Planning Setlist For 5 To 6-Hour Soul Set Next Week

[Britmusicsoulfan]

Hi Everyone,

I'm the main (only) DJ at a new soul night. I'm finalizing my record boxes and am trying to get a feel for how many records to bring. We're doing at least 5 hours, possibly may do 6 and possibly a bit more than that. I would think 300-350 records should do it?

Many thanks,

Tim

[paultp]

Most people bring 200 to do an hour so I would say at least a thousand, maybe add 10% as contingency.

[Britmusicsoulfan]

I've been pulling records aside that I hear as first or second-hour records and am trying to save my better bits for the later part of the set.

[boba]

if you're trying to straight plan a fixed set list, it's almost always true that one hour is 20 records. I've done a radio show with 45s for about 15 years and it somehow always works out that way, unless I start playing late 70s-80s records, which are longer.

However, you should obviously bring many more records so you can actually respond to the floor and change up if you need to. I think 350 is a decent number. Maybe 200 is appropriate for an hour as it gives you much to choose from but that doesn't necessarily scale linearly to 5-6 hours I would think.

[Missgoldie]

If you are the only dj you know no one is going to play something before you which cuts the number of records you need in your box down.

[Kevinkent]

If you're on your own don't forget a couple of EP/LP's with consecutive playworthy tracks - for when you need a p!ss.

- Kev

[sepia]

take lots of double siders

[Ged Parker]

Tim - That's a long time to concentrate for.

If you schedule the whole set the I've found that I average 23 records per hour (I must talk less than Bob ) As miss goldie has pointed out you won't have to worry about other DJ's playing things you'd planned to before you go on so will need less 45's. You should also consuder how those pesky punters are going to ruin it all with requests that could take your playlist in a whole new direction or if you're going to ignore any that you don't already have scheduled.

A set that long 'live' I would suggest has a few more pitfalls and is harder to plan than a radio set. I'd be taking 500 probably (Just because I have a 200 and a 300 box that I regularly use). Deciding how many is the easy bit deciding what they will be is much much harder I find.

[NEV]

if you're trying to straight plan a fixed set list, it's almost always true that one hour is 20 records. I've done a radio show with 45s for about 15 years and it somehow always works out that way, unless I start playing late 70s-80s records, which are longer.

However, you should obviously bring many more records so you can actually respond to the floor and change up if you need to. I think 350 is a decent number. Maybe 200 is appropriate for an hour as it gives you much to choose from but that doesn't necessarily scale linearly to 5-6 hours I would think.

23 if you don't talk too much inbetween 45's

[NEV]

Hi Everyone,

I'm the main (only) DJ at a new soul night. I'm finalizing my record boxes and am trying to get a feel for how many records to bring. We're doing at least 5 hours, possibly may do 6 and possibly a bit more than that. I would think 300-350 records should do it?

Many thanks,

Tim

Tim ...if you don't mind me asking .. why are you the only dj??

I only ask cos i find it odd ..surely you have a few mates who have records ,why not make life easier for yourself and get a few of you to share the job??

[Guest Andy Kempster]

just take a laptop

[Guest toby]

just take a laptop

Typical lazy sod you are Andy ha ha

[Guest]

take the brothers are you ready for this when you need a piss and a dump just in case.

[Britmusicsoulfan]

I am doing the soul night with a co-promoter that has a sound and light company that will be mixing sound, etc. He has DJed before, so I'm sure I can count on him to mix in the next track if a bathroom break is needed.

Since it's a brand-new night, we wanted to just keep it to us two because we don't know what turnout will be, plus we want to workout any bugs or glitches the first time out. I have reached out to a few local DJs that I'm going to ask to be part of our set. Our first night is this Sunday, and our next one is just 3 weeks later.

I do have the Stars of Goldwax ACE EP coming in the mail from the west coast, so it should be here in time.

The excitement level is building!

[Ernie Andrews]

Ive done this myself playing Disco soul for 6 hours and it was horrendous hard work apart from the people who were over the moon you played stuff like Instant Funk / Cameo and the likes. I wouldnt reccomend it but good luck!

[Guest soulboy1965]

Ive done this myself playing Disco soul for 6 hours and it was horrendous hard work apart from the people who were over the moon you played stuff like Instant Funk / Cameo and the likes. I wouldnt reccomend it but good luck!

Nowt wrong with Cameo or Instant Funk! Mind you Jocelyn Brown - Somebody Else's Guy would always get me up and shaking my thang

[Russ Vickers]

Your mad !!!....once did a 2 hour set & that was enough, by the end couldnt wait to get off to be honest, I think 90 min sets max to keep the quality up On the NS scene, longer sets are great, get chance to build sets etc, but 6 hours is wayyyyyyy to long IMO......lets hopr the punters are happy with one DJ for the entirety.

Best Russ

[Guest Dr Pickles]

Might be better to have one of these to hand (so to speak)

Doc

[Guest gordon russell]

you can save on tunes.....do what they do at stoke kings hall.........play loads of em 5 or 6 times over :thumbup:

[Steve G]

Might be better to have one of these to hand (so to speak)

Doc

Chris are you doing a line in these? Could sell quite a few, plus it's better than a Pint glass I do know a Brummie DJ that's desperate for one.

PS: Think Keb used to do 11 hour sessions at madame joJo's alldayers.....

[Missgoldie]

I do 4hr sets weekly at a couple of my residencies though they are bar gigs so I don't have to contend with requests. I've done one off 5 and 6hr dance floor sets and it's pretty tiring but if you like the records you are playing the time goes quickly.

The trick is to take enough records so that the last hour isn't a jumble of records left over that don't really go together but not so many that suddenly your record is about to finish and you are still flicking through your box looking for the next tune.

Toilet records are a must! I think I have committed every 4min 70's 45 I have to memory, I don't remember what they sound like though as I'm never in the room when they are on

[boba]

Toilet records are a must! I think I have committed every 4min 70's 45 I have to memory, I don't remember what they sound like though as I'm never in the room when they are on

also you could pitch them down for more time

every week on the herb kent show in chicago he plays band of gold "love songs are back again", it's like 40 minutes long and i imagine he's in the bathroom the whole time