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DJs vs. Producers (pg. 10)
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| DNA_pl |
I think that you're bashing DJs waay too much.
OK, so called DJing degraded just like music production degraded due to technology availability but still there are plenty of DJs who are great doing their job.
Well, I believe that great DJ is a someone who knows "crowd psychology", who knows exactly where he is, what it need to be played NOW to give people fun.
I know a DJ who puts his whole heart into it and please don't put such people to the same bag as some cheesy "EDM DJs". First of all, I don't like DJs who play only the latest tracks. So, what - a track from two months ago is already old ? If it is then your tracks selection is crap. Great DJ knows music, has a range of great tracks from 2-3 decades (i know, some genres don't allow it) - I would say that he should be someone like music critique person, he needs to know his stuff, needs to follow music, know both latest releases and some legendary once.
Once I was in a club and after some Fatboy Slim or something , DJ played ... Michael Jackson - Blame it on the boogie from ... 1978. People loved it - it doesnt matter that some people had 19-20 years, some had 30. They all liked it because it was played in the good moment. An hour later some drum & bass stuff was played - and still there were a lot people on the dancefloor
Sure, it won't work everywhere, that's why the DJ needs to know the place, the audience and needs to know what to play when. Please dont put such DJs into the same league as some brainless puppets playing beatport top10 or some other random crap for the sake of playing anything.
There are people who put their heart & soul into DJing and I admire such people, and there are people who just hit play and then know how to blend, how to add some cheesy effects - they're poorly skilled, especially when it comes to psychological aspects - "reading crowd", own creativity, taste - they're "real DJ wannabe". |
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| colione98 |
| quote: | Originally posted by DNA_pl
I think that you're bashing DJs waay too much.
OK, so called DJing degraded just like music production degraded due to technology availability but still there are plenty of DJs who are great doing their job.
Well, I believe that great DJ is a someone who knows "crowd psychology", who knows exactly where he is, what it need to be played NOW to give people fun.
I know a DJ who puts his whole heart into it and please don't put such people to the same bag as some cheesy "EDM DJs". First of all, I don't like DJs who play only the latest tracks. So, what - a track from two months ago is already old ? If it is then your tracks selection is crap. Great DJ knows music, has a range of great tracks from 2-3 decades (i know, some genres don't allow it) - I would say that he should be someone like music critique person, he needs to know his stuff, needs to follow music, know both latest releases and some legendary once.
Once I was in a club and after some Fatboy Slim or something , DJ played ... Michael Jackson - Blame it on the boogie from ... 1978. People loved it - it doesnt matter that some people had 19-20 years, some had 30. They all liked it because it was played in the good moment. An hour later some drum & bass stuff was played - and still there were a lot people on the dancefloor
Sure, it won't work everywhere, that's why the DJ needs to know the place, the audience and needs to know what to play when. Please dont put such DJs into the same league as some brainless puppets playing beatport top10 or some other random crap for the sake of playing anything.
There are people who put their heart & soul into DJing and I admire such people, and there are people who just hit play and then know how to blend, how to add some cheesy effects - they're poorly skilled, especially when it comes to psychological aspects - "reading crowd", own creativity, taste - they're "real DJ wannabe". |
Thank you blood... hit em harder jack!!! Its time cats like you come out and shout it out... Im a dj and I love playing other folks' music. I love producers and respect their art form. Two distinct art forms....
and guess what, when pete thong as a radio dj plays a producers' track, they go posting all over Face Book about how pete played my track.... Guess what ******, A DJ MADE YOU.... |
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| SherlockCrash |
Interesting interview. It takes up a lot about what you have to do to succeed as a DJ, produce. But is it not the same now days for most producers but the other way around. Is it fair to say, to succeed in EDM you more or less have to be both a DJ and a producer, and there in lies the problem?
And with succeed I mean make a living out of it.
Of course you can have a daytime job and then come home and produce at night, but that will just work for a while. Maybe Ghostproduction is the way to go? |
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| colione98 |
| quote: | Originally posted by SherlockCrash
Interesting interview. It takes up a lot about what you have to do to succeed as a DJ, produce. But is it not the same now days for most producers but the other way around. Is it fair to say, to succeed in EDM you more or less have to be both a DJ and a producer, and there in lies the problem?
And with succeed I mean make a living out of it.
Of course you can have a daytime job and then come home and produce at night, but that will just work for a while. Maybe Ghostproduction is the way to go? |
Well it all comes down to the hustle- if you want it to be your main source of income then you can make a living. I know plenty of djs here in miami that have a house, drive a benz and do very well and don't produce. Louis Dee for example- he is the resident of SET in miami. He plays resident host to all the big guest djs. He told me just last week that he has no interest in producing. But if one wants to be more than just a local, yes- you have to produce. But he has 3 long running residencies during the week, travels sometimes on saturday nights within state, and does the groove cruise every year out of miami with major dudes like roger sanchez and makes more than most make in a week. But he doesn't produce and nobody knows him at all!!! He is a well known local though here in miami... |
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| mathieu |
| quote: | Originally posted by colione98
Well it all comes down to the hustle- if you want it to be your main source of income then you can make a living. I know plenty of djs here in miami that have a house, drive a benz and do very well and don't produce. Louis Dee for example- he is the resident of SET in miami. He plays resident host to all the big guest djs. He told me just last week that he has no interest in producing. But if one wants to be more than just a local, yes- you have to produce. But he has 3 long running residencies during the week, travels sometimes on saturday nights within state, and does the groove cruise every year out of miami with major dudes like roger sanchez and makes more than most make in a week. But he doesn't produce and nobody knows him at all!!! He is a well known local though here in miami... |
the ing problem is with producers, if I want to produce for a living I cant, I have to become a dj, hence the flood of producer djs that want to make a living out of music but are obligated to dj. I think that what pissed the people off here is that producing is as important as djing but you cant make a living off of it |
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| EddieZilker |
I'm finding myself increasingly irritated by these conversations for their lack of substance (and I've seen the Pete Tong interviews - that doesn't really add to it). There are lots of slogans (i.e. hustle) and anecdotes (I was at this party where this DJ dropped a Kraftwork song that killed) but not very much real insight. In spite of complaining about Ableton-J's amid criticism about the cheap availability of technology, it just seems like a lot of people are talking past each other without offering verifiable substantiation.
I've read all the DJ/Producer rants I care to; It's hard to get gigs and get signed, because promoters suck. I imagine that for all the complaining, if most people here put a production up on soundcloud, it's to advertise their product being sold on Beatport. You're essentially complaining about a system in which you are a willing participant and one practically proven to work exceedingly well for a very limited number of individuals. Complaining about it is almost as useless as exalting the business's virtues. Neither side has a credible share of intellectual integrity. |
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| colione98 |
| quote: | Originally posted by mathieu
the ing problem is with producers, if I want to produce for a living I cant, I have to become a dj, hence the flood of producer djs that want to make a living out of music but are obligated to dj. I think that what pissed the people off here is that producing is as important as djing but you cant make a living off of it |
and for the simple fact that they are two distinct forms and need to be treated as such. Yes, things are changing but just cause so, there is no need to alienate either..... djing or producing should be self reliant although a partnership brings about more opportunities... |
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| ralpheeee |
| quote: | Originally posted by colione98
Bogdan taran from www.dancebox.net has the longest running dance radio show in the eastern european block and is heard in over 10 countries- |
I read this sentance and thought of Borat.. is that bad? |
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| Looney4Clooney |
so like ,
honestly guys
djing at 50 ? I mean nobody loves music that much that they would be willing to live that lifestyle at that age. To be quite frank , i think any one that djs seriously and is over 30, well i will even say 40 just because 40 is the new 30, but like there is just something weird about that. The dj should be the same age or a little older than the people they are catering to.
We all now why they do it. Some people are attention whores. Others have no game and have the kind of face gringots would hire and enjoy ing brain dead 18 year olds.
I mean that argument, ah mate, i just love music so much. I mean not enough to want to experiment making it, just enough so that someone will pay for my charlie and hook me up with some e'd out 17 year olds wearing leggings. But man , i love music.
But i am one that embraces age and own it. Doesn't mean I have to all square, but I dress like an adult. I don't try to shave off 5 years by putting on a beanie. I've accepted the fact that the cool players are the ones with money, well in the eyes of the world, which means until my parents roll over, as cool as i am , i'm not cool. and while djing will make you feel important for 90 minutes, trust me, nobody will give a about you. Nobody will attend your funeral and say , ah ,such a kind man, and a lover of music , so much that he would play music for others.
But , if you accept that ya, i'm a ing pervert, and i get off on ing girls that would have nothing to do with me otherwise, and i love taking drugs to fill that part in my brain where knowledge goes, then I can't really knock it. NOt for me but at least you aren't hiding under some stupid romanticism that you love the arts. |
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| Looney4Clooney |
just a little addendum,
all those old djs, they are miserable. IT isn't a rewarding lifestyle. It gets old. It wears you down. You start wondering why you are entertaining kids, because you are so old that they are old enough to be your kids.
I honestly have yet to meet a dj , the ones that do heavy touring , that are old, and are happy.
WHen you are 50, you want a wife that will tell you where you put your glasses. You want a few kids to wallop around when you get stressed, and maybe like some secretary you bone on the side or something to make you feel guilty and treat your wife better. |
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| Evolve140 |
| quote: | Originally posted by colione98
Well it all comes down to the hustle- if you want it to be your main source of income then you can make a living. I know plenty of djs here in miami that have a house, drive a benz and do very well and don't produce. Louis Dee for example- he is the resident of SET in miami. He plays resident host to all the big guest djs. He told me just last week that he has no interest in producing. But if one wants to be more than just a local, yes- you have to produce. But he has 3 long running residencies during the week, travels sometimes on saturday nights within state, and does the groove cruise every year out of miami with major dudes like roger sanchez and makes more than most make in a week. But he doesn't produce and nobody knows him at all!!! He is a well known local though here in miami... |
See this seems like something someone was replying to that was a response to my original post, which it seems like people stopped reading and just scrolled down. I meant everything I said, but I should mention that I'm friends with the best DJs in this town, but they're just so far and few in between the mass of hipster, trendy little kids who have NO idea how to mix, have NO background in the scene or whatever you want to call it. You know good dance music if you've spent a tremendous amount of time listening to it. The DJ who jumps into the scene and starts DJing after a year or 2, will most likely have disastrous results. Of course there are exceptions. I have a DJ friend who I consider the best in the town, who has been spinning for 20 years, and who listens and has history in almost every genre. The past couple years (we worked together about 5 years ago for 2-3 years), he has picked up his production game. I showed him a few tips on mastering and got him locked into compression, and all he ever tells people now is how much I helped, which makes me very happy. Too many DJs know they want to produce, act like they're going to, and flunk out miserably. Fine, don't produce. But don't act like you ing know it all, especially when almost all these people will dance just to make themselves look like they're socially worthy of being in the room. I'm one of the few people who will really dance, just start it moving if no one is dancing in the room full of DJs. Do I have to pretend I like it a little more, subconsciously? Yes. If I sucks bad enough, will I still dance, no. But if it's decent dance music I'll at least start dancing, to let people know it's OK to have a little fun, even if this isn't your favorite ing song. The opposite happens at a huge party, when everyone is dancing and the song sucks ass, I'll sit there with my arms crossed (which people mistakenly perceive as a sign of disrespect or dislike but actually has to do with you using both sides of your brain to think about what's happening). But it's because I'm listening best I can, trying to find a reason to dance to the track. So, if you can find a balance between that, you're good. Even though you don't always have to assume if you DJ you have to produce, I think it's fair to say that since there are SO many DJs, more of them should actually consider making their own music instead of just emulating every other DJ, or acting like just because they dropped a track first, they're so much cooler. It was already on the BP charts, who cares who in this little town dropped it first, both of you still lack the still and music ability to take the work to spend finding tracks. I've talked to little newbie DJs, and asked them how much work they put into finding tracks, told them that's HALF of what a DJ does is his work finding new music. Their answer? Maybe 2 hours a week. A DJ is not a jukebox a good crowd needs to trust a good DJ, to let them enter new music, it's a surrender almost. But if it sucks, it sucks, and you don't have to spend the whole night trying to make yourself like the music, leave the party. I think to truly DJ well and produce well, you need history with dance music, and you need a true love and appreciation for every genre. So yes, the DJs in this town who are amazing, truly are, but the amount of kids jumping on the bandwagon, and asserting themselves as new, fresh and original, are truly ignorant, deprived of dance music culture, and fooling no one.
edit: bit of a tangent but had to get the thought out. glad to clarify anything if needed. |
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