is this considered "cheating" as a dj?

[funky shit]

Sorry to say it but...being a DJ is cheating!

You can have all the stardom of a live act but without having to put all the hard work in, it's just playing 'someone elses' music.



(and before you all lynch me...I've been spinning / DJ'ing for nearly 17 years!)

true.. although if you make people have a good night..
then cheat away.

[Dalski]

^EXACTLY

Do it because you LOVE it, who gives a shit what other people think?! If you can rock it...ROCK IT!

[Sage]

Having a plan is essential to any form of live performance, even if it is just playing other people's songs. But you don't want to get too focussed on what you planned.

[ethios4]

I usually pre-plan my sets, but my favorite sets I've done where not planned....just feeling the groove and playing what I feel inspired to play. I feel like I need to be a better DJ to pull that off all the time though.

[shamburglar]

Planning the sets is how you learn. I'm starting to lay my sets out linearly in the arrangement view, seeing what works... rearranging track parts and then cutting it up into pieces and dropping it into session view, then jamming out and experimenting... I will reiterate something that I keep hearing over and over as the tech tools improve and become more robust "it's not cheating its raising the bar." Beat warping and access to infinite amounts of effects and interfaces, effect racks and dummy clips have evolved the act of djing, I almost feel the term is not proper for what some people are doing with live. IMHO

[smartass303]

youre NOT cheating when youre drunk like a sailor and deliever a nice set.

try to read your tracklist then, pfft,

303

[Atomikat]

I don't pre-plan my sets but I always put the "possible" songs to play into the set. And I color code everything, this way I can start with the "white" songs...then go to the yellow ones, the main part of my sets are in orange. The red ones are 132bpm and up.

[hacktheplanet]

My band plans our setlist before every show and we write it down using a marker on a piece of paper!!!!!
We are cheaters.

[Furland]

You can have all the stardom of a live act but without having to put all the hard work in, it's just playing 'someone elses' music.

Did see the sarcastic end-line

OP remember that whatever way you choose to play music, it's still some sort of dj'ing. Whether it's 12" vinyl, CD's iPods or Ableton, it's all about pleasing a crowd who doesn't care how you do it, but do care how well you do it!
Preparation is your way of making sure you get booked again, and all though I was a teenager when the CD was introduced, I have progressed through all the different formats and ended up here in Live.
Can't be bothered to break my back haulin three crates of 12" on public transportation, when I have the luxury and much more complex musical "freedom" Today, with my MBP and APC40 stashed in a comfortable backpack.
Today I use proportionally X10 hours more then the actual time I'm playing, leaving almost no track un-edited and having so much fun in applying my own touch to things. Back on the early CD's and 12" you could do nothing but mix-in-key and BPM match, break stop and backspin as your effects possibilities. Those have changed beyond belief, and is what makes it even funnier Today working with music.

You can still suck as a DJ no matter what option you choose to use, as the experience of using the gear it is what makes a difference.

[timwright]

The art in DJing is controlling the crowd and playing the unexpected (and making it work). If you think DJing is simply playing other people's tracks then that's probably a reflection on your skills as a DJ, and not on DJing in general.


Back on topic, no it's not cheating to plan a set out. Performers plan thier performances, don't they? It's the same, although don't be scared to move away from your plans from time to time.

[mihai]

fookin prawns!

+1

[squidot]

there is very little with djing i personally would consider to be cheating other than actually recording a set before hand and pretending like youre mixing it live when you are not. it really boils down to doing what makes you happy and leads you and everyone else into having the most fun. i generally prepare every single one of my important live sets ahead of time, because not all of my "wing it" moments end up creating angels singing from the heavens.

i would love to say that djing is all about the end result and making the crowd move, and in almost every case this is true, but i personally know a couple of people who loathe the idea of djing any other way than with 12" vinyl. they will actually leave a venue if non vinyl djing is occuring. these people are just as bad as angry, judgemental religious groups trying to force you into their way of thinking. i know one guy who thinks everything is cheating outside of using technics with real live vinyl imported from way overseas for $20+ a single. he hates cd decks, serato, traktor, live, etc...the funny and hypocritical thing of it is, that he creates music using mostly sonar production studio with all electronic sounds. wft? if youre going to argue for analog then i say take it back to its full roots and use only analog equipment to do you productions as well.

sorry about that rant guys, i guess i just needed to let loose. the thing is that i dont really care how anyone wants to dj or produce, as long is it makes them happy and more connected to the experience then im all for it...i just dont like being told that my version of fun and happiness is somehow stupid, evil, and wrong. theres my 3 cents!

[Michael Hatsis]

there is very little with djing i personally would consider to be cheating other than actually recording a set before hand and pretending like youre mixing it live when you are not. it really boils down to doing what makes you happy and leads you and everyone else into having the most fun. i generally prepare every single one of my important live sets ahead of time, because not all of my "wing it" moments end up creating angels singing from the heavens.

i would love to say that djing is all about the end result and making the crowd move, and in almost every case this is true, but i personally know a couple of people who loathe the idea of djing any other way than with 12" vinyl. they will actually leave a venue if non vinyl djing is occuring. these people are just as bad as angry, judgemental religious groups trying to force you into their way of thinking. i know one guy who thinks everything is cheating outside of using technics with real live vinyl imported from way overseas for $20+ a single. he hates cd decks, serato, traktor, live, etc...the funny and hypocritical thing of it is, that he creates music using mostly sonar production studio with all electronic sounds. wft? if youre going to argue for analog then i say take it back to its full roots and use only analog equipment to do you productions as well.

That's ridiculous. your friend that is.
my thought is the job of a dj is to make the crowd move ( I also add playing good music to this ) the way I look at it i dont care what the hell they use or how they do it to get the job done. If someone can use mp3s in Cubase and kick as$ then im fine with that. Also, most DJ's i know sort of pre plan their sets. think about the DJ who brings a selection of vinyl to a gig.
One thing i'll say though is that i think it would be harder to do a really good job with a preplanned static set, than with a set that is a bit preplanned but evolves based on the crowd feedback and system...I don't dj yet so my opinion is from that perspective.

[Imaulle]

No, that is what a DJ should do.

what a DJ should not do is what Brad Roulier AKA 'Manufactured Superstars' AKA one of the founders of Beatport, does. They play their sets from arrangement view in Ableton. and it takes two of them to do it!

[kb420]

This didn't take any practice at all!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS5nvKk2 ... re=related