. I stood up from the chair with my foot firmly placed on the cord. Hopefully I can get someone to replace the cord. And no, this is not one of those where the cord is detachable.