DJ Mike D emphasizes the importance of DJs discussing music trends and crate management in the evolving DJ landscape.

Highlighting the significance of reassessing DJ crates during downtime, like the post-New Year's period, for better music curation and performance.

Introduction of 'Aaron story time', demonstrating the integration of personal experiences and passions, such as radio, into DJing.

Discussion on the influence of radio stations and programmers on DJing and music preferences.

The role of geographic diversity and personal nostalgia in shaping a DJ's music selection.

️ Mike D shares his journey from a radio intern to a full-time role at Crate Hackers, highlighting the evolution of a DJ's career.

Introduction to 'newmusicserver.com' as an influential record pool in the DJ community.

The significance of having access to clean versions of songs for radio and private events in DJing.

️ Discussion about the role of remixes in radio programming and the specific contributions of DJ Mike D to this aspect.

DJ Mike D shares his background and current role, emphasizing the blend of his DJ identity with his career in broadcast engineering.

Mike D highlights the volume and variety of his work, including both edits and uncredited backend editing for record labels.

Exploring the concept of Open Format DJing and its adaptability depending on the audience and venue.

Addressing the challenges of staying current in DJing while avoiding over-reliance on older music tracks.

Discussing the timelessness of Open Format DJing and its dependence on reading the crowd effectively.

Introduction to 'crateoftheweek.com' as a collaborative platform for DJs to share and discover trending songs.

Insights into starting a radio mix show and understanding radio programming and song categorization.

Explanation of the structure of a radio hour and its relevance to DJ crate building.

Mike D discusses his approach to preparing crates and managing a large music library for different DJing scenarios.

Demonstration of Mike D's workflow in Ableton for remixing and editing tracks.

Suggestions for adding new tracks to DJ crates in 2024, with a focus on current trends and audience preferences.

Tips for performing in an open format environment, emphasizing the balance between fun and professionalism.

Mike D addresses audience questions, offering tailored advice for specific DJing scenarios and challenges.

An open format crate for DJs encompasses a diverse mix of songs across various genres, eras, and styles, offering flexibility and variety.

Familiarity in song selection is essential; leveraging data and charts to identify popular tracks and remix them can create a winning combination for the crate.

Using multiple sources like YouTube, BeatStats, and Shazam to identify trending and familiar tracks helps in crafting a dynamic and relevant DJ set.

️ Balancing old and new tracks, along with male and female vocals, is crucial for maintaining variety and audience engagement in an open format crate.

️ The trend of blending and remixing songs from different eras and genres dominated 2023, leading to a unique and eclectic open format crate style.

Emphasizes the importance of discussing music in the DJ community.

Scooter shares how he started in the DJ world, sparked by the repetitive music at a middle school party.

Talks about growing up in a diverse musical household that influenced his early interest.

Discusses tension between bands and DJs, sharing a recent example from a wedding event.

DJs need to program their sets better to avoid mood swings in their music flow.

Consistency in workflow is crucial to produce a high volume of quality edits.

DJ Scooter aims to be inclusive by mixing different generations of music together.

️ Tools like Serato and Mixed in Key can help DJs find compatible tracks and explore their creative limits.

When DJing, he is "laser focused" despite being forgetful and diagnosed with ADHD, which he manages using lists and visual tools.

Introduces "Crate of the Week," a special page exclusive to Crate Hackers, as part of their ongoing crate hackathons.

Discusses entertaining a diverse age group at events and recommends classic songs like Drake's "One Dance."

Nostalgia drives the popularity of older tracks, making some even more popular now than when they were first released.

The craving for simpler times is a universal feeling, affecting song choices and even pop culture revivals.

DJs should be unafraid to play what they love, ignoring judgments to truly engage with the audience.

Using STEM effects has become crucial in Scooter's sets, requiring remapping if the equipment changes.

️ Stems are essential for DJ Scooter, but he advises against using Serato for stem separation in edits due to quality concerns.

Production Tip: Start sessions with channels set to at least -8 to -10 dB to manage volume stacking.

New DJs should focus on phrasing to properly time their mixes, ensuring the songs fit together like puzzle pieces.

Clear mixing is crucial; avoid overlapping choruses as it makes you seem unprofessional.

DJs often hold back trade secrets; sharing knowledge helps the community.

For school dances, focus on TikTok trends as they influence this generation's music taste.

Choosing a favorite remix is difficult; different mixes work for different crowds.

‍♂️ Not reading the crowd is disrespectful to your audience and undermines a DJ's valuable skills.

Scooter discusses his efforts to make country music more accessible to diverse audiences by blending it with other genres.

DJ Scooter receives praise for his ability to keep the venue and crowd engaged, highlighting the impact of a good DJ on venue business.