If you have a friend thats a doctor, you might introduce him as Doctor so and so.
If you have a friend that is a lawyer, you might introduce him as so and so the lawyer.
People like to know what each other does for work.
Accordingly, I get introduced as Sean, “the DJ”.
If you would like to be able to tell people that you’re a DJ, sign up for free DJ Lesson Videos by clicking HERE right now!
This is usually great! A lot of times people want to know more. Others say that they have heard of me or seen me play before. There is a third group of people that don’t care, which I respect….
There is also a group of people that seem to always want to pull me into an argument about weather or not DJing requires any musical talent. I have learned over time to deflect these sorts of questions but the argument from my new “friend” usually is that DJing on turntables and a mixer takes way less musical skill than playing the guitar, the bass guitar or whatever ‘skill full’ instrument tickles their fancy…
I never really knew how to respond….
After seeing this CRAZY video of France DJs at the TechnoParade 2007 in Paris, I now know what to say…
“Who cares!”….
If a nerdy looking malnourished kid can learn to dj and eventually make a crowd of 100,000 people rush the streets to dance and cheer, who cares if it takes less skill… we’re doing something right!
I don’t understand the argument these nay-sayers make. If I were starting out and were faced with the two options:
1) Learn the guitar for 3 years before being able to play well enough to perform live.
vs.
2) Learn to mix in 2 months and play your first club show to screaming fans within 3 months, not 3 years…
What would you take…? You can Learn to mix music (and even remix on the fly) or you can learn boring old chords…
You’ve made the right choice when you decided to Learn To Mix.
Remember…. “Who cares!”
What a wicked video!
I disagree with your comments though… it does matter what takes more musical skill. Its not just about what the crowd wants all the time… Its about creating.
How do you do that when you are just playing other people’s records?
Dave, I disagree.
By putting different parts of multiple songs together, DJs can create new music and new sounds, just like a guitar player putting different chords together…
hi, sean this business about guitar players,its nothing to do with it,i can tell you from experence,i play guitar,and have done for years,it really cant be compared to djing.and have you noticed its not guitar players,who are argueing the fact,its your nerd, no body again. i must admitt,its got the same vibe when you see some one else doing some thing you like,you want to go out and do it your self thats the difference in all this arguement,these people who say this and that,arent either a dj or guitar player,there no good to there selfs,how can they say that they no any thing about music.be cool.michael.
Well said…I’m going to find people and reawaken old arguments!
there is tremendous skill involved in djing.
just like guitar playing.
1. track selection
2. track progression
3. mixing style
4. extras, and responding to crowd
all teh require practice and tons of prep work.
it s just like anything, everyone thinks they can do it, and coudl probbaly do it better untill they try it.
wazzup sean jo killa vid hay jo just shows that a dj is talent all the way true enought we might not know how to play a piano bt dam dude a proper dj shure knows how to drop a track
i agree with u sean!!!
in the all that matters is the heat of croud… not their brooken aaasssssss@!!!!!!!!!!!!
who cares for them huh???!!!
wow that video was epic i wanna be layed back luke!!!
DJs and musicians are essentially totally different and have different purposes, so your geeky friends are trying to compare oranges and apples. Finding the right tune at the right time cannot be compared to learning a chord progression.
However Sean, we all know a pair of decks can to some extent mix for you with the auto beatmatching and BPM indication functions. So having some knowledge of music theory can surely help you loads with your DJing AND make you stand out from those who don’t.
Not to mention, if you REALLY wanna hit it big time as a DJ, you have to make your own tunes, and they must be good tunes! Guetta, Joachim and all these guys make their own tunes, that’s why they stay at the top. Moreover, knowledge of music’ll improve your harmonic mixing too.
Just to add to that, I totally agree about the “who cares” part – the essential thing is to make people dance and enjoy themselves, as long as you’re doing that then you’ve got it, whatever your skills are.
Hi Gallager!guitar can never be the same thing than djing;you know as well that to lurn playing guitar , you need to much time but djing is an art because it play music like any other musician…so in fact , the dj is more productive than a single musician:he play more musics and match BPM to make the music don’t stop.So a DJ is more than a guitar player!
turntables are an instrument:) I beleive this is what musicians are talking about: Take a sound and Create a rythmical beat/sequence that makes sense to the ear listening to it. if you look at a scratch DJ, they make rythmical beats/sequences like a musicians from a sound. instrument used, questionable? I show this to all my musician friends, and they say, “Yes”
what about spoon players ie Spoonman. are spoons instruments?
Creating a cool rythm out of a sound especially if its not the norm instrument, ie guitar, I would say makes you a better musician.
Check out q bert, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKD0dJvaPOU
That video was alright, wouldnt be nuts about it to be honest, not my style. Seeing as im more of an old school golden era hip hop head, following the steps of Eric B, Red Alert, Scott La Rock, Dj Premier, all dope DJ’s. And being involved in the industry and well as playing guitar too, they both require dedication and skill to master. In previous posts I’ve read, its true that you can get different vibes with the same feeling, no matter whether im busting o ut the turntables or playing the guitar myself, I spose its all about preference
There are good and bad DJs.. just like there are good and bad musician. In my opinion, if you’re a good DJ, you’re a musician.
Finally, Finally…I’ve been looking for this information for a long time. Thanks
Happy day, thanks for your post, I appreciate the great content. I’ll be back soon to read more!
Almost everyone of the “DJ’s” in the video is a producer. They are playing songs that THEY made. If your a good dj, and can rock a club, then thats a talent and a skill, and one that should be respected. But if you personally make the songs, then your a musician/producer.