What Are the Responsibilities of a Warm-Up DJ?
Not everyone understands what a warm-up DJ is responsible for. The warm-up, the set that opens the show, may even be the most important set of the night, and it deserves more attention than the sets that close the programme.
You’re not the headliner, and that doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you show what you can do and play by the “rules”.
Here is what MUSE INC thinks you need to know to become a true warm-up DJ.
1. Put your ego aside
One mistake almost everyone who pursues an art form makes is “artist syndrome”: a big ego and a constant urge to show off. But in a given situation we need to read the room and dial the ego down, especially as warm-up DJs.
You have to forget your ego and focus on playing a well “balanced”, harmonious set that gives the main DJ a springboard to play more easily. Many new DJs make the same mistake when they get the opening slot: they play too hard and drop nothing but hits. That usually ruins the flow and the natural ups and downs of the night, and makes the main DJ’s job even harder. Make this mistake and your DJ career will be very short!
A good warm-up DJ knows how to choose and cut tracks sensibly. Don’t let your “ego” turn you into a warm-up DJ who thinks they play better than the main act and hammers the crowd from the very first tracks. Remember that the warm-up is a very important set because it sets the mood for the whole night, and the night matters far more than any one DJ’s performance.
Be a really good warm-up DJ, and the organisers will definitely call you for the next show.
2. Keep the tempo under control.
Many ravers and DJs today keep comparing festivals in Vietnam with big ones like Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland. But you have to understand that most Vietnamese crowds have very different stamina from audiences abroad: with “hard” music, they can usually only take two or three sets. That is why controlling your tempo and musical style is so important.
Keeping things under control means the crowd doesn’t burn out too early and can still enjoy the whole party or festival. Be a DJ who can play every genre, and don’t lock yourself into one genre in your warm-up set.
A warm-up set doesn’t have to be gloomy or dull. Practise moving from deep house into something funkier and more fun, lifting the energy of your set a little without reaching for the hits. And if the main DJ gets stuck in traffic and you have to play longer than planned, this skill will definitely make you look good in the organisers’ eyes.
Stay sharp so your set never “breaks”, and keep the crowd from burning out: that is how you succeed.
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3. Find out about the headliner or the artist who plays after you.
Why should you research the headliner or the artist playing after you? When you’re putting together the list of tracks for the night, it’s a good idea to listen to a set by the DJs on the bill with you. It will help you choose your music.
For example, if the artist after you usually plays at 126 or even 128 BPM at peak time, you should stay at 125 BPM or below. You can start soft and steady, then gradually raise the tempo towards the end of your set.
Another example: if you’re booked to open the show, you definitely can’t play big room, trap or dubstep, because you’d kill the show the moment it starts.
Our advice: call the DJ and have a chat to get to know them better. Don’t be shy, you’re only trying to help them deliver a perfect performance.
4. Watch how the crowd reacts
Warm-up DJs often talk about their biggest fear: “the crowd”. The opening DJ faces more challenges than those booked later, because they start work on an empty dance floor and have to gradually fill it before handing the stage to the stars, who always arrive right on time. Honestly, though, this isn’t something to fear: it is your chance to win the crowd over while they are still 100% fresh.
Always watch the crowd instead of staring at the mixer, and above all choose tracks that suit the moment. It sounds hard, but it’s actually very easy. Imagine starting your set with light, cheerful tracks that put a smile on people’s faces and give them the time and space to enjoy what you’re playing. As more people arrive, you change the mood with tracks that have a moderate bass line to get them moving, and finally you play the high-energy tracks.
If your style of music leaves the crowd standing still, watch them carefully and switch to another style, and connect with them through controller moments or tracks with vocals.
It’s also best to prepare a backup set in case the set you’re playing doesn’t win the crowd over.
Source: Viet Nam Sound
