A workbook in 20 tracks
ADE Survival Guide
Merel’s workbook for DJs and producers
Come home with follow-ups, not just follows.
ADE puts a year’s worth of industry access into five days. This workbook helps you plan the week, meet the right people, and turn five days of conversations into emails, meetings and collabs in the ten days after.
€17 until 17 October, then €25.
Unofficial · not affiliated with ADE
A letter before you pack
Hi,
You’ve booked it. The flight, the bed, maybe a pass, maybe a showcase slot. You’ve told people you’re going. And somewhere under the excitement hides a thought: what if I spend all that money and come home with a hangover and forty new followers?
Almost everyone who goes to ADE for their music has that thought, and almost all of them believe they’re the only one who doesn’t know how the week really works. They’re wrong. Most people in those corridors are winging it. The ones who look relaxed usually prepared earlier.
This workbook is the preparation. Twenty tracks, in the order you’ll need them: what to do before you fly, how to build the week, how to get through the peak and the wall that comes on Friday, and how to turn five days of conversations into actual work in the ten days after. Every track has one rule, my take on it, and a page you fill in.
So start Track 01 tonight, while there’s still time to do it properly.
Love, Merel
Merel van der Nacht is an AI character. Behind her is Dark Beauty, a real collective of people, and the knowledge in this workbook is theirs.
How it works
Planned like a DJ set
Twenty tracks in five parts, in the order you’ll need them. Every track has one rule, Merel’s take on it, and a page you fill in.
Warm-up
before you fly- 01The One-Track RuleYou can’t peak on five tracks at once. Pick one goal for the week.
- 02The FifteenFifteen names you’ve researched beat a hundred you’ve heard of.
- 03The Fifteen-Second RuleIf you can’t say what you make in fifteen seconds, nobody at ADE will find out.
- 04The Three-Track RuleSend three tracks, best one first. Nobody has ever been signed on track nine.
Build
the week before- 05The Hole RuleThe best ADE plan has a hole in it.
- 06The Two-USB RuleOne USB is a plan. Two USBs is a professional.
- 07The Dinner-at-Seven RuleEat a real dinner at seven. Future you, at 4 a.m., says thanks.
- 08The Speaker RuleChoose a session by who will be in the room, not by the title on the screen.
Peak
Wednesday to Saturday- 09The Ask-First RuleOpen with a question about the room. Leave while it’s still good.
- 10The Napkin RuleWrite it down within five minutes, or it didn’t happen.
- 11The Warm-up CodePlay for the room you have, not the one you wish you had.
- 12The Ears RuleYour ears are the one part of your setup you can’t replace.
Breakdown
the wall- 13The Week RuleA real offer survives a week. If it can’t wait, it isn’t an offer.
- 14The Empty-Room RuleEveryone has played to an empty room. Most people don’t post it.
- 15The Sunday RuleTake one slow day on purpose, before the week takes it from you.
- 16The Crate RuleSort every contact into A, B or C before you fly home.
Closing track
the ten days after- 17The 72-Hour RuleFollow up within 72 hours of the last night, while they still remember your face.
- 18The One-Nudge RuleNudge once after ten days. Then let it go.
- 19The Collab RuleSend one peer one specific idea within two weeks.
- 20How did it feel?Measure the week against your goal. Then keep five things for next October.
A before-and-after scorecard, what to expect day by day, what to do when you miss a cue, a letter for Friday afternoon, the whole week on one page, and Dutch help lines for when it’s more than a bad night.
Look inside
Read it, then fill it in
Real pages from the workbook. Tap one to see it full size.
Swipe for more pages →
Also included
Five bonuses
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Bonus 1
The 48-Hour Quickstart
Flying in two days? Seven tracks in order, with times. About three hours of work.
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Bonus 2
Before-ADE outreach scripts
Emails and DMs for an A&R, an agent, a promoter and a peer, a nudge to send five days before, and Merel’s own demo email with notes.
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Bonus 3
The Who’s Who decoder
A&R, agent, promoter, manager, label manager and publisher. What each one does, what they want, and what not to say.
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Bonus 4
The printable pack
Napkin cards, pocket cards and a long tracker for the six weeks after ADE.
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Bonus 5
B-Side Bingo
The ADE that isn’t on your schedule. One card, twenty-five squares.
Everyone hits the Friday wall. It means it’s Friday.
Is it for you?
Written for you if
- You’re a DJ or producer going to ADE for your music, not only for the parties.
- It’s your first ADE, or you’ve been before and came home with a phone full of names and no follow-ups.
- You want a plan you can follow on a bad day.
Not for you if
- You want a party guide. This is about the work side of the week.
- You want a promise of bookings. No workbook can promise you a booking, a deal or a reply.
It also works if
- You produce, but you don’t DJ
- Skip the gig parts and use your nights for scouting. Your demo pack and follow-ups matter even more.
- You don’t have a Pro pass
- Nights, showcases, lobbies, queues and free sessions are all places to meet people. Book meetings by email before you fly.
- You’re an introvert
- Five good conversations are enough. Lower the numbers, keep two holes in the week, and arrive early, when rooms are quiet.
- You don’t drink
- Daytime is the music industry’s sober half. And on Tuesday, your follow-ups will be sharper than almost everyone else’s.
- You’re a woman or non-binary artist
- Practical advice on meeting new contacts safely and getting home, written into the plan.
The workbook
ADE Survival Guide
- 20 tracks in 5 parts, each with one rule, Merel’s take on it, and a page you fill in
- 5 bonuses: 48-Hour Quickstart, outreach scripts, Who’s Who decoder, printable pack and B-Side Bingo
- A before-and-after scorecard and the whole week on one page
- PDF, 66 pages, A4. Print it or fill it in on a tablet
- Download link straight after payment
Until Saturday 17 October, 23:59 Amsterdam time. From Sunday 18 October it’s €25. Ends in .
One payment. No subscription.
Get the workbook · €17Questions
Before you buy
How do I get it?
Pay through Stripe and you get the download link straight after payment. It’s a PDF, so it opens on any phone, tablet or laptop.
Should I print it or use a screen?
Either. The pages are A4 and made to be written on, so print them if you like paper, or fill them in on a tablet with any PDF or notes app. You can print as many working pages as you like for your own use.
I fly in two days. Is it too late?
No. Go straight to Bonus 1, the 48-Hour Quickstart: seven tracks, in order, with times. Already in Amsterdam? Read Tracks 09, 10 and 12 tonight. ADE already over? Start at Track 16. It’s not too late until the second week of November.
I don’t DJ, or I don’t have a Pro pass. Does it still work?
Yes. The workbook has a page called “Make it fit you” with adjustments for producers who don’t DJ, people without a Pro pass, introverts, people who don’t drink, and women and non-binary artists.
Is this an official ADE product?
No. It’s unofficial and not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Amsterdam Dance Event or its organisers. Venues, sessions and formats change every year, so always check the current programme.
Is it a party guide?
No. It’s about the work side of the week: who to meet, what to say, and what to send afterwards. B-Side Bingo covers the rest.
Will it get me booked?
No workbook can promise a booking, a release or a reply. What it does is make sure the conversations you have get a specific, quick follow-up, which is the step most people skip.
Who is Merel?
Merel van der Nacht is an AI character. Where the workbook says “I”, that’s Merel. Behind her is Dark Beauty, a real collective of people, and the knowledge in this workbook is theirs.
Why does the price go up on 18 October?
€17 is the launch price for people who start early, while there’s still time to work through the tracks before ADE begins on 21 October. From Sunday 18 October the workbook costs €25.
What language is it in?
English. Any Dutch words are translated.
ADE is 21 to 25 October
Start Track 01 tonight
While there’s still time to do it properly.