What makes a good Dj?

[sureno]

Originally Posted by Benoit

Can you remember last year when axwell brought that "I found you" tune out. I went to a club where he was playing & it was packed to the rafters. He played proper cheese for 3 hours with the crowd lapping it up!

Rule no 2: Get a top ten release, and you dont have to be particularly talented as a DJ!

Miaowww!

why didn't you say something earlier now where's that top 10 plug in for logic that is so true but im hoping may be one day i get close to releasing a track near that level (not holding my breathe though)

[Benoit]

Me too! Would be great for the DJ career. I spend ages on Ableton trying to make the next 'killer' tune, but to no avail. The ideas are in my head, but I cant seem to get it out on the speakers! Keep on tryin tho.

[sureno]

Originally Posted by Benoit

Me too! Would be great for the DJ career. I spend ages on Ableton trying to make the next 'killer' tune, but to no avail. The ideas are in my head, but I cant seem to get it out on the speakers! Keep on tryin tho.

no tunes in my head, just voices seriously im on a sobatical*, iv spent to much time "trying" to make something worthy but i now feel im trying to hard so just catching up on things iv neglected recently and when i have some new inspiration then attack the production side again

[RedDavid]

Originally Posted by sureno

simple question a not so simple answer, i think there are different levels to Dj'ing. today every one is a Dj but why do some people rave about how good 1 particular dj is and how another is not?
i think criteria to a dj should be?
ability to beat match
ability to read a track (know the track)
not play clashing key tracks

now things im still debating are
interaction with the crowd
playing for the crowd (i am 50/50 on this)

The way I see it, if the venue's name comes first on the flyer, the DJ's got to play the crowd-pleasers that fit what the audience want to hear. If the DJ's name comes first, then I want them to play what they want they love and what they want to share with us. Once the technical skills are up to standard, that's all I really want in a DJ. So, yeah - the ability not to be rubbish is a winner for me.

[sureno]

Originally Posted by RedDavid

The way I see it, if the venue's name comes first on the flyer, the DJ's got to play the crowd-pleasers that fit what the audience want to hear. If the DJ's name comes first, then I want them to play what they want they love and what they want to share with us. Once the technical skills are up to standard, that's all I really want in a DJ. So, yeah - the ability not to be rubbish is a winner for me.

very well put actually, i like that explanation, but not the principle

[conor_j]

Originally Posted by RedDavid

So, yeah - the ability not to be rubbish is a winner for me.

sums it up in a single line really

[Benoit]

Originally Posted by sureno

no tunes in my head, just voices seriously im on a sobatical*, iv spent to much time "trying" to make something worthy but i now feel im trying to hard so just catching up on things iv neglected recently and when i have some new inspiration then attack the production side again

Me exactly! I must have started about 15 tunes & finished about 2! Im losing the will to live with it now.

I need to get out of this "non creative" rut...maybe I'll start producing some basshunter style tracks...mmmm

Maybe not

[sureno]

Originally Posted by Benoit

Me exactly! I must have started about 15 tunes & finished about 2! Im losing the will to live with it now.

I need to get out of this "non creative" rut...maybe I'll start producing some basshunter style tracks...mmmm

Maybe not

yep that sh!t that people like disgusts me and if you dig into it alot of these chart house producers use loops for nearly everything and sample an old 80's tune and lay it on top, i couldn't do that i want to know that when iv created a track i actually created ALL the elements and not used any loops

[e-vinyl]

I think a good dj should know how to mix live, beat match , some beat juggle perhaps and a few scratches . Also importantly he should keep the crowd hyped and make them have a good time overall

[Khazul]

Originally Posted by sureno

yep that sh!t that people like disgusts me and if you dig into it alot of these chart house producers use loops for nearly everything and sample an old 80's tune and lay it on top, i couldn't do that i want to know that when iv created a track i actually created ALL the elements and not used any loops

Then use the loops for inspiration rather than use them in your music directly. Build up a track around one then tajke the otiginal loop/sample away.

Ive even actually stuck a whole track into Ableton, built up a remix all around it, then completely taken the original away leaving just my own. Whether I use the end result or not - doesnt really matter - I got something done and it gets me back into the right kind of productive mindset again.

I guess the real point - if you think your are in a rut - then you are and you will stay there - fight and cheat you way out of it - then you will be out of it

[Khazul]

Originally Posted by e-vinyl

I think a good dj should know how to mix live, beat match , some beat juggle perhaps and a few scratches . Also importantly he should keep the crowd hyped and make them have a good time overall

TBH - I think the technical side of DJing is way way overrated, but of course this depends on the genre. Smooth yes - no mistakes - of course. But being able to mess with every button and knob? No - desnt matter. If you cant - then you find music that does that for you - just make absolutely sure you get the basics right.

The real key IMHO is choosing the right music, a good progression of energy (how you mix as well as the music to help you acheive what you want) - knowing when to peak, knowing when to dip and feed the soul, how long to tease etc.

As someone said above - yes, you need to hook the crowd, but once you have reel them in! The point about Sasha and a journey absolutely nails it.

Do you play to them or do they follow you? Get it right - I think they follow you - people like to be led. If you just play to them then its just small town clubs/bars and weddings for you - ie go straight to DJ hell - do not pass go etc

[sureno]

Originally Posted by Khazul

Then use the loops for inspiration rather than use them in your music directly. Build up a track around one then tajke the otiginal loop/sample away.

Ive even actually stuck a whole track into Ableton, built up a remix all around it, then completely taken the original away leaving just my own. Whether I use the end result or not - doesnt really matter - I got something done and it gets me back into the right kind of productive mindset again.

I guess the real point - if you think your are in a rut - then you are and you will stay there - fight and cheat you way out of it - then you will be out of it

some good advice there man. cheers

[sureno]

funny thing happened to me last night, i was asked to play a little more mainstream and when i did towards the last hour of my set a couple came up to me and had noticed the change in style, i was pleasantly surprised that people are actually noticing, they said they really like what i normally play and come to the venue just to hear me, i was really happy to hear that and thought id go back to how i normally play because of it, not that the more main stream stuff was not any good but because i felt on this occasion it was a good feeling to play to the crowd

[Wilty]

It is a difficult question to answer. One example in Hard Dance (my only really area clubbing wise) is Andy Whitby. 3 years ago he was fresh and original, now he uses a lot of premixed tracks and his sets are a little stale to me, and just breakdowns mashed together over a dodgy scouse house beat a lot of the time. I don't know if many will have heard of him but he is a very polorizing figure. You love him or hate him. He is, to my mind, one of the most followed DJ's in hard dance and is playing most big events and releasing complaritively massive CD's with big labels. As I said to me now his sets are the same premashed tracks and filter twidling but people flock to see him play. The argument I hear a lot is is he a crap dj with a big following or a genius who deserves to be follwed. Watching him live his mixer ability is tight and he knows everything inside out, but is this enough to make him a good DJ? I still couldn't say.
Personally I never mix anywhere that isn't a house party but from that limiting experience I tend to notice that technical ability comes equal to track selection, but people still go for it despite the odd slip up, especially if its a well loved tune. How that applies to pro's I don't know, but in that environment reading the audience is important, especially as people can punch the DJ at a house party hehe.
Sorry if this is really longwinded and realatively irrellevant but its my 2 pence worth.