Genre Exploration & Music Selection
00:00 Welcome back to Week 1. In this lesson, we’re going to explore the world of electronic music genres. This is foundational because, as a DJ, your genre knowledge directly shapes your identity behind the decks. 01:25 Let’s start with the big four that dominate Malta’s club scene: House, Techno, Drum & Bass, and what we call […]
Welcome back to Week 1. In this lesson, we’re going to explore the world of electronic music genres. This is foundational because, as a DJ, your genre knowledge directly shapes your identity behind the decks.
Let’s start with the big four that dominate Malta’s club scene: House, Techno, Drum & Bass, and what we call the broader spectrum of Electronic or EDM. Each of these has dozens of sub-genres, and understanding the differences will help you curate sets that tell a story.
House Music
House music originated in Chicago in the early 1980s. It’s characterised by a four-on-the-floor beat, typically running between 120-130 BPM. The sub-genres range from deep house with its warm, soulful basslines, to tech house which borrows elements from techno, to more vocal-driven commercial house.
When selecting house tracks for a set, pay attention to the energy arc. You want to understand which tracks work as openers — those deeper, atmospheric cuts — versus your peak-time selections that carry more drive and vocal hooks.
Techno
Techno came out of Detroit around the same time as house, but took a more industrial, mechanical direction. BPM typically sits between 125-150. The thing about techno is its hypnotic quality — repetitive patterns that evolve subtly over time. This is where beatmatching skills become especially important because even small tempo differences are noticeable in minimal arrangements.
Practical Exercise
Here’s what I want you to do before our next session. Go to your preferred music platform — Beatport, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, wherever you dig — and create three playlists:
- Warm-up tracks — lower energy, ambient, deep. These are your set openers.
- Peak-time tracks — high energy, driving. These are your main floor selections.
- Wildcards — tracks that don’t fit neatly into one genre. These are your signature moments.
Remember, there’s no wrong genre to play. What matters is that you understand the music you’re selecting and you can articulate why it works in your set. The best DJs in Malta — and globally — are the ones who have deep crates and can read a room. That starts with listening widely and critically.
Let’s talk about music selection beyond genre. Consider the key of tracks, the energy level, the breakdown structure. When we get to EQ blending in Week 6, you’ll see why knowing your tracks inside out makes transitions infinitely smoother.
Alright, that wraps up this lesson. Take your time with the playlists — this is homework you should actually enjoy. I’ll see you in Week 2 where we’ll break down musical structure and phrasing. Keep digging.
