{ "version": "https:\/\/jsonfeed.org\/version\/1.1", "title": "Daniel Sokolovskiy’s Blog: posts tagged Behind the scenes", "_rss_description": "On the DJ career, music industry, marketing, professional growth, productivity tools, personal journey and life", "_rss_language": "en", "_itunes_email": "mail@dsokolovskiy.com", "_itunes_categories_xml": "", "_itunes_image": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic-square@2x.jpg?1732048793", "_itunes_explicit": "no", "home_page_url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/tags\/behind-the-scenes\/", "feed_url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/tags\/behind-the-scenes\/json\/", "icon": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793", "authors": [ { "name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy", "url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/", "avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793" } ], "items": [ { "id": "877", "url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/my-dj-collection-on-patreon\/", "title": "My entire DJ collection: I’m sharing all of my 84 playlists", "content_html": "

Back in 2019, I published an article ‘How I prepare my DJ playlists<\/u>’<\/a> (which now has over 21K views), providing behind-the-scenes into the structure of my DJ collection. Since then, my collection has evolved, as it’s an ever-changing process that reflects my DJ needs.<\/p>\n

And today, I’m sharing my entire DJ collection with my Patreon subscribers<\/a>. This is something that sane DJs probably would never do!<\/p>\n

So, here’s the thing. I have my DJ collection with over 7000 tracks on iTunes (‘Music’ app on macOS), which I use as the main hub for all my music. To keep all of the music sorted and to find tracks during my DJ sets easily, I keep all those tracks in over 80 playlists, neatly organised by energy levels and mood. This collection and the playlists are mirrored in Rekordbox, which is the main DJ software that I use to export music to USB sticks which I then plug into the DJ decks on my gigs.<\/p>\n

I also have that music collection and playlists mirrored on Spotify, and this is what I am sharing with my Patreon subscribers. While I can’t share the physical audio files from my music library for copyright reasons, even Spotify playlists are a pretty big deal.<\/p>\n

First of all, that’s a lot of great music. A lot.<\/i> Secondly and most importantly, this is my real DJ collection that I am actively using and keeping up to date – so it’s a great material for learning and inspiration to see how I organise my playlists, a real behind-the-scenes peek into the mind of a DJ. I’ve also recorded a video walkthrough to provide more explanation of my playlists.<\/p>\n

If it sounds interesting to you and want to get access to it, consider joining me on Patreon (and have many more goodies besides this DJ collection): patreon.com\/daniellesden<\/a><\/p>\n", "date_published": "2024-02-01T13:53:31+01:00", "date_modified": "2024-06-16T13:51:25+01:00", "tags": [ "Behind the scenes", "DJing", "Patreon" ], "image": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/my-dj-playlists.jpeg", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:53:31 +0100", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "877", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/my-dj-playlists.jpeg" ] } }, { "id": "863", "url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/music-genres-arent-binary\/", "title": "Music genres aren’t binary", "content_html": "

Oftentimes when some people think about music genres, they think binary. It’s either this or that. It’s either House or Trance. It’s either Techno or Psy-Trance.<\/p>\n

But I think today’s variety of music genres<\/a> is too vast and too complex for that. Music genres have evolved and diversified so much that categorising them into strict binaries requires a bit of different thinking.<\/p>\n

When we think of music genres, we’re considering a multitude of elements that contribute to a track’s identity. Elements like rhythm, sound design, tempo, melody, and even cultural influences all play a role. It’s not just about the primary beat or the dominant instruments; it’s the intricate blend of these components that creates a unique sonic landscape.<\/p>\n

This is why I think of genres as a spectrum, like the adjustable sliders in photo editing apps.<\/p>\n

For example, a track might have the driving beat of Techno, the atmospheric elements of Trance, and the rhythmic structure of House, all blended together in varying proportions. Which genre should this track belong to, in this case? That’s the tricky part – it’s up to identifying the proportion of those elements on the imaginary spectrum, or sliders.<\/p>\n

The practicality of genres as guiding stars in navigating the expansive realm of music remains undeniable. As a DJ, I still rely on genres to discover fresh tracks. Nevertheless, it’s equally crucial to acknowledge the mixture of styles within tracks that extend beyond the confines of the notion of genres that we know today.<\/p>\n

I think recognising genres as a fluid spectrum rather than strict binaries helps to embrace the diversity and intricacies that make music a constantly evolving and endlessly fascinating art form. And this mindset certainly helps in my decision-making process behind curation<\/a>.<\/p>\n", "date_published": "2023-12-29T15:11:18+01:00", "date_modified": "2024-01-03T22:38:23+01:00", "tags": [ "Behind the scenes", "Curation" ], "image": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/genres-spectrum.png", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Fri, 29 Dec 2023 15:11:18 +0100", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "863", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/genres-spectrum.png" ] } }, { "id": "820", "url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/my-decision-making-process-behind-curation\/", "title": "My decision-making process behind curation at Beatport", "content_html": "

One of the things I do now as a music curator at Beatport<\/a> is to feature releases on the store. Every week I listen to thousands of tracks (literally) and decide whether to feature each or not. And since featuring placements are very limited, I have to decide thoroughly.<\/p>\n

If you think about it, that’s thousands of micro-decisions to make every week. I started to analyse some common patterns in my decision-making process, and I thought I would share my observations with you.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Here are some of the things that I pay attention to:<\/p>\n

Production.<\/b> I use production as a broad term to describe the overall quality of sound design, arrangement, mixdown and all other nuances that form how<\/i> a track sounds. Sometimes a track has some decent musical ideas, but how does it sound? Would it be played well in a DJ mix? Would it hold up on a big sound system in a club? Since the electronic dance music genres I deal with are predominantly made for the dancefloors and play a big role in the DJ culture, these questions are essential. In 2016 I published a post where I gave my insights into what I think is the criteria of professional productions<\/a>, and it’s still relevant.<\/p>\n

Novelty.<\/b> To me, novelty is something that makes a track stand out. Let’s say there are a hundred amazing-sounding tracks in terms of production, how would you choose just one among them? It doesn’t have to be something entirely new per se, but there must be something to it, some idea, a musical or any other cleverly-made part.<\/p>\n

Trends.<\/b> Genres always blend, evolve and emerge. I love noticing such changes, and I believe it’s a part of my job to reflect those changes as an answer to the community’s needs. But oftentimes, finding future trends means actually going against the current trend. As a curator, I’m trying to be proactive, and sometimes I highlight tracks that are odd. Tracks that are different from what is called music standards<\/a> of a particular genre. I’m trying to be open-minded and willing to embrace experiments, and who knows, maybe a track that sounds weird today will become the next big thing.<\/p>\n

Diversity.<\/b> I think diversity in a broad sense makes the global phenomenon of electronic music so interesting, so I’m trying to reflect the communities we serve, including people and music from all different genders and backgrounds. This is how the music culture evolves, and I’m doing my best to nurture it.<\/p>\n

Release type.<\/b> As an artist, I know what it takes to make an album<\/a>. Sometimes artists work on their albums for years. So while a sheer quantity of tracks is never a factor for a feature, I might prioritise an album over a single, if everything I’ve talked about above is also true. It’s just more proportionate to the efforts and it feels right.<\/p>\n

This list is not definitive by any means, but I hope it helps to provide at least some insights!<\/p>\n", "date_published": "2023-03-06T09:25:34+01:00", "date_modified": "2024-06-20T11:03:01+01:00", "tags": [ "Beatport", "Behind the scenes", "Curation" ], "image": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/beatport-trance-page-featured.jpg", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 06 Mar 2023 09:25:34 +0100", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "820", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/beatport-trance-page-featured.jpg" ] } }, { "id": "773", "url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/what-are-you-going-to-play\/", "title": "“What are you going to play?”", "content_html": "

When I announce a new show, people sometimes ask me in the comments or private messages: “What are you going to play?” It’s an understandable question, considering the musical diversity of my DJ sets<\/a>, mixes<\/a> and podcasts<\/a>, with tempos ranging from 120 to 150 BPM!<\/p>\n

The short answer is — I don’t know :-)<\/p>\n

I don’t plan exactly which tracks and in what order I play, and I usually go with the flow instead. I’ve talked a little bit about this before, for example, in the post “How I organize my DJ playlists”<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That said, I have a sort of “wishlist” – a playlist where I throw in tracks I’d like to play at an upcoming event. It could be some hidden gems I recently dug in the depths of Beatport, or some hot promos I’ve recently received and am now eager to give them a road test, or just some cool old tracks that seem appropriate to play at this particular event.<\/p>\n

Typically, there are many more tracks on that wishlist than I need for a set. For example, I can put a hundred tracks on a playlist, even though I only need about thirty tracks for a two-hour set. There were times when I played almost the entire set from my wishlist. And sometimes I played almost nothing from it, and that’s okay.<\/p>\n

The key here is that it’s not a plan but rather something like “it would be nice to drop some of these tracks”<\/i>. Just my own feeling and educated guess, given the lineup, place, and time.<\/p>\n", "date_published": "2022-06-14T21:00:00+01:00", "date_modified": "2023-10-30T21:21:21+01:00", "tags": [ "Behind the scenes", "Daniel Lesden", "DJing" ], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Tue, 14 Jun 2022 21:00:00 +0100", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "773", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "709", "url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/dark-entity-making-of\/", "title": "Making of Dark Entity", "content_html": "

On April 12, Dark Entity will be released — a new track that we’ve made together with Kirill Enlusion<\/a>. Not only the result is interesting, but also the path we took. With Kirill’s permission, I am sharing the process of creating the track (and even two!) with dozens of iterations, controversial moments, and behind-the-scenes details.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n
Overview of the project in Ableton. Not quite a “feng shui” look<\/a>, but the main thing is the result<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It all began when on September 23, 2020, I offered Kirill to make a track together. In the best traditions of producer humour, I asked: “Collab, bro?”, which almost made him choke :-)<\/p>\n

And this was the first sketch I sent:<\/p>\n

\n
1. The first idea<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kirill approved it and really felt the melody. Needless to say, nothing will be left of it at the end. But that’s for later, and for now, we got to work.<\/p>\n

I’m figuring out how this lead would look in a sort of Techno’ish environment and sketch out a basic arrangement:<\/p>\n

\n
2. Basic arrangement:<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I listen to it again and realize it’s too “cheesy”, and too melodic. I tell Kirill that I want something darker. He agrees and sends me this new lead:<\/p>\n

\n
3. New lead from Kirill<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I approve, he continues:<\/p>\n

\n
4. New lead in the basic arrangement<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I like the rhythmic elements, but the vibe as a whole isn’t working. I want it to be darker. So I remove almost everything and made a foundation from scratch:<\/p>\n

\n
5. Making it darker<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kirill likes it. That’s it, we stick with this one as the core. On the next step, Kirill is trying different pads and melodies and also improving the low end along the way:<\/p>\n

\n
6. New pads from Kirill<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
7. One more variant<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

As I listen to it, I think it’s too melodic. I would have liked the pads more as a texture rather than a melody.<\/p>\n

Kirill builds the intro<\/span>, adds stabs <\/span> and  changes pads<\/span>:<\/p>\n

\n
8. Intro, stabs, and pads<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Then he continues and adds a breakdown<\/span>:<\/p>\n

\n
9. Breakdown and drop<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

And then he adds Sasha’esq arps<\/span>, BXR-style snares in the drop<\/span> and put it all together:<\/p>\n

\n
10. The last iteration from Kirill<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

By this time, it was the middle of October. At the same time, I was finishing off my new studio<\/a>, so I was extremely busy. Then the move, the hustle and bustle, and soon enough it turns out to be Winter already!<\/p>\n

On December 11, burning with an embarrassment of such delay, I returned to the track. I listen carefully to the last version and realize that the stabs<\/span>, the pads<\/span> and the lead<\/span> don’t work for me. I like the breakdown<\/span>, overall, but to me it misses some emotional character, some big moment.<\/p>\n

So I decide to keep the core, but almost completely redone the leads and the pads, and removed a lot of things to give the track more “air” — in particular, at the build-up in the first half of the track<\/span>. I also extend the breakdown and add some unexpected musical moments<\/span>. Well, and some more little things.<\/p>\n

Comparing before and after:<\/p>\n

\n
11. Build-up before<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
12. Build-up after<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
13. Breakdown before<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
14. Breakdown after<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I have to give Kirill credit that he didn’t tell me to screw off, but he agreed that this was a step in the right direction, even though I had cut out a lot of his past iterations. Let’s keep working!<\/p>\n

In the last Kirill’s iteration there was a second breakdown (↑)<\/span>, which I wanted to diversify in some way.<\/p>\n

Trying something crazy:<\/p>\n

\n
15. Second breakdown and the drop after<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kirill: “Crazy lead? Hold my beer!”, and sends his version:<\/p>\n

\n
16. A new iteration of the second breakdown<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Whoa-whoa! We both agree that this was a bit too much. We’re thinking about a breakdown.<\/p>\n

Another week goes by. I say that I have a gig coming up, and soon I’ll be able to test the track on the dance floor, which means we need to speed up and finish it faster. I also suggest speeding up the track itself from 128 to 130 BPM. Kirill supports it.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, I keep iterating on the second breakdown, completely reworking the melody and the timbre:<\/p>\n

\n
17. One more iteration on the second breakdown<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kirill likes the sound of the timbre but is bothered by a few notes. Changes them, and it gets really better.<\/p>\n

We put all the pieces together, fixed some things, and sent it off for mastering.<\/p>\n

The result:<\/b><\/p>\n