One method of using sequences that is popular is to create a long sequence of dances for the entire dance party. This requires less work during the dance. The list of dances can be made available to the dancers so that they can see what dances will be played in the future.
In the past, there was a ballroom I went to that had a physical display board with the list of upcoming dances. A list of dances would be put up on the board to let the dancers what was coming next. Often, the next set of dances would remain the same, and the display would remain the same. Sometimes the sequence of dances would change, and the physical display board would be changed. Then the original sequence of dances would return, and the physical display would be changed back.
This article will demonstrate how to set up BDJ4 to match this method of using sequences.
First, let's set up two sequences. The first sequence will be the usual sequence of dances. The second sequence will have some of the less common dances.
Start BDJ4, and select Manage. Select Edit Sequences. In the sequence editor, enter the name of the first sequence. For this article, it will be named
Seq-Standard. Add the following dances to the sequence: Waltz, Jive, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Tango, Rumba, Quickstep.
- tips-seq-std.png (59.31 KiB) Viewed 190 times
When a sequence is queued in the player, the normal situation is that the sequence will continue repeating itself. e.g. If the sequence has Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, the music queue will continue to be filled with Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot until it is full.
In this example, to be able to queue different short sequences during the dance party, the sequence will not be repeated. In order to do this,
select Playlist Management.
[Note that prior to version 4.17.3, there was a bug (specific to sequences) that would prevent the changes below from being saved for the sequence. In earlier versions, the management window can be close and re-opened. The playlist can then be loaded and changed.]
Set Stop After to 7. When Stop After is not set, the sequence will repeat itself over and over again. Setting Stop After to seven limits the number of songs added to the music queue from this sequence to seven songs.
Change the Dance Rating to Great so that only the best songs will be selected.
- tips-seq-plmgmt.png (66.67 KiB) Viewed 190 times
Switch back to Edit Sequences. Select Start New Sequence from the Edit menu. Enter the name for the second sequence. For this article, the second sequence will be named Seq-Samba-VW. Add the following dances to the sequence: Waltz, Samba, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Tango, Rumba, Viennese Waltz.
- tips-seq-vw.png (60.32 KiB) Viewed 190 times
In the same fashion as for the first sequence, select Playlist Management and change the Dance Rating to Great, and set Stop After to 7 for the Seq-Samba-VW sequence.
Close the management window, and select Player. Select the Queue Playlist drop-down, and select Standard-Seq. BDJ4 will choose the songs and populate the music queue. Repeat this step to add Standard-Seq a second time. Now select Samba-VW in the drop-down. The first three sequences have been added to the music queue (21 songs), and are ready to play.
- tips-seq-player.png (96.25 KiB) Viewed 190 times
As the dance party progresses, the DJ can queue different sequences to play. This example only used two sample sequences, but many different sequences can be created for use during the dance party. The second sequence in this example was very similar, with two dances changed. But other sequences with more dances changes, fewer dance changes, mostly latin dances, or mostly standard dances can be created.
The DJ can choose to add many sequences ahead of time, or go back to their computer during the dance party and add a sequence as needed.