Wow did I learn a lesson on Saturday, the wedding party dance was love shack bpm 134 everyone up dancing I got lazy and followed up with we are family at 118 bpm with no tempo adjustment everyone froze then cleared the floor. It took a while to get them back out. I will never drop the tempo like that again.:sqembarrassed: Has anyone else had such a dramatic responce like this to a large tempo drop I mean these people just looked lost.
Beat mixing
- Thread starter lets dance
- Start date
I can see why you got that kind of response. Not only was it a tempo drop but also a completely different style and era of music.
some families just do not like certain songs anyway.
I've seen people clear out on stuff I never thought.
Just change it up after the first chorus...good to go.
Also, before you do change up, make sure the floor isn't "rotating" dancers.
I've seen people clear out on stuff I never thought.
Just change it up after the first chorus...good to go.
Also, before you do change up, make sure the floor isn't "rotating" dancers.
I never BPM mix. I have kept floors full for years. In this case it sounds like an energy fall off.
G
Guest
Guest
While I personally am a huge fan of beat mixing, and do it whenever I can, it's not the "end all, be all" of D.J.ing, especially mobile. Clubs are a different story.
My philosophy about music programming and mixing (from a mobile perspective) is: whatever you do, do it deliberately. Once, years ago, I "sat in" with another D.J. who was doing a quiceniera, and I was there to help because he had NO idea what to play, especially for a younger audience. He asked for us to alternate. He played the more standard "Love Shack" stuff, while I was to play the more youth-oriented portions. Cool. When he played, his playing annoyed me in ways I didn't expect. He doesn't beat mix, and that's fine. He had a cd player with fader start, from the mixer, and would slowly crossfade every single transition. Why?? Here's an example of "why not" - The worst transition I remember was when he started playing "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson. That song starts with a fantastic (and easily indentifiable) drum roll. If you slowly crossfade that in, you've thrown away that fantastic intro, which saps the energy right out of playing that song, for me. Worse yet, it makes him seem like he was constantly unsure of himself, trying to "slip" music in, every time, as if to say "is this song ok for you?". You gotta have some confidence!
Even when I'm not beat mixing, I make it a point to keep track of tempos, for the purpose of flow. I agree that going up is generally a better idea, especially at the start of dancing.
My question about following "Love Shack" with "We Are Family" would be: why? No matter what you play when, you should always be able to give a reason (sometimes more than one). If you don't have (at least) one, you need to sharpen (no pun intended) your programming skills.
My philosophy about music programming and mixing (from a mobile perspective) is: whatever you do, do it deliberately. Once, years ago, I "sat in" with another D.J. who was doing a quiceniera, and I was there to help because he had NO idea what to play, especially for a younger audience. He asked for us to alternate. He played the more standard "Love Shack" stuff, while I was to play the more youth-oriented portions. Cool. When he played, his playing annoyed me in ways I didn't expect. He doesn't beat mix, and that's fine. He had a cd player with fader start, from the mixer, and would slowly crossfade every single transition. Why?? Here's an example of "why not" - The worst transition I remember was when he started playing "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson. That song starts with a fantastic (and easily indentifiable) drum roll. If you slowly crossfade that in, you've thrown away that fantastic intro, which saps the energy right out of playing that song, for me. Worse yet, it makes him seem like he was constantly unsure of himself, trying to "slip" music in, every time, as if to say "is this song ok for you?". You gotta have some confidence!
Even when I'm not beat mixing, I make it a point to keep track of tempos, for the purpose of flow. I agree that going up is generally a better idea, especially at the start of dancing.
My question about following "Love Shack" with "We Are Family" would be: why? No matter what you play when, you should always be able to give a reason (sometimes more than one). If you don't have (at least) one, you need to sharpen (no pun intended) your programming skills.
We've all cleared the dance floor at one time or another. Every crowd is different and doesn't react to all music that you think will hit. Even requests sometimes bomb. But you if you don't take a chance, you'll never know.
When I've been in a situation of playing a song for the bride (for instance) where I had to play it, and it mixed poorly with the previous song, I try my best to get a rise out of the crowd. If I get them pumped up to the point of yelling about hearing the bride's request, it makes even the lamest transitions work.
I try to avoid energy fall offs from song to song whenever possible, though.
I try to avoid energy fall offs from song to song whenever possible, though.
I watch BPM more than I ever did now but it's still not the be all and end all. In certin situations BPM is important but always trust your ear first
Example Billie Jean and Two Pina Colada's are the same BPM acording to Mixmeister would you play them together?
Example Billie Jean and Two Pina Colada's are the same BPM acording to Mixmeister would you play them together?
Jeff!!! ICK! Just thinking of those two songs back to back makes me wanna barf... Thanks my friend, thanks!
G
Guest
Guest
BPM have nothing to do with the situation.Some Rock n roll song were more right as Disco stuff.BPM is a funny thing.If you are too long in the same BPM with youre mix paople dont like this eather-boring.You can mix things only at House Partyes or maybe in some Club all night long.Weddings and Private Partyes are bit different.
My longest mix at Partyes is about 30min long with biggest Hits(Sinclair,Calabria...)and than I play something different.
Just me.
My longest mix at Partyes is about 30min long with biggest Hits(Sinclair,Calabria...)and than I play something different.
Just me.
I loved this post Steve its very thought out. The only thing i would say is if you're a test the waters kind of guy beat mixing can work to your advantage. Good case in point is around here "Crank That" has finally seen the end of its little life but some people still love it, since i beat mix,scratch and all at just about every gig, i can bring in those very well nown "fruity loops" steel drums under anything between 70-77bpm or 140-150bpm and "test the water" if the crowds faces change to positive when they hear it awesome and i'll drop it if not i'll back out of it but nothings lost because they think it was a cool remix.
I HIGHLY disagree it is always about flow. I mix country into rap into disco but never DROP the tempo always increase the tempo. This is a key elelment of many very succesful DJ's out there.
You should always build energy on the dance floor.
I say you can mix and increase tempo in sets. Don't just play a song because you think of that song just right then.
Any change of more than 15 BPM I just slam it or fade quick.
Anything more than that I treat as an effect.
I'll keylock the intro to Goldigger and speed it up and then hold it out real long on "money"...trick a bit, then let it flow.
THis is a good way to get out of a fast set and start over a bit with tempo....
Anything more than that I treat as an effect.
I'll keylock the intro to Goldigger and speed it up and then hold it out real long on "money"...trick a bit, then let it flow.
THis is a good way to get out of a fast set and start over a bit with tempo....