Hi, I am DJTroy. I have been DJing since 1986 and generally play "good ol' party music". All request & a lot of retro + top 40... I also proudly produce "The Canadian Country Video Roadshow". My company specializes in feature video + laser roadshows. I regularly travel nationally and work with PA systems up to 20K. I can have up to 2000 guests at an event. Most of the time you will find me playing in pubs, taverns and saloons ;) I am a professional Production Manager (festival & arena) and Stage Hand specializing in lighting (head electric & programmer). I also do professional special effects (pyro / smoke / water...) and regularly work in Film/Television. If you have any technical questions, just ask...

Thu 17 Aug 06 @ 7:53 am

If I have a secret, then this is it: In my world, I mix energy, not beats. Specifically, the primary factor in deciding what the next song will be is its energy. BPM is simply a detail that can be easily manipulated via the pitch control. Song energy can be broken down into a simplified numerical system similar to BPM. Energy however, can only be manipulated through remixing. For the purpose of the dance mix: 1) I avoid leaping more than 1 energy level at a time, unless by design 2) I avoid mixes of more than 4 songs within the same '(dbase) page'. One or both are always changing. Otherwise the crowd will become board or mesmerized.

Based on Psychology class, this is "a technique to help manefest a flow experience for the guests at your event". (say that 5 times fast while hopping on one foot.)

Using this system (method) I have been able to noticeably reduce violence and almost eliminate exit time delays. In the end, getting everyone (customers and staff) home earlier and safer. This is well received.

My control over the energy is noticable and often commented on by management and security. This makes me more money. And that is why we are here. We are the dirty junky music hos ;) And we are proud.

The 4 Critical Factors of a Vampiric Playlist
The Vampiric Play List is primarily divided into 4 critical factors.

• BPM is beats per minute. It is defineable.
  
• Energy is Energy. It is defineable.
  
• Popularity is a debateable point (for this I use a A - E system similar to a report card).
  
• Suitability is a debateable point (for this I use playlists.) -Top 50, Urban, Beach, Country, Rock, etc...

BPM
If I have to explain this to you, you should stop reading here. Reading on will only confuse you, young DJ.
Walk to the closest brick wall and repeatedly bang your forehaed into it intill everything that you see takes on a pretty red hue... Then, and only then will you be ready to fly! FLY YOUNG DJ! BE FREE!

Energy
Thax to an old musician who taught me this energy stuff... (After that he screwed me every way he could... So here is his secret.)
Every song has an energy level associated to it. It is a numerical value that ranges from 1 to 9. It is not a variable. It is a fixed number.

1. - Suicidally low energy level (eg: Bjork or BAD Depeche Mode) aka: Songs For Suicide.
   These songs absolutely suck the life from a room.
   
2. - Slower than 'normal' Slow Songs (almost too little energy to move). Good make-out song.
   
3. - Good Slow Songs (enough energy to keep moveing on the dance floor)
   
4. - Up beat Slow Song (hard to slow dance to. But still brings the house "down 1 notch")
   
5. - Neutral (no energy change. Does not bring you up or down.)
   
6. - Finger Tapper (tap your finger to this song, but not maybe not enough energy to dance)
   
7. - Floor Starter (enough energy to dance. definitely brings you 'up a notch')
   
8. - Floor Filler (enough energy to motivate a full dance floor. This song makes you move!)
   
9. -Jumper (enough energy to motivate people to dance on tables.)
   

A lot of good rock and alternative songs range from 2 to about 7. Anyhing higher is usually too hard or too fast. Most R&B is 3 to 6. Most rap is 5 or 6. Dance (house & techno stuff is 7 to 9). Country is usually 2 to 7. Pop is anywhere from 3 to 8 and Speed Punk and hard alternative is usually 9...

• Bjork - Joga Energy: = 1 (only song at 1 energy on my playlist)
  
• Stickwitu - Pussy Cat Dolls; A Perfect Circle - Imagine; Bif Naked - Nothing Else Matters: Energy = 2
  
• Let Me Hold You - Bow Wow; Trisha Yearwood - Georgia Rain; Alecia Keya - If I ain't Goy You: Energy = 3
  
• Bright Lights - Matchbox 20; Seether & Amy Lee - Broken; Los Lonely Boys - More Than Love :Energy = 4
  
• Locked Up - Akon; Ludacris - Georgia; Eminem - Ass Lke That: Energy = 5
  
• Mesmerised - Faith Evens; Sean Paul - Temperature; Destiny's Child - Soldier :Energy = 6
  
• Wild Tonight - Shaggy; Velevt Revolver - Slither; Ludacris - Get Back:Energy = 7
  
• Switch - Will Smith; Britney Spears - Toxic; Black Eyed peas - Pump It:Energy = 8
  
• Axel F - Crazy Frog; Slipknot - The Nameless; Quad City Dj's - C'mon Ride It (The Train):Energy = 9
  

Popularity
Popularity is a variable and debateable point (for this I use a A - E system similar to a report card).

1. - Most Popular Song. Prime time.
   
2. - Good Song, But not so well known or well known, but not such a good a song.
   
3. - If requested early and she is a hottie then maybe...
   
4. - DO NOT PLAY! Generally offensive.
   
5. - What part of worse than "d" don't you get? THIS SONG SUCKS!
   
6. - F*#! Off! Why are you trying to make me look like a fool?
   

Suitability
Suitability is a variable and debateable point. These are the Playlists that we love so much. I use:

• Top 50 - Current Radio hits 14 yrs to 30+ yrs.
  
• Urban - Rap... 18 yrs to 24 yrs.
  
• Beach - Beach Party Tunes; all genre. 24 yrs to 60 yrs.
  
• Country - Troy's Country Video Roadshow. Top Feature Show 6yrs to 60 yrs.
  
• Rock - Ick... Redneck oriented playlist 35 yrs to 60 yrs.
  
• Retro - yuck + ick... 30+ to 50 yrs
  
• Docs - Retro Sub List. We used to call it back caver music...
  
• Club 90's - Retro House & Dance 30+ to 45 yrs
  
• Wedding - yuck + ick^2... Family oriented playlist. 6 yrs to 60 yrs.
  
• AVS (Alternative Video Show) 24 yrs to 40 yrs.
  
• Matrix (Industrial, Metal & Hard Atern)... This is my 'signature show'. But it does not play often... 18 yrs to 40 yrs.

The Active Vampiric Database aka: musicbox
I use these factors (and a couple of personals) in Excell. Through filtering, macros and custom buttons I have a pretty slick system to program my nights. This system makes requests simple and beat mixing much easier too. It really creates a new ability (mosh?) mixing, especially style cross over. In the end it looks like this..

The coustom tool bar is (see screenshot below):

• ( disk icon) Save;
  
• (drop down list) Pre-defined Playlist Views;
  
• 'Others like this' = Use current field as primary sort criteria;
  
• 'Find Song Or Artist' = Search;
  
• 'View The Request List = Macro: request colum contains "R";
  
• 'Show A Songs Only' = Macro: Popularity = "A";
  
• 'Show Prime Songs Only' = Macro: Flag column is not blank;
  
• 'Show Hard Drive Songs Only' = Macro: Location = "HD";
  
• Undo;
  
• Redo;
  
• Sort;
  
• Macro Options.

The colums (d base fields) are (see screenshot below):

1. - Requests (event's active field) 'p' = played; 'pe' = played early; r = request; r + Dedications go in here.
   
2. - flag '!' = Party Anthem; '*' = New Hit (You don't recognise me yet, but PLAY ME FOOL!);
   
3. - BPM;
   
4. - BPM Mulitplyer (+ or -) Figure this out on your own young DJ;
   
5. - Popularity;
   
6. - Energy;
   
7. - Title;
   
8. - Artist;
   
9. - Location;
   
10. - Location 2;
    
11. - Playlist (suitability); (list playlists in alphabetical order)
    
12. - Style;
    
13. - Time
    
14. - Year

So What !?!

Playlisting (database)
By creating filters, and doing advanced sorts, we are now easily able to build mathematically logical sets that will mix well. By integrating macros we are quicly able to grab any play list, with any combination of filter options. This is simply a smoother flow of energy.

One of the greatest advantages of the PC based systems is the ability to react and change instantly. This type of d-base (spreadsheet?) system further advances this ability.

Suddenly I am literally able to play country music on Saturday night, Aternative on Sunday, Top 50 on Thursday and Retro ..ick.. on Friday. And REALLY do it ALL well, and maintain constant advances in show quality. Or I can do open format nights that many would consider impossible.

Energy Control
As I have worked with this system, I have begun to discover typical patterns in crowd reaction. Under these now parameters, a typical Night might begin to look like this:

• START: 6 Energy, ??? BPM, B List - No one dances, but the energy stays up
  
• BUILD TO: 7 Energy, 130 BPM, B List - No one dances, but the energy stays up. People will start to get 'antsy'. WAIT FOR THIS!!!
  
• REVERSE IT: 7 Energy, 100 BPM - Reverse the process and BUILD DOWN to your 'A' Pop set. -as the bar fills slowly
  or
  
• SLAM IT: 8 Energy, 70 BPM - Top Hit set. -Bar fills Fast & you need to get pressure off the bars to move product.
  
• SLOW SET (2 Songs): 3 Energy, 60 BPM - Turn The Dance Floor Over! Good excuse to play corssover tunes (out of primary genre).

If the bar is full, i might follow with a 'sing along anthem' (David Wilcox or Tragically Hip are good here in Canada for adult crowds...) -This completes the dance floor roll over. More empty bottles. ...from here... Well you get the idea. Its patterns that are important:

• Lowering the BPM and increasing the energy tends to fill a dance floor.
  
• Increasing the BPM while lowering the energy empties it and drains energy. (Fight time)
  
• 'SLAMING' wakes the house up! and turns over the dance floor. (Might ease stress if tension is high. -a new starting point for energy. SLAM BAD ENERGY!)
  
• A PRIME low energy, mid BPM (not slow songs) set will help to difuse tension. (levels out the house)
  
• High Energy, High BPM tends to wind things up and empty drinks. (Prime time)
  
• Low energy, low BPM stops barsales & people leave. (End of the night.)

I recently had a customer coment on how I never pushed the energy in the bar, always kept it somewhat homogenus. I told him that his bar was to rough and out-of-control for that to hapen safely. He needed better security first. He said: that that is why he kept me on. The doormen simply could not control the house with force. Period. Wrong bar for that. I could, however easily controll the house with music (energy). That is why I had the job.


These technics work for any style of music.


...Boo Ha ha ha... the fool never suspected that I am secretly a vampire feeding on the energy of his unsuspecting mortal customers... Boo Ha ha ha...

I may consider sharing my database (not my data set!) with SERIOUS PRO DJs who r freaks... just ask me... (PO Canada & MMS Canada Box set & My Personals are in the list. Solid Starting Point.)

Wed 05 Oct 05 @ 6:39 pm

This is not an accurate list of all the gigs that I have done. These are only the interresting ones :)
All events took place in the Province of Onatrio, the Country of Canada, on the North American continent of the western hemesphere of the Planet Earth.

My Professional Resume (IATSE Pro Stage Hand & Film Technician) is available by request.



PartyFrog Entertaimnent Inc.
May 1986 – Present (Current)
Feature Touring Video DJ Company. Up to 1500 guests per event.

High-Zone Entertainment, Cayuga – Winter 2004 thru Spring 2006
Thursday Night Feature, Top 50 Video Party
Fridal Night Feature, "Alterative Video Show"

Old Lawson House, Hagersville – Winter & Spring 2005 Feature Tour Show.
Thursday Night Feature “Troy’s Top 50 Video Party”

Milner’s Bar, Burlington - Fall 2004
Thursday Night Feature “All Request - Classic Rock” Presented in association with Y-108

Roadhouse Bar & Grill, Fonthill – Summer & Fall 2004
Friday Night Feature “Troy’s Top 50 Video Party” presented in association with Wild-101 FM
Saturday Night Feature “Country Video Dance Party” hosted By Spirit 91.7’s Stephanie Mizzi

Shooters, Paris – Fall 2003
Saturday Feature Monthly DJ (Tour Show)



Lost Navigator, Turkey Point – Summer 2003 30 000 watt PA, “Best Seat in The House”,
Hosted Sass Jordan’s concert (Tour Show)

Second Sandbar, Turkey Point – Summer 2003 & 2004
Seasonal Saturday Night House DJ.

McGinnis Front Row, Waterloo – Fall 2002
Saturday Feature DJ (Tour Show)



Victoria Hotel, Dunnville – Spring 2000 thru Winter 2002
“All Retro, All Night” Thursdays
“All Request” Fridays
the “Alternative Music Show” Saturdays. This bar was LOUD and HARD.

Hamilton Bulldogs, 2000 season
Lounge DJ for home games

Philthy McNasty’s, Oakville - fall 1999
House DJ for Thursday Nights

Chez "M", Fox's Den, Club Electra & the Manour- 1996 thru 1999
DJ / Emcee …Male & female exotic entertainment…

C IOI FM, Mohawk College Radio – Sept. 1995 thru May 1996
Volunteer "on-air" announcer

Beach Brothers, Owen Sound – 1993
House DJ & VJ, Karaoke & Promotions.

Scandals, Sauble Beach – 1991 thru 1994
Summer House DJ, Karaoke & Promotions

Cayuga Tavern, Cayuga –1988 thru 1991 & 1994 thru 1996
DJ, Bartender, Asst. Manager (inc. exotic)