If you want to work on an extra-long mix between two songs, go for it.Įvery hour or two, break up the mix with two major weapons in the DJ arsenal: You can let your songs breath – so if you want to play the extended version of a track, do it. Playing an extended set really gives you, the musical curator, a lot of space to work with.
When I’m in control I can also cleanse the dancefloor - give people a break or a breather and then bring them back, and do that several times throughout the night.” – DJ Harvey ( excerpt from a full interview at SF Weekly) You can start ambient, then slowly build up to several peaks during an evening. “ when I DJ for six, or eight, or 10 hours, there’s room to do an awful lot with the music. A lot!” – David Morales AT THE GIG: PACE YOURSELF (MUSICALLY) DJ Harvey regularly plays very, very long DJ sets In the old days, you packed a lot of records. I will just go through my library and create a playlist of old tunes. Make a playlist for high energy tracks that you absolutely know need to get played, and also another playlist for songs that you want to test out or that are deeper cuts.Ī long set is the perfect opportunity for digital DJs to shine because you’re already carrying your entire music library – no packing crates of vinyl and wheeling them into the club. As Simon notes, you’re going to need a good range of music that is appropriate for different moods. Instead focus on making sure you have good collections of music for different parts of the night. Planning out your entire set is out of the question when you’re staring down this long of a set time. “Make sure you have sufficient range, don’t be afraid to take it much deeper & slower than you might normally do, and make sure you have ample music at your fingertips.” – Elite Force (Simon Shackleton) We’ve collected some great advice for any DJ training for this type of marathon set in a few key sections below: BEFORE THE GIG: PREPARE FOR THE NIGHT
But when time behind the decks starts stretching on past five hours, it becomes less of a simple set and more of a marathon. The length of a set will vary wildly depending on the type of gig, and each type of event presents its own set of challenges. How can you prepare for sets that last all day or all night? Read on for our tips, including advice from experienced long-haul performers Elite Force, David Morales, and DJ Harvey.Ī very rough approximation of “average” DJ set times – most don’t touch the five+ hour mark.Īn average set time for a “typical” DJ set can run anywhere from a relatively quick 45 minutes to a longer 4 hour set. As the length of a set increases, the more it differs from a “normal” set. Major Lazer – Know No Better (feat Quavo)īeatvandals vs A.Most DJs who play a lot of gigs will at some point get the opportunity to take on a marathon gig, spinning tracks for upwards of 5 hours. Major Lazer – Know No Better (Flamingo Cartel Remix) Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots (Mighty Atom Scratch Edit)īeatvandals vs A.skillz – Beat Don’t Stop // Remember Me Refix
The Allergies – Blast Off (feat Andy Cooper) Remixĭusty Donuts – Funky Thang (Marc Hype & Naughty NMX Underground edit)ĭJ Love & Special Ed – Something Like This (Jim Sharp Remix)īeatvandals & A.skillz – Blowin’ Up (Original Mix) & Rakim – Paid In Full (Seven Minutes of Music – The Coldcut Remix)įat Joe feat Nelly – Get It Poppin’ (Roast Beatz Philly Remix)ĭe La Soul – Ring Ring Ring (Party Line Mix) Shaka Loves You / Fullee Love – Boogie (Original Mix)Īrrested Development – People Everyday (Slow jam Funkymix)Įric B. Groovin vibes with old and new school sounds all in the mid tempo range, go check this one out ! Starting off with Shaka Loves You new jam DJ Lemon sets the tone for an all out funky breaks extravaganza mix with that hip hop flavour. Notorious B.I.G – Mo Money Mo Problems (Jet Boot Jack Remix) Nick Thayer // Will Styles – Shake Like Ya Mama (Original Mix) Lil Jon // Ying Yang Twins – Get Low (Acapella) Krafty Kuts // Dynamite MC – Get Up & DanceĬhance The Rapper – Forget Me All Night (Nike Bike Blend) Krafty Skillz – Music Sounds Better // Party Chic BangerĪ.skillz / Beatvandals – Sunshine (Original Mix) Prosper – Gimme What you Got (feat Badboe)
Hip Hop infused funky breaks are the order of the day here, well worth a download and a listen and if your up for it a boogie too. This is such a funky mix ! DJ Lemon drops some funk bombs in this one with a track selection of some not so new beats that work very well together in the mix.