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DJing Your Own Tracks: Why It Feels Weird at First

There’s something wild about playing your own productions out loud for the first time. Scroll through Instagram and you’ll see it — a flood of sweaty smiles, hands-in-the-air moments, people absolutely buzzing as their own track drops to a crowd. It looks euphoric.

And don’t get me wrong — it can be. But if you’re new to producing, like me, and you’ve started DJing your own material, you’ll know there’s another side to that moment.

One that’s a little more… mental.

I’ve been doing this for a few months now — DJing sets that are only my own productions — and I’ve noticed something odd. When one of my tracks comes in, it’s as if time slows down. I stop DJing like a DJ and start thinking too much.

Suddenly I’m not reading the room; I’m scanning the mix, the kick, the structure. I’m half inside the track, half inside the crowd, and not fully inside either.

Why does this happen?

• Because your name’s on the line.
• Because your inner critic just took the wheel.
• Because, no matter how many times you bounced that track in the studio, you know it’s different in a room with bodies.

And if you’re playing to a room of other producers — especially ones more experienced than you — it can feel like an unspoken critique session with a dancefloor. But I will say they’ve been great!

What happens in practice?

• You go stiff.
• Your transitions are a bit robotic.
• You stop grooving and start thinking.

Suddenly you’re not a DJ delivering energy — you’re a lab tech running live tests on a sonic prototype.

But here’s the upside: you learn fast.

Every weakness in the track becomes clear — that 16 bars that felt fine on headphones? Too long. That bassline? Slightly thin. That breakdown? Killed the vibe. Brutal? Yes. Useful? Massively.

The good news is that I’ve found support in it. The crew at Mix London has been building a solid scene — a network of producers who get it. There’s genuine encouragement, not ego. We’re swapping feedback, supporting each other’s nights, and playing in quality venues. I even got to try the Pioneer AZ (I want one!).

So no, I’m not out here having Insta-perfect moments when I play my own tunes. Not yet. But I am:

• Building thicker skin
• Sharpening my ear
• Getting better at reading the room while managing the self-doubt

That’s probably more valuable in the long run than a slick drop and a flashy crowd reaction.

London’s a good place to be for this. It’s tough but full of opportunities. And every set, I’m less wooden, more fluid — still overthinking, but less paralysed by it.

So if you’re a new producer-DJ hybrid feeling weird about playing your own tracks — good. That means you’re present. Keep doing it. Play it out. Feel the cringe. Learn from the crowd. And eventually, those Insta moments might come.

Or maybe they won’t.

But you’ll know your music is better for it.