HI THERE PEEPS.
a friend of mine who is currently researching dj culture found this online and sent it to me,, and i just wanted to post it here as i think alot of people suffer from the same stereotypical views of people in our profession, so have a read, and hopefully it will enlighten you ...
As
a DJ I am aware of many common misconceptions of my trade. I am faced
with them whenever I get behind a set of decks. So, to save public
embarrassment and future argument, I shall dispel these myths one by
one.
1. DJs are not talented.
I've heard this a million times, mostly by people who have spent
years learning to play the guitar only to find they can't get booked
for a gig when people who 'only spin some records' or 'only pick tunes'
play on a weekly basis. I have spent years learning how to mix records
properly, how to construct a set which flows and how to keep it going
for hours. It's hard work, and takes a lot of talent to pull it off.
Each DJ has their own style, and that's not just what kind of music
they play. There are many more things to consider when DJing than
merely 'what tune shall I play next'.
2. DJs are not musicians.
Granted this may be true of some DJs. However, a good DJ should be a
musician on the decks as much as they may be on any other instrument.
Consider a scratch DJ, someone who can turn any sound on record into an
instrument. This takes considerable skill, and a LOT of practice. This
I know from personal experience. If anyone reading this thinks that a
DJ is not a musician, go and check out DJ Kentaro or Q-Bert. Then you
will see (and hear) how turntables are instruments. I write electronic
music as well as DJ, and I put just as much time and effort into both.
3. Any idiot could do that.
OK, go and try it. Even simple things like beat matching (making two records go at the same speed) aren't easy.
4. DJs have, and are willing to play, anything you ask them for.
If I'm playing at a party or a private function or something like
that, then I'll put on any requests if I have the record. Chances are,
however, I won't. In a club, however, I will generally have prepared
the full set beforehand, working out every detail to make sure it
sounds perfect. So in a club, all requests become null and void. It's
the equivalent of being at an Oasis gig and asking them to play a Blur
song you really like halfway through their set. It's not going to
happen I'm afraid. Also, any DJ playing from vinyl will only have a
select few records with them for the event. Vinyl weighs a ton, anyone
who has a DJing friend will appreciate the weight of record bags after
offering to carry one after a gig. To have any tune that anyone is
likely to ask would would be back-breaking.
5. DJs are only in it for the money, and they make a lot of it.
Again, this may be true of some DJs. However, most DJs play because
they love the music, and love playing it to people. I personally find
only one thing more enjoyable than making people dance when I'm DJing,
and that's making people dance when I'm playing my own music live. I
currently organize a monthly night-club event from which I take no
money at all, and it takes up a lot of my time and energy. This I do
because I love doing it. I, like most DJs I know, have a day job.
Granted, the top DJs in the business live in the lap of luxury, but the
majority of us work in the same rubbish jobs as everyone else.
I hope this has cleared up a few things for some people reading it.
DJ culture is something to be truly admired, as much as any music
scene. If you take the time to look beyond the common misconceptions,
you will find something you enjoy greatly. Guaranteed.
