Daft Punk ARE DJs

[Marx]

In an earlier thread someone said that Daft Punk aren't DJs. I've also heard other people on the forum react almost angrily when people have referred to them DJs.

Daft Punk ARE DJs. There are two main reasons.

1. They sample HEAVILY. Juggling beats, sampling and mashing beats is THE way a DJ produces music. On Homework, Daft Punk has stated that the samples were cleared and they used CDJs to sample.

Old school rappers would take a sample, put their own beat under it and write lyrics over the top (usually at about 80-90 bpm). Daft punk takes a sample, put a beat under it, and write synth lines over it or (more usually) take the lead from the sample and play it on their Voyager (at about 110-120 bpm). The same production process of a DJ.

2. Their live show is a DJ SET. They are not playing instruments, they are not performing the music. They are using Ableton to mix and mash their music in brilliant ways. Because they wear costumes and stand in a light up pyramid and use touchscreens instead of turntables doesn't make them different, it makes them fancier. But when it comes down to it they are Beat Juggling, mashing their songs. Not playing or improvising them.

So, in my book, if you produce the same way a DJ does, and Perform the same way a DJ does, YOU ARE A DJ.

But this isn't anything bad. It doesn't take away from their music at all. I think that people get mad because Daft Punk isn't really upfront about their sampling (Justice is the same way. On Cross there are whole songs that are samples that are distorted beyond recognition). I don't care at all that they sample. In fact I respect and aspire to be on that level. I sample ALL THE TIME, I consider myself a DJ.

And wait til the Serato/Ableton Rewire (or whatever it will be) comes out. I will have it. I will be using my turntables daily with ableton. And what is wrong with that?

The line between electronic musician and DJ is grey. And when the Serato/Ableton combo comes out there will be no line. The terms will be synonymous. And I'll embrace that.


your thoughts....


And if you never knew that Daft Punk samples every one of their songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJPdVVOmbz4

[funky shit]

So when im playing live with my laptop and mashing up MY OWN beats with other beats which are MY OWN. Im a dj?

If you take away kieth and maxim from the prodigy line up.
IS the prodigy a DJ?

Are the chemical brothers djs?
They aint playin nothing. Just triggering midi and clips.

[Machinesworking]

Daft Punk are musicians, when they play live they're DJ's, but it's vastly different to DJ your own music. Sampling other songs does not instantly transform the creation into DeeJaying.

Public Enemy for instance had a DJ (Terminator X) and Producers (Bomb Squad, who wrote the music). Nowadays most people do both.

Thing is there are thousands of DJs who never get beyond simple mash ups and conducting elaborate playlists with minimal scratching. To me that's vastly different than Daft Punk, and why I voted no.

[Chang]

Daft punk are producers who play live and dj. No big mystery here. You can book Crystal method to play a live set at your event or Crystal method do a Dj set for less money. Same as already stated of Chemical Brothers etc.

[adventurepants_]

So when im playing live with my laptop and mashing up MY OWN beats with other beats which are MY OWN. Im a dj?

If you take away kieth and maxim from the prodigy line up.
IS the prodigy a DJ?

Are the chemical brothers djs?
They aint playin nothing. Just triggering midi and clips.

Prodigy (Liam) isnt a DJ, as he actually plays keys live. (well he used to but i havent seen em since the mid 90s).

Chem Bros, not so sure. They dont play any actual instruments live, and do seem to just manipulate fx over backing tracks. Its a hell of a show though.

I dont think there is a black/white answer to this. I DO know that I feel a lot more nervous playing guitar in front of people, than doing laptop Live performance. To me laptop jockying doesnt have anywhere near the risk factor of playing a live instrument, so much can go wrong if you relax your technique and concentration for a second. I know this is also true of laptop Live-ing, but it doesnt stress me as much.

do people really care about this stuff?

[Marx]

Daft Punk are musicians

I know it might seem to you that when I call Daft Punk DJs, I'm glorifying DJs.

But when you call Daft Punk musicians, you're degrading musicians.


To figure out the lead of a song you are sampling, then program that lead into your Moog is not being a musician. And if they were musicians why not play the instrument? They have Voyager racks that they twist knobs on. Why not play on the keys, why not IMPROVISE on the keys and take daft punk to even the next level.


I'd like to know why you think they are musicians...

[funky shit]

Daft punk are producers who play live and dj. No big mystery here. You can book Crystal method to play a live set at your event or Crystal method do a Dj set for less money. Same as already stated of Chemical Brothers etc.

Yeah. exactly...

Chemical brothers set and a crystal method set is the equivilent of a daft punk set.

Chems and Crystal method also do dj sets.
Daft punk dont do dj sets (not that i know of anyway) so maby this is why there is confusion.

If we want to go further.. we could even say when Deadmau5 performs, he is playing live. not a dj set. And to an extent he is. He's playing all of his own shit.. using a monome, lemur, messing about with clips etc. I believe he's forgot about the CDJ's also.

Im just waiting for a massive argument to start, and i couldnt be arsed

[Chang]

Daft punk are producers who play live and dj. No big mystery here. You can book Crystal method to play a live set at your event or Crystal method do a Dj set for less money. Same as already stated of Chemical Brothers etc.

Yeah. exactly...

Chemical brothers set and a crystal method set is the equivilent of a daft punk set.

Chems and Crystal method also do dj sets.
Daft punk dont do dj sets

http://www.trashmenagerie.com/mixes/200 ... 1997-pt-1/

[funky shit]

Nice find!

This shows that their live shows are not dj sets then

[Marx]

Nice find!

This shows that their live shows are not dj sets then

?? hows that?

[funky shit]

Nice find!

This shows that their live shows are not dj sets then

?? hows that?

Well I think what you said was wrong. You talk about them sampling stuff etc. But in the end its their own production. My idea of a dj is someone who is their to play music they love, create an atmosphere and make people enjoy themselves.
You can say this is what daft punk do in their live sets. But what they do is completely different than spinning 2 cd decks.

[abort]

Daft Punk are musicians, when they play live they're DJ's, but it's vastly different to DJ your own music. Sampling other songs does not instantly transform the creation into DeeJaying. .

+1

Nice find!

This shows that their live shows are not dj sets then

?? hows that?

yep, some place in the middle of it all.. theirs many shades of grey ...just close your eyes and PICK ONE.

[Marx]

Nice find!

This shows that their live shows are not dj sets then

?? hows that?

Well I think what you said was wrong. You talk about them sampling stuff etc. But in the end its their own production. My idea of a dj is someone who is their to play music they love, create an atmosphere and make people enjoy themselves.
You can say this is what daft punk do in their live sets. But what they do is completely different than spinning 2 cd decks.

What is spinning two decks? It's mixing and mashing different beats, Juggling them. Fitting them together to go from song to song without a break in the energy. Obviously, Daft Punk does it with touch screens and throw in some filter sweeps and crazy lights. But fundamentally they are taking songs that have already been made and mixing them. Why do you define a DJ narrowly as "2 cd decks" but are willing to give Daft Punk the benefit of the doubt as Musicians? They dont play instruments.

BTW it's still unclear to me how one of their acid-esque sets from 1997 proves they're not DJs

[Marx]

Daft Punk are musicians, when they play live they're DJ's, but it's vastly different to DJ your own music. Sampling other songs does not instantly transform the creation into DeeJaying. .

+1

Nice find!

This shows that their live shows are not dj sets then

?? hows that?

yep, some place in the middle of it all.. theirs many shades of grey ...just close your eyes and PICK ONE.

Some place in the middle of it you can tell that they are playing their own instruments?

[funky shit]

probably because that set from 1997 is a dj set.
Thier is a different between their dj sets and live performances.



Look its up to you whatever you want to call it.
As long as the beats are rockin.
I guess the above image is one complicated dj set.