What do Alesso, DJ Dris, Dr Phunk, and J DJ Mii have in common?
They all know the art of DJing doesn’t end with excellent technical skills or impeccable taste in tunes. While these are crucial elements of DJing, in reality, more nuanced dynamics are at play.
The nuanced psychology of the dancefloor involves understanding people’s emotions, which can help you select songs that naturally suit the room’s atmosphere and elevate it to a higher level.
All of the best DJs are valued for their music-mixing skills and the energy they bring to a room. So, what qualities make a great DJ? And how can you embrace them to become one? Let’s find out.
The Ability To Feel Empathy
As a DJ, your role is to share your passion for music by providing people with a safe, immersive environment to let loose. But it can be difficult to make them happy or keep them dancing if you don’t know how they’re feeling or what they want from the experience.
Empathy allows us to imagine ourselves in other people’s shoes and how our actions or environment might affect them. When DJs employ an empathic mindset, they can offer their audience a much more attuned and responsive set.
An Attitude Of Collaboration
The dance floor is really like a conversation between the music-makers (you) and those hearing you play (the audience). It’s a kind of relationship that requires collaboration from both sides.
Manning the decks also often means sharing the stage with other DJs and working with other coordinators and artists to bring a set to life. DJs who understand the value of collaboration and are happy to embrace it on and off the stage are much more likely to be considered one of the “greats”!
Focusing While Still Having Fun
If you lose focus, your audience will too. DJs spend hours behind the decks, and you need to make them look like fun without losing your train of thought or momentum. A strong ability to focus benefits everyone, as your motions and attitude influence the crowd’s response. If you lose focus, it becomes harder to read the crowd, and you’ll have to work harder to bring them back in.
Focus skills also allow you to make better split-second decisions during sets and adjust your music to the changing atmosphere of the crowd.
A High Energy Mindset
The audience can tangibly feel a DJ’s energy. If the DJ looks tired, bored, or unhappy, that energy transfers to the audience, and you’re not likely to produce a truly great or memorable set. Keeping your energy levels high is crucial for maintaining a connection to the crowd, especially if you’re playing an early or late set.
High energy isn’t just about physical energy. It’s about style and charisma—bringing vitality and soul into the environment. When the DJ is having a good time, the audience is encouraged to have a good time, too.
Confidence Behind The Decks
This is true of just about every creative professional: confidence is key. Confidence is important for everyone, but it’s even more paramount in a world of performance. An unsure, nervous DJ can put an audience off and push them away, whereas a confident DJ who clearly knows what they’re doing and is having fun doing so is much more likely to attract a loyal crowd.
Confidence behind the decks comes from learning how to DJ from the masters, a lot of practice, and the ability to read to the crowd. Even if you have to fake it ‘til you make it, the crowd will respond well when you face them head-on and give every set your all.
A Creative Streak
People hit the dancefloor to let off steam and have fun. To experience something different and shake off the humdrum nature of daily life. DJs who provide a truly unique and innovative take on dance music will always stand out among the crowd.
Mix that country song into EDM. Slip a classical piano solo into electro-soul, or get the crowd jumping with an epic mashup of pop hits with a techno beat.
Knowing how to make and mix music is great, but being able to connect with an audience on a psychological level is even better. To become the kind of DJ that people want to dance with repeatedly, you need to cultivate a range of social and soft skills.
By learning about the psychology of the dancefloor, you can deliver a more impactful set that will get your name up with the best in the business.
