How Do I Mix Music Without Knowing the Beats Per Minute?

To be honest there is no real way of knowing how to mix songs without at least having a sense of how fast the song plays. You might not know the exact BPM, but after trying to mix some different songs together and actually calculating the BPM of at least a handful of records then you don't have a reference point.

You need to at least calculate the BPM of some records in order to have a reference point so you know when you hear a record play you can estimate the BPM of it.

This really comes with knowing your records and the only way to know your records is to play them. If you don't take the time to get to know your records then there is no point in DJing.

What do I mean when I say "know your records"?

When you know your records I mean you know the song and can repeat it. When you know your records you also know the following:

1. The name of the record label

2. The artists

3. The producer of the song

4. The way the song begins

5. The way the song ends

6. How fast or slow the song plays

7. If the song is one that gets people to dance

8. If the song has breaks in it or the point where only the drums play.

9. If the song is only a quick transition song or if the song can be played for an extended period of time without getting boring.

10. Does the song offer the opportunity to scratch over it?

11. Does the song offer the opportunity to make a great mix?

This is what getting to know your records means. By definition a DJ is supposed to know the first three items on the list down pat.

1. The name of the record label

2. The artists

3. The producer of the song

People will want to know the names of the songs, who the artists are and sometime the record label.

You will find that when you play records people will come up to you and ask you. "What is the name of that song?" Your answer should roll off your tongue.

When you get to the point of knowing your records you will inherently have an idea of the BPM in order to mix just about any song you want. This, however, does not happen overnight and it will take some time.

I find that the best DJ's naturally have a sense of time and rhythm and can almost instantly pick up any record and mix it after they've listened to the first few bars of the song.

Fortunately for you this can be taught by simply listening to a song and clapping your hands to the beat.

This may sound basic but understanding this simple concept and applying it to other songs you will find that you start bobbing your head and then bouncing your whole body to the beat of a song.

Unfortunately from my experience even the most enthusiastic music lovers don't necessarily have a sense of rhythm and if this is the case with you don't despair. Read the earlier section on calculating BPM's for a better understanding.

Sterling is an article marketer and SEO enthusiast. He has been marketing online since 2003 in many disciplines. Visit his latest websites at http://www.discountkitchensinks.net which helps people decide among popular brands of discount kitchen sinks.

DJing Class Reunions Confidently and Effectively

How frustrating is it to DJ a class reunion? These events are probably the most annoying parties to DJ due to the ego's of the guests attending trying to look and sound "cool" to classmates who thought they were "cool in school". This is an informative article offering tips of effective music programming techniques and perfect responses to annoying guests. By the end of this article you should be confident and excited to DJ class reunions.

The Ego's of the party really depends on how old the crowd is. The older the crowd, generally, the more tame a crowd you'll have. The younger the crowd, prepare yourself for a night of bad requests, people telling you how to do your job and what to play, a few insults, and possibly the longest night of your life!

This article will teach you about choosing appropriate music, ways to format your music program, and what to say when guests come up to you when guests have requests and what to say to those guests who try telling you how to do your job. If you take this advice, you'll actually have a TON of fun DJing Class Reunions. Learn to Stay Cool and have fun because You have Total Control!

Hour 1: Choosing Music

What Year did they Graduate: Look up on the internet "Top Songs" from the year they graduated. Like, "Top Songs from 1994" if the class graduated in 1994. Make sure you put together a bunch of songs from that year and a few top songs from "around" that time period. EX. From 1993 and 1995. For about the first hour you want to play this type of music.

Hour 2: Play Some Current up-beat top 40 rock stuff

Hour 3: Open up the dance floor with Current Beat Music (Current Hip-Hop and some Current Rock Beat Music)

Hour 4: Play a few slow love songs for the couples to dance to and then open up the dance floor again with some really good dance music (try different sets and see how the crowd responds: Older hip-hop, Motown, Classic Rock Dance Set, Spanish music if the crowd may like Spanish (if the crowd looks like they like it keep going with it, if they look like they are getting bored, change up the set.)

End the night by asking the host what song their class song was. Play That and your night musically should have been a great success.

What do you Say When Guests request songs? "I've already played that" or "I'll work that in later on"

What do you say when a guest tells you what music you should be playing? You can say politely, "Thanks for the suggestion, but let me be the DJ and go enjoy yourself with your friends, we'll get to your stuff later" (smile)

When guests really, really want a song and they are pushy but not rude, they say things, like; "Come on if you play (This Song) everyone will dance to it." (people hardly ever do). Say ok. Play their song and announce that this person requested (THAT SONG) and said everyone would dance to it. People will then be hesitant to request songs, leaving you in control of the party.

What do you do when a guest gets belligerent about requests? With a smile say: "Would you like to DJ?" Show them your mixing board, and say, "ok have fun". Then walk away leaving them behind your booth, watch how fast they panic.

This is your party, your music, and you will never see these people again, so be super confident in your choices and decisions. Always be as polite as possible and never get angry (this shows that you are losing control). If people ever get super angry at you and may pose a danger, shut your equipment off, pack up, and leave. It's not worth you getting emotionally destroyed or hurt. Stay Cool and Calm because you really are a great DJ!

http://www.mixesthatwork.com is a site made for DJ's by DJ's. I am an entrepreneur and I am always seeking ways to make things better and run more efficiently. MixesThatWork.com is a site that is about to revolutionize the industry with instantly connecting DJ's to each other never leaving DJ's without a great mixes and programming.

10 Tips to DJing With Ableton Live

Ableton Live is a great program for music producers and djs alike. It offers great tools for creating music in the moment or doing more linear recordings. I'm going to walk you through how to make smooth dj mix transitions with live the way I do it. I've put one three channel eq on each track and set it up so that the numbers on my computer keyboard control the bass frequency kills on each one. I also open all the tracks I want to use in advance and set the warp markers for each song so that I know when I start it that it will be perfectly beatmatched. Keep in mind you have unlimited routing possibilities that allow you to control many perimeters in Live with Midi controllers or your computer's keyboard.

1. Get your bass kills setup using EQ Three on each track (I use the numbers on my keyboard as controllers) To do this activate the Key button on the top right then select the L on the EQ for low end and press the key you would like to set as the controller. If you are using a midi controller then select Midi on the top right instead of Key.

2. Make sure the 1 marker lines up with beat 1 in the track, and the tempo has to be correct or else you'll have to add markers throughout the track manually. If you know the tempo is consistent throughout the track but the tempo is not set correctly then line up the one marker on beat 1 and then go to beat 8 or so and line that one up without double clicking to the corresponding beat. This should change the tempo automatically to match.

3. Press play on track 1

4. Let it get into a groove and eventually bring in track 2 with the bass killed

5. When you want swap the basses out so the track 1 bass is cut and track 2 is bumpin'

6. Fade or cut out track 1 volume

7. Bump it

8. It's all about timing

9. You can press start on track 2 within four beats before the 1st beat you want to start on and live will automatically start on beat

10. Keep the beats bangin' when people are dancing (many people don't like it when a groove goes into some long break right when they were feelin' it.)

If you have any questions of how to do any of this stuff then feel free to contact me through my website and I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

This article was written by Jacob Louis A.K.A. DJ Story.

Check out Jacob's website: http://www.intuitivebeats.com

Great Beginner Hints on the Way to DJ Mixing - Improving Your Skills

As a novice in the world of DJing, you may well be on the prowl for some insights and principles on the way to help your skills as a DJ and pick up the way to mix music properly.

First off, you must don't forget that as a DJ, your job is to preserve a steady and smooth flow of energy and rhythm on the dance floor. You have to possess your audience dancing and keep them like that during the party but you in addition need to please the crowd too. So, here are some of the easier principles of DJ mixing, which will allow you to entertain the crowd and keep them on the dance floor.

Firstly, you ought to not overlook that beat mixing is one of the most tough things to attend to when you are studying how to mix. Nevertheless, thanks to long intros and long outros, beat mixing is now a lot simpler to do. This implies that as a newcomer, you should have an improved gamble of studying the way to DJ mix faster than before.

It's really not that challenging to find the ideal mix out of a dance track. This is because the breakdown in the record is obvious. The technique here is that you should be aware how to count. By counting, you will have a clearer picture on where you should place your mix.

Listen carefully to the song being played on the dance floor and by counting you will be able to cue the song that you mean on playing next. By employing your headphones, you can mix the beat of the next tune with the music that you are these days playing. Your main aim here is to commence the second song on its first beat when the current song that is playing through the speakers is heading towards the outro section.

Beat mixing is a precise skill that you need to master as a DJ. You ought to know where you are planning to beat match the tunes you are playing and your hand will also need to stick to the pitch of the tune that you are intending to introduce to the bunch. Plus you will require to match the drum beats of each song at the same time.

Together with that, you will would like to accelerate or retard the tune you are working on to introduce, which can be carried out by adjusting the pitch on the mixer.

DJ mixing is a skill that you ought to practice regularly as a DJ. By mastering the ability to beat mixing, you will be in a position to perform a smooth changeover from one track to some other to really keep the music flowing and keep the crowd happy.

Recollect these points and you will be in a position to keep the party going all night and avoid every DJ's nightmare... an empty dance floor!

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Sound System Rental - Exciting Sound Enhancements You Could Use In A Dance Party Setting

When you are putting together a dance party and are compelled for one reason or another to use sound system rental, there are several options that you can add to your rental that can significantly enhance the overall experience of the participants and can make your dance party an even greater success.

What makes a dance party memorable should have the components of unexpected, participatory, and emotional. The unexpected sound enhancements will catch the audience's attention. Audience's participation makes the event much more memorable, and, depending on what happens, also quite emotional.

When picking music system rentals, especially speaker rentals, it will behoove you to know what options you will have to choose from.

We will first go over the must-have sound components for a dance party, and then mention the possible optional extensions which enhance the unexpected components, participatory components, and emotional components of your audio visual equipment rental.

Must-have components of a sound system rental

These are the bare minimum components of a portable sound system for a good sound experience when throwing a dance party:

A pair of powered heavy duty speakers with the 800 Watt to 1500 Watt maximal power load. The speakers must come with high enough speaker stands for maximum sound clarity and range.
A minimum of four-channel mixer to allow mixing of iPod, turntable, CD, and microphone sounds. You want to avoid long pauses between songs, and want to be ready to bring on the music that will get people back to the dance floor.
The sound sources of choice, the iPod or an MP3 player, one or more CD players, and at least one microphone.

Sound enhancements to your DJ rental equipment to spice up your dance party

This is the additional audio video, AV rental equipment that, when used in moderation, can significantly enhance the sound itself, and make for a more memorable dance experience:

DJ machines, including DJ turntables, DJ CD turntables, and DJ MP3 turntables. Depending on your DJing skills, these could add significantly to the experience for dance parties. At a bare minimum, experience with mixing the music inputs will be very valuable.
Karaoke machines, could be valuable for certain parties
A multi channel mixer with digital effects, such as vocal reverb can add a new dimension and can enhance singers sound, when used sparingly.
One or two additional, wired or wireless microphones
A fog machine with sufficient fog supply. Works best in a dark, environment with a light show.
Tekno bubbles, a blacklight sensitive UV bubbles, they glow in the dark when shone on by the black light.

If you implement just a few of these additional sound enhancements in your dance party, you will likely find that people will come back to you after the event and thank you for a job well done. Your enhanced AV rental equipment will be well worth the money spent.

For additional info on speaker rental enhancements, you can check out DJ equipment rental.

DJ Cheriana Gets Back to Her Roots!

Music has always been a part of Cheriana's family, having a Jamaican mother, whose family exposed her to Reggae, Ska, Funk, Soul, Disco and Hip Hop at an early age. Songs were the focus in the house so she caught the fever. This expanded into Rock, House and Dance (Really, just about anything that was good!) leading to her study and perform Acting, African Dancing and Singing, and finally to DJing as an inevitable step.

Finally, Cheriana got a break to start DJing at well-known KANE on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles. "Kane was one part 60's Vegas Rat Pack, one part 70's Super Fly cool. We had a female, Cleopatra Jones-type DJ playing nothing but funk, flanked by two dancers in bra and panties doing jazzy go-go." Says Ivan Kane. The intimate venue, a kind of sweaty house of soul, drew an A-list crowd of celebrities lined up around the block.

After a while, she left for an opportunity to go to Senegal, West Africa and dance Sabar and study polyrhythm. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she brought back some African vibes with live drummers on her House music sets.

She was frequently warm up DJ at the Legendary Mandalay Restaurant/Lounge where the likes of Madonna, Dr Dre, Mariah Carey, Giselle, Pharrel and Salma Hayek etc. used to attend.

In between, were a few years of overseas gig's singing with bands, always staying connected to the music. Her work includes Toronto-based fashion events as well as producing the first ever music concert, on 2 stages, for the 175th Anniversary of the University of Toronto.

After residence at the new CityMaxx Lounge, she has left Dubai to be the resident DJ at the newly opened Grand Millennium in Abu Dhabi. By bringing a soulful mix of Chill Lounge, 80's Electro, Deep and Minimal House to Relexions Lounge, her party will be unlike anything in Abu Dhabi.

She is currently singing and co-producing tracks for an independent label. " When I DJ or just walk down the street, I am always hearing some other beat or lyric in my head. There is so much inspiration around!"

DJ CHERIANA believes that all the artistic ways she has expressed herself in the past allow her to connect to the music on so many levels. "When I hear a proper tune, I get so excited and overwhelmed. There are so many things I want to do to connect to it!"

Written By Becky Gaines

BECKY GAINES

The Art of Digital DJing

Thanks to recent advancements in the technology department, state of the art DJ gears and instruments are now available to most of us. The fact that you can actually play live sets at local venue using only your laptop and compatible DJ equipment is changing the entire DJ scene completely. A lot of new DJs are invading the market with their unique yet tasteful styles and new producers are producing tracks on a daily basis.

Digital DJing -- how most people call the trend -- is getting more and more popular thanks to available DJ sets and DnB sets as well. With more than enough inspirational boost downloadable at sites specializing in dance music, understanding different genres and finding the right materials or elements can be done swiftly and easily. All you need is enough storage space and an internet connection; sets and mixes can be downloaded to your laptop in no time.

Don't think that with so much tools to help you can actually create tunes and formulate sets easily; this is definitely not the case, especially if you are serious with a career as professional DJ and you care about quality more than anything. Studying proper theories and practices of old-school DJs can help you blend tracks and tunes in a better manner, producing generally more pleasant sets or mixes for your die-hard listeners.

Learn how to play with real DJ equipments as well should you want to play at live gigs. You need to be able to cope with track changing and elements adding to bring your set to life. The audience will never enjoy a monotone, often predefined, sets; you need to watch how your listeners react to different elements and fine tune your set accordingly throughout the play.

All in all, digital DJing can help you master different techniques faster although proper care and approach are still necessary. Make sure you appreciate the development as tools or ways to improve your skills -- not as means to reduce the amount of efforts you need to put into the study -- and you can be the future digital DJ real quick.

Beatplexity is an Internet database of thousands of DJ sets. With over 3000 DNB sets and many other genres including jungle, dubstep, house, ambient, funk, dance and more. The site has a community who are happy to upload mixes and allow them to be downloaded for free and most importantly love music.

How To Become A DJ - Learn To Play DJ Gigs

Still wondering why you should become a DJ?

From the girl who can't keep away from the music at her friend's party to the cocktail bar DJ right through to Carl Cox and Deep Dish; any music fan who feels the need to spread the music passion is essentially a disc jockey in one form or another.

If this sounds like you, then you can become a DJ too. If you love music, you feel like you want to make people happy and have an inbuilt radar for knowing what tunes make people smile and why, and you can make them enjoy themselves then you can become a DJ. Even if your mixing and technical skills aren't as advanced as other DJs, you can still be successful.

Do you have the passion?

You have to love music, love sharing it and understand why people enjoy it. This passion will transmit itself into people's nights out. They'll feel your vibe and enthusiasm. You'll be responsible for transforming people's evenings and therefore their lives. There are few better feelings than when people dance, love the music you play and let you know about it. You'll see why if you try it.

What do I get if I become a DJ?

If you are the kind of person who gets a buzz from making other people feel good, then it's a great start because that's what many DJs are like too. First of all, you'll make people feel good. There's no price on contributing to others' happiness.

You might just lift the spirits of that cute girl who's just been dumped by her loser boyfriend or a song you play that night may get a couple together, who may then reminisce fondly on how it happened years later. Try it and see how you feel. It's the (second) best natural high.

The song 'Last Night a DJ Saved My Life' by Indeep was written for the best of reasons and inspired by a night out when a DJ injected energy and life into an otherwise dull evening.

A cool hobby at weekends?

Next up, you'll benefit from having an interesting hobby, one which you're paid to do. People dream of getting paid to do their hobby for a living. DJing for a night out can be more enjoyable than a night out with your friends, plus you get paid in money and drink, instead of paying for your own drinks and club entrance fees.

You'll feel more confident having this cool new alternative moonlighting activity. Yes and you'll cruise past that doorman who used to make you wait outside to get in with a smug look on your face.

Club DJing

Maybe you see yourself as a future club DJ, getting paid handsomely to fill dance floors in your preferred genre of house, electro, hip hop and so on. Maybe you are happy earning some pocket-money at weekends and having the local DJ status which gets you friendly respect whilst you keep up your day job. Maybe you just want to share some musical love.

I want to become a DJ, but what if I fail?

You don't have to give up your day job which pays your loans and/or rent and bills to become a DJ.

You can play in the evenings and at weekends. When you start DJing, generally the pay won't be very good anyway, you'll have to take what you get.

Where do you start?

To start with, you can be a bar DJ who does occasional parties and small dance floor gigs. Your friends think you're cool as do any new girls or boys you meet who suddenly perk up when they hear you DJ at weekends. You still have your day job though.

Where you go from right now depends on quite simply what you want to do with your life. Whatever it may be, the best advice you can get is for you to follow your dream or at least have a crack at it. The last thing you want is to arrive at 50 years old regretting the fact that you never gave your dream career a try.

Success Story

French DJ David Vendetta was working in a pharmacy and was nearly 30 years old before giving it all up for music and if he succeeded, you can if you have what it takes and you have the motivation to persevere.

Of course, you'll need to know how to make it, which is why this site exists aside from helping you understand why you may wanna become a DJ. Some tips on promoting yourself in the DJing world and some advice on how to learn to DJ won't go amiss either to help you on your way.

Many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Site

DJing Basics - DJ Mixers

The DJ mixer is what sits between the turntables or CD decks and controls the amount of sound from either source that hits the dance floor. A mixer also allows for queuing up of tracks into headphones or monitors, and can incorporate digital effects that can be added to the output. Even if a DJ is using a laptop to mix with software, that laptop will still be connected to the house mixer before it hits the sound system.

When learning how to DJ, it's important to be familiar with the different types of mixers that could be encountered at clubs and venues. While most mixers follow a fairly standard set up, there are some which can be a bit more confusing the first time they are used. Perhaps the most commonly found mixer style to in clubs and venues is that which is patterned after the Pioneer DJM-500. This mixer was one of the foundations of early club music, and it's tough construction and simple to understand interface have made it popular even to this day. Many other units have emulated its control layout and flow. The DJM-500 is a 4-channel mixer, meaning it can accept input from up to 4 different audio sources at a time. At the bottom and near the middle of the mixer is a crossfader, which moves laterally, allowing the DJ to mix between each sound source. The sources themselves also each have vertical faders which can control the level of the audio input. Every channel also bears 3 knobs which can affect the basic equalization of the sound, giving the DJ control over low, mid and high frequencies.

Throughout the years, Pioneer has added more features to their newer generations of mixers, giving some a digital interface which allows for the use of dozens of different effects, as well as enhanced visual monitoring of audio levels through LED indicators. However, the basic form and function of the mixer have remained the same.

Some companies, such as Gemini, and Allen and Heath, take a less traditional approach when it comes to the placement of mixing controls. Some of the Xone series mixers from Allen and Heath look considerably different than the traditional Pioneer, with the crossfader shunted off to one side and tracks laid out across the mixer's horizontal instead of vertical axis. While approaching these different types of mixers for the first time may be intimidating, the easiest way to acclimate to them is to locate the standard controls that are common to all mixers (faders, crossfaders, volume knobs), and then gradually work out from there to discover the extra or unique features of the device.

Mixers take a lot of abuse in the live environment, and when dirt gets into a mixer's sliders, it can interrupt the contacts necessary for proper audio transmission, resulting in a scratchy, crackling sound. It is important to always make sure to test out a mixer before it is used, in order to make sure it is in peak operating condition.

Khary Reynolds is a Pro Account Manager for Guitar Center Professional, specializing on sound system design. He is experienced in putting together sound and live sound systems from the ground up as well as music and pro audio product sales. Also a certified CTS by Infocomm International, the trade association for the A/V industry, Khary is dedicated to go above and beyond expectations, establishing himself as a respected resource. Visit his site, http://www.audiogearpro.com

Top 100 Salsa Dance Songs - A Dancer's Perspective (Part I)

When it comes to pleasing the dancers, you need to play the top 100 salsa dance songs. But, what are they and who decides what the top 100 salsa dance songs are?

That is a question that many salsa DJs have pondered, when trying to play the top 100 salsa dance songs for their audience. There's just such a wide variety in styles, speeds, singers and songs that makes choosing a hand full (or even the one to play next) such a dilemma. A good DJ always finds a way to please the majority, though. On the other hand, a novice DJ, who doesn't have the skill level, knowledge or has ever been a true, dance to the meaning of the song and music, salsero... well, a disaster is an understatement.

There have been times, when I have had a PARTICULARLY hard day and I'm so stressed out! I go to the salsa clubs, in hopes of hearing some of the top 100 salsa dance songs that will transform my stress to joy. Some DJs, from the first note/beat just manage to truly perform miracles, by playing songs that are not only fun to listen to, but exiting to dance. The blood starts circulating and yet there's a chill in your spine. The feet start moving... and no matter how aware of people staring at you, that you are, you just can't help but move your feet (and get lost in that rhythm!).

Then, there are those DJs that don't understand the music or the words, much less the meaning or feeling , of the songs. The kind of DJs that either play the same songs over and over, in the same sequence even, every time they DJ at an event/club. OR even worse, the kind that seems like they just stopped at the local Starbucks, saw a salsa CD in between the Frank Sinatra and the Yoga Relaxation Jazz CDs and decided... "sounds good, I'll play that all night".

As an "Old Style" salsa dancer, whom understands what the singer is singing (and his "soneos" [improvisations]), that stuff just totally turns my salsa joy dial, almost, all the way down, as disappointment sets in, longing to hear any of the top 100 salsa dance songs instead.

What you will find, below, is a list I have compiled of the top 100 salsa dance songs that are being played by DJs all over the world. It is a compilation of the most common songs found on DJ website and articles from all over the world. I spent 2 months researching, asking questions and listening to each song to prove it's validity (It started as a list of 500; but I've taken out all Cha-cha's and some Merengues that sneaked their way in). I also broke the list down to 5 top 100 salsa dance songs lists. KEEP in mind, there are many more than these top 100 salsa dance songs out there; These are just THE ones, DJs all over the world have chosen (to post, at least), according to my research; plus a few of my own, that I play when DJing. Also, they are in alphabetical order and NOT in order of popularity or dance-ability. If you would like to submit YOUR top songs for consideration for this list, leave us a comment with your suggestions.

Here's the top 100 salsa dance songs...

|Name| Artist| Album| Duration|

|1-800- Quiereme| Luisito Rosario| Rumba Del Barrio| 4:06|

|1-800-Quiereme ( Remix)| Luisito Rosario| Rumba Del Barrio| 5:02|

|A Bailar Pa' Dentro| Orquesta La Solucion| Pa' Bailar| 4:23|

|A Cali| Conjunto Clásico| Felicitaciones| 3:16|

|A Él| Oscar D'León| Éxitos De Con La Critica| 3:47|

|A Golpe De Folklore| Grupo Niche| A Golpe De Folklore| 4:59|

|A Gozar| José Alberto "El Canario"| Sueno Contigo| 3:34|

|A la hora que me Llamen Voy| Candido Fabre| 4:30|

|A La Hora Que Me Llamen Voy| José Alberto "El Canario"| On Time| 5:11|

|A La Memoria Del Muerto| Fruko y Sus Tesos| 4:22|

|A Mi Me Huele| Orquesta Mulenze| Salsa Fiesta!| 4:11|

|A Mi Suegro (Don Pedrito)| Various Artists| Coleccion Estelar De Salsa Dura| 3:55|

|Acere Bongo| Tipica 73 | 4:36|

|Avisale a mi Contrario| Grupo Mandinga| Back to the 70's| 4:13|

|Aguzate| Louie Ramirez- Ray De La Paz| Sabor Con Clase| 6:06|

|Ajiaco Caliente| Eddie Palmieri| Mozambique| 5:38|

|El Amor| Alex leon| Salsa Caleta| 5:06|

|Amor Callejero| The Latin Brothers| Best of the Latin Brothers| 4:51|

|Arrepentios Pecadores| Willie Rosario| Back To The Future / 40 Aniversario| 4:31|

|Arrepientete| Orquesta Broadway| Salsa Fiesta!| 4:01|

|Arrepientete| Ray Barretto| At His Best| 5:14|

|Arroz Con Manteca| Oscar D'Leon| Con La Dimension Latina| 4:00|

|asi me gustas gordita| cesar nicolas| lo mejor de lo mejor| 4:00|

|Asi Soy Yo (That's How I Am)| Larry Harlow| Asi Soy Yo| 5:42|

|Así No Se Quiere a Nadie| Tipica 73| 3:52|

|Ataca de Nuevo| Joe Cuba Sextette| Cocinando La Salsa| 3:25|

|Atízame El Fogón| Willie Rosario| Oro Salsero - 20 Éxitos| 5:07|

|Atrevida| REY RODRIGUEZ| En El Sonido De Hoy Vol 1| 4:38|

|Aunque Me Llores| Raphy Leavitt| Oro Salsero 20 Exitos Vol 2| 4:52|

|Ave Maria Lola| Sonora Carruseles| Heavy Salsa| 4:08|

|Avisale a Mi Contrario| Orquesta Tabaco y Ron| Salsa de Verdad| 7:14|

|Ay Caray| Adalberto Santiago| Popeye El Marino| 5:31|

|azucar Pa Un Amargao| Oscar D'Leon| Con La Dimension Latina| 2:54|

|Babaila| Soneros del Barrio| Siguiendo La Tradicion| 4:41|

|Babarabatiri| Tito Puente| Live At Birdland-Dancemania '98| 8:29|

|Baila Que Baila| José "El Canario" Alberto| Serie Cristal: Greatest Hits| 4:48|

|Ban Ban| Joe Arroyo| Grandes Exitos, Vol. 2| 3:12|

|Banderita (A Little Flag)| Larry Harlow| Asi Soy Yo| 5:36|

|Bandolera| Héctor Lavoe| Comedia| 9:34|

|Bar Y Copas| Various Artists| Salsakidd's Salsa Mix| 4:17|

|Barrio Negro| Sensual 990| Ultra Mix The Best Of Salsa Tropical Dance| 5:34|

|Barrunto| Willie Colón| The Big Break - La Gran Fuga| 5:37|

|Bembelequa| Celia Cruz| Irrepetible| 4:55|

|Beso Gitano| Colombia Te Canta Ii| Colombia Te Canta II| 5:14|

|Beunaventura Tiene Ricura| Orquesta Guayacan| Guayacan Y Del Bueno| 5:19|

|Blanco y Negro| Joe Arroyo| 20th Anniversary| 5:03|

|Boca Mentirosa| Andy Montañez| Oro Salsero| 4:44|

|Boricua Rumbero Salsero| adalberto santiago| salsa gorda| 4:05|

|Bravo Rumbero| Alfredo Naranjo y El Guajeo| A Las 6 Es La Cita| 3:28|

|Buena Ventura y Caney| Grupo Niche| Historia Music, Vol. 1| 6:19|

|Buenaventura Llego La Hora| Huber Angel| Gózame| 4:18|

|Busca El Ritmo| Willie Rosario| Oro Salsero - 20 Éxitos| 5:35|

|Buscando Un Amor| Orq. Matecana/Orq. Guayacan| Serie Batalla| 4:22|

|Busco Lo Tuyo| Fania All-Stars| Fania All-Stars "Live" June 11, 1994| 7:01|

|Busco Olvidarte| Willie Rosario| Back To The Future / 40 Aniversario| 4:35|

|Cachondea| Fruko & Sus Tesos| Fruko Y Sus Tesos - Power Salsa| 4:57|

|Cali De Rumba| Fruko & Sus Tesos| Fruko Y Sus Tesos - Power Salsa| 5:26|

|Cali Flamenca Mix| Melcochita| Mis Mejores Exitos| 6:21|

|calla buey| Hector "tempo" Alomar| lo mejor de lo mejor| 5:13|

|Campana Mayoral| Jose Mangual Jr.| 5:15|

|Cantando| Los Niches| Grandes Exitos| 4:29|

|Cantando Se Fué| Cuco Valoy| Sonero| 4:18|

|Canto Abacua| Ray Barretto| At His Best| 8:17|

|Capullito De Azucena| Oscar D'Leon| El Panquelero| 4:32|

|Carnaval| Joe Arroyo| Y la Verdad| 5:06|

|Castígala| Cesar Nicolas| Lo Mejor de Lo Mejor| 4:10|

|Celebrando| La Puertorriqueña| Orquesta Puertorriqueña : 20 Aniversario| 5:02|

|Celia| José Alberto "El Canario"| On Time| 6:00|

|Chimpun Callao| Orquesta Macondo| Ultra Mix The Best Of Salsa Tropical Dance| 3:43|

|Como Es Posible| Louie Ramírez| Louie Ramirez y Super Banda| 5:04|

|Como lo Canto Yo| Spanish Harlem Orchestra| Across 110th Street| 4:32|

|Como Olvidarte| Oscar D'León| 4:01|

|Companera De Camino| Raphy Leavitt| Oro Salsero 20 Exitos - VOL 1| 4:04|

|Corazón de Acero| Cuco Valoy| Sonero| 4:14|

|Cuando te Vea| Grupo Mandinga| Back to the 70's| 4:08|

|Cuando Te Vea| Spanish Harlem| Across 110th Street| 4:50|

|Cuerpo De Guitarra| Various| Esto Si Es Salsa De Verdad!| 5:32|

|Culpable| GRUPO GALE| Esencia Latina| 4:17|

|Cumana| Valentin Valdez Bebe De La Salsa| 4:17|

|De Una Vez Gozando| La Sonora Carruseles| De Una Vez Gozando| 5:17|

|Descarga '73| Tipica 73 | 4:53|

|Descarga Total| Maraca| Latin Village Salsa (Mixed By DJ Mauri)| 6:00|

|Devuelve Mi Alegria| Willie Rosario| Mas Ritmo| 4:10|

|Déjate Querer| José Alberto "El Canario"| Herido| 5:11|

|Digo Yo| Grupo Niche| Historia Music, Vol. 1| 4:58|

|Dime Que Si| Antonio Cartagena| Dime Que Si| 4:25|

|Dime Que Si| Gilberto Santa Rosa Tres Con Cache| 4:19|

|Dime Si Llegue a Tiempo| Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco| Tremendo Cache| 3:51|

|Dinamita| Fania All-Stars| Commitment| 4:50|

|Dolor Y Amor| Ismael Miranda y Orq. Harlow| Abran Paso| 3:57|

|Dolores| Cano Estremera| Opera Ecuajey| 4:26|

|Dominicano Soy| Raulín Rosendo| Dominicano Para El Mundo| 4:54|

|Don Toribio| Grupo Mandinga| Back to the 70's| 4:26|

|Dos Amigos| Domingo Quiñones| Greatest Hits| 4:00|

|Echando Pa'Lante| Oscar D'León| El Cachumbambe| 3:57|

|El Apartamento| Willie Rosario| Back To The Future / 40 Aniversario| 4:19|

|El Artista Famoso| Roberto Blades| 5:51|

|El As de la Rumba| Jose Alberto "El Canario"| Back to the Mambo: Tribute to Machito| 4:48|

|El Bailarin de La Avenida| Sonora Carruseles| Con Todos Los Hierros| 4:11|

|El candado y la llave| Tito Allen| El Intocable| 4:34|

Don't get me wrong, there a multiple opinions on what the "top 100 salsa dance songs" are and aren't. But there are quite a few selections that are considered THE top 100 salsa dance songs all over the world. In LA and in NY, in Italy and South Korea, in Puerto Rico and Venezuela, in Colombia or Panama... these songs will fill the dance floors and keep salseros (and salseras) happy and dancing until they drop!

Remember, there are 4 other parts to this list, so keep returning, to find out which songs made it on the list. Or visit Casa De La Salsa [http://dancingsalsablog.com/blogs/] or SalsaHowz to read all our stories. We WILL take a vote, at the end of the series, to determine YOUR top 100 salsa dance songs. If you're missing any of these song from your library, get them from our online store here [http://dancingsalsablog.com/salsatunes/music/].

How to Find New Music for DJ Mixes

Take away the skills of DJing and the most important you're left with is the music. The music you DJ will make or break you; bring nothing good to the tables and people are going to lose their interest and go to the next room (or worse, leave the club).

People want to hear new music all the time; they don't want the same tracks over and over again. I've put together a simple guide on how you can find new music for your DJ mixes that won't require you to dig through musty, old crates...

How to Find New Music for DJ Mixes

Luckily, you're in the age of information which means that you can easily discover new artists and tracks while sitting back in front of your computer. Here are some of the sources I recommend when digging up new music.

YouTube

YouTube is a stellar source of finding new music when you begin to dig around the interface. I recommend starting with some of your favorite artists and then take a look through the sidebar which shows recommended videos. Another way to find music through YouTube is to subscribe to channels which will always keep you in the light of new music releases.

Ask Around

Jump onto Facebook or your Twitter account; start asking people what music they're listening to these days. Remember, the music you DJ may not necessarily be the ones you absolutely love - there needs to be some form of compromise to get the people onto the floor before hitting them with tracks from your personal stash. Get on these social networks and ask for recommendations; share what you like and people will be quick to share what they recommend.

Music Blogs

Websites and blogs are listed in the millions across the web. There are hundreds of thousands of great blogs you can dig into for finding new DJ releases. Besides some of the big ones like Beatport, you could subscribe to smaller blogs that review and share new music. There are also websites and blogs that release music free of charge by indie producers which could give you a great selection of music that no-one else is playing at the time.

Online Radio

Want to listen to other DJ's and find out some new tracks at the same time? Internet radio is for you. Streaming radio, on the web, is a great source of finding new music depending on which shows you follow. Generally, track lists are shared by fellow DJ's and many people will join in on the discussion of the show to share and ID tracks. Not only will you be getting a good amount of listening in which is fun in itself but you can find those hot tracks by big name DJ's you'd also like to drop in a mix.

The web is a great source of finding new music for your DJ mixes as long as you know where to look. This article explored a few of these options that will give you more than enough information on snagging those hot tracks that will erupt the dance floor.

If you'd like to learn other tips and tricks on how to DJ, visit http://www.BeginnerDJ.com where there are hundreds of great tutorials, guides and features about the world of becoming a DJ.

DJ Dance Floor Tips - Club DJing - Read The Crowd

Now I break this down some more by giving you DJ dance floor tips on how to read the crowd so you can play like a professional and make them go wild. Remember, the DJ not even looking up from his decks and playing out his programmed bedroom set doesn't transmit the right vibe.

The following DJ dance floor tips are what can really help you learn to read the crowd so you should try to remember to do this when out DJing.

How do your crowd look?

Playing latin house on the dance floor in a rock or hip hop club may not go down too well! Try to picture this now. Look at your crowd carefully and consider the following points before deciding what tunes are best:

1. Where are you? What city or country are you in and how much do you know about the people here?

2. Is this a straight or gay crowd? Use common sense here and adapt your tune selection accordingly.

3. What is the racial mix? Everyone knows that music tastes can differ according to race, but don't generalise. Test some styles, dabble in different tunes and see who reacts to what.

4. What style do they have? Are they scruffy, bearded or sharp and colourful? Are they carrying glow sticks? Long hair or short hair?

5. Do they know their music? Wearing suits and out for a cheesy best hits of the chart night? Many different styles exist.

Use the above observations to adapt and shape your set to your crowd, and test them with different styles of music to see how they react. This is really common sense and knowledge helping you shape your sets.

How do they respond to your DJ dance floor music?

Look up from your super blend of electro and hip hop for just one minute and observe who hits the floor when you play a certain tune. Who is losing it on his or her own in the corner? Who keeps looking up at you? Smile and you'll see how everything feels better.

The best DJ tip I can give you to read the dance floor crowd is to interact. Become one of them. It's the only way to really feel their vibe and get on the same wavelength. You may get some feedback from people who want to dance. Listen to it, because some people know what they're talking about. If you need to step things up a gear, sometimes people can wake you up to that. Really it can happen.

Wake up to your dance floor

Every disc jockey has had his or her off day and has needed waking up. If you see a particular group who dance more than everyone else, then play more of what they like. It's likely to get others on the floor too.

Gays and girls tend to dance more than straight boys, who will follow girls.

This article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Site

How To Be A DJ - Become A DJ In Less Time And Learn To Mix! Get DJ Gigs!

Follow my tips on how to be a DJ and rock the best parties around.

1. Check yourself before you wreck yourself

It's no good DJing if you don't love music and making people have a good time. After all, the very essence of DJing is music. Unless you're passionate about it and it gives you goosebumps to dance to your favourite tunes yourself, then it's not for you.

If you love music and when people have a great time, then you have potential my friend.

2. Get some hot DJ gear

Naturally, knowing your DJ equipment and how to use it is the roadmap part of DJing. Without decent gear, you won't be able to express yourself or perform as you need to.

And getting good at mixing involves plenty of practice if you want to stand out from 2 dollar DJs that can be found at any cheap dive.

3. Get some cool DJ music now

You should already have loads of music. But guess what. If you want to know how to be a DJ, you're gonna need to get loads more. Luckily for you, I have some tips on how get the best music and then how to get to know it in record time.

4. Get yourself a DJ guide

Not a guide dog, I mean a guide to DJing.

If you're really asking your friends how to be a DJ, and not just some Muppet who takes a laptop to cheap drunken nights and doesn't know how to mix, then you should get a real Guide to DJing book.

For just a small price you can pick up the best and most complete guides anywhere. This will pay itself back by the time you've read the first chapter.

You won't be able to access my tips and advice everywhere you go, so make sure you have a real written guide to take with you. It will serve you well.

5. Learn how to mix and beat match

Don't think you can mix using your screen.

If your DJ software has any problems with the BPM (as it frequently does) you'll feel a real tool when your beat matching sounds like a big girl running down stairs in stilettos.

Learn to mix. Learn to beat match. This is a major part of learning how to be a DJ.

6. Play your first party

Before getting real gigs, you need to play at a few low key parties and get some feedback from friends. Don't risk messing up at a real gig. You need to know what you're doing before that.

So offer to DJ for a free about ten times before pimping yourself out for the real thing. Play at apartments, house parties, college parties, trailer park BBQs, wherever. Even at warm up gigs, you'll learn more than in your bedroom.

7. Promote yourself

Once you've slapped on some hair oil and you can master your equipment and make people dance at house parties, it's time to venture out. You haven't learnt how to be a DJ until you master this.

You'll need some hot promotion tips and techniques to get your foot in the door and in favour with bar owners, club promoters and party freaks. This is daunting at first but don't worry, anyone can do it. With some help.

The rest of this article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide on how to get DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Site!

The Origin of the DJ

The origin of the DJ stems from the late 60's, where the development of sound and amplification technology began to compete with the traditional orchestra music, which was Unable to compete with the economic savings of a DJ that could fill a dance floor and provide powerful sound through amplification.

After the decade of the 70's, disco and development of vinyl records with better sound quality, made the DJ gradually grow in popularity making it the number one choice in entertainment which in turn started the entire movement of night clubs where most DJs perform. This movement, not only created more money and gigs for DJ's but also started a string of DJ schools, teaching the art of DJing.

The foundation of a great DJ is he/ she must have the ability to be an expert in mixing, knowing that DJing is a work of art, it is the action of combining music, timing and pace, and putting all these elements together to make an atmosphere to fill any dance floor around the world.

Many DJ's like to MC while mixing music, lowering the sound in key moments, playing with the tone and volume, taking the audience to another level.

All DJ's are mainly aimed at bringing entertainment to a wide variety of people from all walks of life, but the main definition of a DJ is an entertainer with their main tool being music.

Thank god for the DJ, otherwise could you imagine a night life, without any night clubs or even worse, a night club without a DJ and music. The club scene has grown from strength to strength, who knows what role technology will play in the night club scene. Could it over right the DJ? Whatever the case may be, Friday, Saturday night are pumping thanks to the talent of DJ's.

For more info on Melbourne DJ

Choosing the Perfect Headphones (DJing Basics)

One of the most overlooked aspects of DJing is headphone selection. It could be argued that being able to properly hear the music that is being cued and mixed is one of the most important aspects of a live DJ experience. The club environment is an extremely noisy one, and without the proper equipment it can be easy to get lost in the cacophony of sounds that present themselves.

There are three main sources of music that a DJ will be faced with when performing live. The first is the mix that is being heard on the dance floor itself. Most of the time, due to the position of the DJ booth and the fact that the venue's sound system is designed to fire towards the dance floor and away from the DJ, this will sound loud, muddy and confusing. DJ's must be able to tune out this music while they are mixing, only listening when they want to specifically check on certain sonic aspects of the music they are playing. A DJ's window onto what is being heard by partyers out on the dance floor is the monitor, or second music source. A monitor is a speaker or two speakers which represent the mix that is being sent to the club's main sound system. Since the monitor or monitors are located in the DJ booth, there are no distracting echoes or timing issues to cloud the sound.

The third sound source in a DJ booth are the headphones. The headphones are plugged into the mixer, and they are designed to allow the DJ to hear any of the tracks playing through that board. They can also listen to several sources at once, such as when the DJ wants to mix a cued track into what is already playing through the loudspeakers. The headphones are a crucial piece of gear for a DJ who wants to make sure that their transitions are dead-on accurate.

Obviously, clubs are noisy places. On top of the extremely loud music, there is also noise from the crowd combined with the chatting of other people who may be in or around the DJ booth. This makes it important to ensure that the headphones which have been selected are able to completely block out any external sound when it is time to perform a mix. Most headphones accomplish this by completely encircling the ear. By covering each of the ears, it is possible to make a fairly effective seal against outside noise. Proper DJ headphones are also self-contained, meaning that no sound leaks from them while they are being used. Some of the most popular DJ headphones are the V-series from Sony. For many years, the MDR-V500 was one of the standard DJ headphones in use around the world, and while still very good, they have been supplanted by the MDR-V700. These are larger and heavier than the previous generation, but they provide excellent clarity when listening in loud environments.

It is clear that when it comes to DJing, ear buds will not do. Comfortable, over-ear headphones which are capable of providing powerful bass response and distinguished highs are the best option for DJ's who want to make sure that they can execute flawless mixes every time.

Khary Reynolds is a Pro Account Manager for Guitar Center Professional, specializing on sound system design. He is experienced in putting together sound and live sound systems from the ground up as well as music and pro audio product sales. Also a certified CTS by Infocomm International, the trade association for the A/V industry, Khary is dedicated to go above and beyond expectations, establishing himself as a respected resource. Visit his site, http://www.audiogearpro.com

How to Choose the Right Music for DJ Mixes

What makes a DJ stand out from the rest? Is it the equipment they use? Is it the image they project? Is it the logo or how they're able to pull in huge crowds? Not necessarily. What truly makes a DJ is their ability to select music that is going to make the crowd go wild.

This article will share how to find those music tracks that will light up the dance floor and turn your DJ skills into a powerhouse force to be reckoned with.

The Right Music for DJ Mixes

Although music will vary depending on what genre you wish to spin, there are some common, underlying factors which make people fall in love with what you do.

Dropping the exclusive track

The 'white label' is some of the hardest to find tracks but they can be infinitely powerful when it comes to creating a DJ mix that blow people away. Exclusive tracks are generally given out to those that are well up there in the DJ ranks but you could always try to get in contact with record labels to see if they would be willing to send some your way.

The reason why exclusive tracks work is based on the fact that people don't want to just hear the same thing over and over again. They are all secretly looking to hear a track by an artist they know and if you drop that one that isn't even out yet - people go nuts!

Try to throw in a few unreleased tracks in the middle of your set that cranks up the power of your mix; that will get people hyped up and dancing like crazy when you do.

Hitting them with mainstream then obscurity

A great DJ set is a mixture of mainstream and obscure music. I know this sounds a little out of your comfort zone to play radio type music but they're very effective for getting people interested in your DJ mixing. The reason for this is that people may not know nearly as much music as you because, after all, you're a DJ and you have access to a lot of music.

Once you get people's interest, it's time to start working in the obscure tracks that will get the music lovers in the crowd; the people that spend all day finding obscure tracks. You want to have a blanket approach in your mixes so you can get everyone in the club rather than scaring them away with music that no one has heard of.

Pulling the ladies in

A trick that a lot of beginner DJ's seem to miss out on is the fact that if you can get ladies to the dance floor, the rest will follow. People go to clubs to have fun but the biggest reality is that people are there to score with the other genders. The music, club, drinks and everything else are social lubrication for people hooking up; that, at its core, is a lot of what DJing is about - creating the environment.

Although it may not completely fit your DJ mix, you'll want to throw in a few tracks that you know ladies love. Play something that may be a bit more mainstream that they're likely to know and want to get to the dance floor with their friends. If you can single out a group of women to come dance than you'll also begin to pull the guys in. Once you have people on the dance floor, they're yours to control.

For other tips and tricks on learning how to DJ, visit http://www.BeginnerDJ.com where you can find hundreds of great tutorials, guides and features on everything there is to know about DJing.