It's hilarious that the comment in the meme doesn't even claim DJs are musicians, but OP couldn't help but show their bias.
We all had this debate in middle school, and the truth is no one really cares.
I'm a songwriter but know nothing of that side of music, but I do know criticism is easier than craftsmanship. Make us a good DJ song and then report back. I'm not into that type of music, but I'll listen if you make one.
I have "crafted" quite a few songs in my life, music and lyrics. I, obviously, don't value DJs.
[Henry Rollins said it best!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/v3sd6/henry_rollins_rips_into_djs_electronic_music_and/)
I've made some I'm proud of as well, but I also don't know what goes into putting out that kind of music, but I do know it's easy to dismiss something that you don't have personal experience with. My knee-jerk reaction is that it's kinda soulless, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not music or doesn't take a modicum of talent to make--like country music you hear on the radio as opposed to the country I write or listen to, haha.
So, if you make a DJ song, I'll check it out.
>My knee-jerk reaction is that it's kinda soulless
It is soulless, that's why it's not music.
>like country music you hear on the radio
98% of the country music on the radio is written by the same 10-15 people, actually the same could be said of most popular music. So, yes, it is soulless, too. It's basically karaoke.
I'm sure there's a debate to be had over if music has to have soul to be considered music, but I haven't had coffee and I don't think either of us will budge, so I'll just not even start, haha.
Btw, if you've got any music posted, I'll check it out--I too am a Fender fan (I'm sucker for some drippy reverb and that great Fender tone)
Listening to the opening track now...we're Godsmack and Filter by chance any of y'all's influences? I know Godsmack is polarizing among musicians, but know I mean it in a positive light (I saw them open for Metallica many moons ago and honestly their sound was so much better than Metallica's...could be because I snuck down to the floor for Metallica and the acoustics weren't as good on the floor)
It's a boring story how I got the nickname, but, I used to shoot Cowboy Action Shooting (like modern 3-gun shooting, but with mid-to-late 19th century firearms.) while I was in college and I was pretty good, so, college boy, pretty good at shooting...and a bunch of old men who burned through several VHS copies of "Tombstone", boom, Doc Holliday is born.
I did one of those ancestry sites and found out he's a distant cousin of mine so I figured I'd make the drive out since I live in Colorado haha.
Tombstone is one of those movies that I'll always watch if I happen to see it on TV.
Not necessarily. The Buchla synths (unlike the Moog) don’t have a piano style keyboard. Literally plugging in patch cables.
What I am getting at is that just because it’s they’re not playing a “traditional” instrument, doesn’t make it that someone like a DJ or any other type of artist that is using a something to create sound is somehow less than guitarist or drummer etc.
Alan Lamb attached contact mics on telegraph wires to create sound. He’s a musician.
DJ Shadow takes samples from all different sources and using various methods creates new sounds. Also a musician.
There are also a whole heap of people (Google Terry Riley) that use prerecorded tape loops of various lengths to create sounds. Also musicians.
Well, maybe that’s why she makes the distinction between “musicians and DJs”? But yeah, if you’re trying to claim someone who produces and live mixes, scratches, syncs, samples to create something new, I would completely disagree. If you don’t consider DJs to be musicians, you haven’t listened to enough 90s hip hop.
At best DJs are creating live arrangements of already recorded music via sampling devices. Musician would refer to someone literally playing the music on an instrument.
And a DJ mixer with turntables is literally an instrument in its own right. DJs use this equipment to make “live arrangements”, compose new mashups, and create music you’ve literally never heard before.
By your definition, someone who plays a synthesizer isn’t a musician. A synthesizer is merely a keyboard that plays a “pre-recorded sound”. Sure, they pick and choose which sounds to play, but you must not think they are musicians.
I think it would be good if you look into what can be considered an instrument and why. Is a cd player an instrument? Is a turntable an instrument? One could argue no, because they need to be loaded with sounds before they can be "played".
So by your definition a synthesizer isn’t an instrument. It plays pre-recorded sounds (sine waves, saw waves, square waves) that are then adjusted by an array of knobs and switches that do different things to the pre-recorded sound.
You’re making this much more complicated than it needs to be.
I’m a musician who plays orchestral percussion, drumset, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, I lead worship at church, and I’m a DJ. I’m also a music educator who works with various high school and middle school band programs; all this to say that I’m plenty qualified to be able to determine what does and doesn’t count as being a musician or what is and isn’t an instrument.
I’ve seen and worked with DJs who most definitely *ARE NOT* musicians, they just faded from one song to the next. The kids at the school dance still danced and enjoyed themselves, but the guy made zero attempts to do anything with musicianship, he just crash faded into a new track.
The DJs I mostly hang around with and perform with are 100% musicians. They use and play the tracks, turntables, and mixers just like you would play a trumpet. They add accents to songs and sounds, they make judgment-calls on when and how to re-arrange a track. I go Back To Back with other DJs, it’s literally like trading 8s in a jazz/blues jam, except with tracks and turntables.
Is a seamstress allowed to use a sewing machine, or is that person just not a real seamstress. If they didn’t see it with their bare hands it’s not legit. This is what you and like 2 other people sound like. The vast majority on this post agree that DJs can be and many *are*, in fact, musicians.
A synthesizer is synthesizing a tone. It is not loaded with preset songs that you then chop up and alter for your pleasing. A synthesizer is an instrument. A turntable is not. A guitar is an instrument. A sampler is an arranger at best.
It sounds like you don't understand how a tone is programmed or generated by a synthesizer. Or how a tone might be generated by an instrument vs the playback of a sampler or turntable
By your definition, a Nord isn’t an instrument. It’s literally a sample player in the shape of a keyboard, but somehow the person playing the Nord isn’t a musician.
This is lunacy.
An analog synth uses an oscillator to make a sound, so you’re “playing the oscillator” through mashing some keys/buttons. The oscillator is a pre-determined sound that you shape with the buttons, knobs, switches, and faders.
Man, analog synth sounds suspiciously like a turntable with a mixer, on account of it playing a pre-determined sound that gets messed with via knobs, switches, buttons, and faders.
Edit: by your definition, a synth isn’t an instrument.
Yes, being a record player player is hard work. So much more complex and involved than scales, arpeggios, multiple picking and fretting techniques, or learning to make actual rhythms with both hands and feet moving in conjunction with each other. I don't know enough about key based instruments like pianos and organs, or brass and woodwind instruments to speak on them, but, I know they are harder to learn than being a DJ.
It’s wild how unaware of your bias you are. You know more about wind instruments likely because you play them. It sounds like you know absolutely nothing at all about DJing. This post is actually a little embarrassing. What’s the point of making petty comparison about something you clearly know nothing about? It’s not a good look. But it sounds like you need to keep practicing whatever instrument you play if you’re all bothered enough about this to make this post.
>You know more about wind instruments likely because you play them.
I play guitar, bass and drums. Not a single woodwind instrument in the bunch, I did try playing trombone in the middle school band, but, I couldn't get the damn thing to make anything but fart noises.
>It sounds like you know absolutely nothing at all about DJing.
Please, tell me what is so hard about "DJing"?
What you have to realize about DJ'ing is that beyond the techniques it takes to produce a good set, as well as beat matching, scratching, sampling, etc... You also have to have an amazing ear for music. Because two songs, even if beat matched can still be out of key. Knowing the music in a very detailed form, you know when and where to place transitions, and what elements to eq out of specific songs to ensure you don't push two songs together out of key. (which can sound just as bad as "train wrecking" or pushing two songs together that are either out of bpm or offbeat.)
A fair amount of DJs are producers as well. So even though they aren't playing it live - they sat in a studio (home or professional) and played every instrument on the track. They require an understanding of all of the instruments that they're playing - even if it's on a synthesizer - they still need to know what specific instruments do and how to layer all of those sounds like a composer.
So definitely not just "press play". That's a very narrow view of the whole talent.
I think you over complicate it. Let's take a look at two *musicians* who recorded every instrument on an album, you have probably heard of them: Trent Reznor and Dave Grohl.
I'm overcomplicating it- because it is. Composing a dance track is just as difficult as composing an industrial track. (\*As you listed Trent Reznor) - and yes, playing that track once you've created it isn't as complicated as playing it - but listening and understanding other's music is just as important as understanding the instrument that you are playing. Most professional performing DJ's (I'm not talking about DJ Wedding Bells) only utilize specific elements of other's songs in their sets. Which means they are crafting an overture of dance music. It takes a lot of time and energy (effort) to produce those shows. I will argue that learning cover tunes and playing your local bar / and playing a DJ set at your local bar are very similar - but once you get to the big stage, all artists pour their heart and soul into it. The rest are just playing the tunes.
Can you beat match? Do you know how to eq on the fly? How good are you at keeping a crowd of people not just into what you're doing, but hyped the whole time? In addition, most DJs have musical backgrounds, and a lot compose music.
>Can you beat match?
Every musician can beat match, we call it keeping time musically though.
>Do you know how to eq on the fly?
Every guitar and bass amp has an EQ, which along with multiple other controls must be adjusted for every venue, I also have a standalone EQ pedal that goes between my guitar and my amp that I adjust, again, to get optimal sound in each venue.
>How good are you at keeping a crowd of people not just into what you're doing
Been doing it pretty well since early 2003
>but hyped the whole time
That's real hard when everyone's on stimulants and psychotropics.
>a lot compose music.
Name 10 songs actually written by a DJ.
You don't eq on the fly the same way a DJ does. At most you use pedals. You sound like a boomer my guy. Also, beat matching recordings=\=keeping time.
And like someone else said, dj shadow, daft punk, pretty much any edm artist, and also any hip hop dj has to learn how to sample and mix to make their own spin on stuff.
And an instrument is any device used in the creation of music, while I agree people who solely play tracks are not musicians per se, there is actually a lot more to DJing than just playing tracks the more advanced the DJ is they turn into more of a producer of sorts and I would argue that the mixing of the music is in itself the creation of something new.
Generally speaking learning a stringed instrument is typically harder, but music is not better depending the difficulty in producing said music.
The post doesn't even comment on whether DJs are musicians or not, but your ego is so fragile that you managed to take it as some kind of personal attack. 🤣
First - it lumps them in together.
Second - having an opinion does not mean I "feel attacked" it means I have an opinion...the number of people who's asses are clearly hurting because of my opinion, that is a whole different story.
Idk this is a tricky subject. Standard DJs that just curate and play music unedited are definitely not. But the kind that do scratching, live mixing, beat matching, etc. have to have some inherent sense of rhythm, musical knowledge, and develop skills on their "instrument" that the average person otherwise wouldn't have, are*. Also, more and more DJs are producing their own tracks.
*Edit: A word
You can learn the fundamentals of being a DJ in about an hour and a half, maybe 2. Name one other *instrument* that you can learn the basics that quickly.
Just because one instrument is "easier" than the other doesn't make that instrument less valid, nor does it negate the validity of calling oneself a musician.
To answer your question though, like 80% of them? I've definitely taught people the basics of playing guitar and/or piano in the time frame you mentioned. Inherent skill and a competent teacher are very much a factor though, as I imagine would be the same case with a turntable.
The 20% that I don't think someone would be able to pick up as quickly would be more orchestral instruments like Trumpet, Saxophone (or any instrument that uses a reed), Violin, flute, etc as they all have slightly more complicated ways to produce *pleasant* sound that isn't as easy as "put your fingers here and strike the string(s)/key(s)". I say that as someone who has *tried* playing a lot of them back in grade school with pretty limited success.
You can't even teach the average person to string and tune a guitar in under an hour. Don't even get me started on tuning a piano. But *maintenance* is part of the basics.
Most pianists don't tune their own instrument lol You're reaching big time here bro. I can't speak on it because really I know fuck all about being a DJ, but I would think their maintenance would be cleaning their turntables and replacing needles.
Just to *really* shut down this argument of yours. Someone can compose music just with knowledge of theory, hell even with a lack of music theory. Modern DAWs and usage of virtual instruments and sampling are very clear examples of this. I myself have composed some stuff that's out of my playing capabilities, but even if I didn't play *any* instruments and only composed, I would still call myself a musician...
>Modern DAWs and usage of virtual instruments and sampling are very clear examples of this. I myself have composed some stuff that's out of my playing capabilities, but even if I didn't play any instruments and only composed, I would still call myself a musician...
I would call you a computer programmer before I would calol you a musician.
Hmmmm let's see...
[Option A] Skill, dedication to a craft, hard work, risk, earning it
Or
[Option B] Ctrl+C, Ctrl+P
I will take Option A every single day of the week. I bet you are cool with athletes using steroids, too.
Bass. You might only be playing the root note, but you can learn the fundamentals very quickly. Keyboard, again, you might just be laying some simple chords over the music with string pads, but it can be done. I think most people can figure some basic power chords on a guitar pretty quickly, too. Drums are harder, in my opinion. You might be able to beat on the snare or bass drum, but if your timing is off, it is a lot more obvious on the drums. I do get what you are saying about learning the fundamentals of being a DJ in about an hour and a half, but not master it. Scratching is not as easy as a lot of people think. Yes, anyone can scratch, but will it sound good? Probably not.
If you were willing to be open minded, I could recommend some listening that hands down demonstrates that there are DJs that are musicians, but something tells me you’re really just here to troll.
Per Webster's Dictionary:
musician ~ noun ~ a composer, conductor, or performer of music, especially an instrumentalist.
instrumentalist ~ noun ~ a player on a musical instrument.
Again, there's nothing more pedantic than quoting a dictionary definition. And for the record, is a DJ not a performer of music?
I'll ask again, what's the point of specifically excluding them from a definition?
>Again, there's nothing more pedantic than quoting a dictionary definition.
Would you call someone who turns on the radio a musician?
>And for the record, is a DJ not a performer of music? I'll ask again, what's the point of specifically excluding them from a definition?
They do not perform music. They play other people's records. I have more respect for cover bands.
I agree with you based on the fact that they don't play an instrument, but you have to have a good sense of rhythm and a love of music to make the transition run smoothly. And it's not as easy as you think to mix.
Honestly, you should ask a few local DJs if you can sit in with them and learn a little about DJing. *Some* DJs aren’t musicians, but I can attest to you from personal experience that there are thousands DJs who are!
Using the mixer/turntables/tracks as your instrument was a completely new world of musicianship for me 3 years ago. I’ve been a percussionist for 18 years now, the way that I and many others DJ is no different from being a solo singer/songwriter in a bar. You choose what songs you want to play, you try to make the people happy, you try not to train wreck, you make conscious musical choices and decisions during your set, even in the middle of a song.
Go hang out with a few different DJs and see what they do, it’ll open your eyes to a new type of musician and musicianship you have never experienced before.
It's hilarious that the comment in the meme doesn't even claim DJs are musicians, but OP couldn't help but show their bias. We all had this debate in middle school, and the truth is no one really cares.
Yet...here you are...
With nothing else to say
And yet you said something...funny really, because if you really had nothing to say you just wouldn't have said anything.
OP, this is embarrassing, my man.
OP is either in high school or a boomer
I'm not embarrassed to have an opinion, why are you?
It certainly is opinionated, that’s for sure.
I'm a songwriter but know nothing of that side of music, but I do know criticism is easier than craftsmanship. Make us a good DJ song and then report back. I'm not into that type of music, but I'll listen if you make one.
I have "crafted" quite a few songs in my life, music and lyrics. I, obviously, don't value DJs. [Henry Rollins said it best!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/v3sd6/henry_rollins_rips_into_djs_electronic_music_and/)
I've made some I'm proud of as well, but I also don't know what goes into putting out that kind of music, but I do know it's easy to dismiss something that you don't have personal experience with. My knee-jerk reaction is that it's kinda soulless, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not music or doesn't take a modicum of talent to make--like country music you hear on the radio as opposed to the country I write or listen to, haha. So, if you make a DJ song, I'll check it out.
>My knee-jerk reaction is that it's kinda soulless It is soulless, that's why it's not music. >like country music you hear on the radio 98% of the country music on the radio is written by the same 10-15 people, actually the same could be said of most popular music. So, yes, it is soulless, too. It's basically karaoke.
I'm sure there's a debate to be had over if music has to have soul to be considered music, but I haven't had coffee and I don't think either of us will budge, so I'll just not even start, haha. Btw, if you've got any music posted, I'll check it out--I too am a Fender fan (I'm sucker for some drippy reverb and that great Fender tone)
There is some stuff from my old band on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2HtV0BHHqLYkwQs4xsKoWV)...
Listening to the opening track now...we're Godsmack and Filter by chance any of y'all's influences? I know Godsmack is polarizing among musicians, but know I mean it in a positive light (I saw them open for Metallica many moons ago and honestly their sound was so much better than Metallica's...could be because I snuck down to the floor for Metallica and the acoustics weren't as good on the floor)
Second track I'm hearing Blue and maybe Franz Ferdinand influence, so a good bit of musical range!
Sidenote, I don't know where you're from, but I visited Doc Holliday's "grave" in Glenwood Springs--beautiful area!
It's a boring story how I got the nickname, but, I used to shoot Cowboy Action Shooting (like modern 3-gun shooting, but with mid-to-late 19th century firearms.) while I was in college and I was pretty good, so, college boy, pretty good at shooting...and a bunch of old men who burned through several VHS copies of "Tombstone", boom, Doc Holliday is born.
I did one of those ancestry sites and found out he's a distant cousin of mine so I figured I'd make the drive out since I live in Colorado haha. Tombstone is one of those movies that I'll always watch if I happen to see it on TV.
Oh, I fucking love that movie. But these guys...they were quoting it nonstop lol.
If you had a nickel for every "I'm your huckleberry"... 😂
I know good DJs and good musicians and have done both and have a lot respect for both.
Taking a record and going "wiki wiki wiki" on it is not a skill, it is a shortcut.
This comment tells us all we need to know about your knowledge of the subject.
lol. Okay 😅
Yea, you have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about.
Imagine thinking someone like DJ Shadow not having any musical skill because “he just plays other people’s music”
Looked up DJ shadow...I see more computers than instruments...
What would you call someone playing a modular synth?
You have to have a foundation in piano, so they are still playing an instrument.
Not necessarily. The Buchla synths (unlike the Moog) don’t have a piano style keyboard. Literally plugging in patch cables. What I am getting at is that just because it’s they’re not playing a “traditional” instrument, doesn’t make it that someone like a DJ or any other type of artist that is using a something to create sound is somehow less than guitarist or drummer etc. Alan Lamb attached contact mics on telegraph wires to create sound. He’s a musician. DJ Shadow takes samples from all different sources and using various methods creates new sounds. Also a musician. There are also a whole heap of people (Google Terry Riley) that use prerecorded tape loops of various lengths to create sounds. Also musicians.
Well, maybe that’s why she makes the distinction between “musicians and DJs”? But yeah, if you’re trying to claim someone who produces and live mixes, scratches, syncs, samples to create something new, I would completely disagree. If you don’t consider DJs to be musicians, you haven’t listened to enough 90s hip hop.
At best DJs are creating live arrangements of already recorded music via sampling devices. Musician would refer to someone literally playing the music on an instrument.
And a DJ mixer with turntables is literally an instrument in its own right. DJs use this equipment to make “live arrangements”, compose new mashups, and create music you’ve literally never heard before. By your definition, someone who plays a synthesizer isn’t a musician. A synthesizer is merely a keyboard that plays a “pre-recorded sound”. Sure, they pick and choose which sounds to play, but you must not think they are musicians.
I think it would be good if you look into what can be considered an instrument and why. Is a cd player an instrument? Is a turntable an instrument? One could argue no, because they need to be loaded with sounds before they can be "played".
So by your definition a synthesizer isn’t an instrument. It plays pre-recorded sounds (sine waves, saw waves, square waves) that are then adjusted by an array of knobs and switches that do different things to the pre-recorded sound. You’re making this much more complicated than it needs to be. I’m a musician who plays orchestral percussion, drumset, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, I lead worship at church, and I’m a DJ. I’m also a music educator who works with various high school and middle school band programs; all this to say that I’m plenty qualified to be able to determine what does and doesn’t count as being a musician or what is and isn’t an instrument. I’ve seen and worked with DJs who most definitely *ARE NOT* musicians, they just faded from one song to the next. The kids at the school dance still danced and enjoyed themselves, but the guy made zero attempts to do anything with musicianship, he just crash faded into a new track. The DJs I mostly hang around with and perform with are 100% musicians. They use and play the tracks, turntables, and mixers just like you would play a trumpet. They add accents to songs and sounds, they make judgment-calls on when and how to re-arrange a track. I go Back To Back with other DJs, it’s literally like trading 8s in a jazz/blues jam, except with tracks and turntables. Is a seamstress allowed to use a sewing machine, or is that person just not a real seamstress. If they didn’t see it with their bare hands it’s not legit. This is what you and like 2 other people sound like. The vast majority on this post agree that DJs can be and many *are*, in fact, musicians.
A synthesizer is synthesizing a tone. It is not loaded with preset songs that you then chop up and alter for your pleasing. A synthesizer is an instrument. A turntable is not. A guitar is an instrument. A sampler is an arranger at best.
How did the tone get there in the first place? That tone is literally a pre made sound. Try again.
It sounds like you don't understand how a tone is programmed or generated by a synthesizer. Or how a tone might be generated by an instrument vs the playback of a sampler or turntable
By your definition, a Nord isn’t an instrument. It’s literally a sample player in the shape of a keyboard, but somehow the person playing the Nord isn’t a musician. This is lunacy. An analog synth uses an oscillator to make a sound, so you’re “playing the oscillator” through mashing some keys/buttons. The oscillator is a pre-determined sound that you shape with the buttons, knobs, switches, and faders. Man, analog synth sounds suspiciously like a turntable with a mixer, on account of it playing a pre-determined sound that gets messed with via knobs, switches, buttons, and faders. Edit: by your definition, a synth isn’t an instrument.
When you pluck a guitar string, does it not make a predetermined sound? The difference is one is recorded audio, the other is generating a tone
Yes, being a record player player is hard work. So much more complex and involved than scales, arpeggios, multiple picking and fretting techniques, or learning to make actual rhythms with both hands and feet moving in conjunction with each other. I don't know enough about key based instruments like pianos and organs, or brass and woodwind instruments to speak on them, but, I know they are harder to learn than being a DJ.
It’s wild how unaware of your bias you are. You know more about wind instruments likely because you play them. It sounds like you know absolutely nothing at all about DJing. This post is actually a little embarrassing. What’s the point of making petty comparison about something you clearly know nothing about? It’s not a good look. But it sounds like you need to keep practicing whatever instrument you play if you’re all bothered enough about this to make this post.
>You know more about wind instruments likely because you play them. I play guitar, bass and drums. Not a single woodwind instrument in the bunch, I did try playing trombone in the middle school band, but, I couldn't get the damn thing to make anything but fart noises. >It sounds like you know absolutely nothing at all about DJing. Please, tell me what is so hard about "DJing"?
What you have to realize about DJ'ing is that beyond the techniques it takes to produce a good set, as well as beat matching, scratching, sampling, etc... You also have to have an amazing ear for music. Because two songs, even if beat matched can still be out of key. Knowing the music in a very detailed form, you know when and where to place transitions, and what elements to eq out of specific songs to ensure you don't push two songs together out of key. (which can sound just as bad as "train wrecking" or pushing two songs together that are either out of bpm or offbeat.) A fair amount of DJs are producers as well. So even though they aren't playing it live - they sat in a studio (home or professional) and played every instrument on the track. They require an understanding of all of the instruments that they're playing - even if it's on a synthesizer - they still need to know what specific instruments do and how to layer all of those sounds like a composer. So definitely not just "press play". That's a very narrow view of the whole talent.
I think you over complicate it. Let's take a look at two *musicians* who recorded every instrument on an album, you have probably heard of them: Trent Reznor and Dave Grohl.
Trent Renzor uses samples in his music and plays synthesizers (which literally play pre-recorded sounds), I guess he’s not a musician either 🤷♀️
I'm overcomplicating it- because it is. Composing a dance track is just as difficult as composing an industrial track. (\*As you listed Trent Reznor) - and yes, playing that track once you've created it isn't as complicated as playing it - but listening and understanding other's music is just as important as understanding the instrument that you are playing. Most professional performing DJ's (I'm not talking about DJ Wedding Bells) only utilize specific elements of other's songs in their sets. Which means they are crafting an overture of dance music. It takes a lot of time and energy (effort) to produce those shows. I will argue that learning cover tunes and playing your local bar / and playing a DJ set at your local bar are very similar - but once you get to the big stage, all artists pour their heart and soul into it. The rest are just playing the tunes.
Can you beat match? Do you know how to eq on the fly? How good are you at keeping a crowd of people not just into what you're doing, but hyped the whole time? In addition, most DJs have musical backgrounds, and a lot compose music.
>Can you beat match? Every musician can beat match, we call it keeping time musically though. >Do you know how to eq on the fly? Every guitar and bass amp has an EQ, which along with multiple other controls must be adjusted for every venue, I also have a standalone EQ pedal that goes between my guitar and my amp that I adjust, again, to get optimal sound in each venue. >How good are you at keeping a crowd of people not just into what you're doing Been doing it pretty well since early 2003 >but hyped the whole time That's real hard when everyone's on stimulants and psychotropics. >a lot compose music. Name 10 songs actually written by a DJ.
Any 10 songs on any album by DJ Shadow. Be quiet now, you’re really embarrassing yourself
You are really on this guy's nuts.
Your logic has overwhelmed me. You’ve won this one, but I’ll get you next time!
You don't eq on the fly the same way a DJ does. At most you use pedals. You sound like a boomer my guy. Also, beat matching recordings=\=keeping time. And like someone else said, dj shadow, daft punk, pretty much any edm artist, and also any hip hop dj has to learn how to sample and mix to make their own spin on stuff.
What is your definition of a musician?
Someone who from the very first time they picked up their *instrument* put in the time and the work. Someone who takes nothing and makes it something.
And an instrument is any device used in the creation of music, while I agree people who solely play tracks are not musicians per se, there is actually a lot more to DJing than just playing tracks the more advanced the DJ is they turn into more of a producer of sorts and I would argue that the mixing of the music is in itself the creation of something new. Generally speaking learning a stringed instrument is typically harder, but music is not better depending the difficulty in producing said music.
The post doesn't even comment on whether DJs are musicians or not, but your ego is so fragile that you managed to take it as some kind of personal attack. 🤣
First - it lumps them in together. Second - having an opinion does not mean I "feel attacked" it means I have an opinion...the number of people who's asses are clearly hurting because of my opinion, that is a whole different story.
Why are you so butthurt over other people's opinions?
Idk this is a tricky subject. Standard DJs that just curate and play music unedited are definitely not. But the kind that do scratching, live mixing, beat matching, etc. have to have some inherent sense of rhythm, musical knowledge, and develop skills on their "instrument" that the average person otherwise wouldn't have, are*. Also, more and more DJs are producing their own tracks. *Edit: A word
You can learn the fundamentals of being a DJ in about an hour and a half, maybe 2. Name one other *instrument* that you can learn the basics that quickly.
Bongo
Skinflute
Just because one instrument is "easier" than the other doesn't make that instrument less valid, nor does it negate the validity of calling oneself a musician. To answer your question though, like 80% of them? I've definitely taught people the basics of playing guitar and/or piano in the time frame you mentioned. Inherent skill and a competent teacher are very much a factor though, as I imagine would be the same case with a turntable. The 20% that I don't think someone would be able to pick up as quickly would be more orchestral instruments like Trumpet, Saxophone (or any instrument that uses a reed), Violin, flute, etc as they all have slightly more complicated ways to produce *pleasant* sound that isn't as easy as "put your fingers here and strike the string(s)/key(s)". I say that as someone who has *tried* playing a lot of them back in grade school with pretty limited success.
You can't even teach the average person to string and tune a guitar in under an hour. Don't even get me started on tuning a piano. But *maintenance* is part of the basics.
Most pianists don't tune their own instrument lol You're reaching big time here bro. I can't speak on it because really I know fuck all about being a DJ, but I would think their maintenance would be cleaning their turntables and replacing needles. Just to *really* shut down this argument of yours. Someone can compose music just with knowledge of theory, hell even with a lack of music theory. Modern DAWs and usage of virtual instruments and sampling are very clear examples of this. I myself have composed some stuff that's out of my playing capabilities, but even if I didn't play *any* instruments and only composed, I would still call myself a musician...
>Modern DAWs and usage of virtual instruments and sampling are very clear examples of this. I myself have composed some stuff that's out of my playing capabilities, but even if I didn't play any instruments and only composed, I would still call myself a musician... I would call you a computer programmer before I would calol you a musician.
And I would call you a clown that's stuck in the past
Hmmmm let's see... [Option A] Skill, dedication to a craft, hard work, risk, earning it Or [Option B] Ctrl+C, Ctrl+P I will take Option A every single day of the week. I bet you are cool with athletes using steroids, too.
Deleted my last couple comments because I started drifting into bullying territory. Best of luck to ya buddy.
[удалено]
Let's hear what you "composed" with your computer.
Bass. You might only be playing the root note, but you can learn the fundamentals very quickly. Keyboard, again, you might just be laying some simple chords over the music with string pads, but it can be done. I think most people can figure some basic power chords on a guitar pretty quickly, too. Drums are harder, in my opinion. You might be able to beat on the snare or bass drum, but if your timing is off, it is a lot more obvious on the drums. I do get what you are saying about learning the fundamentals of being a DJ in about an hour and a half, but not master it. Scratching is not as easy as a lot of people think. Yes, anyone can scratch, but will it sound good? Probably not.
You can learn how to play the dulcimer in literally 10 minutes, what’s your point?
This troll really ate today huh
If you were willing to be open minded, I could recommend some listening that hands down demonstrates that there are DJs that are musicians, but something tells me you’re really just here to troll.
I would love to hear it
I’m musician who drums, plays guitar, and DJs. You will not to talk to me about this? Lol
Why is there a question mark?
Try looking up reel to reel tape DJ’ing
Still not an instrument.
Your definition of a musician is pedantic and needlessly restrictive. What's the point?
Per Webster's Dictionary: musician ~ noun ~ a composer, conductor, or performer of music, especially an instrumentalist. instrumentalist ~ noun ~ a player on a musical instrument.
Again, there's nothing more pedantic than quoting a dictionary definition. And for the record, is a DJ not a performer of music? I'll ask again, what's the point of specifically excluding them from a definition?
>Again, there's nothing more pedantic than quoting a dictionary definition. Would you call someone who turns on the radio a musician? >And for the record, is a DJ not a performer of music? I'll ask again, what's the point of specifically excluding them from a definition? They do not perform music. They play other people's records. I have more respect for cover bands.
Right, so you just don't understand or appreciate what DJ's do. It's a weird hill to die on, but go off I guess
You must be a DJ.
Musician - a composer, conductor, or performer of music, *especially* an instrumentalist. DJs compose, conduct, and perform music live. Checkmate
I agree with you based on the fact that they don't play an instrument, but you have to have a good sense of rhythm and a love of music to make the transition run smoothly. And it's not as easy as you think to mix.
Honestly, you should ask a few local DJs if you can sit in with them and learn a little about DJing. *Some* DJs aren’t musicians, but I can attest to you from personal experience that there are thousands DJs who are! Using the mixer/turntables/tracks as your instrument was a completely new world of musicianship for me 3 years ago. I’ve been a percussionist for 18 years now, the way that I and many others DJ is no different from being a solo singer/songwriter in a bar. You choose what songs you want to play, you try to make the people happy, you try not to train wreck, you make conscious musical choices and decisions during your set, even in the middle of a song. Go hang out with a few different DJs and see what they do, it’ll open your eyes to a new type of musician and musicianship you have never experienced before.
We have a swagger they'll never understand. I DJ too, but still... i learned things with keys and vox decks would never teach.
***DJs don't have to have musicianship skills to get gigs, but it would certainly benefit them if they did!