DJ skills
How Many Songs in a DJ Set? Formula and Examples
How many songs are in a DJ set? A simple formula with worked examples for 30-minute to 5-hour sets, by mixing style and genre, plus how many backups to prepare.
DJ Set Planner: Tracks, Timeline & BPM
Enter how long you play, how long each track usually runs in your mix and the tempo you want to start, peak and finish at. The planner turns that into a track count, a phase-by-phase timeline with clock times and a target BPM for every slot.
- Tracks you will play
- 18
- Tracks to prepare
- 36
- BPM change per track in the build
- +1.7
- Set ends at
- 23:00
About twice as many, so you can react to the room.
| Phase | From | To | BPM | Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | 22:00 | 22:12 | 118 | 3 |
| Build-up | 22:12 | 22:30 | 118–128 | 6 |
| Peak | 22:30 | 22:51 | 128 | 6 |
| Wind-down | 22:51 | 23:00 | 128–124 | 3 |
Track-by-track plan (18)
| # | Time | Elapsed | Phase | BPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22:00 | 0:00 | Opening | 118 |
| 2 | 22:04 | 3:30 | Opening | 118 |
| 3 | 22:07 | 7:00 | Opening | 118 |
| 4 | 22:11 | 10:30 | Build-up | 118 |
| 5 | 22:14 | 14:00 | Build-up | 120 |
| 6 | 22:18 | 17:30 | Build-up | 122 |
| 7 | 22:21 | 21:00 | Build-up | 124 |
| 8 | 22:25 | 24:30 | Build-up | 126 |
| 9 | 22:28 | 28:00 | Build-up | 128 |
| 10 | 22:32 | 31:30 | Peak | 128 |
| 11 | 22:35 | 35:00 | Peak | 128 |
| 12 | 22:39 | 38:30 | Peak | 128 |
| 13 | 22:42 | 42:00 | Peak | 128 |
| 14 | 22:46 | 45:30 | Peak | 128 |
| 15 | 22:49 | 49:00 | Peak | 128 |
| 16 | 22:53 | 52:30 | Wind-down | 127 |
| 17 | 22:56 | 56:00 | Wind-down | 125 |
| 18 | 23:00 | 59:30 | Wind-down | 124 |
Runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to a server.
How it works
- Enter your set length and start time.
- Set the average play time per track. Long blends in house or techno often mean 4–6 minutes, quick open-format mixing 2–3 minutes.
- Enter start, peak and end BPM and choose the shape that matches your slot: full journey, warm-up, peak time or closing.
- Use the phase table and track-by-track plan to build your crates, and prepare about twice as many tracks as you will play.
FAQ
How many tracks do I need for a one-hour DJ set?
Divide 60 by the average minutes each track plays. At 3.5 minutes that is about 18 tracks; prepare around twice as many so you can adapt to the crowd.
How much should the BPM change during a set?
Small steps are easiest to mix: one or two BPM per track during a build feels natural. Bigger jumps work better with a break, a drop or a clean cut.
Should I plan every track in advance?
Plan the shape and prepare more tracks than you need, but stay flexible. The plan is a guide for energy and timing, not a fixed playlist.
Can I use the planner for a party playlist without mixing?
Yes. Set the average track time to the full song length, usually 3–4 minutes, and use the phases to order your playlist from warm-up to peak.
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