Alex Moschopoulos
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Alex Moschopoulos
ParticipantI don’t wanna grow up…I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid…
ParticipantI always tell many to hit up Dani Deahl – http://danideahl.com/
She’s an authority on many things DJ.
ParticipantWhen I was growing up…before the age of software and sync…the guys on the radio would go one of two routes:
A. Using a multi-track recorder or reel-to-reel to make mixes, so they could go back and redo blends they didn’t like, or even record the elements separately…rather than play a full set in one hit.
B. Record tunes into sound files and use sequencing equipment to basically “sync” before it existed.
I’ll be honest, I’ve been using sync for a few years now in the mixes I upload online. Much of my reason is it makes it much easier to put a full set together for recording. Plus I tend to think that while imperfections and mess-ups can be overlooked by crowds in a live setting, in recording they’ll hear it over and over.
I also tend to see the music I selected as the “star of the show”, not me. I want things to play well, blend well, and give the listener a journey into stuff I found that I’m into. It’s a lot of why I haven’t gone deep into scratching, live remixing, or even using loads of FX. Some might find that boring, but I like to think “boring sets” come from when a DJ doesn’t pick interesting music.
I can manually beatmatch, but I still see sync as just a tool. Plus it’s never perfect, as I’ve stated how much I had to do live blending in many old school mixes…mainly because those old tunes were not mathematically perfect for the beatgrids to get right.
I think one should do as they feel is right in their mind, and how they want to brand themselves. I still think though only DJs and die-hards really care about sync VS manual. A crowd is usually going to care more on what is being played, rather than how it’s being played.
ParticipantThank you for the compliment. 🙂
I got into trance around 1998 or so. “Faithless” by Insomnia was my start, but some local DJs would play trance and techno in a big club we used to have called Crobar. I remember buying up tunes from Marc Et Claude, early Armin, and a record label called La Maison Grande. Things exploded in the early 00s, then fizzled out in many areas, but I was so in love with the energy that I couldn’t let it go. Been making trance sets since then…as well as house and other styles I like. I just never intertwine them. 😉
I just love the positive vibes of good upbeat trance. I’ll check out some of your sets on Mixcloud.
ParticipantI’d cosign on going controller over CDJ. If you’re never planning on playing actual CDs, then it’s pointless.
Besides, most of all this is on technique over gear. A good DJ should be able to walk into any setup and play the basics with pitch, volumes, and EQs. Doesn’t matter if it’s Denon, Pioneer, Behringer, or even Gemini.
ParticipantYou can’t always count on the “math”. Yeah, they could register as the same key, same energy, same same same in many ways, but it doesn’t mean they’ll work together. Maybe the arrangements on each do not work, or there’s just subtle enough differences that come out more when you’re blending.
This is why I don’t bother with the key checking or any of that, and just go by my ears. I test stuff together when I’m not playing in front of a crowd, and learn what works together. Even at a gig you should do it over the headphones.
As for your detailed technique…if it works for you, then do it. There’s no real rule to all this beyond “it has to sound good”.
March 16, 2017 at 11:34 pm in reply to: Cheers from Slovakia, country of neurofunk, new DJ here #2541351ParticipantMy wife is from Bratislava. Beautiful country. Have you been to SubClub?
I got a kick out of the whole scene in Bratislava when I experienced it. Played one night at SubClub and was amazed at how different the scene was with the more industrial-sounding tech house, jungle/D&B, and all the Nu Disco and abstract stuff that was happening. Then on a flipnote, you have trance producer ReOrder, also from your country. He also makes great stuff (in my opinion).
What part are you from?
ParticipantCan’t help it…
“We’re playing for England…ENG-ER-LAND!!”
Welcome. 🙂
ParticipantExcellent.
ParticipantYour best bet is to find a venue where the owner’s revenue stream isn’t dependent on your numbers.
Let’s be honest, any bar or club needs to make money from you bringing in people to pay money for drinks and what not. If they don’t see it happening, they’ll dump you. I remember around 2001 when a handful of venues dropped what were successful event promoters because they felt the direction of the club wasn’t ideal.
Basically they got a packed room full of youth in slobby clothes, high on E (Molly), who bought maybe 1 bottle of water and continually refilled in the bathroom sinks all night. Thus the venue made little money on alcohol sales. The venue owners more wanted stylishly-dressed “pretty people” who bought alcohol…especially bottles.
On a similar note, I recall one promoter who packed his club full of pretty young girls (many underage with fake IDs), and due to the lacking in numbers of men in the club, alcohol sales were bad. Most of those women expected men to buy them drinks, but there weren’t enough in the club to make that happen.
So back to you. I think your idea to rent a space is fine, provided it’s one that won’t get you into trouble. Maybe think like David Mancuso and find a loft in a factory district you can rent. Something where there’s less residents who will complain. It sounds like you want to throw raves really.
Take a chance and do it. 🙂
ParticipantLearn from our experience…don’t be a one-trick pony. You’ll either end up bored or when your favored sound isn’t popular with anyone…you’ll be stuck.
I like deep groovy house and funky jackin house. I also like energetic uplifting trance. I also like bouncy lively tech house that can rock a party but not come off as cheese. Three sounds that often do not work well with one another, but I’ll make mixes in each.
No one said you have to blend every genre you like into one set. So like what you like. If you really want to pursue multiple divergent areas, then perhaps make an alias for one of those areas and go with your current DJ brand in the other.
Your only rule in the “underground” is to sound good, be genuine, and innovate. The underground is about anti-establishment, but it’s also about creative enlightenment in the sound. Showing many the cool stuff you found that you believe others should be checking out.
ParticipantI think your reason and rationale sound perfectly fine. I too am going to embark on selling off my vinyl collection after my wife and I move into a house. I just have too much convenience with my digital files, and I figure there’s got to be vinyl lovers who could make a better home for those discs…rather than they collect dust.
ParticipantWent through it quickly. Sounds awesome.
Anywhere I can download it to listen to on my morning commute?
ParticipantNo idea…sorry. Just not enough info for me to go on.
I’d suggest asking on the forums on Discogs.com. They more often than not can ID a tune.
ParticipantIn terms of buying vinyl, I’d tell you to look at Discogs or Ebay for a start.
In terms of “what to look for”, you can ask folks like me. 🙂
Any particular tunes/styles/DJs you’ve encountered that was your “start” and thus you want “more like this”?
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