Playing Open Decks For The First Time
14th December 2022- New Experience Number 29.
Playing open decks for the first time is brilliant, and petrifying, in equal measure!
It was also a brilliant experience as one of my 52 new things in 2022.
Thankfully, my set seemed to go down well – I’ve even had a few requests to play again! Here’s what the experience was like, and how you can try it too.
My Limited Experience
I had been behind the decks before, but only ever in private where it really didn’t matter if tracks didn’t match, if keys clashed, or if beats battled against each other.
Playing in front of people was a whole other ball game, I wanted them to enjoy it and not leave with bleeding ears!
Thankfully, my Other Half has been dabbling in DJing for several years. When we first went into lockdown in 2020, he bought some new decks and use the enforced time indoors to put some concerted time in to learn.
I’d had the chance to feel a bit familiar with the kit at home, but I’d never put a set together, and never played to strangers before.
First Time Playing Open Decks - The Crescent In York
The Crescent in York was once a Working Men’s Club. Whilst the decor may not have changed all that much, it has transformed itself into a community venue. Hosting live bands and comedians, it also hosts an open deck night, which is where I gave it a go.
It can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never been behind the decks before, however, The Crescent is brilliant for first timers.
The staff are really friendly and helpful, and the regulars are more than happy to help anyone of any level.
My Other Half had regularly been playing the open decks night here, so I had a rough idea of what to expect.
Another venue in York that offers regular open deck events is the city centre bar, Polymath.
Check out the Polyphonic Instagram account for all the latest details.
Booking A Slot
Everywhere that hosts an open deck event will be different. At some venues you register in advance, and for others you simply turn up on the night.
At The Crescent, slots are half an hour.
- You can book an on-the-hour slot in advance through The Crescent facebook page, once they have announced the date for the week.
- The half past the hour slots are for walk-ins, and you can go along to pop your name down any time on the day after they open at 4pm.
Even though I knew everyone at The Crescent would be really encouraging and supportive, I was still nervous. I was a bit of a chicken by booking in for an early slot when I knew there wouldn’t be too many people there to witness my first attempt.
What Music Is Played At The Open Decks Night At The Crescent?
The sessions at the Open Decks night where I played at The Crescent in York, are half hour slots. It means you get a fantastically eclectic mix of music from across the decades. You’ll often hear something you’ve not heard in years next to something new.
Whilst the sets probably broadly fall under the ‘dance music’ umbrella, there’s a real mix of sub genres, and absolutely anything goes.
There have been brilliant rock sets, along side drum and bass, salsa, garage, dub, techno and progressive house.
Deciding What To Play
I pre-planned my set. A lot of DJs can mix in the moment. I was definitely not at that level so thought I’d be kind to myself and figure out before hand which tracks I was going to play and in which order.
Firstly I needed to decide what to play. There were too many tracks I really wanted to include! Yet when I thought about songs I love, they all seemed to be completely different and I wasn’t sure they’d actually mix all that well.
I never expected I’d be playing disco. I thought it might have been some old school classics, or something bass heavy, but I really fancied playing the inimitable Donna Summer ‘I feel love’ and ‘Supernature’ by Cerrone. So I trawled through the disco classics at home, and had a listen to what I thought could work well together
Any Method Of Mixing
Whatever method you want to mix, it can usually be done at The Crescent.
Some people mix vinyl, and I have huge respect for that. There’s a brilliantly nostalgic sound quality to records, and I have had a go at mixing them in the past, but never successfully!
People also bring their own equipment to the crescent, hooking it up to the kit provided and playing off laptops, Abletons, and controllers.
My Other Half uses a USB stick which makes it far easier to carry hundreds of different tracks in your pocket. Once I’d got my track list ready I transferred it onto the memory stick which got a fair bit of hammering in the week leading up to my slot.
Putting In The Practice Berforehand
Happy with my setlist, I began practicing the transitions.
Some DJs make it look easy, like it’s just pressing buttons and pushing faders. I definitely needed the practice!
I spent several hours at home trying to beat match at the right point. I wanted to avoid the sound of galloping horses as one track mixed into the next, and I wanted to get the phrasing right so vocals from one song didn’t crash into the next.
Playing An Early Slot
I’d picked 6.30pm for my time slot, which I thought was a good time to play. There were a handful of people in the venue, so not too many people to witness any spectacular errors!
The usual friendly bar staff were there too. I didn’t feel too much pressure for a perfect performance, and knew they’d all be really supportive. That said, it was still scary to know I’d be in charge of the tunes for half an hour!
Taking My Place Behind The Decks
The Other Half came up to the decks with me just to check everything was all set up ok. Then he left me to it. I was off. I put my first track on. It felt far too loud, probably because I’m used to playing at home and have to be considerate of the neighbours!
As the first song neared an end I lined up the second track. I hit play exactly when I had planned to. It worked! I was mixing!
The Fastest Half Hour EVER!
Half an hour absolutely flew by.
I definitely fluffed up some of the transitions. I didn’t quite bring in a track at a point I had practiced, and I forgot to fade out the bass when I planned.
Nobody else knew how I had intended the mix to sound though. It was only me who noticed the things which I considered to be mistakes. Everyone just seemed to be happy with the tunes.
There were no moments where nothing was playing and silence filled the air. No horrific beat clashes and no vocal collisions.
In fact, although I was so busy concentrating on what I was doing, I did get a momentary sneak glimpse of the few punters in the bar. They looked as though they were enjoying it. I couldn’t ask for better than that.
I felt really proud of my first attempt, and definitely learnt a lot that I’d do differently if and when I play open decks again.
Will I Be Playing Open Decks Again?
It was a great experience! You can’t beat playing music you love loud!
I got some awesome feedback from some of the people who had been there on the night, which has definitely made me think I’d be up for having another go some time!
Even if I never play again, it was a brilliant experience.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- Take a look on social media, and use a browser to search for local opportunities to have a go near you.
- The Crescent in York is where I tried playing open decks for the first time. Anyone, of any ability is welcome to go along and play.
- Slots are half an hour. You can book an on-the-hour slot in advance through the Open Decks @ The Crescent Facebook group, although they do fill up fast. The half past the hour slots are for walk-ins, and you can go along to pop your name down at any time of the day.
- Polymath in York city centre usually hosts Open Deck nights on a Thursday. Take a look at the Polyphonic Instagram account for all the latest details.
- Pirate Studios is another way that you can get some practice behind the decks. Whilst it’s not an open decks event, you can book a studio by the hour. They have venues across the UK, Ireland, Germany and the US.
Cost Of Experience
Free!
Playing at the Open Decks night at The Crescent is free, and drinks are very reasonably priced too!
- Depending on where you play, there may be a cost to take part but it shouldn’t be much.
Recommendations
- Enjoy your set. It can be really easy to overthink playing open decks. Some people go along who have clearly practiced lots, others go along who just love playing music. The main thing is to enjoy the music you’re playing.
- Ask for help. If you’ve never been behind the decks before, see if someone who is already playing would be happy for you to take a look whilst they are on.
- See what it’s like before you try. If there is an open deck night near you, why not go along and get a feel for it before you have a go.
- Remember, only you know how you want your set to sound. Generally the audience are enjoying the music so much they don’t notice the nuances of the mixing as much as the DJ.
- Check before you go. Some places provide headphones, whilst other venues need you to take your own.
- Don’t forget to take your music!
- Let me know how you get on if you give it a go, and don’t forget to take some pictures as you spin the tunes!