Dj do's and don't s

[JussiK]

Hustlebaby or any other who think you may have got what it takes, do the disconnoisseurs that definitely exist in New York in large numbers a huge favour and start your own disco nights at some small venue near the university, major hipster hangout area or the gay ghetto.

If you got a mate who knows about Technics and how to use them consult her/him, or visit the several sites in the net that teach newcomers how to operate the wheels of steel. There are books on the subject, too. Get Mixmag, Source and Ministry magazines for further vinyl lifestyle info and general attitude boost. Those mags respect disco like everyone should.

Precise beat mixing is not required necessarily, more important is the ability to get a party going by selecting the tunes right. Those of us currently deejaying who have read your posts Hustlebaby can safely assume you know what to do or am I wrong here – I think I’m not. You seem to possess the attitude that is important. Mixing displays, fiddling with the eq buttons and the rest of that stuff can come later. A 3 hour set requires less than 60 vinyls to get you thru. If you plan the gig ahead somewhat you can get by with less of course. Trust your instincts but note that big production orchestral c. 129 BPM disco like ”Ain’t That Enough For You” by John Davis & Monster Orch. may not work if programmed all night long. Vary the tempos and moods. Titles that never ever fail are ”Jingo” by Candido, ”Give Me Love” by Cerrone and ”Movin’” by Brass Construction. Grab a couple of just-in-case titles like I Will Survive that may come handy if you get the lamentable retrohungry afro wig wearing student types in platforms or those who wear polyester or leather without irony.

You’ll need your own headphones. Big chunky ones are the best but the sleek less trendy ones you wear backwards are okay too if the volume at the venue is not too intensely loud.

Use streetwise expressions such as ”…cult breaks and beats” and ”house prototypes from the Salsoul, West End and Prelude archieves” when describing your sound to club owners. You know, enthusiastic but cool. Then you need to think a funky or bizarre title for your night. Get someone in the know to design a poster and print a stack of flyers. An Adobe photoshop will do, even punk style cut and paste jobs and a b/w xerox machine if you don’t have a scanner are fine. Use contemporary typos or think 70’s punk or Penthouse magazines from the same period. The ultraglamorous Studio 54 thing that peaked a few years ago has passed in the minds of many by now, so go for the blacker or preferably sleazier image. And remember – djs are the new global Superstars, no matter what sorry rockist journos or smelly left behind metallica fans tell you.
- okay, let’s have more views please!

[QUINNY]

Jussic: Agree wholeheartedly. just a couple of things to add.
3 hours - is that all?
60 discs - that few
vary tempos - definately but Cerrone 122 or 125 is it? Jingo 122ish, Movin 119-122? all from memory isn't exactly pushing the point is it?
What is so difficult about putting a record on a turntable. Before Technics 1200s we were segueing using pretty low torque fixed speed decks. GO FOR IT!!!!

[JussiK]

On 2002-08-15 10:22, QUINNY wrote:
Jussic: Agree wholeheartedly. just a couple of things to add.
3 hours - is that all?

For a beginner could be!

60 discs - that few

I've managed 6 hrs gigs with 2 bags that hold 40 discs each - don't really want to drag too heavy loads around!

vary tempos - definately but Cerrone 122 or 125 is it? Jingo 122ish, Movin 119-122? all from memory isn't exactly pushing the point is it?

What I meant to say was that one should vary the tempos during the set, use records with different BPMs - not to pitch too much during a track itself. Give Me Love is around 127 (?)

[markydefad]

On 2002-08-15 07:21, JussiK wrote:
start your own disco nights at some small venue near the university, major hipster hangout area or the gay ghetto.


Precise beat mixing is not required necessarily, more important is the ability to get a party going by selecting the tunes right.

Jussi...ARE YOU SERIOUS that a novice could really get away today with NOT BEAT MIXING for a GAY CROWD??????

I think they'd boooo and immediately LEAVE the premises.

Can a DJ really get away with NOT MIXING in this day and age??? If so, maybe I'll start my own club--cause I'm NOT the greatest mixer, BUT I've got good taste and I'm bitchy. :lol:

[QUINNY]

MARKYDEFAD:
It would all depend on what sort of a crowd you managed to attract. If you only attracted an older age group reliving their memories then you might just get away without beat mixing. Certainly in the UK 'cos no-one was into that until late '79, so the whole of the 'golden age of disco' was largely mix free over here. I was an exception to the rule because of my Spanish experience and I can tell you, the average Disco goer was hostile to my segueing and mixing until it became the norm in '84/5.

_________________
IT'S GOT TO BE REAL

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: QUINNY on 2002-08-16 06:50 ]</font>

[Giovanni]

In my experience, you have to know very well hot to beat mix and you have to do it constantly.

In Europe, mostly in the mediterranean area were the bulk of European younsters spend their summer holydays (Spain, France, Italy, Greece etc) everybody beat mixes. And this is a mind attitude that all the djs have since the 70s, and the crowd is used to dance to beat mixed rhythms. You won't be safe from being booed if you don't beat mix.

Moreover, the crowd itself can conditionate the sound you play. In Italy and Spain the technical skills of the dj are relevant for the people, and sometimes prevailing over the quality of the music too. If you play a rare groove set you would be allowed not to be perfect in mixing, but in southern Europe rare groove is played only as a warm up or chill out. In central Europe (Germany, Austria, Czheck Rep, Russia etc) you have to play hard techno and you have to beat mix on high bpms.
The UK scene is unique and you can find almost every kind of music.
In every case you have to mould your set upon your public.
Mr Dimitri from Paris often uses to put some classic disco in the middle of current house sets, and it works. No more than 3 days ago I saw Mr Frankie Knuckles playing in Italy exclusivelly high bpm current house, and he told me he preferred not to play any disco/deep house classic because of the crowd (people in their 20s).

So, I think that Jussi's rules are right but you have to consider very well where are you going to play. I know Jussy plays Raffaella Carrà, but if he would dare playing it in Italy, he should be shot.... or maybe become an hero, a comics hero!

[jazz_pilgrim]

On 2002-08-16 02:32, QUINNY wrote:
MARKYDEFAD:
It would all depend on what sort of a crowd you managed to attract. If you only attracted an older age group reliving their memories the you might just get away without beat mixing. Certainly in the UK 'cos no-one was into that until late '79, so the whole of the 'golden age of disco' was largely mix free over here. I was an exception to the rule because of my Spanish experience and I can tell you, the average Dico goer was hostile to my segueing and mixing until it became the norm in '84/5.

You're asolutely right there, Quinny.

The first "Soul Mafia" DJ to start mixing in the UK, I recall, was Froggy (remember his monster sound system?) and that was around '79...

[QUINNY]

JAZZ: Can't say I ever saw any of the Funk Mafia in action. I was too busy working and enjoying the company of my (now) wife. However, I can truefully say that I was one of the first mixing DJs in the UK and I seem to remember that James Hamilton first mentioned mixing/segueing by some chap who worked just around the corner from the Hilton in early '79 (Graham Canter?) I'd already been segueing tracks since '74/75 and was heavily into mixing by late '79.

_________________
IT'S GOT TO BE REAL

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: QUINNY on 2002-08-16 07:21 ]</font>

[Mixmachine]

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mixmachine on 2002-08-18 00:20 ]</font>

[Blaxman]

On 2002-08-16 09:54, Mixmachine wrote:

....half the fun of 'Disco' dancing was 'Beat mixing'.....

Mixmachine, I have to disagree with that. At least here in Brazil (land of the beats) half the of the 'Disco' dancing is/was the 'Disco Music'.

I agree with you when you say it is an art form, but (IMO) it was in the past, when the mixing was made with "bare hands" not with the ultimate mixing equipments of today!!

Peace

[JussiK]

I myself would not dare to show my face should I not beatmix to my best ability but if we're indeed talking about a party as such and talking about creating a fun kickass party vibe don't you think beamixing is not absolutely essential? Look what reportedly went on at The Loft - apparently no seamless seques just damn good music do dance to.
As for Raffaella...thanks for reminding me of her, I've been too good a boy lately, time to misbehave!