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Q u a r t e r l y - T i p
- So You Wanna Be a DJ? Part I
- by DJ Rap
Winter 2008
[Editor's Note: Many people consider DJ Rap to be the top female DJ in the world -- and that's saying a lot when you consider that she's working in a male dominated profession. Starting with this article, the next series of Quarterly Tips will be authored by DJ Rap, who agreed to have her "So You Wanna Be A DJ" series republished by Disc Jockey 101 (Note: Portions edited by Disc Jockey 101).]
So You Wanna Be A DJ? You think you've got what it takes to be the next Sasha, Tiesto, Deep Dish or maybe me, DJ Rap? Only problem is, you don't know where to begin. You've come to the right place.
For those of you who know me, I always have plenty to say. For those of you who don't, you'll probably be sick of me soon, so I'll talk about something interesting rather than the boring blog stuff you see all over the place. The idea came to me because I've started teaching this very thing at Hollywood Arts. I was first told about this organization by my mate, BT. It's wonderful helping out the new blood and seeing how they light up when they scratch the decks.
"So you wanna be a DJ?" will be the beginning of a series of articles explaining the basic beginning to becoming a DJ, learning to produce, and hopefully help guide you on your path to becoming an underground superstar. [who really wants to be famous?, it sucks. this is way cooler] Let's start off by talking about equipment so you'll know what to use before we get into techniques.
Part 1: DJ Equipment
There are many types of equipment, so it really is a matter of personal taste. What I talk about here is just what I happen to believe in and this stuff works for me. It is by no means a disrespect to the other brands and versions out there. [so if anyone else wants to sponsor me, feel free, haha!]
Decks: Although I still own the one and only pair of turntables I've ever bought, SL-1200's, the Pioneer CDJ-1000, or DVJ-1000 is my weapon of choice. I simply LOVE Pioneer. [yes I love vinyl, no I haven't abandoned it. but you try carrying 20 20lb. crates to Ibiza only to find the crates nicked when you get there!] So CD's are what I spin.
Mixer: Now, I'm really fussy about this stuff. It HAS to be a Pioneer-800 for me. I don't care what anyone else says, it's the best. For me the effects, are stellar. The Pioneer-600 sounded a little too woody and muffled, if you like, often there were feedback problems. But the 800 is crystal clear. I love the fact that you can mix and blend effortlessly without too much tuning concerns due to the filter effect. As I travel with a VJ, if you ever get the chance, check out Pioneer's new SVM-1000. [pioneerdj.com] I went to the warehouse and they let me at it, needless to say I got a little excited and wet my pants. I feel visuals are very important to a DJ show, but let's take it one step at a time... we'll get into that a bit later.
Monitors: In my home studio I use the M-Audio BX5's and the 10-inch sub that goes with it. [m-audio.com] I find they are incredibly accurate and really translate well to the dancefloor. I also use a pair of NS-10's which help me with what I call the "car radio mix test." In other words, if it sounds good in my car, it sounds good anywhere. For my mains, when I'm writing and producing I just got a hold of a pair of VXT-8's which have a MASSIVE sound. [krksys.com]
Headphones: I only ever use Sony-MDRV700DJ's. They're solid. And I haven't gone deaf yet. [sonystyle.com]
Of course you don't need these items exactly to start with as I realize we're all on our own budgets, however, you'll only need it once and you get what you pay for. In the long run you'll pay more to replace things if you're buying bad equipment. Trust me, been there, done that.
Producing Music
Many of you know that most successful DJ's not only spin records, but produce their own music as well. This is a must!!! And while there are many different ways of doing this, it's becoming easier and easier to produce great music from your bedroom, bathroom, garage, wherever the mood strikes.
Something to consider, again, is that all the pieces of gear I'm listing here are not necessarily what you have to use, it's just what I use. There are plenty of other alternatives that may fit your budget, platform, or personality better. That said...
Part 2: Production Equipment
DAW: The centerpiece of any music production setup is a DAW [Digital Audio Workstation] which is what you will record into, edit with, and mix and master your music on. [If you're way ahead of this, stay with me, I just want to get everyone on board]
I primarily use Logic Pro 8 by Apple, but that doesn't mean I don't get my hands into Ableton Live on a regular basis either... It really depends on what exactly I'm doing in the studio. If I'm starting from scratch and I just need to get an idea down on disk quickly I'll use Ableton. I'll also use it if I want to do some experimenting with time stretching or pitch shifting as Ableton was born to do that stuff. Logic, however, is a massive program that allows me to do everything from recording vocals to sequencing beats to mastering my final mixes, and its gotten really cheap in the last few years too, you just need a mac to run it. Speaking of which...
Computer: This really should have been up there before DAW but in my book it's gotta be a Mac. I'm sorry but there's just no comparison to working on a Mac. They're designed for this stuff. I've got a G5 [one of the last great PPCs!] sitting in my studio now. I swear they should induct one into the rock-and-roll hall of fame for all the work they've done in the industry! ha! I have had countless little fights with buddies of mine regarding this issue and believe me.......I went "SPARTA" when it comes to this...... Mac, Mac, Mac.
Monitors: As I mentioned above, I'm using a pair of NS10's alongside some KRK VXT8's that I got recently. I think it's a very good idea to have 2 sets of monitor speakers so you can listen to your music through different sounding systems, this will give you a better perspective on how your music is really sounding and give your ears a chance to refresh if you're getting burned out listening to the same 4 bars over-and-over-and-over again.
Controllers: While you can program each note individually in the MIDI hyper editors I hugely prefer to bang out parts with my fingers on a MIDI controller. This is just a keyboard that sends notes through your computer to your DAW so you can record and play virtual software synths. I use m-audio's keysation 49. It's simple straightforward and plug-and-play. I've also got a Yamaha Motif that is always standing by should I want any of the sounds out of that, and I've also got it hooked-up so I can use the weighted keys to play piano parts.
Audio Interface: Your audio interface is what you'll plug your monitor speakers into and record acoustic instruments through. Right now I'm using an m-audio Firewire 410. Great little portable box with tons of inputs and outputs, the analog/digital conversion quality is fantastic on these as well.
Mic: For a Mic I'll plug an m-audio Sputnik direct into my 410. [man you know I'm sponsored by them but they rock.... truly.!] That sputnik man, great mic. Great mic.
Plug-Ins: The most important part of my set-up really boils down to the plug-ins and "toys" you have....
There are so many fantastic ones that I could write a chapter on this alone. but, lets start with my fav, native instruments. Why are they the best? Because you can make an entire record with this native alone. Reaktor itself should be classified as an entire suite of it's own encompassing more power in one plug-in than in all of reason combined. The quality of the sound that comes out of Reaktor is unreal, and that's just a starting point. From there you have "massive," which is just that, a massive synth with unlimited capacity for creating diverse sounds. Then there is FM8, Elektrik Piano, Akoustik Piano, Guitar Rig [which is awesome for so many things OTHER than guitar], Battery [omg, fantastik sampling for percussion and other sounds, with a fantastic library to match, anyway, I will stop having a technical wank, go find out for yourself man. It really is great. I will get into all the other goodies I use later.
Becoming A DJ/Producer
So now that you've got the basics and setup, you've chosen your weapon of choice. What really sets DJ's apart from one another is their production. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to mix two records together but you have to acquire real skills to become a professional DJ/Producer. What creates a fan base is your music. Look at any of the greats, pioneers if you like, [BT, Paul Van Dyk, Erick Morillo, Deep Dish, Nick Fancouli, Robbie Rivera] and you'll see that none of them are just DJ's. More or less any top DJ you look at will have a mini-empire of their own -- including their own sound and their own label. In fact, it takes a great team working hard to make a great DJ. So what you really need to do is start making music, this is what's gonna get you gigs. [well good ones anyway]
The first thing you should do is spend time listening to as many producers and DJs as you can and decide which direction you'd like to go in. Pay close attention to the arrangement as there is a formula to this. It really pays off spending time listening to music and learning from your heroes because it can take months-to-even years to really find your niche.
Because I use Logic [and Logic kicks ass], I'll be talking about how I use it to make music. This doesn't mean of course that you can't use one of the many other DAWs out there. There are plenty of other great platforms, some of which I have mentioned previously [Ableton Live, Fruity Loops, Acid Pro, Reason, Nuendo, Cubase...] that are great for music production as well.
Choosing Sounds
This is really up to your personal taste but starting with great sounds is key. Whether you're making them from scratch or sampling, you'll want to make sure the sounds are clean, undistorted, and suit the mood you intend to create. I think less is more. One of the easy traps to fall into is using 46,000 sounds in one track because you keep finding things that you like and you get too attached to sounds to let them go. I try to keep my arrangements minimal, sometimes with as few as 10 tracks for the whole song. This gives each sound an opportunity to stake its claim on the sonic space it occupies while also pushing me to make sure that my sounds are hands-down-kick-ass every time.
For beginners, a great way to start sketching is to set a 4 bar loop in your sequencer, and run through preset sounds whether they be Apple Loops, Fruity Loops, synth presets, etc. Just getting into the groove of hearing what types of sounds compliment each other is an invaluable tool. In fact, I know producers who make a great living never touching a computer, mix desk, or synth, but rather just knowing exactly the type of sound that will take a track to the next level.
Once you've got an idea for the sonic experience you want to shower your listeners with and have identified the sounds that rustle your feathers, you're ready to start laying down a groove.
I'll get into the specifics in the next installment when we'll discuss how to make a kick throb and what will make your synths take flight.
In the meantime, head over to my website and sign-up on the mailing list to get a free track.
Related Links
DJ Rap Interview on Disc Jockey 101
Industry News* Activision is rumored to be working on a new video game entitled "DJ Hero" to be released in summer 2009. A spokesperson for DJ Tiesto's U.S. label, Ultra, says that although Tiesto has been in talks with Activision about the game, nothing has been finalized. For more information, see Big Shot Mag.
* Germany's highest court has ruled that "sampling music does not violate copyright laws, as long as the new song is original and melodies are left alone." The decision was a blow to the German electronic band Kraftwerk, whose music was at the center of the case. See Deutsche Welle.
* A study finds that "joyful music" leads to improved blood flow and heart health. See US News and World Report.
* An article by Jerry Del Colliano in Inside Music Media discusses five generational trends in the music industry and its relationship to marketing for the current generation of music fans. See Inside Music Media.
* Drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) have announced that they will play their first show together since they were in a post-concert plane crash in September 2008, The Associated Press and New York Times reports. See New York Times.
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