Spin vinyl much? You’re a rare commodity, and your planet salutes you. Seriously though, vinyl DJing is the rare, expensive and inconvenient art form that unites the purists, pushes the limitations and embraces the past. For those who seek to walk the vinyl road with records or courses like Serato DJ, here are a few quick tips on what to expect from our round, waxy friends.
Needles misbehave
Needles have a way of jumping around. A buildup of dust on your needle can cause the whole tone arm to migrate across the plate mid-song. Scratches have a way of teleporting the needle to a different moment in the song. People have a tendency to bump the table. Do what you can to minimize it. This dude even uses squash balls as shock absorbers for his vinyl setup!
We like analog hiss
When CDs were first commercially available in the 1980s, they were praised for their clarity and precise reproduction of the recording. As the era of cassette tapes and vinyl was coming to an end, people were all amazed to hear new music with such crystal-clear accuracy. Now it’s 2021, and vinyl has been making a comeback for 15 years straight. It’s actually a reaction to the clinical fidelity of digital files. Why? Because we actually like the warmth and hiss of music on vinyl.
Embrace the mistakes
You know the way old school hip hop scratching sounds? It originated when dancers would bump the table, causing the song to make that scratch or reverse sound (and probably also cause the crowd to go “Aaaaaw c’MON!” or applaud sarcastically). The scratching became a normal part of the music, and DJs started getting creative with it. Point is that scratches, hiss and spin outs are all normal parts of the vinyl experience. Embrace them!
Being a professional Serato DJ or vinyl DJ is different to most careers. The criteria for a good ‘product’ (ie DJ set) are lower. People generally go to parties and follow DJs around because they’re just into a vibe. As a working DJ, it doesn’t really matter too much if you’re on digital or vinyl. Just make sure the vibe you’re putting out isn’t too self-important and people will love your energy.