DJ-ing is Hard
DJ-ing is Hard Posted on: 11.12.2012 by Jacqualine Cieplik Simple. It can be fcking hard and annoying. I hope I am not the only one. Spending 20-30 Mins working on single track transitions, practicing beat juggling and effect mashing to then when it counts mess up. Remember it is hard, anyone can sync and go but not everyone can mix and go. Xian. ps. | |
| Freida Leash 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by jprime
One of the most basic skills to build is a smooth transition between tracks, the rest should kind of fall around this. |
| Lina Rawie 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by antifmradio
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| Libbie Orion 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by xian
lol. please take no offence... im just being anal Honestly i just dont like to see someone use the wrong word without anyone ever giving them the information they need. ok lets get back to the topic at hand. PS xian... how long you been (practicing) djing anyway? |
| Evita Mockel 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by padi_04
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| Donald Rychel 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by aaron altar
I am not a DJ. I found the site as I was exploring DJ automation. Dumb ? That's nothing - I'm a dirty junkie too. I'm enemployed. I'm losing my partner, my job, my home and god knows what's next. Whilst I don't know you, I can safely assume that you are a fool. And a rude cunt at that. Fuck off. I have over 30 years of computer training but thanks to a prick like you, you're getting none of my experience. Now remove me from the memebrs base because if assholes like you are here, you lose me. Wankers. |
| Freida Leash 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by jprime
One of the most basic skills to build is a smooth transition between tracks, the rest should kind of fall around this. |
| Lina Rawie 13.12.2012 | Well, you're in the US, so you would use "learned", haha. As for the topic, I definitely agree with "it's easy to learn, hard to master". It's easier than ever to become a "lowest common denominator" type DJ because you can get software that does a bunch of stuff for you, and you have access to up to date online charts of music and sites where you can buy it and have it in seconds, but it takes a lot more than that to be good. All the DJs I know of that I would consider good-great have been doing it for years and that's not a coincidence. |
| Libbie Orion 13.12.2012 | @DJSigma See this is exactly why i cant stand the educational system i went through by the time i graduate high-school, i knew one thing..... i dont know SHIT and each time i asked them a question about something, they'd brush it off. its really Fu-ernt-ck up when people you are supposed to rely on just dont give two sh-ernts ok back to it and PS... thanks for the Lernt 101 session. I feel as if i have just learnt something here |
| Lina Rawie 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by antifmradio
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| Libbie Orion 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by xian
lol. please take no offence... im just being anal Honestly i just dont like to see someone use the wrong word without anyone ever giving them the information they need. ok lets get back to the topic at hand. PS xian... how long you been (practicing) djing anyway? |
| Celine Surico 13.12.2012 | It is indeed fascinating to see young DJs spend most of their time perfecting all kinds of mechanical tricks while the main thing to get gigs and recognition is to 'move the audience' -- something you only get training when you play publicly. |
| Breanne Penge 13.12.2012 | I guess it's different for everybody. |
| Jacqualine Cieplik 13.12.2012 | WOW. Big Thread. My point was taken out of context with some good advice of guys from here. I was just stating that it isn't easy to be a 'good' DJ. Beatmatching etc is a skill that is learnt through lots of practice What can't be learnt easily is blending songs together to get the mix perfect, ready to bring people up or make them go crazy. People don't remember DJ sets for the songs, rather the emotional attachment from the gig. I have many examples of being in Ibiza, Miami and even London where I have seen big DJ's and smaller DJ's (Not in size, obviously) and I have forgotten the standard ones, its the DJ's who make you feel for the event. |
| Breanne Penge 13.12.2012 | I played at a lounge the other evening
. It was for a local I.T. consortium...everyone there for the event (95% of the crowd) had name tags; it was altogether very chill and mellow. Old funk / mellow breaks. However, there were a few young drunks playing pool. One of them requested Gangnam Style and started ripping into me / threatening me when I said I wouldn't play that if my dying mother requested it. lulz @ djing sometimes. |
| Lilliana Perris 13.12.2012 | ^ this..... |
| Breanne Penge 13.12.2012 | Sounds to me like a lot of people here believe DJing is just transitions between songs. |
| Evita Mockel 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by padi_04
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| Donald Rychel 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by aaron altar
I am not a DJ. I found the site as I was exploring DJ automation. Dumb ? That's nothing - I'm a dirty junkie too. I'm enemployed. I'm losing my partner, my job, my home and god knows what's next. Whilst I don't know you, I can safely assume that you are a fool. And a rude cunt at that. Fuck off. I have over 30 years of computer training but thanks to a prick like you, you're getting none of my experience. Now remove me from the memebrs base because if assholes like you are here, you lose me. Wankers. |
| Noriko Lebowitz 12.12.2012 | Listen, Sync isn't that big of a deal. It is a big deal though to train your ears. This is why I'd recommend you learn how to Beatmatch. It shouldn't take you more than a day if you really focus. The Halfway Method is a good way for you to learn. After learn about counting bars and phrase mixing, It should get easier. You don't even need to worry about FX or anything like that. |
| Rita Debar 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by skylinez
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| Jolynn Schroyer 12.12.2012 | The more you practice the easier it gets. Just try and practice everyday. It will be second nature to you, like taking a shit and wiping. As a kid you pissed and shit your pants. Over the years you learned how to wipe and flush. |
| Cassidy Galindez 12.12.2012 | easy to learn, hard to master seems like a fitting cliche for DJing. It's not difficult to figure out how to beatmatch, especially similar BPMs and in (relatively) little time, you can learn how to match keys and phrases. More advanced techniques are out there (like scratching.. damn I thought that wikki wikki shit was gonna be easy but .... yeah...), it's really up to you how 'hard' DJing is. |
| Nereida Jasnoch 12.12.2012 | What this has become... just lol :'D Arguing over dubstep bpm all over again |
| Michell Wehrmeyer 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by manchild
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| Palma Hanslip 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by DJSigma
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| Asuncion Yeakel 12.12.2012 | I'm pretty decent at mixing as DJ, practicing 3+ hours at evening when I have time, my only fault is producing Stuck at the moment |
| Lina Rawie 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Liambo
If only the music mattered then the DJ that doesn't mix at all is no worse than the DJ that only mixes by slamming from track to track and he's no worse than the DJ who is a real master of mixing, as long as all 3 of these guys are playing the same songs. If that was the case, we might as well all just load up iPods with "good tracks" and play them off that, cos it's the "only" thing that matters. |
| Jolynn Schroyer 12.12.2012 | You want to be a Dj? You've got to put 200% dedication into it. People like 50 cent would stay up for 3 days straight making music / producing music and just getting work done. It really comes down to how bad you want success. Every time you decide to sleep there is someone else on the turntables practicing techniques. “When do you sleep 50? ‘I don’t sleep, I might miss the opportunity to make a dream become a reality.’” – 50 cent |
| Nedra Fresneda 12.12.2012 | @aaron, if you don't have anything constructive to add to this thread please stay away from it. |
| Evita Mockel 13.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by aegersz
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| Palma Hanslip 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by SkyLinez
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| Syreeta Piela 12.12.2012 | Is there a point being made in this thread? Don't really understand what the OP is trying to convey. |
| Layne Koop 12.12.2012 | The *mechanics* of DJing are not all that difficult to master....but it does take time and deliberate practice. And even after you are "comfortable" with the skills...there is still a tremendous amount to learn. It's a bit like touch typing, or juggling, or chopping an onion, or any other fine motor skill. The mechanical skills take practice to "get", and practice to maintain. BUT...that's the "entry level" skills. Understanding music theory. Training your ear to hear musical structure on the fly. You overall knowledge of the music you choose to play with. Your taste in music. Those skills take longer to develop and typically lag the mechanical skills by a LOT. Then there is "running a small business" skills....which is about 80% of what I "do" that makes me successful as a DJ. "They" (??) once said that if your business deals with the public, has employees, and carries inventory....then about 80% of what you do will be "in common" with every other business that meets those criteria. My mobile DJ business has a LOT in common with the hair stylist who I use. We both deal with the public. Our clients have strong ideas, not all of which are good for them. We have to actively market and promote our businesses, and engage in sales activities. We are each selling our time...and when the day is gone, so is the inventory of that time. We have a "large" investment in tools and infrastructure....but the real investment is in the "soft skills". The sense of style and good taste, and the skills, knowledge, experience, and ability to apply that sense of style to each individual client in a way that makes them feel special. Being a successful DJ has as much to do with pushing the buttons as being a successful chef has to do with knowing how to turn on the oven. |
| Nedra Fresneda 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by aegersz
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| Deidre Frenes 12.12.2012 | DJ'ing isn't hard if you already have a passion for it. Some things can be frustrating to get, but as long as you have a genuine passion, practice should never feel like "practice". I've been DJ'ing for 5 years and started on CDJs and slowly transitioned to vinyl. The CDJs were 800MK1s with an erratic bpm counter, and of course there is no BPM reading with vinyl. I haven't had the luxury of using a sync button and I wouldn't want to because I feel it is more rewarding being able to beatmatch on my own. Definetely try beatmatching without syncing or relying on the BPM readout while you practice. At least you know you can fall back on your own skills if the syncing option isn't available. |
| Donald Rychel 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by padi_04
The problem I see is that I'm so much more about dancing to the music and the two are mutually exclusive directions. I'd be too nervous anyway. But my respect goes out to all real DJ's for many reasons. |
| Nedra Fresneda 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by aegersz
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| Donald Rychel 12.12.2012 | I'm not a DJ but surely the hard part is crowd reading and track selection. Beat matching and smooth transitions are now automated so if you already know how to do it, why not allow it to be automated ... and get back to planning the pace for the next few tracks ... yeah ? |
| Nereida Jasnoch 12.12.2012 | I always thought of it this way: It's as hard as you want it to be. You can DJ on various levels IMO You can just "DJ" at a party with itunes but have killer song selection. (before you hate, I was not this guy tho) All the way up to scratch routines and live performance. But what 's important throughout your journey is that is stays hard, it's a sign that you keep improving yourself and you keep pushing boundaries and keep learning. And btw what in life is actually easy ? Some stuff is just hard, just deal with it. |
| Faustino Stringfellow 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Patch
back in 1988 counting to 4 was about the only "syncing" we had (no beatcounters or other tools) ... nothing much as changed since that, all the rest is gloss. The basics of mixing are still (1) count the beats of the track playing, (we used to tap a foot or hit our chest) (2) adjust the speed of the incoming track to match, (3) count to 4 with the first track, (emphasis on the 1 for EDM, on the 2 for R&B) (4) drop the new track in (hopefully very close to the beat), (5) finely adjust tempo to match and raise the fader ... the basics haven't changed and it's not rocket science or hard to mix, putting together an interesting collection of songs is far more challenging. |
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