Kinda disappointed at the path some digital DJs take
I went to a bar the other day for a drink and clocked the DJ playing with Traktor. He was using a touch screen tablet thing, you know a computer that is literally just a screen. In order to control everything he was using one of those pen things that come with the tablet you use to touch the screen. Now I’m sorry, call me old fashioned but where’s the heart and sole of DJing gone? I like to jump around and dance to the music, I do this while I’m doing shit with my hands on the equipment that makes a difference to the music. How is anyone supposed to get down when they are tapping away at the screen with a silly little pen? I like to look at the crowd and get that relationship going on between me and them. I’m sorry but hiding behind a screen doing what looks like placing an order at a fast food restaurant… come on now!?
I get drunken chicks come up in the DJ booth from time to time dancing around and bumping up against me and shit, what if this happens to that dude and his magic pen gets knocked out of his hands and goes missing?.. He’s screwed!
Now, it took me a bit of time to warm to the whole digital thing, but now there’s people actually doing shit that actually involves skill; cue juggling, scratching with jog wheels, 4 deck mixing etc. I just don’t get how someone can have the nerve to stand there tarnishing nu skool DJ’s with the “that’s cheating” brush. At least TRY and make it look like you’re doing something other than pushing play.
If his screen had anywhere near the latency of the touch screen I had on the flight from Europe last week, the people on the dance floor are screwed!!
Dodge’s argument is valid, but I know a jazz drummer who thinks the same of electro-dance producers “painting” beats on a screen. I can here his voice ringing out “Where the f&^* is the soul in that?!?” LOL
Well if he was perched behind his laptop just tapping the screen with a stylus, not putting on any type of show whatsoever, i know there is 0% chance he would get some play that night.
My underlying point is that if you had two dj’s right, same tracks etc: the first guys is playing as dodge mentioned, basically the stereotypical “checking email” type digital DJ. technically perfect, but boring as hell to watch, and the second guy: same tracks again, maybe using a controller or even some decks, it doesn’t matter. This guy is bopping around, interacting with the crowd, getting the hype up etc, all that jazz. Who would you, as a punter, rather watch?
So much tension in the digital DJ relm haha. I think when the digital tools are finally all utilized in an interactive way and production and DJ’ing become even more merged, DJ’ing will be much harder than it ever was because everyone would have their game stepped up!
Thaaats when all of this digital arguments will finally be done with!
How does he turn 2 knobs at once or 2 faders? Or 2 whatevers at once… He only has one control pen. Sounds a bit stupid to me. Unless he can use his fingers.
Sorry if the tunes are good he can play tiddly winks with midi enabled tiddlies for all i care lol, to be honest this is a bit like you can’t use a computer you should be using vinyl, do you really want to go down that road
Jester, you are definitely on the same wavelength my boy! That’s my argument exactly, 2 identical sets, 2 different styles of DJ. I know I’d wanna see someone giving it all they got as opposed to some douche looking like he should be in the office. When I see a DJ having it and really enjoying himself, it makes me wanna have it and enjoy myself. When I see someone with a pen drawing on a screen I tend to switch off and look for another room or bar.
I used to hate the “it’s the music that counts” argument. Of course it’s the music that counts, come on now, that’s the fundamental basis of any event where music is the source of entertainment. But if I see a DJ tearing it up and he is just typing away on his laptop the first thing that instinctively goes through my mind is “cheat”, sorry it just does. You think the band Kiss would be where they are now if it was “just about the music”? Do me a favour! Of course it’s about the music, but they took it a step further with the face paint and the big ass heeled shoes and sticking their tongues out that’s why their image is world wide. Same with Alice Cooper and the whole “Theatre rock” thing. If everyone just sat there on a stool playing their instruments it would probably only go so far.
I personally hate dizzy rascal, but he knows how to interact with a crowd and move around and show that he is doing stuff, if he did exactly the same show but standing in the corner holding a mic all shying away, it wouldnt be the same experience.
let me give you the same “2 dj” scenario, except this time one has an ableton live set instead of the stylus. he hits play, and walks away. he could go home and do his taxes, come back and the set is still going because of the automation he put in. now this may be a stretch, but if you’re saying it’s all about the music, then that’s cool right? to me, it’s not. but if you guys want to go to a club night where the dj has little to no feel/connection with the crowd, be my guest!
In that last post I wrote I actually scrubbed a sentence saying exactly that. I was gonna say whats the point in having a DJ at all, might as well stick on a CD, but then realised I was gonna get a barrage of responses saying “tune selection man”. But you’re totally right. Think about that Justice picture with the cable thats not plugged into his midi controller. Putting the cable aside matey boy looks like he’s proper larging it! I’d sooner see a wicked set that was fake and not even know but have the DJ going for it putting a smile on everyones face, than some guy stuck in the corner drawing with a pen (obviously I wouldn’t be impressed if I found out the set was a fake but you get what Im saying).
I don’t watch DJ’s so none of the above bothers me, thus why it’s all about the music, normally find me next to speakers in a dark corner listening happily while drinking water lol
He’s just taking the piss, surely.