Spinning 1 genre

[kINEkT]

I read it in another topic and I think it needs it's own discussion.

Is there something wrong with DJ's who focus on a single genre? If so, why?

I personally want to know my music better than anyone else. You have to spend hours and hours to know that 2 certain tracks mix the absolute best out of 350 and remember them all on top of that. I like to layer and program my mixes beyond a standard end track/start track mixing DJ. I don't think that is selfish in any way like people insist that this person would only think about themselves and not what the people want to hear. I want to look at a flier and see a dj name and know what to expect. I want to hear the latest and greatest in what they bring! This creates excitement and helps build a reputation for a dj. I guess if your plans are to only play bars and clubs where the crowd doesn't really care who is spinning, sure, but dj's who become regional and international don't spin 20 styles of music, they are known for certain sound. If you want any chance of making it that far you have to be known for what you spin.

I have to also add that I do mix a little bit of other genres on the side but nowhere near the amount of hardstyle. I have yet to play anything else at a gig but I think I will be playing hard trance/hard dance electro set sooner or later. As far as my reputation goes though when people want hardstyle they will see my name.

[DJ Lalka]

I read it in another topic and I think it needs it's own discussion.

Is there something wrong with DJ's who focus on a single genre? If so, why?

I personally want to know my music better than anyone else. You have to spend hours and hours to know that 2 certain tracks mix the absolute best out of 350 and remember them all on top of that. I like to layer and program my mixes beyond a standard end track/start track mixing DJ. I don't think that is selfish in any way like people insist that this person would only think about themselves and not what the people want to hear. I want to look at a flier and see a dj name and know what to expect. I want to hear the latest and greatest in what they bring! This creates excitement and helps build a reputation for a dj. I guess if your plans are to only play bars and clubs where the crowd doesn't really care who is spinning, sure, but dj's who become regional and international don't spin 20 styles of music, they are known for certain sound. If you want any chance of making it that far you have to be known for what you spin.

a "certain sound" doesn't constitute one genre. So you could spin a 6 hour hardstyle set? and keep people into it? Also its different if a promoter hires you to play a certain genre, but again, this thread is a spin off of a thread about promoters in Las Vegas, not that you can spin a harstyle set in germany or italy and have them into it.

[JPaul]

Well the thing is I like SOOO many different genres of EDM, I mainly spin techno, electro, progressive, house. But i like trance, drum and bass, etc etc. I've spun all of them and wouldn't mind spinning all of them, I just enjoy what i mainly spin better, i feel personally just from spinning those genres that I'm much better at them. I don't think there's anything wrong with a DJ that JUST spins one type of music at all. I do of course love when some DJs switch it up though. Throw in something every once in awhile that makes you go OMG WTF!? Like when diesel boy threw down a Justice mix in the middle of his DNB set. That was the highlight of my night!

[nawenipwod]

I play records that I like. I'm not trying to represent any one genre. But I do think I have a distinctive sound. It generally comes out as a cross between tribal house, minimal techno, and a touch of progressive. I gravitate toward records in the 110-120BPM range (which from what I gather is very slow for Vegas).

Most of what I've been buying lately is minimal techno, because I like what a lot of the producers in that genre are doing right now. A few years ago it was mostly progressive tech house & Detroit techno.

I think DJing is a very flexible art, there are as many ways to do it as there are DJs. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it. A lot of people will say there is. I think they are completely wrong. I've had quite a few people (usually ravers, not DJs) completely freak out because they think I'm not doing it right, just because I'm not doing it in a way that sounds familiar to them. I've always been more of a musician's musician, i.e. people who know a lot about music appreciate me more than your average cheese-craving mob audience.

Personally, I don't carefully program ANY of my sets (including demos). My approach is more like free jazz or stream of consciousness. I'm not saying that makes me a better DJ than anyone else, it's just the way I do it. I DJ for fun and not really for anything else, and to be anal & super-detailed about it would make it a total bore for me.

[kINEkT]

a "certain sound" doesn't constitute one genre. So you could spin a 6 hour hardstyle set? and keep people into it? Also its different if a promoter hires you to play a certain genre, but again, this thread is a spin off of a thread about promoters in Las Vegas, not that you can spin a harstyle set in germany or italy and have them into it.

If someone booked me 6 hours I'd play 2 and ask some friends to come n play. :dance: I don't really care to be "the DJ man" who can cater to any crowd anywhere any place any time. If its hardstyle or hard trance or hard techno I think most people react the same to them. U either like it or you dont. Obviously it is different if a promoter hires you to play a certain genre, but I thought almost all gigs were that way? I don't care if i get to get out and DJ or not. If i spun house I could get club gigs with some of my reputation, but instead I choose my passion and love and want to do whatever it takes to expose that sound. In my line of music it is just one genre because hardstyle itself is becoming more broad. I could come up with 12 different subgenres like trance or house has but anything 145-150bpm with a hard bass is hardstyle. As a DJ it is my job to expose what I love & feel and not cater to the mainstream. All depends on what your goal and purpose is cause I feel as if I am more of a specialized DJ. When u see kinekt you know its gonna be hard and bangin! This is just my opinion and i do not think it is wrong if someone chooses to be a DJ that caters to crowds and plays whatever at a gig.

I play records that I like. I'm not trying to represent any one genre. But I do think I have a distinctive sound. It generally comes out as a cross between tribal house, minimal techno, and a touch of progressive. I gravitate toward records in the 110-120BPM range (which from what I gather is very slow for Vegas).

Most of what I've been buying lately is minimal techno, because I like what a lot of the producers in that genre are doing right now. A few years ago it was mostly progressive tech house & Detroit techno.

I think DJing is a very flexible art, there are as many ways to do it as there are DJs. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it. A lot of people will say there is. I think they are completely wrong. I've had quite a few people (usually ravers, not DJs) completely freak out because they think I'm not doing it right, just because I'm not doing it in a way that sounds familiar to them. I've always been more of a musician's musician, i.e. people who know a lot about music appreciate me more than your average cheese-craving mob audience.

Personally, I don't carefully program ANY of my sets (including demos). My approach is more like free jazz or stream of consciousness. I'm not saying that makes me a better DJ than anyone else, it's just the way I do it. I DJ for fun and not really for anything else, and to be anal & super-detailed about it would make it a total bore for me.

Great post! I agree and all my replies are simply describing my view. I respect your opinion very much! We each have a different cup of tea and there is no wrong way to drink it (except for trainwrecks of course, that might spill the cup just a bit)

[nawenipwod]

Great post! I agree and all my replies are simply describing my view. I respect your opinion very much! We each have a different cup of tea and there is no wrong way to drink it (except for trainwrecks of course, that might spill the cup just a bit)

Right on, thanks for the props.

:thumbsup:

I think trainwrecks are very subjective. I don't mind a bit of technical sloppiness if a DJ is doing something interesting when it happens (think Richie Hawtin). What I don't like is full-on sloppy-drunk trainwrecks. You have to be aware of what your mixing sounds like, and when something sounds like crap it's important to fix it quick.

I think it depends on the situation & venue too. At a casual/underground event I'm going to give a DJ a lot more leeway on all counts. But a touring headliner at a super-club/massive should sound pretty close to perfect. That's why they make the big bucks.

[alienudg]

You can DJ however you want, just depends on what you wanna get out of it, and its like everything else in life, you get out what you put into it.

Here is a quote and 2 paragraphs from the book, 'How to DJ Right - The Art and Science of playing records"
A book every aspiring dj should read.

Quote from Todd Terry of DJ Times
"You got to play everything; you got to move the crowd. I don't think it should all be a house set or all drum 'n' bass set. It should be little snippets of everything, a variety. A lot of DJs stopped being diverse, stopped trying new things. They started to get more safe. They probably just didn't know any better."

1. Create your own freedom
"If your audience is unadventurous, it's your duty to re-educate them, not to join their ranks. Now that dance music is everywhere, a real conversatism has crept in. People seem to think there's a right and wrong way to play records. DJs worry that if they don't serve up exactly whats expected, they'll lose their place in line. This is bullshit. You have all the freedom in the world, and if you don't, you have only yourself to blame. OK, a generation of bad DJs has trained audiences to expect a snare roll every two minutes and a tempo that would wear out a bluebottle, but it's your responsibility to fight this, not to meekly accept it and then moan to anyone who listens."

Thats paragraph one from the chapter. Sounds like most DJs I have come across these days. I went to Together As One in LA. Sasha & Digweed had a 4 hour set. It was flawless. how many of you could do a 4 hour set and keep it interesting and keep your audience into it? I know I can. Is it hot headed?? No, I just know I can because ive done it on many occasions and for longer, like 6 hours. It never gets boring when you can spin several genres.

2. Explore other genres
"A great DJ should just play one kind of music - good music. Genre catagories are artificial boundries, and the best DJs stride over them. Pick up great tunes whatever their style, otherwise you'll get stuck in a cupboard, Genres help us talk about music, help us describe a song or a scene, but the only reason to keep different kinds of music apart is for marketing: it makes it easier to sell tickets. Admittedly, as Pete Tong point out, for a DJ trying to get out, there's a lot of commercial pressure to stick to a narrow style: "It's quite sad if a DJ's starting out today and wants to make his reputation. He has to be very niche and had to have a sound. While I understand that, I think that's quite limiting." Damn right it's limiting. So don't stand for it. It's good for establishing yourself, but at home, at your friends' parties, once your established, play what the hell you like. To be a great DJ, you have to keep your ears open."

Sure, everyone has their own opinion of what it takes to be a DJ, and heres mine..
If you cant rock a dance floor for multiple hours, and keep your audience going by keeping your set interesting..your very far from being a DJ. Whats a 1 hour set?? Nothing. It takes me 1 hour just to get warmed up and into it, by 2 hours im jamming out, try and stop me. BUT can you do that spinning one genre. Hell no.

So, what do you want from being a DJ. To play for free from venue to venue for your friend/promoters who don't respect the hard work your putting into your music while they charge 15 at the door? Fuck that.

What I want from being a DJ is to get paid for being a professional DJ. Bottom line. That is the goal, and if your not shooting for that then its just a hobby for you, just a really expensive hobby.

I can't think of any international DJ's that only spin one style EXCEPT for some hardstyle names. And when do they come to the US..never. Its about sound, not genre.

[kINEkT]

I agree with ya but,
What I meant was 1 style, not 1 genre specifically.

And almost all international dj's play their specific style.

Carl Cox plays his techno flavored house
Infected Mushroom plays their pumpin psytrance
DJ Bam Bam plays his chicago house
DJ Icey plays his funky & florida breakbeats
DJ Isaac, DJ Activator and showtek play their hardstyle, and yes they both have played in chicago, los angeles, and new york within the last 6 months.

and on and on and on and on.

The article you just quoted is merely opinion. So you have to put hiphop, house, breakbeats and drum n bass all in a mix for variety? Sure it is interesting I guess but when I see a DJ I am there specifically to experience the sound of EDM that they represent. I know I am seeing a master of that sound before my eyes, not some dj shmuck who buys music of every genre known to man and mashes it all together.

It also depends on the style. Someone who plays progressive can jump between trance, house, and techno pretty easily. U could even throw in some breakbeats. Those genres give you more variety. melodic trance, speed garage, dubstep, hardstyle, ambient, idm, acid techno, nrg, happy hardcore, gabber, etc are example styles where I would not want to hear shit all over the place I want the best of that genre for an hour or 2.

Nobody is wrong in this discussion so keep it goin!

We all do it for different reasons and mine is to simply expose music which is not mainstream. I don't care about getting paid. I have always been an advocate of underground sounds so maybe that is what drives me.

I understand your point though and there should be a variety in the way dj's present themselves.

[alienudg]

So then, you wanna be a rave style DJ only, spinning the peak time slot everytime you play out, have you earned that? Good luck with the raves. I want to be a DJ. Spinning dance music for people who wanna dance, not only music related to drugs. We just want something different out of it. Does that mean im only going to be able to spin at bars and clubs. Nope, because I can still spin hard styles for a 'rave' if I had the connection.

One thing I do definatly disagree with is when you said earlier how it takes several hours to know 2 songs go good together. Thats insane. I download a song, listen to it and know within 30 seconds several songs it goes good with. You dont need to spend endless hours working 2 songs together....also, you said people react the same to certian styles. And this is only semi true. People on drugs at a rave....don't care much either as long as its electronic.

[DJ Lalka]

DJ Bam Bam - Chicago house?

Frankie Knuckles, Godfather of chicago house, don't disrespect the man.

[kINEkT]

Yes! I love raves. I don't go to clubs if you didn't notice. Sure, you could spin hardstyle if you had a connection, but have you deserved that? Take Super K! for example. He's a vegas local and spins happycore only, and he is spinning at parties across the entire west coast.

What I meant was mixing every track in my collection with one another. I did not mean multiple hours for 2 tracks heh that would be insane.

When did drugs come into the convo? That is irrelevant. People do drugs in clubs too. Let's not even go down that road, it doesn't even relate.

DJ Bam Bam - Chicago house?

Frankie Knuckles, Godfather of chicago house, don't disrespect the man.

chicago hard house

it was just an example...

[DJ Lalka]

I guess its that I'm influenced by SOOOOO much music. There's so much amazing music out there that I love and I know others love.

From Jazz to classic rock.... from blues to alternative. Disco to funky/soul. Theres to much music out there to concentrate on one genre.

[kINEkT]

I grew up on punk music so I need it hard when I mix.

I still like all that music but I'll let you DJ it!

You know I actually played jazz and classical I played trumpet for 9 years.

[DJ Lalka]

I grew up on punk music so I need it hard when I mix.

I still like all that music but I'll let you DJ it!

You know I actually played jazz and classical I played trumpet for 9 years.


http://neworleanscitybusiness.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/trumpet.jpg

[alienudg]

What I mean with the drugs is..harder styles of electronic music are geared towards people on drugs. How many people you know just sit around and listen to adrenalin pumping music just chillin at home? Not to many or hardstyle would be all over america. Its not tho..its at raves where people are fucked up. yeah, people do drugs at clubs to, but adults looking to have a nice evening out want to hear a variety of music and as a DJ thats what I wanna do. We have different outlooks, and thats whats great about it. If everyone was the same, it would suck worse than it does right now.

Do I deserve to play out? Ive been bedroom DJing for 16 months now, ive only played out 5 times. My sets were all 2 1/2 hours or more, and a 5 hour tag set. I have a very nice understanding of how to develope and build a set. I believe now after all the work ive put into it I should be able to play out and get paid for my hard work. I see lots of other DJs playing out live after only been spinning for several months.

[DJ Lalka]

You know what I miss... I miss rumaging through vinyl @ a store. God that was fun as hell. We'd be in Toronto for a show back around 1997-2004. Spend hours listening to every fucking record. @ first it was to waste time before an event.... then it led into grabbing good tunes!!!

Then we'd hit the next shop. The non DJ's with us would get all pissy and bounce on us.

I totally miss digging for gems :)

[kINEkT]

You are right we do have different intentions and I respect whatever you plan to do! I want to play beyond this city around everywhere and I think I am headed in the right direction by having focus on my style and networking. I want to play rave circuits around the states and I don't agree they are not entirely about drugs anymore like they use to be. To each their own though I'm not worried about what people are doing. Everyones drinking or doin somethin..

[DJ Lalka]

I don't agree they are not entirely about drugs anymore like they use to be.

what fun is a rave then.....

[kINEkT]

let's not make this a drugs at raves discussion. People do drugs or alcohol and people are sober at every event. Bar club rave house party. Raves in the 90's were 100% people on e

I probably seem like a lil bit of a hypocrite when i say this but i have been buying a lil bit of extra styles lately that wont mix with hardstyle at all. I want to be recognized for a sound so I can be brought to other cities and states but locally I may throw down some other bangin house/dance genres to accommodate. :P I am also learning to produce and eventually DJ some of my own music too.

[Tyronetrice2000]

I agree with the poster that you get what you put into it and what you want out of it. I personally only spin Hardstyle and a little hardcore, but I could see myself spinning electro. I could never be that DJ in a club who spins the 70% of the same hip hop songs every night for the last 10 years, just grinding it out. To each his own I guess.

[Detn8or]

Do I deserve to play out? Ive been bedroom DJing for 16 months now, ive only played out 5 times. My sets were all 2 1/2 hours or more, and a 5 hour tag set. I have a very nice understanding of how to develope and build a set. I believe now after all the work ive put into it I should be able to play out and get paid for my hard work. I see lots of other DJs playing out live after only been spinning for several months.

All Ill say about this is pay your dues.. There isnt a promoter I know in America who would pay you after only playing out 5 times..

Focusing on 1 genre isnt bad or good.. Ive brought Donald Glaude out here twice to play DnB. It does really depend on what you want out of it. Although, If you notice every superstar out there is known for 1 sound, and all of them really stick to that sound. There are a couple who crossed over to other sounds, Like Rap hasnt played DnB for like 2 years, Craze dabled in DnB for a few years, etc, but those moves didnt do much for there careers.

When you see Carl Cox you know exactly what your going to hear, same with Tiesto, Dan, you name it. Kind of like rock too, there is that signature sound that everyone wants to hear from you and everyone is expecting from you. If you went to see Led Zepplen and they started playing some beebop people would be pissed and it would ruin there value.

But people who are not that level it doesnt really matter if you played other genres, in fact sometimes its fun. In seattle they used to do a night once a every few months where you did musical boxes. They took a DnB, House, Breaks, and Trance DJ and would switch up each others record bag. It was fun, it was like Jaye..Ruue playing Jordan Stevens records, Jordan playing Paul G stuff stc.

[kINEkT]

Great post Mike I agree on everything you said!

Also the point of cost of music. For your average local DJ who could afford to stay on top of the latest music for a multitude of genres? My take is most are downloading free bootlegs and rips. I admit at a point in time I had done the same but only for personal use. I've never used music I have not paid for at an event I have played. It is just wrong ya know. If I wanted to DJ all the music I liked to listen to, I'd be spending anywhere around $800-1000 a month just on mp3's. Take in to account dj's who still prefer vinyl exclusively and that amount is 5 fold higher. Even with my selected genres I am spending around $100 a month which ain't too bad but I don't make money from gigs yet so.. ya know. I am sure if you get paid nice every gig buying music in large quantities is not such a big deal. Hell I would even spin vinyl only if I brought in $1000 a month dj'ing. Why not?

[RT_Random]

i'm too lazy to read the whole page since it's 6 am. but reading the first 2 line of the page i say it's nothing wrong with a DJ concentrating on one genre. to each his own.

[Black Cat]

In all actuality, a dj who is multi-genre talented is often booked in more places. Sure, they are known for a particular sound, but overall a dj who can perform a quality cross genre set will get booked. Raves, clubs, whatever. A house dj that dabbles into breaks during a set is more likely to get booked for a variant of events.

Many years ago, it wasn't so strange that a dj would play for two or three hours and cross pollinate a set with several different genres and sounds. A set of this length containing all similar tracks would become tiresome. So a "good" dj was often judged not by one sound, but how he/she blended many sounds together. Hence, the "art" of dj-ing. Today, there is an insane amount of music being produced and remixed by not only pros, but amateurs as well. Add into the mix that the "power hour" sets are now the norm. It only allows the dj to focus on the top tracks of his top genre.

On topic of trainwrecking...
I had the pleasure of booking a rather prominent global dj a few years back whom said this about the subject: "There is no such thing as a perfect set. This is what makes a talented dj. Any dj who can claim perfectly flawless sets everytime is either a liar or are full of themselves. A "good dj" will trainwreck from time-to-time. The key is to be able to pull yourself out of it with skill."

On "paying your dues"....
Let's face it. Everybody is a dj these days. Everybody is a damn promoter. And if you're not either, you are familiar with somebody who is. Sure you love the music but you have to ask yourself, "am I truly any better than the guy next to me?" To many people want that instant gratification of thousands bouncing to the music you throw down. Very few realize that it takes time to recognize what makes people bounce. When to drop what. When to shift key. When to change up. When to hype a set and when to play it down. These are skills you can only get from practicing and playing in front of people. But you can't expect to drop beats to a crowd of thousands on your first set. You have to build up to it. This is where "paying one's dues" comes into play. Learn your sound, learn the crowd, learn different setups. Learn from those on different levels as you. Learn from observation. Learn from small experimentations (ie: cross genre mixing, playing different styles at smaller parties, etc.).

As for a full-fledged record/dj store here in Vegas....
I'm actually working on getting one up and running by October of this year. Being as this is a business, it takes time, money and planning.

[nawenipwod]

On topic of trainwrecking...
I had the pleasure of booking a rather prominent global dj a few years back whom said this about the subject: "There is no such thing as a perfect set. This is what makes a talented dj. Any dj who can claim perfectly flawless sets everytime is either a liar or are full of themselves. A "good dj" will trainwreck from time-to-time. The key is to be able to pull yourself out of it with skill."

This is very well-put. Also the more complicated your technique is, the more likely you are to trainwreck or at least get noticeably sloppy. I get so sick of hearing DJs who just sound like they are trying not to trainwreck and play everything in a conventional/safe way. It's like they are afraid to try anything weird or interesting.

In all actuality, a dj who is multi-genre talented is often booked in more places. Sure, they are known for a particular sound, but overall a dj who can perform a quality cross genre set will get booked. Raves, clubs, whatever. A house dj that dabbles into breaks during a set is more likely to get booked for a variant of events.


This is true, but it's not everyone's goal to be a famous or even a pro DJ. Or a crowd-pleaser. I approach it as self-expression & a passionate hobby. I love music as art but the industry/business side of it has always made me sick, because the music I love to play is rarely the music I can get paid to play. When I play music I don't like, it's just work, like pumping gas for someone or asking "would you like fries with that?"

Kudos to the pro DJs out there who really love what they do though, I'm not trying to bring them down. I just don't have that "all music is awesome" mentality.

[Black Cat]

This is true, but it's not everyone's goal to be a famous or even a pro DJ. Or a crowd-pleaser. I approach it as self-expression & a passionate hobby. I love music as art but the industry/business side of it has always made me sick, because the music I love to play is rarely the music I can get paid to play. When I play music I don't like, it's just work, like pumping gas for someone or asking "would you like fries with that?"

Kudos to the pro DJs out there who really love what they do though, I'm not trying to bring them down. I just don't have that "all music is awesome" mentality.

I agree to this to a point. But if you want to be a dj in which you are being paid to do what you love or for that matter a producer creating music for consumption. You sometimes have to work outside your comfort zone.

Just recently, I did an audio setup for another prominent house dj who was booked by his agent to play at a private pool party at the Mandalay Bay. I recognized him but have never really had the opportunity to talk with him. Anyway, he tells me that he plays these gigs simply to get paid. It pays his bills. He knows the crowd will not likely know the music, but he works it (and he did mind you) so they did enjoy themselves. He went further to say that it's in the nightclubs and underground parties where he really thrives. That's where the creativity in his art really shows.

The guy still gets to play house music for a living (even at corporate private joints) and pushes his music in places where it will be appreciated.