Bish
I've always thought it interesting that dj's would 'tag' or mark their records back in the day to know where the sweet spots were. Couldn't this be classed as a rudimentary form of cheating?? Surely true dj's don't need any kind of visual assistance to help them perform?????
For me I load a track on deck 1, press space bar to match tempo of track 2 whilst holding hand on my cdj, find the beat and let go. Make adjustments if needed, and I'm away. I would say the use of the space bar mostly helps in delaying early onset of R.S.I in my arm and neck, from having to continually catch and release the track while I manually adjust tempo like I see others do.
And the beat goes on...............
For me I load a track on deck 1, press space bar to match tempo of track 2 whilst holding hand on my cdj, find the beat and let go. Make adjustments if needed, and I'm away. I would say the use of the space bar mostly helps in delaying early onset of R.S.I in my arm and neck, from having to continually catch and release the track while I manually adjust tempo like I see others do.
And the beat goes on...............
Posted Wed 17 Sep 08 @ 8:17 am
DJ Access no1
the only way i think of it as.. if your sets/recordings sound good, or the partys jumping, your a dj.
Posted Wed 17 Sep 08 @ 12:02 pm
dj-e-lectric
DJ Access no1 wrote :
the only way i think of it as.. if your sets/recordings sound good, or the partys jumping, your a dj.
Pretty close, actually if you selct and play recorded music by whatever means at your disposal for the purposes of entertaining a crowd you are a DJ by definition......not saying you are any good, but you ARE a DJ.....not saying anybody will ever hire you again, but you ARE a DJ...not saying you can mix, but you ARE a DJ...get the point.
An AMC Pacer was a car...a REALLY crappy car, but a car by definition no less.
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 8:11 am
dj-e-lectric
DJ Access no1 wrote :
so dj e-lectric, what is it your actualy saying? im sorry i dident quite understand,, i apologize, could perhaps simple that down a bit?
I was saying you brought up a good point about the "purists" like MAN-TK picking and choosing what is cheating and what isn't to suit THEIR narrow definition of what a Dj is.
If MAN-TK wants to so narrowly define a DJ as strictly a beat mixer with no help from advancements in electronics or other tools, than he is not a DJ by his own definition because he uses VDJ (or serrato or whatever) to manipulate his mp3's, no matter how basic or without bpms listed his setup is.
Some simple examples of the electronic tools he uses to improve his skillz.....He uses turntables with quartz speed lock (before quartz lock turntable speeds used to drift all over the place), he uses direct drive turntables which are a technological advance over belt drives improving start up and response time, if fact, he is not "jockeying" discs at all as he keeps the same two time coded vinyls on the platters at all times manipulatiin DIGITAL music and never reaches into his crates of records to find and mix each next song!
I could go on all night about all the "electronic tools" the self professed "real" djs seem to forget they use that the generation of Djs before them did not have.......you can't have it both ways, if someone using a new tool you don't like take them out of your definition of being a Dj as MAN-TK seems to think, then we all need to go back to the grammaphone days. The Djs at the USO shows had to be taking records off and putting them on one at a time on the same phonograph (not turntable...that was a tool advancement) WHILE they cranked them to start!. If fact if you really want to be a true Dj with no advancements to assist you, you need to have the hard brittle vinyl spinning at 78rpm (give or take a few rpm because there was no quartz lock remember).
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
(just kidding of course....don't get your pannties in a bunch, just making a point..........the fact is if anybody is posting on this board they probably fit somebodies definition of a DJ)
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 8:37 am
sirkitbreaker
I started DJing well along time ago.... I used a belt drive stereo. I use two tape decks. I use 1200's. I was a turntablist for awhile and hung with some of the best in the business. I scratch along side dj qbert and Mr Dibbs. ( look them up ) and no way will i ever say one way is better than the next. I use virtual DJ. I use the sync and auto sync ect. I have DJed after others who do and some who don't. Some of them were good some were bad no matter what method they use. I have started getting into the VDJ for simply because I want to evolve into a more creative dj. I want to creating not become technically inclined.
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 10:49 am
Man-Tk
dj-e-lectric wrote :
I was saying you brought up a good point about the "purists" like MAN-TK picking and choosing what is cheating and what isn't to suit THEIR narrow definition of what a Dj is.
If MAN-TK wants to so narrowly define a DJ as strictly a beat mixer with no help from advancements in electronics or other tools, than he is not a DJ by his own definition because he uses VDJ (or serrato or whatever) to manipulate his mp3's, no matter how basic or without bpms listed his setup is.
Some simple examples of the electronic tools he uses to improve his skillz.....He uses turntables with quartz speed lock (before quartz lock turntable speeds used to drift all over the place), he uses direct drive turntables which are a technological advance over belt drives improving start up and response time, if fact, he is not "jockeying" discs at all as he keeps the same two time coded vinyls on the platters at all times manipulatiin DIGITAL music and never reaches into his crates of records to find and mix each next song!
I could go on all night about all the "electronic tools" the self professed "real" djs seem to forget they use that the generation of Djs before them did not have.......you can't have it both ways, if someone using a new tool you don't like take them out of your definition of being a Dj as MAN-TK seems to think, then we all need to go back to the grammaphone days. The Djs at the USO shows had to be taking records off and putting them on one at a time on the same phonograph (not turntable...that was a tool advancement) WHILE they cranked them to start!. If fact if you really want to be a true Dj with no advancements to assist you, you need to have the hard brittle vinyl spinning at 78rpm (give or take a few rpm because there was no quartz lock remember).
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
(just kidding of course....don't get your pannties in a bunch, just making a point..........the fact is if anybody is posting on this board they probably fit somebodies definition of a DJ)
DJ Access no1 wrote :
so dj e-lectric, what is it your actualy saying? im sorry i dident quite understand,, i apologize, could perhaps simple that down a bit?
I was saying you brought up a good point about the "purists" like MAN-TK picking and choosing what is cheating and what isn't to suit THEIR narrow definition of what a Dj is.
If MAN-TK wants to so narrowly define a DJ as strictly a beat mixer with no help from advancements in electronics or other tools, than he is not a DJ by his own definition because he uses VDJ (or serrato or whatever) to manipulate his mp3's, no matter how basic or without bpms listed his setup is.
Some simple examples of the electronic tools he uses to improve his skillz.....He uses turntables with quartz speed lock (before quartz lock turntable speeds used to drift all over the place), he uses direct drive turntables which are a technological advance over belt drives improving start up and response time, if fact, he is not "jockeying" discs at all as he keeps the same two time coded vinyls on the platters at all times manipulatiin DIGITAL music and never reaches into his crates of records to find and mix each next song!
I could go on all night about all the "electronic tools" the self professed "real" djs seem to forget they use that the generation of Djs before them did not have.......you can't have it both ways, if someone using a new tool you don't like take them out of your definition of being a Dj as MAN-TK seems to think, then we all need to go back to the grammaphone days. The Djs at the USO shows had to be taking records off and putting them on one at a time on the same phonograph (not turntable...that was a tool advancement) WHILE they cranked them to start!. If fact if you really want to be a true Dj with no advancements to assist you, you need to have the hard brittle vinyl spinning at 78rpm (give or take a few rpm because there was no quartz lock remember).
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
(just kidding of course....don't get your pannties in a bunch, just making a point..........the fact is if anybody is posting on this board they probably fit somebodies definition of a DJ)
Maybe you don't understand my point of view . All are djs , using controllers , keyboard , cds or software & I respect all kind of djs - The real difference is HOW you use the tools - you can't compare a dj using Hercules console with beatlock with another dj using turntables and his ears - I use all the new technologies and i love them , but I try to do the mixes by myself .....because VDJ can't mix better than me ...when you press beatlock sometimes the N1 beat in vdj is not the "real 1 beat" and the mixes are very bad ! .... using "automix" is a real disaster , one mix is Ok and other are very very bad . I'm trying to say that a software never can beatmix better than us ... iT CAN DO better than a dj who can't mix by himself - This is my point ...a good dj MUST to know how to mix , is the easiest part and the first thing that we learn when we start - there's so many lazy djs at the moment , come on guys , do the job !! is not a hard thing , you can put 2 songs in sync in 30 seconds with your hands , using the ears . Is easy & you will be proud of your own mixes . The music is the MOST important thing , but the WAY how to put it is VERY important too .
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 10:52 am
jimmy b
Who cares how it's done,
As long as there is music pumping and people are dancing and having a good time. The DJ has done his job!!!! IMHO.
As long as there is music pumping and people are dancing and having a good time. The DJ has done his job!!!! IMHO.
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 10:59 am
Man-Tk
dj-e-lectric wrote :
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
Ok ,,,you can start to call me Dj ...I'm a 25 years old dj (I'm 42) & I started with 2 very bad turntables without pitch , to mix in the early 70's was no easy , beleive me .
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 11:05 am
pascal75
I started jocking in the late 80s with just vynil, turntables and a mixer, strictly hip hop and always spending ages on getting things in sync and ruining needles:D
Crates full of records to lug around, bumping into the booth to make things skip something horrible, ruined records and such..
I only recently got back in the game because i found (by accident) VDJ and al the new possibilities digital mixing brings us and because i found out just how much fun mixing house music actually is:)
Now i can use just my laptop and console and get the place booming better than i ever have.
I think it doesn't matter what you use - it matters what you produce - by any means
I never used to have my own gear because i was always flat broke and had to make do with what was available in the club/bar/home i was playing and most of the times i managed pretty damn well even if i didn't know the gear or records by heart.
A cowboy just gets on the horse and rides off - no matter what kinda horse, sadle or no
Everybody is entitled to his/her opinion but i think it is rather sad that djs are belting each other over the head about who is real and who's not when we could be using this forum to bring it all together and take this game to even newer and higher levels.
I personally love to see all these different set ups and how people work their trade, it's all inspiration to me.
Crates full of records to lug around, bumping into the booth to make things skip something horrible, ruined records and such..
I only recently got back in the game because i found (by accident) VDJ and al the new possibilities digital mixing brings us and because i found out just how much fun mixing house music actually is:)
Now i can use just my laptop and console and get the place booming better than i ever have.
I think it doesn't matter what you use - it matters what you produce - by any means
I never used to have my own gear because i was always flat broke and had to make do with what was available in the club/bar/home i was playing and most of the times i managed pretty damn well even if i didn't know the gear or records by heart.
A cowboy just gets on the horse and rides off - no matter what kinda horse, sadle or no
Everybody is entitled to his/her opinion but i think it is rather sad that djs are belting each other over the head about who is real and who's not when we could be using this forum to bring it all together and take this game to even newer and higher levels.
I personally love to see all these different set ups and how people work their trade, it's all inspiration to me.
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 12:13 pm
pascal75
Sirkitbreaker said:I started DJing well along time ago.... I used a belt drive stereo. I use two tape decks. I use 1200's. I was a turntablist for awhile and hung with some of the best in the business. I scratch along side dj qbert and Mr Dibbs. ( look them up ) and no way will i ever say one way is better than the next. I use virtual DJ. I use the sync and auto sync ect. I have DJed after others who do and some who don't. Some of them were good some were bad no matter what method they use. I have started getting into the VDJ for simply because I want to evolve into a more creative dj. I want to creating not become technically inclined.
word
exactly
word
exactly
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 12:15 pm
kkorpos
I would say that if you have never learned to beat match with turntables or CD players, than that is a problem. I seriously think that beat mixing the manual way is imperative for anyone that wants to be a DJ.
Personally, I feel like I have gone through the ranks and earned my "dj" status. I learned with CD's and then I went to mixing with vinyl which I absolutely loved....but then the digital era came around and I hoped on board, way before Serato came out....other DJ's thought I was stupid and that it was so silly and they would NEVER use a computer....and then Serato came out and they reconsidered.....
Point is - it makes sense that software allows more creativity.....and that's awesome. I still think that you have to learn how to mix manually, and then you earn the right to use your sync button.....seriously - what would some of these DJ's do if the "sync" button broke all of the sudden (yeah, technically that's not possible). My point is - they would look like a total ass in front of a room of people that they might have just been rocking out.....what are they going to do, return to the old fade out/fade in method, or maybe try to slam some stuff....either way you look at it - they are screwed.
Personally, I feel like I have gone through the ranks and earned my "dj" status. I learned with CD's and then I went to mixing with vinyl which I absolutely loved....but then the digital era came around and I hoped on board, way before Serato came out....other DJ's thought I was stupid and that it was so silly and they would NEVER use a computer....and then Serato came out and they reconsidered.....
Point is - it makes sense that software allows more creativity.....and that's awesome. I still think that you have to learn how to mix manually, and then you earn the right to use your sync button.....seriously - what would some of these DJ's do if the "sync" button broke all of the sudden (yeah, technically that's not possible). My point is - they would look like a total ass in front of a room of people that they might have just been rocking out.....what are they going to do, return to the old fade out/fade in method, or maybe try to slam some stuff....either way you look at it - they are screwed.
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 1:55 pm
dj-e-lectric
Man-Tk wrote :
Ok ,,,you can start to call me Dj ...I'm a 25 years old dj (I'm 42) & I started with 2 very bad turntables without pitch , to mix in the early 70's was no easy , beleive me .
dj-e-lectric wrote :
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
When MAN-TK can rock a party using a grammaphone and my 84 year old father's 78s of Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like that is when I will consider him a real Dj!
Ok ,,,you can start to call me Dj ...I'm a 25 years old dj (I'm 42) & I started with 2 very bad turntables without pitch , to mix in the early 70's was no easy , beleive me .
MAN-TK, I am sure you are an excellent Dj, Not impunning your skillz what-so-ever. By the way I am 47 and have Dj'd with belt drive radio shack turntables with no pitch, cassettes and even VHS tapes so I know where you are coming from). As I said just trying to emphasize the point that it doesn't matter what tools you use to get the job done, as long as it is done so the people listening enjoy it. I agree at this point in time the automix in no way can mix as good as a GOOD Dj but being a Dj and being a GOOD Dj are 2 different things....so don't disrespect someone who is in the business by denying them their appropriate title, just have the knowlege in your heart that there is one less Dj on your level you need to compete with for the next audition!
Also the beat sync just gets the beats to the same bpm it does not do the mix for you or keep the beats locked...that is the function of the beat lock and that does not come anywhere close to being as accurate as a good human DJ...but beat sync is pretty accurate, certainly as a starting point and does save a lot of time removing th tedium of matching beats and when more and more owners want Dj who are customer service oriented and interact with the crowd the beat sync save tremendous time to allow us to accomplish that and retain our jobs...don't know about where you are from, but here in the west very few owners care about beat mixing (probably because most of the Djs out here are horrible at it...even with beat sync) and they want personality, mic skillz and crowd interaction. If I had my way I would mix all night long and not even have a microphone, but they won't pay for that out here anymore and I have morgatges and investments I need to keep up that are much more important than keeping up an out of date image of what some think a DJ should be!
Posted Thu 18 Sep 08 @ 5:40 pm
Man-Tk
dj-e-lectric : I think u r a good dj too - there's many kind of djs
1) bad one , who don't know how to mix and always are using cheating features
2) bad dj , who knows how to mix perfect but never take a look to the dancefloor and always play music for himself
3)good dj , who can play with all the tools and know how to mix perfect and rock the party all the time .
so many kind of djs !!!
BTW : I live in Europe , I work in austria in winter (december to april) and I am a dj in my own club in Mallorca - Spain (from may to october)
you can see my webpage : www.keopsdisco.de - here is not so easy to live playing music because there's a lot of good djs .
1) bad one , who don't know how to mix and always are using cheating features
2) bad dj , who knows how to mix perfect but never take a look to the dancefloor and always play music for himself
3)good dj , who can play with all the tools and know how to mix perfect and rock the party all the time .
so many kind of djs !!!
BTW : I live in Europe , I work in austria in winter (december to april) and I am a dj in my own club in Mallorca - Spain (from may to october)
you can see my webpage : www.keopsdisco.de - here is not so easy to live playing music because there's a lot of good djs .
Posted Fri 19 Sep 08 @ 1:03 am
dj-e-lectric
Man-Tk wrote :
dj-e-lectric : I think u r a good dj too - there's many kind of djs
1) bad one , who don't know how to mix and always are using cheating features
2) bad dj , who knows how to mix perfect but never take a look to the dancefloor and always play music for himself
3)good dj , who can play with all the tools and know how to mix perfect and rock the party all the time .
so many kind of djs !!!
BTW : I live in Europe , I work in austria in winter (december to april) and I am a dj in my own club in Mallorca - Spain (from may to october)
you can see my webpage : www.keopsdisco.de - here is not so easy to live playing music because there's a lot of good djs .
1) bad one , who don't know how to mix and always are using cheating features
2) bad dj , who knows how to mix perfect but never take a look to the dancefloor and always play music for himself
3)good dj , who can play with all the tools and know how to mix perfect and rock the party all the time .
so many kind of djs !!!
BTW : I live in Europe , I work in austria in winter (december to april) and I am a dj in my own club in Mallorca - Spain (from may to october)
you can see my webpage : www.keopsdisco.de - here is not so easy to live playing music because there's a lot of good djs .
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree....Don't know about Austria or Spain, but here in America there are dozens of different kinds of Djs with good and bad in each catergory....keep rockin it MAN.
Posted Fri 19 Sep 08 @ 4:49 am
k_one
You know what the funny thing is? Most DJ's out there are WACK! And I don't mean by a little...I would "guesstimate" that at least 80% of all DJ's out there suck so hard it hurts and it makes it embarassing to go by the same name as them. (That'll be "DJ" for the ones of you that didn't get it)
And it's usually the ones that suck the most that complain the most about equipment too!
The experienced guys who's been spinnin' for ages doesn't really care what equipment they're faced with. They rock the party wheter it's and old Gemini double deck CD-player, shady turntables, mp3-rackplayers or a computer. Sure, they have preferences, but they always makes the best of the situation. But "wack" DJ's sure like to complain, especially if they f*ck up a mix, it's always easy to point the finger at the "bad equipment". Yet, they still want to complain that "if you don't play vinyl you're not a real DJ".
What's funny is that the culmination of a "real DJ" is actually the guys talking on the radio and announce the music. That's were the terminology "DJ" comes from. In the beginning it had absolutly nothing to do with mixing to records together and making people dance. That came years later...
So what that actually means is that the word "DJ" is both over-used and misused, because we let it apply to almost any genre of job in the entertainment industry. Wheter your're on the talking radio, working in bar as a bartender/dj, mix in the big clubs with vinyl, play at weddings or manage girls and/or music @ a stripclub you're most likely to put the abbreviation "DJ" in front of your name.
So the word "DJ" in front of your name is definatly not a seal of approval. It's rather the opposite.
For me, a real DJ is someone who knows how to make people dance and and let them discover new music no matter what "the means of transportation" is.
To me it doesn't matter if you play cassette, vinyl, CD or MP3 as long as you do a good job doing it.
Sure, I would love it if more DJ's could master beatmixing, but it's even more important that they master the art of programming.
Programming is the one thing that sets apart a good DJ from a bad one. Nothing more, nothing less. If you have a nack for always selecting the right track at the right time you're gonna be one heck of a DJ. That's essentially all that matters. Everything else is extra.
So, what I would like "DJ's" to do, is go home and practice. Start to really listen to music instead of just downloading the "latest hit". Start figuring out which track sounds nice blending together. Start getting up on your music history. Knowledge is power, and knowing the history of music is key. Being on top of what worked on the dancefloor in earlier years is really going to help you understand what is going to work in the future.
But the key word is practice. PLEASE. Because I'm starting to get dead tired of having to drink myself senseless when going out, just to stand the torture coming out the speakers played by all the so called "DJ's". LOL
And it's usually the ones that suck the most that complain the most about equipment too!
The experienced guys who's been spinnin' for ages doesn't really care what equipment they're faced with. They rock the party wheter it's and old Gemini double deck CD-player, shady turntables, mp3-rackplayers or a computer. Sure, they have preferences, but they always makes the best of the situation. But "wack" DJ's sure like to complain, especially if they f*ck up a mix, it's always easy to point the finger at the "bad equipment". Yet, they still want to complain that "if you don't play vinyl you're not a real DJ".
What's funny is that the culmination of a "real DJ" is actually the guys talking on the radio and announce the music. That's were the terminology "DJ" comes from. In the beginning it had absolutly nothing to do with mixing to records together and making people dance. That came years later...
So what that actually means is that the word "DJ" is both over-used and misused, because we let it apply to almost any genre of job in the entertainment industry. Wheter your're on the talking radio, working in bar as a bartender/dj, mix in the big clubs with vinyl, play at weddings or manage girls and/or music @ a stripclub you're most likely to put the abbreviation "DJ" in front of your name.
So the word "DJ" in front of your name is definatly not a seal of approval. It's rather the opposite.
For me, a real DJ is someone who knows how to make people dance and and let them discover new music no matter what "the means of transportation" is.
To me it doesn't matter if you play cassette, vinyl, CD or MP3 as long as you do a good job doing it.
Sure, I would love it if more DJ's could master beatmixing, but it's even more important that they master the art of programming.
Programming is the one thing that sets apart a good DJ from a bad one. Nothing more, nothing less. If you have a nack for always selecting the right track at the right time you're gonna be one heck of a DJ. That's essentially all that matters. Everything else is extra.
So, what I would like "DJ's" to do, is go home and practice. Start to really listen to music instead of just downloading the "latest hit". Start figuring out which track sounds nice blending together. Start getting up on your music history. Knowledge is power, and knowing the history of music is key. Being on top of what worked on the dancefloor in earlier years is really going to help you understand what is going to work in the future.
But the key word is practice. PLEASE. Because I'm starting to get dead tired of having to drink myself senseless when going out, just to stand the torture coming out the speakers played by all the so called "DJ's". LOL
Posted Fri 19 Sep 08 @ 5:38 am
DJ Access no1
i meant... if "your" recordings sound good, not other peoples... if your recordings sound good... providing that it is your mixing and the party likes it.. then your a dj..
Posted Mon 22 Sep 08 @ 6:47 pm