As a working DJ, commanding the room is imperative to what you do. Since you’re the centerpiece of the entertainment, it’s your job to make sure everyone is having a great time. This can sometimes be a daunting task. It’s one thing to put on some songs and let the night go. When you’re a professional though you’re expected to go beyond being a human jukebox. Honestly, what’s more fun than crowd hyping?
You’re the curator of the night, and how you command the place has a direct effect on how much fun people are having. So what can you do? What are some ways you can make sure people are having fun? Well, here are some helpful tips on how you can get a crowd hyped and out of their seats!
Tip 1- Read the Room
A huge part of commanding an audience is sheer presence. It’s about how you present yourself to the crowd in front of you. To do this it helps to read the room and adjust your set and personality accordingly with the setting provided. If you’re at a wedding, it may not be the best idea to bass drop while jumping up and down like a mad man. On the contrary, if you’re playing a club, it might not be a good idea to be cracking jokes and letting the tracks spin.
It’s all about the situation you’re in. Be smart and use common sense when trying to determine how to play up to the crowd in front of you. It also helps to have knowledge of the event beforehand. The more you know about the gig before it happens the more you can prepare yourself for the crowd you’ll be playing for. Just think ahead and adapt to the audience whenever you feel necessary! It is your show afterall.
Tip 2- Trust Your Instincts
You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who get on stage and actively try to make themselves more reserved. If you’re thinking something will look cool, do it. If your body is telling you to jump or dance, do it. That’s your body and mind telling you to have fun. If you’re enjoying yourself that means the people you’re entertaining will too!
By allowing yourself to let go, it shows to the crowd you’re there to have a good time as much as they are.That helps establish a connection between the two of you. Also allowing your instincts to take over is a great way to experiment with your stage presence. As you do more things on stage, you recognize what works and what doesn’t. From there you can build on that knowledge and become an even better performer! So get out there, and as Eminem puts it, lose yourself in the music!
Tip 3- Use Appropriate Drops
Not every gig needs thumping drops, but when they work, boy, do they work. A perfectly timed drop that follows constantly building music is one of the most natural and satisfying ways to get a crowd hyped! The best way to describe it is like reaching a very satisfying ending to a good story and for the story to go continuously and for it to be better than before. It’s basically the payoff to all the energy and excitement being built to it.
Ultimately finding the perfect drop makes getting the crowd off their feet easier than ever! Luckily for you there are plenty of places to find exciting drops! NYE Countdown offers a number of drops that is sure to get people onto the dance floor. With such a wide variety as well, you’re sure to find a drop for almost any gig. It can be a club, wedding, work event, etc. No matter what the situation may be, the drop can help sell the fun of the moment. Accompany a NYE drop with captivating video graphics and you’re sure to be the life of the party!
Tip 4- Don’t be Afraid of the Mic
Granted, you can easily be a DJ without a mic. Having one though ensures a direct line between you and the audience. If you do find yourself using a mic in your setup, make sure you’re using it! As a DJ it can sometimes be easy to lose yourself in the music side of things. The music and track list is important, however some can argue that interacting with the crowd is just as important. That’s why it’s so imperative to take advantage of the microphone.
By communicating to the crowd you’re making a connection between yourself and them. They feel more involved with what’s going on and you can even make them feel like a part of the show. By doing this it directly gets the audience involved which makes for more fulfilling and fun interactions. It also gives you a chance to showcase more of your persona and personality. This allows yourself to appear more like a professional and in turn can lead to more gigs through the associations you create by simply interacting with the crowd!
Tip 5- Plan Ahead
This seems a little contradictory to tip number two where we talked about trusting your instincts. Sure, letting yourself go makes things feel more fun and natural. That doesn’t mean you can’t plan what you’re going to do on stage at certain points! Some things simply work better as a coordinated effort. Take the band Metallica for example. It isn’t a happy accident when they all decide to bang their heads at certain parts of the song at the same time. Although this is a planned act, it still looks cool and natural.
As a DJ you can do something very similar. Listen to your track list a few times. Pay attention to parts of the mix where you can envision the crowd reacting in certain ways to the music. . I mean, it’s more than likely you’ve done this before without even noticing it. If a song feels like it has a moment where people can bounce, plan a moment where you tell the crowd to bounce. If it feels like the crowd should be swaying their arms back and forth, plan to get those hands in the air. A little bit of pre-planning never hurts anything, and that includes ways in how you’re going to get the crowd hyped!
