The Dance Music Glossary: 100 DJ and Club Terms, Explained

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303 (also Roland TB-303)

Gear. The Roland TB-303 Bass Line, the small silver box whose squelch became acid house. Released in 1981 and meant to imitate a bass guitar, it failed and was discontinued in 1984. Cheap used units reached Chicago, where Phuture turned its filter and resonance into Acid Tracks, released on Trax Records in 1987. Used prices later rose sharply as acid spread. Example: The whole track is one 303 line and a drum machine, and it still sounds new. Acid House and the Second Summer of Love.

808 (also Roland TR-808)

Gear. The Roland TR-808 drum machine, and now shorthand for its deep booming kick and bass. Roland built it from 1980 to 1983 and sold fewer than 12,000. At launch it listed at US$1,195 and it was a commercial failure. Cheap on the used market, it found a cult following and became a cornerstone of electro, hip hop and dance music, heard on early hits like Planet Rock. Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing in 1982 was the first US hit single to use it. Example: That trap record is just an 808 and a voice, and it is enough. Miami Bass.

909 (also Roland TR-909)

Gear. The Roland TR-909 drum machine, whose kick, claps and hi hats are the core of house and techno. Introduced in 1983 as the follow up to the 808. Roland made about 10,000 before stopping production after one year. It mixes analogue drums with sampled cymbals and hi hats, and it was Roland's first drum machine with MIDI. Chicago and Detroit producers including Frankie Knuckles, Derrick May and Jeff Mills bought them second hand and built a sound around them. Example: Nothing cuts through a big system like a 909 open hat. Chicago House.

A

Acapella

Mixing. A vocal on its own with no music, used by DJs to layer over another track. DJs play acapellas over instrumentals to build live mashups. Some come from official releases, some are made with stem separation. The key and tempo need to fit, and the vocal needs a clean start, which is where hot cues help. One good acapella can change the story of a whole set. Example: I laid the acapella over a dub version and nobody recognised the original.

Acid

Production. The squelching, twisting sound of a TB-303 with its filter and resonance moved live. The sound arrived on record through Chicago tracks in the mid 1980s, with Phuture's Acid Tracks of 1987 often called the first acid house record. Acid now appears in house, techno and trance. When someone says a track is acid, they mean that line. Example: The room went quiet when the acid line started to open. Acid House and the Second Summer of Love.

Acid house

Genre slang. House built around the 303 acid line, and the UK party movement it sparked in the late 1980s. The sound came from Chicago. In Britain it met Balearic nights and warehouse parties and became the Second Summer of Love of 1988 and 1989. By late 1988 the smiley face was tied to the scene. Example: Every few years acid house comes back, and it always sounds fresh. Acid House.

After hours (also Afters)

Club culture. A party or club that opens, or carries on, after the regular clubs have closed. After hours rooms often feel looser and more experimental. Many scenes have them, and in some cities the after hours crowd is the core of the scene. Morning light through the door is part of the memory. Example: We left the club at six and went to the after hours around the corner. The Afterparty: An Oral History of What Happens After 6am.

Amapiano

Genre slang. South African house music with log drum basslines, piano and a slow, rolling groove. From South Africa, amapiano became popular internationally in the early 2020s. It mixes deep house, soul and kwaito with piano, and the log drum, a wide percussive bass sound, is its signature. Example: The amapiano set was all log drums and patience. Amapiano.

Amen break

Production. A four bar drum break from the Winstons' 1969 track Amen, Brother, sampled in thousands of records. Played by Gregory Coleman, it lasts only a few seconds. In the early 1990s it became a backbone of jungle and drum and bass because it was easy to chop and rearrange. The Winstons received no royalties for its use. Example: Every jungle DJ can hear the Amen break from across the room. Drum and Bass: Six Seconds That Changed Music.

B

B2B (also Back to back)

Club culture. Back to back. Two or more DJs sharing a set, taking turns track by track or in short runs. A B2B works when each DJ listens and answers the other. It is a conversation in records, and the crowd can hear when it is going well. It needs trust, shared prep on formats and levels, and at least one agreement on where the night should go. Example: We played B2B for four hours and never once talked about the next record. The Art of the Booth: What DJ Culture Actually Expects.

Balearic (also Balearic beat)

Genre slang. An open minded DJ style from Ibiza, mixing house with pop, rock and oddities. Credited to DJ Alfredo at Amnesia in the mid 1980s, who played anything that worked outdoors at sunrise. Balearic is an attitude more than a tempo. Today it often means warm, sunny, slightly strange music. Example: The sunset set was properly Balearic, with a guitar record in the middle. Balearic Beat.

Bass swap

Mixing. Cutting the bass of one track at the same moment you bring in the bass of the other. It is the heart of a house or techno blend. Two kicks and two basslines at once sound muddy and can push the system into distortion, so you trade them on the downbeat of a phrase. Done well, the room feels the new track take over without hearing the join. Example: Two bars of both kicks is fine, then do the bass swap on the next phrase.

Beatmatching

Mixing. Adjusting the speed of the next record until its beats land exactly on top of the one already playing. You listen to the new track in your headphones, move its tempo control until the kicks stop drifting apart, then bring it in. Francis Grasso was one of the first DJs to do it, in New York in the late 1960s. Tempo gets the two tracks running at the same speed. Small nudges on the platter or jog wheel then keep the beats sitting exactly together. Software can do the maths for you now, but learning it by ear is still the best way to understand what your hands are doing. Example: I made her beatmatch by ear for a month before I let her touch the sync button. How to Start DJing: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Building Skills, Choosing Gear, and Finding Your Sound.

Blend

Mixing. A long, smooth mix where two tracks play together for a while before one takes over. Blends are the house and techno way: patient, with EQ doing the work, sometimes lasting a full minute or more. The aim is a third thing that exists only while both records run. A hard cut is the opposite approach. Good DJs know when each one serves the room. Example: That ten minute blend sounded like a new record neither artist made. Long Mixes, Short Mixes, and Knowing Which Your Room Needs.

Booking agent (also Agent)

Industry. The person who negotiates a DJ's gigs, fees and travel. Agents deal with promoters, contracts and routing tours. A manager looks after the wider career, while the agent focuses on shows. Most DJs book themselves at first, and an agent comes once demand is steady. Example: My booking agent sorted the fee, I just have to show up and play. Artist Management in Electronic Music.

Booth monitor

Gear. The speaker aimed at the DJ so they can hear the room mix without delay. Sound from the main speakers reaches the booth late and smeared, which makes beatmatching by ear hard. The booth monitor gives you a clear, near copy. It should be set loud enough to work with, not as loud as the floor. The engineer usually controls its level. Example: The booth monitor is too loud, so I cannot hear my headphones. Sound Advice: Protecting Your Hearing for a Long DJ Career.

BPM (also Tempo)

Mixing. Beats per minute. The tempo of a track, and the first number most DJs look at. Deep house often sits around 110 to 125, techno anywhere from about 120 to 150, and drum and bass mostly between 170 and 180. These are habits, not laws, and every genre has records that break them. BPM tells you whether two tracks can meet comfortably. It does not tell you whether they belong together. Example: The room was sitting happily at 122 BPM, so jumping to 140 would have emptied it. How Fast Is Each Genre? A DJ’s Guide to BPM.

Breakbeat (also Break)

Production. A drum pattern with a broken, syncopated feel, often sampled from the drum break of an old record. Kool Herc built early hip hop by looping the breaks of funk records on two turntables. Producers later sampled those breaks, sped them up and chopped them. Breakbeats drive hip hop, jungle, drum and bass and big beat. Example: Swap the straight kick for a breakbeat and the track suddenly swings. Breakbeat: The Rhythm That Wouldn’t Resolve.

Breakdown

Production. The part of a track where drums and bass drop out, leaving space before the energy returns. Breakdowns give dancers a breath and make the return feel bigger. In trance they can be long and emotional. In techno they may be a few bars of hats. DJs watch for them, because a breakdown landing mid mix can make or break a blend. Example: The breakdown lasts a full minute, so do not mix out of it.

Build up (also Build)

Production. The section that raises tension before the drop, with rising sounds, rolls and filtering. Snare rolls speed up, filters open, a riser climbs, and the crowd knows something is coming. The build and drop shape is common in big room and trance. In deeper music the build may be as subtle as an extra percussion layer. Example: Let the build up run to the end, do not cut it early.

C

CDJ (also Media player)

Gear. A DJ media player with a jog wheel and pitch control, originally for CDs and now mostly for USB. Pioneer released its first model, the CDJ-500, in 1994. The name has become generic for any club media player, the way people once said Hoover. Modern units read USB sticks and network links, show waveforms, and connect to library software. The company behind Pioneer DJ renamed itself AlphaTheta Corporation in 2020. Example: The rider says two CDJs and a mixer, so bring your USB and a backup. DJ Controllers vs CDJs: What You Actually Need to Know Before You Buy.

Crossfader

Gear. The horizontal slider at the bottom of a DJ mixer that fades between two channels. Left is one deck, right is the other, the middle plays both. Scratch DJs rely on it for fast cuts, and many house and techno DJs barely touch it, mixing on the channel faders instead. Grandmaster Flash is often credited with building an early one from spare parts in the Bronx. Example: Leave the crossfader in the middle and use the upfaders.

Cue button (PFL) (also Headphone cue)

Gear. The button on a mixer channel that sends that track to your headphones only. PFL stands for pre fader listen. It lets you hear the next track while the crowd hears the current one, which is how every mix begins. Many mixers also have a cue mix knob, so you can hear a blend of the two in your headphones. Example: Hit the PFL on channel two and check the kick before you move a fader. How to Start DJing: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Building Skills, Choosing Gear, and Finding Your Sound.

Cue point

Mixing. The exact spot in a track where you want it to start when you bring it in. Usually the first beat of a phrase. On a CDJ you set it with the cue button and the deck jumps back to it every time. On vinyl you find it by ear and hold the record still on the slipmat until the moment arrives. A clean cue is the difference between a mix and a guess. Example: Set your cue on the first kick, not the crackle before it. How to Start DJing: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Building Skills, Choosing Gear, and Finding Your Sound.

D

DAW

Production. Digital audio workstation. The software where tracks are recorded, arranged and mixed. Ableton Live, FL Studio and Logic Pro are common choices in dance music. Ableton released the first commercial version of Live in October 2001, built by musicians from the Berlin scene. A DAW turned a laptop into a studio, and that changed who gets to make records. Example: I sketch ideas in the DAW on the train and finish them at home. Ableton Live: How Software Changed Who Gets to Make Music.

Deep house

Genre slang. A softer, soulful form of house with warm chords, jazzy harmony and often a vocal. Larry Heard, as Mr. Fingers, is usually credited with the blueprint, and his Can You Feel It of 1986 is a touchstone. The term has been stretched a lot since. When older DJs say deep, they usually mean that Chicago lineage. Example: Keep it deep until midnight, then lift it. Deep House.

DJ controller

Gear. An all in one unit with decks and a mixer layout that controls DJ software on a laptop. Controllers are where most people start now. They are cheaper than club gear and often come with the software. Some run without a laptop. The main thing to learn is how your controller layout maps to a club booth, so the move to CDJs and a separate mixer feels familiar. Example: Practise on your controller, but ask for an hour on club gear before your first booking. DJ Controllers vs CDJs: What You Actually Need to Know Before You Buy.

DJ mixer

Gear. The box between the decks and the speakers where tracks are combined, levelled and shaped. Each channel usually has gain, EQ, a channel fader and a cue button, and many have filters and effects. There is a crossfader across the bottom and a master output. A good mixer disappears in use. A bad one reveals itself the moment you try a long blend. Example: I want the mixer at chest height, not tucked under the monitor. Pioneer DJM Mixers: How a Channel Strip Became an Instrument.

DJ software

Gear. Programs such as Rekordbox, Serato DJ and Traktor that play, analyse and organise music for DJs. They read tempo and key, draw waveforms and beat grids, and store cue points. Traktor first appeared in 2000, and Serato was founded in Auckland in 1998. Rekordbox is Pioneer DJ's library tool and connects to club CDJs. Which one you use matters less than how well you keep your library. Example: I prepare everything in the DJ software on Sunday so Friday is only about music. Native Instruments Traktor: The Software That Split the DJ World.

DnB (also Drum and bass, D&B)

Genre slang. Drum and bass. Fast breakbeat music, mostly around 170 to 180 BPM, with deep bass. It grew out of jungle in early 1990s Britain. Since about 1996 tempos have mostly stayed in the 170 to 180 range. Liquid, jump up and neurofunk are common branches. Example: It is a DnB night, so bring earplugs. Drum and Bass: Six Seconds That Changed Music.

Door policy

Club culture. The rules, spoken or not, about who gets into a club. Some clubs look for people who will respect the space and each other, some for a particular look, some check only age and ID. A good door protects a room. A careless one ruins it. Example: The door policy is about attitude, not clothes. The Door Policy: What Berghain’s Queue Tells You About Club Culture.

Downbeat (also The one)

Mixing. The first beat of a bar, often called the one. Everything in a mix lines up from it. If you start the incoming track on its downbeat and match it to the downbeat of the playing track, you are halfway to a clean blend. Tracks with a strong one, like a crash cymbal or a new sound, help you hear where the phrase starts. Tracks without one are why DJs count. Example: Drop it on the one or do not drop it at all.

Drop

Production. The moment after a build or breakdown when the full beat and bass come back in. In EDM and dubstep it is the headline event of a track. In house and techno it might simply be the kick returning. Either way it is the release the whole track has been working toward. Example: Wait for the drop, then bring the lights up.

Dub (also Dub mix)

Production. A stripped version of a track, with the vocal mostly removed and space and echo in its place. The idea comes from Jamaican dub, where engineers such as King Tubby and Lee Scratch Perry remixed reggae at the mixing desk from the late 1960s. House and garage records often include a dub mix alongside the vocal mix. DJs love dubs for long blends and for laying acapellas over. Example: Play the dub, the vocal version is too busy for the warm up. Dub Techno.

Dubplate (also Plate)

Club culture. A one off acetate disc of a track, cut for a DJ or sound system before or instead of release. Dubplates were first used by studios to test recordings before pressing, then became exclusives for sound systems, sometimes with vocals made just for them. In jungle and drum and bass in the 1990s, having the plate nobody else had was a mark of status. Example: That tune is a dubplate, you will not find it anywhere.

Dubstep (also 140)

Genre slang. Bass music from South London in the early 2000s, built on half time drums, space and sub bass. Early dubstep grew around Croydon, drawing on garage and dub. With grime it is sometimes called 140. The harder, louder form that took off in America around 2010 is a very different thing, often called brostep. Example: Original dubstep is more about space than noise. Dubstep: The Sound That Started in South London.

DVS (also Timecode vinyl)

Gear. Digital vinyl system. Special timecode records that let turntables control digital files in software. The records carry a signal the software reads, so moving the vinyl moves the digital track with it. Final Scratch, released in 2001, was the first sold to the public. Serato Scratch Live and Traktor followed. It kept vinyl technique alive when carrying crates of records became impractical. Example: She plays everything off DVS so her real records stay at home. Serato Scratch Live: How Software Saved Vinyl DJing.

E

Earplugs

Club culture. Hearing protection worn at loud events, often filtered to keep music clear. Club volume can damage hearing over time. Musician style earplugs reduce level evenly so music still sounds balanced. Many DJs wear them in the booth, and some clubs now hand them out or sell them at the bar. Example: I wear earplugs every set, twenty five years in and my ears still work. Sound Advice: Protecting Your Hearing for a Long DJ Career.

Edit (also Re-edit)

Production. A rearranged version of a track, usually made by cutting and looping its existing audio. From the mid 1970s, disco DJs used loops and tape edits to stretch the best parts for dancers. Today it happens in software. Edits usually add no new instruments, which is the difference from a remix. Many DJs make edits just for their own sets. Example: That is my edit, I looped the breakdown and cut the second verse. Nu-Disco.

EQ (also Equalisation)

Mixing. The high, mid and low controls on each mixer channel, used to shape a track during a mix. Short for equalisation. In the booth, EQ is about sharing space: two basslines at full volume fight, so you cut one while the other plays. Most mixers give three bands, some four. In the studio the same word means careful shaping of each sound. In the booth it is a live tool, and less is usually more. Example: Pull the low EQ on the incoming track until you are ready to swap. Pioneer DJM Mixers: How a Channel Strip Became an Instrument.

F

Filter

Mixing. A control that removes high or low frequencies, used to thin a track out or bring it slowly back. A low pass filter lets the lows through and cuts the highs, so the track sounds muffled, as if from the next room. A high pass does the opposite. Many DJ mixers put both on one knob. In synthesis the filter is also the sound behind acid: turn up the resonance, which boosts the frequencies right at the cutoff, then sweep it. Example: He rode the filter for a full minute and the whole floor leaned in.

Four to the floor (also 4×4)

Production. A steady kick drum on every beat of a four beat bar. It is the basic pulse of disco, house, techno and trance. Its simplicity is its power: dancers never need to hunt for the beat. In UK slang, 4×4 also means garage or bassline with a straight kick, as opposed to broken or two step rhythms. Example: After an hour of broken beats, a straight four to the floor felt like coming home. Bassline / 4×4.

G

Gain (also Trim)

Mixing. The knob at the top of each mixer channel that sets how loud a track enters the mixer. Also called trim. You use it to match the level of tracks that were mastered at different volumes, so the channel fader can sit at the same place for every record. Set it by the meters, not by guessing. If the lights keep hitting red, the sound is clipping, which is harsher for the crowd and harder on the speakers. Example: Your old records are quieter, so bring their gain up rather than slamming the fader. Avoiding the Red: Volume Control and Sound Discipline in the Booth.

Grime

Genre slang. MC led electronic music from East London in the early 2000s, usually around 140 BPM. Grime grew out of UK garage and jungle, and first spread through pirate radio and local record shops. The MC is central, and a strong rewind is part of the culture. Example: The grime set had three MCs on one mic. Grime.

H

Hard techno

Genre slang. Fast, driving techno with pounding kicks, now popular again with young crowds. Harder, faster forms of techno go back to the early 1990s in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and England. The revival of the 2020s is fast and unapologetic, and for many young clubbers it is their first taste of techno. Example: The hard techno room is at 150 and climbing. Hard Techno Revival.

Harmonic mixing (also Mixing in key)

Mixing. Choosing tracks whose musical keys sit well together so the mix does not clash. Two tracks in the same key, or in related keys, can overlap for a long time without sounding sour. Many DJs use the Camelot wheel, a chart based on the circle of fifths that gives every key a number and letter, made common by Mixed In Key software from 2006. Your ears still have the final say. Many DJs treat it as a helpful map rather than a rule, because energy and groove matter more than theory to a dancefloor. Example: That vocal clashed because you ignored harmonic mixing, not because of the tempo. Mastering the Mix: A DJ’s Guide to Crafting Unforgettable Sets.

Headliner

Club culture. The main act on a lineup, usually billed biggest and booked for the busiest part of the night. Headliners sell tickets and get the peak slot. The best ones respect the warm up and the room they inherit. Their fee is often the biggest single cost of the night, which is why promoters worry most about that slot. Example: The headliner went on at two and opened with something slower than the warm up. The Superstar DJ: How Booking Fees Went from £500 to £500,000.

Hot cue

Mixing. A saved point in a track that you can jump to instantly with one button. Most modern players and software let you store several per track, often colour coded. DJs use them to skip a long intro, to drop a vocal line on command, or to perform short edits live. Setting them before the gig is part of library preparation, not something to do while the room waits. Example: I keep hot cue C on the vocal so I can drop it over any instrumental.

House

Genre slang. The four to the floor dance music that grew from Chicago clubs in the early 1980s. The name comes from the Warehouse, where Frankie Knuckles became resident DJ in 1977. House borrowed disco's soul and added drum machines. It has countless branches, from deep to tech to jackin'. When people say house they usually mean a steady kick in the 120s with groove at the centre. Example: It is a house night, so expect a steady groove, not drops. Chicago House.

I

IDM

Genre slang. Intelligent dance music. Experimental electronic music more for listening than dancing. The label is tied to Warp's 1992 compilation Artificial Intelligence. Many artists tied to it dislike the name, since it implies other dance music is less intelligent. Everyone still uses it, because nobody has found a better one. Example: That is more IDM than techno, save it for the comedown. IDM: The Most Contested Label in Electronic Music.

ISRC

Industry. International Standard Recording Code. A 12 character code that identifies a single recording. Defined as ISO 3901, first completed in 1986. Each recording gets one, and a remix or new master gets a new one. Distributors and labels usually assign it. It is how streaming services and collecting bodies track a recording, so getting it right matters when money is counted. Example: The distributor gave each remix its own ISRC. Music Publishing in Dance Music: Who Gets Paid When a Record Plays.

J

Jungle

Genre slang. Fast UK breakbeat music of the early 1990s, with chopped breaks, heavy sub bass and reggae roots. Built on sped up breaks like the Amen and on sound system bass, jungle grew from London's rave and pirate radio scene. It led into drum and bass, and the two words still overlap. Example: She plays jungle with ragga vocals and Amen breaks. Jungle.

K

Key lock (also Master tempo)

Mixing. A setting that keeps a track at its original pitch when you change its tempo. Without it, speeding a track up raises its pitch, like a turntable. With it on, the software stretches the sound to hold the key. It is useful for vocals and harmonic mixing. At large tempo changes it can add a slightly metallic sound, so many DJs switch it off for small moves. Example: Turn key lock on or that diva is going to sound like she inhaled helium.

Kick (also Bass drum)

Production. The bass drum. In most dance music it is the loudest, lowest drum and it sets the pulse. An 808 kick is long and boomy, a 909 kick shorter and punchier, and producers now layer and shape their own. Clubs are tuned around the kick, so when it is weak the whole track feels weak on the floor, however good it sounds on headphones. Example: The kick is fine in the studio but it disappears on a real system.

L

Label

Industry. The company that releases records, handles promotion and often owns the masters. In dance music, labels are often small and run by DJs or producers, and the label name can mean as much as the artist. Buying from a trusted label is still how many DJs find music. Example: I will buy anything on that label without listening first. Independent Labels: How Small Labels Survive in 2026.

M

Master (also Master recording)

Industry. The original sound recording of a track, as opposed to the song it records. The master is usually owned or administered by the label that paid for or released it. Master rights earn money when the recording is sold, streamed or licensed. The word also means the final mastered file, which can confuse new producers. Example: Whoever owns the master decides who can license the recording. Music Publishing in Dance Music: Who Gets Paid When a Record Plays.

Mastering

Production. The final stage of production, where a finished mix is balanced and prepared for release. A mastering engineer adjusts tone, level and dynamics so a track sounds right on many systems and sits well next to other records. For club music, a good master translates to a big system without harshness. Over loud masters are one reason gain knobs exist. Example: The mix is done, now it goes off for mastering.

MIDI

Production. A standard that lets instruments, controllers and computers send each other notes and control data. Standardised in 1983 after Roland's Ikutaro Kakehashi and others pushed for a common language between brands. MIDI carries instructions, such as which note, how hard and for how long, not audio. It is why a cheap keyboard can play any software synth, and why DJ controllers work at all. Example: The controller sends MIDI, so map the filter to whatever knob you like.

Minimal

Genre slang. Stripped back techno or house built from very few elements and small changes. The pleasure is in tiny shifts over long stretches. By the early 2000s it was closely tied to German labels such as Kompakt and Perlon. In DJ slang, calling something minimal can also mean it is quiet and subtle, sometimes as a compliment and sometimes not. Example: The afters went full minimal and the groove lasted two hours. Minimal Techno.

MPC (also Akai MPC)

Gear. Akai's sampler and sequencer line with pads, a staple of hip hop and house production. The first model, the MPC60, was designed with Roger Linn and released in 1988. You sample sounds, assign them to pads and play them in time. Its pads and timing feel shaped a huge amount of hip hop. The name now covers a whole family of machines. Example: He chopped the break on the MPC and played it back with his fingers. The Akai MPC: How Hip Hop Built Its Rhythms.

O

Open to close (also All night long)

Club culture. One DJ playing the whole night, from doors opening to the lights coming on. It lets a DJ tell a full story, from warm up through peak to closing. It is demanding and needs a deep bag of records. Long sets have become a mark of trust between a DJ, a club and its crowd. Example: He is playing open to close, so get there early to hear the start. The Long Set: How DJ Culture Went from 1 Hour to 12 Hours.

P

Peak time

Club culture. The busiest, highest energy part of the night, and the style of music that suits it. In many cities it is around 1 to 3am. In Seoul it can come later, depending on how the night's rounds go. Peak time techno or house means the harder, bigger tracks. Playing peak time records at 11pm is a common beginner error. Example: Save that one for peak time, it is too much for now. Reading a Room: The Unwritten Rules of DJ Programming.

Phrasing

Mixing. Lining up the sections of two tracks so their changes happen at the same moment. Dance music is built in blocks, usually of 8, 16 or 32 bars. If you start the new track so its first big change lands when the old one changes, the mix feels planned. Get it wrong and a breakdown arrives in the middle of a build, which a dancefloor always notices even if it cannot say why. Example: Your beatmatching was perfect but the phrasing was off by eight bars. Mastering the Mix: A DJ’s Guide to Crafting Unforgettable Sets.

Pirate radio

Club culture. Unlicensed radio stations that broadcast underground music the mainstream would not play. In London in the 1990s, stations such as Kool FM and Rinse FM carried jungle and then UK garage, and grime grew on pirate radio in the 2000s. DJs and MCs built careers on air. Much of that energy now lives on community internet radio. Example: He learned to MC on pirate radio in the nineties. How Pirate Radio Built UK Club Culture.

Pitch fader (also Tempo fader)

Mixing. The long slider on a turntable or CDJ that speeds a track up or slows it down. On vinyl it changes speed and pitch together, so a record pushed faster also sounds higher. Most decks let you set the range, often plus or minus eight percent, with wider settings for bigger jumps. A narrow range gives finer control, which is why many DJs keep it tight for beatmatching. Example: Keep the pitch fader near zero for the vocal tracks or everyone starts sounding like a cartoon. The Technics SL-1200: Why a Hi-Fi Turntable Became a DJ Standard.

PRO (also Collecting society)

Industry. Performing rights organisation. A body that collects money for songwriters when their music is played in public. Clubs, radio and streaming services pay licence fees, and the PRO shares them out to registered writers and publishers. In Korea, the oldest is KOMCA, founded in 1964, and a second society, KOSCAP, has operated since 2014. Rules differ by country, so check with the organisation itself for how it works where you live. Example: Register your tracks with your PRO or the club plays pay someone else. Music Publishing in Dance Music: Who Gets Paid When a Record Plays.

Prog (also Progressive)

Genre slang. Progressive house or progressive trance. Long, slowly building tracks with layered melodies. Progressive in dance music means gradual. Tracks unfold over long stretches and sets are built as slow journeys. The word covers a wide range, from deep and dark to big and melodic. Example: He plays prog, so expect long mixes and patience. Progressive House.

Promo

Industry. A track sent to DJs before release, so they can play it and help build interest. Promos arrive by email and download links, often with a feedback form. Getting on good promo lists is a sign that labels value your support. The polite thing is to listen, reply honestly, and play what fits. Example: I got the promo two months ago and it has been in every set since. Dive Deep: Your Ultimate Guide to DJ Music Downloads.

Promoter

Club culture. The person or crew who puts on a party, books the DJs and brings the crowd. Promoters take the financial risk on a night, shape the lineup and handle the marketing. Some run a club, some rent one. A trusting relationship with good promoters is how most DJ careers grow. Example: The promoter booked me after hearing my warm up for someone else. How to Get Booked: The DJ Booking Ecosystem.

Publishing

Industry. The rights in the song itself, the composition, as opposed to a particular recording of it. A track has two sets of rights: the composition and the recording. Publishing concerns the first. Publishers and PROs collect money for writers when the song is played, sold or synced. It is separate from what a label pays for the master. Example: The label owns the master but I kept my publishing. Music Publishing in Dance Music: Who Gets Paid When a Record Plays.

R

Rave

Club culture. A large dance party, historically unlicensed and outside regular clubs, running through the night. The word is tied to the acid house parties of the late 1980s and the early 1990s scene, in squats, warehouses and fields, often unlicensed. Today it is used loosely for any big electronic event. Many scenes still keep a place for small, independent raves. Example: It was not a club night, it was a proper rave in a warehouse. The Rave Era: from Warehouse to Field, 1988 to 1994.

Reading the room

Club culture. Watching the crowd and choosing the next track by how they respond. It means noticing who is dancing, who is leaving the floor, and who is waiting at the bar for something they know. The best DJs change their plans when the room tells them to. It cannot be done staring at a screen. Example: I threw my plan away after twenty minutes, you have to read the room. Reading a Room: The Unwritten Rules of DJ Programming.

Record pool

Industry. A subscription service that supplies DJs with promotional music, often including edits and clean versions. The first record pool was set up by disco DJs in New York in 1975, because labels were only sending records to the biggest names. Today pools are mostly online and are used most by open format and mobile DJs. Example: I get my radio edits from a record pool. Dive Deep: Your Ultimate Guide to DJ Music Downloads.

Remix

Production. A new version of a track, usually by another producer, built from its original parts. Remixers often keep the vocal and replace everything else. Dance music runs on remixes. Its roots run through Jamaican dub, and Tom Moulton shaped the disco remix in the 1970s. Official remixes are commissioned by the label, while unofficial ones are bootlegs. Example: The original is a pop song, but the remix works at peak time.

Resident (also Residency)

Club culture. A DJ who plays regularly at one club or party and helps define its sound. Residents know the room, the system and the regulars. They warm up for guests, close after them, and fill the gaps. A strong resident programme is often what keeps a club alive between big bookings. Example: The residents are the reason I go, the guests change every week. The Residency Model: How Clubs Build Their Identity.

Rewind (also Reload, lift up)

Club culture. Stopping a track and pulling it back to play the start again because the crowd demanded it. A ritual at drum and bass, dubstep and grime dances. The DJ spins the record back by hand and starts it again from the top or the build, often when the MC or the crowd calls for it. On a good night a rewind is the highest compliment a tune can get. Example: The whole room shouted for a rewind before the drop even finished.

Rider

Club culture. The list of technical and hospitality needs that a DJ sends before a booking. A technical rider lists equipment, such as players, mixer and monitor. A hospitality rider may include drinks, food or hotel. Riders are about making the set possible, and experienced DJs keep them reasonable. Example: My rider asks for a booth monitor and water, nothing else. Drinks in the DJ Box: The Unwritten Rules of the Booth.

Royalties

Industry. Payments to rights holders each time their music is sold, streamed, broadcast or performed. There are royalties for the recording and for the composition, collected through different routes. For most dance music producers they are small and slow to arrive, which is why DJ fees usually matter more. Example: The royalties from that release barely covered the mastering. Where the Money Goes in Dance Music.

S

Sample

Production. A piece of existing recorded sound reused in a new track. It can be a drum hit, a break, a vocal line or a whole chord. Sampling is central to hip hop, jungle and house. Using samples from someone else's record usually needs permission from the owners, which is called clearance. Example: The vocal sample is from an old soul record.

Sample clearance

Industry. Getting permission from the owners of a recording and song before using a sample of it in a release. Usually both the master owner and the publisher need to agree, and they may ask for a fee or a share. The rules and costs vary, so artists often work with the label or a specialist. This is a plain definition, not advice on any case. Example: The label would not release it until the vocal sample was cleared. Music Publishing in Dance Music: Who Gets Paid When a Record Plays.

Scratching

Mixing. Moving a record back and forth under the needle, in rhythm, to make a sound part of the music. Developed by early hip hop DJs in New York, with Grand Wizzard Theodore usually credited as a pioneer. It grew from the back cueing DJs did in their headphones. Scratching uses the crossfader to cut the sound in and out, and today many DJs perform it on control vinyl or on jog wheels. Example: She scratched the vocal in and out between the bars. Spin Through Time: A Brief History of DJing.

Set time

Club culture. The start and end time of each DJ's slot on the night. Starting on time and handing over on time is basic respect for the other DJs. Overrunning into the next set, or leaving the next DJ an empty track to mix out of, is one of the fastest ways to lose a booking. Example: My set time is 1 to 3, so I start packing at 2:55, not 3:10. Respecting the Mix: Set-Time Etiquette Every DJ Should Know.

Sidechain compression (also Pumping)

Production. Making one sound duck in volume every time another sound plays, most often the bass under the kick. A compressor listens to the kick and pushes the bass or pads down each time it hits. That clears space so the kick punches through, and at heavy settings it creates the pumping, breathing feel heard across house and EDM. Example: Put more sidechain on the pads and the whole track starts to breathe.

Slipmat

Gear. A slippery mat between the platter and the record, so the DJ can hold the record while the platter turns. Usually felt. It makes slip cueing possible: you hold the record still at the cue point, then let go on the beat. It also helps small nudges and scratching. A worn slipmat or a missing one makes vinyl mixing much harder, which is why many DJs travel with their own. Example: Check the slipmats before the set, the house pair were stuck to the platters. The Ultimate DJ Bag Guide: What to Carry and Why It Matters.

Sound system

Club culture. The speakers and amplifiers of a venue, and in Jamaican tradition the crew who run them. Jamaican sound systems grew in Kingston from the 1940s and 1950s, with custom speaker cabinets, a selector choosing records and an MC on the mic. That culture travelled to Britain with the Windrush generation and runs through jungle, garage and dubstep. In any club, the system is what the crowd actually hears. Example: The records are the same, but the sound system makes this club. Sound Systems: The Architecture of the Dancefloor.

Stems

Production. Grouped parts of a track, such as drums, bass, music and vocals, kept as separate audio files. Producers deliver stems for remixes, mastering and sync work. DJ software can now split a finished track into rough stems in real time, so a DJ can mute a vocal or play only the drums. The results vary with the track, so it pays to test before the gig. Example: Kill the vocal stem and run the instrumental under the next track.

Swing (also Shuffle)

Production. Delaying every second small note slightly so a rhythm shuffles instead of marching. In a drum machine or DAW, a swing setting pushes off beat hi hats or notes a little late. Small amounts add groove. Large amounts give the skipping feel of garage and some house. Many producers choose their drum machine partly for how its swing feels. Example: Add some swing on the hats or it will sound like a metronome.

Sync

Mixing. A button that matches the tempo, and often the beat position, of one deck to another automatically. It relies on the beat grid the software built when it analysed the track. With good grids it saves effort and frees you to work on selection, EQ and effects. With bad grids it drifts. Arguments about sync are old now. What the crowd hears is still your choice of record and your timing. Example: Use sync if you like, but know how to fix it when the grid is wrong. Vinyl vs Digital DJing: An Honest Answer After 25 Years Behind the Decks.

Sync (also Sync licensing)

Industry. Licensing music to be used with pictures, such as film, TV, games and advertising. A sync licence comes from the owner of the composition, and the master owner also licenses the recording. For dance producers, sync can be a meaningful source of income alongside gigs. Example: That track paid more from one sync than from two years of streams. Sync Licensing: How Dance Music Gets Into Film and TV.

Synthesizer (also Synth)

Gear. An electronic instrument that creates sound from oscillators, shaped by filters and envelopes. Most dance music leans on synths for basslines, pads and leads. Classic designs such as the Minimoog, the Korg MS-20 and the Yamaha DX7 each defined a sound. Software synths now put all of that on a laptop, but the basic parts have not changed. Example: The bassline is one synth patch with the filter slowly opening. The Minimoog: The Synthesizer That Made Synthesis Portable.

T

Tech house

Genre slang. A blend of house groove with the stripped down sound of techno. It grew in England in the mid to late 1990s around nights such as The Drop and Wiggle, with the London club The End as a home. The modern version is often bouncier and more bass led, and it fills many big rooms. Example: The tech house crowd wants a bassline they can shout along to. Tech House.

Techno

Genre slang. Machine driven dance music that began in Detroit in the mid 1980s. Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson are usually named as its founders. Techno tends to be more hypnotic and less song based than house, and often a little faster. Berlin, the UK and many other scenes have shaped it since. Example: The main room is techno all night, the second room is disco. Techno: From Detroit to the Dancefloor.

Track ID (also ID)

Club culture. A question about what track is playing. An ID is also an unreleased track that nobody can name. Crowds ask for IDs in comments and at the booth. On tracklists, ID dash ID marks something unreleased, a promo or a secret. DJs sometimes keep IDs quiet to protect an exclusive. Example: Everyone was asking for the track ID after that last one.

Trance

Genre slang. Melodic, hypnotic dance music built on long breakdowns and big emotional returns. It emerged from Frankfurt in the late 1980s and early 1990s and spread across Europe. Tempos range widely, usually somewhere between 120 and 150 BPM. Uplifting, progressive and psytrance are some of its branches. Example: The trance crowd waits all night for that breakdown. Trance: From Goa to the Superclub Era.

Turntable (also Decks, 1200s)

Gear. A record player. For DJs, usually a direct drive deck with a pitch fader, like the Technics SL-1200. Direct drive means the platter sits on the motor, so it starts fast and holds speed, which DJs need. Technics introduced the SL-1200 in October 1972, and later models became the standard in clubs. People say the ones and twos, or simply twelves, for a pair of them. Example: The club still keeps two turntables in the booth for the vinyl crowd. The Technics SL-1200: Why a Hi-Fi Turntable Became a DJ Standard.

U

UKG (also UK garage)

Genre slang. UK garage. Swinging, shuffling dance music from England in the early to mid 1990s. Speed garage and 2 step both grew from it. UKG fed later into grime, dubstep and bassline. Pirate radio was its main channel for years. Example: An hour of UKG and everyone was singing. UK Garage: The Sound That Split Into Everything.

USB prep (also Library prep)

Gear. Getting your music onto a USB stick with analysed grids, cues and playlists before a gig. Most clubs expect you to arrive with tracks exported from your library software so the CDJs can read them. Good prep means checked beat grids, hot cues where you need them, and sensible folders. Bring two sticks. The one that fails is always the one without a backup. Example: My USB prep takes longer than the set, and that is why the set goes well. The Ultimate DJ Bag Guide: What to Carry and Why It Matters.

V

Vinyl (also Wax, records)

Club culture. Records. For DJs, most often the 12 inch single, the format dance music was built on. DJ culture grew up on vinyl, and many DJs still play it for its feel and discipline. Pressing plants now run long queues, so records take months to arrive. Example: I brought one bag of vinyl and a USB just in case. Why Vinyl Came Back (and What That Actually Means).

W

Warm up (also Opening set)

Club culture. The early set that fills the room and prepares it for the main DJ. It is one of the hardest jobs in the booth. The room is often half full, and the goal is to build a mood without playing the headliner's big records or peaking too soon. Warm up DJs are remembered by the people who run clubs, not always by the crowd. Example: Her warm up had the floor full by midnight and she never touched the big tracks. Respecting the Mix: Set-Time Etiquette Every DJ Should Know.

White label

Industry. A record pressed with a plain white label, usually a promo, test or limited release. White labels went to DJs before official release, and many producers pressed a few to test crowd reaction to their own tracks. Their mystery became part of club culture. Some white labels were unofficial, so do not treat the term as a guarantee that a release is legitimate. Example: It came out on a white label first, before the label picked it up. The Vinyl Press Queue: Why Records Take a Year.