PRE RECORDED DJ SETS and "FAKE DJS"
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- ✅Ready to kickstart or elevate your DJ journey? ► philharrismusi...
Hey guys, in this week's video, I debate the most controversial topic in the world of DJing, Fake DJs, and pre-recorded DJ sets! Should DJs pre-record their DJ sets? Is it ever ok for a DJ to do this? Should I pre-record my DJ sets?
In this video, I try to explore all elements of these tops. I look at it from a DJ, from a fan, from a festival organizer.
I run through all my opinions on this subject.
However, this is just a one-man debate. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this. Let me know.
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Hi, I am DJ Phil Harris, and on this channel, I teach you a series of beginner DJ Lessons and "How to DJ" tutorials. If you are looking for digital DJ tips or would like to know how to start djing then why not consider Subscribing for weekly videos bit.ly/SUBSCRIB...
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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.
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
Pre-recorded sets are ok as long as you're honest about it. But faking turning knobs and sliding sliders is a disgrace.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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😂
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.
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.
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....
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.
Like you said the art of djing is just too much fun.
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! :)
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
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!
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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
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...
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
I love your insight into things, I’m defo subscribing.
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.
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/TH-cam 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
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.
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.
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.
My problem with pre recorded set is what happens when all the previous Djs playied your preselected choons. NO PLAY BACK
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.
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
Congrats ! Thanks for your video long time producer. New to djing =)
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.
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.
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.
Sasha would never use these practices. Djing is not about technical skills it's about taking the crowd off the clock.
You forget where you are, you loose yourself.
I remember when DJS played 8 hours and took you so far out there at the end you believed in magic. Festivals have killed the true meaning of what it feels to be free. The music is too perfect, the lights a vidieo is to perfect. I worked years as a Lighting Designer in Nightclubs and my old mentor told me to be anything I wanted to be except an Excacticon. The shameful thing is that the DJs, the crowd all look the same, act the same.
Club environment: real djing, alil freestyling
Big Festivals: premixes and mashup prerecorded are ok, just jot an entire set!
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
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!
Happy Monday 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
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!
They twiddle knobs and press buttons and the sound never changes 😂
I know right I watch when they do it and nothing happens
This was the most honest video out there 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
My butt is glued to the fence on this one.
November
I grew up with vinyl DJs who had to do it live every time. On vinyl. Lots of risk! The record could skip, could warp, etc. you didn’t have serato to give you a visual cue. Had to use your ears to beat match. I heard lots of flaws from big name DJs and that kind of made it more human and real to me. I’m all about doing it live, taking the risks.
if you think that being married and continuing your music career passion are things that blend together, they never will be.
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..
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.
Well, I'm a TH-cam DJ; a Real DJ only for my 8 kids B-day parties and family reunions. I only bought some DJ equipment just for those occasions (I do not have a dj controller). I know nothing about DJing. When sharing the memories of these occasions on social media, I've been asked to DJ many different events like weddings, anniversary, B-Day parties, etc. I let the people know that I'm not a "Real DJ" or a pro, I just like DJing my family events using TH-cam. The requester always responds by saying that can't tell the difference and they like the way I engage with the audience. They also have offered me from $500 to $1000 for three to four hour gigs. Maybe it's not so bad because I'm doing small to midsized events - and nothing like what I'm seeing on this video.
I do want to learn how to really DJ, but for now, I'm satisfied with being a "fake dj I suppose. I now want to create me a brand with a logo and a name called "DJ Wannabe" or something.
What do y'all think?
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
But this is my thing...don't stand up there and tweak knobs for and hour yet rarely touch the plates or your track list knobs...thats what urks me...and then u read all the comments of ppl saying how superior the djay was
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”
First, Gratz on becomming married!
Thank you!
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 😀
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'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.
Amazing vlog my friend i agree with you salute from lebanon :)
Congrats mate ❤️
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.
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.
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... 👊🏻😉
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 🙂
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).
Hey Phil, it is an interesting debate. Afrojack has a video on the subject on TH-cam. 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.
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
Bottom line is the bottom line! In other words, customer service! You are playing to an audience and they are your customer providing you income. You are hired to do a job, so do it. If the customer is happy and you get more customers, then you have done your job well. If that job well done includes a pre record, then so be it. If your bottom line is where you want it, and you are receiving an income you are happy with, that says more than anyone persons opinion about this issue.
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
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....
congrats dj Phill
I LOVE YOUR #HUMOR !!!
You always make Me LOL !!!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💯💯💯👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
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 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
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
Sure… when you go to see a famous singer who knows exactly which song he will sing at what time, you also still want to see him sing live instead of listening to playback (though it’s so much more perfect). If Carl cox one day shows up and presses play once for the entire night, I would think to myself that I’d rather listen to an AI DJ Software…
Prerecorded for your own wedding is actually quite cool though! congrats to you and your future wife! Wishing you a happy and fulfilling life together!
Some of bigger productions really need to be prerecorded. Hard to keep lighting and visuals all synced up...
his the real fake dj he is wearing a long sleeve shirt, what is this madness. the real Phil Harris only wears tank tops
Prerecording is fine if you do it yourself! A lot of singers use Playback on some Gigs...
Never prerecorded sets. If you are a wedding dj, you are screwed because you are taking that flexibility out. And if you are a big dj, you are a fake. You are not only being paid for playing your music, but also because you can actually do it!... A real band wouldn't do that just because they are in front of a massive crowd
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 ....
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.
If i went to ultra, i would prepare something and rehearse but i won't pre record anything. It would remove all the fun of it. I'm not ready to wait for 1 hour long doing nothing
Awesome man congrats.
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'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.
Rather crash and burn while DJ-ing than to know you have been cheating with pre-recorded set. Unless the organizer demands you do a pre-recorded set and pay you for that.
There's nothing wrong with setlists. ANY and EVERY DJ should have a basic setlist. It's no different to have a setlist as a band. Having a setlist is not the same as not being able to DJ. Pre recorded shit is not DJ'ing and that's an entirely different thing.
My friend did the exact same thing for his wedding and it worked fabulously!
Great video!!!
CDJ's & Computer DJ software was created because,
People who could not mix for real using Technic 1200's & a Uri mixer.
Would now be able to lie and become a fake DJ.
Slamming the fader all the way up on a mixer & trying to line up beat grids using the sync button.
Then turning down the hi mid & bass volume on a mixer channel and bring in another track that is off beat.
Thank you for this video.
All of these so called top DJ's are trash.
The best way to stop all fake DJ's
is to have them use technic 1200's and a rotary mixer.
No computer or software.
Let's see them play for real.
wow.nice feedback
love it
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!
Personally, I think pre-set sets are fake. A DJ must be able to cope with the pressure of an audience reason. A DJ selects the music he wants to play. By practicing at home, he learns which music and which transitions fit together and sound good. For the rest, he must be able to read the audience. This gives you the big advantage that it can vary.
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.