DJONE - The DMC Electronic Music Competition

We are excited to announce the sequel to the DJ Championship for Electronic Music in Shanghai, which will be a part of Music China 2024.

This revolutionary addition marks an exciting milestone in the DMC's history, giving talented DJs a stage to display their expertise and captivate audiences with their 20-minute sets + a short interview afterwards to explain the performance.

Schedule

Open to participants of all nationalities, this competition will be held on October 11th as one of the main events of the DJPRO area at Music China 2024.

Hardware

All participants can use their own hardware (please get in touch beforehand to agree on the number of gear) or use a standard DJ setup, consisting of four CDJ-3000s and a DJM-A9 mixer from Pioneer. Everyone has the opportunity to work with as many decks as they want. It is allowed to use the sync button, but this should only be used to gain more playing freedom or to let off steam creatively with other technical tools such as effects, pitch and sample shots.

During the performance, the DJ software used will be displayed on a screen so that both the audience and the jury can see which technical components are being used. The use of additional hardware components outside of the DJ set provided is not permitted

Criteria

The broad spectrum of electronic music is reflected in its incredible diversity, which is why the criteria for a DJ competition in this music genre differ from those of a turntablist. We have therefore endeavored to create a basis for evaluation that takes all these aspects into account.

All variations of electronic music encompassing the trendy house and techno genres with a steady tempo range of 110-180 beats per minute will be considered for this competition. In addition, ambient tracks with a slightly slower tempo of 110bpm are also encouraged, along with any type of acapella, loop, or one shot sample that can enhance a DJ set.

Our ultimate goal is to showcase a diverse range of styles in the future, but for now, our primary focus is on refining our concept and acquiring invaluable expertise. In addition, technical skills such as scratching or trick mixing, which play a key role in turntablism competitions, are hardly decisive in a club. Rather, the focus of a DJ in the electronic field is to get people dancing, read the mood of the crowd and offer an appealing stage performance.

  • Musicality

    - Structure and harmony

    - Cleanliness in the DJ mix

  • Technique

    - Handling of buttons, fader, disk and knobs

    - Utilization of audio effects, loops, remix deck

  • Styles

    - Build up, drop & transition

    - Groove techno & fast mixing

    The icing on the cake is your performance on stage. But don´t feel intimitated as we are not aiming for a topless dance Barbie or a new Salvatore Ganacci. You just need to be in your flow and captivate your audience.

    The aim of the 20min performance should be to play as a headliner in a club and use these 20min of an elevator pitch to showcase your skills and your personal trademark.

    After the DJ set, we will hold a brief post-performance discussion in which the judges will actively engage with each participant to gain a better understanding of their set. Through thought-provoking questions, they aim to prevent any misinterpretations and gain more insight into the musical concept and track selection. These discussions serve to paint a comprehensive picture of both the performance's underlying idea and the artist themselves.

    Judges

    Alex Sonnenfeld (SMF|Germany)

    69Beats (Red Bull 3Styles Champion|Poland)

    TBA

    Prizes

    1th winner: TBA

    2th winner: TBA

    3th winner: TBA

    Registration

    Submit a 15-minute mix of electronic music before the July 1st deadline to be considered for the competition. Please send a download or streaming link to djone@samplemusicfestival.com. If selected, you will be among the top 6 contestants and we will promptly notify you. This is a free competition open to everyone.