-Drunk Girl: "So, like, do you play CDs on that turntable or what?"
-Me: "No, I play records on these."
-Drunk Girl: "...I don't get it, why wouldn't you just play CDs?"
-Me: "The vinyl allows me to mix the songs together so the beat stays constant in between the... you're not getting a word of this, are you?"
-Drunk Girl: "Nope. Do you need a beer?"
This is a real conversation I had with someone at Southeast Missouri State at a Halloween party. The truth is, her confusion isn't all that uncommon. Most people are familiar with DJs, but know very little about what we do or why anyone bothers hiring us when someone could sit at the computer and click MP3 files for free. Don't feel bad, DJs have never made much of an effort to get the word out because we haven't needed to tell people why we're necessary, we continually SHOW them instead. Hopefully this will answer some of your questions and give you some more insight into the world of DJs. So next time you're at a party, you'll know what's going on.
Don't be this girl. Know what makes a party rock.
Why does your party need a DJ?
Disclaimer: in this paragraph, any time I refer to a DJ, I'm assuming that the DJ knows what he is doing and has at least a moderate level of talent.
A DJ is a party expert. He (or she) spends lots of time keeping up with the newest music and should know about all the coolest tracks coming out. A DJ should also have an ear for what makes a good dance soong. Not every song that sounds cool in the car or on the TV is going to sound good and make people dance at a club or party. DJs learn (usually through trial-and-error) which songs will make you dance and which ones will not. Also, when you're at a party, you're suppose to be thinking about having fun, not thinking about conserving your energy at 11pm so that you can dance non-stop from midnight to 2am. DJs do that thinking for you. DJs are responsible for arranging the songs they play in an order that won't wear you out too early. For example, if a party were going on from 10-2 and the place doesn't fill up until about 11, what do you think would happen if I started playing fast music that promotes energetic dancing right at 11 (think of Missy Elliott's "4 My People" for an example)? One of two things would happen if I did that. One, it's likely that no one would dance right away because when people show up to a party, they're more concerned with getting drunk and socializing than dancing. Or two, maybe people would dance, but they would be burnt out and no one would be left to fill the dance floor between 1-2, when everyone should be drunk and having fun. It's a DJs responsibility to not screw this up. We'll plan your night for you, via the music. Remember this the next time you request the #1 song in the nation when it's still early into the night. Don't get pissed when the DJ refuses to play it until later on. He's trying to save it for the right moment, and he knows what he's doing. Let him do his job.
Even once everyone is dancing, let's say at midnight on our theoretical 10-2 party, there's no way you can dance like crazy for 2 hours nonstop (props to you if you can). A DJ will recognize this and will start to play songs that either encourage slower dancing (not necessarily slow-dance songs though) or will play songs that encourage you not to dance at all, so that you can get a beer, piss, and chill out for a minute. After a few songs, the DJ will get you back on your feet with another song that you know you don't want to miss out on. He'll keep you going until he senses that you're getting tired again, and will repeat the cycle. So in review, let's think of a hypothetical situation. Do you think that the drunk frat guy sitting at the computer with iTunes is really thinking that deeply about what song he should play next? Didn't think so. With a good DJ, you'll party harder and party longer.
What is he doing to the music?
We're mixing it. By using turntables or special CD players made for DJs, we use what's called a pitch adjust to change the speed of the song. If the song currently playing is somewhere close to the speed of the next song we want to play, we'll put on the headphones and play the next song in them. We'll listen to the songs together and get them to play at the same speed by using the pitch adjust on the turntable or CD player containing the incoming song. When the time is right, a DJ will blend the songs together so that the beat of the music is matched up and running at the same speed. The end result is a seamless switch between songs. Ok, now I know that the fact that it sounds cool is reason enough to do it, but there's an even better reason. If you're a guy with below average dancing skills like me (just cause I'm a DJ doesn't mean I can dance), then you might agree with me that the hardest part of dancing is making the first move. It's really awkward to go from standing still to dancing if you're not accustomed to dancing often. The goal of DJs is to get everyone to dance, especially the people that don't usually dance. A DJ should get a feeling of accomplishment when we pick a wallflower and get him or her on the dance floor. And after all that hard work getting you to dance, we don't want to lose you. So we make it easier for you to stay by eliminating the "first move" from all the songs. Once you get going, we'll keep the music going non-stop so that you can keep going from song to song without quitting. Mixing is also an important tool to get people to stay and dance longer, cause as a general rule: more dancing equals more fun, and more fun equals more DJ jobs due to the positive response. A DJ basically screws the people who say "Oh, we'll stay for one more song." Why are they screwed? Because through mixing, the song never really ends.
How can I tell if the DJ is good?
Good question, but it's hard to answer with words. Basically, ask yourself if you're having fun. A bad DJ will really screw up a party, and it will be obvious. Good DJs have different characteristics though, some are quiet and reserved (never speaking on a microphone, hidden from view), while some are loud and like to be the center of attention at the party. Either way can be successful. Personally, I keep my mouth shut during a party unless some special need arises. I don't even hook up a microphone until I plan to use it, and then I put it away and tell others that I never did have a mic. Mics are a bad idea around drunk people. Why? Because at some point in history, some jackass invented the "shoutout" and everyone since has decided that it was a great idea. Also, people around my age (21) still think for some reason that it's cool to lie and say that it's your birthday when it's not.
But anyway, here is a quick list of pointers to help you decide if the DJ is worth his headphones:
*Do the people in the room seem to like his music selections? While most DJs specialize in a style of music, they should all be versatile enough to please any crowd. If no one has been dancing all night and it's about closing time, then he's screwed up. There's no excuse for that, save a few extreme circumstances.
*Is he repeating songs over and over? He shouldn't be. Most DJs, as a rule, never play the same songs twice in one night. I have made exceptions to this a few times, but not many. If a DJ is repeating a song, it could mean several things. 1-He doesn't have enough music with him, which means he should wait to DJ parties until he has more music. 2-He is not familiar enough with his music selection to be comfortable choosing different songs. Lack of effort should lead to a lack of employment. 3-He can't hold the dance floor, meaning that every time after he plays the song being repeated, people are leaving no matter what he plays next. So, he plays the same song again a little later to get them back. While sometimes it is impossible to hold a dance floor, a DJ shouldn't resort to desperation by repeating a song over and over again. He should be taking a more creative approach to get people back. DJing isn't supposed to be easy.... 4-He's just not very good. By this I mean that he doesn't understand the basic concepts of DJing and needs to go back to the drawing board and learn what he's doing before he gets behind the decks at a party again. I would never bad mouth any DJ who takes his job seriously and really tries to be good, but some people just don't get it. Some people have a natural talent for mixing, and others have a natural talent for reading crowds and knowing what song to play next. Personally, I had a talent for mixing due to my musical experience (read my bio), but I didn't really know anything about formatting a party when I started. Anyone can learn though, it just takes a lot of effort, hard work, and experience. Any DJ who wants to run a party and isn't willing to practice arranging his songs in an effective way shouldn't be in charge. Plain and simple.
*Did you or your friend get laid? I know this sounds crazy, but the answer to that question can be largely attributed to a DJ. Like I said earlier, DJs are supposed to get and keep people dancing. Dancing (especially hip hop) is a very sexual experience and will get people thinking about sex whether they intend to have it or not. Sometimes a DJ can get people to hook up if he keeps a couple dancing long enough to make them so horny they can't resist. Not to mention, a DJs job is to make sure people have fun. No one gets laid if no one is happy. A bad DJ is like a padlock on your pants.
*Is the DJ getting involved with the crowd? I think that he should be, but this isn't an absolute truth. Some great DJs just stay quiet and play the music they're supposed to play and then leave without a word. But some of the best get very involved with the crowd. Watch DJ Tiesto and Paul van Dyk (who is very shy by nature). These guys are both trance DJs, but they get very involved with the crowd, often leaving their DJ booths and jumping around and dancing with the music. Sometimes it gets dorky, but it works. I've even seen Tiesto stand up on top of his booth before and mix the new song in between his legs. Since I'm not an international superstar, I have the priviledge of going into the crowd without getting mauled. I like to talk to people while songs are playing and see what the mood of people is like on the actual dancefloor. The DJ should be looking up at the crowd a lot too, but this should go without saying. How can the DJ read the crowd without looking at them?
#1 DJ in the world for the past few years, Tiesto watches the crowd's reaction while in the mix.
Paul van Dyk overcomes his shyness on a nightly basis to interact with the crowd.
I hope this first article has been of some use to you, and I hope you feel a little more knowledgeable about DJs if you knew nothing before. And if you already are a DJ, hopefully I've made you feel proud to see how important you really are to a party. Next time you are at a DJed party and you think the DJ is doing a great job, tell him. We always appreciate the positive feedback because our satisfaction is directly linked to yours.
