The digital area in all its glory

I started DJing in early 2004 when digital DJing was not in its infancy but was starting its sure takeover. Think the CDJ-1000mk2 as being cutting edge, the release of the still spiffing Numark CDX, and that god awful abortion of the Technics SLDZ thing. You all know the one. Regardless, vinyl was still the dominant medium. Although it wouldn't be for much longer....

But I digress. Recently I recall I was standing outside Red Bar with Apex, Jason G and others, listening in on a conversation (dominated by Apex) about DJing in the modern sense, and how the ease of getting music online for cheap (or more likely, nothing whatsoever) has profoundly affected DJing culture as we now know it. Digital DJing is king now, and that's fine. But what have we lost? And what have we gained?

Has DJing been cheap-end for the worse? Are the calibre of most DJs coming through these days lacking? Thats not to say there are some real talents... but with such easy access to same-y trite music a la top 40 remixes, are we creating clones? Has the lost art of digging for vinyl left a spiritual hole in the culture?

I could ramble on but would like to hear some thoughts regarding your take on what is now the very digital era.

I think it has improved aspects of DJing heaps but also lowered the quality of DJs coming through hugely.. More than most people think.

Even just looking at tech-house - the broader style I'm into - I'd say, of the younger guys coming through, maybe 1 or 2 out of 10 are of a standard that wouldn't immediately attract laughs if they'd tried to get gigs in 1998 or ever 2000. The rise of social and other digital media has quickly eroded the self-awareness amongst many up and coming DJs to a point where their having all their mates attend their gigs or telling them they're great actually convinces them they are - when an objective look would often show otherwise. DJing history however is full of DJs like this who could put a large part of their success down to everything else they do except their actual DJing ability - but the increasing me me, I rock, me me, I rock sort of thinking out there can be looked at two ways - good in that it gets more people (and their mates) enthusiastic about gigs/going out etc, or that it has all-but ensured that the ability to recognise actual DJing ability amongst the promo clutter has decreased the overall tone.

It's quite fortunate for many newer DJs people the hurdles to DJing are lower than ever - because, as mentioned above, many of the young DJs getting work nowdays (in tech house alone, let alone other areas), if they'd rocked up to Calibre, Box, Redzone, WBC etc with the skills they have now would have actually got some really good advice from people who really knew what was what. Most commonly it would entail: "practise more, try to find a niche and be less obvious in tune selection etc, and make sure you check out other DJs as much as possible" - or whatever. But the message would be walk then run, something sorely lacking in even some surprisingly well known DJs/events.

I speak to tons of younger DJs often and (once they recognise when I'm being silly or serious) it sometimes strikes me as odd the amount of effort that gets put into appearing to be good rather (via gigs, even invites etc) than actually doing what it takes to BE good. I sometimes have days when I listen to mixes all day while working - giving each at least 2 full listens - and can count on one hand (out of 30+ mixes) the number which felt like they had even baseline DJing intuition and magic in them. I kinda feel bad when I get asked what I think of mixes because rarely do people actually want your answer - they actually only want it if it's an arse kissing - because that's what they've come to expect from their mates/promoters etc who generally offer feedback with little merit whatsoever. This seems a key trait of DJing in the digital era because larger contact umbrellas exist and are reachable 24/7.

The flip-side exists too though - tons of niche DJs can hone their skill and build their gigs up better than ever (assuming they can cut through the chaff) because of digital DJing technology and digital media.

Also, not sure that the art of digging for vinyl is lost - it still takes effort and a sort of skill to seek, find, recognise good tunes and even then it still takes skill to create something memorable with it.

this is even worse when applied to song writers/musicians/bands... no one ever wants to hear an honest opinion, well virtually no one... and if given most get all upset


imo whats lacking in todays DJs has nothing to do with technical ability, what is lacking is plain and simple passion for the music, first and foremost with Djing being the bonus of being a music geek

there is way too much emphasis on the mix

Oh for sure Bob. I wonder if the declining effort put in by record companies has had a major role in that. Bands once could expect a lot of feedback and guidance from people who knew their stuff (well.. ideal scenario) but those people have been valued less and less in the digital era where self-starter bands have proved that A&R and polishing isn't always needed before you hit the big time anymore.

I agree it's not about the mix - but being competent can't hurt - it's just that too many people pride themselves on the mix while playing average music (which, in itself, is a subjective call). Hallmarks of most mixes I listen to are: lack of real variety and a sort of 'unsure' feeling in terms of competency.

You can listen to DJs of many styles and tell straight away whether they're sure of what they're playing because it comes through really obviously. Greg is a good example - whether you dig his stuff or not it is 100% certain he knows where he's at and never sounds like he's 'lost'. Bevan has it too. That is a hallmark of competent DJing imo and one in which, for many newer DJs, the learning curve is adversely affected by having masses of quick feedback on their mixes/event notices, most of which is unqualified in terms of DJing ability. In fact it encourages DJs to avoid considering or addressing their DJing flaws etc.

(*this all assumes people actually want to improve. Many don't - being average is good enough)

not sure about the record company angle - being as thats my background all I can say is I've seen more bad advice come from "experts" (not me I give great advice - get a proper job) than a musician could ever hope for

I'd put more of this down to the lose of record stores and the like- being able to mix and mingle with ones peers and all that entails is or was vital for a budding DJ

totally agree with ya on the bevan/greg sure what they are playing call... in fact I'll say nice insight - one I hadn't really thought about before

You want digital DJing? Try this on for size...

http://vimeo.com/13658956

...pretty cool, but gimmicky as fuck, and I lol'ed how the guy said about increased time for crowd interaction, yet you have no keyboard for searching for tracks, just a list to scroll throgh...it'd take longer on that thing to find tracks than any DVS system, and probably just as long as someone proficient in riffling through a crate of records for that one track they want right now!

Digital has just made it easier to get into, and cheaper to collect...it wasn't that common for people to collect vinyl, ad not own their own turntable(s), it's cost prohibative and completely pointless as you can't even play them...wit digital tracks, everyone has an MP3 player/computer to get a singles collection going and be able to listen to the tracks, the tracks or so cheap that they're completely disposable, people are not selective in ther purchasing (not to the same extent anyways) and then getting into actually DJing the tracks, there's wealth of options loads cheaper than having to get 2 turntables and a mixer, plus cans, plus carts/needles etc.

The DJ scene has always had people into it for being a DJ, but because of their actual passion for the music, but the time, money and energy required to get started was 10 fold bigger, so people were mostly quite competent...nowdays the DJ just to DJ, just because it's a cool thing to do is 10 fold bigger and getting into the game of collecting the music and something to play it on is about 5 fold cheaper...ergo, the waters are more muddied, the pool of DJs bigger while the quality of DJs is lessened...it sucks balls! It's not even remotely a cool thing to say anymore, "I'm a DJ" has ZERO cool factor credibility behind it

Thats because DJ arent even cool.

Interesting debate. I agree with Rob, it still takes an ear to hunt out those select tunes and not just play the Beatport top 10. Unfortunately, the vast majority of younger DJs do just play those top selling singles. But then, this has often been the way. I know a plethora of people who were going to be "awesome DJs", they bought the gear they threw themselves into it, and then they got bored because they didnt have the passion for the music. they had passion for showmanship and notoriety. In this respect, not a lot has changed.

Digital has opened it up to far more people and, from a personal point of view, if I had to be purchasing vinyl, I couldnt afford to play. In this respect, I now have to opportunity to play the fresh stuff I love. I still have to buy carts and plates though! And I will also be repurchasing turntables again soon.

There are those DJs that are in it because they want to play the latest cut they just found, or they want to get that dancefloor into a groove that no one can walk away from. Maybe a few of them have come along due to digital, and isnt this a good thing?

IMO, it has opened a door and I believe that is positive.

Besides, the kids that get out there and bash it out are there for a reason. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, the masses usually have no clue. Things are popular for a reason, its so we can still have the underground.

Yeah totally agree, and Id go as far to say that this aspect reduces the "good dj" numbers drastically.
This is exactly the case with guitar music as well. A truly great artist/band puts every bit of passion they have in to every single note
they play. These are the slow burners, who build a solid foundation, and keep progressing from there, which in turn, gets them to the top
and keeps them there. The whizz bang guys blow their load and then they are gone, only to return in a c lister rehab tv special.

It brings to mind the absolute legend that is Derrick Carter. Every single kick or stab or hi hat means so much to him, and you can feel it.
Am I making sense? Im not sure.

Look at Mixmaster Mike, sure it's quite a different thing, but he can play/wikky a whole song on one ttable, mixer and one chunk of vinyl.
Not sure what the relevance is, but once again you can feel it.

As for the underground....I fucking love Gatecrasher/GodsKitchen/ superduper club, because it means those places are full of the people
I dont want to dance with. They can stay there.

The same can be said about the arrival of loop based production cd's/libraries and software.
The amount of shitty productions went through the roof once these arrived.
They maybe helped a couple, but mostly it was all bad.