What makes you a DJ???

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SemiRetired DJ

SemiRetired DJ

Mac Daddy DJ
Nov 22, 2010
1,189
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Abingdon, MD 21009
www.goodknightentertainment.com
A buddy of mine has this saying, "Placing the letters D and J infront of your name does not make you a DJ". So what does?

OK, from my experience a DJ needs:

1. Knowledge of the equipment. He/she should know its capabilities, how to use it, and how to set it up and strike it.
2. Some will say that a DJ needs to know how to beat mix. Well, from the wedding/party perspective this skill is nice but not really necessary. From the club perspective it is a must. I was a wedding/party DJ so, while I used the skill from time to time it was not necessary.
3. Communications ability is another must. I am not just talking about how to communicate on the mic but off mic as well. This includes not only verbal but written communications as well.
4. Music knowledge should also be part of the mix. You may not have to know that a particular song is a Cha Cha vs. Foxtrot but you should know what song should follow what you are playing now.
5. A good DJ should also be able to read a crowd and make some knowledgable guesses as to the types of music to throw into the mix based on the visible demographics.
6. For the wedding and party DJ a personality also helps. The club DJ can hide in the booth and does not have to interact with the crowd but the wedding and party DJ should be out there interacting and a personality helps that interaction.

So, add to this.
 
There are mobile DJs who know nothing beyond the faceplate of their gear, who never use a mic, know nothing about music except the trance and techno they spin. They rock the house, 'cause that's what they do and that's what their audience wants.

It is what you want it to be.
 
+ 1 guys,, I'm a wedding/corporate,reunion, party dj not techno,trance or house,, so I know my boundaries,, I have been told I'm pretty good but I'm always out to try and be better I think thats what makes us a better dj,, always srtiving for the best
 
First, people have to make the distinction that a "Club DJ" does not mean that it is house, trance, techno, etc.
I have been a club DJ for 15 years and the closest I have ever come to playing Techno was Sandstorm by DaRude.

While there are a lot of clubs that play strictly house, there are actually more clubs that stick with Top 40 / Mainstream. If the sheep hear it on the radio, they want to hear it in the club. Yes, we call them sheep.

IMO what makes a person a DJ is their dedication to the profession. Yes, for a club DJ beatmixing is a MUST. I would say for a hip-hop DJ, you should at least have a basic knowledge of scratching, and be able to pull off at least a few moves as a combo.
The OP's list started going from what makes a DJ into what makes a "good" DJ, so I will add on to that too... but I have to completely disagree with #6. A good DJ, whether club or mobile, should have good personality. You have got to have stage presence, a clear speaking voice, and showmanship. A club DJ shouldn't just hide in the booth. When I DJ I will throw on a 3-song mix that I have pre-made just so I can walk around with a cordless mic and interact with the crowd. I let people do shout outs, do little "interviews", etc.
On top of that, a good club DJ should be able to do call-out/response interactions with the crowd. This is basic "hype man" stuff, but a good DJ shouldn't need someone else on the mic for him. Pumping up a crowd should be one of the things that makes a DJ a DJ. Anyone can say "When I say hell, you say yeah..." but a good DJ will know when to (and when NOT to) use this.

A knowledge of their music is a must. I hate when a DJ doesn't know where a break in a song is, or how long it is (roughly) and so they have to hurry up and throw something on at the end of the song. This is your profession, the least you can do is know what you are playing. You don't see me trying to go play Techno clubs, because I know nothing about that music. But I do know every song that I play, pretty much from the first beat to the last.

I also think that to be a DJ you should have started trying to be a DJ from the start. There is no being "promoted" to the "DJ" position. You guys have seen me b**ch about it before, and I will until the end of time, but I hate when club owners "promote" the bartender and make them a DJ. To me they are not a DJ, they are a bartender who plays music.

Playing DJ Hero on "Expert" does not make you a real DJ. Sorry.

I personally wish it was like a title you had to earn. Pay your dues, get some experience. Until then you are only to be known as "Scrub Skidmark", not "DJ Skidmark". It kinda upsets me that someone who is just starting out can claim that title simply by saying "I am DJ Poopbiscuit", and have no idea what its like to wade through all the bad gigs, the busted equipment, the horrible clients, the idiot club owners. It makes people think they are on the same level as someone who has all that experience, simply because they both have the same title. There is no accountability, and that really sucks.

Also, this is more for club DJ's, and anyone who has had a residency at a club will definitely know what I mean on this one... A DJ should know how to open for another DJ. This may sound like common sense, but it is literally one of the biggest things that separates a good DJ from a bad one, no matter how good they beatmix, no matter how great they scratch or how much they know about their music. You have to know how to keep the crowd entertained while staying away from the big hits, no matter how many requests you get for them, and no matter if you think you are better than the other DJ or not. Your job is to open, not use up all the hot songs to make yourself look good. Anyone can play the top 20 songs of the night and have the dancefloor packed. It shows real skill to have a good dancefloor and not play a single one of that top 20.

I am sure I have more... I'll think on it and get back to this :)
 
A real DJ spins RECORDS. A real DJ knows how to cue up track number 6 and segue it into track number three SMOOTHLY and WITHOUT FINGERPRINTS EVER ON THE GROOVE of the record. A real DJ knows how to keep a record collection DUST FREE by making sure each record is stored in the paper sleeve and then placed properly in the record jacket. A real DJ has an understanding of the REAL ART of playing records and entertaining at the same time.

Sorry to say, pushing a button to play a song is NOT being a REAL DJ. It is being a MOBILE ENTERTAINER. A REAL DJ knows how to do all of the above. I know, because that's the way it was done back in the day. (I still love my Technics 1200's).
 
radiowizard said:
A real DJ spins RECORDS. A real DJ knows how to cue up track number 6 and segue it into track number three SMOOTHLY and WITHOUT FINGERPRINTS EVER ON THE GROOVE of the record. A real DJ knows how to keep a record collection DUST FREE by making sure each record is stored in the paper sleeve and then placed properly in the record jacket. A real DJ has an understanding of the REAL ART of playing records and entertaining at the same time.

Sorry to say, pushing a button to play a song is NOT being a REAL DJ. It is being a MOBILE ENTERTAINER. A REAL DJ knows how to do all of the above. I know, because that's the way it was done back in the day. (I still love my Technics 1200's).
Click to expand...

blah blah blah
 
radiowizard said:
A real DJ has an understanding of the REAL ART of playing records and entertaining at the same time.
Click to expand...

I used to do all that and let me tell you something. It wasn't art. It was a cumbersome procedure and just what was necessary to get the job done. Did it take skill? Sure, but so did using a hand tools. However, you can build things just as great (if not better) and more efficiently by modern means.

The REAL ART is the entertainment and not the media. Even on the day records are gone for good, the title of DJ will most likely remain. The term is no longer literal to the profession. It's merely the descriptive.

PS: Is that you Johnny????
 
A laptop, bootleg mp3s and two powered speakers.
 
What makes me a DJ?

People pay me to "DJ" their event. Since I am the one "DJing", they call me their DJ.

I don't really care what the letters mean literally , and don't really care about all the types of DJs that I may or may not be. I know what my clients mean when they say they want me to DJ their event. That's all that really counts to me.
 
Wasn't Wolfman Jack a "DJ"...? He spent half his time talking, and the other half pushing play on a turntable.

I grew up listening to 77 WABC in NY -- Cousin Brucie and all (that was called AM radio, for the younger folks). The DJs spent a good portion of their time entertaining without music even playing. It was a mix of jokes, music, talk and goofing around.


I don't think there's any clear definition of the term, other than to entertain people in some way, shape or form -- and play music too. So if you spend too much time talking about "what makes you a DJ", you lose sight of your actual purpose and particular style, that makes people want to listen to/hire you...


Don't ever try to out think yourself -- just do what comes natural... :)
 
Or as Lary Lujak (famous Chicago Radio Dude) said... DJ stands for "Dumb Job". You really can't take any of this stuff too seriously. Otherwise it'll give you high blood pressure.
 
It also stands for "Damn Jackass" LOL yorofl:yorofl:yorofl:
 
radiowizard said:
A real DJ spins RECORDS. A real DJ knows how to cue up track number 6 and segue it into track number three SMOOTHLY and WITHOUT FINGERPRINTS EVER ON THE GROOVE of the record. A real DJ knows how to keep a record collection DUST FREE by making sure each record is stored in the paper sleeve and then placed properly in the record jacket. A real DJ has an understanding of the REAL ART of playing records and entertaining at the same time.

Sorry to say, pushing a button to play a song is NOT being a REAL DJ. It is being a MOBILE ENTERTAINER. A REAL DJ knows how to do all of the above. I know, because that's the way it was done back in the day. (I still love my Technics 1200's).
Click to expand...

Sorry sonny, I spun on turntables for 11 years. I stopped spinning records shortly after CDJ's came out. I actually sold all my vinyl to pay for them. I now use a Denon controller. And I'll still mix, scratch, and beat juggle better than most.
So IMO its the skill that makes the DJ, not the equipment he is using. To use Hank's analogy, a carpenter is a carpenter no matter what tools he uses. Same applies. If you are doing the job of a DJ, then thats what you are. I have played in tons of clubs, opened for and been the official afterset DJ for tons of major artists, and now because I use a more compact piece of equipment I am no longer a DJ?
Child please.
 
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