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.

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.