Ableton Forum

kabuki wrote:Really, if you break down what a typical (not necesarily REALLY good, just typical) DJ does - play other people's music - what's the difference if they play a premixed CD or not? I suppose its up to each clubber's personal preference, but shouldn't folks be dancing to the music instead of worrying about how the DJ is playing it?

There are those (this may be a BIG shock for a few on this board) that concider using a computer to DJ as "cheating". GASP!!!!

Really, who f-ing cares?

If the guy was promoted and sold tickets for their "scratching ability" or live remixing, and they played a CD of Q-Bert's DMC performances, I would be rather sore. If the DJ was promoted as the "best DnB DJ in town" and he played DnB, well, if I was dancing beacuse the music was really good... you get the idea.

I agree with you to a degree.

In the long run, yes - the dancefloor is all that matters. I use that argument all the time to validate DJing with Live to Vinyl purists.

But there's something to be said about the Club DJ's job - are you there to represent your 'sound,' or are you there to affect the overall mood by setting your music to the environment?

In other words, is it your job to be the music, or is it your job to empathize with the dancefloor through your music?

Now, this distinction gets blurred with big-name DJs who play peaktime sets, but for the rest of us, I would argue that DJing is changing an environment with music, not just playing music....


(See, we DJs don't need some producer to look their noses down on us, we have our own levels of snobbery, and can manage quite well on our own, thanks )

Jeskola wrote:Max graham got busted playing in Edinburgh playing a mix CD during his set

Careful, son - Max is around here somewhere...

...He uses Live, don'tchaknow?!?

If it's tue though he can say it.

Patch wrote:

Jeskola wrote:Max graham got busted playing in Edinburgh playing a mix CD during his set

Careful, son - Max is around here somewhere...

...He uses Live, don'tchaknow?!?

It was quite well documented on a scottish forum - i believ there was around 14 pages worth of chat about it... from memory somone there had the cd, and the same tracks in the same order with same mixing points were played. was a couple years back though.

dont shoot the messenger

i shall try and find the original posts.

the way you are all talking about being busted is like there is a rule or something!? do you go to a club to see live music? No you go to a club to dance & get drunk, decks djs (sometimes) just play records, whats the difference between that & playing with cds? At the end of the day its about who can get the biggest crowd & who can make that crowd have the best night.

Meef Chaloin wrote:the way you are all talking about being busted is like there is a rule or something!? do you go to a club to see live music? No you go to a club to dance & get drunk, decks djs (sometimes) just play records, whats the difference between that & playing with cds? At the end of the day its about who can get the biggest crowd & who can make that crowd have the best night.

i agree. but if i was a promotor paying 1 or 2k for the privelage of somone pressing play it be pretty pissed off!!

muscleandhate wrote:Really most people in clubs or whatever don't give a fuck what's going on behind the decks.

Well, sort of

As a promoter I assumed the crowd knew everything about every DJ and ACT - booked some quality shows and people respected me more because of it

people on the dance floor aren't that in the dark about what's going on

check out www.nwtekno.org - a lot of clubbers and partygoers stay well informed about what's crackin

even behind the decks

Personally I don't go out clubbing (random shit with random dj's or acts) usually if a friend comes to town I'll roll out and chill - bring some of my homies and we'll post up and kick it...most people in my circle know more than enough about what's going on behind the decks

and we're all waiting for him to play one of my track

peace


a

not everyone goes to the club to get drunk...

alot of people are into the performance element of it.

dCross wrote:

kabuki wrote:Really, if you break down what a typical (not necesarily REALLY good, just typical) DJ does - play other people's music - what's the difference if they play a premixed CD or not? I suppose its up to each clubber's personal preference, but shouldn't folks be dancing to the music instead of worrying about how the DJ is playing it?

There are those (this may be a BIG shock for a few on this board) that concider using a computer to DJ as "cheating". GASP!!!!

Really, who f-ing cares?

If the guy was promoted and sold tickets for their "scratching ability" or live remixing, and they played a CD of Q-Bert's DMC performances, I would be rather sore. If the DJ was promoted as the "best DnB DJ in town" and he played DnB, well, if I was dancing beacuse the music was really good... you get the idea.

I agree with you to a degree.

In the long run, yes - the dancefloor is all that matters. I use that argument all the time to validate DJing with Live to Vinyl purists.

But there's something to be said about the Club DJ's job - are you there to represent your 'sound,' or are you there to affect the overall mood by setting your music to the environment?

In other words, is it your job to be the music, or is it your job to empathize with the dancefloor through your music?

Now, this distinction gets blurred with big-name DJs who play peaktime sets, but for the rest of us, I would argue that DJing is changing an environment with music, not just playing music....


(See, we DJs don't need some producer to look their noses down on us, we have our own levels of snobbery, and can manage quite well on our own, thanks )

I'm neither a snob, nor a producer... I enjoy good music, dancing and honesty...

First: What makes a "good DJ"? I think its all aboout music selection, which means its less about them and more about the musicians they like. I don't think MANNUALLY beatmatching has much to do with it anymore with computers and all. I have had a good time at a club that was playing non-beatmatched music. So...

I have seen really good DJs spinning some really original, different stuff fall flat because the crowd wasn't into it. I have seen "Superstar DJs" spin the most BORING shit, but the vibe was good in the crowd, so it was OK.

I have seen great DJs make a good crowd great, bad crowds just stand there, and/or bad DJs ruin a good vibe.

In general, the crowd, not the DJ, makes the club good. A DJ can slightly improve the mood, but can moreso ruin it. If the crowd is crap, the club is crap (which is Dallas' problem). If the crowd is hyped and the DJ can keep the vibe good, then all is well. In the end, its all about the hype the crowd brings with them and the music selection, usually, and not whether the DJ can avoid a trainwreck.

I think DJs are given WAY too much credit for the enjoyability of a club. Its the music and the crowd.

Does this make any sense? Maybe I just don't know how to explain it.

I've seen it happen before. The dj would mix in a tune off a mix cd and then just let it play through to the next song, but never to the extent that it was 5-6 songs. That's cheeky. I suppose it depends on where you're at. As somebody said, there isn't much of a scene in Dallas, so people might be ignorant of what's going on in the booth. I don't think you could ever get away with something like that in a London club. Even though "people go out to get drunk or fuct", in a city where there is a thriving scene, people choose to go to a club because that is the kind of music they want to listen to, and I think they'd catch on if the dj dropped a tune and then stood around laughing for the next 30mins. Fancy getting paid £200 for a 2hr set and doing 4 mixes, now that would be cool!!!!

the fact of the matter is these guys (future prophecies) are supposed to be top notch artists, the promoter paid for 2 flights (from the uk) and the guys basically showed up and did karaoke... in fact only 1 of them mixed, the other guy just stood there and watched...

that booking fee could have paid for somebody to come and put on an actual show...

kabuki wrote: First: What makes a "good DJ"? I think its all aboout music selection, which means its less about them and more about the musicians they like. I don't think MANNUALLY beatmatching has much to do with it anymore with computers and all.

I took this from the NWTEKNO message board - a review of the recent DERRICK MAY SHOW

Originally posted by VMaxxed
Derrick Freakin' May, people!

Hell yeah.

For some reason, I don't remember his last visit to Seattle being this intense. I've always enjoyed the productions and performances of the Detroit Three, but seeing any of them, and this time particularly May, just reinforces my awe and respect for these pioneers.

Cool to see BPM and Harlyn in attendance. Along with Eva, I almost felt a Definition nostalgia!

May was mixing on three decks and I think all but maybe a couple of tracks were vinyl. Nice. As Erin O'Connor said to me at one point, "I love a man who still plays vinyl."

A treat to be up close and see May at work. Something that wasn't possible even at Chop Suey or when I'd seen him in Detroit.

Much respect.

Whats the difference between this and a dj who plans his set completely using Live. he doesnt need to beatmatch all hes doing is turning a few knobs just as he had done a thousand times in his bedroom. This has been going on for years but mostly with resident djs in the more commercial type clubs.

djadonis206 wrote:

kabuki wrote: First: What makes a "good DJ"? I think its all aboout music selection, which means its less about them and more about the musicians they like. I don't think MANNUALLY beatmatching has much to do with it anymore with computers and all.

I took this from the NWTEKNO message board - a review of the recent DERRICK MAY SHOW

Originally posted by VMaxxed
Derrick Freakin' May, people!

Hell yeah.

For some reason, I don't remember his last visit to Seattle being this intense. I've always enjoyed the productions and performances of the Detroit Three, but seeing any of them, and this time particularly May, just reinforces my awe and respect for these pioneers.

Cool to see BPM and Harlyn in attendance. Along with Eva, I almost felt a Definition nostalgia!

May was mixing on three decks and I think all but maybe a couple of tracks were vinyl. Nice. As Erin O'Connor said to me at one point, "I love a man who still plays vinyl."

A treat to be up close and see May at work. Something that wasn't possible even at Chop Suey or when I'd seen him in Detroit.

Much respect.

No doubt. Hard to do for sure. Same thing could be done with Live, though. The end results would be the same. If he was spinning something good, then the music is the star, not the DJ.

Dallas does have a scene - its almost all house music unfortunately. Some breaks here and there, a bit of 2 step, a bit of DnB, a bit of hip hop. A bit of mashup. Mainly house. Dallas' problem is the PEOPLE. Fake, plastic, more concerned with where there next bump is coming from and less about dancing or the music. More about trying to impress other "$30,000 Millionares" with thier clothes and getting coked up. THAT is whay Dallas' scene is dead.

The few good clubs' have guys doing mashup/turntablism and live blends. Almost all of them use Final Scratch. One guy won't spin anything except pure vinyl. Evey party those dudes throw are all aboout the dancing and fun. But I don't concider them DJs... they are way beyond that.

i think he took some lessons from ole GWB