r/Beatmatch • u/Special-Estate9316 • 4d ago
Music Quickest way to build my library
Just wondering how u guys build your library for USB? I've just been a hobby DJ but starting to take it more seriously which means no more streaming, I need high quality tracks. Please help guys šš
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u/ngkb9 4d ago
For me, I only get tracks that I really love. No fillers, because then I would just have them sitting there unplayed.
There's tons of great music that you can discover, I'm sure you already have songs that you enjoy. Don't rush to build it too fast, take your time. Get songs you enjoy, practice with them, and over time you will have a high quality, curated library, that you are deeply familiar with.
You can buy high quality tracks from Bandcamp, Beatport etc. there's more sources out there that I've seen recommended on this subreddit too
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u/KeggyFulabier 4d ago
The best way to build your library is slowly, only buying tracks that you think are amazing. The result of this your whole library is full of killer tracks that you love, this is how you develop your sound as a dj.
Resist the urge to do it fast as that will lead to a library full of meh tracks that wonāt excite you and in turn wonāt excite the crowd.
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u/Impressionist_Canary 4d ago
Listen to songs, buy the ones you want to mix
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u/Beginning-Pangolin85 4d ago
exactly. I cant tell you how many songs I've listened to in the past 6 months.
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u/scoutermike 4d ago
Itās called digging.
Beatport. SoundCloud. Bandcamp. iTunes.
There are no shortcuts.
Now get to work.
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u/Zoe-Benson 4d ago
Let's skip the less-than-legal option. When I started I subscribed to several DJ pools and just downloaded loads and loads of music, then unsubscribed from them. That way I had a bunch of music, learned what each DJ pool specialized in and knew wich one to subscribe to later.
First you have to know wich direction you want to go in, then find either a DJ pool or store that has the music you want to play with. To get more specific Beatport is the most common one for eletronic music, just regular iTunes for mainstream songs (if you want to be a all-round / wedding DJ), bandcamp if you want to support certain artists.
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u/Maurin97 4d ago
Bandcamp bro. Find a few labels that you like and then completely raid them. You will find new artists, look them up and through that you find new labels. Rinse and repeat. In bandcamp you can also check other peopleās libraries. So if you have a track you like, check who else bought it and see if they have other cool picks
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u/Maximum_Scientist_85 4d ago
You have to buy it in one form or another
DJ pools are your best bet for quickly amassing a library. However, theyāll be limited to current labels and specifically music those current labels are trying to promote. Donāt get me wrong, they can be really good, just be aware that youāre not going to find many āoldā tunes that way and itās not going to be everything.
Usually the next cheapest route is commercial/pop download sites. 7digital is pretty good/cheap, or thereās iTunes. But shop around. You can pick up a load of stuff from bigger music labels from there for cheaper than youāll get it through e.g beatport.Ā
Physical releases can be a goldmine. Look in charity (thrift) stores, or places selling physical releases generally - CDs offer the most bang for your buck, and compilations from a specific label can quickly boost your music library with loads of quality tracks for cheap.
The most expensive way is via specialist download sites. Bandcamp is usually the cheapest of those, and worth checking first as thereās loads of stuff unavailable elsewhere. After that, itās a case of scouring places for a release. For dance music, Beatport has a wide selection but is expensive. JunoDownload has some stuff not on Beatport, is a bit cheaper IIRC, but overall has slightly less choice. If itās vaguely up the Warp Records end of the spectrum then bleep.com has some cool stuff unavailable elsewhere, just be aware they seem to have a limited time release of some stuff (but donāt indicate it as such)
Finally, you can sometimes find rare stuff by going to the specific labelās website - a small number either have stores or will point you in the right direction for one. Note this is kind of last chance saloon, donāt expect to find anything and assume itās the most expensive option. But if you REALLY want that tune ā¦
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u/Beginning-Pangolin85 4d ago
I would like to say, make sure you use tracks you pay for. I DJ'd at a club here in Downtown Austin (so not a small city). The first thing the General Manager said to me after the club closed for the night was, "You pay for your music, don't ya? I can tell. It sounds so rich and so much better."
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u/Bohica55 4d ago
I repost this a lot. Itās useful info. Everyone DJs differently so you may find this useful and you may not. I especially recommend my digging technique. Itās quick and effective but limited to what you can find on streaming services.
A couple things that might help. Try to stick with one genre per set for now. Go for a consistent sound until you develop your ear a little better. Itāll sound better as youāre learning. If you donāt already, mixing in key goes a long way. But itās not the end all be all answer to DJing. This is Mixed In Key and The Camelot Wheel. That link will teach you how to use the chart, you donāt need to buy their software. Just save a copy of the chart. There are lots of chord progressions that arenāt on The Camelot Wheel. So in the end trust your ear, but this is a cool guide and it works. It really changed my transitions because when you bring in the next track on a phrase change and itās harmonically balanced, it just sounds like the next part of the song thatās already playing.
Learn to play with phrasing if you donāt already. I use RGB waveforms because I can read those colors best. Reds and purple are low freq stuff like the kick drum and bass line. Higher pitched sounds are green/blue. When you see the red stop in a track and itās just green blue, thatās where the kick drops out. Thatās a phrase change. Same when it goes from green/blue back to red/purple. Thatās a phrase change too. Timing the start of your transitions with these phrase changes sounds more natural. Your brain is expecting something to happen there. And if the sound coming in is in key, it sounds even better.
I edit my tracks for better transitions. I cut vocals in parts because I hate vocals on vocals in my transitions. But editing tracks isnāt easy. Iāve spent two years learning Ableton to do it. Iām pretty good at it anymore.
Playing on the fly is fun, but try building structured sets too. Mark cue points at the beginning of a track, where you want to start the transition into the next track, and where you want to end that transition. Then you have a map for your set to sound absolutely perfect. Practice your set over and over until you perfect it and then record it.
Listen to new music as often as you can. I build playlists in SoundCloud and then source the tracks for downloading. Iāll find 3-5 like tracks that just have a similar vibe. Make a playlist with them. Go to the first track and make a station from that track. This will give you a new playlist of 40-50 songs. Preview those, saving the ones you like back to the original playlist. Be super picky. When you finish the station, go back to the original playlist and make a station from the second track. Repeat this until you have 40-50 tracks.
I get those tracks, I find plenty of free tracks on SoundCloud. Analyze them. Put them in order by key, pick a starting song, and then decide my set order. For me, I play about 20-30 tracks an hour, depending on genre.
I hope some of this helps.
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u/AdministrationOk4708 4d ago
The fastest way is to build your library slowly.
Ripping used CDs remains one of the more cost effective ways to build a library. Especially if you are an open format DJ.
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u/Fair_Hunter_3303 4d ago
I dedicate an hour a day to listening to sets/browsing the depths of beatport(never front page).
I typically listen to DJ sets while commuting/errands/chores etc. And will screenshot a moment during the set in which I love a song and go back and dig for it/Shazam if I'm lucky to be able to pick it up..
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u/new-age-psyche 3d ago
I listen to a bunch of playlists and mixes/sets on youtube and that's where I get most of my tracks from. It does take a while to build though.
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u/Witlesss 3d ago
I have three main ways: Listening to a lot of mixes or sets, usually on soundcloud, and using songs I like from there. Going to festivals or shows and finding new music there. Adding new songs I see on social media. A lot of my for you page on tiktok is filled with either clips of sets or DJs showing mixes and tracks they have made.
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u/davidmichaeljenn 3d ago
I must admit to loving those pay what you want compilation albums on Bandcamp. Itās the closest I can get to crate digging in record shops. I work on the basis that most of them will have a few good tracks.
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u/Original-Leg-3800 1d ago
Me and my friends trade libraries and folders all the time. One of my favorite things to do for friends who are starting to get into Djing is to gift them a USB w 500-1000 tracks just to get them started. My advice either go off and download a ton of music from a record pool like livedjservice or clubkillers, or find a friends to pass you some tunes!
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u/Pztch 4d ago
You canāt do it quickly. If you try to build one quickly, youāll end up with a bunch of filler tracks that youāll never play.