The
Playlist
by Rob
Wegner
July 2004
The playlist
is a subject rarely covered in "how to DJ" literature.
This is perhaps because "playlists" are common to club
DJ residents and radio mix-show DJ's. Mobile DJ trainees are
also subject to filling out playlists, which are often evaluated
by a senior DJ. This month's tip will address the pros and cons
of "Club DJ" playlists.
The Pros:
Why Fill Out A List?
A DJ generally
fills out a playlist to avoid repetition and to gauge progress
during the course of an evening. The additional advantages include:
1) By writing
notes next to a group of songs, a DJ can refine "sets"
over the course of several evenings. This allows the DJ to go
back to older playlists whenever she or he needs creative inspiration
via strong sets from the past;
2) Whenever a
DJ has a "rough night," she or he can evaluate the
weak sets and/or songs for potential elimination or refinement;
3) After several
weeks, a DJ can spot whether she or he is repeating the same
songs in the same order every night (helping him or her to avoid
becoming "predictable");
4) In some clubs,
DJ's are required to make announcements. The playlist is a notepad
and can also help the DJ keep track of requests, CD's and/or
records that need to be replaced, and equipment notes;
5) New DJ's can
get senior DJ's and/or managers to evaluate their playlist (thus
assisting in the training process).
The Cons
1) The playlist
can become a tedious distraction;
2) Many DJ's
fail to keep an accurate account of every song that was played
- thus rendering those playlists unreliable for future guidance;
3) A DJ's playlist
is like a chef's secret recipe. It's the DJ's "sound."
A DJ risks losing his or her "secret recipe" whenever
his or her playlist is exposed to a competing DJ. This is why
"trainspotting" is a major issue among DJ's.
What Should
A Playlist Include?
A playlist should
include the date and DJ name at the top, the song title (and
if needed, artist name), and the time the song was played. It
should also include notes next to successful and unsuccessful
sets. For example, if a song clears the dance floor and you notice
that your past notes (from previous nights) shows that this has
occurred several times, then it's probably time to eliminate
that song. The playlist may also have a summary describing the
DJ's opinion of the night's level of success. For example, comments
such as "good night, but a late crowd," or "this
night was affected by the holiday" will help the DJ when
looking for guidance from past nights.
Finally, the
playlist is more common in corporate clubs. In some of those
cases, a DJ is required to have a manager sign his or her playlist
at the end of the evening. While this level of corporate control
is understandable, it can also stifle the creative process -
and take the fun out of being a DJ. A DJ
is an artist,
not a secretary. It makes little sense to compel a DJ to fill
out a playlist against his or her will (particularly when that
DJ - in most cases - is the only person that will ever read it).
Industry
News
* Larry Mundy,
the author of the March, April, and May Tip
of the Month
on Speaker Design and DJ's released his book through Trafford
Publishing. For more info and/or to order, see http://www.trafford.com/robots/04-0825.html
* John Digweed
and Futuremusic present the Next Big Thing DJ contest. DJ's will
submit a 60 minute house music CD for the opportunity to open
for DJ John Digweed in Denver, Colorado - as well as winning
DJ gear. All entries must be received by July 31, 2004. For more
information, visit http://www.futuremusic.com/djcontest/
* The "most
realistic motion picture ever made on dance music culture"
opens in Berlin, Germany on September 18, 2004. The movie is
entitled Maestro and depicts the underground dance music
scene of legendary clubs such as The Loft and the Paradise Garage.
For more info, see http://maestro-documentary.com/
* DJ Sasha is
sponsoring a DJ contest where the DJ will "get involved"
in a collaborative music project. DJ's will create original tracks
using parts of songs that Sasha created. For more info, see http://sasha.m-audio.com/
* Tommy Lee's
DJ career seems to be in trouble. The 41-year old former Motley
Crue drummer was fired from Las Vegas' Bellagio Light nightclub
for "playing lousy music" and drinking Cristal champaign
without paying the tab. For more info, see http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/24/people.tommy.lee.ap/index.html
* Godskitchen
is presenting Global Gathering 2004 on July 31, 2004. This UK
event will feature over 100 of the world's biggest DJ's including
Paul van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, Sasha, John Digweed, Carl
Cox, and more. See http://www.godskitchen.com/global/
* The City of
Chicago has officially decreed August 28th as Frankie
Knuckles Day.
The City has also named a street after Frankie Knuckles, the
godfather of house music. [Source: King Street Sounds].
i
Tip of the Month