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what makes a good DJ, IYO ??
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| ZuLi |
when swamper decided to do a TA Top100 DJ poll i thought it was a gr8 idea, coz u dont have people signing up especially to vote, so the ppl voting (members, who spend time browsing music forums) are obviously into the scene enough to tell the difference between a good dj and a bad one...but after seeing the results, seeing that people like G&D and tiesto who can barely mix actually made it in the top10, and someone like zabiela @ 9, and sasha @ 6 (below above & beyond :wtf: ) it became quite obviouse that most people judge DJs in the wrong way...
so the reason behind this topic is that id really like to know how u guys decide that DJ X is good and DJ Y is bad (and obviously the fact that ive got a lot of free time on my hands :stongue: ), followed by ur personal top 5/10/whatever DJs...ill start with the first post |
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| ZuLi |
1- MIXING: 33 1/3%
A. BEATMATCHING: should of corse be perfect, and be kept sustained for at least 2 min.
B. EQ-ING: the key (imo) to smoothe mixing
C. TIMING: the mix should start/stop at a suitable time in both tracks, which also has a huge role in smoothness
N.B: perfect mixing doesnt make u a "perfect DJ", it only makes u a "DJ"
2- TRACK SELECTION: 33 1/3%
A. PLAYING TRACKS THAT GO TOGETHER: some tracks blend perfectly, and some dont...listen to digweed if u dont know what i mean
B. PERSONAL TASTE a DJ could have perfect skills, but a taste in music that just isnt yours, and vice-versa
3- SEQUENCE: 33 1/3%(aka structure/building a set)
A. CONTROLLING THE CROWD: this often depends on the mood that the DJ playing b4 u left the crowd in, or by the time of the night, or by simply watching the crowd's reactions to the music played (aka reading the crowd)
B. PLAYING TRACK X AFTER TRACK Y TO SET A CERTAIN MOOD some DJs take their crowds on 'trips' going from mood to mood, while others just play whatever track comes in the way while searching through their record bag
OTHER BONUS STUFF
- using perfectly sync'ed samples/acapellas
- using additional equipment (samplers/keyboards/efx units..ect)
- scratching
- the ability to play live bootlegs
MY TOP 5
1. Sasha ----he has the best of all 3 + the bonus stuff
2. John Digweed ----doesnt do any of the bonus stuff too often, but when it comes to track selection he is GOD
3. James Zabiela ----lacks a bit on the sequence part, but makes it up with being the best at the bonus stuff
4. Nic Fanciulli ----killer dj skills all round, and his track selection is just perfect for my personal taste
5. Max Graham ----as above...i bet i could trade record bags with this guy and he wouldnt even notice :crazy: |
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| Spacey Orange |
| don't forget the difficult ability to wave the hands around. |
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| Ishkur |
"good" and "popular" are not synonymous.
If you people are really groping around for an explanation to why the biggest trance DJs are the biggest trance DJs, here's a more realistic breakdown than the one above (though I give props to your rationalizations, Zuli, however a bit naive):
*ahem*
1 - SKILL: 5%
This would be everything from beatmaching, mixing, record selection, phrase-locking, scratching, tricks, style and flavour. The technical competence of the DJ. For trance, not much beyond passing for general adequacy is required.
2 - TRACK SELECTION: 45%
The records a DJ plays defines him. So thus, he must play the most popular ones and not deviate into any unknown territory. It's still unclear why Tiesto playing a record somehow sounds better than a no-name local playing the same record, but people insist there is a difference.
3 - THE AUDIENCE: 50%
The bigger the event, the more incredible the DJ appears. This one requires a bit of an explanation:
"Why am I going to see him? Because he's famous. Why is he famous? Because I'm going to see him."
Hype works like a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you are told over and over again that the DJ is awesome and special and deserves to be worshipped, you will go there with the mission that you WILL be entertained, and that the DJ WILL be every bit as good as the hype says he is.
Moreover, the size and the scope of the audience helps alleviate (or mask, in some cases) the DJ's actual technical proficiency. Half of the blistering wonderment of by someone who attended Tiesto in Concert is not an objective critique of the DJ himself, but rather the atmosphere and environment that 25,000 people can generate. Hell, with that kind of audience, almost anyone can look like a superstar.
It's the same principal as how a comedic movie just seems much funnier in a crowded theatre than if you were watching it at home alone. The shared/mutual experience makes the whole thing much better; moods and feelings are addictive among a group of people. It's a herd mentality, really.
Put Tiesto in a gigantic stadium with only 10 people in attendence, and all 10 of them would have a less than stellar time than if they were in a stadium with 25,000 people. In effect, it is the people who make the event so incredible for themselves, not the DJ. The DJ simply seems larger than life in a massive venue than in a small dingy club or afterhours joint. But it is, in effect, theatre. He's not doing anything special. He's just presented like he is.
On the whole, people only generally like what their friends like, they go where their friends go, they enjoy what their friends enjoy. It's a popularity thing, not a skill or musicianship thing. If the crowd is large enough, all the DJ has to do is play music and fake the rest, and they will excuse him for almost any shoddy set.
Never underestimate the power of mass appeal. The list was constructed based completely on emotional impulses, not any objective critique or serious, rational consideration for professionalism. |
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| digitul punk |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ishkur
"good" and "popular" are not synonymous.
If you people are really groping around for an explanation to why the biggest trance DJs are the biggest trance DJs, here's a more realistic breakdown than the one above (though I give props to your rationalizations, Zuli, however a bit naive):
*ahem*
1 - SKILL: 5%
This would be everything from beatmaching, mixing, record selection, phrase-locking, scratching, tricks, style and flavour. The technical competence of the DJ. For trance, not much beyond passing for general adequacy is required.
2 - TRACK SELECTION: 45%
The records a DJ plays defines him. So thus, he must play the most popular ones and not deviate into any unknown territory. It's still unclear why Tiesto playing a record somehow sounds better than a no-name local playing the same record, but people insist there is a difference.
3 - THE AUDIENCE: 50%
The bigger the event, the more incredible the DJ appears. This one requires a bit of an explanation:
"Why am I going to see him? Because he's famous. Why is he famous? Because I'm going to see him."
Hype works like a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you are told over and over again that the DJ is awesome and special and deserves to be worshipped, you will go there with the mission that you WILL be entertained, and that the DJ WILL be every bit as good as the hype says he is.
Moreover, the size and the scope of the audience helps alleviate (or mask, in some cases) the DJ's actual technical proficiency. Half of the blistering wonderment of by someone who attended Tiesto in Concert is not an objective critique of the DJ himself, but rather the atmosphere and environment that 25,000 people can generate. Hell, with that kind of audience, almost anyone can look like a superstar.
It's the same principal as how a comedic movie just seems much funnier in a crowded theatre than if you were watching it at home alone. The shared/mutual experience makes the whole thing much better; moods and feelings are addictive among a group of people. It's a herd mentality, really.
Put Tiesto in a gigantic stadium with only 10 people in attendence, and all 10 of them would have a less than stellar time than if they were in a stadium with 25,000 people. In effect, it is the people who make the event so incredible for themselves, not the DJ. The DJ simply seems larger than life in a massive venue than in a small dingy club or afterhours joint. But it is, in effect, theatre. He's not doing anything special. He's just presented like he is.
On the whole, people only generally like what their friends like, they go where their friends go, they enjoy what their friends enjoy. It's a popularity thing, not a skill or musicianship thing. If the crowd is large enough, all the DJ has to do is play music and fake the rest, and they will excuse him for almost any shoddy set.
Never underestimate the power of mass appeal. The list was constructed based completely on emotional impulses, not any objective critique or serious, rational consideration for professionalism. |
+1 Good post. |
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| MichaelBoogerd! |
| quote: | Originally posted by ZuLi
1- MIXING: 33 1/3%
A. BEATMATCHING: should of corse be perfect, and be kept sustained for at least 2 min.
B. EQ-ING: the key (imo) to smoothe mixing
C. TIMING: the mix should start/stop at a suitable time in both tracks, which also has a huge role in smoothness
N.B: perfect mixing doesnt make u a "perfect DJ", it only makes u a "DJ"
2- TRACK SELECTION: 33 1/3%
A. PLAYING TRACKS THAT GO TOGETHER: some tracks blend perfectly, and some dont...listen to digweed if u dont know what i mean
B. PERSONAL TASTE a DJ could have perfect skills, but a taste in music that just isnt yours, and vice-versa
3- SEQUENCE: 33 1/3%(aka structure/building a set)
A. CONTROLLING THE CROWD: this often depends on the mood that the DJ playing b4 u left the crowd in, or by the time of the night, or by simply watching the crowd's reactions to the music played (aka reading the crowd)
B. PLAYING TRACK X AFTER TRACK Y TO SET A CERTAIN MOOD some DJs take their crowds on 'trips' going from mood to mood, while others just play whatever track comes in the way while searching through their record bag
OTHER BONUS STUFF
- using perfectly sync'ed samples/acapellas
- using additional equipment (samplers/keyboards/efx units..ect)
- scratching
- the ability to play live bootlegs
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Unless you're some 15 yo trance-radio listener this criteria is going to be the same for everyone.
What you can't define is people's tastes.
Yours must be more refined than most... |
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| PlasticSoul |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ishkur
"good" and "popular" are not synonymous.
"Why am I going to see him? Because he's famous. Why is he famous? Because I'm going to see him."
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I agree with Ishkurs post, but not with this phrase...
why is he famous'?
cus the dj did something to be famous, nobody turns famous randomly... nobody wake up famous in the other day...
one example is: most famous djs are famous cus his productions... |
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| spacechica |
| IMO the track selection and mixing technique matter alot but most of all is the vibe I get when I'm listening to the music. |
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| ZuLi |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ishkur
If you people are really groping around for an explanation to why the biggest trance DJs are the biggest trance DJs, here's a more realistic breakdown than the one above.... |
actually i wasent trying to explain anything, which means uv just wasted a load of ur time on nothing :stongue:
im looking for how TAs decide wether a DJ is good or not...im fully aware that talent isnt appreciated among the masses, and that most ppl have bad taste, thats why im asking this question on a board with members who are actually into the scene and not just ordinary ppl...this is all made clear in my first post, u wouldve saved alot of time if u wouldve simply read it :rolleyes:
and..| quote: | | "good" and "popular" are not synonymous. |
...im sorry, but thats nothing but complete and utter e (example: the crazy frog, or boyzone) |
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| basd |
| quote: | Originally posted by ZuLi
and.. ...im sorry, but thats nothing but complete and utter e (example: the crazy frog, or boyzone) |
You're trying to say that that frog is both good AND popular? Do you even know the meaning of the word synonymous? |
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| ZuLi |
^^ oops...didnt see the 'not' :nervous:
my bad :toocool: |
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| *InVeRs3* |
| Track selection and crowd pacing. Open minded when it comes to music, they play every genre. To me mixing skills aren't importnat, as long as they mix and don't completely crash. |
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