Vinyl DJs sure do stand out of the crowd. And often, they’re the first ones to let you know of the joys of an analog setup. But man, what a whole lot of extra work. Carrying heavy records arounds, having a smaller selection, managing wonky tables…why do they do it? Keep reading.
Vinyl DJing is retro
The setups of vinyl DJs with an old school selection are closer to the original way that the records were played. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, it was all about warehouse parties, block parties. Only in the 90s, did DJs become superstars, hosting raves and pushing electronic music forward yet again. It’s always cool taking cues from the past, and DJing vinyl is one way to show that you’re legit retro. That, and having an afro.
Some records sound better on vinyl
At least for stuff like scratching. Ask any scratch DJ and they’ll tell you that crab scratching and backspins just sound better on analog gear. Sure, it’s possible to pull off the same sound on CDs using a set of Pioneer DDJs or even a Serato Scratch setup. But there’s something about the vinyl sound, isn’t there? Especially for music produced and released on vinyl, it just sounds more authentic. For niche events like listening parties, art galleries and sound installations, DJing on vinyl is where you score points.
It’s a DJ career move
You can build a career on vinyl. It’s not as common as wedding or club gigs. But in every town, there’s someone who wants a vinyl DJ over a laptop DJ. Usually, it has something to do with the way records look. Vinyl is classy. So if you’re looking to build on a career as a vinyl DJ, you might want to get some kind of custom wooden surface setup for your decks. Hide the laptop under the surface. Make it easy on the eye.
Sales of vinyl are up across the board. The numbers reflect a growing taste for vinyl as bands and DJs do more vinyl runs for their hardcore fans. DJins vinyl is about large artwork covers, stories printed on inner sleeves and the feel of a platter in your hands. But at the heart of it all, DJing vinyl is a statement.