I know plenty of DJ’s that are mad creative. DJ Craze and Qbert and all those guys are considered DJ’s and they are super creative. But I understand where you are coming from.
‘back in the day’ DJing was the way for an individual to express their taste in music and entertain others. An ordinary person simply didn’t have the knowledge/money/equipment/contacts needed for music production.
All that has changed now and there is no future for DJ’s who don’t produce. Maybe weddings lol!
All producers could learn to DJ. Not all DJs can learn to produce.[/quote]
I don’t agree with that statement at all. I’ve seen many big producers who have been sht DJs, likewise i’ve seen many DJs who’ve been sht producers.
Just because you’re good at one, doesn’t mean you’re automatically good at the other.
Stig (Top Gear) might be an awesome driver, but that doesn’t mean he can build them.
You can’t tell me anyone can learn to DJ because that’s really undermining the talent it takes to make a good DJ.
Anyone can mix two tunes together (although many times DJ’s can’t even do that), but there is a lot more to DJing than mixing two tunes together, not just skill wise, but also the ability to work a crowd, read a crowd and interact with a crowd, those arn’t something you can pick up in a bedroom either, it takes years of practice.
Are DJ’s artists? Not really, they’re performers, but don’t ever undermine the real talent it takes to be a good DJ.
The problem with the ‘Top 100 DJs’ thing is it’s not based on DJ talent, only producer talent. Deadmau5 can’t DJ yet he’s high in the Top 100 DJ’s list, ironic eh.
i dont think your arguments hold much weight. i think djs are artists. planning a set list , learning how to read a crowd, knowing what type of songs to play when, as howie said “turntablism”. these are all lent to a a dj set that are supposed to communicate a message. in my mind thats a artist. some people communicate through art, pictures, movies etc.
some people would consider taking a dump on a piece of canvas and call it art and call the person a artist. i wouldnt want to see it but he still trying to create something to evoke a response in the person.
i can make a loop thats 16 bars long and make a 5 min track out of it with minimal effort. i can think of times when dj ing i put more thought and concentration into the set than i would making a mediocre track
I think the most relevent thing posted here was by Kieran Mach. These days it is extremly difficult to get regular gigs where you want to play music you like(eg EDM) without producing. It is the main reason I got into producing. I love djing but promoters generally want someone who has been in the beatport top 100 with a few of their tracks & say "supported by Armin/Tiesto in their 3rd person bios.
The OP said all producers can be djs, but not all djs can be producers. This is wrong IMO. You could be a dj “trying” to produce, it’s just that your bad at it. It is easier to get away with being a producer & a bad dj though.
Roben & a few of the other regulars made good points too.
Well, I think DJ’s can be considered artist if they do things considered unique and cutting edge. Frankly though, I could care less what someone considers themselves. Less time worrying about others and what they consider themselves means more time to worry about improving myself.
[quote]tommyt (09/06/2010)[hr]good point with soulwax, that 2 many djs mix was classic, i think its a piece of mixing art[/quote]
Yeah I gotta agree, that was some piece of work that mix!!
If a mix is creative then sure that’s art, but rarely these days will you hear a creative mix. So most DJs would fall into the catagory of performer over artist, however yeah i do agree, a mix like the 2manyDJs one (or even some of DJ Yodas mix tapes) would defo be considered as creative art.
