History of Djing

How to DJ

History of DJing:

DJing began with the invention of the phonograph in 1857. It allowed people to create and record sounds on the device to let others listen to. In 1906, Reginald Fessenden played the first music record over the air. Then shortly after, came the disk jockey. As music became more popular, night clubs began to spring up creating a social environment around the uprising. Then came the implementation of music in school dances and other small venues, however, the quality of the equipment meant that the sound quality was often unbearable and distorted. As equipment began to get better, the rise of the modern DJ began. (Dave)

In general terms, a DJ's job is to play a series of records or music in front of an audience for their enjoyment. However, a club DJ is one who approaches the music in a much more creative way by carefully hand picking certain tracks to create a seamless, flowing mix, otherwise known as a set. Every DJ has his or her own technique that they apply when mixing. (Nelo) To be a DJ, one must be a true performer and have the ability to feel the crowd. The DJ should be able to feel the music and have the necessary skills to blend tracks together.

Armin van Buuren is perhaps the most famous DJ worldwide. In his early years, his DJ career did not work out so he set out to get a traditional degree. In his last years of school, his productions took off. After creating chart topping remixes, he wanted to try being a DJ. He has used his talent to create the phenomenon known as A State of Trance which is at its 500th episode. He has DJed at the biggest venues in the world and has had countless sell out raves. Armin van Buuren is just one of the many DJs in the world who have taken the art to the masses.

How to DJ:

For my first DJ set, I chose to do a multiple genre mix, the hardest type of mixing. To create a set, you need a pair of turntables and a mixer. To use effects and to be able to create a more creative mix, you need software such as Traktor or Serato on your computer. I am going to use the Traktor S4 (Figure 1) which is a top of the line DJ controller.

First, I chose a track list that I felt would create a good vibe in a club or party environment. The genres range from Pop, RnB, to Drum and Bass. I started the mix using a custom intro blended with a remix of a Katy Perry song. Then, I blended in the next track by beat matching the two tracks and adding a swoosh sound while transitioning to the next track making sure to keep the flow the same. (Figure 2) I then brought in a beat that slowly raised the bass creating a hard beat. Nearing the end of the track, I transitioned into a remix of a classic club song that everyone would know how to dance to making sure that everyone in the crowd would enjoy the music. After the classic, I transitioned into a portion of Satisfaction by Benny Benassi that had an electro vibe that would allow me to seamlessly transition into another dance classic that had a vastly different beat, keeping the flow going. After Bonkers by Dizzy Rascal, I transitioned to a intermission drum and bass beat, building the beat for the future track. This track would be used to pump up the crowd and get them ready to dance to the high paced final track. For the final track, I chose a drum and bass remix of a UK chart topper, Pass Out by Tinie Tempah remixed by Netsky. (Figure 3) Nearing the end of the set, I made sure to end the song by slowly dropping the bass levels, then trebles, and finally the mids. This allowed me to slowly fade out the track without creating a messy set.

To create the set, it took four hours.