Members Anderton Posted May 10, 2011 Members Share Posted May 10, 2011 So...I wrote this article for Electronic Musician called "5 Things We Can Learn from DJs." I pretty much wrote this for all the rock/pop people who look down at DJs. If you're not into clicking links, here are the five... Be open-minded. Good DJs are musically open-minded, ready for anything, and have an encyclopedic knowledge of all kinds of music. The audience is all that matters. DJs live and die by the reaction of the crowd, so they’re constantly reading the mood of the audience and adjusting their tracks accordingly. The big picture is crucial. When a DJ has to keep a crowd happy over two or more hours, the focus is less on individual cuts and more on overall flow. Bands should pay as much attention to their set lists. Hands-on control is essential. Computer-based recording fans, pay heed. DJing is about control and feel, and, similarly, hands-on mixing gives you a mix that’s more of a “performance” than just setting static levels. Music gets people high. In the club scene, the music isn’t just a listening experience for individuals, but the glue that holds the tribe together. DJs never lose sight of the fact that they’re trying to walk that fine line between trance-like repetition and the “shock of the new.” The music becomes a shared, communal, and almost religious experience. The reaction has been everything from really positive to, surprise, really negative. So my question to you is...what if I'd made the list 10 items? What would you include? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dash323 Posted June 4, 2011 Members Share Posted June 4, 2011 Love this post and all your points as well, makes me remember the first time I heard a live set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDLMUSIC Posted June 6, 2011 Members Share Posted June 6, 2011 Along with your open-minded tip, I'd say that most DJ's (unlike some band members) would never tell an audience member, "Yeah, I have that song, but I'm just tired of playing it, so you're out of luck." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted June 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 13, 2011 Along with your open-minded tip, I'd say that most DJ's (unlike some band members) would never tell an audience member, "Yeah, I have that song, but I'm just tired of playing it, so you're out of luck." Good point. In fact it seems to me that most DJs go out of their way to include some crowd-pleasing, easily recognizable "anthems" in their sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MuzikB Posted July 6, 2011 Members Share Posted July 6, 2011 It isn't about you. Many forms of entertainment is about "customer service." Check your ego. Know how to interact with other acts. A complete night is rarely done by just one DJ. Good DJ's interact with the other DJ's of that night to make the whole night a memorable experience. Bands IMHO should do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted July 9, 2011 Members Share Posted July 9, 2011 Great points. I will archive this both as a band musician and a DJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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