Hawtin Laptop Goes Down --- No back up?

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Hawtin Laptop Goes Down --- No back up?
Posted on: 15.04.2013 by Julissa Serrone
http://pulseradio.net/articles/2013/...-richie-hawtin
Basil Forshee
17.04.2013		Why should they step out of their comfort zone? Do you believe that if there aren't CDJ's, that DJ's like Tiesto and David Guetta suddenly believe "Well, let's fire up this laptop!"? No, exactly. It's their right not to.

What's the deal anway? He played a day later, and that's not arrogant. Probably made an arrangement with the organisation of Coachella so he could still play. And besides, someone else filled his spot.
Augustine Mitzen
17.04.2013		no it really doesn't.
Hawtin could have done a CD set (if he'd had backup CDs/usb stick whatever which he didn't i assume), he would just have to step a bit out of his comfort zone. After all he used to traditionally DJ some time back, so it wouldn't have been an issue of not knowing how to use CDJs or whatever. After all, the effort counts, much better to see at least some kind of show, rather than none.

Due to their nature, computers are more prone to failures like this, and if you're a name of that format you should have a failsafe backup plan imo, one to believe about in the future.
Basil Forshee
17.04.2013		To me? Because that was not what I was talking about. I know you can't run, but it's about the analogy that does makes sense.
Augustine Mitzen
17.04.2013		i'd like to see you run with a broken ankle.
Basil Forshee
17.04.2013
Originally Posted by lucidstrings
The usuain bolt analogy is ridiculous. A competition is different then a performance. Break an ankle you loose....
What's so different about it? It's work after all, for DJ'ing you'll get paid, for running your longues out of your body you'll get paid. DJ'ing is competition too.
Basil Forshee
17.04.2013
Originally Posted by b1sh0p
You're missing the point, IMO. He had the opportunity to turn it into a positive. Ultimately, the crowd doesn't really care about the medium. They're there for the music. The show must go on and you're paid to perform.
I'm not missing the point. He had backup, and even his backup fails so what then? Like all the previous statements made in this thread, you can't just play from something you never play from. The crowd doesn't care about the medium, but the artist most certainly does. He wants to give a show depending on his capabilities to manipulate music. If that isn't possible, it is his good right to not play and postpone it.

And it's the same thing because people ASSUME CDJ's are the standard, but for me the and propably many more the laptop is standard, so if that fails, you must play on something which isn't standard for you. Ti
Trista Karle
16.04.2013		Umm anyone seen James Zaibela on cdjs... Sorry dont say you can't do shit on cdjs that you can on traktor.... That's an excuse I don't really care personally shit happens. This is one thing that kind of bugs me about laptop djing. The excuse that if something out of comfort Zone fails its en of the world. The usuain bolt analogy is ridiculous. A competition is different then a performance. Break an ankle you loose....



Further more does it really matter he played a set eventually. However I wonder why he wouldn't of done some sort of routine on his iPad..... But hey to do that kind of performance may require some pretty intense planning... Also to te guy that said wouldt expect tiestonto use laptop. If he had to likely would easily kill it. As with most djs of that age since they can use pretty much any medium.
Judi Sissel
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by 031999
He should have used his beloved traktor dj ipad ........oooooohhhh burn Ritchie

On a side note if he would have got up and played a straight up top 40 set on cdjs.....instant legend!!!
LOL... I would have to agree with that.
Lannie Kutay
16.04.2013		He should have used his beloved traktor dj ipad ........oooooohhhh burn Ritchie

On a side note if he would have got up and played a straight up top 40 set on cdjs.....instant legend!!!
Latina Samon
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by balakoth
To me, this comes off as if youve never seen Richie Hawtin.

Not notice the difference? If you cant tell FOUR minimal techno tracks are being layered with maschine to make a different groove and song (so I disagree hes not making music on the fly) vs TWO techno tracks simply being mixed one from the other.. then, you. would be at the wrong show anyways.

I agree with the Kazoo sentiment. It would be the same for me, if my laptop died, Id be done. My style isnt traditional, and many wouldnt even call it DJing (more live performance I guess) but yeah... shrug...

Maybe its a bit more than people understand because all they use is CDs? I dont know. This seems pretty straight forward. Richie Hawtin and Carl Cox are theo nly people who can get me into Tech House, Minimal .. because how they layer it with 3 to 4 decks.. its no longer boring as snot.
I said most people. I've seen Hawtin before. Him and Carl Cox are hardly the be all and end all of techno though.
I'd prefer to see something different from him than the usual, personally. If he came out and played on vinyl or even just cdjs it'd be pretty special. Like when I saw Cox performing a house set at DC10. Something different = more interesting, better vibe. So what if it wasn't up to his usual standard? He's a DJ, not an architect. A decent crowd would/should understand.
The fact and the way he actually asked others to give up time from their slots seemed on the arrogant side as well. But then he's known for that.
Bunny Sockel
16.04.2013		Richie and most big guys need carrying a backup laptop instead of backup drives. A MacBookAir full spec would be enough for his 4 deck techno set with traktor routed through ableton for his effects (Lexicon psp42 delay and many others) and maschine.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013		In light of this thread, I'm gonna listen to a Richie Hawtin vinyl set from 98 on my ride into work.
Inez Marcinik
16.04.2013		For someone as high profile as him the discussion shouldn't even be about him using someone else's gear though, he has a whole crew of people working for him. I'm sure his budget can stretch to more than just a couple of backups (hey maybe he'll do that from now on!).

From what I read he just has one spare HDD which to be honest I don't believe is acceptable, I have mates that DJ as a hobby which are more prepared for gigs than that.

Like I said in my previous post, If you play in such a way that you can't just use the gear that's there then it's your responsibility to make sure your prepared for things fucking up. Fair enough though this is a freak occurrence and it's unlikely that this is likely to happen again anytime soon.
nayit ruiz jaramillo
16.04.2013		... i hear ya but, a back of a back of a back would me a shit load of gear just for one DJ.

A backup is all anyone can reasonably expect. There HAS to be a point were fait shits in an artist kettle and you have to say sorry folks I cannot play.

It is unreasonable to expect anything else.

God knows the amount of bands that cancel on the evening due to a singers voice going.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013		That's an awful analogy. A bass and guitar are different instruments. DJ'ing mediums are the same instrument. Hawtin is still basically playing records through a different medium. It's more of the equivalent of Hendrix borrowing the guitar from another band playing that evening .

NI runs a video of Hawtin playing out with the Traktor DJ app. He's obviously comfortable playing that medium.

From a fan's perspective, would you be more upset that Hawtin refused to play, or played a different medium?

It's about the damn music, not the medium. Hawtin is fully capable of playing vinyl or cdj's.
Bunny Sockel
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by mdcdesign
He uses a laptop with an M-Audio Trigger Finger as well though.

EDIT: AND... http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2011...escheduled.php
He's been using just CDJ'S since mid last year. the page you linked to is two years old.
Julissa Serrone
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by Karlos Santos
If Usain Bolt twisted his ankle he wouldn't believe "oh well, i'll just hop. I have to do something for the crowd"
Yeah but you wouldn't expect Usain to carry an extra ankle in his gig bag either.

I believe the grander take away here is that gear fails, even to the guys who have mutliple back up solutions. Guys like Hawtin can afford to say "fuck it, I can't play" to much dislike of folks who came to see him. I've seen him live, not my thing, but he's great at what he does. No way could he replicate his set on the fly on a set of CDJ's, perhaps the other take away is live by the sword then die by the sword. If you rely on technology that much, then when it fails you are up shit's creek. I don't believe most folks on this community have the luxury of not playing a gig when their gear goes south. Have a back up, and have a back up to your back up because it happens. The techy poster child just rolled a gutterball.
Augustine Mitzen
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by mdcdesign
He uses a laptop with an M-Audio Trigger Finger as well though.

EDIT: AND... http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2011...escheduled.php
no, he doesn't anymore from what i know
nayit ruiz jaramillo
16.04.2013		Jimmy Hendrix - "shit i've smashed all my guitars up, I can't play tonite"

Promoter - "here's a bass, get on stage"

Crowd - "what the fuck is Jimmy doing trying to play Purple Haze on bass. I want my money back I came to see him play guitar"

Don't kid yourselves that people wouldn't ask for their money back. Probably the same people getting on Hawtins back. The never ending whiners of this world.


Stop being so bloody-minded. The medium doesn't matter... unless that medium is what makes your performance stand out.
Whats the point in spending all that time and effort in putting a show together if your just gonna wing it and do a lesser show just cus something out of your control happens.

Cancel / Reschedule.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by padi_04
You mean Reloop?



+1 to this. Besides playing with music you barely or don't even know tends to be A) a evening mare or B) a quite generic set.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by pastabox
I can't agree with this. So now he's just the guy who pushes the play button on replacement equip on a record he didn't bring? What's the point?
The point is that people came to see him, not his laptop. You've never seen a big international DJ play somebody else's records because theirs were lost on the flight? It happens all the time.
Romelia Stankard
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by mdcdesign
He uses a laptop with an M-Audio Trigger Finger as well though.

EDIT: AND... http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2011...escheduled.php
not anymore
Nedra Fresneda
16.04.2013		You mean Reloop?

Originally Posted by pastabox
I can't agree with this. So now he's just the guy who pushes the play button on replacement equip on a record he didn't bring? What's the point?
+1 to this. Besides playing with music you barely or don't even know tends to be A) a evening mare or B) a quite generic set.
Brianne Duvoisin
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by b1sh0p
I believe if he would have borrowed another dj's music and
I can't agree with this. So now he's just the guy who pushes the play button on replacement equip on a record he didn't bring? What's the point?
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by mdcdesign
Sigh.
Nice reply. If only he had Reload gear, right?

The point is that he could have used this as an opportunity to make the show special or different. NI is using him to promote their app as a real world dj'ing alternative, right? He could have used it as an opportunity to showcase what the app can do.

Obviously, I'm in no position to question Hawtin, but not playing because of gear failure is kind of a cop out IMO.
Doreen Schurle
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by johney
Skrillex plays off cdjs btw.
He uses a laptop with an M-Audio Trigger Finger as well though.

EDIT: AND... http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2011...escheduled.php
Augustine Mitzen
16.04.2013		Skrillex plays off cdjs btw.
Doreen Schurle
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by b1sh0p
Wow. There are individuals who don't play cdj's? You don't say. They're still the standard in every venue around the world. Everyone should be prepared to play on them if their gear fails IMO. Yes, even Ritchie Hawtin. You believe if Craze or Shiftee had issues with their kit they'd refuse to play? LOL.
Sigh.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by mdcdesign
Clearly not for Richie Hawtin. Or Bass Kleph. Or Moldover. Or Ean Golden. Or Skrillex. Or DJ Angelo. Or Deadmau5. Or Shiftee. Or Craze. Or most of the DJs I know.
Wow. There are individuals who don't play cdj's? You don't say. They're still the standard in every venue around the world. Everyone should be prepared to play on them if their gear fails IMO. Yes, even Ritchie Hawtin. You believe if Craze or Shiftee had issues with their kit they'd refuse to play? LOL.
Doreen Schurle
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by b1sh0p
Not really. CDJ's are the standard.
Clearly not for Richie Hawtin. Or Bass Kleph. Or Moldover. Or Ean Golden. Or Skrillex. Or DJ Angelo. Or Deadmau5. Or Shiftee. Or Craze. Or most of the DJs I know.
Nedra Fresneda
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by b1sh0p
I believe if he would have borrowed another dj's music
He did that but the next day.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by mdcdesign
... I assume that's sarcasm. Saying, "if your laptop fails, just use CDs" is EXACTLY the same.
Not really. CDJ's are the standard.
Doreen Schurle
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by Conall
How is that the same thing?
... I assume that's sarcasm. Saying, "if your laptop fails, just use CDs" is EXACTLY the same.
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by JDFS
People should see it the other way around: what if Ti
Inez Marcinik
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by JDFS
People should see it the other way around: what if Ti
Romelia Stankard
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by Mike_08
He uses loops mostly, one bar from one track, four from another and so on.
He does a good bit of looping but it's definitely not "mostly looping" like you are describing. You can usually hear good sections of full tracks playing out. Loops and maschine are just a little spice added on top.

People always seem to overstate just how much looping he does and he does do a good bit of A-B mixing, just watch his boiler room sets...
Basil Forshee
16.04.2013		People should see it the other way around: what if Ti
Sonja Roybal
16.04.2013		Some of the most memorable sets I've ever seen are when guys had gear failure or lost their music in transport and they borrowed the promoter's wax and just killed it. I believe if he would have borrowed another dj's music and explained to the crowd what happened, it would have gone off. "OMG, I saw Hawtin play an all vinyl set. It was sick!"
Doreen Schurle
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by balakoth
To me, this comes off as if youve never seen Richie Hawtin.

Not notice the difference? If you cant tell FOUR minimal techno tracks are being layered with maschine to make a different groove and song (so I disagree hes not making music on the fly) vs TWO techno tracks simply being mixed one from the other.. then, you. would be at the wrong show anyways.

I agree with the Kazoo sentiment. It would be the same for me, if my laptop died, Id be done. My style isnt traditional, and many wouldnt even call it DJing (more live performance I guess) but yeah... shrug...

Maybe its a bit more than people understand because all they use is CDs? I dont know. This seems pretty straight forward. Richie Hawtin and Carl Cox are theo nly people who can get me into Tech House, Minimal .. because how they layer it with 3 to 4 decks.. its no longer boring as snot.
Personally I'm not a fan of that style of music (I'm more Progressive House / Ibiza Trance), but I respect the fact he's a MIDI guy, through and through. Most MIDI users I know wouldn't use CDJs if they had the opportunity, because they're inherently limiting. At a lower level, they may find themselves forced to just suck it up and get on with it, but when you're at the level of Richie Hawtin or any other top-billing DJ, you can afford to just simply not play if you can't play the way YOU want to.

It's not worth risking him turning up, attempting to play a set on different gear, and then having people criticize his set later and potentially damage his reputation; much safer to just cancel. Not to mention I highly doubt he'd actually ENJOY playing out of his comfort zone.

A friend of mine (who's also a MIDI guy, uses a VMS4 at the moment and is getting a Novation Twitch soon) was playing a fundraiser gig last evening at a local venue, and he text me about 9pm saying, "Oooooh they've got CDJ900s in here!" - the initial "oooh shinies!" comment, you know? And then throughout the evening , the texts got progressively more and more frustrated and eventually angry; when I saw him for a catch-up at the end of the evening , it was "I'm NEVER using 900s again".
Shawn Vanhaitsma
16.04.2013
Originally Posted by shr3dder
Hawtin hasn't been a straight up DJ for years and years. It's not the same at all.


We recently had Guy J come tour. His laptop packed it in. He had no backup laptop or hard drive (he uses Ableton).

He then attempted to mix using another DJs tunes. He ballsed it up big time and gave up after a few tunes.. Because he's a producer that plays live. Not a DJ.

Now Hawtin was once a regular DJ, he'd know how to mix. But surely you can see his point at not wanting to just get up there and play some tunes. That'd be short changing people.
+1000

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