Tips for finding the right 'next song' in the heat of DJing

[Haydn]

I was wondering about this after DJing last night. Together with many DJs on this forum, I've found that one of the most important parts of DJing a swing dance is choosing the right 'next song'. This involves reading 'the floor' while each track is playing and actively selecting an appropriate tune to follow.

Although I usually spend a lot of time preparing for a DJ session, I often find myself falling short when choosing the next song in the heat of a live set. Sometimes as soon as I've started the next track, I know it's the wrong one, and the reaction of the crowd usually confirms this. Later I go through my tunes and realise which track I SHOULD have played at that time. Unfortunately for me, it's a bit late by then

So I wondered if anyone has any tips for finding the right 'next song' during a set?

[kitkat]

Hoo boy.

Well...

I think my advice is going to be to scale down to audiences you don't care about your reputation in front of.

You want some dancers, of course, so you can read reactions--putting together sets in your living room will only work so well (though dancing w/ an air partner to them could get you closer to figuring it out than just listening).

But you don't want dancers whose judgments of your quality as a DJ will follow you once you've gotten better at DJing for dancers.




I, for example, started at a swing dance where the previous "DJ" was a series of mix CDs on random, where no one paid to get in, where I wasn't from their country, and where the dancers were good enough at dancing to give me feedback but 95% uninvolved enough with "the lindy scene" to have out-of-town friends to spread the word to about how good or bad I was at DJing.

If you can't find something as ideal as my beginner situation, then I'd say try a combination of 1) sets for yourself in your living room where you try to keep up pretend-partner-dancing and 2) sets for some trusted dancer friends in your living room.




Oh, and I suppose there is one other thing that can help, but I didn't do it until I'd had a couple of months with my "foreigner in a park full of local non-involved lindy hoppers" gig: DJing a very short set in a very long night where you're dancing to DJs [preferably before and] after you. You'll cringe and wince at your own musical choices for people whose opinions you're nervious about, just like last night. While those feelings are fresh in your head, you'll get to be dancing to people who make better choices than you and think, "Aha!" It'll help train your subconscious.

[remysun]

Always have a backup song ready. Mistakes can be undone.

Don't think of your playlist as an order you have to get through. You are not a band. Instead create connections between the songs of your collection, so that you will be prepared for a game of Mornington Crescent.

Be aware of pack mentality. It exists in every crowd. Beginners, hard core? This could determine whether you should play "In the Mood"

Balance the WTF?! and trad malaise. I had this much better defined, but I'm not starting from scratch again. Basically, some of your set has to be new to keep interest. Usually, this is achieved through non-swing, but it just has to be something that's not part of the standard repetoire. Be careful of non-Swing. Think of the first time you heard the swing scene play, let's say, Black Eyed Peas. Think of the last time. Non-swing loses its effect much more quickly, because part of the point is novelty and fashion.

What do you think of Soulja Boy Crank Dat?

If you really want to learn something, you can videotape your set, with the focus on the edge of the floor, and who's sitting down in the back. Fast forward through your songs You know them, and you can figure out who's dancing by the traffic to the floor. Instead, focus on the transitions. You will notice who's getting up, sitting down and talking, resting, dancing, leaving. Keep track of who, and how many, are doing a certain action. There's a butterfly effect, especially when the action is performed by an alpha. One person starts something, and then another and another. Minimize negative occurences, like sitting and talking, and leaving. Analyze your sequitur, to make sure your connecting with the whole crowd, because the room is the dynamic.

If you're looking around the room in a live situation, which is all I've ever really done, keep track of who's dancing and who's not. If you're getting rotation, people dancing, people resting, that's good. If there are coach potatoes, they should be your focus, especially if you know they can dance. Sometimes they are looking to converse, but often nowadays, I find that constant talkers and sitters mean the music does not appeal to them.

Too often, I find that an early DJ thinks they're good cause the numbers are up when they begin. Crowd retention is actually more important. If the later DJ is better, what often happens is that the crowd loss is halted, and people stick around, although you also have to know whether you are dealing with beginnerss or hardcores. If a DJ can notice a group taking off their shoes and putting on their coats, and that DJ can influence them to stay with a change of music-- that DJ is a master of mind control. This is usually achieved by a great WTF, because the persuasion song must be Unexpected Swing, and contrary to the factors that were leading to departure.

Sometimes, though, people have to get up in the morning. But knowing the difference between that and a deficiency in the set can keep the mass exodus from occuring.

Stay on top of it, and you'll do fine, even if you make mistakes. DJs' reputations are built up through time, and only diminished through systematic disregard over time as well. Quite possibly, if the exodus does not have people readying to leave, you have achieved a resting exodus. This means you probably wore out the crowd on that last fast number. Don't keep the tempo that high.

Michael

[wspeid]

I agree about thinking in terms of transitions and short mini-sets. Invest some time into finding things that work for you in advance and then when the mood is right try them out. I've also handed the headphones over to select friends sometimes to ask, "what do you think of this?" and been surprised to hear them say, "it reminds me of so and so", which I hadn't heard myself, but there's another possible transition.

One thing I've found is whenever I've got something new that I'm unsure of I'll pair it with something I know has worked well in the past. That way if you don't stumble too horribly on the first song you can always say your were using it to cleanse the musical pallette and provide some contrast. Dancers will forgive an occasional rare stinker if they can jump up and get back on the floor the next song.

Lastly, it sounds like you're doing your followup research, but do think about why something didn't work and learn from it. However, remember that just because something doesn't work the first time doesn't mean that it might not work somewhere else under different circumstances.

[dogpossum]

This is kind of a long post, but I think about this stuff a whole lot and I have a few minutes before I have to start work....


Like wspeid, I always have (what I think of as) a 'safety song' ready if I'm taking a punt with something new. I've found dancers will forgive a fuck up if I follow up with something everyone can dance to.

I tend to play a chunk of songs that are familiar/safety songs, a chunk of songs which are sort-of familiar (ie crowd favourites, the latest craze, etc) and a (smaller) chunk of songs which are new.
If I'm DJing out of town, then I use a slightly different combination - I don't know what's 'familiar' in that town, so I use songs that I know are safety songs or guaranteed good stuff. If it's an exchange or another event where people are from all over the place and ready to dance like crazy dancing fools, I use more songs which I feel are great but which are under-used or new (in my collection) - exchange dancers are more tolerant of change, I think (this could be an Australian thing - we don't have as many exchanges as America, so exchanges can be kind of manic).


I don't ever play 'novelty' unswing songs, but I might use the same tactic in principle, changing the mood of the room dramatically with an abrupt shift in style.
I might, for example, go from lo-fi scratchies to something hi-fi and new testament (something that's often effective - it sounds fresher, clearer and more energising and inspires me, getting me back in the groove... oh, and the dancers, too ).
I prefer older oldschool stuff, so I'm always thinking 'get back over there to the olden days' when I'm DJing, whether I'm doing lindy or blues. So while I might be gradually moving back to older stuff, the transition clears the air.
I might also suddenly drop in something really fast and crazy high energy if I'm having trouble convincing the crowd they'd like to dance above 140bpm. This often gets up the dancers who are comfier with faster music and inspires those who aren't. I then follow up with something faster than the previous songs, higher energy, but not quite as fast as the stunt song I'd just played. And then my average tempo is higher.
I also play a couple of tracks which don't sound as fast as they actually are (Lunceford's 'Stomp It Off' - 1934 is one of my faves), but feel 'lighter' and fun. They're good to get people dancing, even if they think they're too tired/hot/bored to dance faster.

Of course, these are all contingency plans. If I do this every few songs it's like changing gear without the clutch - like listening to a Learner DJ. It's nicer to move gradually through changes. But this 'stunt DJing' (that's how I think of it - taking calculated risks which are essentially flash and trash) can be very effective.

If I'm feeling a bit lacking in confidence or just can't find my groove (especially if I've played a few failures and am getting a bit flustered), I don't pull this stunt stuff - I play it safe. I have had sets where I've just desperately tried to get back into the groove by using too many stunt songs and the set has been disjointed and clunky and the dancers have started thinking 'what's going on?' (I like them to just be dancing like fools and not really paying attention to individual songs - if they're sitting on the side lines talking about the music, I'm in trouble). So I'm more conservative with this stuff now.

Sometimes if I'm really screwing up and just can't get it together, I think 'let's start right back at the beginning' and make like I'm starting my set again. I find something safe and kind of moderate in energy (or starts moderate and works up to higher energy) and then start working a 'wave' back up - to higher energy and higher tempos. 'Everyday I have the Blues' (Basie, from Breakfast Dance and BBQ) is one of my favourites for this, even if it's so slow. It feels really energised and fun. I think the simple, chunking beat is helpful. I like Basie for stunt songs because he can just be such simple, effective dancing music*. He makes people dance, even if they're busy being cranky. I also like Maxine Sullivan's 'Massachusetts' (from A Tribute To Andy Razaf) for this stuff - kind of friendly, doable for every dancer on the floor, simple, chunking beat, really makes you want to dance. And the Buddy Johnson album Walk Em is full of safe tracks which can help me rebuild a room - I like to make myself giggle by playing 'Be Careful (if you can't be good)' if I've just fucked up big time.

Once I've played this safer, simpler stuff, I can then start working back to more challenging**, interesting stuff.



*understatement much?
** challenging as in faster or more complicated rhythms or less familiar - not unswing, but just music that pushes you a bit.

[J-h:n]

This is all excellent advise. It's also perhaps a little too general to be much help when you're right there in the middle of it, frantically flipping through your collection for that perfect next song. So here's a small, practical trick:

Make lists.

You probably have a fairly good idea what sort of songs you usually find yourself searching for. So start making a list of really great songs for each category you can think of - Rather Fast Tunes With Really High Energy, Nice And Relaxed Medium-Tempo Songs, Somewhat Slower Bluesy Stuff, whatever works for you. You might want to make separate lists for vintage and hi-fi if you like to play both.

Write the lists down on paper or make playlists on your computer or whatever's convenient. Add more songs every time you're listening to your music. Make sure to add That Perfect Song that you came to think of on your way home from the dance. Write what comments you might find handy. If you use cds, note which one every song is on.

Bring your lists when you dj. Don't rely on them, but in a crisis, consult them. It could save your skin, or at least your peace of mind.

[Haydn]

I always have (what I think of as) a 'safety song' ready if I'm taking a punt with something new.

I tend to play a chunk of songs that are familiar/safety songs, a chunk of songs which are sort-of familiar (ie crowd favourites, the latest craze, etc) and a (smaller) chunk of songs which are new ...

... Sometimes if I'm really screwing up and just can't get it together, I think 'let's start right back at the beginning' and make like I'm starting my set again. I find something safe and kind of moderate in energy (or starts moderate and works up to higher energy) and then start working a 'wave' back up - to higher energy and higher tempos.

... the Buddy Johnson album Walk Em is full of safe tracks which can help me rebuild a room ... Once I've played this safer, simpler stuff, I can then start working back to more challenging**, interesting stuff.

I started relating to that stuff about safety songs and "stunt" songs. Funnily enough, as soon as you mentioned safety songs, I thought of Buddy Johnson. I've found the song Walk Em itself to be a reliable 'floor filler' for most situations.

Stunts that I've failed with a few times are extended 'live' versions of songs. Another thing I've noticed is that when I decide I want to play an exciting new song I've found, it usually gets a disappointing response. Whereas if I play 'Walk 'Em' or 'Lindy Hop Heaven' or 'Yes Indeed' I'm doing it for them - these tracks aren't fresh and exciting to me, but there is a lot of satisfaction in seeing people having fun dancing to something they enjoy.

The idea of safety and stunts also made me think of DJing as taking a group on a sight seeing tour. As their tour guide I need to remember the whole group and avoid showing them too many different things at once - or they'll lose interest.

[Toon Town Dave]

Stunts that I've failed with a few times are extended 'live' versions of songs. Another thing I've noticed is that when I decide I want to play an exciting new song I've found, it usually gets a disappointing response. Whereas if I play 'Walk 'Em' or 'Lindy Hop Heaven' or 'Yes Indeed' I'm doing it for them - these tracks aren't fresh and exciting to me, but there is a lot of satisfaction in seeing people having fun dancing to something they enjoy.

I generally like to listen to new music critically a few times before I'll consider playing it for an audience. There's lots of stuff that I really dig after a listen or two but after listening more critically, it's not always as good for dancing or at least not for all dancers.

Other than that, pay attention to what other DJs are doing and what works or doesn't for them. Our own mistakes are a great learning tool but learning from others' mistakes is just as good ad less risky.

[sdswingr]

well I don't have much input on this, but...back before we were all big huge music snobs, when all djing was still done off of cd's... I don't really remember creating much of a set list, and all my djing was on the fly.
I still think I am a much better dj when I use my cds anyway, because finding that song, when you don't remember exactly the hell is that song, is way easier when you know which cd it is on and where specifically that disc is in your book.

so I guess I am saying, put away the computer for a while, and see what happens.

[russell]

One tip that helps me remember/find songs:

I use iTunes as my library and associate the CD cover as an image to the relevant songs. This gives me a visual cue in my memory and in iTunes to particular CDs. Also you can set a "flip through CDs" sort of view on your search area. Then can get the best of both worlds - the visual association of CDs and the seach capability of the computer.

[fredo]

so I guess I am saying, put away the computer for a while, and see what happens.

no thanks. I'm too feeble-minded to remember all those pesky album titles. I'll use my DJsnob2.0 software to search and sort my music-- I can even let it show me album art if I can't remember which goofy black and white smiley picture is on the front of my favorite Classics album. And when I'm feeling 'on the fly' I just let DJ Shuffle pull up some music for me!

sorry for the snarky reply, but computer vs CDs doesn't seem like a real factor when considering 'in the moment' song choices. It may shake up a DJ into changing their routines but this topic seems more about fine tuning, so the hypothetical question still remains...how do you pick your next song? ...lots of valid advice above.

[russell]

My approach is to have some broad guidelines I use:
- the flow approach - taking the tempo up in increments (then I usually drop the tempo in one step)
- if I have played a long song then I try to play a short song afterwards
- I try to mix it up in terms of the styles of swing music
- I will follow up a newer song with an old favourite so set not dominated by all new or all old songs

Then in the heat of the DJ set I will use my intuition to choose songs - I don't over-rationalise the choice of a particular song. I suppose that intuition is informed by my experience and the knowledge of my music, and observation of the floor.

There is lots of stuff out there currently about the use of intuition in decision making and I thing the DJing situation fits the context where intuitive decision making is appropriate/required. See

http://www.time-management-guide.com/in ... aking.html

[Toon Town Dave]

I agree, there are pros and cons to both CD and laptop technologies. Having a laptop allows me to carry more music, especially when traveling. That gives me a lot of choice in the music at my disposal so there are often many good choices to follow a particular recording.

To choose the next recording, I usually think about a sound, style and tempo to take me in the direction I want to go (thinking about 2 to 5 songs beyond what's currently playing. From there I narrow the search to specific songs are artists. So if song A is playing, is was chosen with B in mind and B was chosen with A in mind.

Also, some crowds are tougher to read. There's one scene I spin for once or twice a year that I have a really hard time reading. I just can never predict the response. The DJ before me may pack the floor with one jump blues tune, while I may clear the floor with a similar tune and then pack it later in the set with another similar tune.

[dogpossum]

This is all excellent advise. It's also perhaps a little too general to be much help when you're right there in the middle of it, frantically flipping through your collection for that perfect next song. So here's a small, practical trick:

Make lists.

I've found this approach really useful. I have a few lists ('lindy hop by artist', 'lindy hop by bpm', etc) which are really the same list of songs, ordered according to different criteria. But I tend to use consistent describing words in my comments fields to make searches easier, rather than a whole series of set lists. I tend to use the terms 'upenergy', 'mediumenergy' and 'lowenergy' a lot, so when I search for 'upenergy' I can pretty much guarantee I'll get all the songs I think of as 'upenergy'. This means that I don't have to create a whole new separate folder or smartlist (I use itunes), but can create lists on the fly. I also go through my music regularly, relistening and updating these terms as my DJing experience increases and my understanding of my music changes.

Ideally, I'd know my music well enough to be able to do away with this stuff, but I'm too busy to devote that much time to my music.

I do think, though, that as my knowledge of music and musical history increases, my DJing improves.
I mean, I start to know what to expect if, for example, the artist is Alberta Hunter. And then, as my collection expands, I start to know what to expect if the artist is, for example, Duke Ellington, 1940; Duke Ellington, 1929; Cootie Williams and his Rug Cutters 1937; or Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra 1938. Knowing this stuff helps me know what to expect when I play a song with these details, even if I can't exactly remember the melody of the song itself...

...and of course, previewing with headphones helps me figure out exactly how the song goes and how it might work with the song that's playing already. And there's really no substitute for dancing to a song to see if it works...though I find as I dance less and less generally I'm increasingly dependent on the reaction of the dancers...



Something I've wondered, though:
I find that when I'm DJing my regular venues (a fortnightly dance and a weekly dance) or an exchange, I aim for really high energy, crazy arse dancing all night.
I also tend to open the night rather than close (I prefer dancing after I've DJed), so I'm lucky to have what I think of as a relatively 'cool' room (which seems ridiculous to type now, in 37 degree summer heat, preparing for a set tonight), which I then aim, ideally, to build up to fever pitch, setting up a pumping party crowd for the next DJ. If I do the second set, I try to keep the energy up, but also build in some mellower stuff to give dancers an emotional 'break' before building it back up.

Even when I'm DJing blues, I prefer a higher energy room. The tempos might be really low, but I like an energetic room.

But when I do mellower gigs (I've done some afternoon sets for families at Spiegeltent), I'm not sure how to work the energy in the room. Crazy arse, manic energy lindy doesn't really work when you're playing for a mixed afternoon tea crowd of lindy hoppers, kids, grandparents, parents and teenagers (even if they're all up and dancing). Nor if you're playing for a calmer, Monday evening post-class group who're really interested in drinking and chatting and catching up as well as dancing.

Here's my question:

If you're DJing a mellower gig like that, what do you aim for, in terms of 'vibe'? What sort of songs would you play? How do you choose songs to develop a particular vibe, and what sort of vibe do you aim for? How does it change your approach to 'the wave', in Russell's sense especially?

[kitkat]

I generally like to listen to new music critically a few times

Or "one-time"/"two-times" shortcut to listening "critically"--dance to it while listening to it!