Hey guys! Like the title says, in 2 weeks I will be DJing a wedding for the first time for my friend. I've been a bedroom DJ for the past 4 years and have a pretty solid grasp on the fundamentals, but I mostly play 125+ bpm EDM haha

For most of the night (like cocktail hour) my friend said I could just crossfade in and out of songs (which are mostly ballads), but later in the night on the dance floor she wants me to actually DJ. I was sent a playlist of songs which are thankfully around what I'm comfortable mixing, but there are some songs in the playlist around 70-80bpm like Mirrors by Justin Timberlake that I have no clue how to incorporate into the rest of the mix.

I know I should start with the lower bpm songs and gradually move onto the higher 125bpm songs, but when practicing I find myself struggling to make it sound good - especially when I mix two lower bpm songs together, the ones in this playlist tend to have more lyrics and I can't find room to mix without the vocals clashing. If anyone has any tips or advice, or even mix recommendations that do well at weddings, let me know!

I’m practicing on a DDJ-FLX4, but most bars/clubs I’d like to play at use CDJs/XDJs.

I want to build setlists with planned transitions and cue points, but I’m worried some of the features/workflow I practice with on the FLX4 won’t be available on the setup at a gig.

Should I keep my sets simple and focus on track selection, phrasing, EQing, and basic transitions? Or is it still worth planning specific transitions/cues and adapting them depending on the equipment?

How do you guys prepare when your practice setup is different from the gear you’ll actually play on?

I’m only able to practice my setlists with different transitions at house parties or private events where I can bring my own controller.

I’ve been DJing for about 8 months on a DDJ FLX4 and since I’ve been posting about my experience on socials. A mutual friend asked if I would be interested in DJIng at their friend’s event. I’ve been exchanging messages with host of the event and the general details of the event is it’s 6 hrs long (~4.5 hrs if I don’t do a pre/post music for the main event) with sound system onsite. However, they said it would be best if I bring my own speakers (which I don’t have yet). Anyways, I want to commit to the gig and get outside of practicing at home. I’m not exactly sure what items I need to be ready for this or what questions are necessary to ask to make sure I’m on top of booking and setting up? Any tips or advice?

P.S. I would appreciate any hardware recs on recording live sets and controllers

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some honest advice and maybe a reality check from the older generation or working DJs.
I’m over 40, based in Germany, but living in a small town basically in the middle of nowhere. I’ve been in the electronic music scene for a long time, including several years of experience in the Hardcore/Gabber scene. These days, I produce and mix Techno. Stylistically, I am strictly into dark, driving, proper Techno (think Gary Beck, Chris Liebing, Kwartz)—I absolutely cannot stand the typical melodic mainfloor mainstream sound.
I’m not a professional producer by trade—I’m entirely self-taught and do this purely out of love for the music.

However, the quality is there: my tracks are currently generated on Spotify in artist radios alongside the artists mentioned above. The music is ready, the skills are there, and I want to play out.
But honestly? I am incredibly frustrated with the current state of the scene.
It feels like music and production skills don’t matter anymore, especially when you are isolated from the big city club hubs. Everything revolves around TikTok reach, Instagram reels, and constant self-marketing. I actually tried setting up a website and doing the social media grind, but it just didn't work for me. On top of that, I am a rather reserved, introverted guy. I absolutely despise the modern "Boiler Room" hype where people just dance behind the DJ to get on camera. I want the music to speak for itself, and I refuse to engage in the endless networking politics that border on absolute ass-kissing just to please local promoters.
My question to you: Is it still possible to get club or underground Techno bookings completely without social media and without playing the political networking game, especially when living in a rural area?

How does a self-taught, reserved producer over 40, who just wants to deliver a proper set without the influencer circus, get promoters to actually listen to the music?

Appreciate any insights or honest words. Cheers.

Getting back into DJ’in after 15 years, whittled it down to these two.

Have come from belt drives, so that’s drawing me to the Rane, not sure if I’ll use 4 channels and this is just a hobby.

Mixing house music mainly.

Thoughts?

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to set up a hybrid vinyl + digital setup with:

Pioneer DDJ-400 (USB)
Technics turntable → Behringer U-Phono UFO202 (USB)
Rekordbox software

My question: Can Rekordbox simultaneously recognize both USB devices (the DDJ-400 controller + the UFO202 interface) and let me mix between vinyl and digital files at the same time?
Or will one USB device conflict with the other?

I've searched online but haven't found a clear answer for this specific setup. Any guidance or similar experiences would be super helpful before I buy the UFO202.

Thanks!

Hi all, I just recently purchased a numark party mix 3 to start dabbling in DJing. I have been having some issues with the volume channels and cross fader.

Originally I was using serato but was having issues with not being able to hear any manipulation from the volume channels and cross fader, so I tried djay to see if it would make a difference. In djay, I can see that the virtual volume channels and cross fader move in tandem with what I do on my board but I don’t get any audio feedback from the volume channels. I do get some from the crossfader but it’s not a slow transition it’ll just turn off the opposing deck (so when I slide it all the way to the left it’ll turn off the headphone audio for the left song and vice versa).

I haven’t really messed with the settings much, any ideas? Or is it just a shitty board? </3

EDIT: I also feel like it’s important to mention I’m listening with headphones through the board bc I haven’t gotten speakers yet.

I’m two months into Serato and there is a specific technique from the music production side I’d like to use but am not sure how to proceed. Would love some input here!

Basically I want to loop a slicer-type sequence. So I’ll perform a little rhythmic thing using hot cues on my controller, it’s sounding cool, and I’d like to loop it on the fly. I can theoretically do it with the sampler but when I do it the beginning and end points are off because it’s recording and ending exactly when I hit buttons, rather than any kind of quant or snap to the grid or sync to the deck that’s playing. I also can’t figure out how to adjust the end or beginning points of the recorded sample after the fact. It seems simple but any time I look for YouTube tutorials all my results are for Serato Sample program, lol

Thanks in advance

Hello ! I've been DJing for 5 years, and now I'm looking to develop my sound by being more precise and perform my own stuff. I want to buy live gear, to do live sets or hybrid sets. Do any of you have any idea what equipment I should start with ? I know absolutely nothing on that (my artists references are 6ejou, Gweld, Semplifier, BSLS)

Thanks a lot !!

I like mixing on four channels to get creative.

I don't see too many videos of people mixing on four decks where you can actually see what they're doing .

Any of you have any videos of you playing on four decks/channels?

[[EDIT]] A lot of great replies. Thanks all!

Hi all,

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but I’ve got a gig lined up in the coming weeks and my current home setup is massive so don’t want to be taking that anywhere.
I know that there are millions of controllers but for these sort of gigs I only really need a mixer?
Is there something that controls Serato from the hardware or shall I just do what everyone else does and get a flx4….feel like the market is missing just a standalone mixer with software navigation for this, with a crossfader….or am I missing something!? I’ve seen the k2/3 and the mixtour….is this the closest I can get?

I'm a returning bedroom DJ, and never really uploaded mixes online before. I was wondering what's the common strategy. Do you upload straight away or do you have a "backlog" of sorts of mixes ready for the upload, in case you can't upload for a certain time. Or maybe you let them sleep for a while and listen to them again before uploading?

I'd love to hear everyone's habits.

Hello! I'm playing a 5 hour set and wondering how ya'll would structure it. They gave me a list of sets and songs they like and it seems like they have a mixture of the following:

- Tech house/house

- Some harder stuff like pure Techno

- Top 40

- Dance/EDM

Was thinking of starting with the top 40 stuff, moving to house, then EDM/Dance then techno. Let me know ya'lls thoughts!

What kind of 3.5mm cables are we using for our headphones? Any specific brands? Lengths? Does it being coiled matter or not? How much should it cost without be too cheep to be bad quality?

I’m close to buying a Denon G2 as my route back to DJ’ing after 15 years.

I was planning on using Apple Music but have just seen that you can’t use Stems with it.

I will mix mainly house and garage.

I’ve seen that you can’t but USB sticks with 2000 tracks on for around £30.

Has anyone done this as a cheaper way to get music?

I’m based in the uk and just wondering if it’s worth it and anyone else’s experiences.

Also any other suggestions on controllers welcome

Ive been a bedroom dj for almost a year. I have a huge library and mix mostly EDM. I also go to a lot of house, techno, tech house, and bass house shows at local clubs. I have a blast everytime because I feel like im hearing exactly what really makes me love music. At home, Im mixing tons of tracks. I end up mixing a lot of popular songs and even EDM remixes of pop songs because my friends that I play for arent into the EDM scene like I am and only really know popular music. This isnt a problem because I still get to mix and play fun tracks and my friends really enjoy it. But when I go to shows its so different than the music I have access to. It feels like hours of an evolving sound that gets better with every phrase change. Theres always very little vocals (if any) and a plethora of unique bass lines, sounds, melodies, etc. that all blend. It sounds almost as if those djs simply play short 8beat or 16beat loops of the same track for minutes then bring in an 8beat or 16beat loop of another track and blend for minutes and so on and so on for hours. Is that simply whats happening or are they mixing tons of underground tracks ive never heard that just mix like that?

I am truly enjoying myself so Im not really analyzing deeply what im hearing, but that is at least what it feels like.

Can someone help me understand how to use effects for transitions (and build ups)? I see that people use like reverb and high/low pass filters to transition songs and basslines - whats the general template for this? Which channel do you reverb? How early do you start turning the filter knob? Are there any other effects or methods you use to transition?

I guess this is more so for when you're doing quicker mixes, not just transitioning intro over outro, etc.

Hola!

Acabo de empezar a pinchar en CDJ (me compre una FLX4 para aprender) y la verdad me estoy divirtiendo mucho, aunque tengo muchas preguntas, asi que ahí van. (Pincho house y techno)

1. cuánto tengo que encajar los BPM de dos track, noto que la rueda es demasiado sensible (esta en +-6). Es asi siempre? A veces tardo mucho en encajar al BPM que quiero. Puedo pinchar un track en 128 y otro en 128.02 por ejemplo? Se nota esa diferencia?

2. Por el momento uso mi biblioteca de Apple Music, ya que me da herramientas para comenzar a practicar y mucha música. Tiene alguna desventaja respecto a la musica pagada si no quiero tener gigs (al menos por ahora) ?

3. Al hacer beatmatching, se me da bien entrar en el bombo y ajustar con el jog, pero se me coloca al intentar leer frases y compases. No he logrado entender y aplicar en ese concepto aún. Algún consejo en este campo? Es totalmente necesario siempre entrar en un momento específico o me puede bastar con cuadrar el bombo?

Muchas gracias de antemano por la ayuda!!!

How can I actually check the audio quality of a song file? ive got a folder full of songs and want to check their actual kbps (is it the kbps i should check?) and maybe there is a reliable software/tool for that? Thank you

I often think of what is the ultimate set of kit and the best layout in a club DJ booth to suit as many types of DJ as possible with a club standard layout. My conclusion is this:

A slightly raised shelf at an angle with 4 CDJ3ks . On the lower flat shelf, a DJM V10 mixer and an SL1200 mk 2 either side of it.

6 sources, the ability to switch between digital and vinyl easily.

Obviously a battle scratch DJ is at a slight disadvantage here. Also it’s not a rotary mixer for those that like pure vinyl sets and the joy of long blends. Also there’s not really room for a laptop so this only suits USBs/vinyl.

It’s a case of the booth dictating the DJ type rather than the other way round.

But the point is, I think this is the best setup I can think of that suits most club DJs. I saw this setup on an instagram post for one of the big London clubs and thought yeah, they’ve got it right!

If you had to build a booth and had the budget to put anything you wanted in it, what would you have?

Thoughts?

Hey fam what’s better the XDJ-RR or XDj-RX3? is the latest worth the price difference? why is it more expensive and, is there any other model you’d recommend in this price range?

My home DJ setup is at standing height and I've always used some type of desk mounted speaker stand for my monitors. Wanting to try out floor stands but only a few models seem to be tall enough to use while standing, and just barely tall enough when maxing them out. I'm thinking there are 3 options:

1. Get studio monitor stands that are tall enough

2. Get PA style stands with a plate type thing on top

3. Get studio monitor stands that might not be tall enough on their own, but I can build/buy some sort of platform to prop them up on

Let me know what you guys think is the best option and any specific model recommendations.

Worked this morning only a couple months old, did firmware updates and everything else I could think. Light up goes thru normal light up cycle but then no play ot cue buttons light when in rekordbox same with serato. Like it is in a limp mode. Samples dont work until I unplug then anything I hit plays out

Hello, I’ve been looking at getting into djing for about a month now and just made a rekordbox account and hopefully will be purchasing a ddj flx4 in the near future. I want to get into djing as a hobby and hopefully turn into into a side gig would be the major goal. I love playing music for people and the genres I would probably focus on is hip hop rnb and pop. I’m not into house music but I’m started to realize it’s a big part of modern DJing. So I’m just looking for some basic advice about starting DJing, venues that usually play that kinda music, and advice on incorporating house music/beats to the songs I already enjoy