Over To You: Do You Enjoy DJing Back To Back?

Digital DJ Tips Platinum Facebook Group member Karlton asks: “I’ve got a real problem with going back to back (B2B) with another DJ. It kills me because I can’t get into a true groove playing two tracks and then letting someone else play two, and so on. I need to play longer than a one hour set to get my groove on and take my audience on a journey. Am I being selfish or does anyone else feel this way?”

Digital DJ Tips says…

This is something that bothers lots of DJs, but personally, I find it lots of fun. The key here is to make sure that you and your DJ partner have good crowd-reading ability. If it becomes a competition of who has the sickest tracks and not who can pick the best track for the moment, then you are fighting a losing battle. The whole thing will come out disjointed, and that’s not enjoyable for the dancing punters.

I don’t think that it is necessarily about being selfish, you rightly say that you want to take your audience on a journey. Perhaps you just haven’t found the right partner to play B2B with? It’s not as simple as assuming that you can partner up with any DJ in this way. It’s a good idea to know each other well before you play out in public together (eg my main B2B partner is my brother).

Read/watch this next: How To Play Back-To-Back DJ Sets (3 B2B Tips For Beginners)

You also need to trust each other fully and make sure it stays about the crowd and not yourselves. Sure, there is a little competition between you both, but it’s a competition of who can keep the good vibes flowing.

If you need more time to get into your groove, then why not suggest that you play for an hour or so, and then your partner joins you B2B for an hour or more? When you’re done, they can take over and go it alone. I love the B2B format, and have many fond memories of playing sometimes up to four hours this way.

So, over to you: Do you enjoy playing B2B? Are B2B sets common in your area? Do you have any memorable experiences to share? Let us know in the comments below…