Pushing the envelope?

[The Logic Theorist]

As a DJ (or live PA I guess) what, if anything, do you do to push yourself forward during gigs? Or do you? Do you just show up, play records, and go, or do you do things to progress as an artist and push your show further? Even your demos?

Do you think that having the newest records in your genre, particularly unreleased tunes and dubplates is pushing the envelope?

Playing a new or underrepresented genre?

Pushing for longer and tighter mixes in key?

Adding multimedia elements to your stage show?

Turntable tricks?

What?

I'm asking because I'm genuinely curious if this is even important to DJs, to what level it matters and how much work people are willing to put in. I'm genuinely curious how many people in the scene here get to a certain level and are content to stay there. Not making any judgements on anyone who does or doesn't do any of these things, or even which elements carry more value than others either, so nobody get your panties in a wad :shady:

Discuss.

[uberclkgtr]

i've been trying to use acapellas lately. and not just spoken word vocals, but in-key melodic stuff with no beat over the top of a beat-driven track. it takes some planning beforehand, but it can be really nice. almost like playing a remix made on the fly, except not really on the fly. =)

i wish i knew some turntable tricks. =(

[The Logic Theorist]

I used to do a lot of stuff with accapellas as well. I'd hunt down dirty south rap accapellas cause they're usually 65bpms and go perfect over breaks. I've got probably a whole bag of just rap records with accs on them to use, some of which I will be breaking back out again soon :wink:

[munchkin821]

you should always evolve

[DJ STEEVROCK]

Sup Theorist, (Skandars boy Steven)
Im speaking on behave of trying to keep people interested and focused on the music dj/producer

As far as hip hop goes.....

at parties or clubs, people tend to overlook or not appreciate new or exclusive tracks. But on mixtapes and demos, thats the first thing I look for and I think I can safely speak for the general public as well. Scratching and tricks(not as much) are the most in hip hop especially at parties or clubs. Regular beat matching and mixing tends to kill the groove and the mood. IMO hip hop is fasted pace and requires tons new atributes to keep shit going. IMO you cant just let a whole hip hop track play til the very end (unless its extremely good) You have to cut, scratch, or mix that track at the right time.

As far as EDM.....

EDM hasnt been in the eyes of the general public to long. So I would experiment with new sounds and effects anyway that you can. Whether its an effects machine, laptop, or just me doing it manually I always add a new sound, cut, scratch, or effect to my EDM music. Theres too many djs out that just mix tracks together and feel thats thats what EDM is all about. IMO I like to keep my EDM crate fresh with hott unreleased tracks. EDM tracks get played out as quick as they come. Not to mention that top DJ have been playing them out even before theyve been released for purchase. EDM has so much potiental especially with all the technology these days. Thats the advantage it has over any other music genre. So dont sleep and like mention above EVOLVE and seperate your self from the masses!!!

[the sex molesters]

i always push myself. sometimes i think i push myself too much, and i believe that's why many people don't appreciate me as a dj, or a producer for that matter. when i play records out, i always try to add in tricks and techniques that i haven't done before or that i find challenging to perform if i have done them. when i don't try to push the envelope (filter... lol), my mixing is usually flawless. but i try to push it so much that i end up screwing up and dissappointing people. in terms of my production, i always feel like i'm never going to be "appreciated in my time." my productions are, for the most part, very left-field, and i'm always trying to do the thing that hasn't been done before. many of your average club-goers probably wouldn't even be interested in my productions.... too avant garde, too pretentious, too minimal, whatever.... and if not that, then the opposite -- too fast, too violent, too angry.

so i would say in conclusion that i definitely push the envelope. and i always hold out hope that my pushing myself will eventually overcome my reputation (whatever than may be) as a relatively new dj/ producer, and that when i get the bookings, when i play the parties, and when i release the records, that it will be phenomenal.

[Matt Sanborn]

I like to push it push it

[Tha Dj Glyphix]

Push it good! lmao 2nd track on my last mix was a techno rmx of that. Only on racetrax of coarse lmao.

[the sex molesters]

"pushing the envelope" made me think of envelope filters. then, subsequently, flangers and phaser effects...

[shade]

i spin topless.



but i charge extra.

[The Logic Theorist]

You'd have to pay me to see that.

And I'd charge extra.

[Tha Dj Glyphix]

Yea seriously. I think the only way I could push my musical envelope right now is to start getting more focused on production. I have been messing with a few trax for along enough time allready. I am just still not all that satisfied with them yet. As for djing I think any1 who can can mix and do trick's and all that shit. I meen really if you don't have some amazing trax, and you just put 2 and 2 or should I say 1 and 2 together then you aren't doing much. There have been many times where I see this and am like oh no. But it all depends on your set up and if you are somewhat familliar with it. Instead of fucking up my set which I and many others have done before I really just want to get through with out a hitch. Production is mainly where it's at, but if you can dj as well then you will be ever so popular within the music buisness as a whole. And I just want to state that in fact I feel mixing is a great part in which the dj plays as well of coarse. My mixing is generally mids and lows and ocasionally highs. But I mix pretty much through half of the record. Some people like long mixes like myself and others prefer short 1's. I think those should be left for hip-hop mixes though. As I try and get as much of a rmx out of my trax as possible without it sounding too much like I am. If that makes sense. But if you can be good at making something people havn't allready heard and it sounds good then that is a wonderfull thing, if the clubs like it of coarse. :bowasian:

[shade]

You'd have to pay me to see that.

And I'd charge extra.

zing!

lol.

[MURAMASA]

YES! I started using the flanger with my Champion Sound remixes. No Joke. Sometimes I even use it when mixing into Twist Em Out.:catalyst:


Seriously though, good topic, Phill. I think a lot of people don't mean to stop, they just get caught up 'focusing on one thing' (beatmatching, EQing, or having the newest tunes for example) without realizing how adaptable they really are, and that we can learn to do several things at a time. I think this causes one to get burnt out on DJing because it becomes repititious, so they wind up slacking, which ultimately leads to a very slow advance in their development and a great deal of frustration.

Personally? I'm trying to learn more about scratching, trying to act and dress a little crazier when playing out, practice on a variety of different setups, organize a smoother flow to my sets (combining synths, keys, drum styles, etc),promote myself more in and out of the DC area, follow new producers and new sounds (within the dnb field, don't get your hopes up :P), get more practice time in, learn more about production, etc.

:thumbsup:

[retail]

+long, in key, mixes
+bringing pieces of tracks in and out from earlier in my set, or snippets of tracks to come (not mind-blowing, i know)
+not necessarily the newest tracks, but tracks that come out under the radar, that sound good & fresh and still might get a "wtf was THAT?!!!? :raveon:"
+cutting - and schlitz has shown me that even bedroom DJs can scratch :catalyst:
+like james said - accapellas

anyways - since I still spin primarily for an audience of one on my humble numark matrix 3 mixer, that is how I am pushing myself :ANden::lame::cheer: