Everyone's a DJ, but who's a DJ

[shr3dder]

No it wasn't. We hated cdjs and the people playing them. They weren't real djs. I've since changed my attitude obviously but that's how me and everyone I knew back then felt.

+1

CDJs were the devil, much in the same way controllers are viewed now. Far from a wet dream..... It took me taking a year away from DJing to even consider embracing them (it was the cost of vinyl that got me in the end)


Back on topic. To the OP

How bloody elitist can you get? I think arrogance is a bigger issue these days then everybody saying their a DJ.

I did an engagement party for a work mate a while back, I had a bunch of his cousins come up and ask for a saying they're DJs, I then let them have a go (as people did for me 12 years ago when I got into this) , yanked them back off when they dropped inappropriate music and then spent the next 30 minutes teaching them about when to play certain tunes, when to bring a tune in etc... Rather then looking down on people because they haven't played the BS game that is getting work in clubs, help them, try actually pass some knowledge on if you've got some experience. It was invaluable to me when I started, whereas these days I don't think people are as willing to help.

[teambama]

+1

CDJs were the devil, much in the same way controllers are viewed now. Far from a wet dream..... It took me taking a year away from DJing to even consider embracing them (it was the cost of vinyl that got me in the end)


Back on topic. To the OP

How bloody elitist can you get? I think arrogance is a bigger issue these days then everybody saying their a DJ.

I did an engagement party for a work mate a while back, I had a bunch of his cousins come up and ask for a saying they're DJs, I then let them have a go (as people did for me 12 years ago when I got into this) , yanked them back off when they dropped inappropriate music and then spent the next 30 minutes teaching them about when to play certain tunes, when to bring a tune in etc... Rather then looking down on people because they haven't played the BS game that is getting work in clubs, help them, try actually pass some knowledge on if you've got some experience. It was invaluable to me when I started, whereas these days I don't think people are as willing to help.

+1

[bigbeatzz]

I was talking about cdj-1000's. I don't know about the rest of the country but the cdj-1000 changed the house DJ game in NYC. Even the cdj 700's were a hit with DJ's. The ability to take a track from the studio right into the club was priceless. It sure beat playing reels. The CDJ-1000 with its vinyl emulation IMO was a game changer for DJ culture.

[mart21har]

What we're seeing now is rather sad. With this new spawn of alternative forms of DJ'ing, there's also a spawn of hate. Although it's not as pronounced on this forum, it's seen everywhere. There's too much whining and complaining and "industry standard" this and that. What used to be valid gear advice has now turned into a pissing match over who is more legitimate, and what gear does or doesn't qualify you as legitimate.

Are we all being a bit too snarky? Maybe. Is some of it deserved? Of course.

The rhetoric used behind all of it tends to be that this is the way to get aspiring DJ's started off right, learning the "hard way." This holds true still today, however, instead of mentoring and encouraging, it's been an attitude of excluding those that you don't deem good enough.

The legitimacy of controllers becomes an issue, and whilst they are getting more accepted, the people sitting behind them aren't. We can blame the marketing and rockstar DJ culture for that.

What we fail to see, however, is that this has exposed millions to this art form, and whilst some may not take it seriously and view it for the popularity, buzzing along with top40 and the likes of Guetta, surely the odds have to have improved. Kids are beginning to devise their own controllers and come at this mechanically. The multitudes of mappings are a prime example of this in action. We're going to have more people getting into it, and despite all the bad, we're also going to see an increase in good, passion, and art.

So to all of you frustrated with this new generation of DJ's, it's understandable. Show them a decent release or two from whatever genre you may choose to spin, and if they blow you off, it's their loss. Inevitably in the quest for gems there's a lot of dirt to dig through.

[DJMichaelHavok]

What we're seeing now is rather sad. With this new spawn of alternative forms of DJ'ing, there's also a spawn of hate. Although it's not as pronounced on this forum, it's seen everywhere. There's too much whining and complaining and "industry standard" this and that. What used to be valid gear advice has now turned into a pissing match over who is more legitimate, and what gear does or doesn't qualify you as legitimate.

Are we all being a bit too snarky? Maybe. Is some of it deserved? Of course.

The rhetoric used behind all of it tends to be that this is the way to get aspiring DJ's started off right, learning the "hard way." This holds true still today, however, instead of mentoring and encouraging, it's been an attitude of excluding those that you don't deem good enough.

The legitimacy of controllers becomes an issue, and whilst they are getting more accepted, the people sitting behind them aren't. We can blame the marketing and rockstar DJ culture for that.

What we fail to see, however, is that this has exposed millions to this art form, and whilst some may not take it seriously and view it for the popularity, buzzing along with top40 and the likes of Guetta, surely the odds have to have improved. Kids are beginning to devise their own controllers and come at this mechanically. The multitudes of mappings are a prime example of this in action. We're going to have more people getting into it, and despite all the bad, we're also going to see an increase in good, passion, and art.

So to all of you frustrated with this new generation of DJ's, it's understandable. Show them a decent release or two from whatever genre you may choose to spin, and if they blow you off, it's their loss. Inevitably in the quest for gems there's a lot of dirt to dig through.

this right here is solid gold, awesome post imo

[balakoth]

Alot of this is just a buncha rambling. There always going to be this outlook. But unfortunately its warranted when someone tries to belittle your craft. I found it doing it to myself here recently, as after 7 years, I find traditional DJing... Lame.. Lacking Creative flow and well.. boring..

So I moved onto to doing purely live built sets, with Ableton Remix decks maschine etc and never looked back. The cavet? Its alot harder to get a gig to do that without connections as the fad is still to have some out of towner who wears wierd masks play top 40 mashups with some EDM thrown in here and a Gangam Style there.


The only thing I have with all of this.. Respect the craft, respect the professionals around you.

I use to be a Chef, and did not call myself a Chef until I held my first Exec Sous position. I feel the same for almost any profession even DJing. Just because you own turntables and a mixer doesnt make you a DJ. Respect yourself and your drive will just be that much more passionate.

[cpetticrew]

DJ is a title no different then boss. I could work a job for one month before another new hire comes on and that doesnt make me his boss/nor any position above him. Yet some people in the same position would feel the need to boss that person around and feel more superior than he/she. Same goes with DJing just because you've been bedroom mixing or playing out in clubs longer doesnt make you any more of a DJ then a man/women who just started DJing 2 months before you.

I wish people would focus less on how they want to be perceived from a vocal standpoint such as being called a producer/DJ and let the lovely sound of music do the talking. Do it for the love of the art and music not for the title and notoriety.

[DJWORX]

There will come a time when touchscreen DJs will hate upon air or neural DJs for being fakes and not keeping it real. "We learned the hard way by having to analyse and beatgrid our music, not this pre formatted music that's delivered these days" etc etc.

Each wave is hated by the previous one, and the new wave calls last year's style old fashioned. And it's unlikely to ever change.

[Cook]

IMO you are only truly a DJ when you successfully gain a residency at a club and receive a billing on the promos.
until then, you're like an apprentice or a journeyman in the art

this.

[Hermes]

There will come a time when touchscreen DJs will hate upon air or neural DJs for being fakes and not keeping it real. "We learned the hard way by having to analyse and beatgrid our music, not this pre formatted music that's delivered these days" etc etc.

Each wave is hated by the previous one, and the new wave calls last year's style old fashioned. And it's unlikely to ever change.

I don't think so, because this was a step from analogue to digital which is huge. The step from analogue to digital has made things different throughout our entire way of life. Cars, money traffic and manufacturing process to name just a few. Those future development you 'predict', will still run on a digital system. I'm even willing to state here that the faster adaption of technology by humans is part of our evolution process.