Generally speaking, a DJ’s job is to present a series of records for the enjoyment of the audience. That applies to the radio DJ as well – they play music intermingling it with chat or some sort of comedic performance. The club DJ, on the other hand, does something much more musically creative – s/he presents records by performing them to produce a cohesive musical atmosphere. Songs are carefully chosen, strung together in an improvised story to make a continuous and flowing set. Whether the DJ chooses to dramatically juxtapose songs or unnoticeably overlay and mix them together, he creates new unique music that cannot be found anywhere else. To a large extent, it is possible thanks to the amazing advances in technology that DJs also have …show more content…
In America, it is reputed that the first discotheque, named Le Club, opened on New Year’s Eve in New York in 1960 (Reighley 26). Terry Noel was the first DJ known to purposefully “program” a playlist, namely play a set of records in a particular order to best create and maintain the energy level of the party. Francis Grasso is the earliest known DJ to introduce the concept of “mixing” to the art of record programming. He began “slip cueing” which refers to slamming in a new record on beat with the fading record without interrupting the flow of the program. When Thoren company came out with turntables that had variable speed, called “pitch control”, the concept of blending was born. Francis Grasso quickly picked up on the possibilities offered by the new invention and is credited with the ability to keep two records on beat and in sync for over two minutes. In the meantime, new 12-inch records replaced the traditional 7-inch record and offered the chance to record more music onto the vinyl. In 1975, New York City was the hot spot in the world for dance music and to a large extent, it still is. Clubs started to achieve icon-like status and we can trace the roots of today’s prevailing dance music styles back to the early clubs and DJs, many of whom influenced the way music was to be made, recorded and played in the years to come. Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan were two other DJs and remixers who greatly contributed to the
Normally at a rave, a DJ "spins" to create the music that the ravers hear. The act of spinning is the art of mixing songs together using different pitches, different speeds, and an equalizer to create an ever-flowing, ever-changing wall of sound. In effect, artists record techno songs, which are then reinterpreted and mixed with other techno songs, creating a spontaneous new song.
Aside from producing hit records, DJ Premier owns his own recording label, Year Round Records. One of
DJ Ren Barrera began his career in 1995.He was first introduced into the DJ world by his cousin (Spindication Style DJs) Brian Barrera. In 1996, Sam King “DJ Poison” showed him the way into mixing. Finally, he bought his first set of Turntables: 2 old school Sanyo`s and a Radio Shack mixer. LOL. Crate digging at places like Knight sounds, Amoeba Records, Star Records and Rasputin’s, doing small events and house parties. In 2009, he joined Beat Farm DJ`s with founder Chris “Chrismixx”Balmonte and together done gigs around the Bay Area. Ren has appeared at various nightclubs and private events. Later, he found his way into radio and landed a spot every weekend on 102.5 KDON
It exhibits many famous DJs and groups from that time. Freestyle MCing is shown with rare footage of one of the godfathers of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash, pulling off an awesome scratch-mix set. During this time it was not uncommon for scenes such as the ones in the movie to occur in black discos. Robert Ford, Jr. presents this idea in “Jive Talking N.Y. DJs Rapping Away in Black Discos”, by saying that “rapping DJs reminiscent of early r&b radio jocks … are making an impressive comeback here – not in radio but in black discos where a jivey rap commands as much attention as the hottest new disk” (43).
Kool DJ Herc opened the door to the world for many up and comers such as Grandmaster Flash. DJ Grandmaster Flash and his group the Furious Five were hip-hop, greatest innovators, transcending the genres’ party music origins to explore the full scope of its lyrical and sonic horizons. Grandmaster Flash, born Joseph Saddler, began spinning records as a team growing up in the Bronx. By age 19, while attending technical school courses in electronics during the day, he was also d-jaying on a local disco circuit. Over time he developed a series of groundbreaking techniques including “cutting” (moving between tracks exactly on beat), “back spinning” (manually turning records to repeat brief snippets of sound), and “phasing” (manipulating turntable speeds). In short Grandmaster Flash created the basic vocabulary, which DJ’s continue to follow even today (Brewster and Broughton, 2000).
During the making of his name and act, Hollywood came across a disco DJ that blended songs by matching beats and tempos. Then he played songs with no words or longer beat breaks. One night when DJ Knight, the DJ of the disco club, went to the restroom he let Hollywood DJ and Hollywood had learned the style of the disco DJ and began talking and rhyming over the breaks like he usually did. The original DJ allowed it and soon Hollywood had a regular gig where he could perform. His act grew to involving an apprentice DJ who could spin how Hollywood wanted him to, allowing him to dance and talk/rap freely on stage, and girls on stage dancing with him.
DJ Jazzy Jeff is a big name producer and DJ with many hits and even turntable scratching styles named after him. All of DJ Jazzy Jeff's talent and DJ skills have made him gain a huge following and name as one of the industry's "musical godfathers". Being around for over 20 years in the music industry and a repertoire of Jazz, hip hop and much more he is still releasing music today. He may be best known for working as a duo with Will Smith in his early career days.
DJ Kool Herc is credited as one, if not the originator, of hip-hop. Kool Herc brought his Caribbean style when emigrated from Jamaica in 1967. He began this new musical journey with the desire to bring the powerful Jamaican Dancehall sound system to play music at parties and in the streets. In 1973 he had created his own sound system
4. House music was generally characterized by “repetitive 4/4 beats, rhythms mainly provided by drum machines, off-beat hi-hat cymbals, and synthesized baselines” (Cambell 2012). (insert sound clip here)
In 1987, once again, two boys from Chicago, DJ Pierre and Marshall Jefferson, knew that something had to be done so they have decided to create a new sound by using Roland TB 303 bass synthesizer (the instrument that has appeared in the 1983 in disco via Alexander Robotnick). It was a sound which when emitted from the machine swirl it stabs across House music 4/4 beat and that was completely overpowering the listeners.
DJ Warehouse facilitates DJ Training and Electronic Music Production courses, in addition to providing DJ gear for hire (DJ Warehouse, 2014).
DJs have one simple task: make people dance. Or that's what it used to be.
a. DJ Kool Herc originated the idea of extending beats and isolating beats by using two record players.
Disco is said to have begun in the gay nightclubs of New York City in the mid 1960's. At these clubs Deejays played records from little known black artists and quickly and accidentally began
When musicians produce albums, they want people to listen to the albums. There is not one specific way for a band or single musician to gain an audience and promote their music. Musicians use many different kinds of media to promote their music. They use visual media as well as strictly listening media. The radio, television, and the internet are all different types of media musicians use to promote their music.