i been working on a response that will change everyone's mind(s). my girls just sent it out. so check your local western union. they should open at 9:00 am.
Im all for tech, but sometimes having more options isnt healthy....IMO.
I totally agree. It's quite often that I'll be in the middle of a mix and trying to figure out what to play next and I'll get frozen up with indecision because I have TOO many choices.
There is a certain economy and beauty to having a finite crate where you have to make shit work based on what you have.
b/w
I don't know how many other Microwave DJs experience this but it's like having an iPod with 10,000 songs... I still end up playing a few songs ALL THE TIME despite the options to reach for other joints. I know that's more on me than the technology but with physical records, I can force myself not to depend on the same 5 heaters by leaving them out of the bag. With Microwave, since I know they're always there, it's always tempting to fall back on them.
also who the f*ck would do a "northern soul" night and spin microwave?
You'd be surprised.
Yep, the "Northern Soul Night" here in Auckland was originally a mp3 night before we did a couple of guest sets & showed the dude running it how to use turntables. He then spent a couple of months buying an instant basic northern/oldies 45 collection off ebay & shortly after gave us the boot from the night..... kind of technology in reverse.
for those who think that playing vinyl lp cuts, that were pressed like shit to begin with will sound better just cuz its on vinyl VS when i take those same cuts, eq them and beef them up before i rip to digital wav and play from s.erato...., im winning all day. put your $$$ where your mouth is.
when i put out the canadian version of scorpio... from the 21 giutars k-tel sounding vinyl, that og sounds like ASS. i did the same exact thing before editing, except it ended up coming out on vinyl as well. telling me the og sounds better.. stop it now, your killing me.
That's true. I have a few things that are pressed so poorly, I can't play them out... probably at some point I will remaster them and press them on dubplates and of course, it would make more sense to play those as wav files from a laptop.
You got me there.
Reading through this thread made my head spin a bit...
I still don't like the look of laptops in a dj booth although I can understand the advantages and benefits and as I've always said, for some DJs it makes perfect sense to go Microwave. I can respect that choice and saying that I find laptops ugly in a nightclub context is just my personal, subjective opinion. When seeing a DJ and he's playing some crazy track I've never heard, I think it's great if he can show you the cover or let you have a quick peek at the 45 label when he takes it off the turntable.
I understand the fact that Microwave lets you do things that playing only vinyl won't let you do and if because of that, you make the decission to go that way, that's great but it shouldn't be out of convenience alone.
My main beef is those DJs who dump thousands of downloaded low-quality mp3s onto their laptop and then harrass the public in smaller clubs and bars where the management thinks they need a DJ 7 nights a week but pay them less than what the bartender makes.
As an extremely little dude/toy here (HS senior), I can say that my experience collecting records has definitely been influenced by knowledge gained from the internet on blogs like soulsides, myjazzworld, soulstrut reviews etc. For example, I learned about Placebo from the internet and probably never would've discovered them had it not been for these amazing resources.
On the other hand, I had a reverse experience with Joe Hinton. I found a 45 that looked cool of the song "Take my Hand in your Hand" and played it constantly. Then I researched him online and bought some of his Motown stuff on itunes, which is great. I discovered George Duke, John Klemmer and a lot of disco and 80s R&B like Patrice Rushen, Switch, Kleer and Dynasty based on a needle drop or a cool looking cover. Local music too.
And as far as prices go, Its been a really mixed bag across the board. There is one store in particular with a fair amount of heat in their $2 bin, and there is one store that has overpriced raer there are also backwater towns with antique stores filled with good cheap records. I feel like this is more or less the way things have been since people realized that you could make hundreds of dollars off an incredible bongo band record. Maybe I am wrong though, and there are significantly less good records for cheap around these days.
EDIT- I'm not a DJ. Just weighing in from a younger person's perspective.
There is one store in particular with a fair amount of heat in their $2 bin, and there is one store that has overpriced raer there are also backwater towns with antique stores filled with good cheap records.
There is one store in particular with a fair amount of heat in their $2 bin, and there is one store that has overpriced raer there are also backwater towns with antique stores filled with good cheap records.
Thing is, you *can* look excited and "into it" from behind the laptop. I agree, it looks less cool, but it's not like you have to go into "scroll... email... scroll..." mode. The best DJs I've seen on Microwave (Cosmo among them, Just Blaze comes to mind from that time we all saw him at APT) are just as amped as they might be playing records.
Sure there are a lot of chump DJs that look like they might as well be emailing their disaffected coke addled girlfriend while they're spinning... but that's just the 2009 extension of the dudes who couldn't talk on mixtapes cause their voices were corny (word to Julian Bevan).
So what we're seeing here are just the various Soulstrut Tribes marking their territory (perhaps like cats, if you follow my meaning) and making very clear where they draw the line between fake and real.
vinyl junkies who don't hold regular dj gigs seem to be the only ones complaining about s.erato. i've YET to hear a working dj argue that the cons outway the pros. in fact, the only reoccurring complaint made by working djs is that s.erato has flooded the market with inexperienced djs (it only takes a laptop).
this whole debate is really absurd. its like a casual writer debating with a full time journalist about the use of a typewriter v. a computer.
if this was 5 years ago, the fake v. real debate might be an interesting discussion, but its played itself out and there is a clear winner.
So what we're seeing here are just the various Soulstrut Tribes marking their territory (perhaps like cats, if you follow my meaning) and making very clear where they draw the line between fake and real.
vinyl junkies who don't hold regular dj gigs seem to be the only ones complaining about s.erato. i've YET to hear a working dj argue that the cons outway the pros. in fact, the only reoccurring complaint made by working djs is that s.erato has flooded the market with inexperienced djs (it only takes a laptop).
I've had regular DJ gigs for 13 yrs and I don't play CDs, never mind S.erato. And I think anyone who loves music should get to play it for other folks. Not just for perspective, but for the sheer thrill and connection. Strip away all this shit and really there is nothing like playing music you love over a boomin system for people who love it back. I play with "inexperienced" DJs all the time - people who have never played a record outside their homes, who had to be shown how to use a mixer and how to cue a record. It is possible to not be about something for reasons other than insecurity.
There are laptop DJs that you can see from a mile away are not going to be there a year from now...whatever. They'll move on to the next thing and others will still be around, doing their thing.
me all you want. Yea, it sounds corny as f*ck, but there are people who actually have an emotional connection to music and that doesn't stop when they take it out of their homes and into the public realm. And we all have our rituals.
I only need one pro to outweigh all the other cons and that's I love playing records.
I only need one pro to outweigh all the other cons and that's I love playing records.
when i said "working", i meant djs who depend on consistent regular income from dj gigs to support themselves. if you're a dj not using s.erato or a similar program, you are at a competitive disadvantage....unless you are so well established that using vinyl is part of the way you market yourself.
props that you have that love, but it seems like you also have the privilege to play records and not depend on that stream of income to pay your bills. to those who do, it really does not make any sense.
I only need one pro to outweigh all the other cons and that's I love playing records.
when i said "working", i meant djs who depend on consistent regular income from dj gigs to support themselves. if you're a dj not using s.erato or a similar program, you are at a competitive disadvantage....unless you are so well established that using vinyl is part of the way you market yourself.
props that you have that love, but it seems like you also have the privilege to play records and not depend on that stream of income to pay your bills. to those who do, it really does not make any sense.
A lot of these working DJ's that KVH mentions went digital back when CDJ's came out. For them, the whole "to vinyl or not to vinyl" debate was a wrap years ago. And guess what? They said "F*ck carrying vinyl."
If you're a hardcore working DJ and get busy with the 150 or so records you bring every week, more power to you.
S.erato has let a lot of wack dudes get in the game, but isn't that the same for most digital technology relating to art? Photoshop and other programs probably let a bunch of herbs into the graphic design game to the dismay of the "real headz" who came up with CorelDraw or whatever. So what? The weak will fall and the strong will thrive.
Please, this thread is done. Take it off the grill, season, plate, and serve.
if this was 5 years ago, the fake v. real debate might be an interesting discussion,
My point is that 5 years ago, the debate wasn't really that different. Nor was it when people were having this debate 10 years ago. I mean, maybe you thought it was more interesting 5 years ago but I'm sure there'd be many people who thought this shit was played out then too.
And that's my whole point about talk about sub-group identities - you've just outlined another tribe: those who think this debate is played out vs. those who don't.
What matters aren't the terms of debate. What matters is that there is any debate.
Framing houses with a pneumatic nailer versus a hammer. I prefer a house framed with a hammer, its takes strength, a good eye, and its accurate. The pneumatic nailer is quick yet heavy, versatile, but not accurate. There are carpenters out there getting the job done with a hammer just as fast as the carpenter with a pneumatic nailer. But only your eyes can tell the difference of the framing by the tool used.
Bullshit. A poor craftsman blames his tools.... I've seen dudes use a chainsaw like a scalpel. Thanks for the analogy though, it put things in perspective for me wrt the MP3/vinyl debate.
Damn, 12 pages in 24 hrs.... shit goes down when you get hospitalized.
Damn, 12 pages in 24 hrs.... shit goes down when you get hospitalized.
This will soon going to be in the Top Ten Soul Strut Threads With The Most Hits. Right up there with "Why Can't Fat Joe Sell More Records?," "Favorite Popeye's Side Order," and that Sarah Palin tangent that went on for forever-and-one years.
Framing houses with a pneumatic nailer versus a hammer. I prefer a house framed with a hammer, its takes strength, a good eye, and its accurate. The pneumatic nailer is quick yet heavy, versatile, but not accurate. There are carpenters out there getting the job done with a hammer just as fast as the carpenter with a pneumatic nailer. But only your eyes can tell the difference of the framing by the tool used.
Bullshit. A poor craftsman blames his tools.... I've seen dudes use a chainsaw like a scalpel. Thanks for the analogy though, it put things in perspective for me wrt the MP3/vinyl debate.
Odd choice of analogies all around. So you would expect a surgeon to perform the same task as well with a chainsaw as with a scalpel???
My thinking is that knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your tools is what makes an expert craftsman.
I've seen another DJ recently who's also a drummer, has impeccable sense for rhythm and mixing and plays everything from Disco, to Hip Hop to the one or the other rare Funk track thrown in and for him, Microwave is just perfect. Gives him the possibility to have access to all his records on high quality wav files, well done!
I only need one pro to outweigh all the other cons and that's I love playing records.
when i said "working", i meant djs who depend on consistent regular income from dj gigs to support themselves. if you're a dj not using s.erato or a similar program, you are at a competitive disadvantage....unless you are so well established that using vinyl is part of the way you market yourself.
props that you have that love, but it seems like you also have the privilege to play records and not depend on that stream of income to pay your bills. to those who do, it really does not make any sense.
Comments
I totally agree. It's quite often that I'll be in the middle of a mix and trying to figure out what to play next and I'll get frozen up with indecision because I have TOO many choices.
There is a certain economy and beauty to having a finite crate where you have to make shit work based on what you have.
b/w
I don't know how many other Microwave DJs experience this but it's like having an iPod with 10,000 songs... I still end up playing a few songs ALL THE TIME despite the options to reach for other joints. I know that's more on me than the technology but with physical records, I can force myself not to depend on the same 5 heaters by leaving them out of the bag. With Microwave, since I know they're always there, it's always tempting to fall back on them.
That's true.
I have a few things that are pressed so poorly, I can't play them out... probably at some point I will remaster them and press them on dubplates and of course, it would make more sense to play those as wav files from a laptop.
You got me there.
Reading through this thread made my head spin a bit...
I still don't like the look of laptops in a dj booth although I can understand the advantages and benefits and as I've always said, for some DJs it makes perfect sense to go Microwave. I can respect that choice and saying that I find laptops ugly in a nightclub context is just my personal, subjective opinion. When seeing a DJ and he's playing some crazy track I've never heard, I think it's great if he can show you the cover or let you have a quick peek at the 45 label when he takes it off the turntable.
I understand the fact that Microwave lets you do things that playing only vinyl won't let you do and if because of that, you make the decission to go that way, that's great but it shouldn't be out of convenience alone.
My main beef is those DJs who dump thousands of downloaded low-quality mp3s onto their laptop and then harrass the public in smaller clubs and bars where the management thinks they need a DJ 7 nights a week but pay them less than what the bartender makes.
On the other hand, I had a reverse experience with Joe Hinton. I found a 45 that looked cool of the song "Take my Hand in your Hand" and played it constantly. Then I researched him online and bought some of his Motown stuff on itunes, which is great. I discovered George Duke, John Klemmer and a lot of disco and 80s R&B like Patrice Rushen, Switch, Kleer and Dynasty based on a needle drop or a cool looking cover. Local music too.
And as far as prices go, Its been a really mixed bag across the board. There is one store in particular with a fair amount of heat in their $2 bin, and there is one store that has overpriced raer there are also backwater towns with antique stores filled with good cheap records. I feel like this is more or less the way things have been since people realized that you could make hundreds of dollars off an incredible bongo band record. Maybe I am wrong though, and there are significantly less good records for cheap around these days.
EDIT- I'm not a DJ. Just weighing in from a younger person's perspective.
I agree - it does look weird to me.
b/w
we old
in five years or less that shit will be built into mixers. no laptop needed
Where do you live?
I use a laptop. And I agree with you guys.
And Frank you're right. 5 years for now gonna be on some shit.
minnesota
Sure there are a lot of chump DJs that look like they might as well be emailing their disaffected coke addled girlfriend while they're spinning... but that's just the 2009 extension of the dudes who couldn't talk on mixtapes cause their voices were corny (word to Julian Bevan).
vinyl junkies who don't hold regular dj gigs seem to be the only ones complaining about s.erato. i've YET to hear a working dj argue that the cons outway the pros. in fact, the only reoccurring complaint made by working djs is that s.erato has flooded the market with inexperienced djs (it only takes a laptop).
this whole debate is really absurd. its like a casual writer debating with a full time journalist about the use of a typewriter v. a computer.
if this was 5 years ago, the fake v. real debate might be an interesting discussion, but its played itself out and there is a clear winner.
I've had regular DJ gigs for 13 yrs and I don't play CDs, never mind S.erato. And I think anyone who loves music should get to play it for other folks. Not just for perspective, but for the sheer thrill and connection. Strip away all this shit and really there is nothing like playing music you love over a boomin system for people who love it back. I play with "inexperienced" DJs all the time - people who have never played a record outside their homes, who had to be shown how to use a mixer and how to cue a record. It is possible to not be about something for reasons other than insecurity.
There are laptop DJs that you can see from a mile away are not going to be there a year from now...whatever. They'll move on to the next thing and others will still be around, doing their thing.
I only need one pro to outweigh all the other cons and that's I love playing records.
oops wrong thraed...
when i said "working", i meant djs who depend on consistent regular income from dj gigs to support themselves. if you're a dj not using s.erato or a similar program, you are at a competitive disadvantage....unless you are so well established that using vinyl is part of the way you market yourself.
props that you have that love, but it seems like you also have the privilege to play records and not depend on that stream of income to pay your bills. to those who do, it really does not make any sense.
A lot of these working DJ's that KVH mentions went digital back when CDJ's came out. For them, the whole "to vinyl or not to vinyl" debate was a wrap years ago. And guess what? They said "F*ck carrying vinyl."
If you're a hardcore working DJ and get busy with the 150 or so records you bring every week, more power to you.
S.erato has let a lot of wack dudes get in the game, but isn't that the same for most digital technology relating to art? Photoshop and other programs probably let a bunch of herbs into the graphic design game to the dismay of the "real headz" who came up with CorelDraw or whatever. So what? The weak will fall and the strong will thrive.
Please, this thread is done. Take it off the grill, season, plate, and serve.
My point is that 5 years ago, the debate wasn't really that different. Nor was it when people were having this debate 10 years ago. I mean, maybe you thought it was more interesting 5 years ago but I'm sure there'd be many people who thought this shit was played out then too.
And that's my whole point about talk about sub-group identities - you've just outlined another tribe: those who think this debate is played out vs. those who don't.
What matters aren't the terms of debate. What matters is that there is any debate.
Bullshit. A poor craftsman blames his tools.... I've seen dudes use a chainsaw like a scalpel. Thanks for the analogy though, it put things in perspective for me wrt the MP3/vinyl debate.
Damn, 12 pages in 24 hrs.... shit goes down when you get hospitalized.
New thread
This will soon going to be in the Top Ten Soul Strut Threads With The Most Hits. Right up there with "Why Can't Fat Joe Sell More Records?," "Favorite Popeye's Side Order," and that Sarah Palin tangent that went on for forever-and-one years.
Odd choice of analogies all around. So you would expect a surgeon to perform the same task as well with a chainsaw as with a scalpel???
My thinking is that knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your tools is what makes an expert craftsman.
That, and knowing which tool to use in what situation.
Jonny, that comic is ill. "DJ Chicken Wing and his Eleven Herbs."
Gold.
I got 500Mb on Nappy G.
b/w WORST THREAD EVER!
YEAH. Post your 1099s or STFU.
Of course not all's I'm saying is that the tool is not half as important as the person wielding it and their comfort level with said tool.