I agree with the thoughts here...
I've worked as a DJ for over 10 years........
The key to DJing I found is this...KEEP AN OPEN MIND!!! to everything that
you hear. A lot of things can work if you make it flow right. I personally
spin both CDs and vinyl. I will recommend that if you go the CD root that
you eventually purchase CD players that allow you to cue and sample(hence
cutting the 1-2 min intros when necessary). These players will have pitch
shift as well but I tend not to use it as I also am not a big beat mixer.
If you do want to start beat mixing I found an easy place to start is Dub.
The old school, Tappa Zukie, King Tubby, Keith Hudson, Lee Perry, et al have
simple slow beats(that are still amazing) to work with matching up and then
you can grow from there. A simple way to practice flow is the old mix tape.
Any DJ will tell you that they have made tons of them. It allows you to
consciously listen to and review your flow. Buy a simple mixer and make
tapes!!!
Cheers,
Scotty......
www.dejablu.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "T-Bird" <djt_bird@yahoo.com>
To: <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 7:06 AM
Subject: moRe: ADVICE ON DJing
> > Outside of the radio station I also do quite a lot of
> > dance/party/rave/chillout deejay work and I have played in Europe, South
> > Africa and also, obviously, here as well. The mixing I do involves CD's
as
> > opposed to vinyl which some regard as being sacrilegious but I must say
that
> > it works well for me.
>
> as a vinyl dj, it only matters to me if it is *painfully* obvious
someone's
> mixing on cd (e.g., playing the minute and a half of string intro *every
time*
> on trip-hop/ambient tunes).
>
> > The techniques for CD mixing are different to vinyl
> > and I have developed my own style and tricks. The best way to learn how
to
> > do this is to get out there and just do it, there really is no better
way of
> > learning.
>
> this is true of vinyl too.
>
> > One of the things I have learned is that the techniques really come
> > second to the selections you make and your ability as a deejay to keep
the
> > crowd happy and listening and dancing. There is no way to learn that
from
> > anyone, it is something you develop a feel for, being a good DJ really
> > involves "feel" as much as being a musician does and there are NO
techniques
> > for that, you either do have it (feel, that is!) or you do not.
>
> i would modify this somewhat to say that one can be coached on djing,
although a
> coach can only nurture talent or aptitude that's already present.
>
> > The connection you make to the dancers is a vital one and even playing
the
> > latest and hippest groovy sounds will not matter one iota if you cannot
> > connect to the dancers.
>
> let the congregation say amen!!
>
> > In fact, if you have the 'feel' then technique does
> > not matter a whole lot unless you want to be very involved with
> > beat-matching, cutting, sampling and doing the other tricks of the dj
trade.
> > Quite frankly, my techniques are relatively primitive since I do not
really
> > beat-match and my mixing is pretty straight forward, my strength lies in
the
> > selections I make and playing them in a tight fashion and relating to
the
> > dancers well since I love to dance myself!
>
> one of the icons of the acid-jazz world, gilles peterson, didn't beat mix
until
> *very* recently and had no problems rocking dancefloors, however, his
> transitions were usually quite fluid--this is still important!!
>
> > I rank myself as a selector of sounds rather than giving myself the rank
of DJ
> > since what I do is very
> > direct and without much of the wizardry that most DJ's use or try to
use.
>
> i look at it this way, selectors & beat-matchers are both djs. selectors
can
> still learn about transitions from beat-matchers, and beat-matchers should
never
> abandon the selectors strength--set progression!!
>
> > I would get out and listen and watch other DJ's if I were you. Go down
to LA
> > and find the spinners you like and take it all in, or as much as you can
> > absorb. Knowing the music you play is obviously essential, I still use
some
> > music that is relatively old because it works and it is good! Obviously
that
> > is a personal call but I stand right behind it, having the very lates
and
> > hippest tunes counts for nothing if you have no idea of building and
then
> > releasing the tension and sensuality of the dancefloor. As someone who
loves
> > acid-jazz and other downtempo sounds, I really like to play a wide
variety
> > of sounds. First of all I want people to have a complete experience
> > dancewise and to use their entire bodies getting there and second of all
I
> > want to dance to a wide variety of beats and sounds.
>
> eclecticism is one of the liberating things about being an "acid-jazz" dj.
you
> can play whatever you think is dope, be it reggae, funk, drum &
bass/jungle,
> hiphop, house or 2-step/UK garage!! the important thing is to make it
flow and
> connect w/the crowd--dancing or chilling.
>
> > Just being another jock
> > mixing the regular 4 on the floor stuff one hears in most clubs these
days
> > does not interest me that much since I find that music largely boring
after
> > a couple of hours. Many DJ's active on the club circuit are locked into
the
> > 130 BPM syndrome and they are neither good enough nor daring enough to
dare
> > to play music that is slower and more sensual and deep.
>
> or *faster*!!
>
> leslie has hit on the most important points about djing--connecting w/your
> audience, playing good tunes, and finding your own sound. techniques can
be
> taught (e.g. beat-matching, scratching), but no-one can teach you how to
be
> good, only how you could be better.
>
> i'm in l.a., so if you come down contact me and i'll hip you to some good
> djs/shows happening here so you can learn more by watching and listening.
>
> dj t-bird
> 310.236.0141
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon Jan 29 2001 - 15:44:25 CET