DA Studios: Hotel Garuda’s top 5 tips for a successful B2B DJ setDa Studios Point Blank

DA Studios: Hotel Garuda’s top 5 tips for a successful B2B DJ set

Welcome to DA Studios, a feature that dives into the world of production. In partnership with Point Blank Music School, DA Studios is returning weekly, with a variety of installments that will include guest posts from artists offering inside tips, detailed looks into the minds and tools of producers, diary entries from Point Blank students and much more.

Hear from your favorite artists and learn about their worlds when they leave the decks and hit the studio. Dancing Astronaut and Point Blank’s weekly series is educational for music students and informative for fans.

This week’s guest is Hotel Garuda. The Indonesian pair have quickly enraptured the blogosphere thanks to a slew of viral remixes for artists like Banks, SNBRN, and Lana Del Rey. Their music evades generic convention, touching on everything from future bass to tropical and deep house.

Aside from being wizards in the studio, the duo can be found performing live throughout the country. Furthermore, as members of the LA electronic music community, they’ve had their fair share of B2B DJ sessions. To give some advice on how to handle these often-spontaneous situations, Hotel Garuda have shared 5 tips for a successful B2B set.

1. Give and take

A B2B DJ set is a conversation, and like any conversation there has to be more than one side to it. Play whatever you want to play, and let the other DJ do the same!


2. Come prepared

Los Angeles DJ Rule #1: always have your USB stick. If you end up at a show and are about to go B2B with someone who makes different music to what you make, be sure to have a variety of material with you so you can, if need be, fit into the groove of the night.


3. Practice

The actual mechanics of DJing aren’t particularly difficult, so brush up on them when you can. The best feeling in a B2B set is knowing that the other DJ isn’t gonna mess up the set. With a strong core knowledge of the mechanics you’ll be a surprise B2B whiz kid in no time!


4. Give the other DJ their space

It’s cool to mess around with effects and stuff, as per a regular set, but try and avoid getting too crazy when the other DJ is mixing a song in. Let them do their thing as much as you’d like them to let you do yours.


5. Be spontaneous

B2B DJ sets are great examples of how spontaneous song selection and set curation can lead to memorable nights. Get lost in the moment, dig deep in your library and create some memories.


For more expert tips, visit Point Blank, the award-winning music production and DJ school with classes in London, Los Angeles and online. Six-time ranked ‘Best DJ & Production School’ by DJ Mag, Point Blank offers ground-breaking courses taught by expert instruc-tors including songwriters, producers and Grammy award winners. Former students include: Claude VonStroke, Nicole Moudaber, Gareth Wyn, AlunaGeorge and more. Head to their site for production tips, tutorials or to sample an online course for free.

Tags: ,

Categories: ,