|
I'm not playing at parties with hip hop DJ's/Turntablists anymore....
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Mr. Furious |
I realized something last night.....A lot of hip hop DJ's and/or turntablists have their DJ gear working in really poor condition....I guess it doesn't matter how wobbly the turntable motor is when you're scratching all the time...Whereas anybody who plays EDM plays more with precision.
I played at this party last night, and all in all it was a great party....But the equipment was in such poor condition. For starters, something was going on with the connection on the turntable, or the mixer or something....Cuz one of the levels on the mixer was all the way up to the red, even without anything playing. A guy came up to me and said "that's just how it is...." Well, that's not how it's supposed to be....So, I had the gain on one side close to zero, and the gain on the other side all the way up, because it was unusually quiet, and with no bass. As if it wasn't bad enough that I was constantly playing with the mixer, the tables were so wonky that I had to have one hand on the pitch at all times because it wouldn't stay locked for even a split second.
.....And after all that, while I was playing a record, that sound just cut out....At that point I said "Ok, I'm going home..." |
|
|
| Vivid Boy |
| awesome more hip hop |
|
|
| Cataclysmic |
man, garbage equipment isn't confined to Hip hop dj's and turntablists. I've played on all kinds of set ups. Deal with it, because it's a part of playing out. Just be prepared for anything and everything that can go wrong.
Madbar is probably the worst booth in the city, but you just deal with it and get the job done. Packing up and going home is pretty whack.. even if the equipment is garbage. Deal with it man, it's the way it is when you're playing out. |
|
|
| mushyflowa |
| quote: | Originally posted by Vivid Boy
awesome more hip hop |
:wtf:
| quote: | Originally posted by Cataclysmic
man, garbage equipment isn't confined to Hip hop dj's and turntablists. I've played on all kinds of set ups. Deal with it, because it's a part of playing out. Just be prepared for anything and everything that can go wrong.
Madbar is probably the worst booth in the city, but you just deal with it and get the job done. Packing up and going home is pretty whack.. even if the equipment is garbage. Deal with it man, it's the way it is when you're playing out. |
one intelligent answer.. your new.. you shud learn how to deal with all kinds of equipment.. this is how everybody starts.. no one is going to make an exception and get new equipment just for you.. you can take your own if they let you.. if not.. you can prove the people you can rock it with such as crappy system.. if you cant.. then you can always step back and go home :) |
|
|
| Orko |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cataclysmic
man, garbage equipment isn't confined to Hip hop dj's and turntablists. I've played on all kinds of set ups. Deal with it, because it's a part of playing out. Just be prepared for anything and everything that can go wrong.
Madbar is probably the worst booth in the city, but you just deal with it and get the job done. Packing up and going home is pretty whack.. even if the equipment is garbage. Deal with it man, it's the way it is when you're playing out. |
I cannot speak from experiences, but I would thnk that bad equipment is previlent anywhere. You hear about big DJ complaining about ty equipment all the time, and they play in huge clubs with huge budgets.
I think anytime technology is involved, you have to be ready to deal with the possibility that it will not work well. I guess a DJ's true spirit comes through when they are able to have a good time and do their job even when conditions are not right. |
|
|
| Skipper |
Yeah, hip hop DJs have totally different equipment requirements than EDM DJs do.
It is the most frustrating thing about being a DJ I find - when someone books you to spin records but doesn't give you the equipment to do it to the best of your ability, it makes you look bad to the crowd that is there. How often have we chastised a DJ in a party review for ty mixes or volume level or whatever, without knowing if he or she had good equipment to work with?
I remember a couple of years ago during a Misstress B set at system, the third table didn't work at all, and they had to actually change the mixer during her set. Imagine trying to play at the pace that she does with the sound guys crawling all over the booth trying to change a mixer without the sound stopping! |
|
|
| angelgirl |
| quote: | Originally posted by Skipper
I remember a couple of years ago during a Misstress B set at system, the third table didn't work at all, and they had to actually change the mixer during her set. Imagine trying to play at the pace that she does with the sound guys crawling all over the booth trying to change a mixer without the sound stopping! |
Definitely not a problem only in the HIP HOP industry. I am sure most of the TA DJs can speak to the fact that the equipment in the old VIP room at SYSTEM was always a challenge. I believe it makes you a better DJ and a better person if you can still perform with grace and a smile in less than favorable conditions. And I am sure it makes you appreciate the times now when everything is set up properly for you. |
|
|
| Matt |
you gotta be ready for anything
like the flooring at the cottage |
|
|
| Mr. Furious |
| quote: | Originally posted by mushyflowa
one intelligent answer.. your new.. you shud learn how to deal with all kinds of equipment.. this is how everybody starts.. no one is going to make an exception and get new equipment just for you.. you can take your own if they let you.. if not.. you can prove the people you can rock it with such as crappy system.. if you cant.. then you can always step back and go home :) |
WTF?!
Who said I was new?
I may not be a superstar DJ like the beloved Tiesto, but i've had my residency in the front room, formerly known as the VIP room at System for what, 3 years now?
I tried dealing with it last night, no matter how difficult it was....And after the system cut out, I said " it" and I packed up my records and sat down for a drink. |
|
|
| Orko |
| quote: | Originally posted by Mr. Furious
WTF?!
Who said I was new?
I may not be a superstar DJ like the beloved Tiesto, but i've had my residency in the front room of System, formerly known as the VIP room for what, 3 years now?
I tried dealing with it last night, no matter how difficult it was....And after the system cut out, I said " it" and I packed up my records and sat down for a drink. |
As long as you didn't throw a tantrum, its all good. |
|
|
| Cataclysmic |
I agree that equipment is a pain in the ass, and it doesn't showcase what you can do in your bedroom with your perfect tech 12's and your nice mixer, and blah blah blah. The thing about being a club dj is that you have to be prepared for the ties system and deal with it.
As for hip hop dj's and turntablists needing different equipment, that may be true. But in the end a turntable is a turntable, and a mixer is a mixer. I've played on tech 12's turned sideways and a battle mixer and I made it work. It happens, and it sucks, but just deal with it.
Anyone who plays out often knows that there are variables that you cannot control. happens, but you've been hired to play your records (or CD's, or laptop, or whatever the ), and to keep the patrons of the bar happy. Do your best with what is given to you, that's all you can do. Playing on a ty system, and learning how to deal with it will make you better in the long run.
Trust me, if you're going to be playing out a lot, this is going to happen a million times. |
|
|
| Mr. Furious |
| quote: | Originally posted by Orko
I cannot speak from experiences, but I would thnk that bad equipment is previlent anywhere. You hear about big DJ complaining about ty equipment all the time, and they play in huge clubs with huge budgets.
I think anytime technology is involved, you have to be ready to deal with the possibility that it will not work well. I guess a DJ's true spirit comes through when they are able to have a good time and do their job even when conditions are not right. |
Bad equipment is a problem anywhere.....However, there are limits. Having a wandering turntable is one thing, but having to deal with a wandering turntable with a crappy mixer where one gain is all the way down while one is all the way up on top of having the bass not work on one side? That's completely ridiculous!....But I tired to deal with it the best I could, and no I didn't throw a tantrum. I got off and said diplomatically that some of the gear could use tuning, and that was that.
As for professional DJ's having to deal with any type of crappy equipment, as mentioned before, there are limits to everything. Sure, a DJ should be able to deal with crappy equipment, but there's always a limit.
Hypothetically speaking, if you had a party with direct drive Gemini's, I'm pretty sure most professional DJ's would refuse to play instead of trying to bite the bullet and take their chances at playing a crappy set. Sure, the likelihood of any competent promoter using Gemini's is rare, or unlikely, but it illustrates my point of "limits". |
|
|
|
|
