Thesis on digital djing

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Thesis on digital djing

Doing a thesis on why djs should switch from cds/vinyl to digital..

This is what i have for now..

  1. You can have all of your tunes with you everywhere you go
  2. You can locate any tune immediately
  3. Don’t have to put your music into the luggage when flying
  4. No relying on record companies to send you hard-to-find tunes
  5. You can remix a tune on the fly without having to buy two copies
  6. Vinyl is Dead.
  7. Increased creativity
  8. Easier Library Management
  9. More Effects built-in without being on a mixer

Can everyone add on :smiley: it would be greatly appreciated thank you beforehand

2

Hm…I think something along the lines of pros/cons of digital vs. vinyl/cd and why digital is becoming exceedingly more popular would help you get a lot further

3
  1. Have Mirrored hard drives just in case you computer goes bad/broken/stolen
  2. Share playlist of sets with SSL/Traktor
  3. Work on playlist or organize set’s on the fly, without being behind the dj booth
4
  1. Being able to buy a tune and spin it in less than 5mins
  2. Versatility and customization of controllers to suit the user’s taste
  3. Updates no longer take years to develop (think CDJ firmware)
  4. Portability, have a lappy and some simple setup in your bag and being able to gig pretty much everywhere.
5
  1. (at least for me) physically faster from song to song. - No more digging through crates to find the next track.
  2. Save money on pain management for chronic back pain from lugging 50 lbs of records around (though this may be a con for some :smiley: )
6
  1. Future Proof (we all switched to CD’s, digital is next)
  2. Flexible and customizable setup (previously you used Technics or CDJ’s, not many other options that were considered viable)
7

#6 seems worthless. If #6 is true, your thesis has no value as it has already been accepted. Beyond that, it is clearly false because vinyl is still being utilized.

For the record, I don’t own a single record but I still think #6 does not belong.

8

I agree, but wouldn’t be so harsh. Vinyl isn’t dead. It is currently a niche and will continue to be.

9

21 you can handle request much easier.
22 downsized equipment and more versatile

10
  1. Save Money …you don’t have to pay 15 bucks for one song on an LP you like. Just a couple of bucks
    for 1 song
11

We are living in postmodern times, there will be no dominant format whatsoever, vinyl, cd, mp3, stuff recorded and used live, everything goes.

12

I dont think the thesis should be on why you should switch, but rather “what has caused such a shift into the realm of digital djing”. The ideas (premises) people have given you can be used to to come to your conclusion on why people have changed over, and with quite large numbers. You should offer some of your personal opinion, but try to keep it objective in its supporting materials. I would look at the generational difference between those who have embraced (as well as pioneered) the industry of digital djing. You should also, albeit briefly, examine why the tech1200 and an external mixer will never go away for some because of the history, and different feel and skill set which pretains to it. Conclusion to summarie your main arguments, done. Thats kinda what i would do.

13

I might focus more on the unique tools you’re given to be more creative, as opposed to the ways it makes djing easier.

14

thanks everyone for your input it really helped me write my outline to get my paper setup and with “vinyl is dead” I will be taking that out due to I still may get a vinyl every now and then :slight_smile:

15

Defining the terms you are using may be the most productive thing you can do at this point. Its important to realize that CDs are in fact, digital. In order to burn a CD - you are possessing the same digital file used within software like Ableton, Traktor and Serato. The more literal question your thesis in its current form is asking is “Are controllers more efficient then vinyl records or CDJs?”.

I agree that #6 is out. But I think when you consider how most DJs that consistently perform in clubs using a traditional Pioneer setup operate, you’ll realize that several of your other arguments are invalid. Carrying a large book of CDs can be a hassle, but the difference between that and a laptop is negligible. You can still carry all of your tunes around with you. Because they organize more intuitively then digital files by themselves, plenty of people have a much easier time finding specific tunes quickly using CDs. Just because you can type the title of a song within Traktor doesn’t necessarily mean you can locate all the tracks you’ll use in a given night immediately.

It appears from your list that most of what you’re considering is a traditional two channel mixer and turntables setup versus Traktor and a laptop.

16

I just handed up my dissertation this week that was a study regarding the views DJs have towards DJ technology. It deals with the digital vs. analog debate and comes to a conclusion on it. also in my conclusion it talks about what you hope to answer but you might find through your research that vinyl djs are vinyl djs for a reason that digital can not solve. I dont think you would be allowed to write on why djs should switch to digital but maybe ask if it is to the vinyl djs’ benefit to switch to vinyl.

I think you need to do more research before you start stating your reasons because most of them are weak. for example there is no reason a DJ cant bring all their vinyl with them everywhere they go. also your view on vinyl being dead is a ignorant view on the situation. if vinyl was dead you wouldn’t have your thesis question

I can send you on a copy of my dissertation when it is available publicly which should be a couple of weeks if you want.

just trying to help :slight_smile:

17

sorry just read the whole thread there now! Good idea to take out the vinyl is dead. :slight_smile:

Also theres a whole section on why DJs choose their set-ups is in my dissertation as well so the whole issue on why DJs switch to digital is covered. :confused: