I was just having a thought about mixing techniques and how newer techniques compete with older ways.
Nowadays many DJs are going the way of very polished sound that is achieved by software solutions. It’s possible to achieve perfectly beat/phase synced set without hitting the play button once with WarpMarkers in Ableton for instance.. And with softwares like MixedinKey, Melodyne, Autotune etc. Harmonic mixing is easier to achieve than ever.
But these advances in technology have also removed some of the human traits of a dj set; like when a mix begins to fall out of sync you can hear just how quick the dj is on their feet when they fix it. The art of improvisation is also left out of the mix when DJs stop playing thier sets in favour of programming their sets .
what are your guys thought? Do you prefer more polished sets that take full advantage of todays technology or Do you yearn for the days of more rough around the edges mixing akin to analog/manual djing? Discuss.
My take on this is that todays mixing gives us more of an opportunity to change the tune while we play it. Or at least I feel so, we have many filters at our hand and being able to have instantaneous cue points makes for the possibility of live remixes. Which I find very fun and also makes every set quite unique.
I can see what you are saying though, that back in the day you could easily tell if a DJ was talented or not. Now that it is easier to beatmix you can pretty much put anyone in a booth and have them mix tunes flawlessly.
i think the standards have just been upped. back in the day, the ability of DJs may have come from seeing how they handle situations like a drifting tempo or a sudden clash of tunes. these days, skill comes from how the set is put together, how a DJ keeps energy in the mix (if it’s EDM), or how well they integrate effects (simply slapping in effects does not always work, a creative and seamless use shows skill i think). ya dig?
I think that now-a-days the humanity of the mix comes through in other ways. For instance, cue and beat jumping can add a good feel of what the DJ is doing hands-on.
The beat might not drift too much, but that doesn’t mean we need to lose the improvisation.
everyone can learn to beatmatch in a month as well using cds or vinyls..
it’s all about the music. you can’t “get” a good musical taste in a month. it’s the most important thing about a dj! there are plenty of superstar djs who can’t mix but they have the best collections in the world.
and the other thins is charisma. the more you have it, the better dj you are hahahaha
it sounds stupid. but it’s true.
OTOH, the modern toolbox allows a talented mixer/performer to create something awesome out of multiple tracks that weren’t so hot by themselves.
There’s a whole spectrum of possibilities between “mixing live” vs. “pressing play and letting the pre-recorded macros take over.” If you’re playing your own tracks (i.e. - tracks you produced) then it’s forgivable to pre-automate most or all of your set, and just get up there and pump your fists in the air. You’re not a DJ in that case; you’re a producer who’s using the available tools to put a show together for your fans. But if you’re billed as a DJ, and you’re playing other people’s tracks, then if the movements of your body during the set are not directly affecting what’s coming out of the speakers then IMO you shouldn’t be there (and even that standard leaves a lot of room for slacking).
On the third hand, if people hear your name and want to pay money to see you, no matter what the hell you’re doing on stage, go get your cash and don’t listen to me.
