Eclectic DJing – yes or no?

[Kanda]

And when you watch a DJ on a laptop, it's like watching someone check their emails.

am not a fan either but have you seen Sasha and his Maven controller??

 

[pk]

I was going to mention exactly this one- the way the beat drops and rolls out at the end of Mirror... is proper !

The bit in Richie Hawtin's Decks, Fx & 909 where he bangs out Nitzer Ebb, for example- shouty industrial in the middle of techno without disturbing the mix (in my eyes).

LOL, I was doing that 15 years ago!

"Eclectic" seems such a daft word.

When this scene started properly in 88/89 - there weren't enough house records around to do an all night set at the same tempo, which is what people wanted - so to break it up a bit you'd be playing Izit's "Stories" and Snap's "The Power" and similar stuff on a very slow tempo, compared to the Nitro Deluxe and whatever acid you had to play.

So every party was "eclectic" - and the drugs were better too.



If you ask me it was when people only insisted on playing the same genre all night, and the term "purist" came about, that the scene started to get fucking boring.

Best all-nighters were the Megadogs, where you'd have bands and DJ's playing vastly different stuff, you don't get much like that these days, more's the pity...

 

[milesy]

can't think of many sets not mentioned allready atm but that series of 'timelines' OU posted are amazing as is jerome's 'ear stretch'. also jerome playing one time at the arches blew me away, so effortless. same with the dexorcist as well.

i have fuzzy memories of some bloke having a go at jerome one time at the arches, complaining to jerome saying that he didin't want to hear the rubbish he was playing, it was a party, blah blah blah...i think it was when jerome was playing that surfin' bird song or whatever it's called.

jerome is fucking ace live one time i saw him at the dungeons and he opened and closed his set with orbital's "chime" - i love it when DJs do things like that

 

[DJWrongspeed]

ILL-FM

pretty eclectic mix here on this wonko-noise-spaz-hardcore station.

 

[art of fact]

but dj rupture is a fucking genius

there are a lot of fucking excellent djs on that scene, but rupture is something else

yeah of course but i meant he was literally the only proper vinyl DJ at the whole event

 

[Boogie Boy]

i don't think that computers take the skill out of djing at all. my friend learned to beatmatch with one night and lots of speed, the 'skill' bit of dj'ing is really overrated. it's all about finding tunes and playing the right tunes

you can still be a shite dj on a computer with every beat matched to the 1000th of a second.....if you are playing a straight house set etc then you can do it loads easier on a computer, but picking the tunes is the skill

I disagree with you there Ninj, I've watched a few lap top types and from what I have seen and heard the level of technical skill involved with something like Ableton is not the same as being faced with two or three decks, even limiting the comparison to straight 'beat matching' sets. And that is without considering basic scratching, cutting etc.

I think that the skill level of dj'ing should not be taken for granted, but I have to accept that increasingly the technology is moving forward in such a way as to render my position to that of 'old school type vinyl purist'.

C'est la vie!

BB

 

[free spirit]

LOL, I was doing that 15 years ago!

"Eclectic" seems such a daft word.

When this scene started properly in 88/89 - there weren't enough house records around to do an all night set at the same tempo, which is what people wanted - so to break it up a bit you'd be playing Izit's "Stories" and Snap's "The Power" and similar stuff on a very slow tempo, compared to the Nitro Deluxe and whatever acid you had to play.

So every party was "eclectic" - and the drugs were better too.



If you ask me it was when people only insisted on playing the same genre all night, and the term "purist" came about, that the scene started to get fucking boring.

Best all-nighters were the Megadogs, where you'd have bands and DJ's playing vastly different stuff, you don't get much like that these days, more's the pity...

you should check out one of our big nights at newcastle uni some time, 4 rooms with techno / breaks type stuff in the main room, live bands like the baghdaddies, Guessmen / lost vagueness type stuff in the 2nd room, the nstuff like reggae, acid house, hip hop, breaks, old skool rave, ceephax acid crew type stuff in the other 2 rooms

appologies for plugging, just PK set it up so well I had to respond

 

[pk]

you should check out one of our big nights at newcastle uni some time, 4 rooms with techno / breaks type stuff in the main room, live bands like the baghdaddies, Guessmen / lost vagueness type stuff in the 2nd room, the nstuff like reggae, acid house, hip hop, breaks, old skool rave, ceephax acid crew type stuff in the other 2 rooms

appologies for plugging, just PK set it up so well I had to respond

PM me deets of the next one - I love Newksl me...

 

[kakuma]

I disagree with you there Ninj, I've watched a few lap top types and from what I have seen and heard the level of technical skill involved with something like Ableton is not the same as being faced with two or three decks, even limiting the comparison to straight 'beat matching' sets. And that is without considering basic scratching, cutting etc.

I think that the skill level of dj'ing should not be taken for granted, but I have to accept that increasingly the technology is moving forward in such a way as to render my position to that of 'old school type vinyl purist'.

C'est la vie!

BB

they are totally different things imo

have you heard my sets on waxdj? you just couldn't do them with decks, there is still something special about a bad motherfucker on two turntables

but it's a different thing....

c'est la vie

 

[milesy]

i am currently listening to jerome hill's "burning decks" mix for resonance fm...fuck me it's good

 

[magneze]

Got a linky?

 

[ddraig]

i am currently listening to jerome hill's "burning decks" mix for resonance fm...fuck me it's good

where can i get that there then?

 

[milesy]

here

there's loads of other jerome mixes there too

 

[Kameron]

Eclectivism all the way, linked with a theme or good mixing or both all work for me.

 

[kakuma]

this mix is ace milesy

 

[Skim]

here

there's loads of other jerome mixes there too

Looking forward to downloading that once I get home

 

[ddraig]

here

there's loads of other jerome mixes there too

I LAV YOW!

 

[DJWrongspeed]

am so glad someone archived that Jerome Hill mix properly, I think he did that set for ResonanceFM very early on before we were recording things properly. Sweet of him to pop by.

I remember quite clearly standing in the arch at elephant in the early days going "yes, yes, yes" as the music spun in all directions effortlessly. Shame there was no-one else there at those early arch Unsound parties.

 

[Tank Girl]

jerome is fucking amazing and I'm always gutted when I don't get the chance to see him out. we went to see him at jamm for our hen/stag night

 

[ddraig]

am so glad someone archived that Jerome Hill mix properly, I think he did that set for ResonanceFM very early on before we were recording things properly. Sweet of him to pop by.

I remember quite clearly standing in the arch at elephant in the early days going "yes, yes, yes" as the music spun in all directions effortlessly. Shame there was no-one else there at those early arch Unsound parties.

i was at one! and loads of others
it was either pk then jerome or jerome then pk
and loud1 was there n all!

 

[Tank Girl]

I remember that party ddraig, was one of the best

I want them days back!

 

[hiccup]

When you're on drugs, fooking avin it, then I'm not sure about the DJ chopping and changing too much. When you feel so utterly connected with the groove and the flow and the beat and you're just dancing and dancing and dancing...not sure I'd want someone to change it up right there and then.

But take drugs (e, basically) out of the equation and, yeah, bring the eclecticism. Keeps your interest. Something for everyone. A good DJ can make totally different things sound great together, and maybe make you think about a song in a different way. I'd never paid Dolly Parton much attention, but 9 to 5 sounded wicked in that 2 Many DJs mix.

 

[pk]

i was at one! and loads of others
it was either pk then jerome or jerome then pk
and loud1 was there n all!

He never dropped Nitzer Ebb during a techno set though...



Jerome is one of those rare DJ's that has immense talent and flair, and happens to also be a really nice guy.

One of my favourites for sure.

 

[Skim]

here

there's loads of other jerome mixes there too

Listened to the Resonance mix this morning – very enjoyable But maybe it's a bit too all over the place to have a good dance to.

 

[Dj TAB]

I used to be quite blinkered in what styles of music I thought that I liked, predominantly Techno and Hard house about ten years ago. I had decks, and stuck to what I knew pretty much to the exclusion of everything else.

One year I was offered tickets to both the team and individual DMC world finals. I was blown away by the technical prowess of the Dj's on display, and realised that for years I had been limiting what I was able to do in my own right purely because my choon selection was not broad enough. From then on it didn't matter that a record was meant to be 33rpm, if it sounded great at 45rpm then thats what I'd do, once I got my Vestax's then if a record sounded better backwards then play it backwards......Enter a whole new era of seeing the turntable as an instrument as opposed to an item of hi-fi kit.

I love eclectic Dj'ing, thats not to say that there isn't a time and a place for a really pumping set. However the art of a DJ (and some on this thread have touched on this already) is not tempo but mood. If a tune fits the mood of the set, it is unlikely to ruffle feathers as it will feel though it fits and should be there. If you are able to introduce some degree of scratching, cutting or rubbing into the transition then thats great too providing you have the skillz...

 

[Skim]

I would love to throw some nifty turntablist moves into a set, but I want to master the art of perfeect beatmatching before I attempt anything more. I'd like to be able to do rewinds most of all.

 

[Orang Utan]

well i don't think i'll ever hear Jeff Mills throw down a Sean Paul tune (or Shaka a Jeff Mills tune) but what he does is a whole different order of DJ-ing really

I've heard him play Crazy In Love and Relight My Fire though - he throws in something like that in most sets.


Last friday, I heard the best techno/eclectic set in years - Surgeon at Plastic People - hearing him mix dub into UR was stunning.

 

[Orang Utan]

When I was first into techno/ d n b, I wanted to listen to it all night and got pissed off if they played anything else. As I got more into the music, I gradually wanted to hear a wider selection until I eventually embraced eclectic music policies. I now get bored by all night techno fests and frustrated with people who criticise a techno DJ for playing dub, but find it hard to argue with them without looking like a hypocrite or appearing to be a patronising bastard.

 

[Pugwall7]

Tom Middleton is often eclectic and nearly always get it right. The basement jaxx inside out nights are right royal mash ups and they work pretty damn well

 

[Dj TAB]

I would love to throw some nifty turntablist moves into a set, but I want to master the art of perfeect beatmatching before I attempt anything more. I'd like to be able to do rewinds most of all.

Meanwhile back at the OP; you can't be a very eclectic Dj if you manage to play an entire set at the same pitch....Besides the jump in confidence once you start raising your game is astonishing. Rudimentary turntablism does change the way you mix, more options are available than the perfect beat-match.....Besides perfect beatmatching is an ongoing skill, it's nice to be reminded every now and then the Dj's not a machine......

I don't always get my scratches right, but without the nuts to give it a go you'll never know - also I'm at the stage where I don't know enough to know whats wrong so sometimes I do something supposedly wrong, which in turn turns out to be a legitimate scratch I couldn't do before.