i’ve been dj’ing for a few years now, via traktor (still on 1.2.7, doing EDM), 2 MFs and an external mixer (which after many setups (vestax spin, VCI-100) is the best set up i’ve gotten into so far!!
and collecting heavy metal, 80’s and weird non-listener friendly vinyl (noise/experimental/etc).
i’ve played some big gigs around town, have a monthly at a bar, sponsored by a t-shirt printer (i’m not gloating at all, it is awesome, but it’s hard work).
according to a dj that i know, i’m not a dj, i’m a button clown, a monkey, a “faker”. i’m a clown that is basically a shit stain on dj’ing because i don’t use real vinyl or serato.
it never really affected me before, but for some reason i’m really down about it and feel really hurt and like i shouldn’t be dj’ing.
I have just been mixing with midi controllers all the time, dossent make me less a dj! depends on what you make out of it! I try to be creative and make my one thing..
They’re probably bitter vinyl dj’s with expensive track collections that nobody likes to dance to anymore. If the crowd is dancing, point to them and say “that’s not what they think,” and be on with your day. Even if you do use the sync button (which i’m not a fan of but whatever), it’s not his place to complain about what you’re doing behind the decks.
This is something that irks me all the time. If you don’t use turntables, you’re not a real DJ. If you don’t use Pioneer CDJs, you’re not a real DJ. If you don’t use turntables and Serato, you’re not a real DJ. If you look at your screen, if you use autosync, you’re not a real DJ. Its all nonsense. New technology is just a tool. Nothing will replace song selection. Nothing will replace reading the crowd. Nothing will replace knowing how and when to use loops and effects. There are a lot of condescending snobby DJs that think because they have the top of the line equipment that they are a “real” DJ. Problem is the wall they DJ to in their bedroom doesn’t give them any feedback. The only people that care what the DJ uses are other DJs. The people in the bar or the club or the lounge couldn’t care any less what equipment the DJ has as long as it sounds good, the music is good and they are having a good time. In the end, thats what its all about, did the people you play for have a good time and enjoy your music. Too many DJs get caught up in what the tools are instead of how you use those tools. I have DJed with cassette decks and consumer cd players and still rocked the party.
SO don’t feel bad and think that you are any less of a DJ, just a different type of DJ. There are a lot of hater DJs that reeally believe that unless you DJ like this, then you are not a real DJ. The EDM DJ thinks the hip hop DJ does nothing but scratch and beat juggle showboating and thats not “real” DJing. The hip hop DJ thinks the EDM DJ does nothing but blend 2 songs together which is easy so that not “real” DJing. The mobile DJ plays at weddings and anniversary parties just fading songs in and out and making a couple of announcements so thats not “real” DJing. Everyone thinks that the other isn’t a real DJ. Who is to say and make that judgement? If you play music for people, you are a DJ.
I would just point out the top dj’s in the world right now like Hawtin, dubfire etc all use the same shit you do and if he wants to up his game, he better keep up with the times and develope a unique flavour/style.
He’s a hater. He should focus more on himself than other people. Different strokes for different folks. You get paid to do the same things, so that’s all the validation you need.
Dont worry about it mate. You find that the majority of people that say things like this are either jealous because they cant afford to buy it all, or they are shit with technology and are scared of it.
It was the same when djs went from turntables to cds. You had all the vinyl “purists” complaining about how cds took away from the art. Its the same thing with digital djing now. It makes me laugh when cd djs think they are better than the digital lot, yet its just as easy and accurate to use the bpm counters on cdjs. If not more accurate compared to timecode bpms.
