Had A Go Playing Open Decks For The First Time
14th December 2022- New Experience Number 29.
Music is amazing. It can change a mood; it can act like a book mark to a time and a place in the story of your life; it can move you in more ways than one; it creates a reaction. So when I signed up for playing open decks in York, I was hoping the reaction from the audience would be a positive one!
Playing Practice
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.
Over the previous six months, he’d been getting in some public performances at the Open Decks night at The Crescent each week. I’d messed around on the kit in our kitchen but had never put an actual set together or played to strangers. I was (itching and) scratching to have a go myself!
I’d had the chance to feel a bit familiar with all of the kit at home, and thankfully it’s a similar set up at The Crescent.
It can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never been behind the decks before. The Crescent is brilliant for first timers. The staff are really friendly and helpful, and lots of the regulars are more than happy to help anyone of any level.
Respect For The Open Decks
The sessions at the Open Decks night where I played at The Crescent in York, are half hour slots.
We’d been going most weeks since summer 2022 for the other half to play. 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, dub, techno and progressive house.
Playing Open Decks - Booking A Slot
The Open Decks night is great. Everyone is really encouraging, and it’s not about being polished in mixing. Instead, it’s about having a safe opportunity to have a go, make mistakes, try new mixes and effects, and see what works or doesn’t. Everyone is really supportive of each other.
That being said, I was still nervous. I was perhaps a bit of a chicken by booking in for an early slot when I knew there wouldn’t be too many people there to overhear any bad transitions.
What To Play?
My first problem was deciding what to play. There were too many tracks I really wanted to include! Of course A-ha were top of my list! Yet when I thought about songs I love, they all seemed to be completely different and I wasn’t sure they’d mix all that well.
I ended up gong down a disco route. It wasn’t what I thought I’d be playing when I first signed up! I really fancied playing the inimitable Donna Summer ‘I feel love’ and ‘Supernature’ by Cerrone. I trawled through the disco classics at home, and had a listen to what I thought could work well together
Method Of Mixing
Some people mix vinyl at The Crescent, 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 at home but never very successfully.
The other half has most recently been using MP3s, which makes it far easier to carry hundreds of different tracks in your pocket. So once I’d got my track list ready we popped it onto the memory stick which got a fair bit of hammering over the course of the week.
People also bring their own equipment to the crescent, hooking it up to the kit provided and playing off laptops, Abletons, and controllers.
Pressing Play
Finally happy with my setlist, it was just a case of practicing the transitions over the next week. This meant several hours in the kitchen trying to beat match at the right point. I wanted to avoid the sound of galloping horses as one track mixed into the next. I also wanted to get the phrasing right so that vocals from one song didn’t crash into the next which would have sounded pretty bad to the ears.
People may think it’s just about pushing buttons and twiddling knobs, and some DJs do make it look like that’s all there is to it. I definitely needed the practice!
Decks Effects
I am fond of the flange. It’s the effect which is kind of hard to describe but I’d say it makes the music sound a bit like it’s going through a drain pipe. I could have practiced using some of the other effects, but as this was my first foray of public playing, I thought I’d best keep things simple for myself.
Playing Open Decks - Small Crowd
I’d picked a good time to play. There were a handful of people in the venue as I arrived on the night. 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.
Letting The Beats Drop
The other half came up to the decks with me just to check everything was all set up ok before leaving me to it. Then 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 unmistakable voice of Morten Harket belted out into the the venue, the other half encouraged me to turn it up! That’s never happened before, he usually asks me to turn A-ha off! Yes, I know A-ha don’t really fit into the disco pigeon hole, but there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to play something by them!
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!
Fast Tempo
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 enjoying the tunes.
Will I Be Playing Open Decks Again?
It was a great experience! You can’t beat playing music you love loud! I also 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!
Want To Try It Yourself?
- There are lots of places that offer Open Decks nights.
- I played at The Crescent in York.
- 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.
- If you’re looking for other free music experiences, have you considered busking?
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
- 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.
- Take a look online to see if there are any venues offering open deck nights near you.
- 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.
- If there is an open deck night near you, why not go along and see what it is like before you have a go.
- If you do have a go, remember that only you know how you wanted it 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.
- Don’t forget your camera!