In pilot training, most accidents happen on takeoff and landing. Same with DJing. Once you’ve got control of the gear and your set has started, you’ve actually got loads of time to think ahead and solve problems. Changeover time is where the bad stuff most often happens. Here are a few things to consider when taking over from the previous DJ.
Pre-route everything
The more stuff you bring, the greater the chances of signal being interrupted. You need to get your setup routing down to a fine art. Setting up stuff like drum machines and samplers requires more focus when it’s time to change over. As much as possible, pre-plug everything in before taking your master output(s) into the mixer. If possible, get your own mini-mixer, route everything through there and then literally just hand the current DJ a set of master outputs. Beats hunting for a PFL switch on a mixer you’ve never seen before.
Live instruments
Your set might include a microphone which you use for talking or even playing percussion or an instrument. Awesome! Going ‘live’ is a great way for you to make your set stand out and for you to put on a bit of a show. But be warned: microphones equal feedback and inevitably pick up some of the room noise. It’s obviously much cleaner to just play your whole set ‘in the box’. If you get a break in the music, do listen out for a low hum. The mic might be causing some resonance. Best bet: kill it when it’s not being used.
Redlining and gain
Many club mixers have abusive upbringings. Do not redline. It’s amateur. It makes the speakers distort. That might sound great to people who listen to music on speakers that distort, but for everyone else it’s gonna sound like a night of sheer hell. Volume and gain are not the same thing. You are normally able to achieve the same loudness by lowering the gain and boosting the volume. Your software might be causing the problem, but it’s usually the club mixer. The file quality also plays a part here. It could be an overcompressed MP3 rip.
Once you’ve got the set going, you’ll be good. All that work you did in becoming an advanced DJ pays off. And if you’re on before the other DJ, be kind. You’re probably pumped after your set, so pay that goodness forward by helping them find their stuff, offer to plug it in and most of all - be cool.