I've been listening to trance since late 2003 or so.. Dunno whether thats considered new or not I've missed the 'good' trance everyone talks about of the past.. *sigh* Actually i've been wondering.. Everyone (ok maybe some only) says DJs like AvB and Tiesto have been very good in the past but now they've become very poor. Actually dun DJs just mix songs created by others? By saying they've dwindled in their career as DJs, i believe people either mean that these DJs have gone down in their skills of mixing (which i highly doubt so), or they have gone down in their song selection.

But i think that their song selection is highly limited by what is available and what is not.. For me i just think the problem lies with these producers of tracks. If they produce cheesy, 'formula'ted, boring trance, then how do DJs go about producing good mixes? Dunno if i'm sounding ignorant here, if i am anyone is free to correct me.

Also, another point is if what the DJs play are simply songs created by others, then why are they so highly credited for these songs? For me i can only give credit to their mixing and choice of order of songs. But if i were to comment about the songs themselves.. I wouldn't exactly give credit to the DJs.. The producers would get my respect tho. This feeling comes more from mixed albums rather than live sets, btw.

For me its funny to see how people go about praising albums such as in search of sunrise and boundaries of imagination. They make the mixer seem as tho he was god, and then at most just give minor credit to the song producers by commenting "oh the songs are very nicely crafted", then go back to adoring the mixer again. For me, i just think that if the producers hadn't made the song, DJs wouldn't have had the chance to select those songs and wow the crowds.

One example of a comment is dis (taken from discogs about ISOS1): "I have few words to say about this compilation. I have heard many trance mixes, I also have done few of'em myself, but one thing I MUST SAY is that DJ Tiesto just brings the unstoppable smile on my face, feeling of "nice detachment", his music...(track selection) is great, mixing is as usual flawless"
-> Gives me the feeling that the only thing the song producers have done is to make tracks that are just waiting for 'gods' like DJ Tiesto to put them into albums, and major credit goes to these 'gods'.

Yup.. That's all.. And yea if you havent guessed im really just an ignorant chap.. The purpose in writing this is just for someone to enlighten me about this. And yea thanks for reading such a huge chunk of crap

Duuude, the problem isnt that their isnt enough music the problem is that the DJs in question are too chicken shit to try and venture out
and play something that isnt on the virge of going into the deep hole
of total commercialism. For a crap example, check out what Juno or
Chemical-Records has in stock. You will find lots of records that
are utterly crap and you will find lots that is okay but you will
also find lots that totally blows your mind, choons that djs hasnt
played or maybe played once.

In my opinion the reason to it is because they are too afraid to loose the popularity and the "big crowds" if they go on a stroll
and try to create a unique sound to their sets, so they play tunes that they know work and tunes that they know other djs are getting
good reviews for playing and then, its all a part of the circle of crap.

Secondly, yes, they play tracks made by others. Why? Well, they arent turntablists, they are djs that is getting payed to play music that
rocks the dance floor and gets people to dance around. Somewhere in
this line everything got messed up and people will dance no matter
what the Dj is playing, the main thing in concenr is that it is that
special DJ. Because it is the track selection that is key, if you are starting out as a DJ and you keep playing tracks that YOU like and
no one wants to hear, then you wont get real far. But if you have an
eye and ear for it and can play a set that brings people together and
to use a cheese and smashed comment "brings them on a journey", then you have succeeded.

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- webbie

quote:

Originally posted by webbie they are too afraid to loose the popularity and the "big crowds" if they go on a stroll

Agree.

Its like luxury, once you are use to a high level luxury you dont want to go below that.

quote:

Originally posted by wertho DJs like AvB and Tiesto have been very good in the past but now they've become very poor.

They actually haven't changed at all, you've just learned to count to four.

The rest of your observations are pretty spot on.

you guys are forgetting the crowd in this matter. The crowd always decides how far a dj can go. Also how big the crowd is and on which time the dj is playing is reflecting in those sets.

Some djs are too big and are playing primetime for an aundiance who only want to hear the big hits.

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Well, the DJ builds his reputation as time passes and if a guy starting out as a DJ builds a reputation around him to be a cool
guy that always has fresh stuff to play and always gets a cool
groove on, people are going to come to listen to him doing just that.
And some DJs build a reputation of playing just prime time hits that
feed the crowd that short wellbeeing.

But with that said, it doesnt mean that a kickass DJ cant drop a
commercial track now and then but its the spirit of what he does
and what he believes in that counts. You can listen do DJs play that
play music that makes you go "Well, its okay, i guess" or you can
listen to DJs that makes you go "FUCKING HELL! THIS ROCKS!"
I prefer the latter.

___________________
- webbie

Has anyone stopped to think that maybe, just maybe they're playing what they want ? And they've been playing it since 99 or so ?
I guess not.
Nowadays you only hear "they're afraid to play the real stuff, so they only play shit".

2nd thing is producers normally only have out 1 or 2 tracks, so for time being you're only stuck with those, which can get boring pretty quickly.
While DJs can make a new mix every day, and so they get more attention...

quote:

Originally posted by Fresh Prince Has anyone stopped to think that maybe, just maybe they're playing what they want ? And they've been playing it since 99 or so ? I guess not. Nowadays you only hear "they're afraid to play the real stuff, so they only play shit".

Its funny how it coincides, theese DJs walk away from playing smashing sets where they blend house, trance, breaks and sometimes
even drum 'n bass just to play silly vocal tunes, and all that in that
period of time where they start to get more and more fame.

___________________
- webbie

you raise some interesting points really it comes down to the fact that it seems many tracks are just there in a set and forgotten soon afterwards the major songs of anytime are remembered. Xpander, Silence etc.

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quote:

Originally posted by Fresh Prince Has anyone stopped to think that maybe, just maybe they're playing what they want ? And they've been playing it since 99 or so ? I guess not. Nowadays you only hear "they're afraid to play the real stuff, so they only play shit". 2nd thing is producers normally only have out 1 or 2 tracks, so for time being you're only stuck with those, which can get boring pretty quickly. While DJs can make a new mix every day, and so they get more attention...

When I eventually start playing out more (I got my first gig coming up mid April) I will always play the stuff I like, if some of it happens to be popular hits, so what, I'm not playing it for any other reason than that I like it

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My Mixes

quote:

Originally posted by Fresh Prince 2nd thing is producers normally only have out 1 or 2 tracks, so for time being you're only stuck with those, which can get boring pretty quickly. While DJs can make a new mix every day, and so they get more attention...

1 or 2, yes. However, when there are thousands upon thousands of producers, there should be little excuse for a lack of variety in a set if the DJ does a little thing called crate digging.

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Everyone has an opinion. Mine just happens to be a little more informed than most.
Electronic Music Critic: Near-Daily Ruminations Of Music I Own, In Alphabetical Order!

Actually i read a bit more since i first posted this topic.. It seems that some DJs really pick unknown tracks out of nowhere and let the world know about these smashing tracks.. Maybe that is their talent.. To seek out tracks that seem out of place and then weave them into one whole seamless mix..

And is this the reason why DJs like AvB and Paul Oakenfold seem to have lost their status with many people? As some of you have said here it seems that there ARE ample songs.. Its just that these people mix what they know is famous, instead of some song that is picked out from deep within the box of vinyls. But i dun believe that these DJs dun know what their fans are looking out for. I mean, they have been in the industry for years, and these DJs know people like them because they like their taste. So like wad Fresh Prince has said, isnt it hugely possible that the DJs are playing what they like? I mean, to get this far, you have to have passion as a DJ, and i think the last thing they want to lose is their fanbase by playing something that earns them money but doesnt match their tastes.

As for Paul Oakenfold, i've heard really BAD reviews about him. But i mean if he wanted money so much, he wouldnt have spent all that time and effort in the 80s and 90s to create his own style. I mean, this guy truly loves his work. Isn't it possible that he might have changed his taste of music? I mean, if some people can like cheese, why can't he? Hmmm i must agree Bunkka kind of is weird , but after all its his prized work. To be put down by your own fans of your work when 10 years ago they were adoring you is kind of upsetting.