Off Your Game?

Message

mousethief · #1 Post by **mousethief** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:48 am

I spent the better part of Saturday listening to music for the final touches of my Yehoodi show and got caught in the wrong mindset for DJing a dance. Everyone had a good time and I kept the floor moving but I was always a step behind and never quite "got it."

How do you all work yourselves out of the rut?

Kalman

wheresmygravy · #2 Post by **wheresmygravy** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:19 am

I know you were off your game, but I still had a great time Saturday night. You played some stuff we haven't touched in many moons (Hucklebuck, Buena Sera).

But, back to the real question, what do you do when you are not on your game? I hate that feeling, it feels like I spend three minutes looking thru my book and 10 hurried seconds just throwing something in the deck before the song ends. Those are very stressful nights. I wish I knew how to get rid of them also. Maybe a couple of shots of liquid courage from the back pack

mousethief · #3 Post by **mousethief** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:25 am

wheresmygravy wrote:I know you were off your game, but I still had a great time Saturday night. You played some stuff we haven't touched in many moons (Hucklebuck, Buena Sera).

Not "Buena Sera" - "Basin Street Blues/Sleepy Time Down South."

Yeah, it still felt lopsided and stanky. You played a good set, though. My hand off was weak - should have told you about "Stompin' at the Savoy."

My bad.

Kalman

Mr Awesomer · #4 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:48 am

mousethief wrote: How do you all work yourselves out of the rut?

Work through your book one CD at a time, playing one track that you've never played before off of each album.

ScottieK · #5 Post by **ScottieK** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:53 am

I had that type of night last night. I try and slow down and look at my book CD by CD and see what I could play, though mostly I just suck it up and do my best.

Nate Dogg · #6 Post by **Nate Dogg** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:02 am

If things are not going well, I will play proven favorites. Songs I am sick of that have been overplayed. Hits.

Luckily, there are a lot of proven songs, some of them I hardly ever get around to playing.

As a compilation DJ, I pretty much have specific mix CDs that will always get me out of a jam.

Nathan

gatorgal · #7 Post by **gatorgal** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:06 am

mousethief wrote:I spent the better part of Saturday listening to music for the final touches of my Yehoodi show and got caught in the wrong mindset for DJing a dance. Everyone had a good time and I kept the floor moving but I was always a step behind and never quite "got it."

How do you all work yourselves out of the rut?

Kalman

I actually just try to slog through it. I figure at some point I'll get back into the flow of things.

Tina

julius · #8 Post by **julius** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:28 am

I solve it by only DJing once every 7.5 years of my life, on average.

Swifty · #9 Post by **Swifty** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:13 pm

Some say that's entirely too much.

mousethief · #10 Post by **mousethief** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:26 pm

Blues! Blues is good!

Kalman

Jerry_Jelinek · #11 Post by **Jerry_Jelinek** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:34 pm

This kind of rut happens in radio and dance DJ work.

Here is a simple trick that one of the veteran DJs at the radio station I volunteer at taught me.

Keep a 30 or 60 min play list handy that you know has worked in the past. When you 'feel' the rutt happening, stop what your doing and pull out of the old stand by play list.

It sounds contrived, but it works everytime.

Hope it helps,

Jerry

wheresmygravy · #12 Post by **wheresmygravy** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:37 pm

mousethief wrote: Not "Buena Sera" - "Basin Street Blues/Sleepy Time Down South."

Kalman

Oh Yeah DOH!

You played several I wanted to know the details on, but I was having too much fun dancing to 'em.

mousethief · #13 Post by **mousethief** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:57 pm

That helps, J_J. I note almost all my sets, so I could use those for hands-on fix-alls.

Thanks,

Kalman

julius · #14 Post by **julius** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:10 pm

mousethief wrote:Blues! Blues is good!

*LAUGHS his fool head off*

julius · #15 Post by **julius** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:11 pm

Swifty wrote:Some say that's entirely too much.

I like how your new avatar isn't afraid to demonstrate your horribly thinning hair to the world at large. That takes guts. I salute you.

*combs his lustrous, dark hair*

SwingDJs

Off Your Game?

Off Your Game?

Re: Off Your Game?

Re: Off Your Game?