you should make a spoof video about prerecorded videos , for example ,...it takes about 3 seconds to say....I would never pre record anything....and use that clip several times in your video as you would also repeat this process a few more times , but , change your shirt or move your dog to the other side of the couch just to see who is paying attention. could be a hit.
Just watched this video and another thing to throw into the mix is the fact that at these big festivals, the DJ's will not be badgered by the crowd coming up and saying things like "have you not got any Oasis?" or "this songs crap, put some Bruno Mars on". The DJ's will have a playlist of some description, whether it is pre-recorded or not. The crowd will be expecting EDM, House, Trance, etc. depending on what they have gone to listen to. But for functions such as weddings, birthdays and the like, you will get requests, which is where your DJ skills come into its own, by being able to select the tracks that would go well with the song being requested. Oh and by the way the Oasis analogy is true! I was playing a wedding and the crowd were happily dancing to some 80's music, when this guy came up and wanted me to play Oasis the rest of the night!! I played one to keep him appeased, and the floor almost emptied. 😀
Also, Phil said people wouldnt come back if headliner displayed errors in mixing - I totally disagree. Firstly, fuck those fakers, those are not true fans and belongers to the scene anyways! Secondly - Me, when I hear a DJ mixmiss two bits, I dont think any less of him, if anything, he raises in my eyes bcs then I 100% he hasnt prerecorded his shit. And I totally disagree with Phil that prerecording is perfectly optimised - how can it be if its totally out of touch with concrete situation in the audience and most important - the energy! Fuck DJs that dont recognize the energy and keep their "optimised" shit stubornly. I had that experience recently I can guarantee it was a disaster. The audience started booing very soon in the set and by the half hour mark people even started to flee. Bcs DJ had his shit in his mind before coming to the stage and TOTALLY ABSOLUTELY missed the energy that was built with sets before his. And whats best - this is one of the most famous DJs in my country! So thats that.
Carl Cox said that he has Idk how many different tracks and if he is not able to make a multiple hour set with them, something is wrong. So agree, pre planned sure but pre recorded no way
What I’ve done is pre-record several 15-30 minute mixes with different Genres for different occasions. I also have a few pre-recorded blends/mashups that I DJ’d live that I can drop in and play when I get tired or need a drink break/stretch. I always DJ live but have those shorter mixes to play in an emergency or when I need a break.
I have played many sets where the set list went out the door after track number 2. When you are really in sync with people dancing, you suddenly get godly and uncontrollable urges to play that one specific track that is stuck in your mind like an ulcer. You call it up and the babes go "whooooo". At that point you are at the mercy of the crowd and one track after another pops into you limited head and you play each one with passion and love and for as long as you can squeeze juice from it. There are short moments when you doubt that you could top the track blasting the floor at this instant, but an idea always comes along. After your set you are drenched in sweat, dehydrated and totally euphoric beyond ecstazy.
To be honest, I usually pre-planned my DJ sets for big events (and 80-90% stick to the plan), just to test them before and be sure they work fine harmonically, especially when DJs used to play with vinyls or old cdjs without any key information. But I really don't get pre-recorded sets in any situation, that must be too boring "playing" like that!
Sometimes mistakes give the set a bit of character. I saw Ricardo Villalobos @ Awakenings and the turntable kept on messing up and skipping. It was nice to see even in one of these huge open air events that it was still a genuine, real set.
I think it is a good idea to have a pre-recorded set JUST IN CASE something goes wrong, and then you can just push play while you are dealing with an emergency. Be present and DJ in the present, but have a back up so that if something does go wrong....there is still music being played and not silence.
@@CheckDisOutpeeps I am not always in a location that has phone service. This is why it is good to have a backup thumb drive. But some people do have backup music on their phone. True.
You hit the nail on the head about big artist pre-recorded sets, they have to be matched closely with the lasers, lighting, visuals so have to make an impact. The issue for me is the honesty angle, if they claim to be doing the set totally live and unrehearsed when in fact we all know they aren't then it impacts credibility.
it's the saying ignorance is bliss, it's better to not tell people whether a set is prerecorded or not and have a percentage of people in the crowd who wouldn't even think about it, vs openly telling everyone beforehand in a disclaimer that the set is pre-recorded, which guarantees everyone will know and will kill the experience for some.
I know this person is Cancelled now, but at a Bassnectar show nothing is ore recorded at all, he uses ableton and a custom midi controller to DJ his sets, he also controls portions of the visual experience using “ableton ques”. It’s extremely unique from night to night, right down to the Lasers and visuals. His point about the large artists is simply an excuse, to me if you’re making millions you should make it a unique experience, it’s a disservice to the art in all ways.
For me it works pretty well to create a pool of tracks where I have a smaller range to chose from so for example I prepare Like 200 songs I would like to play from my total 9000 but still decide live what I want to play and what I rather dont play because it would kill the party.
yup thats almost true but see event organizer hier david guetta again & again they still know david played a preset bcz they think david maked his own preset in a studio . its dosnt mean that someone makes a preset for him. so true and simple .
Most of well known modern DJs are fake DJing... Performing an FLStudio pre-recorder, pre-mix music set are not DJing.... Lots of audience are misconcept with these...
@@dear2023 so what you're saying is that it's b.s. when djs say the point is reading the vibe and feeling of the audience or crowd and mixing music for that live vibe...
@DeeJay1210 the more anglicized the music has become the more it’s based on what the Dj LOOKS like and how frat and sorority friendly he/she is. Western societies DESPISE the soul and ethnicity of true house music and techno. They know the roots but there is far more money in white pockets. They covered the roots in homophobia and stole it from its roots(although black people gave it away). Think of the squalor of Chicago & Detroit at the moment…. Then look at videos of edm festival and the obvious revenue…… do you think either of those black communities could use a taste of 12 billion dollar a year industry???? And they get absolutely nothing because they were bombarded with homophobia and misinformation and don’t even know it belongs to them. Sad…. (Pardon my digression and rant)
This is why I got interested in electronic music Live Acts as there are so many fake DJs out there. It became a big multi million dollar entertainment business.
If I found out I was playing Ultra tomorrow, I'd definitely live mix. DJing is what I love doing, and I have confidence in myself that I can put together an exciting, energetic set without pre recording anything. The way I look at it is the same way I look at a singer that lip syncs. If I'm paying money to see an artist perform, I want to see them fully showcase their talent. I don't wanna pay to watch someone cheat.
Yep, and if I'm going to shell out big bucks to see you DJ... I worked my ass off to be able to get in to see you, and if you're the kind of chump who only randomly twists and turns knobs, you don't deserve a penny of MY fricking income. I get it... You're a simp (NOT you, Alexknight), you can't be man or woman enough to be honest, and you don't deserve the millions you may make. It's like those idiots who claim to be singers but kneel down and unzip Auto-Tune's pants and start sucking away. BY the way, I DO know the difference between PLANNING out a set, and being a cork-sucking FAKE who pretends. A REAL DJ knows his or her music, and actually (GASP!) takes the time to work things out that will WOW an audience. If all you do is pre-record your set, you SUCK! :)
Just do what you feel and do it when you feel like doing it with no worries at all, nothing is wrong and nothing is right anyway. The Universe is you, so go be unique like everybody else ✌🏼 Cheers Phil. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
Could you do a video on how to go from DJing In your bed room to clubs parties and weddings etc, would I need to buy new big speakers if so what ones ?
As to speakers, you can rent them at first. Many people love the QSC powered speakers, but if you ask me, the absolute best bang for the buck is EV ZLX series. I’m a professional audio engineer making my living full time doing sound for events and TV. I’ve worked with everything from Peavey to JBL to QSC and massive array setups. Which is absolute best? Arrays, of course. But when I opened my own wallet, I bought EV ZLX15Ps.
Lots of djs for example Laidback Luke don’t keep set lists and something you didn’t think about is these djs are playing different countries every day and taste in music varies so much that it is easier for them to wing it as long as there music is organised well enough and you know your songs almost off by heart then it’s easier to dj live than to have loads of pre record sets and the risk of being known as a fake dj also what buttons would you tuch if you where fully pre recorded
Great job as always Very true from beginning to end I will never pre-record a set. As a weeding DJ I hate when people ask me do you have a pre-recorded set that we can listen to. I say no.. Every wedding is different.... Keep up the good work Cheer From Toronto Canada Peace
PHILL!!! I love this I agree and argue with my friends aaaalllll the time🙄 about this. Really doesn’t matter to me if it pre recorded at a show or festival or at all. From my experience spending hours and hours learning ableton and learning how to mix songs. I have found the WORK is always done and maybe the pros make it look easy and it probably is to them, but wasn’t always they pull s there hair out a few times I’m sure like me. I really want to thank you for all your videos Phill, all well done and I’ve learned so much 🙏🏼 hope all of s well.
Worth noting here that although your arguments are sound on the DJ side, I'm a live event producer, a DJ's dedicated show will usually all be 'rehearsed' as you said but on a festival stage with so many acts coming through the light/video/audio/fx teams can easily 'busk' an entire gig and make it look like a cohesive show without having any prior knowledge or set list.
When it comes to edm dj sets i feel that doing a pre-made dj set can actually be way more difficult than mixing live. I make dj sets in Ableton Live on the arrangement view and i transition between songs with some drastic tempo and key changes and chop and splice them into eachother with some very intricate editing, so intricate that it could take me 4 or 5 days and nights just to lay down like 20 minutes, but it ends up sounding amazing having all these tempo and key changes smoothly fit together, something that would be plain impossible to do live on the fly. DJ’s that mix on the fly stay in the same tempo and key most of the time especially if you are just mixing the same genre like house or trance, and if not then the transitions are usually not smooth and as pleasing to the ear. I can mix on the fly too and its def very fun to do, but in my opinion beat matching and on the fly mixing is not that hard compared, i think the hours upon hours upon hours of being a mad scientist cutting and pasting and arranging and chopping up samples and automating and time stretching to get a masterpiece finished product is much much harder to do. And then when you play it live you dont have to just press play and then thats it, you can tweak effects on the fly like delay, reverb, eq, do filter sweeps, beat repeat, phaser etc. Thats just my opinion anyways.
Is it odd that I got more shocked at Phil planning and prerecording the DJ set for his own wedding than when a friend of the family planned her own funeral? Why is my mind somehow pre-programmed to accept the one and shun the other? Especially since I'm guilty as all hell of having done a pre-recorded set myself. And I'm not even ashamed of it. It was an online live set, the client had me running circles for days, and I was doing this stuff for free. It wasn't even for charity or anything, but he was acting like he was the hottest club owner on The Strip. Then, after I had given in to his every demand, changed my entire set again and again (and I'm a very flexible guy to begin with), going with HIS music stream service out of MY pocket just because HE didn't trust my streaming service (rated for more than 10 times the expected audience), he came with the most ridiculous demand of all. Just six hours before we were supposed to go live, he phoned me up and said "By the way, you better damned be playing Vinyl decks tonight. I only allow AUTHENTIC Old School VINYL DJ's at MY club". (his "club" being a small online radio station with an average of 0.75 listeners per hour) That's when I got enough and just loaded up the set list, played through the set while recording it, with a few breaks here and there and when it got time to do the set, I loaded them on Virtual DJ instead of Mixxx, put it on Auto DJ and sat back with the mic in my hand and watched the chat. Whenever a request came in, I just waited for the next break and mixed it in there, and the rest of the set I just sat there with my smokes and my beer. Dude called me the next morning and I was prepared to have my head chewed off for being the worst sack of shit he's ever had. That's when I found out he couldn't tell a DJ from a jukebox, as he praised "the best DJ he's ever heard". Fastest blocked number in my life! I can't hear the difference between vinyl and digital by ear like that, but it's fairly easy to hear when someone's smacked on the auto-DJ and left the room. And even IF the person do every single transition as a simple fade (with poor beat matching to boot) I definitely wouldn't call them the best DJ ever, especially not after making 10 000 demands and claiming to have the highest standards of music in the world. Well, he got what he paid for, and he paid squat!
preplanned i love, it means that the dj has done his homework. working with "mini-lists" short 3-4 song lists is my prefered method.. sure the first gigs on any venue or festival are nerve racking and thoroughly planned but well known and experienced dj's IMHO don't need prerecorded sets. mashups are normaly prerecorded and i think it is ok if someone has a great mashup prerecorded.. it allows the dj to show you a good time without too much hustle.. less workload more time engaging with the crowd and enjoying the gig..
Good point. That´s what I realize when famous DJs play pre recorded show. make me think that maybe someone else did his o her job and just stand in front of the audience and try to simulate that he´s playing good music.
I am resident at an under 18's night. I play a mix of current chart stuff and a live mix of edm stuff. What surprises me the most is I play a segment of oldies/party songs and they all dance and sing along. The only time I use a prerecorded segment is to use it as a space filler while I answer the call of nature. I think the funniest thing is when children ask for Niche music when they are not clearly old enough to know what it is, (parental influence I guess.
Wicked but personally I would never premix my sets I pick my beats based on what the crowds doing and the vibe. It depends I the event and the atmosphere too
Fake is horribly easy to spot, especially when a great track is playing and everyone is digging it only for it to be massacred 20 seconds later into something completely the opposite.
Exactly - Preplanned and prerecorded sets are a must. You can kill a huge festival with dj failures! with that much money at foot everyone needs to get it right and the least amount of mistakes will win everytime. most djs want to play it live, but the money is in the PreRecorded.
I've never done it but in certain circumstances I think it's advisable to do it. I have my first wedding in September. I'm to prepare the whole set list from what the couple wants to hear and freestyle some parts. I'll have prepared playlist regardless to fall back on if it goes left. I don't except it to seeing that the couple are into old-school music and I know that genre well. Thanks for the video, it was good and your opinion is teaching.
The most fun events I've been to is events that only have 50-100 people there. Usually the DJ's aren't paid much or at all, so they are there purely because of passion for their music. The 50-100 people who are there are there purely for the music, not to flex on social media or whatever. You are right up next to the DJ, who sometimes makes a mistake which is not at all a problem, because you know that they are enjoying what they're doing. Events like these give you more of a "chilling with friends and the DJ" feeling than a big perfect event that makes millions. I'm into techno music and I have never understood the benefit of playing for 50.000 people instead of 100. I really prefer the more passionate, intimate events.
It's not the same thing. Real djing is like madonna chosing what song she is gonna sing next. Pre recorded sets is like IF madonna would lipsync to a cd of her songs. Sorry for my English
CivilizedBUG but, she is lipsyncing, any singer today does...even some rock bands...so the culture died along time ago...and the people is the wrongdoers...ppl are listening to this todays s h i t music...
I guess if you're there for crowd, then you need to pre-plan and be flexible during the set, but if the crowd are there to see you, you can pre-record. Main thing is that in both scenarios everyone goes away feeling happy 🙂
spot on Phil,as long as you know the genre you're playing then you shouldn't need to pre-record,only stuff like Creamfields,Tomorrowland and others do you need to do that.By the way congrats and RESPECT for your nuptials,In'Sha'Allah I'll be next
In my early days of DJing, I would plan my sets meticulously, because I was only ever given an hour so wanted to choose the best tracks and as many in that hour as possible. I still beatmatched live, but wasn't confident with fx, so did a lot of just standing around. With recent gigs I try to do it on the fly. I think DJing should be instinctive, but you made some good points about big festivals which I never thought about before. I would've only thought to use them as a last resort/backup.
I am just a small DJ who played Latin like Salsa, Bachata and specialy Kizomba. And I also a Salsa couple dance instructor for 15 years. Yes I do pre recorded DJ sets, but only for 3 or tops 4 songs. Why? Normally... minimum I play 3 hours non stop and to gather couple dance. Many time the girls come to DJ booth and say "Can you not DJ ing and just dance?" and that's why I do pre recorded DJ sets. And I only make 2 sets of it so I can make them happy by dance with me. So I quite agree with Phil.. It depends the condition. If I have to play in Kizomba Nite which is all nite long Kizomba songs... I won't need to make any pre recorded. Coz they love me more spinning the music than dance hahaha... Most worst DJ ing experience, arrived at the location and the organizer give you the playlist for me to play and have to play exactly like the list. Than I said to them... "Just used a Media Player than" and I go home, hahaha.... Love this job cause the adrenaline to "Read the Crowd" and provide them with what they need... HAPPY!! :D
I'm just an amateur DJ that does friends parties and what not. But on this subject, I will pre record 4-5 track long sets to use for when I have to go to the bathroom, or to go have a cigarette as sometimes I'll be mixing for 4-5 hours. Made the mistake of not having any on hand at one point and almost pissed myself ha ha.
I feel like that's the most acceptable use of these sorts of things, makes sense. In other situations I wouldn't be happy with it but that's a way better solution than stopping the music to take care of necessities.
I've DJed in a club before and the thing I've noticed was that the crowds will always vary. To me, to do a pre recording was a waste of time and suicidal on my behalf. So, I do all my mix on the fly, in that way, I as the DJ have a greater control on crowd.
hey. great video and great discussions. I see your point and I agree. but, a few things,... 1: yes, you CAN dj Live and be flawless and at the same time have to switch up your basic planned dj set due to various circumstances. 2: yes, these major festivals have pyrotechnics which has to be rehearsals and a pre.planned set or at least for a certain time frame although nowadays these major festivals are mostly pre sets unfortunately. 3: you can for sure have flawless sets at club venues, think on the fly accordingly by reading the crowd etc. and 4: I hate pre.planned dj sets due to the fact that's why I went to see THAT dj specifically.... to experience their LIVE PERFORMANCE ability. this is my 2 cents lol. I could say more but it will be pointless unless I create an entire video regarding why I think so,... which I really might release on my new Channel here
Hey Phil, I just want to say I appreciate your videos and the way you go back to basics. I get so tired of trying to learn the art of DJing from people who act like we all should have built our own computers by age 5. I am a brand newbie. Just trying to learn the art of DJing for a fun hobby. And Already I have found out about the war... My question for you is... Why are some DJs so hateful towards others...especially new ones like me? I mean I get there is turf, respect and paid gigs involved..but to look down your nose at someone brand new who is just trying to learn and tell them you're not a real DJ because you don't know how to scratch, or you use a laptop, or you're not good at mixing yet ...I don't get that.
Because they want to protect their spot. It's just like big-time wrestling, and it's always the middle of the road guys who seem to be the most paranoid about it.
Good point of view. If I was djing by myself for a long set, I PROBABLY would prerecord segments, just long enough for me to go to the restroom and back. So maybe 7-10 minute recordings. BUT I WOULD NEVER PRE-RECORD GIGS.
Sure, I understand. The big Dj's are especially producers. They've got hit records that everybody wants to hear. At this massive events it's always a pre recorded set. Why? Because everything depends on in. The lights, fireworks, cannons etc. When they mix on the spot all the cues al gone. There is no way they take that kind of risks. So those guys, great producers and great mashup artists but it's totally something els then clubmixing. Another thing is in my opinion, Top Dj's should be come clean about that. Not that faking stuff we see on de big stage. Just keep your hands off of the djset! Thanks for the vid Phil!
I have never been asked to submit a pre-recording a set, and if i was i would second guess even playing that event. I have heard the huge events like Ultra/EDC/Tomorrowland can require it due to time restrictions. I love live mixing it's a blast, the power controllers, DJM's CDJ's give you is addictive.
The only pre recorded thing I played was a max mix so I could have a quick toilet stop lol!! If you know what a max mix is you'll know I'm old and played vinyl! Back in those days I worked a club all weekend with six hours deejaying each night, all on vinyl so everything was mixed, damn hard work in those days!
Damn hard work indeed....... but this is the difference on a night you mixed well and you sent them home buzzing.... Man what a rush we got from it..... some nights it took hrs to get to sleep from the high.... I know the feeling bro....
Especially for weddings and other events, how about short mini-mixes, like three songs long or so? That would be good for quick mashups you made yourself earlier or like a pre-made "20 80's songs in 10 minutes" for example. Or short sets of songs you usually play in order together over and over again at events. I bet lots of wedding DJ's already do stuff like that.
There are plenty of world class musicians who get on stages and skillfully manipulate instruments with 6 or more strings, plus dozens of effects, in conjunction with many other bandmates doing the same thing.... I don't think it's a huge ask for a DJ to be able to think on his feet, to push a few buttons at the right times in front of the same size crowds. Let's not keep lowering the bar. Let's just get better at our craft.
The bottom line is this. When you go to a wedding you are not paying to see a certain artist perform live. The dj at a wedding has a particular set of skills but you don't go there to see the DJ. When you pay good money to go to a club or festival (which is basically a dance music concert) it is completely unacceptable and disingenuous for an artist (be it a dj, pianist, singer) to mime. You are paying money to see them perform LIVE.
I don't know the exact techniques to sync videowalls to music, but for instance I watched a set of Nicky Romero, and his videowalls were in absolute sync with the music the whole set, with accented lyrics and effects in time lock all the time. It was very perfect (and very boring too) and no way in hell his sets are live mixed. But I really missed the human feel of that set. The small errors, the little beatnudges make stuff alive.
Setlist are definitely not cheating, not sure why you talked about it like it was, back in the day you wouldn’t take hundreds of vinyls to your gig, you would pick them out and prepare you set aka “setlist”
I think there is a big difrence between Prerecorded and Preplant (songlist) Sets. prerecorded is the fullset only press play and use some filter. The Preplant DJ Set is playing songs live but one after the other on the list.
For your own wedding gig fine.. But when someone is paying you? ?? I don't feel comfortable as the night unfolds it can take so many different twists.... so for me no bad move.... But as you explain it is obvious your not comfy with it yourself....
Very late to the conversation but I'll add my input anyway. I was primarily a wedding and school dance DJ. When I first started out I didn't pre record a thing, all seat of the pants and it worked well. But as time went on I changed my thinking. I would burn a CD that had a dinner music mix on it. Those songs that are popular but not really danceable . That sure beat the hell out of Kenny G CD's on repeat. I would also have 1 CD with all the specific requests on it. First dance, Father Daughter dance, wedding party dance etc..... All I would have to do is hit play on a single deck and leave me to MC the special events to a much higher degree than usual if I was busy cueing up the next song. Of course I use playlists now to do the same thing. For school dances I always keep a 30 min set ready to go in case something bad happens. Bathroom break, lighting problem , etc. I've had to use it a few times and I'm glad I had it.
Half of the mainstream DJ's prerecord their sets. I do it too. theres no shame in it as long as you the performer are giving the audience the best experience ever.
Hi Phil, Hope the wedding goes well and good luck. Get what your saying but when I'm paying money to see these big names I want to know it's live. Go hard or go home as fakeass djs are not what we are there for but just my point ....
Hi Phil,, great stuff btw.. I know a mobile wedding dj ,, he says that he just simply has to much going on to actually mix,, he uses vdj,, and uses auto mix. ,, he can still chop and change his sets about to suit the crowd,, He says alot of mobile djs dj this way .. at least over here in australia. And sometimes he had block of about ten songs premixed, depending on the type of jobs he gets But never a whole night as he still needs to take requests.
Interesting topic. Nowadays everything and everybody has to be ‘perfect’... People put chemicals in their body in an attempt to look or feel more perfect... Let’s be real! Everybody makes mistakes, isn’t perfect and there’s nothing wrong with that, even for a big audience. If a transition is to difficult go practicing more and if that doesn’t help, leave it. If you can’t handle the stress, don’t step on big stages. Others who can will take your place, yes. You can’t be good at everything... Dj-ing is like playing an instrument a form of art. When not ‘perfect’ it does not loose it’s art status. So when people are on the dancefloor for their love for the music and the art of dj-ing a pre-recorded set is not done. Pre-planning is partly ok I think. Playing a track list not so... THE best dj is the one who doesn’t plan everything and go with the flow and make the dancefloor rock. So maybe a wedding dj can deserve the status of ‘best dj’ easier than one of those ‘big’ dj’s on big stages... 👊🏻😉
Pre-recorded mixes are ok for some situations Emergencies You may have to step away Maybe you aren't intimately familiar with the genre Finally a dayum break! 😂😂 However, I do not encourage this for the entire set!
Hey Phil, it is an interesting debate. Afrojack has a video on the subject on RUclips. If you are DJing at a major festival preparation is the key. Too much at stake to mess up on a stage due to radio and video streaming to millions of fans around the world in addition to thousands in attendance. I bet that all these DJs have a preset playlist even if they don’t prerecord. It works because they know they are playing the same genre the entire performance. Some of them probably do prerecord and there is nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day, you would be judged for a poor final product as opposed to an amazing prerecorded set. Do you think anyone asked if Tiesto prerecorded his Ultra set? I can give a crap because it was outstanding in the end. Congratulations on getting married!
Phil Harris Thank you for all the videos. I learned a lot from it. This is a very useful content for new DJs. Your teaching style is easy to understand and the visuals you provide is super helpful.
Hi Phil Very interesting and very well presented as ever. I am a fan of your channel and content and this is an example of why. This is a VERY important topic. No. Pre-recorded = recorded, as in, NOT BEING (DISC) JOCKEYED (RIDING whatever wheels/media controller could come off whatever wagon). If it says DJ is "PLAYING" a set on the flyer/website then it is actually a crime when that person just plays a prerecorded set and FAKES playing. It debases the whole culture to behold such a travesty as if it were not, a such a travesty. When a DJ is actually playing and shitting himself with that familiar mix of fear and excitement (that tennis players get too), but the ball goes in, its a winner, or hits the lines a few times or goes out. The crowd feels the same committment to face it and the same excitment and fear and elation as one mix/ball after another, comes off, and even if it comes off the rails, how doese the DJ recover, style it out, play the next point, next mix?? Its all part of what we do. Allowing tecnology to define the most fundamental aspect of an art form is the end of that art form and also the performance dimension of it. The end. Do not argue for this. Understand why it happens but let us be told if we are going to pay, what we really paying for. The reason there is so much plastic in the oceans is because too many of us are addicted to the quick fix, that pristine certainty unleashes in the brain, like cocain or retail therapy. They feel good, for a short while only, but the production processes are as demonically destructive to the people involved and the planet as the consumption and consequences for the consumer, who is blissfully unaware of the damage to the brain and body and the sweatshops where the poorest children and people on the planet are exploited, often to death and the mountains of packaging piling up, (out of our sight and mind in their back yards) and the plastics clogging and destroying marine life and the global eco system.....errr sorry. I digress. Real DJ-ing vs Pre-recorded and presenting it as live, in clubs and to dance floors where 1000s of people are in attendance, goes this deep. It's the worst thing you can possibly do in a world and culture where so much creativity, talent and skill has been lost because the creative process involved has been copied, bottled, midi-mapped, sampled etc (nothing against sampling per sey, because a single sample does not (quite ?? Pharrell Williams - Happy 488M views) make)but with freedom/power (digital rendition) comes a certain responsibility. I agree with logic of your argument, for prerecorded sets 95% ,but logic and logic gates are for computers and engineers etc. if you're good enough to play at those events, then handling the pressure comes with the territory and hearing a cock up or two or even more, handled well, 'because you're an experienced pro', is part of the entertainment. Roger Federer had match points for the Wimbledon final just last weekend, but failed to serve well in the final games (because of the pressure (indeed as had Djokovic also failed to do in one of his service games immediately before) then lost his serve and went on to lose the match, the final, in the tie break....because of the pressure. He did not deploy a ball machine to serve for him, at any time, and he had no more right to win than Djokovic. There's no hiding place and no opportunity for cheating at the level where the ball meets the racket, in a stark contrast to where the needle 'used' to meet the record. You make it happen, in REAL TIME!! Don't lie! Don't fake! Tell the truth, (you have a mic) because it will find you and all of us out, in the fulness of time if we don't. Just Be! Be Real!
That’s all you hear on the radio today as well as what you see in the club! I understand having preset music on what you’re going to play, but to actually play a mix that you’ve done before hand is absurd! It’s like people are scared to make a mistake in their music and sometimes that mistake can be the best part of your set! SMH
In a club or wedding where they’re doing a whole night I think it’s fair to prerecord a few tracks, like 2-3 transitions in one track so if you need to take a little break get some water/ bathroom whatever then you aren’t rushed. But should never do a whole set. Big DJ festivals are too far out of my league to even speculate on though. Like you said I wouldn’t understand the pressure. A lot of them are producers more so than djs at that point so as long as the shows good I don’t worry about it too much.
The only valid reason for me to ever pre-record a set, is if they have fireworks and lightshow completely synchronised to the recorded set. I'd also like to add that there should be like a max time for pre-recorded sets. Anywhere between 15-30 minutes I can accept (for like an endshow). A full hour or more of pre-recorded set is just wrong in my opinion as you are not adjusting your set to the crowd and you might as well turn on a playlist on Spotify/SoundCloud/RUclips and walk away... I think it's ridiculous to stand behind the decks pretending to press buttons, or pressing buttons that do nothing... Either use the gear for it's intended purpose, or not use it at all (and leave the stage/music industry and give some actual talent a chance). Faking it will never get my approval! If you are reading this and are one of those fake button pushers, please hold your breath until your soul has left your body 👌
So I have been following some of these bigger dj's and from what I have seen they need to provide their playlist to the event and it must fit within a given timeframe. So some of it is prepared, but to what extend I am not sure. I think some of them create remixes fit to certain events and prerecord something. But then agin they are also music producers and artist providing a good show. Syncing music with video and light effects makes a show even better. So I am thinking let them prepare and give an amazing show.
Depends if your a DJ or a Producer. Improve comedy vs stand-up comedy. A play or a film. Similar but different. I don't care of an artist has prerecorded sets if it's their own music. As long as its not just playing their album and has a unique mix of their songs for the live show it doesnt matter to me.
reasonable points. but ye, u said it.. it's all about the passion and thats why really makes no sense to prerecord :/ like why would someone do that? that must be boring for the 'dj' too
Of course most famous dj sets have a set list or pre recordings, that’s why their visuals and fx are synced perfectly, I saw Garrix at a festival and Fisher decided to pop up and play 2 of his songs with him, that’s when I noticed the difference, effects and energy changed because it wasn’t planned. He definitely djs live, but plans out his songs.
I am a pure hobbyist, so sure I do love DJ-ing live (otherwise it would not be my hobby). However, the only parties I DJ at are my own (with my friends) or my friends' parties. And I find that DJ-ing is a bit like taking care of the BBQ, if you know what I mean : there are guys who will love spending the whole party behind the BBQ, well, I am not that kind of guy and although I love cooking over the BBQ, I sometimes want to do something else during those private parties. As I can't let someone else take care of the decks (as I would let someone take care of the BBQ), yes, I do pre-record sets, especially the ones that are meant to be played as background music (mostly at the beginning, or the end), simply because I want to be able to eat or have a drink, or chat with my friends... That being said, when the time to dance comes, I will definitely play live because I love it. Closing remark : I guess the BBQ analogy is perfect as I also sometimes pre-cook things on the BBQ, so I won't spend to much time behind it 😀
Plenty of rock bands have massive multi million pound events. What do they do? They play. They don't pretend to play and often improvise or jam, depending no the band. To be clear, the analogy is miming- not having a fixed setlist. It's the norm with pop groups (and occasionally with other genres of music).
First of all congrats on getting married. I would say that if I was doing a big festival where things need to be perfect then yes, I would pre record them but for me I like to mix on the fly so I usually don't even put a set list together unless it's for a specific event like an edm night at a club or something maybe there is a certain genre or sub genre they want played then I will get a set list together but if it's not specific I just throw mixes together on the fly by either using genres and in key mixing because that's what makes it very fun and gets your adrenaline going. But for a big festival, I would definitely pre record it.
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you should make a spoof video about prerecorded videos , for example ,...it takes about 3 seconds to say....I would never pre record anything....and use that clip several times in your video as you would also repeat this process a few more times , but , change your shirt or move your dog to the other side of the couch just to see who is paying attention. could be a hit.
Just watched this video and another thing to throw into the mix is the fact that at these big festivals, the DJ's will not be badgered by the crowd coming up and saying things like "have you not got any Oasis?" or "this songs crap, put some Bruno Mars on". The DJ's will have a playlist of some description, whether it is pre-recorded or not. The crowd will be expecting EDM, House, Trance, etc. depending on what they have gone to listen to. But for functions such as weddings, birthdays and the like, you will get requests, which is where your DJ skills come into its own, by being able to select the tracks that would go well with the song being requested. Oh and by the way the Oasis analogy is true! I was playing a wedding and the crowd were happily dancing to some 80's music, when this guy came up and wanted me to play Oasis the rest of the night!! I played one to keep him appeased, and the floor almost emptied. 😀
Well what about restroom breaks, what if I'm the one about to make the next big drop. 🤣
Preplanned = totally okay with it, Prerecorded = not okay with it
Prerecorded=scam
Also, Phil said people wouldnt come back if headliner displayed errors in mixing - I totally disagree. Firstly, fuck those fakers, those are not true fans and belongers to the scene anyways!
Secondly - Me, when I hear a DJ mixmiss two bits, I dont think any less of him, if anything, he raises in my eyes bcs then I 100% he hasnt prerecorded his shit.
And I totally disagree with Phil that prerecording is perfectly optimised - how can it be if its totally out of touch with concrete situation in the audience and most important - the energy! Fuck DJs that dont recognize the energy and keep their "optimised" shit stubornly. I had that experience recently I can guarantee it was a disaster. The audience started booing very soon in the set and by the half hour mark people even started to flee.
Bcs DJ had his shit in his mind before coming to the stage and TOTALLY ABSOLUTELY missed the energy that was built with sets before his. And whats best - this is one of the most famous DJs in my country!
So thats that.
@@Lukqdos that's the spirit.
Carl Cox said that he has Idk how many different tracks and if he is not able to make a multiple hour set with them, something is wrong. So agree, pre planned sure but pre recorded no way
What I’ve done is pre-record several 15-30 minute mixes with different Genres for different occasions. I also have a few pre-recorded blends/mashups that I DJ’d live that I can drop in and play when I get tired or need a drink break/stretch. I always DJ live but have those shorter mixes to play in an emergency or when I need a break.
I have played many sets where the set list went out the door after track number 2. When you are really in sync with people dancing, you suddenly get godly and uncontrollable urges to play that one specific track that is stuck in your mind like an ulcer. You call it up and the babes go "whooooo". At that point you are at the mercy of the crowd and one track after another pops into you limited head and you play each one with passion and love and for as long as you can squeeze juice from it. There are short moments when you doubt that you could top the track blasting the floor at this instant, but an idea always comes along. After your set you are drenched in sweat, dehydrated and totally euphoric beyond ecstazy.
To be honest, I usually pre-planned my DJ sets for big events (and 80-90% stick to the plan), just to test them before and be sure they work fine harmonically, especially when DJs used to play with vinyls or old cdjs without any key information. But I really don't get pre-recorded sets in any situation, that must be too boring "playing" like that!
Sometimes mistakes give the set a bit of character. I saw Ricardo Villalobos @ Awakenings and the turntable kept on messing up and skipping. It was nice to see even in one of these huge open air events that it was still a genuine, real set.
As a person who grew up raving in the mid nineties there was no such thing as prerecording... 🤷🏽♂️🚀🕺🏽
YEP! I agreed with that... During 90s is the true essence of Djing
I pre-recorded my first Dj set and it awesome! I'm still a beginner so it works for me but once i learn more i will lean towards doing my sets live
i respect your honestly bro
Same
I think it is a good idea to have a pre-recorded set JUST IN CASE something goes wrong, and then you can just push play while you are dealing with an emergency. Be present and DJ in the present, but have a back up so that if something does go wrong....there is still music being played and not silence.
That’s the learning process though is that mistakes happen
No. Attach the aux to your phone and sort your hardware.
@@CheckDisOutpeeps I am not always in a location that has phone service. This is why it is good to have a backup thumb drive. But some people do have backup music on their phone. True.
Jeez, have I seen many, many emergencies. - and never a tech guy in sight trying to fix anything....
You hit the nail on the head about big artist pre-recorded sets, they have to be matched closely with the lasers, lighting, visuals so have to make an impact. The issue for me is the honesty angle, if they claim to be doing the set totally live and unrehearsed when in fact we all know they aren't then it impacts credibility.
it's the saying ignorance is bliss, it's better to not tell people whether a set is prerecorded or not and have a percentage of people in the crowd who wouldn't even think about it, vs openly telling everyone beforehand in a disclaimer that the set is pre-recorded, which guarantees everyone will know and will kill the experience for some.
I know this person is Cancelled now, but at a Bassnectar show nothing is ore recorded at all, he uses ableton and a custom midi controller to DJ his sets, he also controls portions of the visual experience using “ableton ques”. It’s extremely unique from night to night, right down to the Lasers and visuals. His point about the large artists is simply an excuse, to me if you’re making millions you should make it a unique experience, it’s a disservice to the art in all ways.
For me it works pretty well to create a pool of tracks where I have a smaller range to chose from so for example I prepare Like 200 songs I would like to play from my total 9000 but still decide live what I want to play and what I rather dont play because it would kill the party.
David Guetta is always doing it pretending to tweak knobs and only one cdj switched on the whole set.
yup thats almost true but see event organizer hier david guetta again & again they still know david played a preset bcz they think david maked his own preset in a studio . its dosnt mean that someone makes a preset for him. so true and simple .
Most of well known modern DJs are fake DJing... Performing an FLStudio pre-recorder, pre-mix music set are not DJing.... Lots of audience are misconcept with these...
@@dear2023 so what you're saying is that it's b.s. when djs say the point is reading the vibe and feeling of the audience or crowd and mixing music for that live vibe...
@DeeJay1210 the more anglicized the music has become the more it’s based on what the Dj LOOKS like and how frat and sorority friendly he/she is. Western societies DESPISE the soul and ethnicity of true house music and techno. They know the roots but there is far more money in white pockets. They covered the roots in homophobia and stole it from its roots(although black people gave it away). Think of the squalor of Chicago & Detroit at the moment…. Then look at videos of edm festival and the obvious revenue…… do you think either of those black communities could use a taste of 12 billion dollar a year industry???? And they get absolutely nothing because they were bombarded with homophobia and misinformation and don’t even know it belongs to them. Sad…. (Pardon my digression and rant)
And doing substances on set😂
This is why I got interested in electronic music Live Acts as there are so many fake DJs out there. It became a big multi million dollar entertainment business.
If I found out I was playing Ultra tomorrow, I'd definitely live mix. DJing is what I love doing, and I have confidence in myself that I can put together an exciting, energetic set without pre recording anything. The way I look at it is the same way I look at a singer that lip syncs. If I'm paying money to see an artist perform, I want to see them fully showcase their talent. I don't wanna pay to watch someone cheat.
ITS AS BAD AS LIP SYNC they are paid a lot of money to perform .
Yep, and if I'm going to shell out big bucks to see you DJ... I worked my ass off to be able to get in to see you, and if you're the kind of chump who only randomly twists and turns knobs, you don't deserve a penny of MY fricking income. I get it... You're a simp (NOT you, Alexknight), you can't be man or woman enough to be honest, and you don't deserve the millions you may make. It's like those idiots who claim to be singers but kneel down and unzip Auto-Tune's pants and start sucking away. BY the way, I DO know the difference between PLANNING out a set, and being a cork-sucking FAKE who pretends. A REAL DJ knows his or her music, and actually (GASP!) takes the time to work things out that will WOW an audience. If all you do is pre-record your set, you SUCK! :)
Will you release the set you recorded for your wedding? I would love to hear some of your song choices for a wedding set. Thanks!
Just do what you feel and do it when you feel like doing it with no worries at all, nothing is wrong and nothing is right anyway. The Universe is you, so go be unique like everybody else ✌🏼 Cheers Phil. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
You really need to get your DJ'ing morals in order. Lots of differences between right and wrong.
Could you do a video on how to go from DJing In your bed room to clubs parties and weddings etc, would I need to buy new big speakers if so what ones ?
Jack Carmichael will so soon!
@@DJPhilHarris Did you ever end up doing this? I've got the same question and couldn't find an answer on your page...
Jack Carmichael The best tip to get gigs is to start to make music. I hated doing it but never done it again once ai started to play at clubs
As to speakers, you can rent them at first. Many people love the QSC powered speakers, but if you ask me, the absolute best bang for the buck is EV ZLX series. I’m a professional audio engineer making my living full time doing sound for events and TV. I’ve worked with everything from Peavey to JBL to QSC and massive array setups. Which is absolute best? Arrays, of course. But when I opened my own wallet, I bought EV ZLX15Ps.
@jack Carmichael I kind of made a video of this
Like you said the art of djing is just too much fun.
Lots of djs for example Laidback Luke don’t keep set lists and something you didn’t think about is these djs are playing different countries every day and taste in music varies so much that it is easier for them to wing it as long as there music is organised well enough and you know your songs almost off by heart then it’s easier to dj live than to have loads of pre record sets and the risk of being known as a fake dj also what buttons would you tuch if you where fully pre recorded
Great job as always
Very true from beginning to end
I will never pre-record a set.
As a weeding DJ I hate when people ask me do you have a pre-recorded set that we can listen to. I say no..
Every wedding is different....
Keep up the good work
Cheer
From Toronto Canada
Peace
PHILL!!! I love this I agree and argue with my friends aaaalllll the time🙄 about this. Really doesn’t matter to me if it pre recorded at a show or festival or at all. From my experience spending hours and hours learning ableton and learning how to mix songs. I have found the WORK is always done and maybe the pros make it look easy and it probably is to them, but wasn’t always they pull s there hair out a few times I’m sure like me. I really want to thank you for all your videos Phill, all well done and I’ve learned so much 🙏🏼 hope all of s well.
Worth noting here that although your arguments are sound on the DJ side, I'm a live event producer, a DJ's dedicated show will usually all be 'rehearsed' as you said but on a festival stage with so many acts coming through the light/video/audio/fx teams can easily 'busk' an entire gig and make it look like a cohesive show without having any prior knowledge or set list.
When it comes to edm dj sets i feel that doing a pre-made dj set can actually be way more difficult than mixing live. I make dj sets in Ableton Live on the arrangement view and i transition between songs with some drastic tempo and key changes and chop and splice them into eachother with some very intricate editing, so intricate that it could take me 4 or 5 days and nights just to lay down like 20 minutes, but it ends up sounding amazing having all these tempo and key changes smoothly fit together, something that would be plain impossible to do live on the fly. DJ’s that mix on the fly stay in the same tempo and key most of the time especially if you are just mixing the same genre like house or trance, and if not then the transitions are usually not smooth and as pleasing to the ear. I can mix on the fly too and its def very fun to do, but in my opinion beat matching and on the fly mixing is not that hard compared, i think the hours upon hours upon hours of being a mad scientist cutting and pasting and arranging and chopping up samples and automating and time stretching to get a masterpiece finished product is much much harder to do. And then when you play it live you dont have to just press play and then thats it, you can tweak effects on the fly like delay, reverb, eq, do filter sweeps, beat repeat, phaser etc. Thats just my opinion anyways.
Is it odd that I got more shocked at Phil planning and prerecording the DJ set for his own wedding than when a friend of the family planned her own funeral?
Why is my mind somehow pre-programmed to accept the one and shun the other? Especially since I'm guilty as all hell of having done a pre-recorded set myself. And I'm not even ashamed of it.
It was an online live set, the client had me running circles for days, and I was doing this stuff for free. It wasn't even for charity or anything, but he was acting like he was the hottest club owner on The Strip. Then, after I had given in to his every demand, changed my entire set again and again (and I'm a very flexible guy to begin with), going with HIS music stream service out of MY pocket just because HE didn't trust my streaming service (rated for more than 10 times the expected audience), he came with the most ridiculous demand of all. Just six hours before we were supposed to go live, he phoned me up and said "By the way, you better damned be playing Vinyl decks tonight. I only allow AUTHENTIC Old School VINYL DJ's at MY club". (his "club" being a small online radio station with an average of 0.75 listeners per hour)
That's when I got enough and just loaded up the set list, played through the set while recording it, with a few breaks here and there and when it got time to do the set, I loaded them on Virtual DJ instead of Mixxx, put it on Auto DJ and sat back with the mic in my hand and watched the chat. Whenever a request came in, I just waited for the next break and mixed it in there, and the rest of the set I just sat there with my smokes and my beer.
Dude called me the next morning and I was prepared to have my head chewed off for being the worst sack of shit he's ever had. That's when I found out he couldn't tell a DJ from a jukebox, as he praised "the best DJ he's ever heard". Fastest blocked number in my life!
I can't hear the difference between vinyl and digital by ear like that, but it's fairly easy to hear when someone's smacked on the auto-DJ and left the room. And even IF the person do every single transition as a simple fade (with poor beat matching to boot) I definitely wouldn't call them the best DJ ever, especially not after making 10 000 demands and claiming to have the highest standards of music in the world.
Well, he got what he paid for, and he paid squat!
preplanned i love, it means that the dj has done his homework. working with "mini-lists" short 3-4 song lists is my prefered method..
sure the first gigs on any venue or festival are nerve racking and thoroughly planned but well known and experienced dj's IMHO don't need prerecorded sets. mashups are normaly prerecorded and i think it is ok if someone has a great mashup prerecorded.. it allows the dj to show you a good time without too much hustle..
less workload more time engaging with the crowd and enjoying the gig..
Pre-recorded sets are ok as long as you're honest about it. But faking turning knobs and sliding sliders is a disgrace.
Good point. That´s what I realize when famous DJs play pre recorded show. make me think that maybe someone else did his o her job and just stand in front of the audience and try to simulate that he´s playing good music.
I am resident at an under 18's night. I play a mix of current chart stuff and a live mix of edm stuff. What surprises me the most is I play a segment of oldies/party songs and they all dance and sing along. The only time I use a prerecorded segment is to use it as a space filler while I answer the call of nature. I think the funniest thing is when children ask for Niche music when they are not clearly old enough to know what it is, (parental influence I guess.
I like your talks as I am learning about all around DJing, I am watching a lot of your videos and it is very helpful!
Wicked but personally I would never premix my sets I pick my beats based on what the crowds doing and the vibe. It depends I the event and the atmosphere too
Fake is horribly easy to spot, especially when a great track is playing and everyone is digging it only for it to be massacred 20 seconds later into something completely the opposite.
you should always read your room when you dj. and tailor your set to suit it. even if you are a club dj that does techno or drum and bass.
Exactly - Preplanned and prerecorded sets are a must. You can kill a huge festival with dj failures! with that much money at foot everyone needs to get it right and the least amount of mistakes will win everytime. most djs want to play it live, but the money is in the PreRecorded.
I've never done it but in certain circumstances I think it's advisable to do it. I have my first wedding in September. I'm to prepare the whole set list from what the couple wants to hear and freestyle some parts. I'll have prepared playlist regardless to fall back on if it goes left. I don't except it to seeing that the couple are into old-school music and I know that genre well. Thanks for the video, it was good and your opinion is teaching.
The most fun events I've been to is events that only have 50-100 people there. Usually the DJ's aren't paid much or at all, so they are there purely because of passion for their music. The 50-100 people who are there are there purely for the music, not to flex on social media or whatever. You are right up next to the DJ, who sometimes makes a mistake which is not at all a problem, because you know that they are enjoying what they're doing. Events like these give you more of a "chilling with friends and the DJ" feeling than a big perfect event that makes millions. I'm into techno music and I have never understood the benefit of playing for 50.000 people instead of 100. I really prefer the more passionate, intimate events.
Grip it and rip it of the moment only way
I was gonna say put your dog on the dj dest with glasses then I saw 4 years ago done and dusted now cheers
Just a question: does Madonna improvise or decide what to sing without plan on the stage during a concert? ;-)
It's not the same thing. Real djing is like madonna chosing what song she is gonna sing next. Pre recorded sets is like IF madonna would lipsync to a cd of her songs. Sorry for my English
CivilizedBUG but, she is lipsyncing, any singer today does...even some rock bands...so the culture died along time ago...and the people is the wrongdoers...ppl are listening to this todays s h i t music...
My butt is glued to the fence on this one.
November
I guess if you're there for crowd, then you need to pre-plan and be flexible during the set, but if the crowd are there to see you, you can pre-record. Main thing is that in both scenarios everyone goes away feeling happy 🙂
I love your insight into things, I’m defo subscribing.
spot on Phil,as long as you know the genre you're playing then you shouldn't need to pre-record,only stuff like Creamfields,Tomorrowland and others do you need to do that.By the way congrats and RESPECT for your nuptials,In'Sha'Allah I'll be next
In my early days of DJing, I would plan my sets meticulously, because I was only ever given an hour so wanted to choose the best tracks and as many in that hour as possible. I still beatmatched live, but wasn't confident with fx, so did a lot of just standing around. With recent gigs I try to do it on the fly. I think DJing should be instinctive, but you made some good points about big festivals which I never thought about before. I would've only thought to use them as a last resort/backup.
Congrats ! Thanks for your video long time producer. New to djing =)
I am just a small DJ who played Latin like Salsa, Bachata and specialy Kizomba. And I also a Salsa couple dance instructor for 15 years. Yes I do pre recorded DJ sets, but only for 3 or tops 4 songs. Why? Normally... minimum I play 3 hours non stop and to gather couple dance. Many time the girls come to DJ booth and say "Can you not DJ ing and just dance?" and that's why I do pre recorded DJ sets. And I only make 2 sets of it so I can make them happy by dance with me. So I quite agree with Phil.. It depends the condition. If I have to play in Kizomba Nite which is all nite long Kizomba songs... I won't need to make any pre recorded. Coz they love me more spinning the music than dance hahaha... Most worst DJ ing experience, arrived at the location and the organizer give you the playlist for me to play and have to play exactly like the list. Than I said to them... "Just used a Media Player than" and I go home, hahaha.... Love this job cause the adrenaline to "Read the Crowd" and provide them with what they need... HAPPY!! :D
This was the most honest video out there 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I'm just an amateur DJ that does friends parties and what not. But on this subject, I will pre record 4-5 track long sets to use for when I have to go to the bathroom, or to go have a cigarette as sometimes I'll be mixing for 4-5 hours. Made the mistake of not having any on hand at one point and almost pissed myself ha ha.
I feel like that's the most acceptable use of these sorts of things, makes sense. In other situations I wouldn't be happy with it but that's a way better solution than stopping the music to take care of necessities.
I've DJed in a club before and the thing I've noticed was that the crowds will always vary. To me, to do a pre recording was a waste of time and suicidal on my behalf. So, I do all my mix on the fly, in that way, I as the DJ have a greater control on crowd.
hey. great video and great discussions. I see your point and I agree. but, a few things,... 1: yes, you CAN dj Live and be flawless and at the same time have to switch up your basic planned dj set due to various circumstances. 2: yes, these major festivals have pyrotechnics which has to be rehearsals and a pre.planned set or at least for a certain time frame although nowadays these major festivals are mostly pre sets unfortunately. 3: you can for sure have flawless sets at club venues, think on the fly accordingly by reading the crowd etc. and 4: I hate pre.planned dj sets due to the fact that's why I went to see THAT dj specifically.... to experience their LIVE PERFORMANCE ability. this is my 2 cents lol. I could say more but it will be pointless unless I create an entire video regarding why I think so,... which I really might release on my new Channel here
Hey Phil, I just want to say I appreciate your videos and the way you go back to basics. I get so tired of trying to learn the art of DJing from people who act like we all should have built our own computers by age 5. I am a brand newbie. Just trying to learn the art of DJing for a fun hobby. And Already I have found out about the war... My question for you is... Why are some DJs so hateful towards others...especially new ones like me? I mean I get there is turf, respect and paid gigs involved..but to look down your nose at someone brand new who is just trying to learn and tell them you're not a real DJ because you don't know how to scratch, or you use a laptop, or you're not good at mixing yet ...I don't get that.
Because they want to protect their spot. It's just like big-time wrestling, and it's always the middle of the road guys who seem to be the most paranoid about it.
Good point of view. If I was djing by myself for a long set, I PROBABLY would prerecord segments, just long enough for me to go to the restroom and back. So maybe 7-10 minute recordings. BUT I WOULD NEVER PRE-RECORD GIGS.
I believe that when you are playing in a huge gig it is wise to minimize your risks.
yeah by being experienced.. the pressure, djays live for that
Sure, I understand. The big Dj's are especially producers. They've got hit records that everybody wants to hear. At this massive events it's always a pre recorded set. Why? Because everything depends on in. The lights, fireworks, cannons etc. When they mix on the spot all the cues al gone. There is no way they take that kind of risks. So those guys, great producers and great mashup artists but it's totally something els then clubmixing. Another thing is in my opinion, Top Dj's should be come clean about that. Not that faking stuff we see on de big stage. Just keep your hands off of the djset! Thanks for the vid Phil!
I have never been asked to submit a pre-recording a set, and if i was i would second guess even playing that event. I have heard the huge events like Ultra/EDC/Tomorrowland can require it due to time restrictions.
I love live mixing it's a blast, the power controllers, DJM's CDJ's give you is addictive.
They twiddle knobs and press buttons and the sound never changes 😂
I know right I watch when they do it and nothing happens
The only pre recorded thing I played was a max mix so I could have a quick toilet stop lol!! If you know what a max mix is you'll know I'm old and played vinyl! Back in those days I worked a club all weekend with six hours deejaying each night, all on vinyl so everything was mixed, damn hard work in those days!
We renamed Rapper's Delight to Crapper's Delight. 14:21 of bathroom break goodness.
Damn hard work indeed....... but this is the difference on a night you mixed well and you sent them home buzzing.... Man what a rush we got from it..... some nights it took hrs to get to sleep from the high.... I know the feeling bro....
Never have a prerecorded set if your getting paid to be there. It ok to have a list, things get a little hectic at some events.
Especially for weddings and other events, how about short mini-mixes, like three songs long or so? That would be good for quick mashups you made yourself earlier or like a pre-made "20 80's songs in 10 minutes" for example. Or short sets of songs you usually play in order together over and over again at events. I bet lots of wedding DJ's already do stuff like that.
There are plenty of world class musicians who get on stages and skillfully manipulate instruments with 6 or more strings, plus dozens of effects, in conjunction with many other bandmates doing the same thing.... I don't think it's a huge ask for a DJ to be able to think on his feet, to push a few buttons at the right times in front of the same size crowds. Let's not keep lowering the bar. Let's just get better at our craft.
Happy Monday 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Some of bigger productions really need to be prerecorded. Hard to keep lighting and visuals all synced up...
My friend did the exact same thing for his wedding and it worked fabulously!
The bottom line is this. When you go to a wedding you are not paying to see a certain artist perform live. The dj at a wedding has a particular set of skills but you don't go there to see the DJ. When you pay good money to go to a club or festival (which is basically a dance music concert) it is completely unacceptable and disingenuous for an artist (be it a dj, pianist, singer) to mime. You are paying money to see them perform LIVE.
I don't know the exact techniques to sync videowalls to music, but for instance I watched a set of Nicky Romero, and his videowalls were in absolute sync with the music the whole set, with accented lyrics and effects in time lock all the time. It was very perfect (and very boring too) and no way in hell his sets are live mixed. But I really missed the human feel of that set. The small errors, the little beatnudges make stuff alive.
Setlist are definitely not cheating, not sure why you talked about it like it was, back in the day you wouldn’t take hundreds of vinyls to your gig, you would pick them out and prepare you set aka “setlist”
I think there is a big difrence between Prerecorded and Preplant (songlist) Sets. prerecorded is the fullset only press play and use some filter. The Preplant DJ Set is playing songs live but one after the other on the list.
For your own wedding gig fine.. But when someone is paying you? ?? I don't feel comfortable as the night unfolds it can take so many different twists.... so for me no bad move.... But as you explain it is obvious your not comfy with it yourself....
Very late to the conversation but I'll add my input anyway. I was primarily a wedding and school dance DJ. When I first started out I didn't pre record a thing, all seat of the pants and it worked well. But as time went on I changed my thinking. I would burn a CD that had a dinner music mix on it. Those songs that are popular but not really danceable . That sure beat the hell out of Kenny G CD's on repeat. I would also have 1 CD with all the specific requests on it. First dance, Father Daughter dance, wedding party dance etc..... All I would have to do is hit play on a single deck and leave me to MC the special events to a much higher degree than usual if I was busy cueing up the next song. Of course I use playlists now to do the same thing.
For school dances I always keep a 30 min set ready to go in case something bad happens. Bathroom break, lighting problem , etc. I've had to use it a few times and I'm glad I had it.
Pre'Recorded
Half of the mainstream DJ's prerecord their sets. I do it too. theres no shame in it as long as you the performer are giving the audience the best experience ever.
Hi Phil,
Hope the wedding goes well and good luck. Get what your saying but when I'm paying money to see these big names I want to know it's live. Go hard or go home as fakeass djs are not what we are there for but just my point ....
Congrats mate ❤️
Hi Phil,, great stuff btw..
I know a mobile wedding dj ,, he says that he just simply has to much going on to actually mix,, he uses vdj,, and uses auto mix. ,, he can still chop and change his sets about to suit the crowd,,
He says alot of mobile djs dj this way .. at least over here in australia.
And sometimes he had block of about ten songs premixed, depending on the type of jobs he gets
But never a whole night as he still needs to take requests.
I think a safer bet that's halfway between doing it in the flow and precorded is to set cues for mix points which means it can be mixed up if needed.
Interesting topic. Nowadays everything and everybody has to be ‘perfect’... People put chemicals in their body in an attempt to look or feel more perfect... Let’s be real! Everybody makes mistakes, isn’t perfect and there’s nothing wrong with that, even for a big audience. If a transition is to difficult go practicing more and if that doesn’t help, leave it. If you can’t handle the stress, don’t step on big stages. Others who can will take your place, yes. You can’t be good at everything... Dj-ing is like playing an instrument a form of art. When not ‘perfect’ it does not loose it’s art status. So when people are on the dancefloor for their love for the music and the art of dj-ing a pre-recorded set is not done. Pre-planning is partly ok I think. Playing a track list not so... THE best dj is the one who doesn’t plan everything and go with the flow and make the dancefloor rock. So maybe a wedding dj can deserve the status of ‘best dj’ easier than one of those ‘big’ dj’s on big stages... 👊🏻😉
Pre-recorded mixes are ok for some situations
Emergencies
You may have to step away
Maybe you aren't intimately familiar with the genre
Finally a dayum break! 😂😂
However, I do not encourage this for the entire set!
Is "You're the one that I want" from the Grease soundtrack on your wedding playlist?
Hey Phil, it is an interesting debate. Afrojack has a video on the subject on RUclips. If you are DJing at a major festival preparation is the key. Too much at stake to mess up on a stage due to radio and video streaming to millions of fans around the world in addition to thousands in attendance. I bet that all these DJs have a preset playlist even if they don’t prerecord. It works because they know they are playing the same genre the entire performance. Some of them probably do prerecord and there is nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day, you would be judged for a poor final product as opposed to an amazing prerecorded set. Do you think anyone asked if Tiesto prerecorded his Ultra set? I can give a crap because it was outstanding in the end.
Congratulations on getting married!
Totally agree! Thanks! P
Phil Harris Thank you for all the videos. I learned a lot from it. This is a very useful content for new DJs. Your teaching style is easy to understand and the visuals you provide is super helpful.
Hi Phil
Very interesting and very well presented as ever. I am a fan of your channel and content and this is an example of why.
This is a VERY important topic.
No.
Pre-recorded = recorded, as in, NOT BEING (DISC) JOCKEYED (RIDING whatever wheels/media controller could come off whatever wagon).
If it says DJ is "PLAYING" a set on the flyer/website then it is actually a crime when that person just plays a prerecorded set and FAKES playing.
It debases the whole culture to behold such a travesty as if it were not, a such a travesty.
When a DJ is actually playing and shitting himself with that familiar mix of fear and excitement (that tennis players get too), but the ball goes in, its a winner, or hits the lines a few times or goes out.
The crowd feels the same committment to face it and the same excitment and fear and elation as one mix/ball after another, comes off, and even if it comes off the rails, how doese the DJ recover, style it out, play the next point, next mix??
Its all part of what we do.
Allowing tecnology to define the most fundamental aspect of an art form is the end of that art form and also the performance dimension of it.
The end.
Do not argue for this.
Understand why it happens but let us be told if we are going to pay, what we really paying for.
The reason there is so much plastic in the oceans is because too many of us are addicted to the quick fix, that pristine certainty unleashes in the brain, like cocain or retail therapy.
They feel good, for a short while only, but the production processes are as demonically destructive to the people involved and the planet as the consumption and consequences for the consumer, who is blissfully unaware of the damage to the brain and body and the sweatshops where the poorest children and people on the planet are exploited, often to death and the mountains of packaging piling up, (out of our sight and mind in their back yards) and the plastics clogging and destroying marine life and the global eco system.....errr sorry. I digress.
Real DJ-ing vs Pre-recorded and presenting it as live, in clubs and to dance floors where 1000s of people are in attendance, goes this deep.
It's the worst thing you can possibly do in a world and culture where so much creativity, talent and skill has been lost because the creative process involved has been copied, bottled, midi-mapped, sampled etc (nothing against sampling per sey, because a single sample does not (quite ?? Pharrell Williams - Happy 488M views) make)but with freedom/power (digital rendition) comes a certain responsibility.
I agree with logic of your argument, for prerecorded sets 95% ,but logic and logic gates are for computers and engineers etc.
if you're good enough to play at those events, then handling the pressure comes with the territory and hearing a cock up or two or even more, handled well, 'because you're an experienced pro', is part of the entertainment.
Roger Federer had match points for the Wimbledon final just last weekend, but failed to serve well in the final games (because of the pressure (indeed as had Djokovic also failed to do in one of his service games immediately before) then lost his serve and went on to lose the match, the final, in the tie break....because of the pressure.
He did not deploy a ball machine to serve for him, at any time, and he had no more right to win than Djokovic.
There's no hiding place and no opportunity for cheating at the level where the ball meets the racket, in a stark contrast to where the needle 'used' to meet the record.
You make it happen, in REAL TIME!!
Don't lie!
Don't fake!
Tell the truth, (you have a mic) because it will find you and all of us out, in the fulness of time if we don't.
Just Be!
Be Real!
First, Gratz on becomming married!
Thank you!
My problem with pre recorded set is what happens when all the previous Djs playied your preselected choons. NO PLAY BACK
I LOVE YOUR #HUMOR !!!
You always make Me LOL !!!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💯💯💯👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
That’s all you hear on the radio today as well as what you see in the club! I understand having preset music on what you’re going to play, but to actually play a mix that you’ve done before hand is absurd! It’s like people are scared to make a mistake in their music and sometimes that mistake can be the best part of your set! SMH
In a club or wedding where they’re doing a whole night I think it’s fair to prerecord a few tracks, like 2-3 transitions in one track so if you need to take a little break get some water/ bathroom whatever then you aren’t rushed. But should never do a whole set. Big DJ festivals are too far out of my league to even speculate on though. Like you said I wouldn’t understand the pressure. A lot of them are producers more so than djs at that point so as long as the shows good I don’t worry about it too much.
The only valid reason for me to ever pre-record a set, is if they have fireworks and lightshow completely synchronised to the recorded set. I'd also like to add that there should be like a max time for pre-recorded sets. Anywhere between 15-30 minutes I can accept (for like an endshow). A full hour or more of pre-recorded set is just wrong in my opinion as you are not adjusting your set to the crowd and you might as well turn on a playlist on Spotify/SoundCloud/RUclips and walk away... I think it's ridiculous to stand behind the decks pretending to press buttons, or pressing buttons that do nothing... Either use the gear for it's intended purpose, or not use it at all (and leave the stage/music industry and give some actual talent a chance). Faking it will never get my approval! If you are reading this and are one of those fake button pushers, please hold your breath until your soul has left your body 👌
That doing Fisher
I myself am very new to DJing and like the idea of doing it all live. The mistakes are what make it real I think and not milli vanilli
Prerecording is fine if you do it yourself! A lot of singers use Playback on some Gigs...
So I have been following some of these bigger dj's and from what I have seen they need to provide their playlist to the event and it must fit within a given timeframe. So some of it is prepared, but to what extend I am not sure. I think some of them create remixes fit to certain events and prerecord something. But then agin they are also music producers and artist providing a good show. Syncing music with video and light effects makes a show even better. So I am thinking let them prepare and give an amazing show.
Depends if your a DJ or a Producer. Improve comedy vs stand-up comedy. A play or a film.
Similar but different. I don't care of an artist has prerecorded sets if it's their own music. As long as its not just playing their album and has a unique mix of their songs for the live show it doesnt matter to me.
Congrats on your wedding....thanks for sharing
Wow old but GOLD!!!!
reasonable points. but ye, u said it.. it's all about the passion and thats why really makes no sense to prerecord :/ like why would someone do that? that must be boring for the 'dj' too
Of course most famous dj sets have a set list or pre recordings, that’s why their visuals and fx are synced perfectly, I saw Garrix at a festival and Fisher decided to pop up and play 2 of his songs with him, that’s when I noticed the difference, effects and energy changed because it wasn’t planned. He definitely djs live, but plans out his songs.
Fisher Is big fake
congrats dj Phill
Check twitch out so many fake djs. The worst part is 99% of viewers don’t know there faking turning the knobs ect
I think it works for producers as you are incorporating your DAW talent at work as well as rocking the crowd.
I am a pure hobbyist, so sure I do love DJ-ing live (otherwise it would not be my hobby). However, the only parties I DJ at are my own (with my friends) or my friends' parties. And I find that DJ-ing is a bit like taking care of the BBQ, if you know what I mean : there are guys who will love spending the whole party behind the BBQ, well, I am not that kind of guy and although I love cooking over the BBQ, I sometimes want to do something else during those private parties.
As I can't let someone else take care of the decks (as I would let someone take care of the BBQ), yes, I do pre-record sets, especially the ones that are meant to be played as background music (mostly at the beginning, or the end), simply because I want to be able to eat or have a drink, or chat with my friends... That being said, when the time to dance comes, I will definitely play live because I love it.
Closing remark : I guess the BBQ analogy is perfect as I also sometimes pre-cook things on the BBQ, so I won't spend to much time behind it 😀
Plenty of rock bands have massive multi million pound events. What do they do? They play. They don't pretend to play and often improvise or jam, depending no the band.
To be clear, the analogy is miming- not having a fixed setlist. It's the norm with pop groups (and occasionally with other genres of music).
Amazing vlog my friend i agree with you salute from lebanon :)
Awesome man congrats.
if you think that being married and continuing your music career passion are things that blend together, they never will be.
First of all congrats on getting married. I would say that if I was doing a big festival where things need to be perfect then yes, I would pre record them but for me I like to mix on the fly so I usually don't even put a set list together unless it's for a specific event like an edm night at a club or something maybe there is a certain genre or sub genre they want played then I will get a set list together but if it's not specific I just throw mixes together on the fly by either using genres and in key mixing because that's what makes it very fun and gets your adrenaline going. But for a big festival, I would definitely pre record it.
That tells me that you play Pre'Recorded sets?