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A DJ's guide to the WARM-UP SET. Reported by Richard Launch / Submitted 12-01-05 16:57 You have just walked into a club after a hectic week at work and all you want to do is forget about the world, grab a drink and settle in a for a top night of dancing. However, whoever has been given the first set has just dropped Paul Glazby’s ‘Hostile’ at +8 and that smile that had been creeping across your face on the tube is now getting trodden on at the front door. It has been widely said that the first set of the night is often the most important and after a bit of publicity of late, I decided to write a feature on the Warm-Up Set as a guide for DJ’s, regardless of what room they are playing in – but more emphasis is on getting it right in the main room. I have asked a number of figures in the industry as well as a few clubbers themselves to provide their thoughts on the beginning of a club night in the hope that DJ’s will be able make the first hour of clubbing more enjoyable for the future. A few years ago someone had posted a thread on this website asking about warm-up sets and how you are supposed to go about playing one. At the time I was just starting out as a DJ myself and thinking it would be a great learning tool and proceeded to read it in its entirety. A response from Steve Hill has always stuck in my mind as a fantastic rule of thumb, but it was something that he has also put into practice as I had seen Steve playing first at a number of Frantic events at The Fridge and Camden Palace and had always enjoyed his sets. Since then I have always tried to point people in the direction of it (see bottom of Feature) as the subject has arisen. Steve Hill giving it big ones at Frantic’s Secret party. Quite often the first set is given to up and coming DJ’s as the later sets are generally reserved for higher profile and more experienced DJ’s. As a DJ, I have been in that position a few times and in hindsight, have probably played inappropriately. As the years progress and you grow as a DJ, you will learn to appreciate the warm-up set for what its worth and how to play properly so that it is effective. That is the main aim of this Feature – to give opinions from established DJ’s, Promoters and Clubbers so that DJ’s will be able to take note and deliver a set that is well thought out and will effectively set the rest of the night up for the better. DJ Perspectives Perhaps the easiest way to get your head around what a warm-up set means is to ask an already established DJ for advice on the matter. For one, they will have played one or two on occasion themselves and secondly, have a greater understanding of its meaning to the rest of the night. Below is what a few DJ’s had to say on the matter. Tim Davison is not a stranger to warm-up sets, having played at the hallowed Turnmills for The Gallery throughout 2004. He said, “For me it's about developing a mood. Create a rhythm and slowly build a groove and avoid anything with a prolonged breakdown to maintain interest. I really enjoy getting to nights early and listening to other warm up DJ’s because you can always learn something new listening from a clubber's perspective. Obviously this is particularly useful at nights where you are seeking to get booked or will shortly be playing. It's not necessarily the speed of the tune which makes it good warm up material, it's the 'energy' it possesses. If you are a preparing a set at home and are unsure whether a tune is appropriate then it's probably best to leave it out. At the end of the day don't be afraid to ask questions and canvass opinions from the promoter. It's their party and they know what they want. Ultimately playing warm up sets is an art not a science. You haven't got big tunes to rely on so you have to be more creative which is a huge amount of fun!”. Ian Betts firing up the Fridge Main Room. I also turned to Ian Betts to provide some advice, particularly after his much publicised warm-up set at Twisted in December and his highly acclaimed debut at Amnesia for Cream, in Ibiza. He said, “In my opinion the warm-up set is the most critical set of any night, and as such the hardest to play. It will set the tone for the night ahead and has to be judged just right to give the rest of the party the right foundation on which to build. You have to think about where the DJ after you will take things and build towards his or her starting point, and it is imperative that you do not go too big too soon. At Twisted in December when I played before John 00 and Marco V, I didn't once go above 130bpm! You have to remember that you are only the 'warm-up', not the main event and judge your set accordingly. Most warm-up sets will finish at midnight if not before, which will be the time most punters will be turning up - for me this means that you do not need to play any anthems at all, rather you should break everyone in gently and coax them onto the dance floor in a more subtle fashion. The thing that a lot of DJs don't get about a warm-up is that if it's done well it can be far more memorable than a peak time set, and if you can do it well it proves to a promoter that you are versatile enough to play almost anywhere on a line-up.” Donna Birt also provides some comments from a Hard Dance perspective. She said, “A warm-up set should take you on a journey, each tune needs to build in energy from the last, taking into account the bass-lines and guts of the tune (chunky, techy bass-lines are my favourites). The set is not meant to be hard or fast either as the DJ’s later on in the night will take care of that – it’s more of an ass-shake rather than hands in the air stomping type of set.” Donna also outlined the steps she goes through to build a spot on warm-up set: “A). Look at the promotion and the style of music that is played. B). Determine what speed I will start at. C). Look at who is playing after me. D). Go through my tunes and pull out those I am certain of playing. E). Put them in order depending on energy and bass-line. F). Fill in any gaps so the set flows smoothly finishing with a couple of tunes to lead into the next DJ. [And perhaps the final point is very easy to forget about!] G). Have fun.” Promoter Perspective The second port of call in our Warm-Up Set Walk-Through is what a promoter wants from and looks for in the DJ’s they book to play first. I asked Craig Paxton, part of the Innovate Team, for his thoughts and experiences on the matter. “For me, personally, I feel that the opening set of the night is the most important of all. The style of tunes, the BPM range and the way that the set is built for the following DJ are all extremely important contributing factors towards how the rest of the night will progress. Too many DJ's I have heard are under the impression that you can go in and bosh it out, play all the classics at 150bpm and that's your job done. That's the worst thing that you can do. To play a good opening set takes a lot of research, control, skill and patience. You have to play tunes that aren't so obvious, which takes a bit of shopping around, avoiding all the big classics that you would probably expect to hear later on in the night, tunes with a good groove, a funky bass-line, something catchy that gets people interested and gets them moving. Nothing impresses me more than when one of our opening DJ's calls me to ask me what is expected of them. It's not a crime to ask, many promoters will probably be pleased that you have done so rather than go in there and play something completely inappropriate, which can and does happen. In regards to BPM range, normally I would say anything from 138bpm at the start of the set, through to 143/145bpm at the end of the set, definitely no more than that. Try to build your set subtly and gradually, find out who the DJ after you is and what sort of music they might be playing and aim to take your set towards that so that there is a smooth transition between you and the DJ up next. There can be nothing worse than when you step up to take over and who-ever has been on before you has left you no room to manoeuvre or be creative with your set. Most importantly of all, have a bit of fun with the crowd when you're up there, nothing gets a crowd going more than seeing a DJ really enjoying what they are doing. Interaction is extremely important at every stage throughout the night so make sure that you enjoy yourself when you're playing.” Craig Paxton and Richard Launch. Overall, Craig has offered some very good advice here that any DJ with a warm-up set on the horizon should read and re-read again. So with experienced DJ and Promoter perspectives we are beginning to form a checklist of things that should be noted in preparation for a warm-up. However, I find it necessary to consult the people responsible for why we have a ‘Club-Land’ in the first place: Clubbers. Without clubbers there would be 6 hours of music being played in a cold smelly dark empty room in many venues each weekend. I see it necessary that DJ’s should respect the hordes of people who go out each weekend and pay money to have fun and dance, literally, the night away. Clubbers Perspective I asked HarderFaster regulars and London club-hounds Lisa (Disco Diva) and Chris (Vin Diesel) to express what they do when they first get to the club and provide a raw perspective on how the first DJ of the night should perform. Lisa said, “I’m a clubber who actually likes to get into the club for the first set, I like to be in & have a drink sorted & warmed up ready for a night of dancing. For me I like to hear a warm-up set of funky, chunky, techy sounds to break me in gently & get my bum shaking if you like. I dislike it too hard from the word go, I like a set & the whole night to progress. To me the warm-up sets are most important & probably one of the hardest to do as a DJ, as it takes good tune selection to get a crowd warmed up, moving & on the dance floor in my opinion. My big thing at the moment is hard dance events or most seem to lack a good warm-up DJ, it is all bosh bosh of late.” And Chris had a similar take on the matter, “I very much believe in progression of music on a night out. I like the music to start off quite trancey and I like the music to start off quite slow paced. I don’t like getting to a club when it’s full on banging. I would say that it takes me about a couple of hours to settle in. I don’t know why this is, even with events I have been to before but it does take me that long. I like to get to a club quite early and if anything to get used to my surroundings, especially if I know the place is going to be packed. Nowadays I find when I get to a club there are a lot of people I know and I like to chat to and say hello.” So there it is, an across the board view on the importance of the Warm-Up Set. It is easy to see a common theme that runs through the Feature and can be pretty much summarized in Steve Hill’s Warm-Up Set checklist that I have put below. I hope that many people can learn from this and put more thought into their sets so that not only will the progression of club-nights become far better, but that as a DJ, you will have a more professional manner about how you play. Good Luck…..! Richard Launch. Big thanks to those who provided comments for the Feature – Legends!. Thanks to Joey & Anushka for the use of their photos. Steve Hill wrote on 08-08-2003 09:26 AM 1) Think of what you're playing from the punters point of view. If you're on first, chances are there is a queue outside, people are paying in, checking in coats, going to the bar for a drink, chatting to mates - no need to play anthems - also no need to play fillers. It can take an hour or so to fill a club so no need to go for the full dance floor on your second tune! Next time you go to a club - work out how long it takes to get in, pay, check in your coat, get a drink and when you're ready to dance - if you're in at 10pm on the dot I reckon by 10:30pm or so you'd be ready to start dancing, most people won't get in at that time so you're looking at 11pm onwards. 2) Judge it by how many people are in the club. Some places are slow to fill - create a vibe rather than pumping it out at 148bpm and a having it dance floor - there aren't many places you can go from 148bpm - except faster. If it's slow filling up hold it back at around 140bpm or so - if it fills quick - go a bit faster - I reckon (depending on the club) you shouldn't be above 145 - 6 by midnight if the club opens at 10pm. 3) Try not to play the big tunes of the moment. There's another 6 - 7 hours to go after you - you play them too early - they won't have the same effect as when the place is properly jumping - plus punters will be bored of hearing them for the third time at 5am - which is when you want to be ending the night on the biggest buzz. 4) One trick is to play your tracks at pitch or just a bit above - they don't have the same energy at that speed as they do when pitched right up so it's more palatable, also avoid tracks with really big breakdowns - they sound pony on a big rig with 3 people dancing to them - it looks like even playing the biggest tunes won't get a full dance floor and doesn't make you look good - go for less having it / peak time / more groovy if you can. Warm up sets is a tough one because it's harder for up and coming DJ's to get the main slots - so they get the earlier slots to prove themselves - then they play like it's the middle of the night - which is inappropriate - either because they haven't got the tunes or because they want to show what they really play - a promoters nightmare really because the flow of the night is lost, so you go hell for leather from the off you probably won't get asked back. Share this :: : : : Follow HarderFaster :: Other Features By Richard Launch: An Introduction to Innovate: Interview & Review The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable. Comments: From: ~deleted1390 on 12th Jan 2005 17:03.56 Cool article. A little suprised to see that Markus Buhmann was not questioned. He is believed by many, including myself, to be one of the finest if not the best warm up DJs in London at present. From: Karl Alexander on 12th Jan 2005 17:08.19 Excellent mate - well done !!! From: Karl Alexander on 12th Jan 2005 17:09.35 Oh and agree with the comments on Markus - I'd like to see some of the bigger nights picking him up as he's really worked out his sound nicely From: Not Marcus on 12th Jan 2005 17:14.30 Good article. Bettsy for me has played some of the best warmups I have ever heard and Steve Hill is legendary party starter. Top stuff Launchy From: Type 1 on 12th Jan 2005 17:25.48 really interesting article mate!!! loved reading it!! nice work richard launch!! From: Gordon Darley on 12th Jan 2005 17:29.42 Great feature mate. I hope that all the DJ's who get the chance do read this, I know how difficult a warm-up is. If I'd have read something like that before hand, it would have gone a lot better From: Rob Kane on 12th Jan 2005 17:30.18 Cool article, very interesting. See Latex Zebra for another good warm up example. From: Jurrane on 12th Jan 2005 17:39.02 What a fantastic article. Really well researched and thought out. Absolutely agree about the importance of a good warm-up set and how few get it right. Nice one! From: Danny Gilligan on 12th Jan 2005 18:59.24 its all golf champ, nice article From: K.A.R.L. on 12th Jan 2005 19:27.12 A very well written and spot on article. And your warmup at Extreme was spot on. Can't wait to do the warm up for Innovate in March. From: Toomz on 12th Jan 2005 19:46.49 A very true piece! I like playin warm up slots... a chance to get my groove on! From: Jacob on 12th Jan 2005 20:10.09 Refreshing article... All hale the warm-up dj's! From: Tara Reynolds on 12th Jan 2005 22:23.32 Richard - what an excellent and timely article. I recently played second set after a "warm-up" DJ who finished with a hard-as-nails tune at 152bpm at 9.30pm! Lets hope your article helps new DJs to get it right and in turn create a better night out for the clubbers. From: Pascal D on 12th Jan 2005 23:23.59 Wicked comments Richard. nice work indeed.....Oi and keep in touch mate....will pm u soon.....keep safe. From: Element7 on 13th Jan 2005 08:29.47 Did I mention that Ian Betts is god? From: djviticus on 13th Jan 2005 08:54.52 nice one now i just need to get some s.f. djs to read this. a couple gigs ago the opener was crankin glazby at 156 bpm.. oui thats a little fast From: carl nicholson on 13th Jan 2005 09:17.00 well its sooo true! IMO the warm up is the most important DJ of the night! The pace setter!;0) From: Steve.C on 13th Jan 2005 11:50.52 well informed piece, plenty to take on board. Nice one. From: Adamantium on 13th Jan 2005 12:07.40 Great article mate, excellent advice for us newbies! Cheers From: benz on 13th Jan 2005 12:19.45 Excellent article guys, pisses all over anything I have ever done for sure! Nicely done. Lol @ Bettsy comments....my first London gig was for Tilt warming up for him - I had no idea who he was or what he played, and I definately played too hard and fast......didnt bring enough 'mellower' tunes with me. Lesson learnt! Warm-ups can be very fun. It's worth thinking about the difficulties of warming up other styles of music though.....for example a warm-up hardcore set can be tricky, or how about warm up bounce set, like I think me and Elvis will be doing at Frantic Brings You More? I think the idea is to start with the less mental side of bounce, OD404 - Fireball and so on....we shall see! From: marcopilf on 13th Jan 2005 14:28.33 Well said fella, I also believe that an event should progress through the night, and I book all my djs styles to fit into a mental programme, beginning with the more funkier/groovier styles. FUNKY TECHNO IS THE WAY! From: Steve Prince on 13th Jan 2005 14:51.06 weldone mate if you played Paul Glazby’s ‘Hostile’ at +8 in your worm up set for me you would most defo get kicked off the decks you can not play to hard in a worm up set just not the done thing From: Jon Hollamby on 13th Jan 2005 15:32.36 Cool article, mirrors what I've been preaching all these years! DFQ is the finest warmup DJ in the Hard Dance scene, such a shame that he doesn't get booked that much... From: Gavin Bellis on 13th Jan 2005 15:49.04 Well written article, certainly has provided a good perspective for myself to playing opening sets. Would be great to see more articles like this...... From: Lozz on 13th Jan 2005 16:02.08 Top article Richard! A must read....should come with every set of decks! From: Skelp on 13th Jan 2005 16:06.03 Spread the word - funk, not filth for warmups! From: anushka007 on 13th Jan 2005 19:11.25 Fantastic interview as usual!!! From: Olly Perris on 13th Jan 2005 19:25.49 Brilliant article Richard!! From: jaxxx on 13th Jan 2005 21:30.54 Well written an exellent top tips from the pros. Harderfaster should have more articles done like this to get the message across.... From: Trevor McLachlan on 13th Jan 2005 21:52.43 Great article Launchy ... Well written, very informative and something that any up and coming DJ's should print out and keep safe for when they get that chance to play a warm up set ... Nice one From: James Lawson on 14th Jan 2005 09:30.06 Spot on article. I have to say that it was an absolute pleasure coming on after one of Richards warm up sets at extreme Euphoria recently. I think the quality of his set was reflected in the success of the event. He set the tone for the whole night and I believe that a large part of the reason for the success of the night was a direct result of his set. I would recommend Richard Launch to any promoter that asked me who I thought they should book! From: Joz on 14th Jan 2005 09:41.48 Brilliant article - one of my mates who is a resident for a bigger trance night always grumbles when the warm up guys are banging it out at 11 ish, so its excellent advice for us up 'n' coming guys From: Steve Maynard on 14th Jan 2005 19:36.40 very nice read, all djs should know how 2 warm up properly. From: Andy Dunford on 15th Jan 2005 00:32.39 I wrote on an earlier post about how I disagreed with what many were saying about warm up sets. Having read this article I think I did misunderstand a bit, I wasn't saying that warm-ups should belt it out straight away, just that they should be of the style of music of the promotion. When they are not, it is a bit annoying. Based on the above, I think I probably am in agreement with the majority after all. From: anne savage on 16th Jan 2005 00:27.57 Add your comments here When I got my first residency in 1993 I was literally honoured to be the warm up dj - even though I was only paid £25. It was Angels in Burnley and I paid my dues there - my apprenticeship if you like. The resident - Paul Taylor would go through my box and take out tunes that he thought would jeopordise the good of the night - and the mood of the guest dj. I can't stress how much better the nights were back then. We would start with breaks whilst everyone queued for the cloaks, a bit of house got the first people on the floor. By 12 everyone was in and we let rip. Everyone felt part of the same vibe and it built from there. There is nothing worse than walking into a club feeling like you're late for the party.I for one agree that up coming dj's who get the warm up set want to impress and I have often walked into a dj box at midnight following a warm up of 150bpm - all you have to do is think back to Trade where Malcom Duffy and Steve Thomas warmed up with style, class and held it back without anything to prove. From: budha on 17th Jan 2005 21:51.15 Just look at JP (HQ, Dancevalley). He is a master in warm-up sets! From: Macey on 18th Jan 2005 00:34.46 Nice One mate. Think this article could become known as the DJ's LAUNCH Pad to playing a Warm up. Tops Info From: Dave Austin on 18th Jan 2005 20:03.25 Well done Richard.Brilliant article.All us djs have been there,either as the warm up dj or following on from the 1st jock. Very good advice.Take care mate & see you soon. From: guyster on 18th Jan 2005 20:24.09 Good article, but it still baffles me that people can't actually judge what things need to be taken into consideration for playing at different times/promotions. It'll serve as a guide to people starting out for sure. But if one thing does my head in more than anything else it's people that can't/won't change their style whatever set they're playing. Surefire way to stunt your career. All about versatility innit From: houseCHICK on 19th Jan 2005 10:42.10 Gr8 article Richard! From: Hoochie Koochi Man on 19th Jan 2005 14:28.52 Go to Bedrock and observe Phil Thompson (Moonface) on how to deliver a warm up set. For me he sets the tone for the rest of the night. From: DJDubs on 20th Jan 2005 02:15.19 Excellent guide Richard. Ive never had to play a first set yet thankfully but this will defo help me when I have to. I have to repeat what everyone else has said here. I was playing a house set in the back-room of Club Matrix and the first dj absolutely cained it. Big tunes, playing far too fast for the time (it was only 10pm when he finished). When I got on I tried to sort things out by dropping the bpm by about 3-4 bpm and it killed the place. So take heed folks, the warm-up is soo important to the flow of the night. From: onthebass on 21st Jan 2005 02:43.32 Brilliant article Tinks and read with much interest Although i have never been into Steve Hill's sound, he is by far the best warm-up DJ i've ever seen. He has absolutely rocked it so many times as he knows what makes people get on the dance floor from the start. Certainly not an easy feat as mentioned in your article as everyone who starts out wants to be the next 'supastar dj' by playing peak time tunes. Looking forward to "A DJs Guide to....Part 2" From: JAY B on 24th Jan 2005 15:45.26 well done !!!! From: Snake on 25th Jan 2005 11:17.52 gr8 article Tinksy, spot on! So true,lotsa new dj's think that big anthems and classics in their opening set will earn them their next gig but its everything but that. Defo keep it groovy. Make sure you get the gals on the floor first. They love shaking their boodies, boys love watching them and will automaticly just follow. Dj's are entertainers, so entertain the crowd, have fun with them! Don't just stand there and play tunes, interact with the ones you have on the dancefloor and create a vibe with them,it'll just progress from there as you work your way thru your set and will also make you enjoy your own set more. From: phil lankester on 25th Jan 2005 17:02.20 Spot on! Excellent Article! I personally look forward to warm up sets, thinking of grabbing the next one at Swamp & cant wait for the Warm up at Divine! From: antiks on 25th Jan 2005 19:11.14 how true, well done From: Disco Diva on 25th Jan 2005 22:58.41 wicked article richard From: sunvisordude on 26th Jan 2005 08:53.01 excellent article. it's not often i make it to the first set but when i do, i like to sit down and listen to the progression. a person which i have the deepest respect for when it comes to warm up sets is lady bianca playing at twist @ fire club sunday mornings 5am....her stuff is pure intelligence. cheer sfor a good article, richard. From: Miss XS on 26th Jan 2005 20:57.06 Top article really helped me out as i have a major warm up set to do soon and im so used to playing banging hard later sets that this is really going to be a good challenge and sumthing i am looking forward to getting my teeth into From: Lorenzo Barrero on 27th Jan 2005 11:11.38 Excellent comments! From: TEK-DJ Management on 26th Feb 2005 02:47.15 Cool article, mirrors what I've been preaching all these years! DFQ is the finest warmup DJ in the Hard Dance scene, such a shame that he doesn't get booked that much... WELL SAID JON!!!!! DFQ is certainly the best Ive heard ever, the most technical DJ Ive ever heard, who has a passion for music and what he does best of all. The scene needs a wake up call, and God would DFQ be the DJ to do just that....!!!!

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