dre99gsx
I just don't get it.
1. We now have to move sliders, constantly touch knobs and buttons, keep adding reverb/echo/effects on top of songs that already have tons of these effects. Why?
The crowd could care less from the event's I've hosted. They just want to dance to music that is familiar and NOT altered with tons of loops, flanges and filters. Why screw with a song that sounds great from the source? I've seen DJs throw in all kinds of effects and filters, and all that does is throw the dancers off their step. I've been in the crowd where they are singing to the lyrics, when the DJ hits the loop button in the wrong spot (although it sounds cool) and these girls just give each other a strange look as if the DJ screwed up the song. Not cool.
I understand transitions could use some help with effects, but once a song is transitioned, why keep fiddling with it? What is wrong with a DJ letting it play through to the next song? Does that label us as a DJ as "boring"?
I never once saw someone from the crowd complain that "the DJ is boring because he is just standing there and didn't mix in the next song right after the hook we done", I've only seen DJs complaining about other DJs.
2. Why do we try to make our jobs harder, when the crowd doesn't even care?
Our job (95% of us) is to keep the music flowing, the crowd pleased. Why make this so much harder by not using features like SYNC and KEY-matching, etc? Why do we have to beatmatch without looking at the wave pattern? What are we proving? That we can outsmart technology?
Sure, we can just press PLAY and have a premixed set going, but that does take away from our ability to cue up the next song based on crowd reaction. That to me is the #1 purpose of the DJ. Aside from that, all the twiddling around on stage just doesn't make sense. We are playing recorded music, we aren't live performers (as a real musician would be labeled).
If you are an Ableton user (as am I) who sometimes produces live, the above can be ignored, but for 95% of us, I think we are just trying to impress our fellow DJ friends more than anything.
Had to rant...
1. We now have to move sliders, constantly touch knobs and buttons, keep adding reverb/echo/effects on top of songs that already have tons of these effects. Why?
The crowd could care less from the event's I've hosted. They just want to dance to music that is familiar and NOT altered with tons of loops, flanges and filters. Why screw with a song that sounds great from the source? I've seen DJs throw in all kinds of effects and filters, and all that does is throw the dancers off their step. I've been in the crowd where they are singing to the lyrics, when the DJ hits the loop button in the wrong spot (although it sounds cool) and these girls just give each other a strange look as if the DJ screwed up the song. Not cool.
I understand transitions could use some help with effects, but once a song is transitioned, why keep fiddling with it? What is wrong with a DJ letting it play through to the next song? Does that label us as a DJ as "boring"?
I never once saw someone from the crowd complain that "the DJ is boring because he is just standing there and didn't mix in the next song right after the hook we done", I've only seen DJs complaining about other DJs.
2. Why do we try to make our jobs harder, when the crowd doesn't even care?
Our job (95% of us) is to keep the music flowing, the crowd pleased. Why make this so much harder by not using features like SYNC and KEY-matching, etc? Why do we have to beatmatch without looking at the wave pattern? What are we proving? That we can outsmart technology?
Sure, we can just press PLAY and have a premixed set going, but that does take away from our ability to cue up the next song based on crowd reaction. That to me is the #1 purpose of the DJ. Aside from that, all the twiddling around on stage just doesn't make sense. We are playing recorded music, we aren't live performers (as a real musician would be labeled).
If you are an Ableton user (as am I) who sometimes produces live, the above can be ignored, but for 95% of us, I think we are just trying to impress our fellow DJ friends more than anything.
Had to rant...
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 10:40 am
xcakid
Obviously you have not played at clubs or music festivals. A unique sound either via remixing, scratching, or just a way a DJ make a certain song sound different is what makes people listen and thereby giving the DJ a following.
As a club DJ, my job is to keep people dancing and to introduce a unique sound. Oh and keep em there drinking. If you take a look at all of the touring DJ's they offer a unique sound. Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Tiesto, Kaskade, etc. all have their own sound and way of playing.
Although I agree some DJ's tend to go overboard with all the knob twisting and such. However, remixing is the name of the game in professional DJ'ing. Has been since the 70's when Technics came came out with pitch sliders. Blending of sounds to create new ones. Natural progression for a DJ to take it to the next level is to go into production. You see that a lot with club DJ's. David Guetta, Kaskade, just to name a few. They did not just play music.
Sure you can just play songs that people like and can dance to......they also have a device for that, called an iPod.
It's up to you where you want to take DJ'ing. You want to just play songs then fine, play songs and be a live jukebox. There are some of us that want to put creativity into it and take it to the next level.
Response to rant over.
As a club DJ, my job is to keep people dancing and to introduce a unique sound. Oh and keep em there drinking. If you take a look at all of the touring DJ's they offer a unique sound. Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Tiesto, Kaskade, etc. all have their own sound and way of playing.
Although I agree some DJ's tend to go overboard with all the knob twisting and such. However, remixing is the name of the game in professional DJ'ing. Has been since the 70's when Technics came came out with pitch sliders. Blending of sounds to create new ones. Natural progression for a DJ to take it to the next level is to go into production. You see that a lot with club DJ's. David Guetta, Kaskade, just to name a few. They did not just play music.
Sure you can just play songs that people like and can dance to......they also have a device for that, called an iPod.
It's up to you where you want to take DJ'ing. You want to just play songs then fine, play songs and be a live jukebox. There are some of us that want to put creativity into it and take it to the next level.
Response to rant over.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 11:50 am
jbart19
I think a lot of it has to do with where you are playing too.
If your crowd is sophisticated enough to realize that a DJ is an artist then go for it! Throw out all the tricks and become an all-star with a great following. Certain places have crowds like that. Others don't
Some crowds or areas don't understand that idea. I have seen even small changes to songs clear a floor like stink bomb, not because it wasn't a good effect or transition but because the crowd just wants to hear the song the way they are used to it.
It's all about knowing your crowd and what they can handle or what they want. Unfortunately in a lot of places a great DJ artist would be playing to nothing but an empty floor and weird stares while a human jukebox might have a full floor all night.
Maybe as an artist you can sneak in some cool stuff and slowly get a crowd used to it but it just depends on where you are how hard that row will be to ho.
Have you seen "Back to the Future" ? Marty plays an amazing hair metal inspired version of "Johnny B Good" but at the end of the scene the entire prom is just staring at him like he is an alien and nobody is dancing - he says "You might not be ready for that, but your kids are going to love it!"
Same thing with DJs - some places just aren't ready for an artist DJ.
If your crowd is sophisticated enough to realize that a DJ is an artist then go for it! Throw out all the tricks and become an all-star with a great following. Certain places have crowds like that. Others don't
Some crowds or areas don't understand that idea. I have seen even small changes to songs clear a floor like stink bomb, not because it wasn't a good effect or transition but because the crowd just wants to hear the song the way they are used to it.
It's all about knowing your crowd and what they can handle or what they want. Unfortunately in a lot of places a great DJ artist would be playing to nothing but an empty floor and weird stares while a human jukebox might have a full floor all night.
Maybe as an artist you can sneak in some cool stuff and slowly get a crowd used to it but it just depends on where you are how hard that row will be to ho.
Have you seen "Back to the Future" ? Marty plays an amazing hair metal inspired version of "Johnny B Good" but at the end of the scene the entire prom is just staring at him like he is an alien and nobody is dancing - he says "You might not be ready for that, but your kids are going to love it!"
Same thing with DJs - some places just aren't ready for an artist DJ.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 12:20 pm
Charlie Wilson
Perspectives play a part in this,
If your a guy that's doing the whole "cheesy mobile DJ thing" each weekend in addition to a normal job, just playing locally, for the lowest money, to an ignorant audience, in the shittyist of clubs then I can see why you think this.
This type of DJing is one step up from a bedroom DJing and is not a nice place to be, all you can do is keep working on it in order to better yourself, once your charging more and play to people that appreciate attention to detail you'll know what differences the little details make.
It's only then you can say that you've "cut your teeth"
If your a guy that's doing the whole "cheesy mobile DJ thing" each weekend in addition to a normal job, just playing locally, for the lowest money, to an ignorant audience, in the shittyist of clubs then I can see why you think this.
This type of DJing is one step up from a bedroom DJing and is not a nice place to be, all you can do is keep working on it in order to better yourself, once your charging more and play to people that appreciate attention to detail you'll know what differences the little details make.
It's only then you can say that you've "cut your teeth"
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 12:43 pm
dre99gsx
Seriously? Every club I've DJ'd, not one person cared about "detail". They just cared about a few things:
- Getting laid / drunk
- Good music with a beat (knowing when to play it, obviuosly important for a DJ)
- Having fun (people make the party, not the DJ)
I have DJd at various clubs and know the scene enough to have realized people just don't care about your creativity as a DJ. You can play the original song in it's entirety or "beatgrid" it to death, people on the floor dancing and drinking won't know or care. Most who do care will have wierd looks when the song just doesn't sound like it is supposed to.
I still don't see the value of needing showmanship at a club playing other people's recorded music. This is one of the egotistical things I've always felt from most DJs. As if a DJ is god's gift to the world, and they have special skills and bringing other people's music to the masses.
Sure, there are DJ (producers) who mash up and create legit remixes of popular songs. But I've seen DJ's mashup and remix a remix of a remix of a remix, where the song just doesn't make anymore sense. For everyone one song out there, there are probably 20 remixes already that you can just put in your set.
You have to look at it from the crowd's perspective. Do you really think that girl bouncing around in front of your booth with a smile on her face holding a Mai Tai cares if you're remixing and mashing up a song, twisting 20 knobs, making stupid faces and what not?
I am for seamless mixing of music and genres, and feel that is a great skill to have regardless if you use SYNC or other automated methods. But, once the song is playing, why can't you just enjoy the music and not f*ck it up or play only 20 seconds of it before moving onto another track? I feel DJs are making this too hard for themselves. It makes sense why Steve Angello and other famous DJs keep it simple. We criticize them for "not doing much on stage" but in the end, they made it big.
- Getting laid / drunk
- Good music with a beat (knowing when to play it, obviuosly important for a DJ)
- Having fun (people make the party, not the DJ)
I have DJd at various clubs and know the scene enough to have realized people just don't care about your creativity as a DJ. You can play the original song in it's entirety or "beatgrid" it to death, people on the floor dancing and drinking won't know or care. Most who do care will have wierd looks when the song just doesn't sound like it is supposed to.
I still don't see the value of needing showmanship at a club playing other people's recorded music. This is one of the egotistical things I've always felt from most DJs. As if a DJ is god's gift to the world, and they have special skills and bringing other people's music to the masses.
Sure, there are DJ (producers) who mash up and create legit remixes of popular songs. But I've seen DJ's mashup and remix a remix of a remix of a remix, where the song just doesn't make anymore sense. For everyone one song out there, there are probably 20 remixes already that you can just put in your set.
You have to look at it from the crowd's perspective. Do you really think that girl bouncing around in front of your booth with a smile on her face holding a Mai Tai cares if you're remixing and mashing up a song, twisting 20 knobs, making stupid faces and what not?
I am for seamless mixing of music and genres, and feel that is a great skill to have regardless if you use SYNC or other automated methods. But, once the song is playing, why can't you just enjoy the music and not f*ck it up or play only 20 seconds of it before moving onto another track? I feel DJs are making this too hard for themselves. It makes sense why Steve Angello and other famous DJs keep it simple. We criticize them for "not doing much on stage" but in the end, they made it big.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 1:14 pm
jbart19
If I had to guess, never been there, the UK audiences are typically much more used to, and looking for artistic DJs. You have 50 million people crammed into an area smaller than most US states. And that population I would guess has much more experience with artistic DJs. Here in the midwest/south part of the US we have to deal with an audience that in many ways is decades behind or has no interest in that type of entertainment. This is a stronghold for southern baptists and country music. If you are not familiar with southern baptists they don't dance, and they don't drink. Entire parts of my state are "dry" meaning you cannot buy alcohol...period.
But I am also not going to travel hundreds of miles just to show-off. Some people would and good for them - I love seeing artists get the attention they deserve.
Would it be nice to have an audience that pushed me and my DJ friends locally to be amazing artists - heck yeah.
Am I going to move away from my family and the lifestyle I enjoy just for that - no.
I think we have missed that the OP said "95% of us" The 5% that make a living traveling from club to club and city to city, or live in an area like SoCal or a sophisticated metropolitan area that can support and truly appreciate an artistic DJ are the lucky ones.
Bottom line is there is room in the profession for all of us. There are enough gigs and types of crowds that we can all be happy. I
In this economy I will happily take $1000 for a wedding and be "boring" all night over booking a dance club for $400 and throwing a more advanced set.
And with most weddings I get done by midnight and still have time to meet up with friends at the bar for a few hours :)
I don't want this to start flame war -- I just want to point out that not all situations have the same opportunities without significant lifestyle decisions.
But I am also not going to travel hundreds of miles just to show-off. Some people would and good for them - I love seeing artists get the attention they deserve.
Would it be nice to have an audience that pushed me and my DJ friends locally to be amazing artists - heck yeah.
Am I going to move away from my family and the lifestyle I enjoy just for that - no.
I think we have missed that the OP said "95% of us" The 5% that make a living traveling from club to club and city to city, or live in an area like SoCal or a sophisticated metropolitan area that can support and truly appreciate an artistic DJ are the lucky ones.
Bottom line is there is room in the profession for all of us. There are enough gigs and types of crowds that we can all be happy. I
In this economy I will happily take $1000 for a wedding and be "boring" all night over booking a dance club for $400 and throwing a more advanced set.
And with most weddings I get done by midnight and still have time to meet up with friends at the bar for a few hours :)
I don't want this to start flame war -- I just want to point out that not all situations have the same opportunities without significant lifestyle decisions.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 1:38 pm
the SOUND INSURGENT
It sounds like to me you should just quit cause you don't enjoy what you do, just there for a check.........maybe a different venue where you can express yourself playing your own music instead of playing other peoples tracks........
I don't use a ton of effects or loops for that matter, but even if I play the shittest track ever, as long as I'm moving, dancing around have a good time the crowd will feel my energy and still dance and have fun. At the same time we put on our own shows so we don't have a club owner telling us what do or what to play.
Sure they'll dance but if you as Dj is having a great time and they see that, they'll have a much better night which in return leads to more people coming to see you cause they'll tell all their friends about you which means more money for everyone!
Good Luck
Huey
I don't use a ton of effects or loops for that matter, but even if I play the shittest track ever, as long as I'm moving, dancing around have a good time the crowd will feel my energy and still dance and have fun. At the same time we put on our own shows so we don't have a club owner telling us what do or what to play.
Sure they'll dance but if you as Dj is having a great time and they see that, they'll have a much better night which in return leads to more people coming to see you cause they'll tell all their friends about you which means more money for everyone!
Good Luck
Huey
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 2:17 pm
jbart19
"Boring" in this context only referred to - not overlaying effects, mash-ups, drops, or loops. "boring" meant playing songs through without altering them.
I didn't mean for it to mean I wasn't showing energy or enjoying myself. you are spot on saying that a crowd can draw energy from the DJ or get completely turned off by someone who looks unhappy. Making people have fun is what we get paid for. You have to at least be able to do that
It is just artistically " boring" not "holy crap why am I here" boring.
And yeah I will take a less artistic gig that doesn't push my abilities for 250% of the income. But there are plenty of DJs that would kill me on artistic flavor and ability that would never make it through a "boring" wedding because of all of the other duties that take time to develop skills for outside of the music. It's just 2 different worlds. Neither better than the other.
With almost $500,000 in dept to pay off between student loans and a mortgage you bet I'm taking the higher paying gig - that while still fun - may not be as artistic. I can get my artsy on at my private parties instead or set aside 1 night a month for that kind of stuff it just doesn't make good business sense in my area to do it all the time.
I didn't mean for it to mean I wasn't showing energy or enjoying myself. you are spot on saying that a crowd can draw energy from the DJ or get completely turned off by someone who looks unhappy. Making people have fun is what we get paid for. You have to at least be able to do that
It is just artistically " boring" not "holy crap why am I here" boring.
And yeah I will take a less artistic gig that doesn't push my abilities for 250% of the income. But there are plenty of DJs that would kill me on artistic flavor and ability that would never make it through a "boring" wedding because of all of the other duties that take time to develop skills for outside of the music. It's just 2 different worlds. Neither better than the other.
With almost $500,000 in dept to pay off between student loans and a mortgage you bet I'm taking the higher paying gig - that while still fun - may not be as artistic. I can get my artsy on at my private parties instead or set aside 1 night a month for that kind of stuff it just doesn't make good business sense in my area to do it all the time.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 2:48 pm
the SOUND INSURGENT
It wasnt aimed at you J, lol!
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 2:54 pm
jbart19
No prob - it just seamed like you might be saying if you are bored doing your gigs than find another job :)
I have no idea why I have devoted so much energy to this thread - I guess just easily rattled today for some reason.
I feel much better now though :) thanks for letting me rant, and sorry tot he OP for slightly hi-jacking - now back to your regularly scheduled programming :)
Hope every body gets what they are looking for out of this great and fun vocation. :D
I have no idea why I have devoted so much energy to this thread - I guess just easily rattled today for some reason.
I feel much better now though :) thanks for letting me rant, and sorry tot he OP for slightly hi-jacking - now back to your regularly scheduled programming :)
Hope every body gets what they are looking for out of this great and fun vocation. :D
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 3:21 pm
xcakid
I for one have played at clubs here in Dallas and in SoCal. Here's my observations:
Small/med clubs and some large clubs = People don't care. They want Top40, Hip Hop (these are probably the clubs you speak of)
A select few large clubs that actually host artist and touring DJ's = People that come to these clubs are primarily, not all, primarily are there for the music. The poser will be in the VIP room and getting bottle service. The rest are there to hear music. They will not want crappy stuff played on the radio. They want cutting edge stuff. Here in Dallas, you have Lizard lounge and late Zouk (although Zouk is still doing the Top40 thing).
In a big city you typically only have a handful of clubs that are, what I would consider, cutting edge. They will have DJ's that are really good at what they do. This is the club where you would hear really new music and people do not mind dancing to songs they never heard before and actually expect it. They go wild when they hear a new spin on a old song.
Having said that most DJ's only experience play at the clubs that are in majority. Reason: They become stagnant and start going by way of the norm. DJ's that push them selves. Create their own niche. Develop a following. Not content at just playing music. Those are the ones that make it. Its a very small percentage.
Frankly most DJ's are like you and I. Get burnt out. Get tired of the hustle or worse yet, never hustle. Or just do this for fun.
I for one am a hybrid, I hustle to get into those few clubs that I would consider cutting edge and aspire to make it big. However, I am a realist and know that I need to keep a day job just in case it does not happen. So for now I do it for fun. Until if and when I burn out again or actually make it.
Small/med clubs and some large clubs = People don't care. They want Top40, Hip Hop (these are probably the clubs you speak of)
A select few large clubs that actually host artist and touring DJ's = People that come to these clubs are primarily, not all, primarily are there for the music. The poser will be in the VIP room and getting bottle service. The rest are there to hear music. They will not want crappy stuff played on the radio. They want cutting edge stuff. Here in Dallas, you have Lizard lounge and late Zouk (although Zouk is still doing the Top40 thing).
In a big city you typically only have a handful of clubs that are, what I would consider, cutting edge. They will have DJ's that are really good at what they do. This is the club where you would hear really new music and people do not mind dancing to songs they never heard before and actually expect it. They go wild when they hear a new spin on a old song.
Having said that most DJ's only experience play at the clubs that are in majority. Reason: They become stagnant and start going by way of the norm. DJ's that push them selves. Create their own niche. Develop a following. Not content at just playing music. Those are the ones that make it. Its a very small percentage.
Frankly most DJ's are like you and I. Get burnt out. Get tired of the hustle or worse yet, never hustle. Or just do this for fun.
I for one am a hybrid, I hustle to get into those few clubs that I would consider cutting edge and aspire to make it big. However, I am a realist and know that I need to keep a day job just in case it does not happen. So for now I do it for fun. Until if and when I burn out again or actually make it.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 3:37 pm
xcakid
oooppp double post
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 3:38 pm
dre99gsx
Yes, please keep in mind, I am not discussing standing still like a tree. Dancing, enjoying yourself, I'm game, I do it myself (Jesus pose included).
I'm simply talking about the aspect of having to look like your working hard at making the music seem like a live production, either pretending or actually chaning the song with loops, filters, effects, etc, when in reality you can just let the music play and still have the audience enjoy themselves.
It makes absolute sense why many DJ booths are hidden in the back room at some of these clubs. It's not about the DJ as a personality or someone you have to "Watch". It's about the music coming out. Why are we as DJs now becoming obsessed with a stage performance when we are still playing recorded music? Is it about how much better you can do with two hands vs. a computer?
I wonder if due to the computer age, music is made so well, and is so complex, that us DJs have nothing else to do to make them any better. Now that a DJ has become the center piece of a party, putting them on a podium (DeadMau5 included), are we forced to act like we are doing something so complex and impressive that people will be amazed?
Please don't think I am attacking anyone on here. I'm simply asking questions to get people's opinion.
I'm simply talking about the aspect of having to look like your working hard at making the music seem like a live production, either pretending or actually chaning the song with loops, filters, effects, etc, when in reality you can just let the music play and still have the audience enjoy themselves.
It makes absolute sense why many DJ booths are hidden in the back room at some of these clubs. It's not about the DJ as a personality or someone you have to "Watch". It's about the music coming out. Why are we as DJs now becoming obsessed with a stage performance when we are still playing recorded music? Is it about how much better you can do with two hands vs. a computer?
I wonder if due to the computer age, music is made so well, and is so complex, that us DJs have nothing else to do to make them any better. Now that a DJ has become the center piece of a party, putting them on a podium (DeadMau5 included), are we forced to act like we are doing something so complex and impressive that people will be amazed?
Please don't think I am attacking anyone on here. I'm simply asking questions to get people's opinion.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 3:39 pm
xcakid
dre99gsx wrote :
Yes, please keep in mind, I am not discussing standing still like a tree. Dancing, enjoying yourself, I'm game, I do it myself (Jesus pose included).
I'm simply talking about the aspect of having to look like your working hard at making the music seem like a live production, either pretending or actually chaning the song with loops, filters, effects, etc, when in reality you can just let the music play and still have the audience enjoy themselves.
It makes absolute sense why many DJ booths are hidden in the back room at some of these clubs. It's not about the DJ as a personality or someone you have to "Watch". It's about the music coming out. Why are we as DJs now becoming obsessed with a stage performance when we are still playing recorded music? Is it about how much better you can do with two hands vs. a computer?
I wonder if due to the computer age, music is made so well, and is so complex, that us DJs have nothing else to do to make them any better. Now that a DJ has become the center piece of a party, putting them on a podium (DeadMau5 included), are we forced to act like we are doing something so complex and impressive that people will be amazed?
Please don't think I am attacking anyone on here. I'm simply asking questions to get people's opinion.
I'm simply talking about the aspect of having to look like your working hard at making the music seem like a live production, either pretending or actually chaning the song with loops, filters, effects, etc, when in reality you can just let the music play and still have the audience enjoy themselves.
It makes absolute sense why many DJ booths are hidden in the back room at some of these clubs. It's not about the DJ as a personality or someone you have to "Watch". It's about the music coming out. Why are we as DJs now becoming obsessed with a stage performance when we are still playing recorded music? Is it about how much better you can do with two hands vs. a computer?
I wonder if due to the computer age, music is made so well, and is so complex, that us DJs have nothing else to do to make them any better. Now that a DJ has become the center piece of a party, putting them on a podium (DeadMau5 included), are we forced to act like we are doing something so complex and impressive that people will be amazed?
Please don't think I am attacking anyone on here. I'm simply asking questions to get people's opinion.
Oh OK, I get what you mean now. HAHAHAH
Guess cause most of those DJ's are on coke, X or just drunk off their asses.
I mean I dance bop around in the booth. Sometime you gotta do that to hype up the crowd. But yeah, some DJ's do get carried away.
I am sure though that Deadmau5 got some crazy look when he first donned that huge mouse head before he was famous. But folks kinda expect it now. Sometime a signature performance or gimmick is a way for you to get noticed and talked about.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 3:44 pm
the SOUND INSURGENT
That was what I was sayin, lol!! If you don't like what your doing or bored its gonna show in either your performance or attitude or both at the same time. I don't do weddings so I can't really speak on those. I have been to a few receptions and yes its the djs job to entertain. Sure not all crazy like if were in a club (although I've seen some get that crazy) but your there to put on a show. And I'm not talking about mashups and a ton of effects but you gotta let people know your there, not some werido stuck in corner with a laptop........ I don't know where I'm going with this but I do know that the day I call djing boring ill quit! And if you check my Facebook page you'd see I've quit, not cause I'm bored but because my family is growing and need me around the house more, so for now I'm fine with that. I still have my group and we still do shows but everything else I'm done.
Huey
Huey
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 3:49 pm
gullum
we get paid for entertaining the people so as long as you are making people happy you are doing your job. If you do a bad job you might be ruining the night for lots of people. But almost no gig I've done is the same some nights I need to play 80's hits other nights it's mix mash fx it all depends on the people at the gig.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 4:42 pm
joflo
++++++++++++as long as I'm moving, dancing around have a good time the crowd will feel my energy and still dance and have fun. At the same time we put on our own shows so we don't have a club owner telling us what do or what to play.
Sure they'll dance but if you as Dj is having a great time and they see that, they'll have a much better night which in return leads to more people coming to see you cause they'll tell all their friends about you which means more money for everyone!+++++++++++++++++++
It's a shame most patrons don't know and apologize this (have to deal with one at the moment ;-( ). They still think they can put ANY DJ in front of a crowd as long as his transitions are flawless.
But there are so many other "soft skills" of a DJ that really makes a crowd go wild...........................................
Sure they'll dance but if you as Dj is having a great time and they see that, they'll have a much better night which in return leads to more people coming to see you cause they'll tell all their friends about you which means more money for everyone!+++++++++++++++++++
It's a shame most patrons don't know and apologize this (have to deal with one at the moment ;-( ). They still think they can put ANY DJ in front of a crowd as long as his transitions are flawless.
But there are so many other "soft skills" of a DJ that really makes a crowd go wild...........................................
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 4:54 pm
Bren F
I must agree with the author of this thread, that the vast majority of people don't know about or care for the "art" of DJ'ing, in the creative sense. As far as the music is concerned, people mainly want to hear the songs they know and love, that are dance floor friendly. They don't want to here the DJ's effects arsenal, they don't want to hear the remix, they want to hear what they know. It provokes that reaction when it drops not because the DJ is amazing, but because they've been feed the song on radio, youtube, TV etc, it's a bandwagon and a useful one for DJ's. In such places the club goers rarely even look in the direction of the DJ, they don't subscribe to the belief that this particular DJ is some sort of star, they merely believe they've got the best job in the club.
The above definitely sums up at least 90% of the people who go out 90% of the time.
It's the venues that sell the DJ as the main attraction, people are paying to see a DJ perform an entertaining set, but on a similar level people know what to expect. Expectation is the key point, you walk into a random bar/club you expect top 40/club music, you expect cheap drinks and you expect that in a minute you wouldn't know a good mix from a bad one.
If you go to a David Guetta concert you expect he'll play "without you" and "little bad girl", it doesn't take Einstein to work it out. You could play the exact same set, in an equally as impressive manor, you could even do the arm signals like you're an air traffic controller on crack, but your name wont sell tens of thousands of tickets.
That's two extremes I know, but the trouble is that you have 90% of the DJ's who want to cater to that 10% (of underground music lovers), because the real DJ is the music lover who took it further.
The above said, there's definitely a trend in the attitudes of DJ's these days, a growing number of them want to discredit other DJ's based on technical skills, rather than confront the bigger, more useful skill of playing the right songs, at the right time, simply by reading the crowd.
DJ'ing isn't an artform but it can be, and it's nice when it is.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 5:49 pm
synthet1c
every "dj" that has been qouted as being able to pull off a performance is a producer... they can "remix" on the fly, because its their song they are playing, and they always make it sound like their music so it fits their set perfectly because all they are playing is them, and they use tools to allow them to perform their songs seamlessly. They don't use basic dj programs like traktor, serato and VDJ, they use ableton which allows for this to happen live but perfect even if it is different. accept for maybe david guetta and tiesto, but it is still all original
To me the best reference for an amazing dj is andy c, he is a master selector, he will play anything that fits, he will move the set in waves to allow the peaks and troughs not only in individual tracks but over a series of songs, the only effect he uses is the filter on the xone 92, hell he even uses vinyl, and he uses pre cut synced records, his timing is impeccable never dropping the energy unless he chooses.
an example of a dj that can use effects is james zabeila, he has perfected the use of the efx 1000 and so is always an extension of his set, but he does it so well that it is just part of his sound, but that is also a gimmik that he uses in a little of his set. most of what he does is take you on a deep journey that you can get lost in, then harden up to get the place pumping and take you out on a high, again track selection is everything.
the biggest gripe i have about noobs is that they just cant hear that they suck, it takes a couple of years for most to actually hear the music the way it is coming out of the speakers, but hey I used to think that effects were amazing and made me sound really cool when I was in my bedroom, I was a douche bag that kept the flanger on for half the track, filtered out the main synth and made my own buildup using loops... that is just being a noob, everyone starts that way, and I can respect that if noobs love what you do, they will get there in the end, but hey I dont have to like it until they get there. LOL
To me the best reference for an amazing dj is andy c, he is a master selector, he will play anything that fits, he will move the set in waves to allow the peaks and troughs not only in individual tracks but over a series of songs, the only effect he uses is the filter on the xone 92, hell he even uses vinyl, and he uses pre cut synced records, his timing is impeccable never dropping the energy unless he chooses.
an example of a dj that can use effects is james zabeila, he has perfected the use of the efx 1000 and so is always an extension of his set, but he does it so well that it is just part of his sound, but that is also a gimmik that he uses in a little of his set. most of what he does is take you on a deep journey that you can get lost in, then harden up to get the place pumping and take you out on a high, again track selection is everything.
the biggest gripe i have about noobs is that they just cant hear that they suck, it takes a couple of years for most to actually hear the music the way it is coming out of the speakers, but hey I used to think that effects were amazing and made me sound really cool when I was in my bedroom, I was a douche bag that kept the flanger on for half the track, filtered out the main synth and made my own buildup using loops... that is just being a noob, everyone starts that way, and I can respect that if noobs love what you do, they will get there in the end, but hey I dont have to like it until they get there. LOL
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 6:18 pm
Bren F
That's just it, 98% of people who twist knobs all night are noobs soon to be out of the job, the other 2% are on 10-20 grand a night.
Posted Thu 20 Oct 11 @ 6:25 pm
