DJing Basics
How to DJ for Beginners
Learning Rekordbox:
Rekordbox is the DJ Software we manage and play music out of. The next two videos will give you a great insight on how to upload prepare your music before your events.
Joe’s Notes:
• This guy’s channel is wonderful! Check this video playlist out!
• This is a great video because he is using Rekordbox and using the DJ-Controller we have our DJs practice on. (Contact Joe if you would like to borrow one of our practice controllers).
• The layout of controllers are generally the same. The more expensive units just have more buttons but the important buttons are in generally the same location.
• A main reason we use the Pioneer DDJ-800 is because of the inputs and outputs on the back of the unit. As well as the ability to plug in multiple mics and an aux cable.
• Your controller outputs will be XLR to the QSC speakers XLR input.
• A majority of our music has intro edit where the intro of the song is extended to 8 to 32 bars. This give you extra time to mix in and out of songs.
The Importance of Cue Points
How Joe Does Cue Points:
• I mark each song on where I want to get into a song and get of out a song. An intro cue point where I want to start mixing and another where I want to have fully made the transition. An outro cue point of where I want to start mixing out and another where I want to be fully made the transition to the other song.
• A huge part of event prep is going through all the popular wedding music and marking your cue points.
• Cue points are great ways to load and track and quickly get it into the position you would like the song to start.
• In the intro of each song I either mark when the intro loop/edit begins or where the vocal hook begins.
• Some songs should be dropped on the vocal and some need to be beat matched in.
• Luckily, a majority of the music we play is recorded on a clip track and generally all popular weddings songs have a similar format that allows us to get in and out of a song at similar points.
BE A BETTER WEDDING DJ VIDEO
Joe’s Notes:
• Either loop the instrumental section in the beginning of the song or back off on the volume so your voice is clear when announcing the grand entrance.
• Try to get the music drop to happen right after you announce everyone in.
How DJ Joe DJ’s Manges His Music
Joe’s Notes:
• As wedding DJs it is so important for us to play music that will get people on the dance floor. This means it is typically music that hear on the radio. Typically that means no remixes or version that the mass population has not heard. However, a majority of our tracks we play during open dancing are original versions of the songs but with an intro edit to help us make transitions between the songs.
• When getting from song to song you want to keep the energy up. Transitions should be made to either enhance the current song or bring the next song in even stronger.
• It is important for you to have the top 200 songs playlist in your Rekordbox. You also need to create a playlist of songs that get people on the dance floor when you are DJing. These are kind of like your call cards or what makes you unique from someone else on our DJ roster.
• Making Intelligent playlist with decades in them makes it easy to access older music.
• Always have a recent hits playlist of songs that are massively popular in the last month to three months.
10 Tips 4 First Time Wedding DJs
Joe’s Notes:
Each couple will schedule a call with you via a Calendly that you will setup after training. Each couple also receives and completes a questionnaire and planning forms for the music and the logistics of their wedding. During the meeting you will go over their music and their timeline and any other details to help you rock their wedding.
Let your couples know about all of your past experience and why you are going to rock their wedding!
The previous section goes over on how to make your reception and ceremony setups as clean as possible.
The couple’s information and name should be embedded in your head. I like to tell myself whose wedding I’m DJing that week. “I’m DJing ___ and ____ wedding this weekend!”
95% of our weddings have coordinators or planners. If they do not have one they will typically have a personal attendant that will help you keep up with the timeline. One of the most important parts of our jobs as wedding DJs is making sure the timeline is followed as close as possible. Most of the time the timeline will change but you should stick relatively close to it.
You will have a list of these printed out, on your phone, ipad, laptop, and inside of your DJ software.
Our company wear is black pants (I love the Lululemon ABC pants), a single color dress shirt, a blazer, and dress shoes.
A lot of time you have to take charge. 8.5. THE BRIDE / COUPLE RUNS THE SHOW. They get what they want 99.9% of the time.
Your couple will dictate how much you should interact. Most couples want you to get people from point a to point b along with making sure everyone pays attention to the big moments. Some couples want you to be more encouraging and interactive.
You can do this! The best part of weddings is that they are 99% the same. It’s kind of like riding a bike. Once you learn you never forget and it just gets easier and easier.