very true! when at home practising there is no crowd, so habits creep in easily. when i play outside, my personality makes me naturally engage with the crowd, but I need to block out the waveform and rely more on my ears, to be honest ! ❤😊
Jonathan, I just want to thank you -- I was a big raver in the late 00s and fell in love with DJing, watching endless hours of your content as well as pro performances on DJsounds. Your videos helped me learn how this all works, and a decade later, I'm a DJ myself, playing little Los Angeles clubs and putting out mixes. Your enthusiasm and knowledge was a big influence!
You truly did bring a smile to my face. I started DJing in 1985, and indeed I was using two Techniques 1200s along with a Realistic mixer and EVs for my speakers. Playing those vinyls back in those days and just concentrating on the crowd, was just priceless. No pitch control, etc. Just slowing the record down by pressing on the middle prong of the turntable, or fastening the other record by simply using your fingers on the record. Truly feeling the music and crowd. Beautiful times.
Not played clubs for a few years but I absolutely hated playing vinyl and cds being deep in the mix, concentrating and in the groove only to have pretty boy in leather jacket enter my booth setting up his Fing laptop!
Im not a super experienced DJ but ive played a fair share of gigs the past 4 or 5 years and i find that when im looking at the crowd and interacting with them they are WAY more invested in my set and are more likely to be dancing and having a good time, or at least paying attention to how im mixing in the next tune. This being said, I play exclusively on CDJs so maybe if i was on a laptop id be less inclined to pop my head during each tune.
Vinyl Dj's have to root around finding vinyl, place it on turntables, put the used one back into the correct sleeve, place needle, spin vinyl ect. Digital DJ's have to look at screen to select track. Thus digital Dj's have more time to pay attention to the crowd IMO!
Most crowds don’t give a turd about the DJ nowadays. No individual dancing anymore, just jumping up and down like robots. The crowd with their Phones pointing towards the stage. The crowd gravitate more to the promoters with their DSLR camera. It’s a very sad era to witness such things. And most DJ’s nowadays don’t get booked for how much talent they have, they get booked for how many followers they have! I’m so blessed to have experienced the days way back when it was Vinyl mixing…. When the DJ’s used their ears to beat mix and had the freedom to see the crowd with no restrictions or distractions! Rant Over…..🫤💩🙌🙌
Honestly, as a laptop DJ, I never had the chance to even touch a turntable and the only things I managed to get as a kid was Virtual DJ and then move to Traktor 3 (the one from 2007) both of which were of course pirated copies of the original software. Back then I didn't have a laptop but a shity PC, and no ways to control the software beside the mouse on said shity PC. When I discovered that Traktor 3 supported real-time inputs from the keyboard that can mimic a huge part of what an actual mixer can do it all changed for me. I also remember looking at the wave forms like a maniac only to try and make a nice mix, but it turns out that it wasn't necessary because nobody gives a shit of how technically you mix, but more like the groove from it. And as a long time follower to your channel, a blessing was when you said something along these lines "mix as you'd like when you practice, nobody will come out from beneath the booth to tell you this is not a proper mix" On a side note, do you plan any live shows on tube or wherever? The Bday mix was absolutely amazing.
I agree 100% with the need to be engaged with your crowd. I always have the laptop to the side and use the controllers inputs rather than mouse or keyboard wherever possible. With edm/club it's usually predictable without the need to see the waveform and creative fun if not!
Only 4 minutes in, and already just wanna say..dead right! Djing is about feeling and knowing your music! I have a ddj myslef also turntables. But Im only gonna play the tunes that im already comfortable with, sont wanna be looking at the screen for the drop, thats like telling a robot to move left 2 steps roght before he executes his program. No charm in that, NO FUN neither! Luv the videos dude, keep it up🎉❤
I started to DJ in the early 90s on the Technics 1200, moved to Denon 1800f (My DJ colleagues laughed at me when i told them of the switch) then upgraded to the Denon Dr. In 2002 i took the jump and purchased VDJ #5 and used it on the Pioneer DDJ-SZ later and currently use it on the DDJ1000. What you have said is 100% correct. The reason being is the DJ either have not taken the time to name his/ her track with the important tags Artist | Title | Remix | Year | Energy | Key | BPM | Genre. Use of smart crates | preparing the playlist before the event (based on my clients playlist). At the age of 56 i still DJ weddings & here is a nugget of advice i would like to share: Make a crate of two song mixes only & another crate of three song mixes only. This way as a DJ if i have a situation where a guest has requested for a song & i can’t come up/ think of a suitable song that mixes next i have my fall back crates of two song mix crates & three song mix crate that i quickly pull up and look for the relevant BPM/ Key. This way i'm spending less time looking at the screen after every song. I hope that makes sense, sorry if it is long winded.
hello Ellaskins! my name is Aaron. im a young DJ (I have started 2 years ago). im playing only vinyls in my sets. I just want you to say THANKS THANKS AND THANKS for your thoughts and reflections about this issues.i think there is really a lack of connection!! between the digital DJs and the crowd. maybe because of this "too much technology" that we all have right now on our hands. thanks again to make us aware of what is important when we play for the joy of the people :) best regards from Germany (by the way.. im Spanish guy :P)
I put my laptop on the side as well. Load a song and then leave it. That's not the problem tho with new DJ's. I see them performing dance routines now! 😂 How and who was mixing, cueing, beatmatching? Oh yeah, the sync button!
I agree that we should be making eye contact with the crowd as much as possible, however, even back in the day, we all spent a fair bit of time looking through our record boxes while songs were playing, trying to find the next few records that we knew would work well with what was playing and happening on the dancefloor. And like so with the laptop. You cant stand and connect with the crowd for 98% of the time unless you have a fixed set to play. Every gig I have ever done is always fluid and the tracks I play are based on what is working for the crowd, so yes, looking at the screen for various options for upcoming tracks has to be done!
Good points made here. Absolutely agree with the having the laptop to the side. It’s another barrier between yourself and the crowd. And noone wants to see your serato face 😂 Also, laptop or no laptop, it’s super important to know all your tunes. I will say thank god for software. I played a 4 hour all vinyl hiphop set the other month and carrying it all nearly killed me 😂.
@@doctordark3527 totally reading the room is observing how they connect with the music. And letting that guide your track selection and mixing. Like sometimes a crowd just doesn't wanna dance because they are saving energy for a headliner or just danced their heart out for the last dj. Noticing that is crucial not to but heads with the energy in the room.
@@poodlelord if you’re talking about a festival then you have to balance your brand while being considerate of others. Coca Cola is NoT water - never will be. Will B2B with Dasani tho. Cuz they’re under the same label. But in like a small club - bar - yea it doesn’t matter. As long as you’re “in” with the owners and promoters and people are staying. That environment is prettt cut throat because obviously the residents will keep their spot till they die - or mess up by hooking up with the wrong person. Politics be politics. My point is to the new DJs is you’re legit having fun - and people like your music (stay within your crowd anyways - branding is important ) everyone wins. Some of my most epic jam packed sets were when I literally just started pressing play and fooling around. But my set list was ON POINT.
Most of the new DJ’s are used to having their faces in phone screens 24/7, so why break habit when they are playing a set? I also think a lot of new DJ’s might not ever use a proper set of decks - which is really sad. But this is another reason why people should learn on turntables… There is no screen to look at - You get into good habits from the start. If you learn to ‘mix’ on a piece of equipment that keeps everything in time and a screen tells you all the information… You’re not going to know any different when you start playing out. Yes, I’ve moved over to CDJs now but, that’s because of convenience, I don’t have to lug bags of records around and it’s what clubs and bars have fitted as standard. There is NO better feeling than having a crowd looking at you, seeing their reactions, pointing and smiling at you when you’ve dropped a massive mix. That’s why we do this! You’re going to miss all of the interactions if your face is in a screen for 90% of your set.
Mixing is a lot different now days, you are one hundred percent correct with the barrier between the crowd, need to read the crowd to create flow and atmosphere, if the DJ can't do that he or she would be better off going home and staying in the closet, just my two cents 🎉
For live streaming with free OBS software I need my portable laptop or pc, because most standalone players and controllers don't have feature to setup live stream.
And I thought looking at the crowd is not as important as your mix. I mean John Digweed never looked at the crowd and look where he is now. But all in all very good point. One day I will also do a pure vinyl mix, but for now I am happy with my DVS mix :) . Also in my case, the dj stand has a laptop place right in the middle, so I cant really put i on the side, but what I can do is not look a it as much
If it's in the middle I find it helps to dance around a bit more. Get more side to side movement so the crowd can see you getting down with them. Djs who don't dance at all scare me.
Im not shure this is about it...I think because theres much to do in softwares..like loops, and the wave display from each track really antecipates you to do something else...Cue points.....loops....samples.....etc......
I think this concept has little validity anymore. Look, back in those good ole' days, DJs were not necessarily looking at the crowd very much. Most of the time they are looking down at the records spinning, and trying to nudge the records forward or backwards in order to match the beats. Also, DJs were looking down at the records for cue point markings. Also, the DJs were often turning to look at their crates to read information on records and sleeves. It was actually harder to look up at the crowd on a regular basis back then than today. Looking up at a laptop which is placed between the DJ and the crowd is actually much better because the DJ can see how the crowd is reacting through their peripheral vision, and it's also much easier to move their eyes from the laptop to the crowd rather than looking from the decks to the crowd.
I get what your saying but it depends what dj's you see.The dj's I see look at the crowd & interact,but then again I'm 48 yrs old & most of the dj's I know are my age & older( old ravers).
To be honest. I just don't enjoy the new way of DJing. I don't feel the connection with the music if the computer does the beat matching for you. Maybe I'm just being a grumpy old man. Lol
I believe your not a proper dj till you've mixed on either a pair of sl1210s or cdjs as that is how you can learn to beat match properly I find laptop djing is convenience way
This is why a lot of DJ's suck today. Focusing on the wrong things. Nobody on the dance floor cares about how you're mixing or what you're using to beatmatch. They care about the song selection, DJ connection, and the vibe the DJ creates with the set. Thats all!
I think it's a valuable expierence and you do become a better dj by being gear agnostic. Not meaning that turntables are superior but that you will more intimately understand mixing if you learn how to do it on different gear. Giving you different perspectives and ideas. Mad Zack started on a midi keyboard. It works surprisingly well.
