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I think the public as a whole has no idea what a DJ is or does. Now with the convenience of computers and beat matching software and music piracy, and even online music stores, there a lot of old DJ’s out there pissed off that someone who’s been messing around with Virtual DJ on their laptop can come in and play sets at clubs they used to dominate.  They say there’s more shitty DJ’s than before, but because they don’t have very much costs to buy vinyl and keep their record collection up to date, they can charge next to nothing and it’s basically killing DJing as an art form.  They don’t know how to beat match and they don’t even know a time when that was a requirement.  I find myself guilty on several of these. But then I realize, that’s ok, because I’m not a DJ. But the artists I aspire to emulate are not DJ’s either, they’re producers who use DJ equipment to perform.  So I have no apologies about that one.

In the context of its greater mainstream use as a word, I’d say the average person has no idea what a DJ is or does.  Most people would say that Deadmau5 or Skrillex are DJ’s and anyone who knows their set list knows that this is technically not the case.  But because no one uses the term Live PA or Live Performing Artist anymore, these acts are described as DJ sets.  Unless people can see you physically making the music at the time, they don’t understand the difference between a DJ and anything else. I have many close personal friends who literally have no idea what a DJ is, and do not care because they don’t go to clubs or listen to electronic music.  So what I’m saying is, to my parents or friends not in ‘the scene’, if I say I’m a producer I get blank stares, but if I say I’m a DJ they’re like ‘Oh, ok that means you make dance music’.  Not only that, but some people I know thought that DJ’s make the music somehow during the set, until I explained it to them.

As a producer, I try to book gigs in order to create fans of my music.  The goal is to try to expose people to my music, the same as a band would.  It’s also to get live feedback on my productions, see what people are enjoying and see what they don’t react well to. This can influence the directions I will take my music when I get back into the studio.  If someone is booking an all-around DJ for a wedding, top 40 club, prom, etc, this is not what I do.  Sure, maybe I could handle something like this, but I’m not good at it.

What prompted this line of thought was originally a simple controller vs. vinyl/CDJ argument.  The idea that some people have is that in order to be a DJ you should be able to turn up anywhere that has CDJ’s and throw down your set with whatever they provide.  I’m realizing that although I use the same tools as a DJ, same techniques, same everything, what I do is not really DJing.  I think of myself as a one-man band. If a band is playing at your local club, do they use the club’s guitars? Probably not.  And from my perspective, I have absolutely no need for a traditional DJ mixing setup, so why should I bother investing in one?  The question is, can I come play some music I made at your event? If the answer is no, then the conversation is over. If the answer is yes, you need to allow me to plug my computer into your mixer at the very least, that’s all I really need. In the end, the audience is not going to care what medium you use to mix on, all they care about is the music.

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