Inspiring Thoughts from a Deaf DJ

I found this interview with DJ DEF who is deaf.  I am sharing this with you because I want you to think about two things, how are you dealing with your challenges and second that anything is possible.  I have highlited parts of the interview that I find particularly interesting and inspiring.  If DJ DEF can do it, so can you and there’s no excuses for you not to.  In addition, I want you to think about DJ DEF before jealousy and anger starts creeping into your consciousness and instead reflect and appreciate your DJ life.

The First Deaf DJ

Thanks for the time man. How’s life been?

No problem! Life has been great just working on my mixtape and hope to have it released soon.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is LaDon Battle. I was born and raised in Arizona born into a deaf family, went to a deaf school, played football at UNLV for a year, then transferred to Gallaudet University a deaf university in Washington D.C. I played professional football for 2 years until I got hurt. I started DJing as a hobby but then my love for music has always been strong so i decided to take my talent to the next level. So I burst into the scene known as DJ DEF. Being deaf is a permanent and unchangeable part of my life, so the only thing left for me to do is to strive for self-improvement in communication. Deaf people are able to enjoy and love music just as anyone else. They do not feel that their lack of hearing handicaps them or is an imposition. Deaf people love music just as much as hearing people do…they just understand it differently. They can feel it. This is in the most literal sense as well as emotional. The part of the brain that normally processes sound to those who can hear is the same portion that the brains of hearing impaired use to process vibrations of sound. Since these different processes take place in the same area of the brain, the experiences are equivalent in sound. Just because my hearing ability is limited does not mean I can’t be a DJ and make music the way hearing people could it just means I have to work a lot more harder and be more dedicated to it.

You have to have a different process preparing for a set than most DJs. How do you select what songs to play?

My sets are a combination of what’s the people’s favorite and instrumentals. I try to use a little instrumentals. I try to show people how deaf people can actuallly reconnect with the music without lyrics.

I stay up to date with record pools and go out a lot and study what the people want to hear.

Who are some of your favorite djs? And whats the best way for you to learn from others?

My favorite is of course DJ FLIPSIDE but others I admire are DJ SCENE, STEVE AOKI, DJ KLEVAR, DJ AM, DJ CRAZE and Q-Bert. I also respect every other DJ that does this on a daily basis being creative takes great minds. The best way I learn from others is to network and go out to their events and chill in the booth watch how they mix, scratch and just come home and try to learn. I don’t really have anyone teaching me the tricks or anything I just go out and watch them spin and self-educate.

You’ve played shows all around the country, where are some of your favorite places to play?

I love playing in the east coast. Washington D.C. one of the places I always enjoy. The crowd always loving the unique music and mixes they like whats not on the radio and of course a lot of raggae too.

Tell us about your main goal as a DJ.

My goal as a DJ is to become well known and respected and I want to be the first deaf DJ to spin in vegas along side with a well known DJ.

Why Vegas?

Vegas is a place where the weekend is almost never the same. Different people comes in and go and most of the well respected DJ spin in Vegas. I chose Vegas is because its the party capital of the US and I want to be able to rock the crowd just as good as any DJ. Its just one of the biggest achievement I want to accomplish.

How would you describe your style on the tables?

*laughs* Wow, on the tables all my mixes are timed, its like math. I remember them by watching the BPM and remembering what minutes and seconds comes in. Since I cant hear the lyrics, I try to stay focused. Headphones are always on and im always trying to make sure I’m on the right track because with me one little mistake and the whole thing is messed up and it will sound terrible!

Where can people hear your work?

I post my mixtapes online where people can download them and check them out. I also spin in Portland, my next event is at east china town
on may 12th with my dude Yo Huckleberry come through!

Closing thoughts?

Check out my facebook page www.facebook.com/djdef1 all my events, mixtapes, and everything else will be posted on there!

2011
10/23
CATEGORY
DJ Interviews
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The DJ Bucket List

When I first started I had this dream that I would someday spin an Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1.   Pete Tong would introduce me, lovingly mispronouncing my last name and I already knew what my last statement track would be ( Hybrid’s “If I Survive” for the curious – although I would pitch it slower a bit from the original BPM ).  It was a serious dream of mine and at one point I really believed I was on my way to achieve it.  Time has passed and I know that I won’t get there – unless I spend a good 5 or 6 more years completely dedicated to the art and have some productions under my belt.  It’s not a terrible reality that I’ve faced, it’s just my window to actually make it happen closed a while ago.  Life happens and you deviate.  But still, it would be a capstone for me if I were ever to do it.   So I started thinking, if I have that as my ultimate accomplishment.  What is yours?

There’s a few things I think DJs want to accomplish or experience in their DJ lifetime.   The bucket list is all the things you would want to do before you pass into the beyond.   I’m not trying to be morbid I’m just trying to get you to think about what you want to accomplish as a DJ and what you want to leave behind as your legacy.

You need to think of DJing and your creativity as a body of work.  So what body of work do you currently have.  Take stock of your mixes, your live sets, your productions (finished or unfinished), your collaborations, even your flyer art.  Look at it as a whole.  What does it say about you as an artist?  The purpose of doing this is so you can see where you are in relation to where you want to be.

Spend some time reflecting on what you do.  Write down whatever comes to mind as things you want to accomplish as a DJ before you go.  Give in to a little fantasizing but make sure you include tangible goals.  Do you want to produce more, do you want to have a certain style figured out – things that you can actively work on now and look back on with pride.  Is there a DJ you appreciate that you would want to talk to, write it down.  Is there a way you want to collaborate that you’ve never done before – write that down.  Do you want to have a show – write that down.  Record label – put it on the list.  Whatever it is don’t limit yourself to what’s possible and what’s not yet – just get it down.  Now take a look at your bucket list.

I bet you have a lot of work to do.

Also, I want you to consider the culture as a whole.  As a participant in DJ culture, you are also a contributor and shaper of it.  For example, another dream of mine when I first started was that I had hoped some day a DJ would play Carnegie Hall.  I don’t know why Carnegie Hall other than for me it is the epitome of classical and established musical performance.   I believed that if a DJ spun Carnegie Hall we would finally be recognized as artists.  So what do you want to see happen for us and what are you doing to make that happen?  I am happy to report that a DJ has spun in Carnegie Hall, in collaboration with a symphony no less.  Here is a link if you want to see the story.  It’s very interesting and inspiring.  DJ Radar w/the Red Bull Artsechro Symphony – Carnegie Hall

One thing I want you to realize is that DJing is a lifetime pursuit.  You may not do all the things on your bucket list but hopefully you are inspired enough to get most of it done.  The best way to feel like you are moving forward is to map the tangible goals and then the big dreams in some sort of order – small steps and hard work feed into bigger accomplishments.  The point is to have a trajectory.  If your big dream is to take the main stage – what do you need to do to get there?  I also want you to feel ok with having “small” dreams too.  I don’t want you to give in to the perception that being a superstar DJ is the epitome of success.  For me, I keep chasing down the ultimate mix, the one that truly exemplifies me as a person and an artist.  Of course, the reality is that I will never be satisfied but it’s fun thinking that there is a perfect mix in my head and I just need to bring it into the world.

Another important thing about this list is to see what you are doing now that might be holding you back.  You may be in a circle of people that don’t understand you, or you may be giving up too much to your audience and losing your “voice”, you may be spending too much time on a project that is not satisfying you.   You need to take serious stock of the things in your life, the gigs that aren’t relevant to you or are soul sucking, the genre you are spinning because it’s “hot” but you’re not feeling it, the time you are spending chasing down the latest top 10 ( See Getting to Know Your Tracks in an Accelerated Landscape ).  What are you doing now that is not proportional towards working on the things on your list.   This is also an exercise to understand what you are NOT doing.  You know if you are not giving your full attention to something.  So what can you do to commit?  In future posts I will talk about some Trainwrecks to creativity but for now – all you have is time, so make the most of it.

Recap: Spend some time writing down what you want to accomplish before you kick it.  Think about how you are going to get there.  Don’t forget the culture or your community and what you are doing to change things.  What’s holding you back and what’s moving you forward?

2011
10/02
CATEGORY
DJ Creative Process
DJ Culture
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DJs – Listen!

It’s very rare that I will ever discuss what I listen to.  The reason is that I want Behind The Decks to not be about genres but to be about DJing and the creative process.  However, I had to write about an experience I recently had that inspired me to write about what it means to listen to music as a DJ.  I recently received the Plastikman Arkives LP box set.  The first thing I have to say is that this is a work of art. A truly challenging musical experience unlike anything I’ve heard in a long time.   When you get something like this, you have to just sit and listen to it.  Get your favorite chair, fire up the system, and just listen.  This made me think about how we listen to music and if we still listen to it enough to appreciate it.

These days it seems we’re either in two camps, we reminisce over sounds that just aren’t produced the way they used to be ( the “everything is crap” opinion ), or we breeze through tracks, make a mental note, put a few tags to them and then leave them ( the “I must build up a massive library for that just in case moment” ).

But what if you set up an “audio campfire” and just listened.   Following the movements and sounds and discussing how that music makes you feel – not what it will do to the dancefloor or at what point you’re going to drop it in your set or what other tracks it goes with.  Paying attention to the construction of the piece and trying to understand what the producer’s point of view is.

It’s the DJ equivalent of stopping and smelling the roses.  Something like the Plastikman Arkives box set comes around once in a blue moon and it’s a game changer in my opinion.  It is a series of real compositions that Richie Hawtin has made his life’s work and allows the remixers like Moby, Carl Craig, Green Velvet and Dubfire an opportunity to really play and extend themselves as artists ( you will not hear the usual from these guys on this album, trust me ).  It is only right to sit and listen to it without imposing my thoughts on what I would do with this material.  I actually felt smarter afterwards not just because it is an incredible piece of work but due to listening deeply.

DJ EXERCISE: I want you to go into your discography and create a playlist that challenges you.  I’m sure you have music that at some point you realized was special, one of a kind, and unable to be categorized.  Make a playlist like that and then sit and listen around your “audio campfire”.  You may have the beginnings of another threshold of musical understanding – and that’s what’s required of you as a DJ.

Recap: Take the time to create an “audio campfire”.  Listen for the point of view of the DJ/Producer.  Create a challenging playlist and extend yourself musically as an appreciator.

2011
09/18
CATEGORY
DJ Creative Process
DJ Culture
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A DJ Journey Begins – How 9/11 Made Me a DJ

The first time I heard techno I was 16 years old. I was with a bunch of friends. It was summer in upstate New York. We were hanging out on the lawn listening to the college radio station from the car stereo. Then this music came on. It was like we heard it at the same time. We sat up and looked at each other and collectively said “What is this?” I called the radio station in my excitement.  When the DJ got on I said “Hi, my name is Cristina. What is this music?” The DJ said “Hi Cristina, this is Techno.” I asked “What’s the name?” He said, chuckling at me:

“This song is called “Only For The Headstrong”.

One thing you need to understand.  The only music I was exposed to growing up was my mother’s New Age music and my dad’s Cuban percussion. Oh and I played classical music on the piano, by ear ( couldn’t read sheet music to save my life ).

So what do you get when you mix New Age, Cuban percussion, and classical music composition?

Techno.  I was imprinted to appreciate dance music already.

Flash forward a lot of years ( and a lot of clubs and DJ sets ) and I was living and working in the city for 6 years. 6 years I had been in the city and never once had been to The World Trade Center. Not once. The company I worked for at the time wanted me to take a tour of this high tech computer lab on the 75th floor of World Trade Center 1 on – yeah you guessed it – September 11th, 2001 at 8:30am. I was going to meet my rep Todd there for breakfast and then have the tour.

Everyone gives the snooze button on their alarm a bad rap. My snooze button saved my life. I was running about 10 minutes late. I was on the first subway that stopped at Rector street and made the announcement that there had been an explosion in the WTC. I’m not going to get into the rest. I made it out, I saw the towers fall, I walked from Houston and Varick to 95th and 3rd ave – it was like Apocalypse Now, only with lots of bottled water and free pizza.

Here’s the deal. My rep Todd barely made it out alive. He saw things no human being should see. I can recount the things he told me but they are too horrific and not the point right now. He told me there were people who turned right instead of left on the staircase and they never made it out. I could have been right there with him.

I could have made that wrong and fatal turn.

People talk about having moments of clarity. A moment of clarity is when you experience something and it changes your life forever. A moment of clarity is that moment you realize who you want to be is who you really are. When I processed everything it hit me like a ton of bricks. That close call made me think about the last time in my life that I had felt a moment of clarity. It was when I was 16 years old and I heard electronic music for the first time. When I heard it, it changed my life forever.  When I realized I got a second chance, who I wanted to be was who I was all along.

On October 9th, 2001, about one month after my close call, I opened up a cardboard box and heaved out two turntables. I couldn’t believe how heavy they were. As I was carrying them to my ramshackle DJ table I knew that my life would never be the same.

Only for the headstrong, indeed.

( A DJ friend, when I shared this story with him, found ‘Only for the Headstrong’ and I can’t believe I still recognized it after all these years – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFXQfEW5SxU )

2011
09/11
CATEGORY
DJ Grab Bag
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DJs – Feeling Stuck? Constrain Yourself. (Wait, what did she say?)

Milon Townsend

DJs are really good at giving themselves a framework from which to work with.  Especially when preparing for a gig. There are a few considerations already built in to help you make musical choices – what gear you have, the venue, the crowd.  But let’s say you want to work on a mix or experiment with production and you’re feeling stuck, what do you do? It’s hard to have any direction when you have an open road in your mind.  Believe it or not if you set up some rules or constraints you can actually be more creative.  It’s a paradox, set up a mental box, so you can think outside of it.  Your mind can only effectively process a certain amount of information.  So, if you have an infinite amount of options to work with in your mind, you can go into a state of paralysis.

Let’s talk about what some of the symptoms of feeling stuck are.

  • Loss of passion – you actively make excuses to NOT practice or touch DJing.  You do not make creative time for yourself.  This could also be viewed as BOREDOM.  Everything just bores you – music, the scene, your process.
  • Frustration – this is obvious but I’m talking about banging your head on a wall anytime you make an attempt at practicing or trying something new.
  • Negative voices – you start getting down on yourself.  Thinking you can’t do it, or that you’re not creative.  You start asking yourself: why am I doing this?
  • Feeling overwhelmed – you’re having trouble starting something, it’s just not coming to you, or your eyes glaze over when you look at your discography.

If you are experiencing feeling stuck you might want to try setting up a tighter framework for yourself. There are a few kinds of constraints that might help.

Goal Constraint: If you don’t have a deadline, then you have all the time in the world to put something together and it be perfect right? Wrong.  The problem with not having a goal puts even more strain on yourself to have a direction, and you can make excuses or allow other distractions to creep in.  Look at a goal as more of this is what I want to do, in this amount of time.  Also ask yourself, what is my priority here – for example, is it exploring different sounds and making them work or is it working on your sound or style ( I have an exercise at the end of Why Do You DJ? that helps in defining your sound )?  It is something that if you were to accomplish it in a certain amount of time, you will feel you have advanced in some way.  I know some DJs who purposely tell people they will produce a track or have a mix for them just to give themselves a deadline, the pressure for them is the greatest motivator.

Subject Constraint: This has to do with the subject matter of your work. This can be genre or mood. It depends on what you want to experiment with.  Currently I’m preparing tracklists that express a certain feeling.  Things like romantic, dark, revenge, brightness, 7am.  Based on certain words that express a feeling or context, I choose tracks that only define that feeling for me.  Some DJs already do this and it’s an easy way to get yourself out of a rut.  Brainstorm some words for yourself and then see what hits you.  Then collect the music ( and dig deep here – from memory and your “crate” ) – stay true to that expressive word, then work it out on the decks and see what happens.

Task Constraint: Another way to set a constraint for yourself has to do with the tools you use.  Your gear and technique are your tools. Let’s say you challenge yourself to beat match by ear, or use effects ( or scale back on effects ), incorporate scratching, or use a feature in your gear or software you’ve never used before.  Whatever it is you are NOT doing, then add it as a constraint and do it.

So if you are feeling stuck you can set up a constraint like this:

A mix, 5 tracks, breaks only ( the kind in a track or the genre ), Blue, holding the mix for 20 seconds each transition, in two weeks.

The more complex you set up your framework the more your mind has to work with and wrap itself around.  Really challenge yourself – you can do it!  At least, if you do not accomplish the goal in the time you set, you will have learned something about yourself and would have ingrained that experimentation in your mind for future use.

Let me know how it goes!

Recap: Your mind cannot create without a framework.  Constraints are a way to give yourself rules to work with.  Goals have to do with what you want to accomplish.  Tasks are the way you get to that goal – whether they are musical themes, technique, or gear constraints.  The more complex your framework the more creative your process and output will be.  Challenge yourself!

Source: “Creativity from Constraints: The Psychology of Breakthrough”, Patricia D. Stokes, Springer Publishing NYC, 2006.

2011
08/29
CATEGORY
DJ Creative Process
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Contracts, Divas, and the Dancefloor: Things that can go wrong

Things happen and then things can go stupendously wrong.   This post is about protecting your sanity and the sanctity of the gig.   This is only the tip of the iceberg – share with me your stories ( I’m opening the comment thread on this post ) so others can learn from you.  The point is that there are many things you can do to avoid some of the problems that occur at a gig BEFORE they happen.

The Contracting Process:

When you sign up for a gig, aside from the usual who-what-when-where-why, it’s really important to know the unspoken details – they’re unspoken for a reason.  Check out the venue the week before on the same night or previous night you are spinning.  Read the reviews on the venue.  It’s important to know your venue.  What are the management’s expectations? Do they promote their venue at all? Of course you need to bring people but get a sense of how many. Some venues have a bar guarantee – in other words if the bar doesn’t make a certain amount of money, you are on the hook to pay the difference if the bar doesn’t make it.  Even if they don’t, it’s important to ask on average how much the bar makes on that night.  Do not delude yourself on the numbers.  Even in NYC a $4000 bar minimum is nothing to mess around with – you would be surprised how hard it is to reach a number like that.  I’ve seen packed floors not even reach $2K. You also should probably know by now that management may not always be honest with the numbers so as not to have to pay your rightful percentage – it’s tough economic times for venues and fuzzy math is commonplace. Make sure you ask questions – if the venue has multiple bars, for example, do they all factor into your minimum or only the one you are directly spinning near?  Very important: get something in writing!  I know it’s scary to present a venue with a contract or agreement of some kind but when you are dealing with money, especially if you are getting paid or on the hook for a certain number, you need something in writing.  At the very least, make sure communications with the management are emailed.  You also need an agreement with the management regarding music and gear.  Too many times I have seen DJs assume they can play their usual only to find out the management was expecting something else or worse, promoted the night as that something else.  I have seen DJs that were told there is a set up and walk in to find things missing or the system in shoddy condition.  IMPORTANT: Arrive as early as you can to a gig to check out the situation in case there is a problem – you have time to rectify it.

Promoters:

There are good promoters and there are not so good promoters.  Do not take what promoters (or anyone for that matter) say at face value.  Do your homework. See if anyone has worked with them.  Look at their site, social network, etc.  Really understand who you’re dealing with.  Do not agree to pay them a flat fee – if that’s what they ask for, run do not walk.  They should be paid by the number of people they bring in – not people on a list, people who actually show up.  I’ve seen DJs agree to a flat fee and sign on promoters who basically just blasted out an event on Facebook ( to mostly fake Facebook profiles or people not even in the country of the gig ).  Make sure that promoter runs in a similar circle as yours and also ask them what their promotion schedule is, if they are promoting another gig close to the date of yours chances are they will promote heavily the gig that enhances their reputation best ( which is understandable ) – hopefully that is your gig, but if it’s not you’re out of luck as they are not going to burn out their main resource, their people.

Menacing on the Dancefloor:

I love great dancers I really do.  But sometimes floor hoggers can clear a floor faster then you can blink your eye.   Most people enjoy watching them for fifteen minutes or so but then they want to get back on the floor.  If the dancers do not oblige you have a potential problem on your hands.  There is a certain danger people feel when there are dancers doing windmills and back flips in a small space – no one wants to get hit.  So people leave never to come back.  Also, be mindful of bad energy on the dancefloor – overall menacing can also effect things ( you or your DJ partner should always be walking through the floor checking on the energy ).  Alert staff – don’t try to deal with it on your own.  Remember you are the protector and nurturer of a good time ( See Building the Foundation of a Dance Floor ) and if there is an element that is negatively affecting the floor you must do something about it.  It is your job to keep that floor filled and happy, your success is judged on it – don’t let some bad apples ruin it for you.

Check the party schedule in your area:

This is obvious but often a forgotten detail.  It’s very important to know what parties are going on at the same time you are considering your date.  If a superstar DJ is in town or there are three huge warehouse parties going on at the same time you may want to reconsider the date of your party.

The lineup:

Another obvious and overlooked detail.  Know who you’re spinning with.  Listen to their mixes, see them play out.  I’ve seen DJs put other DJs in the lineup having never heard a mix only to find out too late that the DJ isn’t a good fit or worse, too junior to be up there. Also, it used to be that you could have a lineup where you have different styles of music all in one night ( ah, those were the days! ).  Now you have to really think about how to put your line up together.  Make sure you create your lineup based on the kind of DJ a person is – warmup, peak, 2am, closer.  Do not put someone who is a good warmup DJ in the 2am slot even if you are feeling pressure from that DJ.  You know your lineup, you know your vision for the party.  If they don’t like it – get someone else, you don’t need the headache of a diva.

Which leads me to . . .

Divas

If you have a diva on your hands – suck it up.  There is enough information out there and word of mouth that is known about DJs reputations so you should have known about them before you engaged them.  If a DJ is that important enough that you need to deal with it then you have accepted the responsibility.  Do your best to accommodate them and hope they bring it.  If they don’t then you have every right to call them out on it after the gig.  If you have a wasted DJ on your hands, keep an eye on them, if they are barely functional keep the previous DJ on or get the next DJ in the lineup ready.  DO NOT PUT A WASTED DJ UP THERE – they will effectively screw up and ruin the floor.  You are also protecting their reputation – it’s better they don’t go up there than do go up there and ruin their name.  They may curse you that night, but will thank you for it in the morning. Oh, and it’s up to you if you want to pay them anyway – it may be a good idea just to keep the peace and not cause a scene but totally understandable if you don’t want to because they have a personal issue with self control. Your call.

Do not expect DJs in the lineup to bring anyone:

You have to operate as if you are the only one bringing people.  Do not rest until you have done everything in your power to get the word out.  Do not factor anyone else’s people into the number you are expecting to show up ( that includes promoters ).  If people show up for other DJs/promoters – consider that a bonus.  Too many times I have seen DJs counting on other people to bring a crowd only to have that DJ/promoter not bring a single person.   It’s a cruel disappointment.

The Door

Make sure the person at the door and the bouncers know your entrance policy and the name of your party.  Make sure they are aware of what the guest list means – is it a reduced list or is it a free entrance list.  Make sure the bouncers/door person have a way to reach you in case there’s an issue at the door.  The best thing to do is have someone be responsible for all the non-DJ things that go on at your party – a trusted friend/organizer.  If you don’t have that person then you need to work out with your DJ partner monitoring the situation when not spinning.

Like I said this is just the tip of the iceberg of things to be mindful of, I would love to hear your stories as well.  You can’t control everything that happens but you can do your best to try and avoid these issues in the first place.

Recap: DON’T sign on for a gig and ask questions later.  Know your venue ( and your DJs! ).  Watch the floor, have ownership of it. Don’t assume anything.  If you want things done right, you have to take it upon yourself to make sure it gets done right ( or do it yourself ).

2011
08/13
CATEGORY
DJ Competencies
DJ Industry
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Open Question: What’s Next for DJing?

I firmly believe that DJ’ing and DJ culture as a whole has evolved so beautifully and elegantly. It continues to be an artistic pursuit that provides transformational experiences for many people (good job everyone!).  I was thinking – what’s next for us?   I’m musing on the stages of evolution for an art form and trying to frame it in terms of DJ culture.  I brainstormed a list of phases below.  I’m trying to work out what’s next for us and how we can keep evolving.  I can honestly say, I think our future is strong but also delicate.

I’ve kept the descriptions of each phase very general ( and somewhat cryptic ) because I want you to have some reference to what I mean – I’m sure I missed other ways to describe these phases.  Ask yourself these questions too: Where are we exactly in this spectrum in relation to DJ culture and in relation to music performance at large ( bands for example )?  Is a particular phase a function of location?  What important events have occurred or need to occur in music or technology that ushers in one phase from another?

Phases of evolution of the art of DJ’ing:

  • Pioneering – the first DJs.
  • Foundation – Small group of DJs working out the mechanics and method, the art form is being established.
  • Exclusiveness – Underground only for the select few.
  • Momentum – Forums for public performance, complete support.
  • Exponential Growth – DJs and market is fully immersed and mass audience are knowledgeable that DJs exist.  Variety of tool sets available.
  • Peak  –  Market saturation. Expectations and pressures at all time high.  Full understanding of tool sets. Potential for backlash.
  • Plateau – Technique/musicality is in stasis, longer periods of time between innovation which occur as blips not milestones.  DJs creatively regrouping. Backlash and commercialization evident.
  • Resurgence – Time has passed, less faithful and creative weeded out (although this can occur in any phase), core remaining group building foundations for next level.   Audience returns/new audience injects fresh energy and ideas.
  • Climb – Lessons from previous phases are applied.  Respect of art form re-established.  Fresh perspectives become norm.  Next phase in evolution is in full swing.

Another way to look at this list is as a cycle.  It’s quite possible you can apply the first phases to something that is happening right now in a particular technique, performance or genre.  That’s great – go for it.  The point is to find your center of understanding and take it from there.

I ran this by a trusted DJ.  We talked about when looking at it from music and performance history as a whole, DJs have only just begun (Exclusiveness/Momentum).  Looking at it from the inside, from the NYC DJ perspective, we are just cresting Exponential Growth and into Peak (again, debatable).  My gut feeling is we’ve got a potential bump in the road no matter what.  That’s Plateau. We need to think seriously about Plateau.  In my opinion, it could be the longest lasting and sedentary stage – triggering the next phase will be tough.  However, we could look at this way: Plateau might be what we need in order to take a breather and regroup from Peak.  I’d like to think that’s what Plateau can do for us, the questions still come however – are we there yet to even think about it, do we fight it or let it happen, is the concept even relevant for our culture?  I wish I had the answers.

Recap: We are evolving.  Where are we? What do we do about the possibility of Plateau? If you feel we are in a certain phase, think about what you can do as an artist to deal with the current situation and adapt/change/set yourself apart.

I’ve created a poll below.  I am curious as to where you think we are. Unfortunately, the poll doesn’t allow me to finesse location or your criteria for your answer so write to me if you want to explain or discuss this post further (BIO).

2011
07/30
CATEGORY
DJ Culture
DJ Industry
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DJ Meditation Technique – Visualizing The Perfect Gig

'Headpone Meditation by Illusive Mind'

One of the things creative experts talk about is meditation and how it can bolster your connection to your creative self.  We all fantasize about the perfect gig ( and if you’ve already had one – well done! I still encourage you to do this exercise regardless – I’m such a task master! ).  What I’m going to walk you through is a visualization/meditation exercise that will allow you to play out in your mind a gig gone well.  I will throw some curve balls in this so as to mentally prepare you for things that can go wrong – but in this exercise you defeat all obstacles!  The point is to already work out in your mind triumphs and tribulations you will experience playing out.   What this does is allow yourself to experience your feelings in advance so that when the time comes to actually perform these reactions have already been incubated in your mind and you can recall very easily solutions and reactions on the spot.

The best time to do this meditation is a couple of days before a gig and a short session prior to a gig if you have time.  I also suggest that you do this meditation on a regular basis – it is your time, your safe space to reinforce in your mind what is important to you as a measure of success as a DJ.  In the beginning, if you have a partner, friend, or fellow DJ that can read these prompts to you so you don’t have to open your eyes to read them, that is ideal.  At some point you will no longer need the prompts below and you can do this on your own so that you can easily move through the exercise.

IMPORTANT: In order for this to be a productive exercise you need to try and be as specific as possible in the details of the experiences in this meditation.  Note sights, sounds, smells, and feelings very clearly in your mind.  Let your mind stop when it needs to if you want to focus on a moment, but don’t skim through anything.   This is a basic framework to get you started, hopefully after some time you can advance on your own and meditate through situations as you see fit.

Here we go!

First, you must find uninterrupted time to do this.  Shut off the phone, turn off the computer, put the mental Do Not Disturb sign on.  Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take five deep breaths.  Take your time.  When you are ready visualize and feel the following:

1. You are preparing for your gig.  You are diligently putting your playlist together.  What music are you selecting?  Listen to that music in your mind.

2. You are packing up your bag.  Visualize all the things you bring with you to the gig.  See yourself crossing everything off your DJ checklist.

3. You get a phonecall, your DJ partner or headliner is bailing or the venue owner has double booked the night.  Breathe through this moment.  What are you feeling? Visualize your adjustment to the situation.  Keep breathing, visualize getting back on track and being ok.

4. You are going to the gig.  See yourself getting there.  Take your time with this visualization – how do you get there? See yourself being early and ready.

5. You are setting up or just arriving to the party.  This is for you to choose how you enter into your gig.  What is your ideal situation?  What does the venue look like?  What’s going on in the dancefloor?  What do the people look like, what does their energy feel like?

6. The gear doesn’t work.  Breathe through this moment.  What doesn’t work?  What are you doing to fix it or adjust to the situation? See yourself getting through this and making things work.

7. You’re on.  See yourself playing your first track.  What is it? Listen to it in your mind. What is going on around you when you play this first track?  Stretch your mind and your desire on this one – let it be the moment you want it to be.

8. You are in the middle of your set.  How are you feeling?  What is happening on the dancefloor?  Challenge your mind when you feel more advanced with this exercise ( don’t always go for the easy fantasy of a raging dancefloor that worships you ).  See yourself building the dancefloor.  See yourself connecting with people.  Reach out to them with your emotion and energy.  Try to mix a few tracks in your mind – see them working seamlessly, what does that sound like?

9. You are winding down, the next DJ is up or it’s the end of the night.  See yourself making a final impact.  What tracks are you playing? Listen to them in your mind.  See yourself packing up your bag.  What do you do next? What are your feelings at the moment that it’s over.

10. Visualize the afterwards.  How are you feeling?  See yourself reflecting on what you did.  Did you learn anything? What are you walking away with that will make you a better DJ?

11. Exit out of the meditation, five more deep breaths.  Sit and reflect on what just happened, write a few thoughts down about the experience (you may have come up with some new musical connections in this exercise, don’t let them slip away from you!)

Now that you have experienced a gig in your mind, it’s time for you to see it come to fruition.  You are a wonderful creative being – now go show the world!

Recap: Visualization is an exercise that has been touted by many experts as a way of drawing out higher creative functions.  This DJ meditation exercise will also help you ascertain your feelings about gigs and any challenges you may face.  Do this exercise a couple of days before a gig or as part of your preparation right before a gig ( ideally do this exercise as part of your inner creative practice ).

2011
07/24
CATEGORY
DJ Creative Process
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TRAINWRECK: DJs – Don’t Be Angry!

I’ve seen a T-Shirt company called “Angry DJ” that sells T-Shirts with slogans saying “Serato Don’t Make You A DJ” and “I Am Not Your iPod”.  It is no surprise to us that there are so many things that make us just damn plain angry.   Now while these expressions hit a nerve, offer a sense of universal understanding, and are quite funny, I contend that they are a quick fix in our troubled culture.

Acting out anger doesn’t serve you period.  Is it frustrating to see someone who in your opinion is taking the easy way out of DJing?   Is it frustrating to be misunderstood by the audience and venue owners? Absolutely on both counts according to a survey of DJs I conducted.  The anger you are feeling is expressive of what you are passionate about and that’s great!  It means you care about what you are doing and what it means to you in your life.  But if you are spending your valuable time being frustrated and angry you are not focusing on what you should be really working on – finding your true audience, working on your skills, and developing your creativity.  Anger, much like jealousy ( see Jealousy As a Creative Killer ), is a distraction, a wasted emotion.

I’m sharing this quote from Werner Herzog, famous director, that might lend some perspective on your anger ( read: snap out of it ).

“Quit your complaining. It’s not the world’s fault that you wanted to be an artist. It’s not the world’s job to enjoy the films you make, and it’s certainly not the world’s obligation to pay for your dreams. Nobody wants to hear it. Steal a camera if you have to, but stop whining and get back to work.”

“Angry DJ” T-Shirts brings up two really hot topics.  The digital vs. analog debate and requests.

Requests are a fact of life for any DJ.   It’s how you deal with them that makes all the difference.  How do you think an audience member would feel if they saw a DJ wearing a T-Shirt ( because you know some DJ is actually going to do this ) saying “I Am Not Your iPod”?  That’s not educating the audience, that’s further distancing them.  On top of that, if you’re spinning at a venue where you secretly feel it’s necessary to say that to the patrons – you’re spinning at the wrong venue.  Remember, you don’t have to just play out anywhere and if you are constantly dealing with an audience that is making requests, you didn’t do your homework to recognize you are the wrong DJ for that venue.  Instead, get good enough to be considered to spin at the venues where there is the right audience for your music.  Only the top 10% of all DJs in the world do not get requests.  It’s a reality in our culture, so there’s no reason to get angry and frustrated about it, or take it out on your audience – just deal with it. ( Scottie B, the founder of Angry DJ T-Shirts, claims he’s the UK’s #1 DJ and he made a T-Shirt about it so you have to assume maybe he’s getting requests too and he’s #1! ).

I want to take a moment as well to make a statement about the digital vs. analog debate because this is in my opinion what is tearing us apart ( and also because Angry DJ T-Shirts exploits this debate for the T-Shirt slogan “Serato Don’t Make You a DJ” ).

I’m going to say once and for all – I DON’T CARE AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU.

I’ve thought a lot about this and I’ve honed my opinion based on what the creative experts and literature state.  It’s about being comfortable, it’s about being engaged, it’s about being free to achieve your highest level.   So who cares what you do it with?  Things evolve, they regress, they go forward, they go backward but one thing is for sure, we will always be dealing with innovation and technology – our whole legacy is based on it.  It doesn’t matter if a painter uses a paintbrush or their feet to make art – it’s about the ART.  Now I know a lot of you are angry about the ease of which people can get into DJing and also execute their “skills” but I am fanatic when I tell you that it doesn’t matter – greatness comes because of process, creativity, hard work, and empathy – see my post on what it takes to be an amazing DJ and you will see that not once did I talk about gear.  Gear is just tools – music and your mind is your weapon but most importantly so is your heart and your connection to music ( see Why Do You DJ? ).  And if you think those DJs are “lazy” think about it this way – do you think they are engaged with what they are doing?  When you see a DJ use the sync button just between tracks ( and this is one of the hugest gripes I’ve seen ) do you think they are actually happy about the fact that they have not advanced enough to actually experiment with their music?  Understand that everyone knows they have creative constraints.  Everyone knows what they are NOT doing – so there is no need to get all in a huff about what they are doing.  Instead focus on yourself and bettering the situation and opportunities for those you feel do matter and are creative.   If you must know, I spin vinyl.  I had some upstart tell me “that’s old”.  I took it in stride, just because I’m “old-school” doesn’t mean my point of view and musicality is “less then”. You see I’ve spun it all, CDs, DVS, and I always go back to vinyl.  Why?  Because it’s comfortable for me, I can engage with my audience more comfortably spinning vinyl, but most importantly – because I know even after spinning for 10 years I haven’t even hit the tip of the iceberg of what I’m capable of and that’s exciting to me.  Since I started the Behind The Decks project I realized that it makes no sense for me to get all worked up over someone who uses DVS just because I use vinyl.  If that’s what works for them – so be it, and if they are destined for greatness, why aren’t you?

Let your anger go!

Recap: Stop your whining and focus on your work! Deal with the requests, think about what you can do to change perceptions.  Gear does not make the DJ, the DJ makes the DJ.

2011
07/13
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DJ Culture
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DJ Exercise: What Happened in DJ History/Music in Your Birth Year?

Here’s a very interesting exercise.  Yes I’m giving away my age – so what, I’m young at heart!

Turns out in the year I was born Technics released the first SL-1200.  Thanks Mom and Dad!  Here are some other things that happened in my birth year – Kraftwerk, helloooooooo.

“In 1974, Technics released the first SL-1200 turntable, which evolved into the SL-1200 MK2 in 1979—which, as of the early-2010s, remains the industry standard for deejaying. In 1974, German electronic music band Kraftwerk released the 22-minute song “Autobahn,” which takes up the entire first side of that LP. Years later, Kraftwerk would become a significant influence on hip-hop artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles.”

( Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_jockey )

If you’re interested in listening to the full version of Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn” here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G28iyPtz0

I encourage all DJs to learn your history, believe it or not this has been going on since the 19th century!  What a legacy we have.  And who knows you might find artists or new inspiration for the work you are doing.

So now begs the question:  What are you doing to contribute to our new history?

If you have an interesting project or know someone who is doing innovating things – let me know!

2011
07/02
CATEGORY
DJ Culture
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BEHIND THE DECKS by Cristina DiGiacomo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.