Am I Totally out of my mind thinking this is total garbage

[C.Lukas1]

Why should you care what someone else does number one. Number 2, song selection and reading the crowd is the most important thing for a DJ to do. Which he says he does well.
Also being a mobile DJ is a whole different ball game than being a club DJ and both are different than being radio DJ. When you go to a club you expect to hear some one mix well, at weddings and birthday parties etc. the crowd just wants to hear familiar tunes they can dance to and don't care about mixing.

I don't think that it's professional to just hit auto mix and go talk to the crowd though.

I understand why this twisted your knickers. You feel this guy is crapping on your chosen art form by not caring about the same things that you count as essential to the art you are passionate about. He isn't worried about the same things you are though. He's running a business, and his business is doing well from what he tells us, so he must be providing what his customers want.

Exactly. I have no negativity towards the guy. It's not my style and like I said, he's doing his thing.

People need to put more effort into honing THEIR craft instead of worrying what others do. This will result in a better product for all.

DO YOU.

[guiltyblade]

uh dudes basically a wedding dj/small party dj. Those gigs are a dime a dozen. You don't need mixing skills to do any of those gigs at all. He makes a living off it. Thats it. Its not like he's interested in the art of mixing. DJing can be seen in multiple ways, from vinyl all the way to prepared ableton sets, how is this any different? Its barely any different than a sync "DJ" so what are you getting at?

[Yul]

Music selection > technical skills.

[MrPopinjay]

Guy got paid 700 times and counting. That's legit and more impressive than being nifty with a fader.

[hola amigos]

who needs discs or controllers if you can throw down a decent mix using a mouse or a keyboard?

like in this video for example (no self promo!)

Hahahaha thats totally me right now bro.

I got traktor 2.5 but no mixer. Just my keyboard and built in laptop speakers. Its fucken really annoying to learn with no mixer.

Graghhh i should have never returned my mixer but i wasn't learning anything by having one. Atleast i got traktor 2 for free once i returned my mixer.

Seriously though, if you have good taste in music. You'll get paid just for that.

[photojojo]

Music selection > technical skills.

All day long!

[MWagner]

I don't want to upset the OP but there are also thousands of people who are considered DJs who don't even pick their own music and mostly just talk on the radio in between the songs. They have about as much to do with what we do as this guy does.

[keeb]

If I've got a dance floor slammed, and I'm playing a bunch of songs that would go well mixed together, I'll usually do some basic beat matching and mixing within Virtual DJ and throw in a few effects sparingly, but nothing fancy, and frankly, usually people don't know the difference between my beatmatched mix, and virtual DJ's quick automix. In a way, I do it just to look busier.

Hate to bust the groupthink here but this, to me, is the crux of it. Pretending to mix is flat out dishonest and unprofessional. If you're going to not mix as a "DJ" then own it - don't pretend like you're actually doing something up there. He's not a DJ but a performer with a playlist. I wouldn't say I'm angry or pissed off, but I'm sure as hell not giving this guy a pass. After seeing members of this forum rail against SHM, Guetta, etc. and give this guy a pass it's a bit concerning. He gets an excuse because he's a wedding DJ and they're, "supposed to be shit," I guess?

What it comes down to though is that mobile DJing is not about skill; it's about marketing and presentation. You can be the best mobile DJ in the world, but if you don't get word out to potential clients you're dead in the water. This guy is clearly a solid businessman but I'll be damned if I'll call him a DJ. Next thing it'll be, "yeah, making a 'mix cd' makes you a DJ - it's all about song selection." Does an iPod playlist count? How about a Pandora radio station? Where have the standards gone? Even if this guy possibly meets the dictionary definition of a DJ, and even if you consider song selection to be paramount to the art, calling him a DJ is an utter farce.

/rant

[djproben]

OK so if Guetta is doing it, that's fucked up; he gets the big bucks and is considered a star because he supposedly knows what he's doing as an artist, not a party clown. This guy is making a living as more of a party clown - he isn't just doing nothing and pushing play; he's cracking jokes, getting to know people, checking out who's having fun, probably saying stupid shit on the mic that the groom's mom wants him to say, convincing a bridesmaid she doesn't look fat in that dress, etc. He probably knows all the hand gestures for YMCA and the Macarena and has ten different versions of Hava Nagila on his hard drive, he will be able to nod and smile knowingly (and sincerely) when he plays the Beach Boys and aunt Sarah tells him how much she loves this song, and he will be able to pretend "We Speak No Americano" is a brand new song when cool Uncle George comes up to ask the name of it. No, it doesn't take the same skills as beatmatching (frankly it's probably a lot harder and more challenging in many ways), but trust me this guy is earning his living.

[photojojo]

ok so if guetta is doing it, that's fucked up; he gets the big bucks and is considered a star because he supposedly knows what he's doing as an artist, not a party clown. This guy is making a living as more of a party clown - he isn't just doing nothing and pushing play; he's cracking jokes, getting to know people, checking out who's having fun, probably saying stupid shit on the mic that the groom's mom wants him to say, convincing a bridesmaid she doesn't look fat in that dress, etc. He probably knows all the hand gestures for ymca and the macarena and has ten different versions of hava nagila on his hard drive, he will be able to nod and smile knowingly (and sincerely) when he plays the beach boys and aunt sarah tells him how much she loves this song, and he will be able to pretend "we speak no americano" is a brand new song when cool uncle george comes up to ask the name of it. No, it doesn't take the same skills as beatmatching (frankly it's probably a lot harder and more challenging in many ways), but trust me this guy is earning his living.

qft!