u/grafiti_44

Caught between a rock and a hard place and wanted to see how other folks in this scenario would respond..

Basically I’m supposed to be hopping on the decks at a small afters at my place - maybe to about 10 people when we get back from a night out..

I mix mainly techno, minimal, tech house / 4 to floor + also some more popular stuff when I feel - disco, rare edits, reggae etc too.

2-3 of our group are serious techno / underground only music enthusiasts, but the remainder of the group really don’t lean much in that direction and would be more onboard with say more well known music or remixes of say popular tracks..

If you were going to play a set to this bunch - which end of the genre spectrum would you tailor your set towards to keep everyone happy?

What’s the trick here as I can’t just alternate from techno to more popular tracks, as the energy, bpm, pacing would be all over the place..

My heart is generally more in underground 4 to floor, but I’m conscious playing more in this direction will alienate the other portion of the group too much and vice versa if I play stuff that’s too well known / might be considered a bit cheese to the techno heads.. lol

Let’s hear your thoughts on how to approach!

Anyone know why Kieran switches between the PlayDifferently Model 1 and Pioneer V10 mixer when playing DJ sets?

He remains as one of the very few DJs that use Model 1 mixer nowadays, so I kind of wondered if that was his preferred first choice mixer, and whether using a V10 is when the festival / organiser cannot source a Model 1 and is more of a backup / second choice mixer.

If Model 1 is his preferred - I don’t understand why he wouldn’t just travel with one in a Peli case to each show like Richie Hawtin for instance..

They are quite boutique / niche and it’s really cool to see Kieran still supporting this fully analogue DJ mixer!

Quick one about DJing at home when you have friends round at your place..How do you go about starting a set / mix when you’re all just say chilling in the living room or having a couple of drinks?

Can’t seem to help think that saying or even suggesting “I’m going to have a mix now” “I fancy mixing some records / tracks for you” can sometimes feel a little forced or too clear cut sometimes - so I was wondering how you would approach DJing in this environment / setting more naturally for your friends.

Do you play music that you like or tailor what you play to the mood of the night or to their taste to keep everyone a little more involved and engaged?

Or is it flat out ignorant to star DJing for them as it could be viewed as being a little antisocial when no one has asked?

A few points to unpack here, I’m keen to hear your thoughts!