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
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 ]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 ]