It seems like everyone is talking about the advent of modern technology in DJing. Some are in favour of it and some are in extreme opposition to it – and as time goes by, the debate is – if anything – getting more brutal and less sensible.
Now, whether you love where technology is taking DJing or whether you hate it, I’m writing today to ask both sides to try and see the bigger picture. After all, all that a turntable, CDJ, or Midi controller really is to a DJ is their medium. Since when has a medium ever dictated the worth of an artist?
The dancefloor doesn’t think in terms of beat matching, BPMs, or “what kind of equipment you’re running”; only DJs think about these things. Yet some DJs, it seems, are so fixated on the medium that they forget the two most important things about it all: the music and the experience.
Isn’t the mark of a good DJ someone who can rock the party using any available gear?
I’ve never once heard of an average clubber go up to a DJ and say, “You aren’t a good DJ because you aren’t using turntables.” Give me a break! A good DJ is a good DJ no matter what they use. In fact, isn’t the mark of a good DJ someone who can rock the party using any available gear? I honestly struggle to understand it.
Before we had cars, we used horses. Before we had horses, we used our own two feet. So how come people aren’t ridiculed for using a car and not a horse, or for not walking everywhere? And how come car drivers don’t routinely point and laugh at pedestrians for choosing to walk?
So as a plea for unity…
Dear Vinyl DJs,
Please, it’s time to embrace technology and nurture the DJs of the future. Think how cool it is that anyone who genuinely (believe me, you can tell who the genuine ones are) wants to know about DJing can now learn about it a lot more easily (and a lot more cheaply) than they could 10 or 20 years ago. You spent hours practising, matching those beats and hauling around crates, and now today’s lucky DJs don’t have to!
Midi controllers and tempo syncing aren’t your enemies; they’re your friends. They actually mean that now, DJs can enjoy their sets and the crowd even more, without having to worry about the small stuff. (Let’s be honest, beatmatching is really not that big of a deal. A child can start a turntable. An intelligent child can match beats.)
The essential experience with rocking the crowd still remains. And let’s face it: The technology is not going away. Isn’t it time to accept it?
With best wishes, etc.
Dear Digital DJs,
Please understand that just because you have a program that automatically beatmatches, it doesn’t make you a DJ. A DJ is an ambassador of good music. DJs read their crowd and pick the tunes that seem to be meant for just that particular moment. A real DJ gets the crowd ecstatic. If you can’t accomplish this, then you’re not yet a DJ – whatever you’re using to play the tunes on.
You could do a lot worse than getting a set of turntables or at least messing around with someone else’s. Give respect to those who came before you, and know your roots. Mix on anything you can get your hands on – it will make you a strong, well-rounded DJ.
And don’t undercut other DJs’ prices just because your set up isn’t as elaborate as theirs; it only hurts the profession. If you give respect to your tools, you’ll probably get more respect for using them.
With kind regards, etc.
PS…
If you are a vinyl DJ and feel digital DJing is inferior and stupid, then sorry but for me, you don’t really love DJing. Likewise: If you’re a digital DJ who thinks vinyl is overrated and lame, then you don’t really love DJing either. The point is, if you’re a DJ who really loves your art, you’ll love everything it has to offer.
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” So said German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer.
I think digital DJing is going through the first two of these stages at the moment: Being ridiculed and violently opposed. After all, CDJs were hated when they came out, but are now an industry standard. New tools, new rules – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for everyone.
• Matthew is a Digital DJ Tips reader who’s getting tired of DJs bickering among themselves and wanted to try and encourage some harmony through this article…
Do you think it’s time to stop bickering and all get under the same roof, rocking the party together? Or can’t you accept the viewpoints of your fellow DJs, for whatever reason? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Now go to:
5 Reasons Why Digital DJing Beats Vinyl
5 Reasons Why Vinyl DJing Beats Digital
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Tags: vinyl vs digital
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0la5DBtOVNI&feature=player_embedded
[ link ]To each his own. My opinion is:
Respect the past, embrace the future.
There’s always going to be a generation before that had “their way of doing it” and they think the new way is not the right way. All in all, the cream rises to the top. A lot of things will come and go and the best will survive.
To all the jocks still lugging around vinyl bad mouthing digital jocks, grow up. If you’re gonna do it, do it because it’s your choice. Talking badly about others who do it differently begats more negativity from the other side. (you sound like the grandfather talking to his grandchildren complaining about when you walked to school in the snow, barefoot, uphill, both ways!)
To all the digital jocks, learn from those that came before you. Respect how things were done and embrace the basics of being a DJ. (beat-matching by ear, programming a room, etc.) It will only make you a better DJ. Take pride in the art and don’t cut corners, it will hurt you in the long run.
-Dj Truelove
[ link ]Good, good post. Great, in fact.
[ link ]Great article. Indeed, I’ve embrassed the Digital Era, but I do respect DJ history. Turntables will never die in a true DJ soul. There are even modern controllers that have motorized vynil platters. Whatever you choose, the most important is to enjoy what you’re doing and make the crowd bounce with your groove. Cheers!
[ link ]I was okay with most of this until I get to the “Dear Vinyl DJ” section… It’s almost like the author of the article felt the need to negate everything he said. Who in their right mind would negate “practicing of their craft” and “the skill of beat matching by ear”. Sure vinyl DJ’s have it wrong about “what you use” making you a DJ, however they do have it right about buying the set up today and boom you’re DJ tomorrow. I’ve been playing records, tapes, and CD’s since I was 7 or 8 years old, but i’ve been digital spinning less than 2 years… Even now you wont see “DJ” in front of my name, and I practices for hours because I love it and want to earn mine. Sadly in all that we do one always deep down wants the respect of their peers, but you can’t just have it given to you… It takes time to get good, even Kobe Bryant takes the repitition of practice seriously and does it all the time. It takes real skill and a great knowledge of the music you play to be a dope DJ…
[ link ]I think you probably earned the “DJ” title long ago. You just need to stop looking at it like it’s a rank in the military.
In my eyes, there’s good DJs and there’s bad DJs. The big issue (and I come down on both vinyl and midi DJs for this) is they think beatmatching is what makes a DJ different from a guy just playing music. It’s why I keep pointing out GOOD BLENDING over just beatmatching. Using those EQs, volume balance, and especially good programming so things flow nicely together.
To me, a DJ is someone with the love of it all. Doesn’t matter if they’ve been in their basement practicing for years, or if they just bought an $80 cheap “toy” midi control. I’ll see many times who’s in it for the name/popularity, and who’s in it for the music. It always rings clear in their sets…even if they play top 40.
[ link ]Good point, thanks…
[ link ]Amen to the article ….now lets sit back and watch people do the exact thing the post warns against ….bicker back and forth.
[ link ]Ha ha, dare we ask the other readers what they think is better between macs and PCs?
[ link ]I think Matthew has been very balanced and careful to appease both sides of this argument… hopefully we can make a few people realise there are better things to concern ourselves with that format wars.
[ link ]Excellent post. I agree that it’s good practice to be versed in using different formats as you never know what situations you be faced with and being able to play at least one other format may help in sticky situations. I for one love turntables, CDJs and DVS with midi controllers. There’s fun to be had with all!
[ link ]Great article. My first mixtape was exactly that a mixtape. Made by cutting and splicing tapes together. Then I moved on to some belt drive turntables until I could afford a pair of Technics. Then I tried out CD players back when they were all rack mount, and then of course tabletop players (I remember all the debate and controversy back then). Now I use the T1 and Traktor. I think it’s a very good thing for DJ’s to embrace new technology, but I feel like it’s just as important for DJ’s to know the history of the art, and even more important to know how to rock a party. My fans who have been at my parties have always been fascinated by my new gear, and eager to see what I can do with it. I believe you will find most of the top international DJ’s are using some sort of software integration in there sets through either MIDI interface or control vinyl. That’s why you see laptops on the stage with the exception of battle competitions like DMC. It’s just easier to bring all of your music in that lightweight form than to choose a limited selection to lug around.
[ link ]Great article.
The sibling rivalry between vinyl DJ’s and digital dj’s have gotten a little out of hand. Digital and Purest will always undermine each other, however when DJ’ing as a whole is attacked..grudges are put aside to defend the craft as a whole.
[ link ]I started on records and still have every single piece of vinyl I’ve ever purchased. Until I need the money I will never part with my technics or my collection. Having transitioned from CDs to DVS to strictly midi controllers and now a spacecraft like setup that communicates with our VJ I think that the technology enables new avenues of creativity. Where once being creative meant soldering your own synthesizer and working an 808 we have been enabled to projector map, sync to midi, and create Madeon like sets that people are trying to understand much like the early days of turntablism. “How did he do that?”
Rather than fill an argument with “yeah, but” let’s try a little, “yeah, and”. By this time if you’re still on your stump with your “end of the world” sign or equivalent luddite opinion we’re already moving on without you and no one should waste any more time on convincing those folks. That mindset is as ignorant as one that looks upon DJs as non-musicians/artists. Even worse yet are those hypocrites that take one form of digital DJing and put their noses in the air at the mention of another form/program they’ve likely never tried.
This conversation is tired and this is likely my last comments on the matter.
[ link ]It’s funny…I’m actually thinking of recording my collection to WAV, storing it in duplicate on two external hard drives, and then selling off all the vinyl.
For me, my love affair has been with the music and not the medium. As long as I have it safe then I could part with my vinyl…especially since I don’t want to think about storing it down the road.
[ link ]This might not be that legal though. If you make copy to yourself and sell the original, it’s probably considered unauthorized reproduction.
[ link ]My setup includes 2 turntables, NI Kontrol S4, Vestax Pad-One, MidiFighter Pro. In the last 7 days I have finished writing another article on midi-mapping in Traktor and also joined Qbert’s Skratch U so I can can seriously learn to scratch (wanted to do this for years). 15 years ago I played out on Technics and only Technics – today I will play on anything. I use SYNC, DVS and good old fashioned vinyl. This is what matters to me…
[ link ]“Give respect to those who came before you, and know your roots”
+1
Thank you Matthew.
My biggest gripe is how “easy” people call themselves djs. I practiced for months and had played a few parties before I dared advertise myself in the same domain as the experienced heavyweights.
There is so much to learn from understanding where the music and style came from… This has been one of my favorite posts on this blog and for that I thank you.
[ link ]I haven´t problem with Midi console, but I have problem when Dj don´t know beatmatching and always use a Sync or Beatcounter.
[ link ]I think most of begginers with Midi consoles just use sync.
When I was started and bought a CD players with beatcounter but I was learned to beatmatching with ears because I know that It better because I feel the music and for some tracks (or styles) It is with beatcounter or sync useless.
And don´t tell mi that you can save time when you use sync and you can use effects or somethings. Djs who realy know to use effects is just few.
Again, it’s not about wether a DJ can beatmatch, it’s about the experience you give to the people on the dance-floor.
[ link ]hey there …I read with interest your article on embracing digital tools and technology or staying with Vinyl…
it reminded me of when I was a young Dj in the late 70s ….when the BIG topic of the day was whether to mix or to talk….and a lot of hot air gushed forth from different quarters …and most of those who where doing the shouting negatively about mixing have long since disappeared
On a more positive note I remember Pete Stringfellow talking at a dj conference around the same time in Birmingham about how when “Saturday Night Fever” kicked off, he and his resident dj spent ages one night in Manchester trying to mix the tunes together rather than talk over the links like they would normally do….and how excited they got when they got tunes in Sync only to discover that in the process they had completely emptied the floor ……so they came to the conclusion ….Mixing was interesting but not at the expense of the customers dancing ….so dont practice when you should be DJing …but do ….practice….and then you can have the best of both worlds
of course nowadays very few djs talk …but its interesting how here we are once again discussing whether we should or shouldnt do X or Y or Z
instead of ignoring technology we could open our minds and embrace it
[ link ]whilst accepting that vinyl for some is still good and the only way to go and so are cds players and so are the new controllers with laptops and I know from my own personal experience that I can now create remixes on my computer that I could only have dreamed of back then
If you watch Ritchie Hawtin dj/ing …hes mind blowing using all the modern technology and I defy you not to dance when hes on a roll
so I recommend you embrace the technology and use it to your advantage
and remember ….if you fill the floor …you’ll fill the clubs and if you fill the clubs you’ll fill your pockets and then you’ll get extremely well paid for doing something that in the beginning you where absolutely delighted to do for nothing anyway …just to be a dj….have fun Ralph
And this is why I love digital dj tips more than dj tech tools. Articles that truly examine multiple sides of an issue, and that aren’t influenced by influxes of cash from outside companies. Thanks DDT, you guys are great!
[ link ]Now you’re talking like a minimalist, like me… It’s an age thing I think!
[ link ]We just do what we do, I think it’s great there is a choice of Djgital DJing sites.
[ link ]I think that the point being made about people buying kit and then calling themselves dj’s is the only really large problem with DJing today. I remember practicing using just my mouse and keyboard while working a job to earn enough for a DN-MC6000. My rational was simply wrong. I believed that buying the gear would enable me to become a “real” dj, rather than a tool enabling me to enhance my dj-ing. However after playing a few parties and the like after, I have since realized that years of practice is not important, matching beats is not important, and you dont need Technics or an S4, what IS important are the songs you play, and the love you have for music. If there is some dude playing some awesome songs off of his iPod into some rinky dink speakers, then I think he is better than some guy with Pioneers blasting the same tired songs in some massive Ibiza club. People, including myself, forget what the most important part of Dj-ing really is… the music.
[ link ]Cheers!
I’ve seen plenty of guys buy 1200s (used and new), but still never “got it” when it came to being a DJ.
I agree that it’s about the passion. Nothing more.
[ link ]Lets be honest here,unless you have a large degree of luck alongside talent and specialize in a particular style it will not be all about the music in fact the music will just be a tools a means to an end.
[ link ]As a pro dj many times you will have to play crap music with a smile on your face.
The saving grace about this and the thing that some people will not want to hear is that it is all about creating an atmosphere regardless of the type of music you are playing!
Alex’s statement above me is the most pure statement made in any side of the arguement. I listened to various forms of rock and classical for years but when I heard my first real electronic tune I was hooked in a way that I never experienced before. For me, I want to be a dj to enlighten people and hopefully share some of the impact its had on me. At best I expose people to something awesome, at worst I am better than people playing top 40 off youtube at a college party…..whether im on vinyl or digital
[ link ]Like, like, 10,000x like. Good post!
[ link ]One thing to remember about the days of the Technics 1200: Back then, equipment made it a level playing field. No matter what you did, you had the same tools as anyone else and when you showed up at a gig, the records you brought and how you used the turntable and mixer is all you had to differentiate you from the next person on after you. It was a romantic time when dj’s would switch their headphones out and pass the “torch” to each other, with the sense of community that we were all captains of the same ship. Now there are as many setups as there are dj’s and nothing is considered “industry standard” anymore.
I’ve been on both sides of the argument and finally have given in to this one fact: Technology has passed the turntable by and there’s no going back.
I can scratch and beatmatch, phase two copies of the same record and do spinbacks all I want but nowadays, NOBODY CARES ANYMORE. The average person on the dancefloor doesn’t care if you’re using cd’s, vinyl, Serato, Ableton Live, or Traktor. They only care if the jam is pumpin’. Beatmatching is still great to know if you’re using Serato but since nobody cares.. you can just sync using software. Since you rarely hear beats being off anymore because most people are syncing, who wants to stand out by being the one guy whose beats are off a little bit, ever? Plus there are many new things that controllerism can add to the actual music like effects, looping stems, faster changes, filters, etc. that just couldn’t be done before.
It was hard to see them go but I finally sold my Technics and got a midi controller, sound card and Ableton Live. I use everything I learned with vinyl but now concentrating on finding new digital music is my mission. I miss the old days where everyone was in the same boat but that ship has sailed, it’s time to either sink or swim.
[ link ]I remember that back in the days I used technics sl-d2′s…….this was of couse before the 1200′s had arrived. then technology kicked in a little bit and the 1200′s were on the scene. Now I didn’t moan and groan about the newer technology showing up…..I evolved while continuing to strive to provide the best party possible. Good music is good music. The same goes to production…instruments have evolved and while it is imperative to know the fundamentals, we are always learning more and more about ourselves and each other and should learn how to respect the respectable.
[ link ]Great article! I’ve been on turntables for 5 years and Two months ago I moved on digital. I love it! RESPECT for both vinyl and digital djs. Love for all our music culture!
[ link ]I use an S4. Ive never had to beatmatch by ear in a live situation besides the occasional Nudge on a poor beat-gridded track. Your crowd who is (hopefully) dancing and going crazy in your club doesnt care what you use or if you can beat match. They just want to hear their songs, and some suprises and have a great night with friends. I have a ton of respect for DJs who still use 12s and “do it right”. In fact Im borrowing my buddies 12s for a bit just so I can try it. But seriously, whats with all the hate from both sides.
[ link ]This is so good in so many ways.
[ link ]Finally a balanced approach to this debate. Thank you Matthew, I thank you from the deep of my heart. Now i can save tons of time by just linking this page everytime someone is bitching about sync button.
I’ve said this in other articles like this, so I might as well pipe up again. I strongly disagree with anyone who says it isn’t important to learn how to mix by ear. But not because “it’s cheating” doing it another way, and not because any one format “is superior” to the other. Mixing by ear is one of the best ways to get a true feeling of the music and to really get an understanding of what will work together and what won’t. Yes, you can still develop that skill without ever learning to match two beats, but it’s the learning that helps understand *what* you are hearing.
When I’m running a long mix, I still frequently close my eyes, drop the headphones and just listen to what I’m doing – and I can nudge a mix back into alignment long before anyone else knows there is something not sounding right.
[ link ]Best part of the article.. “stop undercutting prices.”
[ link ]+1 on that!
[ link ]Stop undercutting prices
Perhaps it’s time a DJs Union was created to standardise pricing. Probably close to impossible to implement but it bears thinking about.
[ link ]Totally agree with you there,average going rate for some gigs is worse now than it was 20 years ago.
[ link ]The article is great in that we need to bring the scene back together a bit. I have been DJing for years and Im very excited by the digital dj world… as I was when CDJ’s came out. Each format change is liberating, and should be embraced.
I used to wait for hours to download tunes from a site called ‘icrunch’ (anyone remember that?) using my 56k modem back in 2000, then burn to discs and slowly mixed them up with vinyl using my first CDJ as a third deck. Back then the download catalogues was minimal, and some people used to laugh at me getting so excited about downloading music… but now the tables have turned.
DJ’s that will only play vinyl make me laugh as I think they forget how/why the music was created in the first place. Computers and hi tech equipment have always been central to dance music production, so why shouldnt it be like that for actually playing the music out? To me dance music has always been about a forward thinking and innovation. You cant get away from the fact that vinyl is now an old school format… we need to push forward.
Regardless of format… The music, and the enjoyment of it is the most important thing as many people here have rightly stated. I still beatmatch my stuff manually sometimes, but if im layering loops I will sync up. At the end of the day, the art of blending tunes is still there, beatmatching was just the technical part of process. Putting the right tunes together in the right order is still a required skill. Its has made it a bit easier, but you can use it to your advantage. I love looping the outro of the outgoing tune so that it doesnt ‘run out’ before I have reached the point where I want to make the complete switch. Its just an enhancement.
[ link ]Great Words!!! Some people turn art in War, a Dj Play whatever at any time for all the people, a little respect guys, thanks for your words.
Regards,
Cristek, Buenos Aires, Argentina
[ link ]Brilliant article. +1
[ link ]Vinyl is awesome. MP3′s and WAV’s are awesome. So what’s the problem?
[ link ]If you’re not an orchestral conductor overseeing a philharmonic orchestra blending a classical arrangement of an unreleased J Dilla composition into the Riders on the Storm deconstruction being played by a 24-piece Jamaican steel band then you aren’t really a DJ…
[ link ]Very inspiring article!
I’ve only been DJing for a few months now, but I’ve watched my Stepdad over the years go from a pair of Technics when I was a kid to Cdj’s and now he just uses his laptop with Traktor because unfortunately he had to sell his decks. When I decided that I was going to learn I asked him for his advice on equipment and he recommended Traktor and a controller, which is what I have now and I love my setup. Ever since then I’ve been raiding his cd collection, stealing all of his tracks and my guitar has a thick layer of dust collecting on it!
Yesterday he tells me that he’s going to buy a pair of Technics again so that he can get out all of his old vinyl, and I can’t wait to have a go!
I think being able to play with different “Media” is just part of the fun of it! I don’t care what equipment I’m using as long as I’m enjoying the music I’m playing. I just see it as a new challenge.
[ link ]Let’s make beautiful music, not horrible arguement sounds. We’re so lucky to have as many different “mediums” to choose from. If you’re dj’ing for the love of the music, you’re gonna end up experiencing all of them, from vinyl all the way through. To ignore one medium is a little bit “hipster minded” in that you’re closing down a whole area of techniques and skills you may not experience otherwise. It’s an attitude driven by ignorance, not really by intelligence or curiosity. Just get out, and play. I have two Technincs 12′s, two Mach 2 CD-J-1′s and I just bought a Pioneer DDJ T1 so I can go digital, and I’m loving it sick. Funny thing is, I love playing all of them, almost as equally, because they all have different pro’s and con’s. I won’t get rid of any of it, and my sets just keep improving because of it. Keep spreading the love, don’t let the haters steal the music….
[ link ]I don’t have a problem with laptop DJs I have a problem with certain headlinin djs that don’t mix live. I went to see GT and he was mixing his prerecorded, prereleased mixes but there was nothing new or special mixed in. If you gonna headline you betta be giving something fresh
[ link ]thank you for this. tons.
[ link ]I’m sorry but the “Dear Vinyl DJ’s” section is completely out of touch and condescending, not to mention..
“(Let’s be honest, beatmatching is really not that big of a deal. A child can start a turntable. An intelligent child can match beats.)”
now that statement is not only rude, but also very ignorant. 100% of vinyl DJ’s would be able to mix perfectly using any digital DJ system within 10 mins of picking it up, can you say that 100% of Digital DJ’s would be able to do the same with vinyl? If you think beat matching on vinyl is easy than you are an idiot.
This is why Vinyl DJ’s show little respect to most digital DJ’s, they spent years honing their skills and building a record collection yet here comes a digital DJ with his laptop and controller and can do basically the same thing….this is not the digital guys fault by any means and he’s not doing anything wrong, but frankly this pisses vinyl DJ’s off. What does this tell you? vinyl purists hold tightly to their ways and may seem bitter and angry. If this is the case why are digital DJ’s trying to gain their approval? Just forget what anyone else thinks and play how you want to play, personally I love mixing vinyl because I find it more rewarding and enjoyable, plus I tend to value the music more.
JUST BE CONCERNED WITH WHAT YOU’RE PLAYING, DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE IS PLAYING OR WHAT THEY”RE USING BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THE BEST DJ WILL COME OUT ON TOP REGARDLESS OF THE EQUIPMENT THEY USE.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC BABY
[ link ]I don’t really see why. To own a car, you frankly used to have to be a mechanic because they didn’t ‘just work’. Now you get your car serviced every couple of years and it just works. Same result, less hassle.
DJing now no longer requires beatmatching by hand (itself a hack) because it’s not hard for modern technology to duplicate it.
Of course there’s still a skill and still a need for it, but it’s a much-diminished skill alongside many new, exciting ones. And frankly after 15 years of vinyl, I loved all the new things I could suddenly do with digital.
Times change.
[ link ]Times may change, but some people don’t..
Why are Digital DJ’s trying to gain the approval of Vinyl purists? Why do articles like this even exist?
I’ll quote you here “Same result, less hassle”
Less hassle? To many DJ’s that “hassle” of beat matching is as much of an art form as selecting tracks, EQing and even use of the digital DJ’s precious loops and sample decks. If I brought out a DJ software tomorrow that chose the tracks, beat matched it and mixed it perfectly using auto loops and samples etc would you call it DJing? is the guy who loaded the software a DJ? because this is what vinyl purists feel is happening..
To use your own example, if in 1964 you brought a brand new Ford Mustang and serviced it yourself for 47 years, would you all of a sudden be like “hey, these new mechanics are up with the times, I think i’ll get them to service it from now on” no you wouldn’t. If you bought a 2011 mustang now that’s a different story.. For the above article to suggest: “And let’s face it: The technology is not going away. Isn’t it time to accept it?” is ignorant and ridiculous, so just because the “technology” isn’t going away I should start getting my 1964 Ford Mustang serviced rather than doing it myself which I’ve done for the past 47 years?
Why are digital DJ’s so concerned with how the rest of the DJ community view them? If you haven’t learned that this very community can be a snide, evil, backstabbing, hate filled piece of shit, I don’t think you know much about professional DJing at all.. But it can also be an amazing, fun filled and rewarding place to operate and this is what EVERYONE needs to focus on! It’s all about the music, having a good time and not caring what anyone else thinks, because once you stop playing for yourself you may as well give up. At the end of the day no matter what technology you have at your disposal, you can’t turn a bunch of shit tracks into a renaissance mix and to my current knowledge there isn’t a program that can substitute good music TASTE, TIMING and SELECTION.
Though i’m sure it will one day exist and the time of the commercial/professional DJ will cease to be, no matter what technology you use..
[ link ]Since when have digital DJs been less able to choose great tracks than vinyl Gary? Of course software can’t do that (but it can put interesting suitable music in front of you in a way a record box can’t). As you (and Matthew) agree, music is the #1 job of a DJ.
As I acknowledged, there’s always a place for beatmatching… But I think it’s stretching it to argue that that’s what DJing is about. Personally I don’t feel it ever really was.
And by the way, we don’t tolerate the hateful stuff you speak of even 1% around here so speak away – respectful, genuine contributions like yours are always welcomed.
[ link ]Gary, I totally agree on a lot of what you’re saying but even you need to pay more attention to what you say. “But it can also be an amazing, fun filled and rewarding place to operate and this is what EVERYONE needs to focus on!” THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE ARTICLE. I wanted to get you to think about the amazing and fun filled parts and stop bickering about the less important things. You sound like an old man in a suit of armor, waiting at the bar for a joust that’s never coming. Stop thinking in terms of tradition and start thinking in terms of progression. You are a poster child for the cliche, you can’t teach a dog new tricks but you wanna know something? It’s really up to the dog to wanna learn. Look at all the DJ greats who are still alive; they are adapting to their surroundings. They are embracing the future because they love what they do. In the end, it comes down to what you choose to do and how you choose to handle things but when you look at the facts, there’s a lot more people out there who can really relate to this article then there are people who are obtuse…
[ link ]I’m with the previous comment…. It’s all about the music…. Always has…. And always will..!!! From the mix tapes I used to knock out in the 80′s… To my first set of belt drive decks… To my cdjs… And my vci300… Now my twitch… All have brought me joy beyond belief… Do what you believe in and if it brings you joy… Inevitably it’ll bring someone else joy… Be strong and groove on.
[ link ]Great article!!!
I started younger trying to beatmatch two tapes without a mixer. Learned to beatmach with Vinyl. Became a Pro Dj using Vinyl (for me a Pro Dj is a guy that earns money djing, period).
Yeah, was a great feeling mixing by ear, but even better was to see the crowd dancing and having a great time… pause in my life djing…
… one day I bought a software called ejay Dj Mix Station and there I was again enjoying like a kid that feeling.
So, today I’m not a Pro, I don’t earn money djing, but now I look back and I think of how much better would have been if I had all the stuff digital djing offers us today…
But again, in the end see the people enjoying your mixes/the crowd jumping, dancing and having a good time is what really matters.
So please, turntablists get your minds open and respect the today and future of djing.
Digital Dj´s, also respect what in the past allowed that today djing is so much fun.
Most important of all, no matter if you are using Vinyl, mp3 or CD’s. Be professional us much as you can and have fun, a LOT OF FUN!!!
[ link ]Every recreational or technical pursuit seems to have a battle of Purists vs. Modernists. Oil and canvas or Photoshop? Penny Farthing or Ducati motorcycle? Courier pigeon or SMS? The debate over the pros and cons of each is endless and unproductive.
We would do well to ask the ‘digital-haters’: What do you want? For all DJ software and controllers to be outlawed?
Alternatively, to the ‘vinyl-haters’: What is to be gained from emphasising the ‘negatives’ of vinyl DJing?
The digital age is here to stay, and the romance for the ‘good old days’ deserves to stay as long as it would like to.
Use your imagination: veteran typesetters are currently scorning you and your ‘talentless’ computer (which you need to read these posts, correct?) for making a mockery of their evocative craft. Is their opinion enough to instigate returning to a world without computers?
[ link ](FTR, the typesetting thing is just a hypothetical, this isn’t actually happening now.)
Good article.
The point that the setup used is not what matters is certainly valid, and it is very true that the crowd usually doesn’t care about beat matching and so on, but if you do more than just blending tracks together you become more of a live performer.
When you look at a DJ as a live performer the way he or she performs does matter. Not the equipment but the difficulty of the performance here determines the quality, together with personal preferences for “instruments”. For instance, you’ll get much more respect if you manage to cut-and-paste a track together not using a digital setup with cuepoints but by placing the needle all over the record.
[ link ]To all you guys out there,
I’m am really at loss of words and in awe of all the comments posted and of all the sharing of this article on Face book and Twitter. I never wrote this article with the intention of getting people to agree or disagree with what I was saying; I was merely just trying to get people to think. I am so happy to see such positive feedback and I’m even happier to see the negative feedback posted but more importantly, I’m glad you all started taking that negative feedback and turning it into something creative and constructive. You were all able to sort out your differences on your own terms.
I consider you all bad ass Djs in my book because you took the time to be active in what you love; that is half the battle.
Just remember that although we all are from different parts of the world, dress different, and speak different languages, we are all DJs and we are all human. We all go through the same things.
It’s 7:57 A.M. Mountain standard time right now in El Paso, Texas and I just got home from partying. I’m sitting here, eating an omelet, listening to the new Justice album and absorbing everything you all posted. Thanks for your support and you will hear from me very soon…
Best, Matthew on the Rocks
P.S. Thanks to all my international readers!! That blows my mind how far my article got. I’m curious where it went…
P.P.S I just finished a little tech house mix. Have a listen and let me know what you think!
http://soundcloud.com/matthewontherocks-2/juarez-your-problem
[ link ]Considering the sheer amount of replies and no doubt views this article is receiving I thought i’d post a shameless plug..
http://soundcloud.com/garydose/bondi-vinyl-mix
This is a Vinyl mix I did today with a bunch of tracks that I bought second hand last night. I’m not going to lie, i’m not a great mixer having only bought turntables about 3 months ago after switching from digital so my beat matching is very rough, but the tunes are good
I guess i’m meant to stay on topic….sooo ahhh consider this a comparison of digital (above) and vinyl (albeit quite bad) mixing.
[ link ]Gary, you are sitting on a good selection of music. I wouldn’t worry about the mixing, if you pick the right tunes that blows people’s minds, they are more forgiving if your mixing isn’t perfect; only DJs will give you shit about it hahaha You are on the right track but I felt your mix was a little illogical. The idea of dance music is the build and release of tension. That is the secret ingredient to telling a good story and when I record mixes, I try to tell stories with my mix. It’s a pretty lengthy topic, but you might want to checkout an article on DJ Tech Tools I wrote a few months ago on creative structure. I’m sure you can get something from it.
http://www.djtechtools.com/2010/12/22/creative-structure-for-a-unforgettable-mix/
[ link ]Oh I forgot! Above all, great job on the mix Gary. Just keep at it; you can only get better but it’s really up to you
[ link ]My god….how many “I remember when I started out” stories can this article produce lol. People, the article has already been written, I don’t think we need multiple personal variations.
[ link ]If Traktor pro 3 was released tomorrow and one of its features was a complete auto mix.. All mixes were executed and pulled of perfectly utilizing loops, sampling, EQuing etc, and all that the DJ had to do was select the two tracks, would you buy it?
How would current Traktor pro 2 DJ’s feel if a DJ using this software came onto the scene, calling himself a DJ and started playing gigs in your area, rocking the dance floor every night, yet you know that all he is doing is choosing 2 tracks and the software is mixing perfectly for him.. Would you show him respect and give him support? Because this is EXACTLY how vinyl purists feel.
ALL DIGITAL DJ’S ASK YOURSELF, WOULD YOU RESPECT AND SUPPORT A DJ WHO USED SOFTWARE THAT AUTO-MIXED PERFECTLY?
Because this is how vinyl purists feel about digital DJ’s and it is exactly how bands felt when DJ’s came onto the scene in the 70′s. Can you imagine being a DJ in the 70′s? here you are taking gigs from a full live band and all you’re using is 2 turntables a mixer and some records.. The hate from all corners would’ve been incredible, yet the first DJ’s managed to persevere and carve their own niche, why can’t you do the same?
Stop caring what other people think and do what makes you happy.
[ link ]Whoops, sorry, I meant to post this as a reply to my above post..
[ link ]Great discussion!
I want to take it some place else if I may…Did digital change our DJ culture in a negative way?
I watched a video last night that made me a bit upset, because I think the DJ in the video (DJ P, who popularized “blends” a.k.a mash-ups) makes some salient points about what digital djing has done to DJ culture. I was a vinyl DJ who now has fully embraced the digital world-and for many great reasons stated by you all-but this video had what I saw as some truisms we as digital DJs may have forgotten. He highlighted many sentiments I share about being a modern DJ. Even for all the cynicism, he has felt he needs to be digital which makes the argument, to me, more interesting..the inevitability of what we are all talking about with digital’s emergence to the top…
Here’s the video for reference:
Disclaimer: the language is terse, and it is a skewed towards hip-hop, BUT The first 6 minutes are key as are the last 8 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFFfkT6-qMQ&list=FLlzjnCaghV3We9EJD_eUDYA&feature=mh_lolz
1. While the technology has made the artform more efficient, it has taken the “magic” out of the wonder most of use felt first seeing a DJ doing everything manually. When I saw a DJ take three songs and remix them in time and tune, all at one without any algorithms it floored me as a musician. Now, I am not taking a dance-floor perspective here. Phil and others are fond of talking about the crowd experience-which is like 70% (in my opinion) of the reason for DJing, but the 30% needs attention as well…or let’s face it-we are just jukeboxes….So, I am taking a musician perspective (unless we do not want to categorize DJ as non-musicians…a whole other can of worms). I am arguing as someone who knows the proces of the creation. Like a painter in a museum who sees the art differently as a creator. Regardless, the process matters to many DJs who worked hard without the advances of todays technology…so if the end justifies the means…sure digital is great-no questions asked-but, I do think we are selling the dj culture short here.
2. The fact that the technology has made it easier to acquire records, easily, and cheaply has hurt the culture. I used to DJ for a living. I can’t anymore because the competition is fierce….not b/c the competition is necessarily better than me (many are) but because of supply and demand. Period. Why would club A pay $500 anymore since so many DJ’s have entered the market and b/c the gear, and music is so easily and cheaply acquired, the can be hired for A LOT less, because there are a) so many willing new jocks, and b) the overhead costs to be a DJ are low. It’s simple economics, but it’s cheapening a culture where music lovers used to spent countless hours hunting for records which made them unique, not passing every file around on the net or usb drives. We had to buy the expensive equipment. We had to lug all those crates and pay for all the wax, and because of all these factors less people were in the DJ industry.Now with more people in the industry you have choice as a promoter, club, or patron, but is the choice that much better? Sometimes, yes, but it seem like many dance floors play very, very similar tunes, genres aside…It comes back to a cultural divide…not necessarily a technology divide.
So, I think, for all of the glamorizing of new technology we have to look at the side effects of the progression which is the effect on the DJ culture (all scenes).
Thanks for reading and watching. Curious about what you all think. I have been dying to share this video and see the opinion,
Peace. Love & Records.
[ link ]Matt, that was a fantastic video!! I’m really glad you decided to share it with us. Everything DJ P and yourself said was absolutely correct though; it really got me thinking about things. For starters, it does suck that a lot of kids come straight out of the box and manipulate the market. This isn’t just effecting vinyl DJs but all DJs. It’s like the game is still the same, there’s just a different set of rules, and all we’re seeing is a growth in the art of Djing and growth is a normal (and healthy) thing.
Think about, lets take something like vaudeville for example. There was a tremendous amount of talent and skill (just like vinyl mind you) to make it in that industry, not everyone could do it. Then all of a sudden, these moving pictures we call movies, wiped out the art of vaudeville all together. I’m sure there were a lot of hard working performers that were pissed that they couldn’t find work anymore because these movie stars didn’t necessarily need as much skill and you could edit film to your liking. There are hundreds of laws man has created but the way I see it, the real laws are the laws of nature and one of those laws is the survival of the fittest.
While other people were out of jobs and bitching about how people needed actual talent to be a “performer”, smarter vaudeville performers knew the rules of the game changed, and quickly adapted to their surroundings (Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges are two vaudeville acts off the top of my head that made those transitions successfully) They were merely surviving, and you know what, IT WORKED.
Yes, equipment and records are what made DJs well, DJs but that’s not the case anymore. So you got to ask yourself, “What am I going to do about that?” Are you going to piss and moan about the old days or are you going to find that key to one-eyed Willie?
If the records you have and the equipment you have don’t buy you a ticket to the show, how are you going to get there? How are you going to stand out from all the rest? It’s very simple; YOU MAKE YOUR OWN MUSIC.
Let’s face it. DJs are at the bottom of the totem pole in the music world. People don’t consider a DJ a musician because he doesn’t make his own music he uses other peoples. Besides the well-known producer/DJs in the hay day of vinyl, not that many DJs were making their own music. They relied solely on their rare vinyls of OTHER PEOPLES MUSIC.
I think this shift in the industry is great in that, if you want to remain in it and succeed, you have to make your own music. It’s literally forcing DJS to become the music makers and this actually helps the art as a whole because it climbs us up the totem pole in the music world and now, we’re finally getting respect for the musicians we really were this whole time. What’s cooler, digging for hours in a dusty flea market searching for that prized gem of a record or being the one that actually made that gem?
I’ve accepted the fact that if I don’t play the crap music that’s on the radio and sell my soul to the company toll, I will never find work as a DJ. Everyone has the same music and people will work for less. That’s cool though because I can still be true to myself and be original; I’ll just make my own music. If I never release it and just keep it all to myself, then no one will have it. Bingo; survival of the fittest. Production is hard but you know what, not everyone can be a good musician; that’s something that will never change. Let these little kids have the old ways and fight over who will play for less. Rest easy at night because think about many guys out there lack the chops to make their own music. The grass is greener on the other side and in the words of Steven Tyler; “I’d rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, then to be crowded on a velvet cushion.” Producing music Matt, is that pumpkin and there’s a shit load of room on it…
“Peace, Love, records” that’s dope as hell by the way, I LOVE IT!
[ link ]Oh and just an interesting fact, I’m going to school for music production. I really wanted to understand music as best as I could because early on, when I knew I wanted to be a DJ for the rest of my life, I knew that any DJ worth a grain of salt makes his own music. Here’s a couple of quotes I thought you’d get a kick out of:
“It is better to make a piece of music than to perform one, better to perform one than to listen to one, better to listen to one than to misuse it as a means of distraction, entertainment, or acquisition of ‘culture.’”
-John Cage
“I think DJs who don’t make their own records are soft, because no one knows better than a DJ what creates a buzz on the floor.”
[ link ]-Sasha
Great points Matthew. I do my own studio productions. I agree entirely with you as well. It was more of a meditation on the state of what’s happening to the quality of DJ culture and it’s legacy. Not about technology. That I think is awesome. My midi fighter makes me very happy, and so does my vinyl
[ link ]collection.
I think this statement here, “Yes, equipment and records are what made DJs well, DJs but that’s not the case anymore.” is correct but not really. I’m a 70′s baby, 80′s kid so I feel i’ve came up with the culture of DJing, so I understand the statement… but as an adult I know better. I can remember being around 10 and one my friends older brother had gotten two tables and mixer for Chritsmas and I’m trying to remember if when I saw his equipment I thought to myself “William is a DJ”… I may have, but i’m thinking not… Maybe I thought “William wants to be a DJ” because of it… To say the equipment makes you a DJ is like saying because a guy owns a set of tools he’s an auto mechanic or owner a computer makes you a computer programmer… It’s not in the equipment and that’s really why Vinyl argument loses steam every time I hear it spoke… A funny I saw was an NS7 DJ taking shots at the guy using a mixtrack while trying to get a vinyl DJ to acknowledge him as the same… It was comical. The guy is in fact a good DJ that possess the elements necessary to be one “good ears, good tunes, good instinct, and rocks out to the fullest potential with his NS7.”
[ link ]“The 30% needs attention as well…or let’s face it-we are just jukeboxes” – I agreed pretty with all you said apart from this. You’re right (skill from the DJ’s point of view is important, albeit not as important as the enjoyment of the crowd), but the problem with this is I feel you are presupposing that that 30% has to be composed of manually beatmatching pieces of vinyl, that beatmatching pieces of vinyl is the skill of Djing. And for me it absolutely isn’t; it’s an anomaly of one format (albeit a genre- and scene-defining anomaly, that once was pretty important, if never crucially so).
There’s plenty you can do (music choice and programming first, then technique) that separates you from a jukebox, without needing to prove it on vinyl without a beat counter.
[ link ]Agreed, Phil. Programming is something that important to the skill set for a DJ, but so are the others (beat matching, effects, et al.) Technology has progressed that it has freed our abilities to focus on other areas of djing…but….what happens when algorithms get so complex that song selection and programming is done by our computers.What will be left for the digital DJ to do then?
[ link ]Thanx for the article. I felt the same way about cameras. It isn’t the technology that matters. It’s the idiot that uses it. Another thing, some folks hate DJs in general. What has the vinyl folks done to kill the stereotype that all DJs are egotistical, know-it-alls?
[ link ]this topic is very one sided, the site is called digital dj tips.
[ link ]The only digital downside of this revolution is that CD album mixes are generally rubbish and that special thing that used to make them exciting has gone (i.e. Vinyl as it had to be done right) , but this is possibly more to do with companies like Ministry wanting to squeeze every possible penny out of a sale and keep things simple. I still have a three CD mix set at home with the likes of Tall Paul, Seb Fontaine and Al McKenzie that I will never get bored of. Ever. I aspire to be like them, and now I can with Digital DJing in a way that I never dreamed of. It doesn’t mean I’m rubbish, it just means that I get to give the same pleasure to other people that I used to get years ago. I know I’m mixing two different things here but hope you get the point.
[ link ]Even back in 1993/94 they were using software to mix CD albums, the first Renaissance mix album is well know for being done on ProTools.
[ link ]For me it’s not even about the equipment but about the way a DJ plays. For a digital DJ it is just as embarrassing to hit the sync button but not have the beats synchronized correctly. Also I’m not a big fan of transitions after about every 3 minutes. The medium doesn’t matter but I think a little bit of tradition should be kept.
[ link ]Must admit that even though I mixed records for years before switching to cd and now to traktor I sometimes feel as though the challenge has gone that its too easy,I feel that im attempting to make a nice 3 course meal using a microwave.
[ link ]You don’t judge an author by the pen he writes with or an artist by the brush he paints with…he is judged by the result and the reaction it creates.
[ link ]“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” So said German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer.
Well said, sir!
[ link ]Great points made. All the vynil dj’s, I wonder if they still carry a Sony Walkman and a bag of tdk tapes?
I have every dj format, they are all equal in my eyes. At the crunch if it I still have the same responsibility. Read the crowd and play the right tunes.
[ link ]Nice piece, but let´s be honest and make something clear: Digital DJs are not necessarily “open-minded” as they would like to think (or make everyone think). I´ve been getting “that look” from some DDJs for playing some of my sets with an iPad2. Not that I care, as I´ve always been “about the music”, but it is an indication of things. Odd enough, the crowd usually appreciates the iPad DJing, exactly for its “newness”. I find it fun and versatile.
I DJ since 82 so like many here I´ve come across all kinds of mediums, from tapes (roll and cassete) to vinyl, MDs and CDs (meaning: I´ve come to the point I don´t really care about setup or what other DJs think about it anymore). This whole debate is a moot point, played at the amateur level where equipment selection is more important. Professional and acting DJs have other more important concerns, most of all related to music selection and such.
Yes, the Technics SL-1200 is an iconic piece, as is the vinyl and the DJ headphone to some point. It´s the symbol of the art of DJing and turntablism, and will likely remain so, deeply embedded in the collective imaginarium. It´s picured everywhere, from flyers to T-shirts and posters. It just looks nice and “pop”. But that´s it, the world moves forward only. It´s really about the music and atmosphere, fortunatelly that will never change.
[ link ]And let’s not start acting like a program that could do everything from an AUTO button would satisfy the need that those of us who are posting here have to DJ… cause it will not.. i’ve recently started ignoring the sync button because it just wasn’t satisfying the need…
[ link ]I am a Digital DJ who has been DJ’ing now since March of 2011. I am self taught and have made some good decisions. I now DJ at a local popular bar as the opening DJ’s on Thursday nights and loving it. I love playing live and I get great compliments from the patrons and the bartenders on how good I am and at this point I use only a X1, my Macbook Pro and Traktor Pro. I use sync all the time right now, but I get these compliments because I am playing great music and people connect to it, plus I focus on trying to have seamless transitions, and I mix harmonically.
However, as a aspiring DJ, I want to get better. I want to score busier nights, I want to rack the dance floor of some of the clubs in the Chicago area, and to do so, I feel I need to start using the clubs/bars equipment, so now I am trying to decide what I need to do that. Most of the DJ’s in the area use Serato, but I feel Traktor is a better tool, so I want to stick with it. So now I am looking to upgrade my sound card and software to Traktor Scratch Pro and a Audio 6 or 10. For my home equipment I want to get some CDJ and a better mixer, but until I can afford it, I will ask the bar if I can come in and practice on thier CDJ’s before the bar opens on Saturdays and start practicing manual beat matching, and using the CDJ’s. My next step is figuring out how and when to use effect to enhance my set. So I am going about it in a methodical way. I know I can be an AWESOME DJ, but I still have more to learn.
My point is this, people need to stop the debate between digital and vinyl and move with technology. I think a DJ needs to love what they do and LOVE Music. I recently read the book “How to DJ Right” and plan to read A DJ Saved my life. I want to continue educating myself about DJing and learning more. That what life is about. If a vinyl DJ wants to be so ignorant that Digtal is horrible, people like me who strive to learn not just the NEW but also the older technologies and the best way of doing things will come and blow you by, I personally don’t mind cause it will lead to more gigs for me.
One last thought. I think a DJ who uses vinyl only is too old school, music moves to fast these days, you need to the new stuff to keep people interested, and things are not on Vinyl that quick. I can play a song the day a song hits, or better yet, quickly change the music if I feel what I am playing isn’t working. Just a few thoughts from someone who is a NEW DJ.
[ link ]Forgive me, I’ve been requesting the same information on the Serato General DJ Discussion forums for the longest time from the so-called vinyl purist and no one has given me a response yet so perhaps you can help…
I’ve been looking all over my Numark NS7 for ages hoping to find this magical auto-sync button that will make the world magically happy by doing everything for me: reading the crowd… selecting the next best song, matching bpms, matching keys, dropping the song in at exactly the right moment on beat with a perfect transition so much to the point that I can pull up a chair and sit back and relax while my NS7 does all the work for me all night and I never have to so much as touch a fader. Hell, I could pull out my tablet and play Angry Birds for 4-5 hours if I want to.
Please help me find this magical button. If it doesn’t exist, why have I been mis-led to believe it does by the cats over on the Serato forums?
[ link ]lol
[ link ]In all honesty, I used Traktor when I was younger, it has the SYNC button, which could be relied on if I didn’t want to mix myself. I now use Serato and would never go back to anything which has a SYNC function as it would tar me with the same brush as the wannabe DJs.
[ link ]I bought my first 12″ single in 1991.. I worked for a leading equipment retailer for years and saw the first usable CDJ’s start to arrive. I remember the guy from Creative coming and trying to sell us on the idea of an MP3 “jukebox” for DJ’s. In short I’ve had good experience with both analogue and digital kit… In my opinion that letter is bang on the money. Lighten up, love the music and actually TRY using different kit for a few months before you diss it as being “too old” or “cheating”.
[ link ]I’ve been DJing since 2004. I learned how to beatmatch and mix using turntables and vinyl, which was a terrific experience because it made me appreciate the skills DJs had been perfecting up until that time.
That said, while I’m thrilled that I learned the “traditional” method (including the all-important basics of dance music structure that some newbies might miss by learning on digital), I knew even when I was taking lessons that I would probably never actually use vinyl and would be working almost entirely with CDs, which is what 99.9% of my music library was. (Heck, in the 7+ years I’ve been a DJ, I can recall only one time that I’ve entered a booth that had a set of traditional turntables set up.)
For the first six years of my DJ career, I worked exclusively with CDs. Now, I’m now entirely digital. I rarely touch my CDs except to pull them off the shelf to rip a song to my computer for digital DJing. Even my DJ music subscriptions are all going digital now, which is not only great for getting the music faster and transporting it more easily, but also makes my work much more “green” when it comes to the environment.
So while I’ve gone through the experience of working with all three media (vinyl, CD, digital), I have to say the simple ease of transporting digital equipment makes digital DJing the next logical step for any DJ, no matter how long they’ve been in the business.
I understand some of the older DJs might not like all these newbies being able to learn the basics so quickly. But like the article says, being able to beatmatch and throw songs together doesn’t make a good DJ. Being good is all about 1) finding and having the right music and 2) knowing how to read/guide the crowd using that music.
By embracing each new post-vinyl technology (CDs, then digital), I am now a better DJ because I spend so much less time worrying about the nuts and bolts of mixing and a lot more time finding the right song and fitting it in the right spot. I have also been able to expand my music library considerably more than if I had to rely on CDs (and a whole lot more if I had to rely on vinyl). One of the best parts about going digital, though, is that now I’m able to experiment a lot more with live mash-ups, incorporating sound fx, scratching and other techniques to make my sets more exciting and fun.
[ link ]Well argued and I agree with every point you make.
[ link ]This is a really nice article and I love the spirit behind it. I remember one of the articles I first read on this blog was a vitriolically anti-vinyl post, and I left some angry comments and walked away with a pretty low opinion of what goes on here. However, I stuck around, and eventually I’ve come to really like reading this blog. Based on videos and reviews I bought my first digital controller, and as someone who alternates between vinyl (mostly via Serato Scratch, my own vinyl is too much of a pain in the ass to drag to gigs) and a Novation Twitch, I can say that I agree, either solution is truly DJing. A good DJ should embrace new technology, but also understand the roots of dance music and what came before. Maybe not to the point where they can mix vinyl (it takes a lot more practice) but at least understanding everything, respecting the craft that goes into it, and how it works would be a good start. Kudos for a great blog, Phil, and a great post, Matthew.
[ link ]As someone who used to play vinyl, moved to CDJ’s, moved to various controllers and now back to vinyl, I have decided on the main reason why I prefer playing vinyl:
It doesn’t involve a computer
I spend all day working at a computer, and far too much free time using my smartphone. When it comes to my free time, I prefer to get away from technology! Luckily for me the drum and bass scene still puts out most releases on vinyl so I can still get all the tunes I want
I don’t hate on digital DJ’s, nor do I think it’s bad for DJing, I just don’t want to do it myself anymore…
[ link ]That’s completely fair enough! There are many who’d say a DJ set-up is technology whether analogue or digital, but that’s another debate…
[ link ]Hello all,
My first DJing experience came in 1986. I had one high end Yamaha table and one decent Teac single-well cassette deck. Because I worked in a record store (look it up – 3/4 was vinyl, 1/8 cassetes, and 1/8 t-shirts, posters and magazines), I had the best tracks, both album and 12″ singles – domestic, indie and import. I knew nothing much of hip-hop – how could I mash beats when the cassette took so long to re-cue? I did, however, have an instinct for reading a crowd and making magic out of the moments in which I had control of them.
After lugging crates, then Anvil CD cases, then 512-capacity books, I finally ended up with a modest laptop, controller / soundcard and external HDD. I never forgot why I was hired for the party / club / event: I could help people forget their day and DANCE their cares away!
Now, after years of being a “laptop jockey,” I have purchased 2 strong tables, a high-power lappy, a pro controller, and yes, DIGITAL vinyl. Partially it makes me look bigger, cooler, and more hire-able for high-paying gigs. But more importantly for me, it gives me MORE TOOLS TO USE to achieve the goal I have had every night working for 25 years.
I have spent little time reading the flame wars – I am too busy WORKING! My strong advice to all on either side of the debate – SHUT UP, GET OUT THERE, and GET THE PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR!
[ link ]Hi! There are many things to consider on this spot. I’ve been reading post like this since years ago but never had exposed my opinion. This time I do it keeping in mind being helpful for you, not to defend my opinion.
Let’s begin with the Music itself. Djs work with music. It’s the raw material. So, for being a Dj you have to have an stunningly wide knowledge of music. I mean, if you wanna do something truthful and meaningful instead of being another uncool individual incapable of creating anything by him/herself who plays the Top-40, the Beatport chart, or anything that somebody else decides for you.
Music is not just something that sounds but a culture. There had been only a few meccas worldwide where the culture of the music has been an important phenomenon being the craddle of new genres, etc. in the past 50 or 100 years. So far I know:
1.- USA which worth by many since there have been a lot of music capitals all along the territory.
2.- UK
3.- Brazil
4.- Jamaica
5.- Cuba
6.- Martinica
7.- Argentina
8.- the south side of Spain
9.- Trinidad and Tobago
10.- Puerto Rico
In Cuba, where I’m from, you can listen your neighbors playing loud their congas all along the year because of certain celebration date of certain African deity. Music is also a way of living for many people, you can go to concerts and blocks parties all along the year too and the police won’t fine you for having your stereo rocking the hole building… maybe a neighbor approaches you and ask you to drop it but there is not such uncool thing as being an asshole for disturbing the fragile peace of mind of your neighbor with music. There are discos, music bars and clubs too. So, without such reality or alike you woudn’t have the opportunity of experiencing the music as an all around factual thing, including feelings, impressions, intelectual involvement, etc. You can get into music culture, but it would be like a Japanese learning to speak Italian.
It is not a casualty that electronic dance music had born among the black people of Chicago, New York, Detroit, Philly, etc. As is not the birth of any new genre, culture, etc. Think about that.
2nd is the Dj job. A dj used to be somebody that spins Discs (records). By the time we can say is somebody that playback recorded music. I think there is a lot to learn for many dudes in this game. The most innocent and silly are those who talks about remixing, looping, etc. “on the fly” or do such thing. Let’s think a bit… you get an already produced track with all the time and comfort in a studio, let’s say it is a good one because as you have the good selection criteria needed for such job… Do you think you would improve it “on the fly” ? for sure?
You would play for a public that hopefully would enjoy the music. And they would force themselves to do it since in almost every club around they play the same bulls**t so there aren’t options, they have paid for the door already and if they don’t enjoy it is because they are boring, not the dj or the place. Many kids on the internet as well as mediocre djs will tell you that the drunken crowd would swallow anything past midnight and you just have to have goods intentions and be funny. That is a coarse justification for being a mediocre person… to blame another one or let them be the reason for you to do something improperly.
There are lots of style of Djing, as well of many kind of genre-djs. In the early years it was a good alternative to a funk or a disco band, somebody who networked with labels to promote stuff, or a nice dude who had lots of hot records and share them with fellows. Nowadays, excepting a very few fair God blessed, the most of the Djs are just a product. The music they play is garbage, let’s face it. A melodic synth building up and then down once and once again, sentimentally manipulating for the average listener. Maybe good for taking drugs, maybe newfangled but not for dancing and have a good time. Not unless it means for you being in a mass neurotic frenzy, out of your mind with all the lasers, videos, footlights and the next chubby chunk screaming out loud besides you.
Most of so called clubbers wants to be the bad boy that control everything at the dark club, so successful and charming that is capable of taking home the most beautiful partner around. For the most of you, I’m very sorry to tell you that you just wanna have that you can’t have in your everyday’s life. For the most of you: you are not a hunting bad boy, you are just another sexually frustrated individual with that itching inside and a grey man/woman looking for release. Sex and sport is better than clubbing for that. Music is for some other purposes. But at your point of immaturity, that’s what you get.
For Djs, the format to use it’s a matter of the industry that releases the music you would spin. Many of it is digital, yeah. But if you don’t spin vinyl tell me how in this world are you going to play these tracks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJlyMjtszLI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyJwM-7rPRM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_S6ean0_BE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixKSHqMFKj0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIHf9nPQHew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dux5fbnEhZo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mG4KJGXqP0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUss0U0-yA0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2J7lCbvbqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUP4QWLEUHM
Let me guess. You can rip it to your laptop or simply spin a rehash of certain Japanese or Swedish producer because he is famous and is the best you know. You would have always a quick solution for anything, well based with a good selling speech, as always. Congratulations!
Regards,
Ennis
[ link ]My first professional gig DJing was in 1984. (Really. Shut up!
)
In that time I have used vinyl, CDs and even spent a LONG time using cassettes. Now, my setup is digital. The truth this entire time is that which was echoed in this article: It’s about what you play, when you play it, and to some degree how loud.
NOTHING on my computer comes close to emulating my ability to read a crowd AND respond with ideas to that interpretation.
I don’t have to tell anybody here they’re a good DJ; their crowd will tell them that. I don’t have to tell anybody here they’re a terrible DJ; their crowd will tell them that.
Great article, Matthew.
[ link ]like many things people don’t know their history, which prvents them from understanding and accepting present, future, and progress. A dj was originally nothing more than someone who played one record after another. what made them good was the interaction with the audience, their presence and their knowledge of the music they were playing. No matter how much Technology you put into it that will never change. I have spun vinyl since the 80′s and as soon as I could do the same thing electronically I jumped on. I still run into people who can’t even use all this tech right because they play the wrong music, it doesn’t flow, they stare at there screens all night and are boring. DJing is evolving and if anything it’s getting better because it’s forcing people to perform and have a stage presence instead of just concentrating on a couple of turntables and fist pumping.
[ link ]first of all, i’m sorry for my broken englisch
what you say is correct, you have to love music, make those people go crazy on the dancefloor. But !!!! you got people putting everything they got, passion, love, money en many hours of practicing to beatmatch, look for good vinyl records en ect … Digital, is like. Wow a dj, famous, blabla….. making theirself easy in every direction en they often just download their music for free ….. because i’m student en bla bla bla. when top dj back in the days wanted to buy a record, they had to work for it, & they did. now, the vinyl dj don’t get any chances to show what they are capabel of. you have to mix fast or the people will go home …… if every dj would begin with vinyl, i’ll bet 60 % of all dj’s would say, naha, thats nothing for me !!! & if you wonder why all the good good dj’s got remixes that you never heard before, not on youtube, soundcloud ……. ==> Vinyl !!!
[ link ]You shouldn’t steal music but you don’t need it on vinyl either… it’s only a medium! In my experience it’s really not important what you play tunes from and while the new breed of DJs will never touch vinyl, they’ll still assuredly be DJs.
[ link ]just go vinyl and convert to 24 bit 96 khz. imo vinyl downsampled sounds better because when they master for cd they compress the crap out of it.
an example
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/50547027/Vinyl%20Vs%20Itunes.mp3
[ link ]RE vinyl djing – right thats all well and good (I don’t oppose digital mixing at all, and in fact thats all I know how to do bc im not actually a DJ and don’t have a setup) but for a decent chunk of ppl there really aren’t digital versions (or good digital versions) of the songs they wanna spin. like for example, I listen to a lot of old school jungle (well, I’ve been getting into it a lot the past year-ish) and it came in vinyl/casette era, maybe right at the beginning of cds (golden era was 93-94 imo with some proto jungle in 92 and plenty of great cuts in 95 and even 96), was somewhat underground, and for the most part there was never enough interest in later years to get rereleases. for many great tunes the only good quality copies are vinyl, so I can def see an argument for spinning vinyl in certain genres. yea i guess u could digitize ur collection but thats a lot of work when u already got a version u can spin. plus i think maybe some people like being able to select a physical thing out of a bag/box instead of a menu (im fine using a menu tho i can appreciate the ifference). idk i need to start collecting some jungle records
[ link ]I have used CDj and have DJd with others that have used digital files only. At a party we decided to spin vinyl only and it was a great success. There is nothing better than spinning records. It has nothing to do with not rolling with what technology has to offer, For some it’s a matter of preference. I now DJ vinyl only and yes I am considered “retro” and I’ve got no problem with that. The new music is all derivative any way, and I prefer to spin music that you can’t hear on the radio.
[ link ]Glad it works for you, though it’s not an option for DJs wanting to play today’s music to today’s crowds as most isn’t even released on vinyl.
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