How Final Scratch shaped DJ history

Where would vinyl DJing be without Stanton’s Final Scratch, the first DJ-centric software solution which transformed DJing entirely? It took a while for most DJs to adapt to using CDs, even well into the CDJ era. Vinyl was considered more tactile and ‘real’ than CDs. But the options for playing on turntables were drying up as clubs began replacing their house systems.

Beyond hardware DJing 

Before Serato DJing courses were a thing, DJing was exclusively a hardware activity. It was either CDJs or vinyl. Then Final Scratch worked out a way to control computers with vinyl records using DVS (Digital Vinyl System) technology. Final Scratch DJs use special records with timecodes that send a modulated signal to the audio interface. This allows the computer to know exactly where in the track a DJ was. 

Bridging the gap

Final Scratch did more than bridge a gap between vinyl and digital. It pretty much shouldered the task of keeping vinyl alive. In 2003, the software was ultimately bought by Native Instruments and renamed Traktor Scratch. This allowed further options, such as MIDI control, and effectively democratized the market by kickstarting the era of bedroom DJing.

Software vs true vinyl

Spinning wax is now a pretty niche thing, even with the assistance of Traktor or Serato timecode records. The advantages to using software-encoded vinyl (over actual vinyl) are mostly that you’re able to play stuff unavailable on vinyl. You can also do digital stuff like keylocking, pitching, looping and more. Software-encoded vinyl is generally more sturdy on wobbly dance floors, and some software has functionality to avoid needle skips.

As with previous DJ innovators, Final Scratch revolutionized DJing. Controllerism was born. DJing made its way to laptops, allowing for even more librarianship. Without question, Final Scratch contributed to the ongoing wellbeing of DJing three decades into the digital era and gave birth to a hunger for the online DJ courses and workshops that we see today.

Getting serious about online DJing

Right now, it’s as if someone has turned the global economy upside down and is shaking it just to see what falls out. The arts are usually first in line when budget cuts come rolling around, so it’s not surprising that many of us have shrugged at the idea of being a professional DJ in lockdown times. But here’s why it makes sense. 

Produce your own music

It really can now pay to own intellectual property. But having a DJ hobby is a little different to making software or online courses. You don’t actually own the beats, and it’s likely that trying to sell your DJ mixes is gonna end badly for you when the rights holders find out. So if you’re serious about DJing, it’s time to start producing your own music.

Do more live shows

You’re going to want to capitalize on people’s boredom, even in an age of infinite entertainment. There’s currently nothing cooler than seeing some stuff happening live online, especially when you get to be involved. Gaming has the lion’s share of live streaming, but DJing is up there. Get a Twitch account for DJing (or Restream, for multiple platforms) and start sharing your skill as a DJ with a few random strangers. Keep showing up. You will get followers. Make it visually interesting.

Offer video content

DJ Courses Online has been offering tutorial DJ courses for years now. It’s obviously better following a paid, professional coach than someone who’s learning on the job. But you have a shot at a following, too. Start a YouTube channel where you share your knowledge with a specific audience. It could be in your home language. It could be software-specific. The aim is to find the others, and the method is by being really specific and continuing to show up with something of value.

OK, a confession: all of the above advice could apply to any profession, not just DJing. Online content is still new, and most of us aren’t quite convinced enough in its staying power to trust it yet. But the multiverse of YouTube channels, Facebook pages and Twitch live streams is here to stay. Start sowing your seeds by sharing your passion for DJing and giving something of value to the community. Even if it’s just a friendly face.

Mixing unusual styles

Mixing house and hip hop are still the twin pillars of basic DJing techniques. Wherever you are in the world, either one of the two styles are the backbone of partying. As a DJ, it’s worth knowing your way around both, even if you’re only a fan of one of them. But what about other musical rhythms that require their own alternative styles of mixing?

Dub & reggae

Wanna know why it’s called dubstep? The rhythm of dubstep mimics the half-time reggae beat popularized by Jamaican producers like King Tubby and Lee Scratch Perry in the 1970s. Skrillex basically drew inspiration from reggae! Although dub is not dance music by any stretch of the imagination, DJs could take a page out of its book. Mixing music means first understanding a core rhythm. If you’re not familiar with half-time rhythms, give mixing dub reggae a go!

Breakbeat, breakcore

Mixing breakbeat music can be tricky. Unlike house music, most breakbeat places its identity in the hands of fidgety drum patterns that can be inconsistent from one track to the next. On average, there are more than two kicks per bar. As such, there’s sometimes no clear’one’ and ‘three’ beats that can be used to anchor the mix. But done successfully, mixes can resemble pleasingly scattershot rushes of snares, hats and percussion elements. And you’ll impress the UK party crowd if you can do it!

Glitch hop

Artists like Opiou and Slynk have put their stamp on this (admittedly Eurocentric) instrumental style, which favors erratic and raw sounding beats over the smoothness of deep house and EDM. Makes for good practice! Added to the complexity of mixing this style is the typical swing groove, which can throw off your efforts to sync up the hi hats during the mix. It’s fertile terrain to see if your skills extend beyond auto-sync house music mixing. Listen to Slynk and give it a bash!

Getting out of your genre comfort zone is a great way to level up. Not only are you forced to listen to new types of music, but you’re also stretching your techniques and familiarizing yourself with the mainstream offshoots. There are also a ton of ways to level up, so check out the DJ Techniques I course by DJ Courses Online today.

How to choose an online DJ course

There are tons of ways to learn DJing. You can spend your life on YouTube, or find an online course or even just jump in with live streaming. You can read up on new software. You can acquire new gear and hope that gets you places. But ultimately it’s about the practice. If you have a few hours a week to focus on learning to DJ online, here are a few ways to help you narrow the search.

Learn from multiple DJs

When you’re trying to create your own style, you have to unlearn. It’s a total win having a pro like Jon Sine or Laidback Luke giving you all their tips for free via their channels. But at some point, you’ll need to challenge your own teachers’ methods in order to create your own. So yeah, start with the free content to find your bearings. And when you’re ready to level up, select a course by other professionals with a different take on DJing. 

Specific software or hardware

You might already have decided that you’re never going to be a turntable DJ. That narrows things down to software, hardware or decks. For example, check out this approach to DJing with Ableton Live. Take it further and decide where you’d like to start. There are a range of options available to first-time DJs. We recommend starting with the gear you already have. If that’s a laptop and a controller, find a course that suits your setup. Don’t pretend that once you have the gear you’ll automatically be good. You can expand your rig as you go.

Learn by music style

Only ever want to play house music? Makes things simpler, doesn’t it? And we love simple. So begin by collecting a selection of killer house tracks that reflect your style, and jump in. Pro career tip: when you’re starting out, you don’t need to have the skills and selection to please everyone. Just find a few people who love what you do, and do it for them. For free, at first. Then leverage. 

The trick to making progress as a DJ (or anything for that matter) is to form a habit. To make it so that you’re never hunting RCA cable adapters. Everything should always be ready to go at the flick of a switch. Forget the numbers of followers for a while and focus on being good. Like, actually being good. Takes time, but that’s the way to ultimate DJ glory.

The 2020 global DJ wrap

What a year. We say that every year, but...man. What a year. Like many other activities, DJing was forced out of its comfort zone and into a new era. Plans were made, changed and then cancelled. People under lockdown rekindled their passion for the artform. And we all learned a thing or two about following our passions and becoming better DJs by learning from the pros.. Here’s a brief wrap of what went down in 2020 in the world of DJing.

Live streaming blastoff

In the absence of in-person events, most of us turned to live streaming our DJ sets. To be fair, live streaming was always around, but this year was its graduation. If you’re DJing today and aren’t in with the new live streaming normal, you might find interest in your sets dwindle from here on. Event bookers especially now want you to show your work. Everyone is now live streaming.

Cloud collections

One of the biggest obstacles for new DJs is building their music collection. We’re now past the era where everyone needs an external hard drive with their own tracks. No wonder that four major companies began offering the ability to stream tracks directly from online collections. As it stands, Beatport, Beatsource, TIDAL and SoundCloud now all offer DJs the much-needed respite from local storage. Notably, Spotify opted out of this opportunity in July 2020 in a terminating of their agreement with Algoriddim’s djay software.

Stem separation

Perhaps the most exciting development has been the widespread introduction of stem separation in DJ software like Virtual DJ and Algoriddim. Giving DJs the ability to mix the separate elements of a track (drums, music and vocals) rather than full tracks has really widened the playing field for creative and innovative developments in DJing. We now have separate faders for the drums, harmonies and vocals! Sure, it has a way to go, but we’re on track to some mind-blowing new DJ mixes. 

It’s safe to say that we can all breathe a sigh of relief now that the year has come to a close. It’s been a whirlwind. But we’re still here, and we’re still DJing. The key is to keep moving forwards and upwards towards our goals. So if you’re looking for a boost, consider checking out one of the DJ Courses by DJ Courses Online today.

How the Vestax VCI-100 shaped DJ history

The year was 2006. DJing had come a long way since its inception in the early 70s as a way to keep the dancefloor alive. The founding pillars had been built. Select. Mix. Scratch. Tweak. But learning to DJ using Traktor wasn’t really a widespread thing yet, and DJing was still an artform that seemed reserved for the few. A technical skill that was inaccessible to the masses. But that was about to change

Enter Vestax

The Vestax VCI-100 controller arrived in 2006, and brought with it a new era. One which shifted the landscape of digital DJing into the mainstream. For the first time, the average laptop owner could easily use a CDJ-style controller to select, mix, scratch and tweak effects using only one unit. And it only cost $600.

Keeping it simple

There were predecessors, of course. Most notably, the Hercules DJConsole. But it had limitations. You couldn’t scratch with the jog dials. There were no effect controls. The layouts didn’t make sense. It was only with the VCI-100 that these limitations were replaced with an intuitive and familiar layout. The trick was to keep it simple, with a layout that resembled Pioneer’s benchmark setup of two-decks and a mixer.

The arms race

The release of the VCI-100 set off a type of manufacturing arms race in the controller market. Soon, Pioneer, Denon and Native Instruments all began work on releasing a competitively priced and simplified version of their flagship controllers. The end result was the release of controllers like the MC6000, the DDJ-SX, and Kontrol S4. Although the company has since folded, Vestax has left its mark on DJ history with the VCI-100.

And so, one more item was added to the list of products that shaped DJ history. It started with the Technics, SL-1200. The PMX 9000 pushed it into the mainstream. Pioneer’s CDJ-1000s helped DJing cross over into the digital space. And finally, the Vestax VCI-100 made bedroom DJing a thing. Keen to level up? Here’s the preview from the DJ Courses Online Traktor 101 Course by instructor (and former Native Instruments employee) Nick Trikakis.

Understanding DJ set copyright takedowns

Copyright rules seem to be going hard. Many livestream DJs have had that heart-sinking feeling when a notice appears on their screen saying they’re being muted. Or even cut off. But it’s more complex than just rights holders dampening the fun. When you’re done learning how to DJ using one player, check out more on the current copyright wars happening in the livestream and mix video space. 

The two rights of every track

There’s a right to be paid when your musical composition is played, and a right to be paid when your sound recording is played. These are two separate rights. If you created a song (melody, lyrics, etc) and then produced and recorded it yourself, you’re owed for both rights. If you have released a cover version, then only one of them. Anyone who wants to use either of these rights in their new musical composition needs a license. Get it? 

Granting a license

As a holder of copyright, you grant someone a license when 

• They publicly perform the song. Not necessarily perform, like with a live band. ‘Perform’ in this case also means play back the record, like in a DJ set. 

• They record a cover version of the composition

• They synchronize the composition to film or video and make it available on-demand

So DJs are technically in the first camp. When you spin a record that you didn’t write, you (or whoever is organizing the event) technically owes the rights holder something. 

It gets super complicated. The music industry is a pretty murky place when it comes to legalities, but here’s what you need to know about DJing copyrighted material: if you play other people’s music, the artists should get paid. Without this basic agreement, the production of good music ends. Livestream platforms like Twitch and Facebook Live are tired of being hit with potential lawsuits, and have decided to block playback. 

It’s a weird time, and nobody really has a solution which suits everyone. Big companies like Amazon seem to want to help, but have yet to invent a sustainable way to genuinely support DJ culture. Watch this space. And while you’re watching it, watch a few preview videos from the online DJ courses offered by DJ Courses Online. Ever wonder how to do a proper backspin?

How Pioneer’s CDJ-1000s shaped DJ history

There was a time when DJs used vinyl records. Not because they were super niche and hip, but because flash drives hadn’t been invented yet. Actually, neither had CDs. So when CDs came along, with their superior storage ability and audio clarity, most DJs had to find a way to navigate the transition. Just like you have to navigate the transition from being a bedroom noob DJ to a serious one with one of the DJ courses by DJ Courses Online. Read on.

The vinyl problem

At the time of its release, the Pioneer CDJ-1000 was an ingenious solution to the problem most DJs were facing: how to acquire music that was not being released on vinyl as it made its way out of the door and CDs made their way in. DJs were stuck in vinyl, and the world was moving on. CD players could do the job of playback, but there was almost none of the control that DJs needed to keep the floor moving. No scratch control, no easy way to transport, no crossfading curves.

Enter the jog wheel

The first model of CDJs was released by Pioneer in 2001. It rivaled the Technics 1200 in innovation by introducing the revolutionary, never-seen-before jog wheel. The functionality of vinyl had arrived in the world of CD DJing. Using the (now omnipresent) 7-inch, top-mounted disc encoder, DJs could slow and speed the track. And even better, they could scratch. It was the perfect bridge for vinyl DJs to adapt to the clearly superior digital world, and adoption was quick and (almost) universal. 

Other wins for DJs

There were even more reasons to switch. CDJs offered cue points, allowing DJs to jump to a specific part of a track. This ushered in the age-old hip hop technique of looping breaks and hooks to hype the crowds. Due to the relative weight of CDs and the fact that MP3 encoding would soon become the norm, travel was made a whole lot easier while also offering more track options to DJs.

It’s hard to imagine any club without a pair of CDJs somewhere in the booth. They’re still the global standard for professional event playback, and it all started with the market-focused release of the CDJ-1000s. The design still serves as a source of inspiration for many gear designs today. As we move into an ever more streaming-focused world, let’s pause for a minute in retrospect and all hail the aptly-named Pioneer’s most significant contribution to DJing. Speaking of contributing, you should get better at DJing by checking out what DJ Courses Online offers in the way of online DJ courses.

Three DJ developments 2020 brought us

It’s been a heck of a year. But the release of new music hasn’t slowed down, and the demand for DJing has continued to grow as more people stuck at home searched their lost and lonely lockdown souls for the type of meaning music gives us all. DJing is here to stay, albeit in a new form, so embrace the changes by leveling up your DJ skills with one of our online DJ courses. And check out a few things 2020 brought us. 

Track stem separation

Sure, the ability to play back separate elements of a track has been around for a while. But with the launch of new AI tech like DJay Pro’s Neural Mix and Virtual DJ’s Real-Time Stem Separation (among others), the future of DJing has truly arrived. Again. As the ability to mix individual components of a track becomes more accessible, expect for a wave of acapellas being played back over tracks for which they weren’t written. 

Virtual events and live streaming

With the Great Plague of 2020 seemingly posing less and less of a threat as the year winds up, may we all raise our heads and breathe a collective sigh. And then may we thank our virulent overlords for one good thing to come from the year - the mass adoption of livestreaming and virtual events as a source of income and exposure for lockdown DJs. Might not be much for most of us, but we’ve crossed that bridge now. Onwards towards a future where we can all live in the countryside and make a living spinning our favorite records. 

Copyright rumbles

In 2020, Facebook banned all playback of copyrighted material, severely limiting the ability of livestreaming DJs to access their (often) primary audiences. Mixcloud cut a deal with rights holders for over a million tracks. TikTok played them without permission and with a come-and-get-us attitude. Twitch asked out loud if we can’t all get along. A range of reactions to a sticky subject: who pays for streaming of copyrighted material? As usual, it’s a terribly weedy path to navigate and we won’t get into it here. But let’s just say as of 2020, copyright is square in the spotlight. 

The art of DJing is getting way more interesting, and apparently converging ever more with the fate of our chosen tech platforms. DJing might seem to be developing into something of a winner-takes-all competition for access to walled garden content. But make no mistake. If there’s one activity that relies on the type of tasteful human curation that currently can’t be emulated, synthesized or procedurally generated, it’s the act of DJing. Choose to be a part of it with one of the DJ courses by DJ Courses Online. And hey, have a great festive season.

How the PMX 9000 mixer shaped DJing

One of the earliest pioneers of DJ hardware was the PMX 9000 Crossfader DJ Mixer. Today, the PMX 9000 might look like something you’d use to block a door from slamming in the wind, but at the time it was an innovative (and expensive) piece of hardware. And one that paved the way for DJ techniques that persist to this day. Let’s check out some of the debts that professional DJs owe to this historic piece of gear. 

Crossfading

First introduced in 1979, the PMX 9000 was one of the first mass-produced DJ mixers. And the first to use a crossfader. Without the crossfader, we wouldn’t have scratching, beat juggling and beat matching. Simply put, the 9000 turned DJing into a sport. It wasn’t long before Gemini, Numark and Vestax followed with their own version of PMX-style mixers.

Going mainstream 

Although the PMX featured no per-channel EQ or gain, it did manage to spark off competition between other audio manufacturing companies. Pretty soon, it became clear that DJing wasn’t just for the type of people who assembled their own ham radios; it was now becoming cool, and accessible to the mainstream. 

History in the making

The PMX 9000 kickstarted sparked many new developments in the field of DJ mixers. Developments like 3-band EQs, per-channel cue and crossfader curves. All of these are considered standard parts of the DJ practice to this day, and without them we wouldn’t have Grandmaster Flash or his disciples.

DJ history is peppered with stories of frontier-pushing development and artistry. We have many pioneers to acknowledge, all of whom had one thing in common - their desire to level up. So level up yourself! Check out some of the DJ tutorial video courses on offer today.

Livestream your DJ set from your phone

Travel back in time. Try explaining the fact that we all carry computers in our pockets to someone from the 1950s. You’ll get locked up. And while you’re there, you’ll have some time to do a bit a reading on subjects that interest you. Stuff like how to livestream your DJ set from your phone. Ready to level up? Here we go.

It’s a hack

There’s currently no magic one-stop shop for livestreaming your set from your phone, so it’s a bit of a workaround. You’ll need to get a tripod with a phone grip holder, a few special audio cables and an external soundcard. But once you’re up and running, “Look ma, no laptop!”

What do I need

OK first off, the software (app) for your phone is called Larix Broadcaster. Install it. Then go ahead and order EvermixBox4, which is the audio interface that you’ll need. Here’s a video on how it works. You’ll be running audio from your mixer to the EvermixBox4 into your phone, so buy the appropriate ⅛” TRS and TRRS cables to make that connection. 

Where do I stream?

Twitch is the most popular option. Mixcloud Live is the premium option. Mixcloud is a great platform for livestream DJs, and reasonably priced. You get a free month trial. YouTube is an option, but it’s probably going to flag you for one or more of your tracks. Avoid Facebook until they manage to make a deal with the rights holders. 

Remember, this is just a broad overview of the process, and you’ll need to do some more work in figuring it out. But the results will be a more mobile, agile and portable DJ live stream experience that puts you at the front of the artform. Half the job is always figuring out the tech! The other half is knowing how to put on a show. Check out some of the showmanship techniques used by professional DJs in the Advanced DJ Techniques course by DJ Courses Online.

2020 World DJ Championships goes virtual

News from the world of competitive DJing: the World DJ Champs is currently slated to take place from November 16th until the final on November 27th. The competition will be virtual-only for 2020. Find out more as the world’s best turntablist DJs go head to head for the title. And while you’re here, check out our Serato Itch/Scratch DJ course.

Event details

The 35th Technics/DMC World DJ Championships has announced that the 2020 virtual edition of the Champs will take place from the 16th to the 27th November. It was announced in September that the event would be held entirely online due to the coronavirus pandemic. There’s already a whole lot of submission material from the pre-finalist participants on the official site.

How it works this year

Every country with a ruling DMC governing body is hosting its Online National Championships while all the other countries are competing in a "Rest of the World" battle. The National Championships performance has a duration of four minutes.

Schedule and participants

Since September, the contenders have been battling it out for a spot amongst the top 10. On 16th November, the final ten turntablists will be announced. These are the participants from 15 World Elimination Finalists. The current finalists include JFB (UK), Immortal (USA), DJ Dino (Algeria), DJ Kitsos (Greece), and Tony J Kut (France). Fellow Frenchman DJ Skillz is the reigning champ and has taken the title for the last two years running. 

To watch the championships, head over to the Championships 2020 website on 27th November. Check the schedule for regional times. Get hyped up by some of the existing uploads by the pre-finalists. And most importantly, get yourself back into vinyl with a DJ course by DJ Courses Online!

Organizing Your Virtual DJ Library

There’s a buzz about Virtual DJ right now. Not only is the former underdog of DJ software leading the charge in the field of realtime stem separation, but also because they’re attracting the type of development that truly benefits professional DJs. Let’s check out a new dev by DJ Conversion Utility which helps make your library work easier.

DJ librarian?

The stems thing is fun, but DJing is actually in the data. We DJs get our tracks from many sources and mostly need a reliable way to organize our track libraries across multiple different sources. Now, using a piece of software called DJ Conversion Utility, we’re able to convert our track libraries from Traktor, Rekordbox and Serato to Virtual DJ.

Two-way conversion

Up until now, the software allowed conversion from Virtual DJ to other platforms but now it works both ways. The software creators have also announced the ability to convert playlists directly to Serato crates, whereas before they were only converted to iTunes playlists. 

Get into it

That’s the big news. Now what does it imply? For one thing, it makes Virtual DJ look even more attractive than before as it promises to take at least some of the pain out of DJ librarianship. The software is currently priced at 19.50 Euros on Sellfy. Unfortunately, Mac users only for now. The developers have created a couple of YouTube tutorials for DJs on how to get it working. 

The love-hate relationship with the totally non-glamorous side of DJ has its toll. Fortunately, we’re never alone, and only ever a forum thread or two away from finding the fixes. Check out the Level III DJ Techniques course by DJ Courses Online today and join the DJ gang.

How the Technics 1200 Created DJing

DJing has come a long way since 1970, when the first recognizable DJ turntable was released. In this series, we’re looking at a few historic innovations that went on to change DJing forever. First up, the Technics 1200 DJ Turntable. Wanna DJ vinyl? Check out the Serato Scratch Live course by DJ Courses Online today.

The OG of DJ gear

The Technics 1200 was the first turntable to really focus exclusively on the needs of the DJ. It made its debut way back in 1970 and undoubtedly led to the hip-hop revolution which came as a precursor to DJing. Inventions have included direct drive motors, tonearms in an S-shape and platters which allow nudging. To this day, Technics is still the most celebrated brand amongst DJs.

Pitch control and direct drive

The 6% pitch control fader began allowing DJs to mix records at different tempos, fully enabling the concept of a DJ set and an unbroken dance floor. Direct drive motors prevented wear and tear on the standard belt-driven turntables that came before. The power of the motor also allowed the platter to be stopped and then started up again without major lags. Any hardware will still cause occasional DJ problems, but on the whole the 1200 was a sturdy beast.

Tonearm

Ever wondered why the tonearm of a deck is S-shaped? In contrast to a straight arm, the shape allows for tracking stability. Along with the super-useful tracking light for dark places and a heavy-duty metal build, the turntable provided enough value to assure its place in DJ history. Check out this cool slideshow showing the development of the Technics 1200 over time.

It wasn’t long before Technics released the 1210 line of turntables, successors which went on to become the de facto standard in clubs. And basically every turntable since has drawn on the original design. DJing has come a long way. Claim your spot in the DJ story by checking out the preview videos from the Serato Scratch Live DJ course by DJ Courses Online.

DJing with acapellas

As a DJ, you have to be unique. To have something the others done. That thing could be a classy selection, a specific mixing technique, or an acapella. Acapellas - the isolated vocal stems of a track - are an established way to bring your own flavor to a track, set or mashup. Let’s get into a few ways in which acapellas bring the heat.   

Transitions

Acapellas are great for atmospheric transitions between tracks or to bridge two different tempos in your set. When used in isolation, they can be stuttered, mangled, stretched and otherwise affected to create a palette cleanser between tracks or tempos. Tricks like this should be used sparingly, but can create the type of moment that stops conversations and gets people excited about whatever you’re about to drop. Just a couple of things you figure out when learning to DJ.

Mashups

The best part about acapellas is finding a matching key and simply plugging them into other tracks. Tracks they weren’t designed for. For example, playing an acapella in G over a track in C creates an interval difference which teases the audience. Try it out. Use acapellas to create these moments can result in  some stellar mixes.

Fun!

It’s a fact that vocal music is more interesting than instrumental music. No doubt about it. Acapellas make human ears perk up (especially when they contain those saucy lyrics). A beautiful female voice caked in reverb with a banging beat is a great way to get people onto the floor. Use acapellas for DJ mix transitions and to show them you know your stuff. 

All major DJ software is now equipped to incorporate acapellas into your set. Grab some acapellas from Voclr.it or Acapellas4u. If you’re stuck in Track A/B mode or want to otherwise level up your set, using acapellas in your DJ sets is your next step. Checking out one of the DJ courses from DJ Courses Online is another good way to level up!

Mixcloud to the rescue for livestream DJs?

Mixcloud is launching a livestream monetization platform called Tickets. The system appears to be replacing tips and donations with a pay-for-entry model, allowing DJs to capitalize on their home sets while giving up and coming DJs a chance to reach their ideal target - a paying audience. 

Fresh approach 

Mixcloud is becoming the obvious choice for many DJs who’ve been forced to pivot to livestreaming. The DJ-centric platform is leading the way with their baked-in licensing arrangement with copyright holders, allowing DJs to play basically anything they want without fear of takedowns. Working with copyright holders instead of constant warring still seems to be the exception to the rule for which we have Mixcloud to thank.

Selling exclusivity

Putting up a paywall filters out the masses and attracts the true fans. The ones willing to part with a few bucks. Most of the internet is already too free to be useful, and we can all see the appeal of the thinking. But are fans of dance music the types to part with a few bucks without the actual appeal of the awesome sound and lighting rigs of an actual live show? No answers there yet, but the most would agree that professionalization of DJ culture is a welcome concept. 

Beta testing

With the rollout of new modes of behavior brought on by lockdown, what’s likely to happen? Fact is, there are more people DJing and watching live sets online than ever before. So we can anticipate the same pattern of online enterprises: a slow trickle of early adopters followed by a breakout story, followed by mass adoption. Big names currently registered to use Tickets include Flying Lotus, Róisín Murphy and Leon Vynehall.

All of this is obviously speculation, but it seems that Mixcloud isn’t content to remain in the music streaming category alone. The platform already enjoys a dedicated following, and is uniquely positioned to provide (and fund?) quality live performances for fans of DJing the world over. Tickets is currently invite only (apply here), but labels and artists can apply on the site. Until they get rolling, why not see what DJ Courses Online has to offer in the way of professional DJ courses.

Twitch gets better for DJ livestreams

While Facebook throws ever more obstacles in the way of livestream DJs, Twitch is doing everything right. The most recent development? A catalog of over one million tracks from 30 independent labels and distributors is now available to spin as part of their new “Soundtrack” feature. The road to being a professional DJ has never been more favorable. 

What’s new?

Streaming your set live on Twitch has the advantage of being able to get through your set without the plug being pulled due to copyright issues. Downside? You can’t keep the recording. But now, with the new “Soundtrack” feature, you’ll be able to draw on a million tracks across the categories of “dance”, “electronic” and “rap” - with more on the way. 

Who’s in?

Basically, the publishers of certain tracks have agreed to waive their copyright for livestreaming on Twitch. Artists now available to stream include mxmtoon, Above & Beyond, Porter Robinson, SwuM, RAC, and many others. The feature was launched last week and we can expect it to be available to all Twitch users over the next few weeks.

What does this mean?

If you’re still rocking the underground, Twitch is now officially a safer place to play your set, which almost certainly includes rights-protected music. As usual, the major labels are the slowest to respond. Mainstream DJs will not experience any major changes. 

Reputation is everything in this game. And Twitch is rapidly becoming the more trusted streaming platform for DJs to continue working, even if it is just for the occasional donation.The general  buzz right now is to favor Twitch as a place for your live set. You know what else the general buzz is saying? Level up with a DJ course with DJ Courses Online today!

3 DJ apps making mashups easier

For the most part, DJing has moved on from playback of records. In an era of stem separation, remix decks and mashups, re-edits are becoming more common than the originals. Let’s check out a few apps making mashups easier

Mixed In Key Mashup

Mixed In Key is best known for their flagship software which allows beatmakers and producers to easily produce harmonically pleasing mixes. Mashup takes it a step further by taking the thinking out of which songs to mix into a mashup. You’re able to get quick ‘compatibility rating’ and A/B track syncing. Drag in a few options, line things up and export. Easy.

Serato Studio

Unlike most DAWs, Serato Studios provides an easy way to get started with making re-edits. Their DJ-centric layout and functionality allows you to “play” elements of the track over the top of your source track. This makes it useful for creating bootlegs. If you’re a Serato user, the integration with your Serato library is even more useful. 

Ableton Live

Live is something that basically every professional DJ has a working understanding of, and it’s easy to label it alongside all the other DAWs. But what makes Live so special is its session view, which is (currently) an unparalleled way of generating new ideas through layering and insane playability. If you’re in the business of re-edits that sound like they’ve been organically created, Live should be your go-to.

DJing is fast becoming a more creative outlet than ever. Less playback and more play. Get to grips with the ever-evolving industry of career DJing and sign up for an online DJ course by DJ Courses Online today.

The near future of DJing

Things are never going back to normal normal. There’s a new mentality which puts social distancing at the center of how we behave and interact. This new way of doing things will likely outlast any actual health risks by years. Time to adapt to a post-Covid world. 

DJing to crowds

People are more than likely to be cautious around crowds for years to come. Not the greatest news for DJs. More than one professional DJ career is based on strangers being comfortable getting sweaty together. Indoor events are particularly hard hit, with regulations aimed at reducing numbers to less than 50 people. Oh, and no more spit-spraying water over the crowd.

Booking contracts for DJs

Nobody wants to be blamed for facilitating the spread of a pathogen, so it’s likely that booking contracts will start to contain indemnity clauses. This just means both parties will be required to acknowledge the risks associated with parties, gatherings and other events where a DJ might be present. When it hits the paperwork, it’s unlikely to change any time soon.

Masks for DJs

Whether or not you agree that wearing a mask in a booth is effective, there will likely be cases where DJs are required to mask up in order to play. Even after the pandemic is seen as a threat, people will still wear masks as a show of solidarity for average global health. The masks might work in stopping infection, but they’re most effective in showing cooperation. 

Are DJs being hit hard by the pandemic? In terms of gigs and events, sure. But there are upsides to having less setwork to plan. Time. If the doors haven’t started opening in your area yet, you’d better be using the time to brush up on your software and even get producing. You know what helps? A course of industry professionals who want to help you succeed through the difficult times. Sign up today. 

New DJ livestreaming woes

Facebook already has a reputation amongst livestream DJs that resembles something you’d clean out of the shower plughole. Now, with a new set of Terms and Conditions, it appears that even more restrictive measures are being taken to avoid copyrighted songs being played to your Facebook fans. 

Starting October 1st 2020, Facebook’s legal usage will prohibit using “videos on our Products to create a music listening experience”. The official statement is below

“We want you to be able to enjoy videos posted by family and friends. However, if you use videos on our Products to create a music listening experience for yourself or for others, your videos will be blocked and your page, profile or group may be deleted. This includes Live.”

What’s next for DJs?

So no more playing copyrighted music in your Facebook videos, live or otherwise. You might get away with it, but the update reinforces a precedent that is tending towards blanket restriction on using copyrighted songs. The rules are enforceable, and many DJs already have stories of their streams being pulled mid-set or deleted afterwards. 

What can DJs do about it?

The legit solution for this is unfortunately to ditch Facebook and begin building the audience elsewhere. Twitch is pushing for copyright clearance and fast becoming a friendlier alternative to Facebook. Mixcloud Live is leading the charge negotiating with the publishers to allow the use of copyrighted material on their platforms. Consider looking around. 

It’s safe to assume that over time, there will be less support by the big networks for livestreaming DJs. Kinda sucks, but it might also just be time to leave behind the easy clicks and likes on Facebook and start aiming to get through to people who would follow you wherever you stream. The industry is changing super fast, but trust being earned? That’s timeless. Sign up today for the industry-savvy DJ Career Tips course.