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Forum: General Discussion

Topic: Are you a "REAL DJ"? - Page: 1

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I started DJing a little over 17 years ago..
I mainly did mobile DJing, but I also worked in the bars..
In the bars it was usually a set of TT's, mobile work was either two cassette decks or two home CD players.. (I remember thinking how carrying 400 CD's in their jewel cases was , SOOO much easier then carrying a crate of LP's)

Their was NO 'chat rooms' or 'forums'..
To argue and chat with your fellow DJ's you went to a 'newsgroup' using IRC or Outlook..

You know what the guys who used turntables always said to the guys that used CD players?
That they were NOT 'real DJ's'..

Then the Denon 2000F came out.. (I was one of the first guys in my area to use one)
Instant start! you could not only beat mix, but now you didnt have to waste as much time getting the songs synced.. you could 'drop' a song on another within seconds!

CD players became so sophisticated, and advanced, the turntablist arguement was getting pretty thin..
YES, using a turntable required more skill, but the CD player guys were now doing things with loops and samples that the TT guys couldnt do..

then MP3's came out..
long story short.. you know what the CD & turntable guys said too the Computer guys?
That they were NOT 'real DJ's'..

My whole point is:
A DJ is someone who plays OTHER PEOPLES music and gets paid for it.. In that regard we are all pretty equal

so please don't tell other VDJ users they ARE NOT 'real DJ's,
or I will be forced to whip out my two ancient cassette players with a single turntable and REAL 12" SINGLES,
AND KICK YOUR BUTT WITH THEM..
and when I say 'kick your butt' I mean my dancefloor will have more people then your dancefloor..

Why?

Because I am a REAL DJ
;-)
 
Posted Thu 14 Jan 10 @ 10:48 am
In that case, I'm a real DJ too! I started out 27 years ago with two turntables, a PYRAMID mixer & only ONE had pitch control lol. What better way to learn to beat mix though. Also used two Nakamichi Cassete decks that had pitch control at McMaster University. (along with two 1200's) Those were always interesting to dj with. At Roller Gardens I spun music videos form Super VHS machines having to fast-forward & rewind to the cue points. Boy was that ever fun (NOT)

Alas as I hit 40 this year those memories are fond, but I will never go back to those days, no matter what people call me. What other DJ's think of me is none of my business!

I love my VDJ!

I AM A REAL DJ! lol (I also like Molson Canadian)
 
I am NOT a real DJ because I never used turntables. To many people out there, you are required to have mixed durning the dark ages of analogue equipment, have carried a crap load of LP's to a gig and learned to make silly sounds with records (scratching) to be considered a real DJ. I started on dual CD decks and consumer DVD players and a cheap video mixer and switched to PC based video mixing as soon as it became available and never looked back. Wow, I get work and I get paid "real" money for it...

To settle the argument with the many "real" DJ's who come up on a gig and give me the low down on what it takes to be a "real" DJ... thanks for letting me have your business... I really appreciate it!

I am proud to NOT be a real DJ.

HOP
 
To quote myself:

If you feel the need to label people to "real DJ's" and "not real DJ's", the chances are that you're not a real DJ.
 
hmm this is a tough one. i do dj but not profesionally, and have been doing so on and off for about 10-11 year. so am i or arent i?? just because i dont dj professionally that doesnt meand im not a dj, does it???? meh i dunno, this is a stupid question anyway.
 
chibie wrote :
I am NOT a real DJ because I never used turntables.

Never allow someone else to set What, or Who you are..

Do you think Jimmy Hendrix allowed other guitarist's to tell him he wasnt playing his guitar right?
 
hippydog wrote :
chibie wrote :
I am NOT a real DJ because I never used turntables.

Never allow someone else to set What, or Who you are..

Do you think Jimmy Hendrix allowed other guitarist's to tell him he wasnt playing his guitar right?





I was hoping my sarcasim would be obvious...
 
Blulite wrote :
i do dj but not profesionally, and have been doing so on and off for about 10-11 year. so am i or arent i??


You are correct.. my apologies..
in the strictest sense being a DJ is: "someone who mixes & plays prerecorded music for an audience", this can include everything from a radio DJ to someone who makes mixtapes at home for his friends..

a professional DJ is a DJ that gets PAID to "mix and play music for an audience"
 
chibie wrote :
I was hoping my sarcasim would be obvious...


it was :-)
I was just selfishly using your post as a springboard to make another point.. ;-)
 
hippydog wrote :
chibie wrote :
I was hoping my sarcasim would be obvious...


it was :-)
I was just selfishly using your post as a springboard to make another point.. ;-)




Cool...
 

I'm not. I use software, pmsl
 
I'm not a real DJ! After 25 years, and more equipment than I care to think of, I'm an incredibly fuzzy copy......
 
I earned My stripes many years ago. I started DJ iing back in 1987.. My first turntables were the Technics slbd with pitch control. My mixer was a cheap 2 channel gemini. A few years later, I purchased 2 technics 1600's & then the 1200's. I started mixing freestyle & latin music and then went on to mixing everything.

My current setup is

2 Technics 1200's Black
1 Pioneer DJM 700
2 Denon 3700's
1 VCI 300 Controller

My first 12" record was : Pickin Up the Pieces By Brenda K Star
 
a turntabalist who spends money buying records is surely doing something very different than one playing mp3's on the computer. its deeper than just whats coming from the speakers..
 
I'm a real DJ and have been since 1968 in the 6th grade when I DJ'd my first dance... a Boy Scout Girl Scout Dance with reel to reels and a turntable..... full time in 1980 and haven't looked back,,,, it's all in your mind baby!
 
All of you are basing whether someone is a "real DJ" on the criteria of the equipment they use and if they play pre-recorded music, but you have to take into account as well is skill. I'm sorry but just because you play music for a crowd may make you a "real DJ", but it doesn't necessarily mean you're a good DJ. A friend of mine still uses CDs on a 10 year old Numark CDMix 1 and he's really good, and I know other guys who have the latest top of the line gear, and suck. For me, a what separates a "good DJ" from a "bad DJ" is someone who can not only beatmatch flawlessly, but knows how to layer one track over another (knowledge of song structure, no awkward overlapping vocals), can read the crowd, knows how to bring the energy level up into a frenzy etc. etc. That being said, there are some DJs (very often mobile DJs) who can't beatmatch to save their lives but can still rock a crowd, and yes they are a "real DJ" and could be considered a "good DJ", but they aren't the full package because their lack of skill limits prevents them from being a "great DJ". I did a corporate holiday party this past December and someone commented at the end of the night "You can actually mix! The guy last year was pretty good but he couldn't mix for s**t". I bet the songs I played weren't much different than the DJ's selections at their last party... the difference was I made them flow. Was the other DJ a "real DJ"? Sure he was. Was he a "good DJ"? probably. Was I better? Well I got booked for next year's party and he didn't, you be the judge.
 
i'm keepin' it real

i'm down whiff it and partially hydrogenated......

is you ? ain't chew ?

only yer hair dresser knows fer sure
 
Caliente123 wrote :
I earned My stripes many years ago. I started DJ iing back in 1987.. My first turntables were the Technics slbd with pitch control. My mixer was a cheap 2 channel gemini. A few years later, I purchased 2 technics 1600's & then the 1200's. I started mixing freestyle & latin music and then went on to mixing everything.

My current setup is

2 Technics 1200's Black
1 Pioneer DJM 700
2 Denon 3700's
1 VCI 300 Controller

My first 12" record was : Pickin Up the Pieces By Brenda K Star



Here we go again...
 
my first vinyls were square , that's how long ago it was .......


in the good ole days we had it rough ......

it doesn't make any sense , but people say it .....
 
@ Chibie.. Whats up with the quote ? What are try to say with here we go again. Is there something wrong with what i wrote.. ?

Its kind of dumb for people to say your not a real dj because you dont use truntables etc. I know djs that use the Denon HC4500, Numark CDX tables, pioneer CDJ's etc. I use the denon 3700's & turntables & A VCI 300 Midi Controller. I have never bashed anyone for what they use. Dont get my post confused..



 
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