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.
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?
Music selection > technical skills.
Guy got paid 700 times and counting. That’s legit and more impressive than being nifty with a fader.
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.
All day long!
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.
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
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!
He’s a mobile DJ.
Mobile DJs and club DJs are different breeds. Frankly, I think that virtual DJ’s automix is too much effort for a mobile DJ. If he’s playing in clubs, well, I feel sorry for the area because they must not know what music is.
Like I said, he’s a businessman. I’d hate to play weddings and I’m happy people like this guy do those jobs so I don’t have to. That said, I didn’t say this guy wasn’t earning his pay. I said he isn’t a DJ. Party clown works though… heh.
Of course he is. He carries around a sound system and lights, takes requests, and deals with fucking brides. He’s a salesman, roadie, grip, and might be called a live audio engineer except that making a single stereo pair playing mastered audio is the easiest thing that LAEs can possibly do within their field.
It’s kind of sad reading posts like these. I didn’t know the form was actually called ‘CDJTTO’ or Club Disc Jockey Tech Tools Only, not DJTT.
I thought the purpose of DJTT was to provide a gathering place for like minded people who like to use newer technology, get help and support, and learn new things.
I’m a mobile jukebox, wannabee, not a real dj. I use a Traktor, and a Kontrol S4. It makes doing my job easier and more fun. Beatmatching? Rarely. Fun effects and mashes? Pretty much never. Someone who likes to learn new technics, about new technology and different way’s to do things? Absolutely. That’s why I enjoy the form .
To the OP, and other’s who don’t have much respect for what mobile jukebox’s do:
Maybe we don’t DJ in a way that meets your standards, but I will bet that most mobile’s are better MC’s, are amazing at reading a crowd, and would suprise you with how diverse there talents can be.
[quote=“sdrthedj, post:54, topic:43115, username:sdrthedj”]
I’m a mobile jukebox, wannabee, not a real dj. I use a Traktor, and a Kontrol S4. It makes doing my job easier and more fun. Beatmatching? Rarely. Fun effects and mashes? Pretty much never. Someone who likes to learn new technics, about new technology and different way’s to do things? Absolutely. That’s why I enjoy the form .
[/quote]Why do you like learning about them if you’re not going to use any of them?
You might be one of the few good ones. A 500-song playlist that you can skip through on an iPod would easily replicated the DJing-side of every single mobile DJ i’ve ever heard at a lifetime of weddings, school dances, company events, and anywhere else I’ve seen them.
I don’t want to take away from what your skills are, and I thank you (and every other mobile jock out there) for dong it so we don’t have to…but those skills are not DJing.
Please feel free to argue with me on this one…I want to read someone tearing me a new one for this opinion…it’d make me feel better about humanity.
The more I can learn, the more it allows me to grow. I learned how to play the piano, gut a fish, and learned how to pack a parachute for skydiving. I don’t really use any of those skills anymore.
I would never argue. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I am the first one to admit that in the digital age, mobile jukebox’s have become much less about music, and much more about being an MC. And I could do entire night on an ipod if I really had to. Having the music is different than selecting the correct song for the moment.
How does he do weddings or take requests if his sets are pre-programmed?
Also how good is Virtual DJ’s “automix?” Traktor’s “cruise” feature only seems good as creating constant trainwrecks.
It’s quite puzzling how club DJ’s are the ones that usually have the real skill, but they tend to get paid less (at least in Toronto), than the wedding DJ’s who often tend to be the biggest hacks. I recently heard of a wedding DJ that charged $1200 and showed up with his Macbook which he plugged directly into the sound system and proceeded to play full-length tracks from iTunes out of his headphone output.
As someone who has DJ’d in both clubs, and weddings, I can say your last statement isn’t true. People in weddings do care about mixing, but just like in the club scene, they consider it to be a fundamental requirement and something that goes without saying. My previous post is an example of this. Someone I met who didn’t have any DJ’s in his network and found one at a wedding show and the guy played everything out of iTunes. THAT is a human jukebox…No sense in even standing behind the decks (I use that term loosely). Might as well let anyone step behind your computer and choose the next song.
I agree. That’s like having a security guard who goes to sleep. Whether your DJ is mixing or not, you hired him to handle the music, so handle the music is what he should do. Although I don’t understand how much “track” selection is involved with the individual in question, especially if he’s “pre-programming” his entire set.
You guys should read this article. It’s hilarious.
http://www.vice.com/read/hey-v11n5
HEY DJ, FUCK YOU!
ANYONE CAN ROCK THE PARTY
By VICE Staff
You know that thing called DJing? Playing records in bars or at stupid art openings for money? Guess what DJing is? The biggest fucking bullshit con of all time! People who get over as DJs are making the easiest money ever, because they’ve convinced every PR person and club owner in the world that they’re doing something only a few natural-born geniuses can do. It’s laughable. A 70-year-old blind Ethiopian leper with 10 broken fingers can “spin” just as well as any B-list celebrity at any instore party for some gay snowboarding jeans company. I promise.
And those other guys who do all the little flick-flick, crabby moves on records that are covered with spots of adhesive tape that are supposed to mean something? Those aren’t DJs! I don’t know what to call them. Nerds, maybe? They called themselves “turntablists” five years ago, but I think that got embarrassing. One thing is for sure, though: Those guys don’t DJ on the actual paying gig circuit that I’m on, because no hammered jock chicks or guidos from West Orange, N.J., will dance to an hour-long abstract scratch frenzy over a P-Funk B-side.
I’ve been making loads of supplementary income by DJing for a few years now, and I can barely even scratch my own back. All you really need is a CD burner, Kazaa, and passably cool taste in music. Here, I’ll tell you all about my life as a party DJ:
TECHNIQUE
FLOW: The only slightly ephemeral skill to learn is flow. Have you ever made a mixtape for someone you had a crush on? Then you already know what flow is—the ability to maintain a mood. I was at a party once where the DJ kept playing one danceable hip-hop track, then one undanceable slow classic-rock track, one hip-hop, one slow rock, on and on like that for an hour! We would get up and dance, and then sit down, and then we finally just stayed down and shot him really dirty looks. It was the opposite of flow. To master flow, you just need to not be a fucking moron. Can you handle that?
Segueing from one genre to a totally different one is easy. You just build tiny little bridges instead of taking one big leap. For example, let’s go from a hip-hop set to a punk-rock set. You play your last rap song, then a Prince track. Then maybe some ESG. Then the Slits. Boom! You’re into the punk before they know what hit 'em.
LCD: This is your audience. It stands for Lowest Common Denominator. You are DJing for drunks and cokeheads, and they need the aural equivalent of safety blankets. What would you rather hear when you’re high as fuck in a bar: Journey or some obscure acid-house? (If you’re a geek, don’t answer that.)
I used to spend all my time collecting the rarest tracks, stuff that when I heard it at home it would totally blow my mind. Guess what? No one cared. In fact, they stopped dancing. Now I stick to playing stuff that I liked when I was a teenager (the Misfits, “O.P.P.,” and songs from John Hughes movies) and I’m golden. When in doubt, go nostalgic.
CUEING: This is where you enact the flow thing I just told you about. You have two sides, right and left. When something’s playing on the right, think of a song that would sound good after it. Cue that song up on the left by pressing the same buttons on a CD player that you’ve pressed 1,000 times before (or putting a needle down in the appropriate groove on a record). When the song on the right side is about to end, slide the little thingy in the box between the decks to the left. When you’re a little less than halfway over, press “play” on the CD or “start” on the turntable. Congratulations, you’re DJing. Can I get a “That was easy”?
PERKS
LINES: A huge guilty pleasure is cutting the line and marching right up to the velvet rope all casual, going, “Hi, I’m the DJ.” I like to go to a gig dressed like a total slob. The nicer the club, the shittier I look. Then I can stroll past all the people who used to spit on me in high school and make a big huge deal about going through the door first.
MONEY: Depending on who you are, a DJ’s salary for one night can range from a few free drinks to obscene amounts (for the big shots) that make you hate capitalism. I heard Paul Sevigny got fucking $15,000 to DJ at Sundance. I hope that is DJ urban legend. Most DJs I know are pretty psyched if they get a couple hundred. Art openings should pay more, like $350. And remember: Always get paid in cash on the night of. Within 24 hours all money magically transforms into cocaine blown up some model’s ass.
COMPLIMENTS: One of the best things about DJing is when you play a really kickass song and people come up to you dancing, going “I love this song!” You get all proud and pretend you wrote it. You’re like, “Thanks!” Yeah, I downloaded “Youth Gone Wild,” I rule. It’s like being told your air-guitar skills are fucking SICK.
GEAR
NEEDLES: Those sleek, aerodynamic, $500 fancy-pants needles are the second biggest scam in DJing besides convincing people that DJing is hard. For totally serviceable needles, go to one of those electronics stores on Canal Street and get the cheapest set possible. You can talk them down on the price, too. I got a pair plus some shitty headphones for $90 after I sweet-talked the sales guy for a minute. (BTW, the cheap needles are called hip-hop needles and that’s mean against blacks.)
MIXERS: There are a few brands of mixers, but who cares. DJs would like for you to think mixers are all complicated, but they’re really about as hard to figure out as a home stereo. I once spun at this lesbian party where I ended up giving girls DJ lessons all night. They were lined up across the room, and it only took me a few seconds to show each of them the basics. As Garfield would say, “Big fat hairy deal.” Once I showed them how simple it really is, they were shocked at the big deal that people make about the whole thing. Yeah, there are cute little tricks you can do. If you’re playing a hip-hop song, it’s fun to cut out the bass after the second verse and then kick it back in full force on the chorus. It’s a nifty party trick and it makes girls lose their shit. But you can also just say, “Fuck it,” set them all in the middle, and read a book in between tracks.
WHEELS OF STEEL: Please don’t call them that. Don’t call them “the ones and the twos” either. It sounds like your mom saying, “Homie don’t play that.”
ETIQUETTE
OOPS: You’re going to fuck up. The record will skip or you’ll be distracted by some drunk kid telling you how much “Bizarre Love Triangle” means to him or you’ll let two Wire songs play in a row. No big whup. Everyone’s too wasted to care. You should be too. Just take the opportunity to make announcements. I usually shout out important information such as, “Don’t stop the rock, motherfuckers!” or “I need to pee!”
REQUESTS: Try not to cry when people request Missy Elliott, again. Or “Hey Ya!” or “Milkshake.” Or Cher when you are spinning Minor Threat. Or simply “hip-hop.” Or any genre of music, in fact. You wouldn’t believe how often people request an entirely different genre of music than what the DJ is playing. It’s infuriatingly rude. You’re telling the DJ that you hate his or her music. If you don’t like what I’m playing, wait 10 fucking minutes and I’ll be onto a new thing anyway.
If you simply must request a song, it better be within the scope of what I’m playing at that very second AND it better be such an insane song that it’ll make me go, “Oh shit, yeah, why didn’t I think of that?”
True fact: That’s only happened to me once out of hundreds and hundreds of requests. The song was “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith, believe it or not.
SAVING YOUR BEST STUFF: This is tricky. You don’t want to blow your load before the night hits maximum party time, so you squirrel away your guaranteed crowd-pleasing monster jams and you wait, thinking, “Now? Now? Do I drop it?” And finally you’re like, “It’s time, I’m gonna hit it.” And boom! It’s a fuckin’ nuclear-bomb explosion. A roomful of people you would barely be able to look at in the daytime are freaking out like they just won the lottery, all because you pressed a button. That’s why you do this shit. That, and the fact that you are a total fucking spaz.
By VICE Staff 7 years ago
Honestly, the amount of “mixing” described in the OP is significantly more than I’ve ever seen a wedding DJ do.