What do DJs do?

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Rikkitic

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Topic # 233560 21-Apr-2018 18:09

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An item in the news about a DJ who died. As an old person, I don't understand what contemporary DJs actually do. Can someone explain this? What makes them special or even famous? In my time a DJ was just someone who worked in a radio station playing records.Surely that doesn't get people excited in a stadium? Anyone can play recorded music. What makes it special? This is a serious question.

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Reply # 2000382 21-Apr-2018 18:20

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Google is your friend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_jockey#Club_DJs

"The quality of a DJ performance (often called a DJ mix or DJ set) consists of two main features: technical skills, or how well can DJ operate the equipment and produce smooth transitions between two or more recordings and a playlist, or ability of a DJ to select most suitable recordings also known as "reading the crowd""

Not going to debate whether this actually takes skill but there are plenty of famous DJs and they seem popular with the kids these days.

Rikkitic

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Reply # 2000384 21-Apr-2018 18:25

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Honestly it seems strange to me but I realise there must be more to it.

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billgates

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Reply # 2000386 21-Apr-2018 18:32

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Wear sunglasses in the dark and only listening from one side of the headphones while the other side is dangling above the other ears and jumping up and down in subtle motions. All this while they are playing pre recorded mixes anyway like singers lip syncing. Oh and they also have tattoos. Lots of them.

Do whatever you want to do man.

tdgeek

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Reply # 2000391 21-Apr-2018 18:45

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billgates: Wear sunglasses in the dark and only listening from one side of the headphones while the other side is dangling above the other ears and jumping up and down in subtle motions. All this while they are playing pre recorded mixes anyway like singers lip syncing. Oh and they also have tattoos. Lots of them.

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kiwiharry

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Reply # 2000392 21-Apr-2018 18:46

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billgates: Wear sunglasses in the dark and only listening from one side of the headphones while the other side is dangling above the other ears and jumping up and down in subtle motions. All this while they are playing pre recorded mixes anyway like singers lip syncing. Oh and they also have tattoos. Lots of them.

Something like this???

tdgeek

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Reply # 2000395 21-Apr-2018 18:50

Short answer DJ's add spice to the music. Charisma, attitude. Casey Kasem

Anyone can play music, some make it an experience.

Rikkitic

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Reply # 2000399 21-Apr-2018 18:55

So they are a kind of hosts, MCees? Whatever you call people who introduce the real talent?

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Peppery

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Reply # 2000404 21-Apr-2018 19:21

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Worth noting that Avicii (the person who passed away) was quite famous not just for DJing, but for the electronic songs he wrote too. Generally EDM (electronic dance music) artists DJ when they play live, only because their songs are generally all made on a computer.

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Reply # 2000457 21-Apr-2018 21:08

Rikkitic:

So they are a kind of hosts, MCees? Whatever you call people who introduce the real talent?

No, for years (in hip hop) the MC was the person who was there promoting the DJ. The DJ was the person went to see live... over time this has flipped 180, but the DJ is still an important part of the experience.

Like everyone involved with music - whatever the genre, there are those who are good, those who are brilliant and those who should stick to knitting.

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Reply # 2000463 21-Apr-2018 21:21

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The good ones make a bucketload of money and don't post on Geekzone.

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Reply # 2000464 21-Apr-2018 21:37

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It's because they traditionally write and produce the song. They just hire a performer (typically someone popular) to sing the vocals.

In the old days, songwriters use to be unknown until they became singers themselves (e.g. Katy Perry, Richard Marx) however these DJ's have managed to create a brand around themselves.

Want a Calvin Harris song? He will write and produce the song, you can sing it but he still gets top billing.

The brand has become so strong that sometimes even the DJ doesn't write and produce all of the song - there may be other writer, producers, involved in making the song but you don't hear about them.

I suppose it's comparable to someone like Santana who rarely sings but gets other people to.

quickymart

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Reply # 2000471 21-Apr-2018 21:57

I'm of the "radio" variety. Casey Kasem was a true legend, very talented. Rick Dees is someone else I would aspire to be too (apparently a real nice bloke in real life as well). Even Iain Stables I would call talented, although I admit he is not to everyone's taste.

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Reply # 2000474 21-Apr-2018 22:10

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They talk in between records on the radio. The good ones (Terry Wogan, Steve Wright and Whispering Bob Harris to name but 3) are well worth listening to.

Or did you mean the moronic 'yoofs' wearing sportswear and hats on backwards and playing aural excrement they claim is music?

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Reply # 2000479 21-Apr-2018 22:19

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DJs like Avicii, Tiesto, Armin Van Burren, would have started by mixing songs and adding components from other songs to make a remix version, but later move to making original music.

I assume that’s the type of dj you’re thinking about unless you’re not referring avicii (Tim Berling) who died overnight.

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Rikkitic

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Reply # 2000482 21-Apr-2018 22:28

I think I missed out on a couple of musical generations. I don't follow contemporary pop music and certainly not hip-hop and I really don't understand what DJs do that makes people want to pay money to see them. The news about Avicii was what put it into my mind and made me start wondering.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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