SwingDJs

From reading this board and from looking at many other DJ’s I’ve noticed that a lot of Swing DJ’s don’t preview before spinning a track. To me I find previewing one of the most important parts of my DJing. I think the only occasion I haven’t previewed, is when I have to chose a track ASAP and I’ve only go a few seconds left on the previous song. When that happens, I will only play a song that I know inside out and I’d still prefer that I could preview it.

My reasons for Previewing.

1. To try to ensure that the track I’m previewing will some way flow on from the previous song.
2. During the time I’m previewing, I look out at the dance floor; to see how the mood and feeling is working, then decide it the track I’m previewing will work.
3. To make sure I’ve got the right number Track (or CD) cued up.
4. To check the intro. Some of my live recordings have announcements at the start that I sometimes cut out.
5. To check volume level. It’s always nice to having the track coming in at an ear friendly volume.
6. I can play a greater range of my CD collection. I don’t know every song inside out and I’m more likely to look for material I haven’t played before if I can preview it.

At the moment when I’m DJing about 40% of the tracks I preview I don’t play, as I’m not happy with them. With out previewing 40% of my set would not be a good as I would like it to be.

So what I’m wondering is how do DJ’s manage to DJ with out previewing? I’d be very limited in my DJing if I couldn’t preview.

Brian

I only do it when I'm forced to. I play songs by memory.

Bob the Builder wrote: So what I'm wondering is how do DJ's manage to DJ with out previewing? I'd be very limited in my DJing if I couldn't preview.

Brian

I'm relying on a decent memory and some luck. And sometimes playing the wrong track (as mentioned in a previous thread) isn't such a bad thing.

Maybe I ought to start bring a d20 to dances and just playing what I roll.

Tina

I always carry a CD player as preview back-up but I can do just about anything from memory. I'm kinda cursed that way.

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Kalman

This is why Lindy/DJ/D&D geeks are the best!

Tina

Bob the Builder wrote:
4. To check the intro. Some of my live recordings have announcements at the start that I sometimes cut out.

I forgot to make this point earlier...

If there's an intro I need to skip on a particular track, I put a little note on my track sheet as to how much time I need to skip. That also helps me eliminate the need to preview.

Sometimes I'll play it anyway... it gives the dancers a chance to rest and pick their next partner, should they recognize the song/intro.

Tina

I skip the first 43 seconds of Crosby/Armstrong doing Now You Has Jazz. too much vocal patter, not enough ass-kicking.

I almost ALWAYS preview: can't really conceive doing a good job without doing so. All regular venues of mine have gear that allows previewing.

Otherwise, I rely on my own notes and memory. Or compilations.

I bring my own mixer/cd player if I can - primarily so that I can preview/cue.

So many swing venues have such crappy equipment. How many times have you had to DJ off of two walkmans? I can't stand it. It makes it so i can't dance because I have to spend so much more time taking care of everything.

There are those that are blessed with a different type of memory than mine, but for my money, the peace of mind of listening to a little bit of a song before it goes out is much preferable. _d

If you play off a laptop, how do you preview?

http://www.swingdjs.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=106
http://www.swingdjs.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=473

I don't preview. I do all my previewing in advance when I pick out which songs are good to play and annotate them (before) or put them onto compilations (now). I remember the songs pretty well. But I also respect those DJs that feel it helps them to preview.

my superpower is understanding BPM charts

I didn't think I could spin an entire set without previewing but I managed a preview-free evening (three hours minus a 20 minute break) a couple weeks ago. It turned out to be a pretty good evening although I stuck to the stuff I knew best and didn't play any risky stuff.

I'd still prefer headphones and a preview capable sound system.

I like previewing more because I like to know whether the song's sound quality is ok or not. In order to combat this I've began catologuing all my music. What this means, though, is that I have to listen to EVERY song in my collection, I BPM it, take the time, and write a little note about the song, what it's like energy wise, if it's danceable or not and so on. I've been doing this so I can take the cd inserts out of my binders because they've been weighing them down. It's just VERY tedious work to do.

Harrison