Which Requires More Talent?

[deejaymitch 0]

Inspired by an argument on the thread about Pioneer gear, I was just wondering which of the 2 scenarios below members think requires a DJ with more skill/ability/talent/knowlege/intuition?

 

Scenario 1: Play 4 times a week to virtually identical crowds who have been pre-programmed to idolise you and are so off their face that they won't notice/remember anything about the night anyway, yet will still describe it as the greatest night of their lives. Where the crowd can't get near you, you don't take requests, the venue don't hassle you, and all your equipment is transported and set up for you.

 

Scenario 2: Play 4 times in a week at 4 very different functions in 4 very diffferent venues to 4 very different crowds (e.g. 50th Anniversary, Engagement Party, 21st Birthday, Club residency). Despite hassle from customers, ridiculous and diverse requests, having to lug gear up and down flights of stairs, if you can get the dancefloor full and the place buzzing on all four nights (including playing at your club residency to the crowd that the bloke in Scenario 1 played to, even though they're pre-programmed to hate you) then you sir/madam are a true superstar DJ.

Edited July 23, 2008 by deejaymitch

[Dukesy 0]

Is the gear Pioneer the same for each Scenario :bouncy:

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

the ear is not all from the one place becuase they dont give it away to you unless your name is testo or such like

 

[Danno13 0]

I'm willing to bet that any DJ in scenario 1 had to go through Scenario 2, and probably worse, to get where they are. They didn't just become superstar name DJs overnight!

[deejaymitch 0]

Is the gear Pioneer the same for each Scenario :bouncy:

 

tongue out icon

 

[vokf 0]

I'm willing to bet that any DJ in scenario 1 had to go through Scenario 2, and probably worse, to get where they are. They didn't just become superstar name DJs overnight!

 

Spot on...

I can't imagine many "superstar DJ's" playing Agadoo to 50yr old Aunts, but I'm very sure they would have played at some very dodgy venues, working their way up to support act and then headline.

 

The mobile's may work harder, but does not mean they have more talent.

 

I also expect its pretty stressful, getting each mix spot on as that is what people will expect.

 

With mobiles, it may depend on the crowd, but most birthday parties/weddings won't worry too much if you keep to simple mixing.

Thats not to say they are less skilled, they just need different skills.

 

 

[analyst 0]

For the purpose of this argument I assume we are not expected to differentiate between the words hype and talent

[Dukesy 0]

Just taking one example (and I'll use a name many of us will know for sure) Pete Tong is more than just a Club DJ and Radio DJ and an expression of cockney rhyming slang! He is one of the world's most recognised DJs.

 

He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programs such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for his own performances at nightclubs across the globe. Tong has also worked as a record producer.

 

He played his first public gig at a friend's wedding aged 15. While at school he and a couple of mates earned some extra money by promoting a couple of local bands, booking halls for gigs etc. He also worked as part of the Kent "Soul Mafia" bringing soul weekenders to seaside towns like Caister-on-Sea and Prestatyn.

 

Initially after leaving school he set up a mobile disco based in a transit van, but he soon started his own club in Baker Street called Family Function. He also booked bands for an alternative night, the first of which was the then unknown Culture Club.

 

In 1979 he became a staff writer for Blues & Soul Magazine. After a year he was promoted to features editor, a position he would hold until 1983. He left Blues & Soul to join London Records as an A&R manager.

 

Through his connections in London Records Tong was exposed to the newly emerging house music sound from Chicago. In 1986 Tong organised a compilation album, The House Sound of Chicago, Vol. 1, the first British release to gather and expose this genre.

 

 

 

FFRR Records was a subsidiary of London Records founded and run by Pete.

The label had two subsidiaries: Double F Double R records and Ffrreedom Records.

The name FFRR stood for "Full Frequency Range Recordings", which was originally a slogan used by Decca Records on their pop singles and albums as well as classical albums in the 1950s and 1960s.

An 'incomplete list' of artists is provided below:

 

Jamie Principle

Simon Harris

A Million Sons

Artful Dodger

Armand Van Helden

Asian Dub Foundation

CJ Bolland

DJ Icey

Diana Brown & Barrie K. Sharpe

Bananarama

Brand New Heavies

Brother Brown

Todd Edwards

Fine Young Cannibals

Goldie

JDS

Life's Addiction

Lisa Marie Experience

London Symphony Orchestra

Lucid

Monteux, Pierre

Savory Brown Blues Band

DJ Misjah & DJ Tim

Narcotic Thrust

One Dove

Orbital

Quake

Ruddigore or (The Witche's Curse) by W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan

Sagat

Salt n Pepa

Sex-O-Sonique

Shakespear's Sister

Utah Saints

Virgin Souls

Caterina Valente

Z Factor

Carl Cox

Power Pill

DJ Sizol

D-Mob

The Carburetors

Orbital

Together

1 World

Frankie Knuckles

Shakespear's Sister

East Side Beat

Egyptian Empire

Dsk

Isotonik

Clubhouse

Brand New Heavies

Degrees Of Motion

Nightwriters

DJ Seduction

Zero B

House Of Virginism

Sasha

Danny Campbell

Lisa B

Nightcrawlers

Lil Louis

Vera Lynn

Group Home

Jeru the Damaja

Stretch and Vern

DJ Skribble

 

 

Sourced

 

 

[eazy 0]

Just taking one example (and I'll use a name many of us will know for sure) Pete Tong is more than just a Club DJ and Radio DJ and an expression of cockney rhyming slang! He is one of the world's most recognised DJs.

 

 

all of the above only proves that he has a very smart business mind ! not that hi's dj skills are miles above everyone else ???

 

as for the pressure of getting every mix perfect !!!

 

every mix is perfect because even if its not the brainwashed kids will believe it is tiesto could do a big horrible back spin and just drop the next track in and his minions would say it was the best spinback they had ever heard lol

Edited July 23, 2008 by eazy

[Andy Westcott 0]

Different scenarios requiring vastly different abilities.

 

Quote:

"I'm willing to bet that any DJ in scenario 1 had to go through Scenario 2"

 

I don't agree.

Pete Tong may be an axception, but many club DJs started as bedroom mixers, did they not? The mobile scene is so very different from the club scene that it's almost a case of never the twain.

[Danno13 0]

There's obviously people who've never been to a superclub casting opinions here. Generally the people who go to see these big names, do so for the music and the DJ.. thats why they'll pay silly amounts on the door and for drinks.

 

These are far more discerning customers than your student club where they just want drinks for as cheap as possible, nothing to do with brainwashing.. and I very much doubt the DJs would get away with dodgy mixing!

Edited July 23, 2008 by Danno13

[bigrichc 0]

There's obviously people who've never been to a superclub casting opinions here. Generally the people who go to see these big names, do so for the music and the DJ.. thats why they'll pay silly amounts on the door and for drinks.

 

These are far more discerning customers than your student club where they just want drinks for as cheap as possible, nothing to do with brainwashing.. and I very much doubt the DJs would get away with dodgy mixing!

 

Have to agree here. Most of the clubbers at the superclubs who go to see the superstar dj's can spot a bad mix a country mile away. The likes of tiesto, ferry corsten etc. can only command the fees they get because they do it right every time.

 

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

The likes of tiesto, ferry corsten etc. can only command the fees they get because they do it right every time.

 

they dont do it right every time... however they do use a computer to keep things in check...

 

DJs like tong and jules play mostly from CD and get it wrong and the people like to hear the odd mistake.. it shows the DJ is doing all the hard work and not using technoligy to make it perfect...

 

but we all know its not about the perfect mix.. its about entertainment.. dont matter how good at mixing you are if you play the wrong music you will kill the room dead...

 

the mixing is just a bonus tool used to keep feet moving and enhance the experiance...

[analyst 0]

the mixing is just a bonus tool used to keep feet moving and enhance the experiance...

But only for those who actually like that stuff, which is still very much a minority group

 

If it really was as mass-market as is claimed, why does so little of it ever make the charts?

 

(OK, I know the charts are open to criticism, but what better barometer have we got?)

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

If it really was as mass-market as is claimed, why does so little of it ever make the charts

 

the charts are full of Dance and RnB you cant get away from the stuff.. and its all mixable..

 

 

[eazy 0]

they dont do it right every time... however they do use a computer to keep things in check...

 

DJs like tong and jules play mostly from CD and get it wrong and the people like to hear the odd mistake.. it shows the DJ is doing all the hard work and not using technoligy to make it perfect...

 

but we all know its not about the perfect mix.. its about entertainment.. dont matter how good at mixing you are if you play the wrong music you will kill the room dead...

 

the mixing is just a bonus tool used to keep feet moving and enhance the experiance...

 

 

agreed !!!

 

and as for most of the people commenting not going to superclubs ???

 

anyways the vast majority going to such clubs go because its the place to be , its got the right image great sound , lights , ( not just a couple of led's lol heard someone didn't like them )

anyway back on topic most are idiots who would believe tiesto and van burren farts mixed together would be a good mix

 

face it these guys can do whatever they like and there mass followers will think its great

 

there are many ways to mix you can quiety mix ( very well ) without throwing your arms in the air and pulling faces , bit like the guitar face a lead break on a guitar sounds better if you pull faces to each not lol

 

yes it is all entertainment but in these cases its more about how ya make it look than sound

[analyst 0]

If it really was as mass-market as is claimed, why does so little of it ever make the charts?

the charts are full of Dance and RnB you cant get away from the stuff.. and its all mixable..

 

I wasn't referring to the generic stuff.

 

How much of this lot makes the chart then?

 

MC Flipside & Saint Pete - Land of Electro (Tune Bros. Remix)

Infernal - Downtown Boys (Andycap Remix)

Electrojuice - Pof Pof

Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (LA Riots vs. Villains Remix)

Dinka - Disco Is Back

Stereoboys - I Won't Hold You Back (Sunloverz & Michael Mind Big Room Electro Mix)

Skepta - Rolex Sweep (Vandalism Remix)

Michael Mind - Ride Like The Wind (Klaas 2008 Mix)

Nari + Milani present DEK33 - Real Thing

Dada Life - Your Favourite Flu (Dabruck & Klein Remix)

Sebastian Ingrosso & Laidback Luke - Chaa Chaa (EDX's Marakesh Souk Edit)

Ashley Wallbridge - Omega

 

 

[Dynamicdiscos 0]

Whilst it may take more skill to perform in a situation like scenario 2, it probably takes just as much skill to get to play in a scenario 1 situation.

 

But I do have to agree it's the club atmosphere that is marketed mainly and as said before, has a cult following so anything that a well known super style DJ plays will go down a storm even if the crowd have never heard it before. That's not saying that those DJ's didn't work hard to get where they are now though.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Dynamicdiscos