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 Posted on Fri May 25, 2007 09:28 PM.
So here is the question: as a listener, do you care about if a performer is using a lap top, and if so why? What do you like or dislike about laptop dj performances? For me my biggest concern is the potential abuse of the tempo sync feature. I have experienced performers who rely very very heavily on this feature and may not have taken the time to properly develop their beat matching skills prior to using a laptop dj platform. And as a result they often are not aware when their mixing is off, because possibly they have not the ear to notice and the "program" they are using is telling them visually that things are A-OK but the speakers are telling everyone else otherwise. And I hate mp3's which is an unfortunate curse of laptop and cd dj's, but that is a whole other endless debate! Ha ha ha. As well, it drives me nuts when laptop dj's stare endlessly at their screens, and never interact with the crowd. The pluses however are the individuals who are pushing the limits by using a laptop, by getting busy with wikid loops, injecting original material or personal remixes, using multiple (more than two) decks, adding in effects.... really taking advantage of the tool they are using. As well seeing someone like Norris Lam who is a freaking master of mixing genres of music like they are techno, I am amazed at how fluidly and effectively he uses traktor to seamlessly sew together his downtempo, psydub and psydm sets. That right there is enough to get me freaking out at the power of the laptop as a dj platform. Any thoughts? Let 'er rip!!
All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom. - Albert Einstein
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Posted on Sat May 26, 2007 09:23 PM.
The harder it is for you to deliver your set and the more work you do while you're performing earns the respect from me. So, respect of skill aside, as long as you can do the basics (mixing, cutting, crowd reading) well I will accept you and regard you as a dj. If you're using buttons to sync beat match or to short cut any other (basic or otherwise) skill used in dj'ing then i will respect your skill less and less, but so long as your mixes don't sound like shoes in the dryer you can play music for me, will even enjoy it if you can read a crowd well. This isn't to say I won't laugh at you if you do an 8 ball of coke and are acting like you're the next big thing while you're syncing beats and mixng second drop to first drop. But! I will still accept you as a dj, just not a good one, or a skilled one atleast. Not to say I won't respect your success if "cheating" works out for you and you actually get some where. |
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Posted on Tue May 29, 2007 06:59 PM.
oooh hot topic. I've spent much time thinking about this and worrying about my own foray into laptop DJing. As a disclaimer, I've only owned CDJ's and can beatmatch quite fine enough on those (some will see that soon enough ;). I've played one of my best sets out on Serato time-encoded vinyl, so I'm mildly experienced there. However, I've decided I'm going to pursue laptop DJing using Ableton live as a platform. I've only just started, but I've been happy so far. Of course, all of Darvin's issues are valid, but the times are a changin.... I used to be worried to say that with Ableton I don't have to beatmatch at all live any more because it might seem to take away from what I'm doing, but the thing is, I still have to do the warping ahead of time, and it's actually a fair amount of work to get tracks warped just right, which is where the trained ear comes in.
however, now that I've been going with it for a while, I'm totally cool to say that I don't need to do the beatmatching live anymore. Why? Well simply because in my first ableton live set I was able to do things that I effectively can't do with a music platform that requires me to beatmatch. ya know, thought process like: loop A for a bit, add in cymbals from track B, slowly bring in track C, let track A go, switch out loop B cymbals for crazy sample on loop D. It actually blows my mind in some ways how many doors it opens. and using a solid midi controller in front of people watching convinces the audience that indeed you are affecting the music, which helps with managing peoples expectations of course... I've read a million forum postings about the art of the DJ and whether the computer is killing it. I couldn't disagree more. Of course, always happy to discuss... |
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Posted on Thu May 31, 2007 05:16 PM.
The example you used can be done on vinyl, it just takes loads of skill to be able to control 4 tables at once, especially involving manually jumping to cue points back and forth and one or more records. No, the computer isn't killing Dj'ing. The art of DJ'ing is evolving. The computer is just stripping most skill (if not all imo) from the art, and imo stripping the art itself from DJ'ing altogether. It's just another form of electronics now. Like getting a bunch of people over to listen to your big ass stereo or integrated entertainment system. It may take longer to learn the equipment, but all it takes is time to do so to learn all the features. That and there are alot more people over, generally, to enjoy the laptop/cdj performance. |
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Posted on Thu May 31, 2007 06:44 PM.
Still have to have ears to beatmatch and key match; that's a skill that is needed no matter what platform your on.
Current Residencies:
- Pure.Prog | Redlight Sessions - Every 4th Friday at the Amsterdam Rhino, Calgary, Canada
- 709@Seven - Every Friday and Saturday at Seven Restolounge, Calgary, Canada
- 709Sessions on TribalMixes.org - 3pm MST, every 2nd Sunday on Tribalmixes.org
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Posted on Fri Jun 1, 2007 11:01 AM.
Indeed. You still need to have an ear for it, like I've said (I've had to rewarp tracks a couple times after playing them with something else and finding things weren't meshing just right for my taste...) and also, at the end of the day, if you want to be successful, you still have to put in a lot of time researching music, knowing music, and having a feel for how to build energy, create atmosphere, and throw something down at just the right time for the mood of the room you're playing music in.... definitely all skills that take years of practice! |
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Posted on Sat Jun 2, 2007 04:25 PM.
In every art form the tools may be different but the path is the same. A talented DJ/performer is good no matter what they use. I have used everything from cds, vinyl, ableton and serado, and that is my humble but experienced opinion. Though technical skills is important, programming, emotion and passion is more.
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Posted on Sun Jun 3, 2007 09:23 PM.
Hmm, I agree with everyone. I would however still like to see people spend a good chunk of time to learn to beatmatch the old-school way BEFORE they dive into laptop performing. There is nothing that can replace the time invested, and I feel for myself that the harder a task, the greater the reward. I know it can be said that as long as it sounds good then who cares how it's being done... but call me crazy, I always think it sound WAY better when I know the person performing is working their ass off and immersed in the process. For me it's really simple: if you use technology to make performing easier, I think you should capitalize on that advantage and step your game up, otherwise you are simply being dishonest and disrespectful of the craft of djing. All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom. - Albert Einstein
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Posted on Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:49 AM.
im not really into a dj when he/she is playin justf rom a laptop. i began on turntables and progressed onto digital mp3 controlers when my taste in music changed into genres that were to hard to get on record. in the end the dj is still controling the music but to what degree? i think the bpm sync feature on alot of these new programs is killing it a little for me. i think djs still need to have that feel and controll of music. with the new mp3 contolres avalible now i hope djs turn to them rather than to just mix straight off there laptop. at the end of the day they are still playin tunes we love and we are still gettin down to em!
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