Are you worried your music doesn't fit DJ sets?

A techno artist I’ve been working with in 1:1 coaching for over 7 months now has come across this creative dilemma:

"I’m happy with the production skills I’ve developed over the years, but I’m worried that my music doesn’t fit any DJ sets. It’s not that I want to sound like others, but it feels like the music I make doesn’t fit the sound I play myself when DJing or that my favourite artists would play."

Here are my thoughts on navigating this concern:

For the first 4 years of making music, I rarely played my own tracks. For me, the vision for DJing and the vision for producing in the studio were separate. Even now, over 6 years into my journey, I play a lot more of my own music but I still often create tracks that I’ll likely never play in my sets.

When it comes to your music fitting other DJs’ sets, as long as the musical idea is strong and the technical execution is done well (and the track isn’t insanely difficult to play out) there will always be someone who likes the track enough to play it. There is always an audience for good music.

Some artists have a very distinct and refined style, for example Rene Wise or Philippa Pacho, who both carry a consistent sound in their DJ sets and use it to express their vision.

Other artists are much more versatile and eclectic, like JakoJako who is a Berghain resident. She produces mostly modular, bleepy techno, but in her DJ sets you might hear anything from house to UK garage and everything in between.

As long as the track has that magical sparkle that catches the ear, that’s all that matters.

There will always be someone who enjoys it, and if that someone happens to be a DJ, they might even play it.

Limiting your measure of success to whether your favourite artists would play your music is pointless, because you can never really know what someone else will like. That’s outside of your control.

The goal is to make music that you yourself truly love.

Maybe the odds simply weren’t high enough for your tracks to reach the right artists, get played in the right set, get captured on camera, and then also end up posted on Instagram or TikTok for you to see it. That insanely rare chain of events only happens to about 0.001% of tracks that get played in DJ sets. (I made that number up, but you can imagine the odds being about right :p)

Even if you’re only just sending demos or self-releasing, don’t underestimate the impact your music can have. Even if just a couple dozen DJs hear it and a few hundred people play it on SoundCloud, there’s a good chance someone’s playing it in their set somewhere, or listening to it on repeat on their commute to work.

As long as you like the music and you give the world the chance to enjoy it too, I’d already call that a success. Everything after that is a bonus.

When it comes to the practical and personal side of having tracks that sound different, fall into different styles, or don’t fit the ‘proper techno set’ vibe, there are two ways to look at it.

The first way is to accept that your musical taste is broad and to focus on enjoying the process of expression and creation. This means leaning into the process itself as the goal, with making a track you like being the ultimate aim, no matter what category it falls into.

That’s mainly how I approach it. What I enjoy and what I make musically changes all the time, and I just try to have fun with it. I might make 20 tracks over a few months, each one different.

It’s only what I decide to release into the world that becomes part of my sound people know me as. That’s when I group certain tracks together to form a somewhat cohesive but still versatile EP. I give myself full creative freedom when making music, but I am intentional about what I release so it aligns with the artistic vision I have for myself. Even then, I approach it with openness and flexibility.

My most recent Dream Logic EP on my new label Kybera includes a tool-ish, moody, driving track, an uplifting euphoric track and a weird epic vocal track. In terms of style and vibe, each one is completely different, yet all of them are a piece of me. I like the contrast between them, so I put them together in the EP. A similarly eclectic selection can be found in every EP I’ve released so far.

There are no rules in art. As long as it resonates with you, it will resonate with someone else. In the end, that’s the only thing that really matters.

The second approach is best if you want to optimise your time and creative energy around releasing a specific style of music.

This means telling yourself that even though you like many styles of music, when it comes to producing you’re going to narrow it down to a certain vibe.

Unless this comes to you naturally, there isn’t one specific trick to doing this, but it starts with making that deliberate decision.

From there, stay mindful of it as you work on each project. Keep checking in with yourself: “Is this the vibe I want to aim for?” 

That way you can stop or change direction when a project drifts too far from your intention.

Some workflow tips can also nudge you in the right direction. For example, using a specific default template, sticking to a certain creative process or drawing from the same creative techniques or sample packs that consistently give you the results you want.

If you take this path, the important part is to give yourself direction without putting yourself in a creative cage. You still need to create freely and purely for yourself, but aim that freedom in a certain direction.

Otherwise, it can quickly start to feel restrictive and lead to thoughts of 'nothing is good enough' compared to what you’re aiming for.

It’s easy to get stuck if your goals are too strict. If that sounds familiar, read my article on how to get unstuck and start enjoying making music again. Also, watch my video expanding on this idea on YouTube: music production freedom vs direction

Now go and make some music <3

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Big love

Eryk Kabay

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you make better music:

1. Watch my techno production masterclasses. Learn beyond the surface-level ‘how-to’ and get a deeper understanding of the 'why' and 'when' to make better decisions in all your future tracks. View the masterclasses here.

   
   

2. Join my 1:1 music production coaching. Resolve overwhelm and confusion and become a more creative and authentic artist. Learn how to make professionally sounding music that's uniquely yours. Find out more and apply here.​

   
   

3. Get your music mastered, mixed or get feedback. ​Is your music nearly finished? I will help you make it sound the best it can and get it ready to release into the world. Find out more about my music services.