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Together, we’re becoming better DJs through passion and purpose.
Episodes
Monday Mar 26, 2018
Monday Mar 26, 2018
Episode 135 is all about playing well with others, social cues, and respect...in other words: Etiquette 101 for DJs!
We can all think of at least a handful of DJs we know or have seen that violate everything we consider to be good etiquette. But, do we know what it really means to practice "good etiquette", in and out of the booth?
- Approach the booth humbly, and with appreciation. You wouldn't be there if it weren't for a number of factors. Check the ego!
- Understand what is expected of you. Sometimes, the best way to make sure everyone is happy is to make sure everyone knows what is expected. Just going in to a situation blind can lead to some faux pas moments.
- Respectfully communicate issues. It's easy to get frustrated or let tempers fly in the heat of the moment. It's also easy to just play and leave. But, by properly communicating issues and letting the right people know what they are, respectfully, you save yourself a lot of headaches and potential arguments or bad PR.
- Crowd control is especially important...in that you balance the expectations of those who may not be in to what you're doing, or worse, properly handling overly intoxicated partiers.
- Make sure that if you're going to call yourself a DJ, that you have some mixes and promote them properly. Don't just SPAM.
- Always be managing your brand & proper PR -- Who you are, in public, is who you are as a DJ....for better or worse.
- Help and Encourage Others - By helping others, you're helping to carry on the craft and raising the bar for everyone. And, that helpful spirit often pays forward and usually comes back around.
Monday Mar 19, 2018
Monday Mar 19, 2018
Today we're proud to present our exclusive interview with KRANE!
KRANE is a Producer/DJ from Oakland, CA who is making huge waves in the EDM/Trap/festival scene. His latest album, Fallout, was released this past October. It's a powerful electronic album full of big synths, wonky drops, beautiful strings, and gritty bass.
With roots in jazz music, and a love of modern classical music... much of his time is spent creating powerful festival bangers, lightly dressed with pretty synth melodies.
We were very thankful that KRANE was willing to take time out of his busy schedule (as a touring headliner!) to hang out with us on today's show.
If you prefer to watch instead of listen, we recorded a video version of this interview for YouTube.
In the interview, we ask KRANE about his live setup, and how much his live shows influence the music that he creates in the studio. We ask about his history with music and his career (and the struggles of becoming a full-time musician).
We get insight from KRANE on what he aims for his audience to feel, and his approach to building a cohesive album. Overall, we got the impression that he truly cares about the overall experience for his fans. We greatly enjoyed our opportunity to gain his insight.
Just a reminder: later this week, we will be releasing the very first episode of our new show: Afterparty. This monthly bonus episode is available only to our Patreon subscribers. Stay tuned!
Monday Mar 12, 2018
Monday Mar 12, 2018
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Passionate DJ is now on Patreon, and will soon be releasing bonus shows and material for paid subscribers! Go to the Patreon page for Passionate DJ for more details!
We know how much you all have been digging the "genre deep dive" episodes, so here's another coming at ya for Episode 133, with some help from a close friend of Passionate DJ: Matt Freeman.
Matt has well over 20 years experience rocking crowds of varying scenes and genres with precision, skill, and all the fun one could hope for. From industrial and goth, to techno and house, and all kinds of other music, Matt has been a mainstay in the Dayton, Ohio music scene, and for good reason.
One of the things he is known for, is dropping acid house & techno music, and being quite the connoisseur of great music in general. When he drops acid in a set, he grabs hold of his crowds and uses it as not just a party moment, but a teaching moment. Matt takes the next hour to share some of his favorite Acid tracks (known by their iconic squelchy, resonant 303 leads), while chatting about his experiences as a DJ.
*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***
Also: MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ www.PassionateDJ.com/merch
Monday Mar 05, 2018
Monday Mar 05, 2018
Today's episode is all about showing love for the HOUSE PARTY!
For Episode 132, we discuss what we like about house parties, while sharing some stories and tips for throwing and enjoying house parties.
What's not to love about a smaller, more intimate crowd? You can generally play what you want, with lower stress than a full scale event, in an environment that's typically a bit more lax and tolerant. This is a great place for new, up-and-coming, and veteran DJs alike, to practice in front of smaller crowds and try new things without "winging it" on a main stage.
There's some etiquette to follow, though. Remember, this is either YOUR house or you're entering SOMEONE ELSE's house. So, be courteous and respectful, and be mindful of your things, and theirs.
Do you have any great house party stories? What are some of the things that make for a memorable house party, for you?
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Passionate DJ is now on Patreon, and will soon be releasing bonus shows and material for paid subscribers! Go to the Passionate DJ Patreon page for more details!
*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***
Monday Feb 26, 2018
Monday Feb 26, 2018
Thanks for tuning in to Episode 131, where we bang out another installment of our popular Pick 3 series. The theme, this time? Dance Classics!
What makes a song, a classic? Totally depends on the context, time period, and the listener. What is classic for some, may not be for others. We left the term "dance classic" to be interpreted by the presenter, so it could have included anything from Funk to Disco, 80's New Wave to 90's Club, Warehouse Techno to UK DnB, and literally anything else in between.
We think as you listen to this episode's candidates, you'll agree they all fit the bill. Special thanks to Firecat 451 for joining us, again. If you missed his full introduction, make sure to check out the bad gigs episode from last week.
What are some tracks you would consider "classics" that no DJ should be without?!
*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***
MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ the PassionateDJ.com Online Store!
Monday Feb 19, 2018
Monday Feb 19, 2018
Episode 130 is one we've been wanting to do, for a long time. Way back when, in Episode 17, David did a show all about bad DJ gigs from the audience...and it's been a fan favorite, ever since.
There was so much ground to cover this time, that we brought in extra-special guest Firecat 451 to guest host! He's an established rock in the Midwest music scene, with his roots in Cincinnati, Ohio. He's a DJ, MC, and Producer, and has an entire repertoire of gigs ranging from headlining act, to direct support, to host and MC.
This episode is packed FULL of all kinds of stories of gigs gone wrong....from the irritating, to the painful, and the flat-out ridiculous. So strap in, because the next 90 minutes will have you laughing, cringing, and whispering "WTF?" to yourself a lot because YES....these things have actually happened to people during real DJ gigs.
What's the worst thing that has happened to YOU at a DJ gig?
Closing music credit: Trip Turlington & Firecat 451 - Push Back (Available on Base Industry Records)
MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ www.PassionateDJ.com/merch
Monday Feb 12, 2018
Monday Feb 12, 2018
Have you ever done a tag team or B2B set with a friend? It takes a little extra something to pull off a great set with someone else in the booth with you, so that's what Episode 129 is all about!
Between NAMM and some other industry news, there's plenty to cover from Ableton, Pioneer, Reloop, Native Instruments, and Phase!
As we're talking about sharing the booth, though, we cover everything from why you would want to, different approaches on how, and even some ways to make even more fun.
Purchase the new Pioneer DDJ-1000 on Amazon!
B2B Games To Play With Your DJ Friends (from DJ Tech Tools)
*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***
MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ the PassionateDJ.com store!
Monday Feb 05, 2018
Monday Feb 05, 2018
For Episode 128, David & the whole crew are together and rummaging through a lot of interesting news that gives us some insight in to the state of the music industry, right now.
From Spotify offering up an unconventionally filed IPO, to cryptocurrencies and their role in protecting artists' rights, things are getting pretty exciting and charting some new territory. But that's not to say the tried and true markers of success, such as live ticket sales and [*gasp*] VINYL SALES aren't beaming as well...because they are.
Adding that DJ gear is an increasingly lucrative business, and an actual robot DJ is now DJing in a club in Prague, that leads to some interesting discussions about how the barriers of entry to DJing are dropping for newcomers to the craft, but the influence of AI and technology is becoming ever more influential for the future.
What does this mean for DJs today, and tomorrow? Sound off in the comments and let us know what YOU think!
This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 103: Will Robots Take Our Jobs?
Sophia - Saudi Arabia's first robot/AI with Citizenship
Monday Jan 29, 2018
Monday Jan 29, 2018
For Episode 127, we present an exclusive interview with 2nd Nature: DJ, VJ, video editor, and sound designer with a repertoire and a reputation that is second to none.
Starting as a DJ at a young age, 2nd Nature (Brett) has honed the skills it takes to rock any party to a razor's edge, from scratch battles to corporate events, and he delivers with unmatched precision.
In this interview, Brett touches on everything from how he got started, to his work flow and how under pressure he performs as if it were "second nature", as well as what it takes to make it and maintain at his level of success. But, we also got an unprompted raw, uncensored look in to what kind of toll it can take on one's physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as a number of techniques Brett uses to combat those issues.
This interview is the kind of "real" that doesn't emerge, often, as many people don't put themselves out there, like Brett did during this episode. It serves as both an inspiration, and a warning, and it's our honor to share his insight with you.
If you are not familiar with 2nd Nature, or his body of work, we assure you, it's not hard to find. Simply Google "2nd Nature" and you get more than enough to keep your eyes, ears, and mind busy for HOURS. But, a great place to start, is the source, so we urge you to visit his website.
Monday Jan 22, 2018
Monday Jan 22, 2018
Googling things can be such a fun rabbit hole, and David & the PDJ crew are doing it again in the second installment of "The Google Episode"!!!!
We take a bunch of random questions related to music and DJing, and run it through Google to see what happens!
Find out the answers to the following questions, and more, in Episode 126!
- Who was the highest paid DJ in 2017?
- What was the world's first drum machine?
- What is the origin of the "hip hop air horn"?
- What was the first digital DJ software?
- What was the first mp3 file?
- What was the first DJ mixer?
- How many remixes of the "Electric Slide" currently exist?
- What was the first fully produced "electronic music album"?
Also, if you are following the podcast via iTunes, please do us a solid and go leave us a review! It helps us with iTunes algorithms, and helps us know what you do and don't like!
Resources from this episode:
- Video clips of the Chamberlain Rhythmate and the Wurlitzer Sideman, early drum machines.
- Old press videos from the early 2000s about PCDJ software.
- Clips from the soundtrack to Forbidden Planet and The Fascinating World of Electronic Music (early electronic albums)