Dreaming Outside the Box with Girls Club
“Joy, Power and Possibility” is the message of Girls Club, a social organization and after school program that was founded in 1998, in New York’s Lower East Side, to fill a void. There were three boys’ clubs in the neighborhood, but nothing for girls nearby, so a coalition of neighborhood Moms, including Lyn Pentecost, Jen Valette, Nancy Vega, Leana Parilla, Dolly Chavous, Zulma Zayas, Judith Brown Leigh, and Blanca Martinetti, stepped in to create Girls Club.
They initially went door to door in the neighborhood to spread the word, and to find a location for the club. Over the years, that location has become a state of the art center for technology and learning, but the mission has remained the same: to provide a safe place for young women to interact, and find their voice as activists for their community.
Music is one of the many creative outlets Girls Clubs offers its members. Beats by Girlz is one such program which partners with Girls Club, and offers an introduction to music production, songwriting and beatmaking. The Avenue DJs is another program, and one that exists within Girls Club to offer up-and-coming DJs performance opportunities. As a part of Girls Club, members receive DJ lessons as well as opportunities to perform at shows as they develop their skills behind the decks. Kelly Webb aka DJ Baby K manages the squad, and has focused on building it into a viable DJ crew. She regularly hosts guest DJs for lessons and seminars, and has brought in Spinderella, DJ Shiftee, DJ Perly, DJ Saige and Natasha Diggs, among others. DJ Reborn, one of their early co-instructors is currently on tour as the DJ for Lauryn Hill and the Fugees.
Although all programs are free of charge for members, the opportunities for members are significant, and include internships at which girls receive money for college, a mentorship program with Nessa from HOT97, and performance time with major stars. Girls Club DJs have opened for Doja Cat, played at the Museum of the City of New York, and Lincoln Center as well as numerous block parties.
You can learn more about Girls Club by checking out their web site, or by following them on Instagram @girlsclubny.
November Video Recap
Heavy Hits is more than a record pool. You obviously know about our blog– you’re reading it right now– but do you know about our YouTube channel? It’s full of information and tutorials designed to help you become a better DJ or producer. Here’s a recap of what was shared on our YouTube channel this month.
First up, our resident YouTube creator DJ And One covers some crucial accessories that every DJ should have in his arsenal.
Next up, he covers the setup of a USB stick using Rekordbox
And finally, an in-depth tutorial for creating Kaytranada-style edits using Ableton
How’d You Find Me?
Thanksgiving is over and Black Friday is a day of the past. That means the Holiday Season is upon us! Or, as some say, cuffing season; to DJs it’s something more serious: engagement season! Is it the time spent indoors due to cold weather, the Christmas spirit, or the heart-shaped boxes of candy on Valentine’s Day? Does all the time spent with family at the holidays invigorate our inherent nesting instinct? Who’s to say? Whatever the cause, something happens between Thanksgiving and the end of February that leads to more wedding proposals, and subsequent “Yes!” responses in return, in that span of time than at any other time of the year.
For DJs, at least those who are in it for the big bucks, engagement season means a steady stream of inquiries from recently engaged couples seeking a DJ For their upcoming wedding day celebration. Hopefully you have a sales pitch ready for these couples, and no doubt you are a master at converting leads to sales. If not, stick around, and in a future post I will offer some helpful advice in that regard, but today I want to address something else.
Are you tracking the source of all your leads?
This is an oft-overlooked, but very important piece of data to track! If you are paying for leads, you not only want to know how many leads are coming from a given source, but how they are performing. This means it isn’t good enough to simply note how a potential client found you. No, you need to track that lead through every stage of its life. Here’s how I do that.
When someone reaches out to me, I create an entry in a database I’ve created for managing my DJ business. You can do the same, or use a simple spreadsheet. You want to track the following information:
1. The date they first contacted you
2. The date of the event
3. The source of the lead, i.e. where they found you. Google? Instagram? The Knot? A referral? They saw you in person and liked you? Usually it’s obvious. If they send a DM on Instagram, there’s your answer. Other times, as in a direct email, you need to ask.
4. The current status of the lead. I have six options here: Open, Booked, Date Taken, Not Hired, Spam, and DOA. The last one, DOA, describes a lead that never responded to any replies from me. Date taken means I was already booked on their date.
For events that are booked, I track how much I charged, what my costs were, and how much, if any, tip was given. This allows me to track to the penny how much I make on average per event from a given lead source.
From that info I create a report that tells me precisely how each lead source is doing. I want to know how much total income leads from each source are generating, as well as how much per gig. If I make $5,000 from people who find me on Google, but worked 10 gigs to make that, perhaps that is better than making only $2,000 from Instagram, but working just 2 gigs for it. There’s no definite answer there. $500 each for 10 gigs has merit, as does $1,000 each from two gigs. Either way, you need to know this, so you know where to focus your efforts, because clearly you want 10 gigs from Instagram, and the resulting $10,000, more than you want 10 more from Google, right??
I also track what percentage of gigs from a given lead end up DOA. This matters, especially if you are paying for leads. If you’re spending $10 per lead, and 80% are dead from the get-go, you may want to reconsider buying more from that source. Unless, however, the other 20% are booking and paying you well. Unless you are tracking all of the above, you’ll never know, and you will be relying on hunches and guesses instead of cold, hard, data.
If you want more detail, or some screenshots of my database in action, comment on one our social media channels. And in the meantime, don’t forget to ask everyone who contacts you, “how did you find me?”
The Lost Art of the Line Switch
A staple for turntablists for years was the switch on the mixer that toggled between the phono input and the line input. Originally designed to allow a DJ to easily switch between two devices plugged into the same channel, and get double-duty from one channel on a mixer, the switch was quickly repurposed by scratch DJs. As with most functions on a turntable or mixer, DJs found a use for the switch other than that which the manufacturer intended. This is the norm. Pitch control was made to adjust the pitch on a record that was cut at a speed other than 33 1/3 or 78, but DJs discovered they could use it to beatmatch. The crossfader was made to smoothly transition between two songs, but DJs discovered the could use it to scratch. The list goes on, and near the top of that list of repurposed features, one finds the line/phono switch.
When switched up, or on, into phono mode, the audience hears the record, much the same as when the crossfader is opened. When switched down, or off, into line mode, the audience hears silence, unless a device is plugged into the line input on that channel, and playing, in which case they’ll hear that.
How is this useful? It’s incredibly useful for making fast cuts. Faders at the time did not yet have adjustable curves, so a scratch like the transformer, which requires quick on/off clicks, sounded better, or at the very least different, when done with the line switch. In fact, the adjustable curve was invented to allow crossfader scratchers to have the same precision as those who used the switch. This became a necessity in the early ’90s after the invention of the now-ubiquitous Flare scratch. That scratch can only be performed using a line switch, or with a crossfader with an adjustable curve.
Why am I bringing this up today? Because the line swtich is inexplicably absent from modern mixers. For scratch DJs who started in the ’80s, that switch was a necessity, and for any DJs who scratch in an up and down motion, i.e. on the volume fader rather than the crossfader, the lack of a line switch can be a deal-breaker. Yet, as none of the current high-end mixers have such a switch, said DJs are forced to make a deal regardless. I’m one such DJ, and a few years back I bought the last new Vestax PMC-05ProIV mixer in my local shop, despite it being a dated mixer at the time, simply to have access to a line switch.
One workaround is to cut a thick piece of cardboard to fit the upfader slot, and effectively shorten the throw of that fader to the point where using it is similar to a click, then setting the curve on the fader to fast. It isn’t the same, but it’s close. I’ve seen DJs use tap to shorten the throw on a volume fader, which also works. The problem there is you lose the ability to use the fader to fade the volume in and out. I’ve dreamed up all sorts of modifications to mixers to fix this problem, but have yet to put any to the test; further details as events warrant.
Being a DJ, Told From the Perspective of Female DJs
Please welcome today’s guest blogger– DJ Handmaid, a.k.a. Emily Makarewicz. She has been a DJ for about three years and performs primarily in Los Angeles clubs, online events via Twitch or YouTube, on the radio, and in one festival… so far! Take it away, Emily!
When I was asked about my perspective as a female DJ in this male dominated field, I was happy to offer up some advice, and to call upon some of my friends and colleagues for their input. I wanted to make this a community piece that transcends gender, and hopefully is of help to anyone who wants to become a DJ. Many of the obstacles females face in the industry will also ring true for everyone.
The very first thought that came to my mind was “believe in yourself.” Everything seems to revolve around that in one way or the other. When you look around the room, and you are the only female on the stage or even at the venue – it can be intimidating, but if you truly believe in your talent and have a passion for what you are doing, you will succeed.
The second thought I had is related to this, but a little different: be brave. If you are brave enough, you will conquer your fears. These fears could be related to stage fright, feeling intimidated to put yourself out to the public on social media, feeling nervous to promote your shows to all your contacts via DM or whatever is the case. A lot of success boils down to your daily internal dialogue.
I feel if you have self-love and appreciation, you can believe in yourself and be brave. These are the most important ingredients I feel will carry through in your DJ performances and allow you to have the confidence to even begin your journey.
Beyond those mental barriers, DJing comes down to musical taste, training, and practice. If you put in the time, get coaching from experienced DJs, or utilize the vast number of online tutorials available – you can bring your skills up to a high level and be competitive in the field of DJing. Invest in good equipment as well, so you can be ready for your big opportunity. If you do not have the funds to do this now, you may be able to rent the proper equipment by the hour to hone your skills. You want to be ready for your first real club gig, and know exactly how to operate the equipment they have at the location. If you are prepared, you will be ready for success!
Now let’s hear what some others have to say!
Miss Nine (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
-Do you have any advice or tips for other female DJs just getting started?
I have a book of advice 🙂 The most important tip is to not copy anyone, find your signature sound, and be true to yourself. Look for what brings you joy. Let inspiration guide you. Choose a DJ name, have the basic socials up and running so people can find more about you. Build a record collection with the sound you like. Network, practice, and have a thick skin in this male dominated industry. Always remain professional and be prepared for the unexpected.
For example, a DJ from the line up could show up late, so make sure to have music with you to play longer. Expect feedback from others and be ready if/when a record stops playing because the link cable was disconnected. Imagine standing in front of a crowd with no sound coming out! Be ready for these circumstances.
-What is your “go to” track that you know the crowd will always vibe to?
Oeff, there are so many. I like the ’80s a lot and created some mashups I always play in my sets. As well as edits from oldskool songs with a meaningful hook. One that stands out and what made me continue with what I’m doing today is “ONE MORE TIME” from Daft Punk. As humans we need to try at least one more time to understand someone or something better, one more time to try that difficult task and one more time to talk to someone to level up. This record, which comes in many remixes, lifts my mood up and is perfect at the end of a DJ set, esp. when you don’t want to stop playing 🙂
-Do you have any preferred DJ gear?
I like to work with Pioneer DJ gear. They are the leading brand, up to date and perfect with all the integrated features and effects to level up the mixing and create climaxes with the mixers’ features. It’s essential to also have good quality headphones. I have tried many brands and the Sennheiser HD 25 has a nice warm sound, and it what fits my ears the best for now. For productions, I work mostly with Ableton and use different plug ins.
DJ Haze (Auckland, New Zealand):
-Do you have any advice or tips for other female DJs just getting started?
Main advice is be prepared to put in the work. Unfortunately, as it is a male dominated society you have to be prepared for some setbacks – a lot of the time they won’t hire you because a guy has a bigger name or title. But eventually if you persevere and have the dedication to succeed you will eventually get a gig and then from their keep going for the next gig. It definitely isn’t the easiest industry but if you have the skill level and are able to adapt to different DJ styles then you have more of a chance to be booked.
-What is your “go to” track that you know the crowd will always vibe to?
At the moment my go to track is still and will always be Danza Kuduro as no matter where you play it everyone loves the beat and vibes.
-Do you have any preferred DJ gear?
I started learning on turntables so my favourite is definitely that and at the moment the Rane 12 has upgraded to a whole new level, so this is by far my favourite along with the Rane 70 mixer.
-Anything else?
It’s more about being versatile. I’ve found being able to DJ all genres has given me a better chance at getting gigs as I’m not solely a house DJ or solely a hip hop DJ; I can DJ anything.
Czechmate (Sacramento, CA)
-Do you have any advice or tips for other female DJs just getting started?
My advice to other female DJs, aside from being able to mix harmonically, is to always read the crowd (which comes with time & practice), and have your branding on point (remain professional), and to stick with what you love. By this I mean play the genre that sets your soul on fire. While it’s great to experiment and be versatile, finding your sound and sticking to it to further establish yourself as a performer and overall brand is important in my opinion.
-What is your “go to” track that you know the crowd will always vibe to?
Honestly, there are probably a few ‘go to’ tracks every DJs goes to when there is a time of need! My favorites are usually remixes of classics that everyone knows the words to. These create nice breaks/storytelling within sets.
-Do you have any preferred DJ gear?
Preferred DJ gear is pioneer all the way! Give me a pair of CDJs, DJM-900 and I’m set!
Kuhteeuh (Sacramento, CA)
-Do you have any advice or tips for other female DJs just getting started?
For female DJ just getting started, I think just practice DJing a lot. Record your mixes and listen to them, so you can see how it sounds. Take lots of videos and post them. From being a female DJ, you automatically stand out, but you also automatically get criticized. Honestly, just ignore the people talking negatively about you. They’re only bringing you more attention, so you will gain fans that actually like you. Also, make as many DJ friends as possible by mixing with them!
-What is your “go to” track that you know the crowd will always vibe to?
My go to song would be “Murda Sound” by Snails.
-Do you have any preferred DJ gear?
I use anything Pioneer that I can plug my flash drive into. Preferably CDJs, but I have a Pioneer XDJ-RX at my house that works about the same, but for a quarter of the price.
DJ Romily (Estonia)
-Do you have any advice or tips for other female DJs just getting started?
My suggestion is to take live DJ lessons from a DJ school or some experienced DJ you like. This will take less time to get the skills etc. you need to start DJing compared with searching from the web for the right videos.
-What is your “go to” track that you know the crowd will always vibe to?
Faithless – “Insomnia”
-Do you have any preferred DJ gear?
Pioneer XDJ-RX1 mixer or the newest version. It is very easy to start with and you have all the features you need. Also, I suggest to have quality headphones & USBs.
Dialjess (Los Angeles, Chicago)
-Do you have any advice or tips for other female DJs just getting started?
Figure out *your* taste. You can always tailor it to your gig, but you’ll have a lot more fun if you’re doing what you love. I don’t often take top 40 gigs, but I do enjoy the challenge of making it palatable for myself by peppering in some left field choices. Explore every genre if you can – there are gems to be found everywhere and a little switch up can add a fresh element of surprise to a set.
Also, learn the gear inside and out, so you can trouble shoot and be your own tech support!
-What is your “go to” track that you know the crowd will always vibe to?
Anything by Green Velvet/Cajemere. Any decade of his will work from classics like Percolator and La La Land to a throwback like Shake and Pop, or something newer like Jolean.
-Do you have any preferred DJ gear?
Though I play vinyl, Serato, and on controllers, I prefer the club standard Pioneer CDJ/DJM mixer setup so there’s less to carry. I played a last-minute set at a party recently that was on the fly, but I had my USB sticks in my purse and was ready to go. Headphones are personal, but I’ve been using Sennheiser HD-25 for years. They’re lightweight, and I like that each component is individual and easily replaceable.
Ghostbusting for DJs
Today let’s talk some DJ 101. This is applicable to any DJ who hires out for performances, whether you are a wedding DJ, club DJ, festival DJ, or any other flavor of DJ. If you are trying to get people to pay you to show up and spin tunes, keep reading.
We’ve all been ghosted. Typically, it’s someone you’ve been dating who suddenly decides to vanish from your life. It hurts, but you move on. It’s his, or her, loss, right? However, when a potential client ghosts you, suddenly it’s YOUR loss: your loss of the potential income that gig represented. So what do you do when someone reaches out asking for information about your DJ services, and then fails to respond to your timely, well-written, and informative reply?
The most important advice I have for you is to follow up. If you haven’t heard back from the client in 24 hours, reach out again. Emails get lost in the inbox, or end up misdirected to a Spam folder. If you are messaging though a web page like The Knot or Yelp, you may be competing with other vendors, and not just DJs, the client reached out to for quotes. She may have 7 DJs, 8 photographers, 10 caterers, and a dozen florists all responding to messages, along with numerous other vendors. Don’t be shy about sending a followup to bump your message to the top of her inbox.
Another thing to remember: don’t worry about being pushy. If you’ve sent two messages, and heard nothing, wait a day or two and send a third. Then a fourth the following week. As the saying goes, “it’s a yes until it’s a no,” and you have nothing to lose. As long as you are brief and polite in your messages, you have nothing to worry about. The worst that can happen is that the client won’t hire you, which is the same thing that will happen whether you follow up or not. Meanwhile, the best case is that he WILL hire you, and put a couple thousand dollars in your pocket. Don’t write every day for two weeks; consistently following up once per week after the initial three messages is ideal.
There’s something else I do that has worked well for me. After years of vainly trying to get potential clients to respond, in hopes of getting them into a phone call, I had an idea: if they won’t come into a call, I’ll bring the call to them instead. If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain, am I right? Instead of a second follow-up message, I record a short video in which I introduce myself and give a shortened version of my sales pitch. I send a link to the video as part of my day two follow-up, and this works wonders.
How do I know it works wonders? Because I track everything. I hope you do, too. Every lead is entered into a database, along with information about how and when I responded. I try different wording in emails, and different approaches to making the sale, and I keep track of what gets the best response. Sending a video link definitely leads to a higher rate of response than a text-only message. If you are not already tracking your leads, you should start right now. Leave a comment on one of our social media channels if you’d like more advice on this.
The DJ Booth of the (Near) Future
There’s a lively debate going on amongst DJs lately. The topic? The future of the venerable CDJ. Many believe the CDJ will remain a fixture at festivals and at night clubs, while others believe it will soon go the way of the dodo bird.
I’m firmly in the latter camp. Even now, in 2021, I’m starting to see fewer and fewer CDJ units in clubs and bars, and I believe the trend will continue. Why? Let’s examine the situation.
In the first place, the CDJ is dated technology. Even its name harkens back to the ‘90s, and an era of CD burners and the emergence of the “Compact Disc Jockey.” Hence the term, CDJ. What, you may ask, is in a name? That which we call a CDJ by any other name would function the same, right? Well, that leads to my next point.
Functionality-wise, the CDJ is still mired in the old school. Modern software and controllers have given DJs so many more options and capabilities that any time I step into a booth with CDJs I know my audience is going to be short-changed that night. Not only do I have to use something as archaic as a USB drive, I no longer have access to all the hot cues that allow me to unleash the full extent of my creativity, nor do I have all the notes I’ve associate with those cues, which would be front and center on a controller.
It doesn’t stop there, either. Want to quickly scroll through a track with your fingertip? Not on a CDJ you don’t. Need to look at the waveform and see what’s coming? Nope, not you my friend. You’re Fred Flinstone behind the CDJs, watching George Jetson rock the house on a controller. And god forbid you ever need to update your hot cues, BPMs, or beat grids on the fly. That only happens at home on your computer. Unless, of course, you’re using a controller, in which case it happens any time you want it to happen.
Features aside, there’s another aspect in play that I’ve not yet mentioned. For nearly two years of pandemic lockdowns, new DJs have been practicing at home, all of whom will soon be out in the wild, so to speak, ready to ply their new trade. Nearly every single one of those DJs, as well as a huge majority of already-in-existence DJs, use a controller at home. Most have never even seen a CDJ. The next generation of superstar DJs has been weaned on controllers, and will be very reluctant to take the backwards steps necessary to adapt to CDJs. Night club owners will cater to this, and when it comes time to replace or upgrade a sound system, or when building a new club, will choose to install a controller over a pair of costly CDJs.
I know I’ll hear it from some of you that I’m all wet, and that CDJs are here to stay. “There will never be a self-respecting night club that will replace CDJs with a controller!” you will shout. Trust me, I’ve heard it all before. Twice before, in fact. The first time was in the ‘90s, when I told everyone that turntables were on the way out, soon to be replaced by CDJs. “Blasphemy!” the purists screamed at me. “There will never be a self-respecting night club that will replace turntables with CDJs!” they all shouted. We all saw how that went.
Prepare yourself for the advent of the controller.
Jazzing Up Your Sets
If you play at bars or clubs with one set format, your hands are pretty much tied when it comes to changing up the musical genres in your set. If you play a hip hop club, you’re expected to play hip hop, if it’s techno night, you’d better spin techno all night. If you have more leeway in what you play, you may want to consider slipping some jazz songs into your mix. That may seem daunting, as jazz can seem very inaccessible and perhaps at odds with modern pop music sensibilities, but when carefully chosen, and correctly mixed, a few jazz tracks can invigorate your audience and set you apart from your peers.
Jazz has gone through a lot of phases and sounds in the century or so that it has existed. I often mix in jazz tracks from the ’40s and ’50s, and find ways to incorporate some hard bop, and even modal jazz, into my sets. If you’re just starting to dabble in including the art form, however, I would gravitate towards the jazz/rock/funk fusion sound of the 1970s. To a jazz purist, it’s among the worst jazz ever recorded, but from a DJ’s standpoint, and in relation to modern pop, it’s the best choice. Most jazz fusion songs are percussion-heavy, and nearly all are in 4/4, which is going to make integrating it into your set much easier; and, it was simplified for the rock/funk audience.
Bona fied jazz masters like Herbie Hancock and Donald Byrd sold out, in the opinion of most jazz fans, and started making dumbed down jazz for the masses that was jazz in name only, but those are the records that became the cornerstone of hip hop in the ’90s “diggin’ in the crates” era, and tracks that can become cornerstones in your newly-jazzified DJ sets. But where to start? Permit me to suggest some songs. You can mine those tracks for five or six danceable, easy to mix songs that still sound like jazz to the average listener.
Consider:
Who’s Making Love? – Lou Donaldson
“T” Plays it Cool – Marvin Gaye
Matrix – Dizzy Gillespie
Harlem River Drive – Bobbi Humphrey
Westchester Lady – Bob James
Mister Magic – Grover Washington Jr.
Fourty Days – Billy Brooks
Tequila Mockingbird – Ramsey Lewis
Those are all jazz fusion tracks with beats you will find familiar, but will sound refreshing to your crowd. And, they’re in the same rough tempo range, so mixing between them in perhaps two sets shouldn’t be too difficult. And once you familiarize yourself with the tracks above, you will no doubt begin to find other jazz tracks that work equally well, or better, in your sets.
One caveat: the above songs, and nearly all jazz songs, are performed by live musicians using real instruments. They aren’t quantized into a lockstep computerized rhythm, so you’ll need to focus on your mix, and pay attention to minor tempo shifts throughout each song. Or, harken back to this previous blog, and learn how to quantize tracks for easy, perfect mixing.
DJ’ing Outside Your Comfort Zone
I’ll cut to the chase: I am not an EDM DJ. I know next to nothing about that scene, or that music. I am aware that what used to be called house music, or even simply electronic music, has now been subdivided into dozens, maybe hundreds, of categories, but I can’t tell progressive house from deep house, and as far as I know, dubstep just means Skrillex. This is fine, because my audiences never want to hear any electronic music other than songs that cross over into pop hit territory; well, hardly never.
Recently, I DJ’ed a wedding, and after the last song was played the crowd wanted more. There were still close to 100 guests on the dance floor, and they were chanting “encore!” That isn’t unusual, but the next part was. Rather than the bride or groom negotiating overtime, a friend of theirs took over. He’d pay my overtime rate, but wanted me to switch gears from the crowd-pleasing music from the wedding celebration into a mix of ’90s hip hop and current EDM. The ’90s hip hop part was easy, but current EDM? What’s that?
I could have panicked, or turned down the extra money, but I didn’t have to worry. I launched into “California Love,” and fired up Heavy Hits. I knew I’d find some playlists that would guide me through these uncharted waters. This one in particular worked like a charm. Did I recognize a single song, or even an artist, in that list? Nope. Did it matter? Also nope. Whoever had curated that list knew exactly what I needed, and I was able to pick and choose from the EDM Top 25 to find a few tracks to keep my dance floor bouncing.
There are currently playlists on the site that fulfill a wide variety of in-the-moment DJ needs, and in turn provide peace of mind for any DJ who is ever in a situation where a request, or an entire gig, comes out of left field. This can happen to all of us. A crowd wants Latin music, or even specifically merengue, or the bride surprises you with a last-minute request to “play lots of ’90s Britpop!” Or maybe you just can’t come up with a great slow song. This can happen at weddings, in a night club, at a house party, or anywhere. Any time you’re behind the decks, your responsibility is to make your audience happy, and when they want music that is outside your comfort zone, a curated playlist by an expert in that style of music can be a lifesaver.
The Down Beat
For many years I’ve been teaching people how to DJ, and there is only one topic that I’ve never found a way to explicitly teach. I use diagrams, sound bites, hands-on demonstration, and verbal explanation to convey every topic or technique that a DJ needs to know, save one: I’ve never been able to come up with a method to explicitly teach how to identify the downbeat of a song.
This doesn’t mean that I can’t help a person learn how to find it, and every student I’ve ever had has eventually been able to master the skill. For most, it’s second nature, but even for those to whom it isn’t, it eventually becomes so. This is fortunate, because a DJ who has mastered every other skill there is to master, will be ineffective behind the decks if he can’t tell which note is “the one.”
What exactly is a downbeat? Well, the dictionary defines it as “an accented beat, usually the first of the bar,” and that about sums it up. Nearly all pop music is in 4/4 time, which means a bar counts as 1-2-3-4. The downbeat, quite simply, is the one in that bar.
If you’ve been DJ’ing, or dancing, or playing an instrument for any amount of time, you may not even realize that you are constantly identifying the downbeat of a song, or “finding the one,” as some say. It’s second nature. And that’s why it’s so hard to teach. It’s based on intuition, not a method. If you aren’t completely confident that you can instantly find a song’s downbeat, keep reading and I’ll do my best to teach you!
First, consider this song:
https://heavyhits.com/browse/#/track/38456
Listen to either the radio edit, or the original mix, as the Heavy Hits edit has been remixed so that it starts on the downbeat. As an aside, one of the advantages of belonging to a record pool is access to edited versions of songs that add a mixable intro to the beginning of songs. It’s always easier to mix a track if it starts on the one, and with a steady beat, which is why Heavy Hits appends drum-based intros to tracks that lack them.
Listen to “Big Bad Wolf” and see if you can quickly identify the downbeat. And if you aren’t yet a Heavy Hits member, you can play it here instead:
Notice how the song starts with the chant “big bad wolf,” then launches into a beat. Were you to drop the song into the mix at the beginning of that chant, starting the song on the 1 of a bar in another song, the two songs won’t line up properly. Even if the BPMs are perfectly aligned, and you drop it precisely on the one, it’s going to sound off. Why? Because the chant of “big bad wolf” isn’t on the one. It isn’t the downbeat. You nearly always want to overlay tracks so that the 1-2-3-4 counts align, lest your mix resemble the dreaded sound of sneakers in the dryer.
I chose this song because it’s very easy to identify the actual downbeat. It’s the first drumbeat you hear after the chant. If you aren’t aware of this, it’s going to cause you huge problems. It causes DJ software huge problems, as Serato, and other software, uses a very simple algorithm to analyze tracks, and chooses the very first sound as the downbeat. So if you drop that track into Serato, it’s going to assume that the chant at the beginning is the downbeat, and adjust the remainder of the song accordingly.The beat grid will be off, requiring you to manually correct it if you want to use loops, effects, or the ever-so-controversial sync function.
Now let’s try a more challenging song:
This one isn’t as intuitive, as there is no drumbeat at the start to help clue you in. My only advice is to nod your head, or dance to the song, and you should find yourself instinctively bopping or stepping down on the ones and threes, and from there it’s fairly easy to tell the one from the three. If you can’t get it, listen until the drums kick in, at which point it should be obvious, then rewind and try again.
If you aren’t able to determine the downbeat yet, keep trying. You’ll get it down before long, and you’ll be a far better DJ for having learned this skill!