[Closed] Why is a DJ called a DJ these days...

[quote=unfitgeezer ]

When was the last time vinyl ... were used ?!?

Lots.

When was the last time you were in a decent club?

Should be called mp3 button presser...

Those are MC's.

Mouse Clickers

What would you call them ?

Overpaid?

hard disc jockey

anyways decent djs still use vinyl too

Vinyl often gets used as a controller, even if playing digital files are playing.

OP definitely has a valid point - Most DJs are producers these days. Ableton operators. The "name" just went with them.
Here's a small list from Junodownload. I bet Paul Oakenfold is one of the few there who actually uses/used vinyl (aka. vynal)
[img] [/img]

a few purists still play 100% vinyl.

plenty of people still use some vinyl though. But I'll bet Oaky isn't one of them! He's carried enough record bags in his time...

Why is a sailor called a sailor if his ship has no sails?

Vinyl often gets used as a controller, even if playing digital files are playing.

I was a DJ for a while (just at local stuff) and if I were to go back into it this is the route I'd likely go. Although I still have loads of vinyl that I'm not sure what to do with...

gobuchul -
Why is a sailor called a sailor if his ship has no sails?

*Eagerly awaits punchline*

[i]a few purists still play 100% vinyl[/i]

What I mean is, I bet there are more producers using the DJ prefix who just make music in their bedroom studios than there are actual DJ types spinning the wheels ov steel for clubs, discotheques and Louise's weddings.
Like er, DJ Scotch Egg, DJ Paypal, [url= https://bandcamp.com/DJMetaEtcetera ]DJ etc..[/url] etc..

This is a topic that has been done to death in the electronic music world.

I used to do quite a bit of djing in my youth, starting at the age of 16 with some cheapy Numark vinyl turntables and moved on to Technics then CDJs and then eventually an all-digital setup. I still have 1000's of vinyls and CDs lying round the house (much to the annoyance of the Mrs) and do enjoy playing the occasional vinyl only set for the memories but when I do play out at a party or a club nowadays I always use my digital setup because;

1. I can carry all my tunes with me, covering all bases. This is especially useful for house parties when you need to keep everyone happy across genre boundaries.

2. My controller and laptop fits into 1 handy carry case. Decks, mixer, CDJs, vinyls would fill the boot of my car and take up a load of space once set up.

The argument that vinyl is more "authentic" doesn't wash in my opinion. Beatmatching (the art of making two different records play at the same speed in order to mix them together) isn't hard to do with a bit of practice so the idea that people who use the sync function of a digital setup are cheating is rubbish. Sync lets you bring in and out different elements of tracks, across genres, in order to create some pretty awesome mashups on the fly. The most important skill of a DJ is to have great taste in music, set trends, and most importantly to be able to read a crowd and create an awesome party through the music that they play. What medium they use to do that is always secondary.

DJs are still called DJs because its such a well known term. Some digital artists call themselves controllerists or simply just producers.

Bit of a shame really. Real DJ's have kind of been squeezed out, and the craft has suffered because of this. Because you can't make any money from releasing music anymore, a producer has to get out and 'DJ' to earn a wage. So now you've got all these producers on a stage pushing buttons who don't really know how to DJ properly because, well, they've not spent years in a club doing it. Yes it's easy to do the technical side, the gear will even beatmatch etc for you. But there's so much more to it than that.to Back in the day, most people were specialists in either one or the other.

The argument that vinyl is more "authentic" doesn't wash in my opinion. Beatmatching (the art of making two different records play at the same speed in order to mix them together) isn't hard to do with a bit of practice so the idea that people who use the sync function of a digital setup are cheating is rubbish. Sync lets you bring in and out different elements of tracks, across genres, in order to create some pretty awesome mashups on the fly.

Whilst I agree with you in principle, it does allow crap "DJ's" to sound even crapper. DJ big balls standing on a stage, bigging up his chest and playing ten pirated mp3's all at the same because he's able to quantise the life and soul out them is not big or clever, it just sounds rubbish.

All this technology is great in principle, but it never makes things 'sound' better, it's always about convenience, and making things easier for mongs. Personally, I'd rather listen to that guy who's bought an amazing vinyl collection and who cares about providing the best sound, and knows how to tell a narrative. Rather than having 'all the tunes to please everybody'. He's not a juke box, DJ's are supposed to discriminate. They're essentially filters for quality. Tastemakers.

a few purists still play 100% vinyl.

Dj Rowdy at the Grand ole Oprey certainly does

Why is a sailor called a sailor if his ship has no sails?

Why are hamsters called hamsters when they're vegetarian?

I love DJ Paypal

How many "mountain bikers" take their bikes up mountains these days?

To be fair even most hop DJs only use turntables for control but play MP3 flac files whatever format of choice.

How many "mountain bikers" take their bikes up mountains these days?

Maybe they don't, but they ride mountain bikes. 😉

I guess it's the same as the word hoover being used to describe all vacuum cleaners or all public address systems being called tannoys.

indeed

Oohhh, so DJ was originally a brand name. Didn't realise that 😛

Why is a DJ called a DJ these days...

Uncouth Americans call it a tuxedo.

Maybe they don't, but they ride mountain bikes.

They shouldn't be called mountain bikes if they don't, y'know,....

I think this sort of bollox passes for DJing these days....

Don't worry, it doesn't.

The most important skill of a DJ is [s]to have great taste in music, set trends, and most importantly [/s]to be able to [b]read a crowd[/b] and create an awesome party through the music that they play. What medium they use to do that is always secondary.

This ^^

I do think the above DJ brings a couple of eye catching enhancements to the DJ process though

I read an interesting interview with Calvin Harris some time ago (I think a bit after he got the huge deal for a residency in Las Vegas) where he said that on that scale the music, levels, lights etc are so intertwined that he pretty much just started the show and then had little or no input until it ends. He came up with the track listing in advance but was pretty much messing about on the computer when 'on stage'.

Holy Jesus, what a racket.

[quote=dazh ]I think this sort of bollox passes for DJing these days....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLu5b4Arl7U

Not a set of headphones to be seen 😆

I suppose it's easy to knock Juicy M, but she's made an awful lot of money from dancing and pointing a lot 🙂

[i]I do think the above DJ brings a couple of eye catching enhancements to the DJ process though[/i]

Plus using [i]Discs[/i]. Hence disc jockey. [edit]Yer actual vynal in dazh's last clip!
And the crowd are clearly going nuts.

[i]she's made an awful lot of money from dancing and pointing a lot[/i]
I may be wrong, but I don't think it has a great deal to do with her DJ skillz.

Sums it up I think

😆

The tools might have changed a bit but the underlying skills appear to still be the same.

Joey Negro doesn't use vinyl but have a listen/watch of this and tell me he's not a proper DJ. Absolute master of his art...

Calvin Harris is a star turn, not a DJ.

davidtaylforth

😆

Exacterly!

Is a fluffer still a fluffer if they’re not fluffy?

Not a set of headphones to be seen

^ I was wondering about her cans..

Member "Disco Sucks".

Shlohmo just playing Freecell on his laptop, no headphones to be seen. Best thing I've ever heard.

DJ Format, Young Einstein, Cut Chemist and Mix Master Mike those are the kind of guys I associate with vinyl, not the dance type guys. Can’t find a link, but Cut Chemist, The sound of the police is a work of genius. Two turntables and a loop pedal.

Black circles or TDK C90 in the BG?

What would you call them ?

Somebody who puts one record on after another to appease a crowd of sycophants.
That or 'tosspot'

Holy Jesus, what a rack!

surely is all you need to see epic hilarity

Today I shall mostly be watching "People of Boiler Room" videos 😆

How it should be done

Air DJ and Egyptian Lover are my kinda guys.

😀

How it should be done

Not doubting the skill but it's slightly stressful watching that. Makes me go all fidgety. Is all that button pressing really required? 🙂

dazh
Don't worry "Our Tune" will be on shortly,much more relaxing.

[quote=dazh ]
Is all that button pressing really required?

It works for Derrick!

I'm a vinyl guy, love the feel, but I do now use Serato as it does mean I can carry 100's of tunes, rather than just a set of 20-40 records.

Loving People of the Boiler Room!

Now for a bit of Turntablism!

I've used serato for many years with my 1210s, it's great.

Although recently I've bought a CDJ850 to get used to using CDJs. They are actually quite fun, I certainly am not disliking using a CDJ over my 1210s (as much as I love my 1210s.).

Anyway, this topic has been done to death in the dance music community many times over. The only universal hatred is laptop DJs.

The only universal hatred is laptop DJs.

What does that mean? Someone who only uses a laptop? Someone who uses a laptop alongside a controller? Someone who uses the sync button/BPM indicator?

All a bit silly if you ask me. IANADJ, but here's an idea. Why doesn't the DJ world have a certified dj skills award? Much like a chartership for an engineer, any budding DJs would first have to pass an exam on the finer points of DJ-craft. Then they could present their certificate/ID badge at a club/party before being allowed access to the decks/CDJs/controllers/whatever and thereby avoid the snobbery and condescension of their peers.

And I'm amazed we got a whole 2 pages in without someone posting this...

Anyway, this topic has been done to death in the dance music community many times over. The only universal hatred is laptop DJs.

What topic? That the name DJ doesn't mean you play records? And "universal hatred"?? - would be difficult if all those laptop DJs in dance music are hating themselves eh?

DJ's who [b]only[/b] use a laptop. No controller, nothing. Just a laptop on stage.

It was also a slight joke that I see has been missed. Shed played as Head High with just a laptop and, well, it's Shed do he can do what the hell he wants 😆

What topic?

CDJs vs vinyl vs controllers vs 'real DJs' vs your old mans Def Leppard collection

Oh, sorry, slight joke definitely missed.
My old man was into Metallica, Def Leppard were too pop for him.

David Guetta is a genius, I watched him doing Titanium at a festival and all he did was wave his arms about and then occasionally fumble the volume slider so the crowd could go "fire away, fire away"- he got the timing right about one time in three. It's right up there with seeing Marilyn Manson getting paid to stick his fingers up his bum at Download. [i]Genius.[/i]

The format may have changed, but if they are still dj ing then they are djs.

If they are preloading a player beforehand, and letting it play when they are live, then they are a jukebox.

Strap yourselves in scream if you wanna go faster.

This thread has just reminded me of this one time when me and my dad went to the local bar on a Saturday and he asked the lass if there was a “Disc Jockey” on later.. She looked at him like he was from Mars... he then exaplained “you know.. D J” at which point she said “No” 😆