I started with level 5 … moods and feeling then slowly rise to 4.5. Missing a bit of the creative tool but lately I learn how to take sample live from the track and play with it. After more than 10 years U start to feel at home 🥳
Actually a great way to summarise the matter... I am 3,5 level, with one element of 5, what i call the "coolness factor"... also some samples/steams used in remix decks in Traktor, but not abusing them, just a pinch of salt... and always preparing playlist according to the expected audience. Great content, thank you!
Another banger. I feel like my library has elements across levels 3-5. Need to step up my maintenance game and remember to use intelligent playlists to prepare for events quicker (rather than manually going over tags)
Great video - it's so important to stay organized with your files and playlists (and sample libraries). I might also suggest having a really good Star rating system, where each Star means something specific to you, and then you can combine the Genre, Key & BPM with the Star rating to help craft better playlists. Back in the 90's vinyl days we had flight cases for our records which held about 90 records (and was heavy), so this forced you to go through your flight case before each gig to make sure what you are lugging around is actually going to be useful and versatile for your live gig. So you could apply the same logic to playlists today, maybe build a new playlist for each new gig curated with about ~100 tracks, and then for your live gig you only have to think about those 100 tracks. This forces you to be very thoughtful about what you bring and what you use during a live gig, and helps eliminate "serato face" or "analysis paralysis".
Great video as always Chris! So apparently I'm level 5, with a full system that works great for me and that I've been using for the past 3 years! Since I have this organized library, I noticed that I know more precisely how my taste in music is evolving. I tend to be less attached to specific tracks that I used to love but that are not really in my "style" anymore.
I love these vids. Really think you’ve nailed it. One of the challenges I’m facing (and I guess others too) is having to go two steps backwards to go one step forwards. I know this makes a lot of sense and I should do it. It’s just such a LOT of work. I think I need to break this down into achievable steps
Yeah if the foundations aren't right then anything you build on top will get wobbly. Try and just fix 10-20 tracks a week with the basics and you'll get there before you know it :)
@@ReallyChrisM absolutely! Qq - just so I’m clear. For the track info > genre you’re saying “D&B” and then adding a tag for “Liquid” etc. or, are you using the main genre like this “D&B - Liquid” then my tags for the other things you mention. Thank you 🙏 (one more sneaky q - do you know if you can add anymore “headers / sections” into the my tag? Doesn’t seem to be an option
@@ReallyChrisM I followed your advice and re-organised my library before a five hour set last night. I’d dumped a potential 63hrs of tracks into a playlist that I “could” play but obviously that was going to be a nightmare to search through quickly. So, I created new my tags, set the right grids (apart from a few dick tracks that I have no idea what bpm they want to be), used the quick method to beat jump and set four hot cues and, finally, the energy rating. It took bloody hours to prep but paid off massively when I was mixing on the fly the whole night! It was so easy to read the room and find the right energy and style of track. I was often two tracks ahead knowing what I’d play. So THANK YOU! Any tips/videos on how to master the recorded set? There don’t seem to be many vids on YT for that in Logic Pro X
Interesting. If judging by the methodology shown here, i need to solidify levels 3-4, because my system only works on mood color tagging, random mood playlists i start playing sets from and like nothing else. And a problem with NO automation if you are just hobby DJ - that is just too time consuming to... relate with tracks on an emotional level by feeding them to you like a factory to tag and put somewhere. That works for 3-4 tracks, then any data you will add will be just pointless and not reflecting anything. So, feel like automation needs to happen on a greater level just to present better selection to find true gems in. Also for the grid part - i just mapped GridSlide to Shift + Cue on my controller to fix stuff on the fly since for that part of management i am definitely too lazy :)
@@ReallyChrisM my greatest problem right now is consistency and confidence. Confidence in playing new music if it works or not. Consistency keeping my level of djing up basically. Also pro Tip Stop making new crates everytime Make a crate that works well to find the music you need. Example: Smart crate Named Top Tracks. While practicing or playing out all your banners that you know will work and people absolutely like/love type Top in a dedicated column for that track. Now when ever you play out and you need bangers on the fly you can go into any crate and type Top r&b and every r&b top track from any era/year is at your finger tips 😉
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I love the metaphor you used. Well done.
I started with level 5 … moods and feeling then slowly rise to 4.5. Missing a bit of the creative tool but lately I learn how to take sample live from the track and play with it. After more than 10 years U start to feel at home 🥳
I'm a mixture between level 3 & 4 - nice tips here, its time to level up!
Actually a great way to summarise the matter... I am 3,5 level, with one element of 5, what i call the "coolness factor"... also some samples/steams used in remix decks in Traktor, but not abusing them, just a pinch of salt... and always preparing playlist according to the expected audience.
Great content, thank you!
Another banger. I feel like my library has elements across levels 3-5. Need to step up my maintenance game and remember to use intelligent playlists to prepare for events quicker (rather than manually going over tags)
Great video - it's so important to stay organized with your files and playlists (and sample libraries). I might also suggest having a really good Star rating system, where each Star means something specific to you, and then you can combine the Genre, Key & BPM with the Star rating to help craft better playlists. Back in the 90's vinyl days we had flight cases for our records which held about 90 records (and was heavy), so this forced you to go through your flight case before each gig to make sure what you are lugging around is actually going to be useful and versatile for your live gig. So you could apply the same logic to playlists today, maybe build a new playlist for each new gig curated with about ~100 tracks, and then for your live gig you only have to think about those 100 tracks. This forces you to be very thoughtful about what you bring and what you use during a live gig, and helps eliminate "serato face" or "analysis paralysis".
Vinyl was the ultimate curation tool - the only way to carry more was to hit the gym 🏋️
The information and production of your videos are great 👍🏻
You are a breath of fresh air to my shrunken cashmere jumper 😅
Great video as always Chris!
So apparently I'm level 5, with a full system that works great for me and that I've been using for the past 3 years!
Since I have this organized library, I noticed that I know more precisely how my taste in music is evolving.
I tend to be less attached to specific tracks that I used to love but that are not really in my "style" anymore.
That’s awesome to be about to track that kind of thing 🏆
I love these vids. Really think you’ve nailed it. One of the challenges I’m facing (and I guess others too) is having to go two steps backwards to go one step forwards. I know this makes a lot of sense and I should do it. It’s just such a LOT of work. I think I need to break this down into achievable steps
Yeah if the foundations aren't right then anything you build on top will get wobbly. Try and just fix 10-20 tracks a week with the basics and you'll get there before you know it :)
@@ReallyChrisM absolutely! Qq - just so I’m clear. For the track info > genre you’re saying “D&B” and then adding a tag for “Liquid” etc. or, are you using the main genre like this “D&B - Liquid” then my tags for the other things you mention. Thank you 🙏 (one more sneaky q - do you know if you can add anymore “headers / sections” into the my tag? Doesn’t seem to be an option
I usually do genre as a tag as I find it a bit more flexible (and fewer clicks to set). I don't believe you can add any others no :/@@toru_dj_uk
@@ReallyChrisM I followed your advice and re-organised my library before a five hour set last night. I’d dumped a potential 63hrs of tracks into a playlist that I “could” play but obviously that was going to be a nightmare to search through quickly. So, I created new my tags, set the right grids (apart from a few dick tracks that I have no idea what bpm they want to be), used the quick method to beat jump and set four hot cues and, finally, the energy rating.
It took bloody hours to prep but paid off massively when I was mixing on the fly the whole night! It was so easy to read the room and find the right energy and style of track. I was often two tracks ahead knowing what I’d play. So THANK YOU!
Any tips/videos on how to master the recorded set? There don’t seem to be many vids on YT for that in Logic Pro X
awesome to hear! Glad it went well. Check out auphonic for some automatic mastering @@toru_dj_uk
I'm starting to feel this is the only RUclips channel that is relevant to DJs...
"....They stopped me getting cold or arrested" 😄
A gem, like all your videos. 🔥
😂 Oh man! Your jokes are killin' me! 💥👊🏻💥
Interesting. If judging by the methodology shown here, i need to solidify levels 3-4, because my system only works on mood color tagging, random mood playlists i start playing sets from and like nothing else. And a problem with NO automation if you are just hobby DJ - that is just too time consuming to... relate with tracks on an emotional level by feeding them to you like a factory to tag and put somewhere. That works for 3-4 tracks, then any data you will add will be just pointless and not reflecting anything. So, feel like automation needs to happen on a greater level just to present better selection to find true gems in.
Also for the grid part - i just mapped GridSlide to Shift + Cue on my controller to fix stuff on the fly since for that part of management i am definitely too lazy :)
The grid is definitely not a thrill ride
@@ReallyChrisM Yeah, like all those loops being misaligned just a bit with a real beat on the other side of the track.
Thanks
Thank you! ❤️
Great insight Chris. Thanks as always.
Always makes me chuckle with what he says amazing information, should consider being a comedian
I am somewhere between level 3 and 4 but also have elements of level 5.
P.S. I love techhouse 😛
At level 3 right now I guess
Pioneer DJ, I mean Alpha Theta, needs to put Chris on the payroll.
im on level 5
🏆
@@ReallyChrisM my greatest problem right now is consistency and confidence.
Confidence in playing new music if it works or not.
Consistency keeping my level of djing up basically.
Also pro Tip
Stop making new crates everytime
Make a crate that works well to find the music you need.
Example: Smart crate Named Top Tracks.
While practicing or playing out all your banners that you know will work and people absolutely like/love type Top in a dedicated column for that track.
Now when ever you play out and you need bangers on the fly you can go into any crate and type Top r&b and every r&b top track from any era/year is at your finger tips 😉
half the battle is to realize your library sucks...
Thanks
Thank you so much! 🙏