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How to Organize Music in iTunes. Part 3: Smart Playlists

Written by on 22.10.2011 · 5 Comments
How to Organize Music in iTunes. Part 3: Smart Playlists | Shuffle Projects

I have the feeling that many iTunes users still don’t know how powerful Smart Playlists (for my German speaking readers: Intelligente Wiedergabelisten) are. When Apple introduced them many years ago, I was immediately hooked and it changed the way how I organize and sort music forever. To really benefit from the flexibility of Smart Playlists, you need a good system of pre-organizing your music with tags, BPM and ratings. If you missed these posts, please check out part 1: Tagging and part 2: BPM & Rating of the series “How to Organize Music in iTunes” before you read further. Now, [...]

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How to Organize Music in iTunes. Part 2: BPM & Rating

Written by on 14.10.2011 · 19 Comments
How to Organize Music in iTunes. Part 2: BPM & Rating

Thank you so much for all the comments and emails you have sent me after publishing part 1: Tagging in iTunes. I’ll post some of the ideas I’ve got from my readers in a wrap-up post after this small series is finished. So, let’s start with part two. We need two more parameters to have an idea about the music in our library: the tempo of the song and a personal rating system. Detecting BPM (Beats Per Minute) As you know, the tempo is defined in BPM or beats per minute. Detecting BPM is manual work and it takes a [...]

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How to Organize Music in iTunes. Part 1: Tagging

Written by on 05.10.2011 · 17 Comments
How To Organize Music in iTunes: Tagging | Shuffle Projects

Note: This is a post especially for the subscribers of my Swing DJ Resources Email List. Some of these posts won’t be public in future. So, if you would like to receive ALL the posts, then sign up now in the side bar on the right side or at the end of this post. Nowadays, tags are very common to organize or sort all kind of information. In marked contrast to many different software products, which allow us to set all kind of tags, iTunes still doesn’t provide a tagging system to organize music and media. This is part 1 [...]

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Staff DJ at Herräng Dance Camp 2011

Written by on 24.09.2011 · Leave a Comment
Herrang Dance Camp 2011

I know, Herräng is over since weeks and this post is long overdue… eventually, here is the report about my week as staff DJ. Herräng Dance Camp (HDC) is a unique event, you know it or you have heard about it. There was a time, 10 years ago to be exactly, when I thought it’s too overcrowded and I decided not to attend it anymore, which I did for the following four years. Nowadays, everything is different to me. Yes, there are even more (much more) people. But I couldn’t imagine to let the summer pass without having been in [...]

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Topics: Event, Swing DJ'ing - Tags: , ,

Launch Of DJ Chrisbe’s Swing DJ Resources Email List

Written by on 13.08.2011 · Leave a Comment
Swing DJ

In 2006 I started swing DJ’ing and in the last years since then I’ve acquired a lot of know-how. As you might know, high quality swing music in classes and especially at swing events is a personal matter of me. How we dance is directly linked to the music. Good swing music support the dancers in making progress. Now the question is what do I understand by high quality swing music? I also could ask what makes a swing song a good song for dancers? I would like to go one step further and share my knowledge and my ideas [...]

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Topics: Education, Swing DJ'ing - Tags: , , ,

DJ Chrisbe @ ewz.stattkino’11 Zürich (CH) 25.2.2011

Written by on 24.02.2011 · Leave a Comment
The Cotton Club Movie

The Sentimental Gangsters live in Concert, Show and Charleston taster class with Ursula Ledergerber & Roger Frey, and party with DJ Chrisbe Description by the organiser: “The Sentimental Gangsters: eine Band glitzernd, gefährlich und voller Passion, mal laut, mal leise, hier ein rasender Swing, dort eine melancholische Ballade. Dann das Tanzpaar: Charleston und Lindy Hop mitreissend interpretierend. Ein Charleston-Crash-Kurs vorab, die ausgelassene Charleston-Party danach und am Mischpult DJ Chrisbe. So verschmilzt alles zu einer unterhaltsamen Hommage an die Roaring Twenties. Passendes Outfit ausdrücklich erwünscht!” Date/Time Friday, February 25, 2011, starts at 18 h Location ewz Unterwerk Selnau Zürich Schedule 18.00 [...]

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Topics: DJ Chrisbe Gig, Event - Tags: , ,

DJ Chrisbe @ Leapin’ Lindy Bern (CH) 12.2.2011

Written by on 11.02.2011 · Leave a Comment
Leapin' Lindy Bern

The Big Swing Night This is one of the biggest events in Switzerland and I am really proud to be part of it! Come out and dance your shoes off! Live Music with Gordon Webster 7 feat. Naomi Uyama Date/Time Saturday, February 12, 2011, starts at 20 h Location Kultur Casino Bern – Grosser Saal, Herrengasse 25, 3011 Bern Schedule 19.30 Door opening 20.00 – 21.30 Lindy Hop taster class 21.30 Swing Party starts with DJ Chrisbe 22.00 1st Set – Gordon Webster 7 feat. Naomi Uyama 23.00 Shows 23.30 – 00.30 2nd Set – Gordon Webster 7 feat. Naomi Uyama 00.30 – 03.00 Swing Party [...]

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Great Music Sources For Swing DJs

Written by on 22.07.2010 · Leave a Comment
Swing DJ

Where to find new music? Where to get inspiration from? This is a frequent asked question. Here is my compilation of great sources for Swing DJs and everybody else who is looking for Swing music. Please let me know, if you miss something here. I’m more than happy to add more sources to the list! Note: the list is organized alphabetically, not by preference. Forum Swing DJs The must forum for every Swing DJ! Podcasts Confessing The Blues A podcast dedicated to Blues, which started in August 2009 and ended one year later. The episodes still are available. Hey Mr. [...]

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eMusic Europe is online! – Review of the Popular Online Music Service

Written by on 23.06.2010 · 4 Comments
eMusic

This review was updated in July 2011. What is eMusic? eMusic is an online music service. They have a huge library with over 10’000’000 music MP3s – free from copy protection – in every genre. Additionally there are also audio books available. eMusic is my favourite source for Swing and Jazz music, I’m downloading all kind of music, though. For a long time it was unavailable for different European countries, meanwhile they have opened up eMusic Europe and eMusic UK. How does eMusic work? You sign up for a price plan and you get 25 FREE music tracks with a [...]

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14 Tips To Become A (Better) Swing DJ

Written by on 23.04.2010 · Leave a Comment
14 Tips To Become A (Better) Swing DJ

Swing DJ’ing is different from DJ’ing House music for example. Neither do we have to mix the songs nor do we have to scratch. Nevertheless it’s much more than just running a playlist! I often get asked for tips about Swing DJ‘ing. So I have put together this list of 14 tips to become a (better) Swing DJ in a more or less random order. 1. Listen to Swing music Do it as much as possible: CDs, radio, internet radio, live concerts. Get a feeling for the music. Which songs make you dance? Why? 2. Know your music library Build [...]

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Topics: Education, Swing DJ'ing - Tags: ,