how important is dj skillz when you play live
vinylfiend
7 Posts
i have a friend who has been diggin for years and I know nobody who has got a collection like he does.Me and him stay gettin into arguements over whats more important when playin out.I think it as alot to do with your skillz on your decks rather then your record selection,he disgrees with me completely.He thinks that when people come to hear somebody spin (breaks)they want to hear what rare records you got.Don't be misunderstood ,he got skills but when he plays out he doesn't show them off.He sort of just jumps from break to break all night.So i want to get other peoples opinions on this.Do you agree with me or him.Peace
Comments
good DJs:
1) have deep crates
2) are not snobs about new shit
3) can blend beats seemlessly when the floor is packed.
4) tastfully throw in some juggling/scratching type shit here and there
5) comprise less than .0001% of current "DJs"
Oh okay.
Here's some Angela Winbush
It has to be a balance - all technique and no selection style makes jack/jill a dull dj. big gaping holes between songs and train wreck mixes interfere with the flow and good-feelings of a party. catering to record nerds and forgetting/not caring that not everyone will appreciate a Gary Wilson freak-fest is just plain boring.
but then again - a little gap now and then is not a bad thing - you know, for a little drama and anticipation's sake!
are you serious? listening to trainwrecks, song after song, gets old quick and kills dancefloors. plus girls aren't impressed with wackness.
but also, there has to be a moment where this can be used to hype the party. But i agree, there has to be a point where the tracks get played for a longer time. usually in the early morning hours i dont even mix no more, or even do a pasue on purpose to attract the crowd again. Use all techniques there are in a sensible way, play all the music you like and you and your crowd will have a good time. Like Jeff Mills once said: "Read the crowd" - and supply them with according heat.
skills is, for the general crowd, just a tasteful spice, unless you gig at some hardcore hip hop club with a lot of true school hip hoppers.
Skills mean shit if your selection is boring, monotonous, predictible, old, etc etc etc...
this is true
there is a middle ground - some dudes blend between songs that are similar enough to keep the dancefloor going, but not exactly BPM'd or whatever.
The most boring shit is a safe ass DJ who has everything BPMd plays nothing new has standard cuts and wellpracticed blends. The most exciting shit is a dude with deep crates who has a basic knowledge of mixing and blending, but it doesn't have to be perfect. Cutting can be cool but that's like the icing on the cake. I go to hear music, not technique.
Amen to that.
best parties evar!!! If you have some nice girls in there too, a very nice experience...
you mean train wrecks or slamming tracks on beat?
train wrecks are heartbreaking. on the other hand, slamming tracks on beat might have the two other DJs in the room rolling eyes, but as long as your tempo is on, the floor will go with you.
amen to the middle ground.
if you've been dj'ing for a long enough time and honestly know what you are doing, then you know your approach will change from evening to evening and crowd to crowd...
As long as shit sounds clean its all good. I like dope blends, but a lot of people wont even notice. Trainwreaks are just, aw man, I am sure everyone here who has dj'ed has had someone come up and bump the needle and the whole damn room turns and looks at you like WTF.
what about house parties where you have that seriously drunken idiot loving your set so much he jumps and stomps so hard it skips your needle like 5 times before you completely lose it and flip out on him.
i don't mind the cute drunk girl bumping the decks as much though, cause after the first time i just stick my hand out whenever she gets too close to bumping the decks again and cop a cheap perv feel.