# Getting my DJ controller tomorrow. What should I spin?



## GatodeCafe (Jun 8, 2011)

I bought a numark mixtrack last week and it's coming in tomorrow (I hope). I've already been practicing quite a bit on my bro's decks, so I know the basics of beatmatching and mashupping and all that mess.  I'm really fucking excited.

Does anybody know any essential compilations I should have in my mp3 folder? I've already got some chill stuff, a fuckload of anime shit, a ton of hip hop/top 40, some renard stuff, like 1.5 gigs of pony remixes, etc.. to work with, LOL.  I feel like I could use some more trance, but I'm not sure where to start


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## Darkstar-Dracon (Jun 8, 2011)

Get a bunch of some Hardcore techno (be it oldskool rave, happy hardcore or trancecore) to mix with the Renard stuff. I recommend at least looking through the Bonkers compilations for tunes to look for.

Regarding trance, I can't recommend much since I've almost stopped listening to it, but put some Chicane and Above & Beyond there.


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## Mallard (Jun 15, 2011)

If you're just looking for mixing practice, minimal techno is a good choice as the beats are so easy to latch on to and sync. If you're looking for a challenge, try mixing jungle, dnb or garage. 

If you're generally just asking what to spin... well that's kind of sad, man! You should be doing this for the love of the music, and you should know exactly what you wanna be playing out. You've gotta really want to show people your favorite tunes, and you gotta be keeping up to date with your favorite genres.

That's just like, my opinion man, but don't DJ just for something to do, do it because you love music.


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## Mr_Fox (Jun 28, 2011)

Mallard said:


> If you're generally just asking what to spin... well that's kind of sad, man! You should be doing this for the love of the music, and you should know exactly what you wanna be playing out. You've gotta really want to show people your favorite tunes, and you gotta be keeping up to date with your favorite genres.


 
Totally this.  You should already know what tunes you want to get for mixing.  However, I've also spread into a new genre I had interest in and did run into the issue of "What tunes do I get?" myself, so, here's some tips:

1) Identify your favourite DJs in said genres you want to spin.  Listen to their radio shows and pay attention to their track lists.  If you hear a track you really like, get it.  If you hear a track you like but are on the fence about, wait and see.  If it keeps getting played, that's because it works, so get it.  If it never gets played again, don't get it.
2) Browse Beatport once a week.  Listen through the Top 10 lists of the genres you want to spin, and poke around in the new releases, too.  If you stick to just the Top 10, you'll have no identity and will just be playing what everyone else does.  If you stick to just New Releases, you'll be missing out on good tracks that the crowd likes.  Maintain a good balance of checking out both, but don't worry about maintaining any balance in what you actually end up buying; if you don't like it, don't buy it.  If you like it, analyse if it will work in your sets and consider buying it.
3) This one takes time, but once you begin getting an audience, figure out what they like.  Don't let them pull you into a genre you don't want to spin, but rather figure out what sounds they like and get tracks with those sounds that fit within your style and genre.  Your listeners like a lot of dubstep and you're doing trance?  Get some trance with some deep bass lines.  Your listeners like a lot of techno but you're doing house?  Try some tech-house.  Your audience is completely unfamiliar with dance music and want rock?  Get remixes of popular tunes for your genre.

Mixing and beatmatching isn't what makes a DJ; anybody can do that.  What makes a DJ is the track selection.


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