Three random questions

[Viceroy]

1. I've heard that Tiesto does not produce any of his own productions (or at least recently) - what is the basis for this?
2. Is Johan Gielen a bad mixer? Because that seems to be a common sentiment. All I've heard from him are a few mix CDs, and I have a bad ear for that sort of thing anyway.
3. When a DJ plays a set, is it all planned beforehand, or do they just pick things out as the set is going on?

[RayvinAzn]

1: No foundation really, but if you read the liner notes on a lot of his (more recent) tracks, you'll notice a lot of activity by other producers for his label.
2: He's not a master of the technical side of the turntables by any stretch of the imagination, but he does have a decent idea of how to build a set.
3: Depends on the set; I'm pretty sure Tiesto's Olympic gig was planned beforehand, and a lot of release parties will have some tracks from the release pre-selected to be played in the mix. When labels throw parties it's a good bet that there are some tracks that will undoubtedly be dropped as well, but for the most part, livesets are spur-of-the-moment, based on the reactions of the crowd.

[Mathew]

01. Dont know, sorry. Although you often see 'Montana Edit' on some of his work.
02. Dont know, sorry. What I've heard he was alright though!?
03. Yea, I've tried to plan a tracklist before and then totally gone and messed it up because I'm too focused on what I'm trying to do, but when you play what you feel it works better, and obviously alot of DJs do that -- if a mix goes well once between two tracks, alot of DJs probably do it again another time, I know I do...

[GrimReaper]

1. Tiësto does produce his own productions but often has co-producers working together with him on the tracks. As a side note, Magik Muzik mixes aren't by Tiësto but Magikal Remakes are.
2. Gielen is alright but not even close to being an amazing DJ IMO yet he knows how to please the crowd. Sometimes he tries too much "to be good" and fails miserably.
3. I think most DJs have some sort of idea what tracks to play (these are the tracks they tend to play in every set for some time) but not an exact list of track order or anything. It all depends on crowd's reactions and the atmosphere of the place. They might add some track here and remove a planned track there to make the set more enjoyable. For example when they tour globally, it's unlikely for them to play an exactly alike set in Middle Europe than in Asia because tastes and crowd differ quite alot depending where you play.

[DJLifeAndDeath]

1. I've got it on a good source, but I'll not say who (lol) that Tiesto does bring in alot of other people to help with his songs. But he is always involved in the songs. Mostly in structure and build. (Sequences and riffs are not always by him)

2. Johan is a bad mixer compared to others he usually bills with. (But he's not bad as in unlistenable) Sometimes they don't quite work or on some occasions he seems to almost slam songs into each other. (Maybe this a gimmick thing...His 'style' maybe ) With that said he's very, very enjoyable! He plays some cracking songs, mucks about with the crowd alot and knows how to structure a set or change it to suit. I really like him as a dj matey!

3.When I was Djing regular, I used to plan a set before hand and practise it like mad!! (Until I know how to mix it with my eyes and ears closed and scratching the records with me feet!! hehe) Sort of a Set a week. (Since I only DJ'ed one at places a week)
But I have done sets before when I tried to respond to people, picking tunes to speed up or slow the pace of the set.........it goes very, very wrong!!
The safe way to mix if you do responsive sets I think is a Tiesto or Armin way. Stick to similar sounding songs (Similar loops or basses, same remixer or producer. Eg A Push song into say.... another artist remixed by Mike)

[Mathew]

I'd say I do that too Alan. It's a good way to flow aswell, i.e. play a track by an artist and then a remix by the same artist. What did I do the other day!? Erm... Oh yea! I played Fretwell - Silky Dirty (Polefolder remix) and then mixed Poldefolder - Protected (Fretwell remix) -- that was the last track. It flowed and yet Protected is a totally different track and feeling... So yea, that is a common thing, I know I do it.

I have an idea where I want a set to go, sometimes I've already got the last song in mind but it's very spur-of-the-moment at times...

[TRANS]