I have some hostility for you… I started a lengthy reply that was as civil as could be, and finished it sometime after you locked the thread. Everything I wrote…POOF. Thanks, guy!
The last paragraph of the blog does a nice job of accenting that point.
Don’t shoot me for saying this, but I believe the commercial acceptance of Dubstep has compounded the fact that more people, now more than ever, want to be DJ’s. But that’s only part of the equation. You also have more people wanting to be Promoters throwing events. This in turn creates a demand for more DJ’s, good and bad.
The bit about “Remaining conscious of our uses with technology in DJing will allow us to regain our ears.” is a big issue I’ve been trying to get across to a few digital converts I used to play gigs with years ago.
Technology has allowed them to become lazy and reliant on what they see on the screen as far as helping them decide what they need/should do next. As a result, what once used to be amazing sets from a talented individual have become stale mixes between text messages from the DJ booth.
The T2 sample decks and the ease of which it is to utilize them has really helped me get away from the email and Facebook syndrom in the middle of a set. On occasion when I’m listening to the mixes later I think maybe they sound a little busy at times, but I’ve never been one to keep busy with FX. I’m in no way claiming to be doing amazing sets BTW. 
Up until about a year ago, I thought that 100%, but I’ve been hearing more an more people say things that don’t line up with this. These aren’t former or current DJ’s. These are just normal people who come out to have a few drinks and never had any interest in DJing. I’ve had people say they like DJ’s who play vinyl, but tolerate CD’s. Controllers? let’s not even go there. I don’t see any difference in what people use to play personally, but I’m definitely starting to see more patrons communicate an affinity for vinyl DJs. Funny thing is, if they couldn’t see it, they wouldn’t care.
10-15 years ago, people needed to put a significant investment into the hobby to get started. Turntables, mixer, box of records, needles… that ran you a grand or two just to get started, nevermind the $6-$11 for a record that usually only had one track that was good. That even kept people who truly loved the music from getting into it, and people who only had one foot in the door were rarely getting into it due to that heavy initial investment
With all the technology now, there is twice the amount of DJ’s now (which I actually see as good), and seemingly 4 times as many hack/lame/sucker DJ’s. The technology also gives them a crutch that allows them to do the bare minimum by letting it (the tech) do basic work for them. Also, if you have a laptop, you can start “being a DJ” with ZERO investment.
Longstory short (too late, I know), just because a DJ is bad doesn’t mean he won’t be playing, just like being good doesn’t mean you keep playing.
I got into djiing because of the simple fact to share the music I love with other people and hope in any way, big or small, I might make them feel moved by the music just as I am.
THAT’S IT! 
Sorry 
Then you’re a DJ in my book.
Something I can’t wrap my head around is why on earth bookers and promoters would actually let half-assed DJs up in to the booth? I mean, why not listen to the DJs set and see if hm, maybe this person is actually ready to play during the night your hosting?
I haven’t attended that many parties, but it seems that theres sometimes lacking a certain filter of talent, y’know, people throwing train-wrecking mixes, half-assed phrasing and ugly effects. It’s not bound to a certain format either, happens on all of it.
Seems like part of the “theres a trillion DJs who wanna gig” problem isn’t as much of a problem as long as the bookers would actually have a certain standard? A little bit like labels aren’t releasing every single unpunchy crap mixed song theres on soundcloud.
If that crappy DJ is friends with the promoter and/or can show they’ve got more facebook friends than anybody else then sometimes that’s what gets them the gig. That and often times they’ll play for free.
Word!
I’m assuming your emphasis goes to these two main points. 
The first!
When playing Psytrance…its so damn busy…that one is not able to loop and use FX as much as one can when playing something slower etc. The expectation at these parties is also the journey of the set. I have always had a club style attitude where I like to BANG it. So I have the urge to tweak and chop and do shit all the time to keep busy.
So I also find when i listen back…that its a bit busy…but now that I am also playing Electro and Fidget etc, it allows me to do all the crazy I want! (in good measure of course)
So keeping busy comes naturally to me. And embracing the slower beated music has allowed me to not be bored anymore.
i went to a club last night and instead of a dj they had a laptop you could go up to and pick a track and put in a playlist.
+with another place i went to had itunes running and you could connect to the itunes with remote on your i phone and pick tracks,most everyday clubs don’t care about the dj they just want to hear songs they know
This topic has been brought up on many different occasions… this is what I think matters:
THE MIX
On second hand too many DJs depend on bpm to dictate their mix… prob not a lot on these forums have much experience like us old heads, hitting the record store week after week and mixing of the feeling of the music and crowd…
Bpm and tech has replaced the part of the culture that made djing so great. Too many dj’s that have no idea what’s going on.
I would be very curious to see how many digital djs if put on the spot could dj a whole party without the dependence of technology telling them how fast or slow a track is
The only good thing that has came out of tech and djin has been some on creative mixing techniques BUT people buy pre-recorded dance mixes to dj bc they can’t figure out how to blend the track otherwise… anyhow…I’m done ranting but challenge all the tech toolers to take bpm out of ur library and mix without the dependence of the programs
The programs should only help you store your songs not help you dj
Just like any other talent…either u got it or you dont
I started to type a serious reply, then I remembered that anything that can be said about this topic has already been said before. As someone that loves playing with both old and new tech, I don’t think I’ll ever understand why people on either side get so upset about this topic.
I don’t quite understand this. Did you never write the BPM of a record on the label? Or are you saying that people now will build a playlist of a certain BPM and stick to it regardless of crowd reaction?
in vinyl days I organized my crate by BPM and genre. I know a ton of old school guys do that still. Its not cheating its being prepared. I spin entirely without software on CDJs and just play a track, but usually the track is pick on a genre being played, not the bpm.
In my opinion we are in a awkward period of DJ’ing. Give it another 5 years or so and DJ softwares will be very complex and the blur between DJ’ing and production will be even more present. Then we will hear less bitching and moaning about how it takes no skill to be a DJ.
Back when I was vinyl only before all the technology took over djing NO I never used BPM or wrote anything on any of my records… I bought records on a weekly basis sometimes spening my whole paycheck to buy music
I organized my music in the crates best I could but always ran the mix in my head and was quick to change the track if the crowd didn’t respond like I thought
I’ve always been big into seamless blending and throwing hints on other tracks in the mix then droppin it on the crowd for a good response. I used to do all my remixes, mash ups and everything live
I am old school but am using tech to replace having to carry crates to a gig… back in the day club djs where I’m from ATL would bring 40-50 records for a small set and you would hear 3-4 djs in a night at the club
I think we have more djs buying already mixed music and just blending songs in and throwing effects on it… there are only a select few who stand out like ean that are crazy with the creativity
Anyhow, I got off the question…NO I do not depend on bpm, I don’t use the sync option in programs and never wrote anything on my records… I placed records based on style and sound close together but never organized or even knew what bpm was until cdjs and programs came out
And yes I’m saying most djs build playlist and dj completely dependent and organized by bpm instead of mixing by knowledge of the music and feeling out the crowd
When mixer, turntable and cd player manufactures are putting BPM read-outs on everything, it’s tough for new DJ’s to avoid using them as a crutch. I used to keep a roll of black electrical tape with me for the specific purpose of covering up any lights or read-outs that displayed this info. I find them very distracting and not very accurate.