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Disc jockey

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(Redirected fromDisc jockies)
"DJ", "DJs", and "Deejay" redirect here. For other uses, seeDJ (disambiguation),DJs (disambiguation),andDeejay (disambiguation).

ClubDJRobert Hood
Club DJEllen AllienatMAGMA festival2006, in Tenerife, Spain
DJ workplace in anightclub,consisting of threeCDJs(top), threeturntablesforvinyl recordsand aDJ mixer

Adisc jockey,more commonly abbreviated asDJ,is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs includeradio DJs(who host programs onmusic radiostations), club DJs (who work atnightclubsormusic festivals),mobile DJs(who are hired to work at public and private events such as weddings, parties, or festivals), andturntablists(who use record players, usuallyturntables,to manipulate sounds onphonograph records). Originally, the "disc" in "disc jockey" referred toshellacand latervinyl records,but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons whomixmusic from other recording media such ascassettes,CDsordigital audio fileson aCDJ,controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names.[1]

DJs commonly use audio equipment that can play at least two sources of recorded music simultaneously. This enables them toblend tracks togetherto create transitions between recordings and develop uniquemixesof songs. This can involvealigning the beatsof the music sources so their rhythms and tempos do not clash when played together and enable a smooth transition from one song to another. DJs often use specializedDJ mixers,smallaudio mixerswithcrossfaderandcuefunctions to blend or transition from one song to another. Mixers are also used to pre-listen to sources of recorded music inheadphonesand adjust upcoming tracks to mix with currently playing music. DJ software can be used with aDJ controllerdevice to mix audio files on a computer instead of a console mixer. DJs may also use amicrophoneto speak to the audience;effects unitssuch asreverbto create sound effects andelectronic musical instrumentssuch asdrum machinesandsynthesizers.

Etymology

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The term "disc jockey" was ostensibly coined by radio gossip commentatorWalter Winchellin 1935 to describe the radio work ofMartin Block.The phrase first appeared in print in a 1941Varietymagazine. Originally, the word "disc" in "disc jockey" referred tophonograph or gramophone recordsand was used to describe radio personalities who introduced them on the air.[2][3]

Role

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"DJ" is used as an all-encompassing term to describe someone who mixes recorded music from any source, includingvinyl records,cassettes,CDs, ordigital audio filesstored onUSB stickor laptop. DJs typically perform for a live audience in anightclubor dance club or a TV, radio broadcast audience, or anonline radioaudience. DJs also create mixes, remixes and tracks that are recorded for later sale and distribution. Inhip hop music,DJs may create beats, using percussionbreaks,basslinesand other musical contentsampledfrom pre-existing records. In hip hop, rappers and MCs use these beats torapover. Some DJs adopt the title "DJ" as part of their names (e.g.,DJ Jazzy Jeff,DJ Qbert,DJ ShadowandDJ Yoda). Professional DJs often specialize in a specific genre of music, such astechno,houseorhip hopmusic. DJs typically have extensive knowledge about the music they specialize in. Many DJs are avid music collectors of vintage, rare or obscure tracks and records.

Types

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Club DJs

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DJPete Rockperforming at Rahzel and Friends – Brooklyn Bowl, 2016

Club DJs, commonly referred to as DJs in general, play music at musical events, such as parties atmusic venuesor bars, clubs, music festivals, corporate and private events. Typically, club DJs mix music recordings from two or more sources using different mi xing techniques to produce a non-stopping flow of music. Mi xing began with hip hop in the 1970s and would subsequently expand to other genres in especially (but not exclusively) dance music.

One key technique used for seamlessly transitioning from one song to another isbeatmatching.A DJ who mostly plays and mixes one specific music genre is often given the title of that genre; for example, a DJ who playship hop musicis called a hip hop DJ, a DJ who playshouse musicis a house DJ, a DJ who playstechnois called a techno DJ, and so on.[citation needed]

The quality of a DJ performance (often called a DJ mix or DJ set) consists of two main features: technical skills, or how well the DJ can operate the equipment and produce smooth transitions between two or more recordings and a playlist; and the ability of a DJ to select the most suitable recordings, also known as "reading the crowd".[4]

Hip hop DJs

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DJ Kool Herc,Grandmaster Flash,andAfrika Bambaataawere members of a block party at South Bronx from 1973 onwards. Kool Herc played records such as James Brown's "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose",Jimmy Castor's"It's Just Begun",Booker T. & the M.G.'s'"Melting Pot",[5]Incredible Bongo Band's "Bongo Rock"and"Apache",and UK rock band Babe Ruth's"The Mexican".With Bronx clubs struggling with street gangs, uptown DJs catering to an older disco crowd with different aspirations, and commercial radio also catering to a demographic distinct from teenagers in the Bronx, Herc's parties had a ready-made audience.[6][7][8]

DJ Kool Herc developed the style that was the blueprint forhip hop music.Herc used the record to focus on a short, heavily percussive part in it: the "break".Since this part of the record was the one the dancers liked best, Herc isolated the break and prolonged it by changing between two record players. As one record reached the end of the break, he cued a second record back to the beginning of the break, which allowed him to extend a relatively short section of music into a" five-minute loop of fury ".[9]This innovation had its roots in what Herc called "The Merry-Go-Round", a technique by which the DJ switched from break to break at the height of the party. This technique is specifically called "The Merry-Go-Round" because according to Herc, it takes one "back and forth with no slack."[10]

Radio DJs

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Main article:Radio personality

Radio DJs or radio personalities introduce and play music broadcasts onAM,FM,digitalorInternet radiostations.[11][12]

Dancehall/reggae deejays

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Main article:Toasting (Jamaican music)

InJamaican music,a deejay (DJ) is areggaeordancehallmusician who sings and "toasts"(recites poetry) to an instrumentalriddim.Deejays are not to be confused with DJs from other music genres like hip hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who selectriddimsto play are called selectors. Deejays whose style is nearer to singing are sometimes calledsingjays.

The term deejay originated in the 1960s and 1970s when performers such asU-RoyandKing Stitttoasted over the instrumental (dub music) versions of popular records. These versions were often released on the flip side to the song's45 record.This gave the deejays the chance to create on-the-fly lyrics to the music.Big Youth,andI-Roywere famous deejays in Jamaica.

Turntablists

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Main article:Turntablism
DJ Qbertperforming in Rainbow Warehouse inBirmingham(video with close-up photography at the DJ mixer, though without sound)

Turntablists, also called battle DJs, useturntablesandDJ mixerto manipulate recorded sounds to produce new music. In essence, they use DJ equipment as a musical instrument. Perhaps the best-known turntablist technique isscratching.Turntablists often participate in DJ contests likeDMC World DJ Championshipsand Red Bull 3Style.[13]

Residents

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Main article:Resident DJ

A resident DJ performs at a venue on a regular basis or permanently.[14][15][16]They would perform regularly (typically under an agreement) in a particular discotheque, a particular club, a particular event, or a particular broadcasting station.[17][18][19]Residents have a decisive influence on the club or a series of events.[20]Per agreement with the management or company, the DJ would have to perform under agreed times and dates.[15][21]Typically, DJs perform as residents for two or three times in a week, for example, on Friday and Saturday. DJs who make a steady income from a venue are also considered resident DJs.[22][23]

Examples for resident DJs are:[24][25]

Other types

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  • Bedroom DJs — A non-professional DJ who mixes music in their room as a hobby, rather than on radio or in a music venue such as a bar or a nightclub. Bedroom DJs are normally motivated by a desire to hone their skills and have fun with friends. Many professional DJs start out as bedroom DJs but not all bedroom DJs want to become professional - some are content being hobbyists. Most bedroom DJs generally have small set-ups of basic equipment. They might be learning how to DJ on a laptop or have a controller.[26]
  • Mobile DJs— DJs with their own portableaudio sound systemswho specialize in performing atgatheringssuch as block parties, street fairs, taverns, weddings, birthdays, school and corporate events. Mobile DJs may also offer lighting packages and video systems.[27]

  • DJanes — a term describing women DJs used in countries such as Germany that employgrammatical genderin their languages[28]
  • Celebrity DJs — widely knowncelebritiesperforming as DJs.[29]

Women DJs

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Sweden's first female disc jockey was Jill Wernström (1971)

In Westernpopular music,even though there are relatively few women DJs and turntablists,women musicianshave achieved great success in singing and songwriting roles, however, they are given much less representation than men DJs. Part of this may stem from a generally low percentage of women in audio technology-related jobs. A 2013Sound on Soundarticle by Rosina Ncube stated that there are "... few women inrecord productionandsound engineering."[30]Ncube states that "[n]inety-five percent of music producers are male, and although there are women producers achieving great things in music, they are less well-known than their counterparts."[30]The vast majority of students in music technology programs are male. Inhip hop music,the low percentage of women DJs and turntablists may stem from the overall men's domination of the entire hip hop music industry. Most of the top rappers, MCs, DJs, record producers and music executives are men. There are a small number of high-profile women, but they are rare.

In 2007, Mark Katz's article "Men, Women, and Turntables: Gender and the DJ Battle", stated that "very few women [do turntablism] battle[s]; the matter has been a topic of conversation among hip-hop DJs for years."[31]In 2010, Rebekah Farrugia said "the male-centricity ofelectronic dance music(EDM) culture "contributes to" a marginalisation of women in these [EDM] spaces. "[32]While turntablism and broader DJ practices should not be conflated, Katz suggests use or lack of use of the turntable broadly by women across genres and disciplines is impacted upon by what he defines as "maletechnophilia".[31]HistorianRuth Oldenzielconcurs in her writing on engineering with this idea of socialization as a central factor in the lack of engagement with technology. She says:

an exclusive focus on women's supposed failure to enter the field – is insufficient for understanding how our stereotypical notions have come into being; it tends to put the burden of proof entirely on women and to [unreasonably] blame them for their supposedly inadequate socialization, their lack of aspiration, and their want of masculine values. An equally challenging question is why and how boys have come to love things technical, how boys have historically been socialized as technophiles.[33]

Lucy Green has focused on gender in relation to musical performers and creators, and specifically on educational frameworks as they relate to both.[34]She suggests that women's alienation from "areas that have a strong technological tendency such as DJing, sound engineering and producing" are "not necessarily about their dislike of these instruments but relates to the interrupting effect of their dominantly masculine delineations".[35]Despite this, women and girls do increasingly engage in turntable and DJ practices, individually[36]and collectively,[37]and "carve out spaces for themselves in EDM and DJ Culture".[32]A 2015 article cited a number of prominent women DJs:Hannah Wants,Ellen Allien,Miss Kittin,Monika Kruse,Nicole Moudaber,B.Traits,Magda,Nina Kraviz,Nervo,andAnnie Mac.[38]Two years later, another article brings out a list with world-famous women DJs including Nastia, tINY,Nora En Pure,Anja Schneider,Peggy Gou,Maya Jane Coles,andEli & Fur.[39]

American DJThe Blessed Madonnahas been called "one of the world's most exciting turntablists".[40]Her stage name is a tribute to her mother's favorite Catholic saint,Black Madonna.[41]In 2018, The Blessed Madonna played herself as an in-residence DJ for the video gameGrand Theft Auto Online,as part of theAfter HoursDLC.[42]

There are various projects dedicated to the promotion and support of these practices such as Female DJs London.[43]Some artists and collectives go beyond these practices to be more gender inclusive.[44]For example,Discwoman,a New York-based collective and booking agency, describe themselves as "representing and showcasing cis women, trans women and genderqueer [sic] talent. "[45]

In Japan, the newestBushiroadfranchise:D4DJfocuses on an all-women DJ unit.

Equipment

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DJs use equipment that enables them to play multiple sources of recorded music and mix them to create seamless transitions and unique arrangements of songs. An important tool for DJs is the specializedDJ mixer,a smallaudio mixerwith acrossfaderandcuefunctions. The crossfader enables the DJ to blend or transition from one song to another. The cue knobs or switches allow the DJ to "listen" to a source of recorded music inheadphonesbefore playing it for the live club or broadcast audience. Previewing the music in headphones helps the DJ pick the next track they want to play,cue upthe track to the desired starting location, and align the two tracks' beats in traditional situations where auto-sync technology is not being used. This process ensures that the selected song will mix well with the currently playing music. DJs mayalign the beatsof the music sources so their rhythms do not clash when they are played together to help create a smooth transition from one song to another. Other equipment may include amicrophone,effects unitssuch asreverb,andelectronic musical instrumentssuch asdrum machinesand synthesizers.

As music technology has progressed, DJs have adopted different types of equipment to play and mix music, all of which are still commonly used. Traditionally, DJs used twoturntablesplugged into aDJ mixerto mix music on vinyl records. As compact discs became popular media for publishing music, specialized high-quality CD players known asCDJswere developed for DJs. CDJs can take the place of turntables or be used together with turntables. Many CDJs can now play digital music files fromUSB flash drivesorSD cardsin addition to CDs. With the spread of portable laptops,tablets,andsmartphonecomputers, DJs began using software together with specializedsound cardsandDJ controllerhardware. DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware DJ mixer or be used instead of a hardware mixer.

Turntables

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Main article:Turntablism
DJ Spookyat theSundance Film Festivalin 2003, using twoTechnics SL-1200turntables and a DJ mixer

Turntablesallow DJs to play vinyl records. By adjusting the playback speed of the turntable, either by adjusting the speed knob or by manipulating the platter (e.g., by slowing down the platter by putting a finger gently along the side), DJs can match thetemposof different records so their rhythms can be played together at the same time without clashing or make a smooth, seamless transition from one song to another. This technique is known asbeatmatching.DJs typically replace the rubber mat on turntables that keep the record moving in sync with the turntable with aslipmatthat facilitates manipulating the playback of the record by hand. With the slipmat, the DJ can stop or slow down the record while the turntable is still spinning.Direct-drive turntablesare the type preferred by DJs. Belt-drive turntables are less expensive, but they are not suitable for turntablism and DJing, because the belt-drive motor can be damaged by this type of manipulation. Some DJs, most commonly those who playhip hopmusic, go beyond merely mi xing records and use turntables as musical instruments forscratching,beat juggling,and otherturntablismtechniques.

CDJs/media players

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Main article:CDJ

CDJs/media playersare high-quality digital media players made for DJing. They often have large jog wheels andpitch controlsto allow DJs to manipulate the playback of digital files forbeatmatchingsimilar to how DJs manipulate vinyl records on turntables. CDJs often have features such as loops and waveform displays similar to DJ software. Originally designed to play music from compact discs, they now can play digital music files stored onUSB flash drivesandSD cards.Some CDJs can also connect to a computer running DJ software to act as aDJ controller.Modern media players have the ability to stream music from online music providers such as Beatport, Beatsource, Tidal and SoundCloud GO.[46]

DJ mixers

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Main article:DJ mixer
ANumarkDM2002X Pro Master DJ mixer. This three-channel mixer can have up to three input sound sources. Thegaincontrol knobs andequalizationcontrol knobs allow the volume and tone of each sound source to be adjusted. The vertical faders allow for further adjustment of the volume of each sound source. The horizontally-mountedcrossfaderenables the DJ to smoothly transition from a song on one sound source to a song from a different sound source.

DJ mixers are small audiomi xing consolesspecialized for DJing. Most DJ mixers have far fewer channels than a mixer used by a record producer oraudio engineer;whereas standard live sound mixers in small venues have 12 to 24 channels, and standard recording studio mixers have even more (as many as 72 on large boards), basic DJ mixers may have only two channels. While DJ mixers have many of the same features found on larger mixers (faders, equalization knobs, gain knobs,effects units,etc.), DJ mixers have a feature that is usually only found on DJ mixers: thecrossfader.The crossfader is a type of fader that is mounted horizontally. DJs used the crossfader to mix two or more sound sources. The midpoint of the crossfader's travel is a 50/50 mix of the two channels (on a two-channel mixer). The far left side of the crossfader provides only the channel A sound source. The far right side provides only the channel B sound source (e.g., record player number 2). Positions in between the two extremes provide different mixes of the two channels. Some DJs use a computer with DJ software and aDJ controllerinstead of an analog DJ mixer to mix music, although DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware DJ mixer.

Headphones

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Main article:Headphones

DJs generally use higher-quality headphones than those designed for music consumers. DJ headphones have other properties useful for DJs, such as designs that acoustically isolate the sounds of the headphones from the outside environment (hard shell headphones), flexible headbands and pivot joints to allow DJs to listen to one side of the headphones while turning the other headphone away (so they can monitor the mix in the club), and replaceable cables. Replaceable cables enable DJs to buy new cables if a cable becomes frayed, worn, or damaged, or if a cable is accidentally cut.

Closed-back headphones are highly recommended for DJs to block outside noise as the environment of DJ usually tends to be very noisy. Standard headphones have a 3.5mm jack but DJ equipment usually requires ¼ inch jack. Most specialized DJ Headphones have an adapter to switch between a 3.5mm jack and ¼ inch jack. Detachable coiled cables are perfect for DJ Headphones.[47]

Software

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See also:List of music software § DJ software
AscreenshotofMixxxDJ software running onMac OS X

DJs have changed their equipment as new technologies are introduced. The earliest DJs in pop music, in 1970s discos, usedrecord turntables,vinyl records andaudio consoles.In the 1970s, DJs would have to lug heavy direct-drive turntables and crates of records to clubs and shows. In the 1980s, many DJs transitioned tocompact cassettes.In the 1990s and 2000s, many DJs switched to usingdigital audiosuch as CDs andMP3files. As technological advances made it practical to store large collections of digital music files on a laptop computer, DJ software was developed so DJs could use a laptop as a source of music instead of transporting CDs or vinyl records to gigs. Unlike mostmusic player softwaredesigned forregular consumers,DJ software can play at least two audio files simultaneously, display thewaveformsof the files on screen and enable the DJ to listen to either source.

The waveforms allow the DJ to see what is coming next in the music and how the playback of different files is aligned. The software analyzes music files to identify their tempo and where the beats are. The analyzed information can be used by the DJ to help manuallybeatmatchlike with vinyl records or the software can automatically synchronize the beats.Digital signal processingalgorithms in software allow DJs to adjust thetempoof recordings independently of theirpitch(and musicalkey,a feature known as "keylock". Some software analyzes the loudness of the music for automatic normalization withReplayGainand detects the musical key. Additionally, DJ software can store cue points, set loops, and applyeffects.

Astablet computersandsmartphonesbecame widespread, DJ software was written to run on these devices in addition to laptops. DJ software requires specialized hardware in addition to a computer to fully take advantage of its features. The consumer-grade, regularsound cardintegrated into most computer motherboards can only output two channels (one stereo pair). However, DJs need to be able to output at least four channels (two stereo pairs, thus Left and Right for input 1 and Left and Right for input 2), either unmixed signals to send to a DJ mixer or the main output plus a headphone output. Additionally, DJ sound cards output higher-quality signals than the sound cards built into consumer-grade computer motherboards.

Timecode

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Special vinyl records (or CDs/digital files played withCDJs) can be used with DJ software to play digital music files with DJ software as if they were pressed onto vinyl, allowingturntablismtechniques to be used with digital files. These vinyl records do not have music recordings pressed onto them. Instead, they are pressed with a special signal, referred to as "timecode", to control DJ software. The DJ software interprets changes in the playback speed, direction, and position of the timecode signal and manipulates the digital files it is playing in the same way that the turntable manipulates the timecode record.

This requires a specialized DJsound cardwith at least 4 channels (2 stereo pairs) of inputs and outputs. With this setup, the DJ software typically outputs unmixed signals from the music files to an external hardwareDJ mixer.Some DJ mixers have integratedUSBsound cards that allow DJ software to connect directly to the mixer without requiring a separate sound card.

DJ controllers

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Main article:DJ controller

A DJ software can be used to mix audio files on the computer instead of a separate hardware mixer. When mi xing on a computer, DJs often use aDJ controllerdevice that mimics the layout of two turntables plus a DJ mixer to control the software rather than thecomputer keyboard&touchpadon a laptop, or thetouchscreenon atablet computerorsmartphone.Many DJ controllers have an integratedsound cardwith 4 output channels (2 stereo pairs) that allow the DJ to use headphones to preview music before playing it on the main output.[48]

Other equipment

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Techniques

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In the early 1970s in the South BronxGrand Wizzard Theodoreinvented the "DJ scratch" technique, here he is doing his famous "needle drop" at the Experience Music Project in Seattle 2002

Several techniques are used by DJs as a means to better mix and blend recorded music. These techniques primarily include thecueing,equalizationandaudio mi xingof two or more sound sources. The complexity and frequency of special techniques depend largely on the setting in which a DJ is working. Radio DJs are less likely to focus on advanced music-mi xing procedures than club DJs, who rely on a smooth transition between songs using a range of techniques. However, some radio DJs are experienced club DJs, so they use the same sophisticated mi xing techniques.

Club DJ turntable techniques includebeatmatching,phrasingandslip-cueingto preserve energy on a dance floor.Turntablismembodies the art of cutting,beat juggling,scratching,needle drops,phase shifting,back spinningand more to perform the transitions and overdubs ofsamplesin a more creative manner (although turntablism is often considered a use of the turntable as amusical instrumentrather than a tool for blending recorded music). Professional DJs may useharmonic mi xingto choose songs that are in compatible musical keys.[49][50]Other techniques includechopping,screwingandlooping.

Recent advances in technology in both DJ hardware and software can provide assisted or automatic completion of some traditional DJ techniques and skills. Examples includephrasingandbeatmatching,which can be partially or completely automated by using DJ software that performs automaticsynchronizationof sound recordings, a feature commonly labelled "sync". MostDJ mixersnow include a beat counter which analyzes the tempo of an incoming sound source and displays its tempo inbeats per minute(BPM), which may assist with beatmatching analog sound sources.

In the past, being a DJ has largely been a self-taught craft but with the complexities of new technologies and the convergence with music production methods, there are a growing number of schools and organizations that offer instruction on the techniques.[51]

Miming

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In DJ culture,mimingrefers to the practice of DJ's pantomiming the actions of live-mi xing a set on stage while a pre-recorded mix plays over the sound system.[52][53]Miming mi xing in a live performance is considered to be controversial within DJ culture.[54]Some within the DJ community say that miming is increasingly used as a technique by celebrity model DJs who may lack mi xing skills, but can draw big crowds to a venue.[55]

During a DJ tour for the release of the French groupJustice'sA Cross the Universein November 2008, controversy arose when a photograph of Augé DJing with an unpluggedAkaiMPD24 surfaced. The photograph sparked accusations that Justice's live sets were faked. Augé has since said that the equipment was unplugged very briefly before being reattached and the band put a three-photo set of the incident on their MySpace page.[56][57]After a 2013Disclosureconcert, the duo was criticized for pretending to live mix to a playback of a pre-recorded track. Disclosure's Guy Lawrence said they did not deliberately intend to mislead their audience, and cited miming by other DJs such asDavid Guetta.[58]

History

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For the history of club DJs, seeHistory of DJing.
For the history of radio DJs, seeHistory of radio disc jockeys.

Playing recorded music for dancing and parties rose with the mass marketing of homephonographsin the late 19th century.

British radio disc jockeyJimmy Savilehosted his first live dance party in 1943 using a single turntable and a makeshift sound system. Four years later, Savile began using two turntables welded together to form a single DJ console.[59]In 1947, the Whisky à Gogo opened in Paris as the firstdiscotheque.[60]In 1959, one of the first discos in Germany, theScotch Club,opened inAachenand visiting journalist Klaus Quirini (later DJ Heinrich) made comments, conducted audience games, and announced songs while playing records. The first song he played was the hitEin Schiff wird kommenbyLale Andersen.[61][62]

In the 1960s,Rudy Bozakbegan making the firstDJ mixers,mi xing consoles specialized for DJing. In the late 1960s to early 1970sJamaican sound systemculture, producer and sound system operator (DJ), (Jamaican)King Tubbyand producerLee "Scratch" Perrywere pioneers of the genre known asdub music.[63][64]They experimented withtape-based composition;emphasized repetitive rhythmic structures (often stripped of their harmonic elements); electronically manipulated spatiality; sonically manipulated pre-recorded musical materials from mass media;[63]andremixedmusic among other innovative techniques.[64]It is widely known that the Jamaican dancehall culture has had and continues to have a significant impact on the American hip hop culture.[63][64]

Vintage DJ Station. ADJ mixeris placed between the two turntables.
Pioneer DDJ-RXcontroller with the mi xing software rekordbox running on a computer. The physical setup (two "discs" as primary tools, mi xing controls mainly in the middle) of this digital DJ workplace strongly resembles the style of the old analog DJ set above, as the latter was standard and "best practice".

DJturntablismhas origins in the invention ofdirect-drive turntables.Earlybelt-drive turntableswere unsuitable for turntablism and mi xing, since they had a slow start-up time, and they were prone to wear-and-tear and breakage, as the belt would break from backspinning or scratching.[65]The first direct-drive turntable was invented by engineer Shuichi Obata atMatsushita(nowPanasonic),[66]based inOsaka,Japan.[67]It eliminated belts, and instead employed a motor to directly drive a platter on which a vinyl record rests.[68]In 1969, Matsushita released it as theSP-10,[68]the first direct-drive turntable on the market,[69]and the first in their influentialTechnicsseries of turntables.[68]

In 1972, Technics started making theirSL-1200 turntable,featuring high torquedirect drivedesign.[70]The SL-1200 had a rapid start and its durable direct drive enabled DJs to manipulate the platter, as with scratching techniques.Hip hopDJs began using the Technics SL-1200s as musical instruments to manipulate records withturntablismtechniques such asscratchingandbeat jugglingrather than merely mi xing records. These techniques were developed in the 1970s byDJ Kool Herc,Grand Wizard Theodore,andAfrika Bambaataa,as they experimented with Technics direct-drive decks, finding that the motor would continue to spin at the correctRPMeven if the DJ wiggled the record back and forth on the platter.[70]

In 1980, Japanese companyRolandreleased theTR-808,an analogrhythm/drum machine,which has unique artificial sounds, such as its boomingbassand sharpsnare,and ametronome-likerhythm.Yellow Magic Orchestra's use of the instrument in 1980 influenced hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, after which the TR-808 would be widely adopted by hip hop DJs, with 808 sounds remaining central to hip-hop music ever since.[71][72]TheRoland TB-303,abass synthesizerreleased in 1981, had a similar impact onelectronic dance musicgenres such astechnoandhouse music,[73][71]along with Roland's TR-808[72]andTR-909drum machines.[74][75]

In 1982, theCompact Disc(CD) format was released, popularizingdigital audio.In 1998, the first MP3 digital audio player, the Eiger Labs MPMan F10, was introduced. In January of that same year at theBeOSDeveloper Conference, N2IT demonstrated FinalScratch, the first digital DJ system to allow DJs control of MP3 files through special time-coded vinyl records or CDs.[76]While it would take some time for this novel concept to catch on with the "die-hard Vinyl DJs", this would become the first step in the Digital DJ revolution. Manufacturers joined with computer DJing pioneers to offer professional endorsements, the first being Professor Jam (a.k.a. William P. Rader), who went on to develop the industry's first dedicated computer DJ convention and learning program, the "CPS (Computerized Performance System) DJ Summit", to help spread the word about the advantages of this emerging technology.

In 2001,Pioneer DJbegan producing theCDJ-1000CD player,making the use of digital music recordings with traditional DJ techniques practical for the first time. As the 2000s progressed, laptop computers became more powerful and affordable.DJ software,specialized DJsound cards,andDJ controllerswere developed for DJs to use laptops as a source of music rather than turntables or CDJs. In the 2010s, like laptops before them,tablet computersandsmartphonesbecame more powerful & affordable. DJ software was written to run on these more portable devices instead of laptops, although laptops remain the more common type of computer for DJing.

Health concerns

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Main article:Health problems of musicians

The risk of DJs working in nightclubs withloud musicincludesnoise-induced hearing lossandtinnitus.[77]Nightclubs constantly exceed safe levels of noise exposure with average sound levels ranging from 93.2 to 109.7 dB.[78]Constant music exposure creates temporary and permanent auditory dysfunction for professional DJs with average levels at 96dB being above the recommended level, at whichear protectionis mandatory for industry. Three-quarters of DJs have tinnitus[79]and are at risk oftenosynovitisin the wrists and other limbs. Tenosynovitis results from staying in the same position over multiple gigs for scratching motion and cueing, this would be related to arepetitive strain injury.[80]Gigs can last 4-5 hours in thenightlifeandhospitality industry,as a result, there are potentialcomplications of prolonged standingwhich include slouching, varicose veins, cardiovascular disorders, joint compression, and muscle fatigue.[81][82]This is common for other staff to experience as well including bartenders and security staff for example.

In film

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  • Berlin Calling– a German film about fictional DJ and producer Ickarus (Paul Kalkbrenner), who is struggling with drug abuse
  • Speaking in Code– an American documentary film abouttechnoartistsModeselektor,Wighnomy Brothers,Philip Sherburne,Monolakeand David Day
  • Kvadrat– a French and Russian documentary film about the realities oftechnoDJing, using the example of DJ Andrey Pushkarev
  • It's All Gone Pete Tong– a fictionalmockumentaryBritish movie about Frankie Wilde, a DJ who gradually becomes deaf due to drug abuse and an unhealthy lifestyle
  • We Are Your Friends– an American fiction film about a college DJ trying to make it in the DJing scene with "one hit song", starringZac Efron
  • Scratch– a documentary about the hip-hop DJ and the 2000-era turntablist movement
  • Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou– a Japanese anime, originally a manga, about a fictional character named Agetarou who aspires to be a DJ master with the help of his friends and mentor, Big Master Fry.
  • 24 Hour Party People– about the UK music scene from the late 1970s to the "Madchester"scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
  • Human Traffic–about early UK rave counter-culture featuring music and performances by celebrated DJs Fatboy Slim, CJ Bolland, Carl Cox, and Mad Doctor X.
  • Turn Up Charlie– a 2019 series about a struggling DJ, played byIdris Elba,who is also a bachelor trying to make it again after a one-hit back in the 1990s
  • Spin- a 2021 Disney Channel Original Movie about an Indian-American teen who gets he love for DJ'ing from Max, an English Transfer Student
  • Avicii: True Stories– a documentary film aboutAvicii,a Swedish producer and DJ who was popular in the early to mid 2010s

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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Notes

[edit]
  • Assef, Claudia (2000).Todo DJ Já Sambou: A História do Disc-Jóquei no Brasil.São Paulo: Conrad Editora do Brasil.ISBN85-87193-94-5.
  • Brewster, Bill, and Frank Broughton (2000).Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey.New York: Grove Press.ISBN0-8021-3688-5(North American edition). London: Headline.ISBN0-7472-6230-6(UK edition).
  • Broughton, Frank, and Bill Brewster.How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records.New York: Grove Press, 2003.
  • Graudins, Charles A.How to Be a DJ.Boston: Course Technology PTR, 2004.
  • Lawrence, Tim (2004).Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970–1979.Duke University Press.ISBN0-8223-3198-5.
  • Miller, Paul D. a.k.a. DJ Spooky,Sound Unbound: Writings on DJ Culture and Electronic Music,MIT Press 2008.ISBN0-262-63363-9ISBN978-0-262-63363-5.
  • Poschardt, Ulf (1998).DJ Culture.London: Quartet Books.ISBN0-7043-8098-6.
  • Zemon, Stacy.The Mobile DJ Handbook: How to Start & Run a Profitable Mobile Disc Jockey Service,Second Edition. St. Louis: Focal Press, 2002.
[edit]
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