From PLUI@IOSSVR.gm.hac.com Wed May 19 14:11:21 1993 Subject: So you want to be a DJ So you want to be a DJ (a beginners perspective) Here's a compilation of notes I've been maintaining since 3/93. Please email me your input/comments, they will be read. -Pat Lui (plui@iossvr.gm.hac.com) On record collection and buying... Plui asked: What do you look for in a good track? When you go record hunting, do you already have an idea of what you're looking for (a track with a particular feel or groove; a particular song)? Lee wrote the rhythm section is a very important element in house music for me; strong bass and drums are the first things i look for in buying music. the other parts are important also, but you gotta have strong percussion. over top of that, i like originality--no sampling/stealing of other people's tunes. when you listen up to 50 new songs a week, you don't want to have to listen to the same copied riff(sp?) over and over again... XDZebra Wrote Vinyl in the long run is cheaper, but I'm still glad I spent the extra money on CDs. They last and they're easier to tote. Plus I can listen to them practically anywhere. I think they're easier to mix with as well. Vinyl is cool for rare stuff and samples. I get a ton of vinyl from thrift stores for 50 cents. BLURrrr wrote records can be tough.. you obviously can't take out a bank loan to get what you need, but you can't just pick up only 2 records each month either.. my suggestion would be to TRY to be VERY choosy with your records.. there is SO much music out there that goes almost unnoticed that 4 months from now you can still be playing it, since you might be the only one who ever plays it.. kimball collins is highly regarded as one of the best (or the best) in florida and he has no second thoughts about playing certain songs that are several months old - of course NO ONE else plays those songs, and many are hard to find, but still.. another thing about this style of music is that the records are printed for such a short period of time.. if you don't get a record within about a month or two of when it is released, you stand little chance of ever getting it.. but this is definately a _good_ thing.. say you go out and buy a couple things on my review list - maybe 'hands of stone' by no mass.. it is on a small label called apple records - there is a VERY good chance no dj in your area will EVER play it - if they do play it, no one will really remember it.. four months down the road, you might finally start djing and you PLAY it! does anyone know it? no. can anyone even BUY it, if they want to? no. even though it is older it would add a personal atmosphere to your set, since no other dj is playing it, and other djs can't jump on the bandwagon because they can no longer buy it.. so with buying records, until you start djing often, concentrate NOT on whats HOT NOW, but concentrate on real quality stuff that a) won't get overplayed and b) will still sound good in a few months.. stick to smaller labels - guerilla and cowboy stuff is great, but more likely to get overplayed and easier to find for everyone else.. if you follow that rule, you'll find that a couple months down the road you actually have a very unique collection and you can STILL play almost every record that you own! ---------------------------------------------------------- On Playing the Set... Plui asked: how much (if any) of your set is preplanned? XDZebra wrote Usually the intro, the end, and possibly one or two mixes that I've worked out previously. What I try to do is a completely different set each time. This is why I don't like top ten lists, since I have no idea what that would be for me. There are a few songs I favor from set to set, but I certainly don't do a "hot rotation" thing. ...there is a certain feeling of euphoria and creativity to do it on the fly. Stowy wrote I have alot of songs that go good against each other that are implanted in my head forever. Usually, I'll just play whatever comes to mind. Desi The Three Armed Wonder Comic wrote depends. sometimes i make tapes and i hear brilliant mixes that just have to be duplicated live, sometimes i just wing it... ...the best way to fight that (boring pre-planned sets) is to have as many records as you can get your hands on and learn them all pretty well. once you know where the changes are and what the styles are, you can arrange good sets that aren't repetitive. BLURrrr wrote i think it is a good idea to have some idea of certain songs that you want to play, but its a bad idea to have a set planned with no tendency to change it mid-mix.. i'm not one of those who organizes his records by bpm order or anything, so when i am preparing to spin i tend to group certain songs near the front of my crate, the ones i want to focus on this night, and the songs i want to stay away from for the most part, i group near the back.. another reason why i think overplanning hurts in a live setting is that different crowds will have different likes and dislikes.. with the first 3 or 4 songs you can feel out an audience and then, hopefully, take it from there.. i also like to try and build through most of my set and bring the crowd to its most frenzied point, and then start slowly coming down.. if you have what you want to play strictly planned out, you won't be as likely to effectively use the songs you have to take the crowd to the appropriate level at the appropriate time.. BUT!, you really do need to have some sense of what you want to play, because otherwise i find i fall into a rut of using the same songs at the same time.. see, with djing at raves or rave-like events, it is like a trip you must take the people on.. the best djs will not only have good records, but know when and how to play them.. this is a _very_ important thing! you are not just playing songs, or mixing songs, you are creating a new world and atmosphere that the participants will temporarily succumb to.. if you just play records, people might dance, people might be happy, but you aren't _taking_ the crowd anywhere.. -------------------------------------------------- On gear Here's some random notes I've compiled from BPM and rave lists, as well as some of my own notes. -Turntables The Technics SL1200 series is the most frequently mentioned table on the lists. It has a high-torque motor which brings the plate to the correct speed very very quickly. Various modifications are usually made (by the user) to improve stability and enhance playability. The BPM list frequently gets into the technical aspects of customization of the 1200. A 1200mkII can be mail ordered for $400. -CD Players The Denon 2000F dual cd player is rack mountable, and has +-8% pitch control and 'pitch bend' buttons for beat matching. It can be mail ordered for $950 XDZebra wrote (of the Denon) I got mine for $900 USA, but this was through a friend. It was the best money spent on my system yet. An idiot could use it. The first time I used one was at a rave where I demo'd. I learned it from scratch in a few minutes and was mixing with no problems after that. -Mixers Gemini, MTX, Numark, Furman, Vestax... I don't have much knowledge of each, but they should all perform the same function. There should be a variety of inputs for turntables, cd players, etc. There should also be a variety of outputs for the PA and a perhaps a line-out for tape recorders. The mixing panel should be straight forward, easy to use in dim lighting situations. You should be able to assign each input (turntable,cd) to one of two 'source' sliders via switches (transformer switches). There should also be a crossfade control that allows you to mix between the two sources. There are also sampling mixers that will record and loop a part of the track that you are playing. Prices can be as low as $130 for a Gemini Scratchmaster to $1000s for the sampling mixers. I am renting a $300 Yamaha MJ100 for $30 a month. Many stores will have mixers for rent, I'd suggest renting a few different ones before you buy, make sure you feel comfortable with the one you plan to get. XDZebra wrote I purchased a Biamp 5500 and I've been very pleased with it. The only drawback with it is the lack of transform switches. It has two phono inputs, six line inputs, and one switchable phone/line. The best part about it has got to be the cuing, which can put the monitor line in one ear and the cue line in the other. It can also do a sort of "blend/preview" function. This can substitute well for when there isn't a monitor present. The sliders are on bearings and look easily enough replaced, I've put them through plenty of abuse and they've come out well. Right now, I'm looking into a higher model of Biamp because (believe it or not), I've run out of inputs. However, if they don't have transform on any other models, I'll probably go with a Rane. -Catalogs (ask for their DJ catalog) Pro Sound and Stage Lighting - Garden Grove, CA (800)945-9300 Leader Marketing - Houston, TX (800) 877-3325 ---------------------------------------------------- Words To me, a beginner, the transformation from "Spectator to Player" has been made a lot easier because of the help of many of the net-DJs. Thanks to: BLURrrr (Dave Kelly) XDZebra (Pete Ashdown) Lee (Lee An) Stowy (Todd from NCSU) Desi The Three Armed Wonder Comic (Jon Drukman) And others who helped with their knowledge and experience. XDZebra adds: Be prepared to spend some money. I must have spent close to $10000 last year. There is nothing I can say to discourage you though, the rewards have been great. __ Patrick Lui / '> tweet! plui@iossvr.gm.hac.com /\ /\