Guys - tony is absolutely right when he says that.

Unless you're playing for others you're not deejaying. You'll notice any definition or answer to the question 'what is a dj' in any book always includes an audience, a motive, some sort of presentation. If you're just collecting music and playing it for yourself with armin posters you're just another guy with expensive toys.

Deejaying is a performing art, not a hobby. There is showmanship involved, there is storytelling, it's a form of communication. If you're making mixes and doing radio stuff but staying in the bedroom, fine that's deejaying because you have a listener in mind besides yourself, which means you are doing it as entertainment or education or communication or promotion.

Otherwise don't kid yourself, you're just playing with expensive audio equipment.


Another thing. Deejaying has nothing to do with mixing whatsoever. Or even skill. Like I said it's a performance art. It's a presentation art, a communcation art. Listen to mixes from David Mancuso's nyc loft parties - he doesn't even believe in mixing records. Yet he is undeniably a DJ.

Knowing how to mix in a bedroom is about as valuable a home skill as knowing how to make yourself a grilled cheese. Once you learn how to cook and entertain for a large dinner party it's a different game

quote:

Originally posted by nefardec Guys - tony is absolutely right when he says that. Unless you're playing for others you're not deejaying. You'll notice any definition or answer to the question 'what is a dj' in any book always includes an audience, a motive, some sort of presentation. If you're just collecting music and playing it for yourself with armin posters you're just another guy with expensive toys. Deejaying is a performing art, not a hobby. There is showmanship involved, there is storytelling, it's a form of communication. If you're making mixes and doing radio stuff but staying in the bedroom, fine that's deejaying because you have a listener in mind besides yourself, which means you are doing it as entertainment or education or communication or promotion. Otherwise don't kid yourself, you're just playing with expensive audio equipment.

The definition of DJing also involves "Jockeying Discs", but you don't see many DJ's who play for a crowd doing that anymore do you?

I totally agree that a DJ performance is a performing art, but that's no reason to bash on the bedroom DJ's. Bedroom DJ's are the highest source of record sales. Without them, the industry would collapse because no one would be able to make a living off of it.

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Temporarily retired from the world of DJing.

quote:

Originally posted by nefardec Guys - tony is absolutely right when he says that. Unless you're playing for others you're not deejaying. You'll notice any definition or answer to the question 'what is a dj' in any book always includes an audience, a motive, some sort of presentation. If you're just collecting music and playing it for yourself with armin posters you're just another guy with expensive toys. Deejaying is a performing art, not a hobby. There is showmanship involved, there is storytelling, it's a form of communication. If you're making mixes and doing radio stuff but staying in the bedroom, fine that's deejaying because you have a listener in mind besides yourself, which means you are doing it as entertainment or education or communication or promotion. Otherwise don't kid yourself, you're just playing with expensive audio equipment Another thing. Deejaying has nothing to do with mixing whatsoever. Or even skill. Like I said it's a performance art. It's a presentation art, a communcation art. Listen to mixes from David Mancuso's nyc loft parties - he doesn't even believe in mixing records. Yet he is undeniably a DJ. Knowing how to mix in a bedroom is about as valuable a home skill as knowing how to make yourself a grilled cheese. Once you learn how to cook and entertain for a large dinner party it's a different game

your lame attempt at discrediting guys who do it for the love of mixing and manipulating the music we love with our "expensive toys", i honestly would not want to be "dj" unless i had a big following, made well known tracks, and played for big audiences on a regular basis that apreciated what was coming out of the speakers.. anything less sounds lame and cliche imo, ANYONE can get gigs, big fucking deal, just takes knowing the right people..

oh and nice touch with the "armin posters"

gay

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Eyad Allayla - drums cubana - di.fm - tribal house channel - twisted_techy_hooks

there was no attempt to discredit anyone...

let's just not kid ourselves about what the job of the dj is.

re armin posters - haha yeah that was a continuation of Tony's post which had an oakenfold poster reference.

Having plants doesn't make you a gardener, and just because you have paint doesn't mean you're an artist.

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i honestly would not want to be "dj" unless i had a big following, made well known tracks, and played for big audiences on a regular basis that apreciated what was coming out of the speakers..

au contrare - i think your desire for fame above love of playing music for people is rather lame.

you have to start somewhere. lameness is not starting because of being afraid to be lame I don't play big gigs, but I make decent money to fund my music addiction, I make friends, and the people who I play for enjoy what I play. I can be myself and share that with others and nothing makes me happier.

Last edited by nefardec on Jul-10-2007 at 20:10

desire for fame has nothing to do with it, playing for people who will appreciate what your doing does.. not very many cities have such scenes unless you want to play pop house, hip hop or top 40

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Eyad Allayla - drums cubana - di.fm - tribal house channel - twisted_techy_hooks

where did i mention anything about technical skill?

i was referring to the people skills it takes to make it as a working dj

sure, i see shit djs getting paid well, but it's because they possess that certain something that allows them to go out and make contacts and get known

some people simply do not possess that trait that allows them to move beyond the bedroom and get out working in the clubs

nem and i recently had a brief convo about the subject via PM when there were few threads regarding first gigs and talking to promoters

sometimes you just get it and move on or you don't and stay in the bedroom, though this obviously isn't the case ALL THE TIME

though the ones that do get it will seem to have an easier time doing so, not to say it isn't possible at all for those that don't, but you'll have to work harder and it will seem to be more frustrating

you might be able to beatmatch, very well in some cases, but if you lack those people skills to get working, you're someone with an expensive hobby

we all love the music, but there are a few of us that have that certain something to move beyond the bedroom and become djs

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Tony Morello Dot Com
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and for the record

i love grilled cheese

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Morello we all love the music, but there are a few of us that have that certain something to move beyond the bedroom and become djs

I'd say "that certain something" was motivation/determination rather than skill tbh

And going back to what nefardec said earlier, that's silly comment - if you have paint, then that doens't make you an artist? Well no it doesn't, but if you paint a quality picture with those paints, then that does make you can artist.

So because we have expensive equipment and tunes that doesn't make us a dj? No it doesn't, but if we can put a good mix together that goes down well at parties and receive good feedback from people, then yes, that is djing.

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::::: DjTrig.Com :::::
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Originally posted by nefardec and for the record i love grilled cheese

+1 Grilled cheese is tasty.

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Temporarily retired from the world of DJing.

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No it doesn't, but if we can put a good mix together that goes down well at parties and receive good feedback from people, then yes, that is djing.

I have to disagree with you.

computer programs can make mixes that go down well at parties- it doesn't make them deejays...sorry

i'm not trying to discredit anyone, just to bring perspective to this debate

deejaying is and always will be a performance art bottom line


I will admit that many bedroom deejays probably have imaginary audiences, which sounds silly, but as long as there is some kind of audience, real or imaginary, it's going to make it a performance. so in that regard you could consider people who don't play out deejays

quote:

Originally posted by nefardec I have to disagree with you. computer programs can make mixes that go down well at parties- it doesn't make them deejays...sorry i'm not trying to discredit anyone, just to bring perspective to this debate deejaying is and always will be a performance art bottom line I will admit that many bedroom deejays probably have imaginary audiences, which sounds silly, but as long as there is some kind of audience, real or imaginary, it's going to make it a performance. so in that regard you could consider people who don't play out deejays

I think we'll have to agree to disagree then

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::::: DjTrig.Com :::::
Afterward - July 2009 Mix

DJing is an performance art? If so, I want my phucking money from most of the DJs I paid to see, because I did not see no show. I simply saw a guy standing in the booth playing one song after another. The same price I paid to see some DJs I could've watch some Live Arobat show that shows real performance.

Only an idiot would agree to go see a DJ because he or she likes to see the DJ " Perform ". My friends and I go see DJ because we know they'll be playing tracks that we will enjoy, not looking over to the booth the whole time to see him " perform ", unless he's drop the mix right, then he deserve the attention.

Unless you're a DMC/Turntablist DJ, Beat-Juggling 2 records at 130BPM, Scratching the wax all over the place while doing a handstand upside down.

If you're EDM DJ, you know you're just standing there half of the time, pressing couple button for effects once a while or count couple beats.

A regular club goer might think you're awesome DJ because they don't know what you're doing or think you're doing all these remixes on the fly.

And seriousely, Mr.Djs, stop playing minimal techno at phucking peak hour. If your audience are regular people, they don't want to hear those " Deep " stuff. Some DJs call it their style, and I'll agree it's a very boring style.