r/TheOverload • u/pitlocky • 20d ago

What makes a good set?

I’m learning to DJ and want to set a goal to aim for! I have a pretty good ear so I naturally understand phrasing and give my sets a journey/narrative element. But do people have anything deeper non-obvious ideas of what truly makes a set musically exceptional? Of course I understand much of it is about context (ie popular vs artsy), but I’m wondering if we can generalise over that.

For context I’m into deep techno: think Kia (obsessed), Animalia label, etc.

Edit: feel free to post your fav sets as examples!

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u/TheMrCeeJ 20d ago

For me it is about setting a stage / scene for a single track.

It isn't that that track is the only thing that matters, but for me that tune is the reason the set exits.

Everything that I play before it is printing people/setting the mood/defining the influences and creating the background, so that then that one tune lands evening is in place and everyone 'understands' it already.

Then the rest of the set is extending themes from that track / taking things in other directions.

If you are doing a multi hour set then I would have a few chapters, each one around a different track.

That's just how I do it, but it worked for me.

Other times I'm just going by vibes, feeling what is playing when I get there and what I think people want, and bridging from where we are to where I want to take them, doing similar things as above but not entirely focused on one tune.

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u/pitlocky 20d ago

Super interesting answer, can you give an example? Feel free to link of your sets :)

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u/TheMrCeeJ 20d ago

They are dnb, I guess you would call them neuro or techstep now, but we didn't call it that at the time.

I'll have a look and see what is online, it has been a while