Obviously it’s something that has gone on for a while, maybe more so recently as the electronic music world expands.
What are people’s thoughts on a DJ using a sound engineer? Is it right for a DJ to have tracks written for him? Or for a DJ never even to look at a DAW and have all his tracks produced, such as ghost writing?
Is it ok for a DJ to seek help when writing?
I know a few that I could name drop, but not sure that would be morally right, so let’s just keep it to your thoughts on the subject.
Nice to have the sun shining on our city for a change.
im not sure were your going with this question matey, are you talking about for production and having a masterer for your tracks or for a live djin set were the engineer tweaks the eq volume etc while you dj??
It’s sunny, but I’ve still had to whip out the old scarf this morning! I was hoping to have a techno BBQ this weekend but Manchester is expecting rain. Shocker!
No, nothing to do with mastering or live sets. When I say sound engineer I don’t mean the type you find at a venue. I mean the sound engineers that have proficient skills in Ableton/Logic or any other type of DAW. This in essence, means that DJs who can’t produce (and feel the need to), seek these people and say; write me a techno track or write me a dubstep track. This comes at an expense obviously.
Now, what I’m asking if do people see a problem with this. If a DJ has an idea for a track but doesn’t have the technically capacity to carry this out so he goes to an engineer and they sit down together and the engineer writes the track with the DJs input. However, the is another side. Some DJs simply email an engineer and say “write me a deep house track”. This is called ‘Ghost Writing’.
I’m just wondering if anyone has issues with this…
A techno BBQ, sounds good fun! Were was my invite? ha
Ahh i see what your on about now, ummm i kinda do this at work at times; sometimes im the producer for some of the tv shows we commision but i dont have the editing skills to make the show, i will sit in the editing suete with a editor and tell him what to do, so the idea will be coming from me or whoever but the editor puts it together…
in regards to music etc, i suppose this is what most pop artists do… they recieve a beat/song and then write the lyrics (sometimes dont even do that) and sing over it.
i would probably sit down with a engineer and run through it but mainly so that i could learn how to use the DAW whilst with him…
There’s 2 perspectives here, a producer perspective and a DJ perspective. I think as a DJ it’s not necessary to have any original tracks at all, and that DJing as an artform is pretty much independent of making original music. So as a DJ if you have someone producing original stuff for you, like you’re working with a producer who can’t DJ and you’re a DJ who can’t produce, I see no problem with it.
From a producer/musician perspective obviously it’s really lame to stamp your name on stuff you didn’t make.
I think it’s important to keep the 2 separated in a discussion like this even though there’s a lot of overlap between the 2 nowadays. It’s different if the person is a DJ, a producer, or a producer + DJ. Like as a DJ I think it’s assumed that much of the music you play isn’t yours, and as a producer I think it’s assumed that all of the music you release is yours. I think for a producer/DJ it’s the same as being a producer… it’s a bit corny to take credit for someone else’s work.
BUT I can’t say it’s completely black and white, there could be legitimate reasons for a producer/DJ releasing stuff that’s not him but in general it’s probably rare and in most cases it’s not cool.
Soon as I have one dude when the weather is better I will give you a shout. Decks in the garden, bliss!
Definitely not. I like to think I have a lot more pride than to try pass something off as my own. You may get a lot of praise but at the back of your mind there must always be that guilt that you didn’t actually have any input in the original track.
I would love the opportunity to sit down with a sound engineer for tips/tricks and hopefully he could help me express my ideas on the screen. Unfortunately, I haven’t had that chance yet.
I don’t think it’s as rare as you may think Vekked. Especially with high end DJs who haven’t time to sit down and write. And I agree, it’s very lame passing something off as your own.
I agree, that sitting down with an engineer to help right is absolutely fine. After all they are the professionals and if you are a DJ you don’t exactly have the time to sit down and learn a DAW inside out. That’s where the engineer can help you enhance your knowledge through the DAW. If that makes sense.
DJs using ‘sound engineers’ - Richie Hawtin had used a sound engineer for years who makes sure all the levels and such are right and as loud as they can be without damaging his hears, etc.
A ‘producer’ using an engineer/paying someone else to make/master/engineer their beats.
Sorry if this has already been said but I only read the op…
I agree, that is why if you had carried on reading you would have seen myself explain what I actually meant. The thread therefore, is not misleading. As you pointed out.
Sasha used to use Tom Frederikse a lot in the early-mid 90’s for his tracks, it wasn’t hidden away as such as Tom was very much credited. I suppose back then it was very expensive to get in to production as it was generally hardware based with maybe some form of software sequencer and to learn the ropes you probably need someone with all this kit. Now it’s pretty much all in the box, so much more accessible and tbh with all the online tutuition, a bit of time spent, you can self learn so much now. But there is a big difference between knowing how to do something and having the musical ability to create a great track - that is the difficult bit
I’m almost certain Martin Buttrich writes and engineers A LOT of tracks for the likes of Loco Dice, tINI and other people related to the Desolat label. You just hear Buttrich’s sound shining through in tracks of those people.
But most of the time, I think a sound engineer just makes sure everything regarding the volume is correct and that is something I encourage, because engineering tends to distract a lot from writing music since you’re always busy dealing with making it sound correct. Ben sims by example has an audio engineer (Paul Mac) who deals with all of the levels and such.
Benny Benassi doesnt make any of his tracks, but his name is on them. His brother wriites, produces and masters most of his music. Benny just gets the fame from playing it out.
Sure ill hunt down something.. Its only been common knowledge for the last decade. Its how Teisto started out, and still uses a ghost producer simply because of his schedule demands.
Alot of the new 20 million dollar Djs do the same thing. Spor started alot of “Skrillexs” songs. In fact Skrillexes sound from his new album from the last has changed.. Because his laptop got lifted, and the patches he contracted another producer to create were lost.
shrug. Been happening in music since its inception
Pretty much a bunch of bullshit, the guys/gals who use “engineers”. Its a fucking ghost writer pretty much. There are us guys who spend countless hours creating music from the ground up, and there are assclowns who (maybe) sit next to a real producer and just look pretty while the “Engineer” actually writes the track. This is bullshit and not ok. I know plenty of guys who do this, infact I have frends and colleagues who do this, but it is not ok!!
