Essential Attributes Of A Good DJ?

[nousd]

is flexible enuf to pick-up off previous set
and respectful of build for next

[Etches828]

Shit, need to up my technical game. Quite difficult to do on Gemini TT-02's however.... needs me some technics...Oh actually vinyl is dead, so pioneers lol.

[apmje]

and dropping one or two tearout tracks like eyez.....

lol.

The sub on Eyez (and particularly the VIP) go HARD

The VIP is a tearout out tune, by Malas' standards anyway. Still prefer the original though

ok. by Mala standards that might be a harder tune, i just couldnt help but laugh, just cause if i played that tune for anyone around where i live they'd ask "could you play the hard stuff? like not the mellow dubstep?"

I prefer the Eyez/Mala/DMZ/Deep Medi/etc side of things, so dont get me wrong, just struck me as funny at the moment.

As it did me mate, don't worry.

Oh actually vinyl is dead

Guys trolling.

[Pistonsbeneath]

dont compromise

stick to your guns

problem is when comparing yourself to other djs is often the person playing the tune is more important than the tune itself

oh and if using cdjs do what everyone does and set all tunes to 140bpm exactly

then you can act the big gun when the dude using vinyl makes one little error after your flawless and (literally) effortless set

[abstractsound]

oh and if using cdjs do what everyone does and set all tunes to 140bpm exactly

isn't an hour at 140 even just as boring as an hour of tear out?

my 2 cents

[Pistonsbeneath]

i think you missed the sarcasm

i only use vinyl and am sick of the cheating

[yong]

i think you missed the sarcasm

i only use vinyl and am sick of the cheating

there's no such thing as cheating in music

there are assholes though

[Pistonsbeneath]

and the tearout is all 140 as well

also the many people accused of cheating are hype djs

[jack_swift]

i dont understand how djs can get excitement from djing when they have either

A. got a computer program to essentially mix for them
b. using cds and setting all the tunes to the same speed

massive fail!

[Pistonsbeneath]

i dont understand how djs can get excitement from djing when they have either

A. got a computer program to essentially mix for them
b. using cds and setting all the tunes to the same speed

massive fail!

word

[AntlionUK]

pitch shifting cd's is for arseholes.

nothing wrong with using cdj's though.

[armoured d]

crazy hair , top range sunglasses with decent teeth.

[jack_swift]

pitch shifting cd's is for arseholes.

nothing wrong with using cdj's though.

explain

[Etches828]

I think using laptops and shit is fair enough if you're actually performing something live/using the effects and looping to do something that average DJ sets can't. For example SBTRKT uses Ableton live and does some craaaaaaaazy shit, hes one of the best DJ's ive seen.

[yong]

i dont understand how djs can get excitement from djing when they have either

A. got a computer program to essentially mix for them
b. using cds and setting all the tunes to the same speed

massive fail!

by playing the right tunes, obviously!!

i don't care if you're working your ass off to beatmatch on vinyl if you're playing shite records!

[wilson]

i dont understand how djs can get excitement from djing when they have either

A. got a computer program to essentially mix for them
b. using cds and setting all the tunes to the same speed

massive fail!

by playing the right tunes, obviously!!

i don't care if you're working your ass off to beatmatch on vinyl if you're playing shite records!

Thing is though, vinyl DJ's tend to pick their tunes much more carefully than your average CD/MP3 DJ who can just click 'add to basket' and add another 90p to their account.

[kentnz]

playing ALL of the next DJs dubs/bangers before they can

[DFRNT]

Structure is important
Building a set up is crutial - an hour of tearout is too much - but building to some bangers is good

Be aware of your set time, or where you sit in a lineup
A drastic change of pace can fuck the night up. If you're warming up for a harder DJ, build it up for them - it's not a "who's got the nastiest tunes" competition. It kills me when I see the warm up firing out all the bangers, then the headline having to come on and lose the crowd because he's not started with a peak-time head-smasher.

It helps if you can actually mix
Sure, it's about tune selection, but if you have to ocnstantly rewind them to mix them in, or if you've got galloping horses all over the shop - go practice. It didn't hurt to learn how to DJ properly. There are videos on the net, tutorials, books, classes - find a mate who does it, and get them to give you some pointers. If you've got rhythm - it goes a long way. ALso helps if you can count to 4, 8 and 16.

Dubs vs Known tracks
I like to hear tracks I've not heard if it's a DJ I know will have good tunes - but if I go to see a DJ that I don't know, and they play entirely tracks I don't know, and they all turn out to be a bit crappy - it's pointless. It helps to have a point of reference, a hook,, a riff - something to hum along to. I like to recognise some tracks. Sure if you're Mala, or Loefah or whatever - people are coming to see you, and hear your top secret unheard dubs - but if you're a Joe-punter on the decks, there's no harm in playing stuff I might know. Variety is key I think. Too obscure, and you've lost me. Too familiar and I get bored.

Remember where you are
You're at the front (or back - or side, or whatever) of a club (hopefully) full of people who (probably) paid money to see you play. It's nice to show them you know where they are - you don't have to go Okenfold and wave your arms about like a tit every 3 seconds - but some encouraging gestures towards the crowd - or at least a few glances their way helps. The crowd wants to know if you're enjoying yourself - they didn't come to see someone stand and look like they're checking their email, or mixing in their bedroom.

Have fun
If you don't enjoy it - stop doing it, you're in it for the wrong reasons.

[spirenz]

Also a bit of presence when playing out. Smile once in a while. A good DJ should look like they're enjoying themselves. If they aren't why should anyone else? I missioned to Dunedin to see Scuba a while back and he just looked unhappy the whole time. Killed the vibe. Si from Kryptic Minds was cool like this when he came. That said most of the international DJs who make it to NZ are probably pretty jetlagged lol

[spirenz]

Remember where you are
You're at the front (or back - or side, or whatever) of a club (hopefully) full of people who (probably) paid money to see you play. It's nice to show them you know where they are - you don't have to go Okenfold and wave your arms about like a tit every 3 seconds - but some encouraging gestures towards the crowd - or at least a few glances their way helps. The crowd wants to know if you're enjoying yourself - they didn't come to see someone stand and look like they're checking their email, or mixing in their bedroom.

Exactly