This is the first of a two part mini-article series focusing on the hardware/software dj’s use (Pt. I) and what makes a good dj set (Pt. II). This article is meant to be a starting point, I hope you put your comments on the bottom of the post. I’m going to start with the dj set up because there’s so much debate about what is and what isn’t okay to use, and of course it varies from person to person for whatever reasons.
I’m always told that using Serato or Ableton (or any other Ableton like program) takes the ’skill’ out of mixing. I’m a small time dj and before I started had never picked up an instrument in my life, had no idea what key or BPM was, yet I was able to learn how to mix two songs in the same key with similar BPMs. Is there really that much skill involved in basic mixing in the first place? If there are two vastly different BPMs, or two tracks that aren’t created electronically this can’t be used as an excuse not to mix properly. If a CDJ dj can’t mix properly it completely destroys the argument about the ’skill’ of mixing.
On the flip side, using Serato or Ableton to simply mix tracks does seem pretty poor, but just mixing between tracks on CDJs isn’t that great either. I think the technology we have available should be pushing for people to become more creative with their sets. No one wants to see the same tracks hashed up in the same way all the time. So a good dj, whether they use vinyl, CDJs, Serato or anything else, will be able to add something of their own the a set. I think the general punters appreciate someone who’s working hard. Even if they don’t notice little mistakes, they’ll still enjoy someone putting everything into a set.
Although I was only a kid when CDJs came into existence I do know the same debate occured between traditional vinyl Djs and CDJ djs, so maybe in time we can have something else for people to try and flex their ego over. Any thoughts?
“If there are two vastly different BPMs, or two tracks that aren’t created electronically this can’t be used as an excuse not to mix properly.”
No, but it can be used as an excuse for failing to mix well
Nice side step! hahaha but the semantics of ‘properly’ are roughly equivalent to the semantics of ‘well’ in this context. You’re a cheeky little fellow JackAttack!
Cool but I was making the distinction between ‘not trying’ and ‘trying and failing’.
Ahhh okay, well i flexed my linguistic knowledge and it wasn’t even worth it!
i think too many people use serato to cheat.. next time you see someone djing in perth with a laptop, be sure to note at how a lot of them always look at their screen when beatmatching – as they can see the beats visually on their laptop..
whether you use vinyls, cds, or serato, beatmatching and everything should be done by using your ears, not watching the beats on a laptop..
i wanted to get serato as a means for having all my music organised on my computer, and to take the burning process out from burning cds, but watching too many new dj’s “cheat” completely puts me off it!
it will be interesting to see how many serato-using dj’s go at beatmaching pure vinyl tracks or even using CDJ’s without looking at the BPM
I remember when people complained that using CDJs were cheating. I remember when people complained that playing other peoples records was cheating. I remember when people complained that amplified music was cheating.
Yeah they’re both good comments. I agree with Cam when he says some people can use it to be lazy, and I agree with Alex that it seems like every technology change is used as an excuse for the previous generation to say what they did was harder!
alex mate, the only part of your comment i’d agree with is the first part – people complaining about CDJ’s used for cheating.
in my personal opinion, you can do a lot of things on CDJ’s which you can’t do on vinyl, so technology wins on that one.
with ableton and serato, if you can do things on them that you can’t do on CDJ’s, then go for it.
all i’m saying is there are too many new djs in the perth scene who purely use serato to look at their screen to make beatmatching easier, and especially who think they are awesome using “vinyl”
i guarantee if you gave them proper vinyl records they would not be able to beatmatch no way near as good as they can by using serato when they look at the beats.
As a dj who learned via laptop programs and is now using serato, i have alot of respect for those who can do it by ear. i am now learning this the hard way as having to play back to back i need to be able to beatmatch by ear. kinda wish i learned the other way, but hey this was my way of getting into djing which i love.
I could do on a rant, but ill let Just Blaze (ex rocafella producer) make my argument for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azZ987rtbs4
To me in the end djing is more than your equipment, its what you do, what you play, how the audience responds to you and how you respond to the audience that makes you a good dj. and while i need to/should learn how to do it by ear, ultimately its the other stuff thats going to be essential to me
cale, i definitely agree with you on the point that djing is more than equipment. beatmatching is hardly anything compared to trying to impress a crowd, pick good tunes and have a good flow and consistency.
the video you posted does make a valid point also, in which i agree.
as i said previously, i respect anyone who uses technology to do things that the previous can’t, i.e. cdj’s loop functions, using serato to organise music, etc
the only rant i have is club dance orientated dj’s who have an attitude thinking they’re awesome dj’s, but are using their technology to make the process of beatmatching easier by watching the beats as seen in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00iPYVctwgU&annotation_id=annotation_217178&feature=iv
even though all those other points you mentioned are more important.. if a dj cannot beatmatch properly, then all those other factors will be affected with traintracking sounds and off-time transitions and cutoffs between tracks..
Looking at the Dj 101 video, to me it seems harder learning with Serato, because you’re both looking and listening! It can just be used to do things better, like Just Blaze says, moves in technology are good, they help people do more.
His argument is really good, and he even adds the bit in about vinyl collecting, and how that’s the only bad thing, you can’t have special tracks that no one else will have, because they’re all online.
This whole argument is absolutely redundant as you are assuming the key skill a DJ needs is to be able to beat match. That is total bullshit, the key skills are good taste, the ability to read a crowd and the ability to manipulate mood. All this arguing over software vs CD/Vinyl is elitist wank! There are plenty of DJ’s around who are technical masters on their hardware of choice but they still suck shit because they have poor taste or because they are too hung up with a particular genre. Often the strict adherence to matching beats and key is actually detrimental to a great set as the DJ is too concerned with the technical and not enough about song selection or creative mixing. Digital DJing allows for some incredibly creative sets which could never be accomplished with CDJ’s or vinyl, they are simply new tools in a DJ’s arsenal. Also digital DJing is relatively inexpensive to get into and this is a good thing for encouraging more people to start out…… if you are at a club and you are focusing on the how the DJ is mixing rather than what he is mixing you are in the wrong place and should go to see a live band instead. Oh and I would like to see you call Carl Cox, Mix Master Mike, James Zabiela, DIM, DIPLO, ATRAK, Klute, Fatboy Slim, Richie Hawtin, Grandmaster Flash and Josh Wink (to name a few)who are all now exclusively digital DJ’s using either Serato or Traktor….now can we start to discuss something important like should all DJ’s wear caps!
But the idea of beat matching is to keep the flow of the set. It’s okay to occasionally use tricks to mix between songs if they’re wildly different BPMs or wildly different key, but then you shouldn’t be doing that too often because it will change the style or pace of a set. It’s okay to play different kinds of music as long as it makes a coherent set.
I hate going out to see a dj who doesn’t beat match, they might as well just play songs from an itunes playlist! I don’t care how you beat match, or mix in key, but I care that it is matched. And like you say Mr Disko, song selection is a big part, but when it’s not in time there are those minutes in a set where you stop dancing, and that ruins it for me!
Perthquake. I agree totally but my point is that the key ingredient is always the tunes themselves. We have all had plenty of great nights at parties where the tunes simply come off an ipod or mix tape but they are great tunes so we forgot there was no DJ. Arguing the pro’s and con’s of how someone mixes is nonsense because beat matching skill sets can be learned and developed over time…..good track selection is something which cant be cheated, you got taste or you dont. The question raised was ‘is it cheating to go digital’ and I simply wanted to point out that the answer is absolutely not when used properly, it should be liberating for the DJ from the constraints vinyl and CD imposes…..the long and growing list of respected world class DJ’s who have made the transition should be enough evidence and I doubt anyone on this thread would call CArl Cox or Mix Master Mike cheaters!
Yes that is definitely true! So we do essentially agree
CDJ’s all the way! yes mood setting, and picking the right tracks are important. But ultimetely its how you present your tracks on the night with your talent and ability, and i think programs like serato and ableton take away the credibility of your set. Thats my opinion anyways!
Mr Disko.. if you read my previous posts i did mention that track selection and being able to read the crowd are obviously way more important factors! i did also say that using technology to do things that the former couldn’t is also a great idea.. exactly the point you made, richie hawtin, carl cox, james zabela etc all use technology as an advatage to do what the previous couldn’t.
the only problem i have with digital mixing is that it does infact allow too many new dj’s on the scene to take up the art of dj’ing much easier than it was in the past, especially when they have the atttitude thinking that they are awesome and better than the rest when they really don’t appreciate that it was a lot harder to do such things in the past..
i couldn’t agree more with what you said in your posts but i think that a lot of perth dj’s using such technology is purely using it to their advantage making the mixing between songs easier, where they should be using the technology instead to be more creative and to be able to perform tasks that vinyl and cdj’s cannot do..
another point i’d like to add is that the tunes are also the most important for dj’s wanting to please a certain crowd, mainly commercial punters.
if you take for instance the underground dj scene, the crowd that goes there doesn’t go to hear a particular track, they go to hear a set of good music (track selection) and quality mixing (beatmatching, phrasing, etc) so if a dj from the underground scene cannot beatmatch, then that affects his set.
i’m sure if you went and saw your favourite dj out, if he couldnt mix two songs together, whether they are great tracks or not, that still highly affects the set as it just doesnt sound good with traintracks between song transitions.
this is just a never-ending argument that will never be resolved due to so many different opinions and beliefs. from saying that i still do agree with some of the points that has been shared on this post, but each to their own i guess.
[...] if pretty closely related to the first, and has already been touched on in some of the comments (here). Once you’ve sorted out your equipment, what makes a good set? There are plenty of Djs out [...]