Let’s dive into one of my favourite tools as a DJ…

Most DJs set a couple of hot cues, usually one at the start of a track, and leave it there. That's using a fraction of what they're for. A hot cue is just a saved point in a track you can jump to instantly, and once you start setting them with intention, they change how you play — you stop being locked into playing tracks start to finish and start being able to go straight to the part you actually need. That's the difference between playing tracks and performing a set.

The trick is setting them up before you play, not scrambling live. Go through your tracks in Rekordbox or Serato and mark the sections that matter: the intro for a clean mix-in, the first drop, the breakdown, the vocal, the outro for mixing out. Colour-code them if your software allows, so a glance tells you what each one is. Now, mid-set, if the floor needs the drop sooner than the track gives it to you, you jump straight there. If a mix isn't landing, you've got a clean exit point saved. You're never stuck waiting thirty seconds for a track to get to the bit you need.

That's where the creative side opens up. Hot cues let you loop (sometimes I legit just loop 4 bar samples) and re-trigger sections to extend a build, jump between two tracks' drops for energy, or rearrange a track on the fly to fit the moment instead of the producer's original order. They're also your safety net — if a mix goes wrong or you misread the phrasing, a well-placed cue gets you back on track instantly instead of leaving you exposed. The DJs who look effortless reading a room are often just working a well-prepped set of cues, playing the exact section the moment calls for rather than whatever comes next.

If you haven’t tried it, then do it do it! It will change everything.