As much as DJing can be a solo journey, having someone to play next to can be just as rewarding: someone to share creative ideas and techniques to boost your abilities as much as theirs.

Soul Clap know a thing or two about going B2B. Boston’s favorite DJ duo, Charlie and Eli, have blended the very best of Funk, Soul, Disco, Garage, House and more for over 20 years, courtesy of their vast and vibe-tastic Mixcloud channel and continuous live shows. On top of that, they have their own record label, Soul Clap Records, releasing their own original productions, which proves to be some of the most forward-thinking uptempo dance music out there.

To commemorate the 11-year anniversary of their record label, Soul Clap have released a near two-hour mix that captures the spirit of their style as DJs and the ethos of the label, available now on Mixcloud. In this article, the duo share their top tips on how to master a B2B DJ set.

Share the same musical direction…or don't!

"Talk about music before you go in! What mood are you both in? Where are your heads at? It could be cool to lay out some ‘must play’ jams or at least discuss tempo, genre and such. There is also - and this is a total contradiction - some beauty to going in totally improvised, being in the flow and responding to the room, but at least having a general sense of each other makes for a more cohesive experience.

Some of our best Soul Clap sets on big stages have been when we spent some time before getting our musical minds melded together. But sometimes it can be creatively inspiring to be more spontaneous and have an unplanned dialogue and just get in the same flow. This can be even more true when going B2B with other DJs that we've never played with before. Going in totally unplanned and seeing what deep cuts they bring out of our crates and what we bring out of theirs can be amazing!"

Bring your own headphones!

"Nobody wants to be handed a sweaty nasty pair of headphones, yuck that’s just nasty! Make sure you’ve packed your own pair to avoid this!"

Show your music respect

"A good B2B flows like water, so if you want to change the vibe find a way to do so in a way that connects rather than just dropping something totally out of place. Be patient, don't mix out on the other DJ’s record before the magic moments have satisfied the reason that first record was selected in the first place. Unless you're just dropping bangers and quick mixing…which happens sometimes too. "

Give each other space to be creative

"We've found that it's so important to give each other our creative space during our sets. This allows us to explore different sounds and vibes. It also pushes us to find our own music that matches the vibe that came before us. During long sets it can also help the overall set to get more into a groove and set your partner up to drop a bomb and get a big reaction."

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