3 fringe cases for Ableton Live

Ableton Live is indeed the alien technology among DJ software options. Far from being either just a DAW or a playback platform, Live allows DJs to push the boundaries of possibility and create some truly innovative effects. Here are a few things you didn’t know people were doing with it.

Controlling Ableton Live using vinyl

It might take a while to get your head around this one, but pioneering DJ John Type has figured out a way to mix and control in Ableton Live 11 using vinyl. Not with a Scratch Live timecode turntable, just using a pure analog audio signal to both influence the tempo and change patches while mixing. The trick is getting the signal to run through a type of feedback loop to tell Ableton (via audio) to speed up and match the beat. Again, head-scratching stuff, here’s how it’s done.

Modular synthesis integration

Ableton could have been designed for modular synthesis. Both software and hardware place a high value on chance and spontaneity, and can take a DJ set from the realm of static playback to non-repeating musicality. One DJ doing it right is David Harrow, whose live set is a textbook for modular synth integration with Ableton. Check out the good work being done in this field.

4D sound using Ableton

The concept behind 4D sound has been around since about 2014. A 4D sound system is closer to an art installation than a DJ rig, and thorough explanations about it can be hard to track down. The general idea is that the position of the sound changes over time. Multiple speakers are synchronized and coordinated through Max For Live and Ableton Live, allowing the perceived source of the sound to travel in any direction in a space. Trippy. Here’s more. 

Ableton has a slightly steeper learning curve than most DJ software options, but it also tends to open doors and minds to less accessible possibilities. Check out the free preview lesson from the Ableton Live DJ course right here on DJ Courses Online, and keep pushing the boundaries!

NFTs and how DJs can use them

They’re being called ‘niftys’, and they’re being heralded as a new era in music and digital art. However you want to look at them, NFTs are popping up everywhere, with investors and collectors eager to get in on the action. Ladies and gentlemen, the non-fungible token, and how it affects DJs.

What’s going on here? 

Let’s imagine that a fictional 80s synthwave track called ‘Miami Neon’ (by an artist called DJ SpankRod) is being released in a couple of days. The track itself is going on sale through Beatport and the usual channels. But there’s also a separate sale for the NFT associated with the work. It states who owns the original copy of ‘Miami Neon’. Yep, even though it’s a digital track which can be ripped and uploaded on YouTube, someone can now own the original. Individual track downloads might make the author of the work a big chunk of change in the short-term release period, but the nifty is really the big kahuna. Why? Read on. 

OK. Then what? 

‘Miami Neon’ happens to be a hit. What does this mean? It means that suddenly everyone wants a piece of it. So the NFT-holder decides to sell their NFT for a profit, which they do. In the process, the author of the work (the music producer) gets an automatic cut using blockchain-based smart contracts to safely ensure an automatic and immutable revenue split. The buyer is happy because they now have bragging rights as the NFT-holder of ‘Miami Neon’. Something which had little to no value before (an audio file which can be copied for free) now has value (a ‘deed’ to the work which can’t be copied). There’s now something to pay for instead of simply getting the free version. Everybody wins.

Who is it for?

Last week, Steve Aoki made this comment on MSN.com: “The space is gonna grow to be something that we’re all gonna use as a means of collecting art … in the future. The culture’s gonna be NFT.” In the words of smart person Tom Bilyeu, “the release of music tracks as NFTs is meant to reach collectors more than investors”. There are no greater collectors than DJs. In other words, NFTs might be a technology expressly invented for DJs. In the long-term, it’s likely that we’ll see DJs gain status and credibility as collectors of the original (digital) copy of a track, with NFTs being the deed of ownership. 

There’s a lot more to unpack here. Why is it important to know who the track belongs to? Who is going to pay for something they can get for free? How does this impact the type of music being made? Lots of questions and we’ll hit you up with some answers in the coming weeks. In the meantime, take your career as a DJ a little more seriously by checking out the Career Tips DJ course by DJ Courses Online.

Beatport to start accepting Bitcoin

In accordance with the internet’s ongoing demand for everything cryptocurrency, Beatport has announced they will begin accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment for their online music download service from June 2021. Let’s take a shallow dive into what this means. 

What’s crypto again? 

Cryptocurrency is a form of digital payment beyond the borders of traditional “fiat” currency. When you buy and download a track online, you probably use PayPal or a similar service. These services are tied to your bank account, which uses your identity as a form of security. Cryptocurrency like Bitcoin uses decentralized information storage to achieve similar levels of security, with the benefit being greater ease of transaction. Basically, Bitcoin makes online transfers much easier and cheaper than traditional banking. 

What’s an NFT? 

Producers especially should be taking note of the newest trend in music publishing: Non-Fungible Tokens. An NFT is basically a stamp of ownership. In a world where you can easily copy and republish music, images and digital art, NFTs make sense. They’re a record of the rights-holder of a digital work. NFTs solve the problem of double-spend transactions, which is where someone sells the same thing twice. Like that guy who sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice.

Why is this important for DJs?

Professional DJs often find themselves afloat in a world of hype, name-dropping and street cred. There are constant disputes over sampling, copyright infringement and publishing. While blockchain-based music platforms aim to solve some of these problems, there’s another reason that Bitcoin makes sense if you’re purchasing music frequently: fewer transaction fees. PayPal charges over 3% for transactions in the United States, a whopping amount in financial terms. It’s now worth exploring the alternatives.

DJs and music producers would do well to have some currency stored in Bitcoin or Ethereum for their track downloads, or even to begin transacting in the currency themselves. Wherever your opinions lie with regard to cryptocurrency, the buzz doesn’t seem to be dying out. Neither is the buzz about raising your DJ profile with the Career Tips DJ course by DJ Courses Online.

Get your DJ decks out again

Are you motivated to get your next mix together? Lot of us are saying “what’s the point” around now, with ongoing restrictions and all. But stay motivated because this time will end. And motivation is key to getting your next set together. That’s why the DJ Courses Online video instructors all seem so hyped to be sharing the knowledge. Three quick boosters for you. 

Make the setup easy

The trick to staying on top of your game is forming a habit. You got a controller in the back of your cupboard? Get it out. Plug it in. If you live with other people, make compromises to have a bit of living room table space on the weekends. Do whatever you have to in order to have it set up and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Remove the barriers to booting up the decks and hitting cue. 

Let your hobby inspire you

Obviously, most DJs in the world are not professional. And the professional life is a little hyped at times. All good. Maybe you’re happy doing it as a hobby. You’ll probably make more friends that way! So don’t get despondent if you feel that you’re not making it as a professional DJ. You could sign up for a DJ course to learn some pro tips. You could rearrange your bedroom to make more space for your gear. Just spend a little more time on it than yesterday. 

Send a mix to a friend

Even in an age of limitless music, your friends will still be stoked to get a mixtape from you. Especially if it’s to their taste. Pick a friend. Do a mix of 10 tracks you think they’ll like and send them the MP3. The genuine thrilled reaction you’ll get is worth a thousand of those Soundcloud comments with three fire emojis. You know the type.

We’re rooting for you. If you’re at all into DJing, you’re a cool person with some skills to share. Don’t let the indifference of social media and play counts get in the way. Picture yourself behind the decks at the next rooftop party. Picture the joy you’ll bring to those people. Stay on top of your game!

Is Audius the right fit for DJ-producers?

There’s a buzz right now about a music streaming platform called Audius. No, this isn’t a paid article, just listen. If you’re producing music, you’ll wanna hear about a type of streaming platform which only works when the producers are square in the middle. Sound good? Welcome to the world of decentralized royalty splits. Welcome to blockchain for music.

Blockchain means business

Audius uses a blockchain to store its audio data, which makes it impossible for someone to claim a piece of intellectual property if someone else published it first. Permanent timestamping. Normally, you’d be able to change the date in a file. With blockchain, you can only update it, but the original record remains. In the same way that torrenting movies has been tempered by the affordability of Netflix, blatant sampling, lawsuit fears and track rips could be similarly subdued by the affordability of blockchain-based music platforms.

One platform to rule them all

We’re all used to new platforms coming along, making promises and then vanishing (or being bought out) with your data and hopes. There’s no reason to trust Audius - yet. But it does seem inevitable that sooner or later, a leading DJ-centric platform will come along which uses our current tech to enable direct fan-to-artist crypto payments. We’ll have to wait and see whether or not it’s Audius. Pretty advanced stuff, but not as advanced as this Advanced DJ Techniques & Tips III course.

User-facing

Blockchain platforms tend to resemble house parties. Someone owns the house, but nobody’s really in control of everything that’s going on. Platforms like Audius are built to serve the user base, not merely trade with them. The open-source feel of the platform holds all the promise of Web 3.0 and a much-needed overhaul of the current content distribution methods. The Audius white paper outlines most of what they stand for.

How much of this is of value to DJs is yet to be seen. But if you’re producing your own tracks, you’ll want to take notice of the way blockchain is affecting copyright (in your favor!). Yet again, times are changing.  But thankfully, learning to DJ like a boss is here to stay.

Curating an awesome DJ set

Being a great DJ is mostly about curation of awesome music. It’s as simple as that, really. You need to listen to new music constantly. You need to update your collection constantly. You need to be a bit of a librarian who knows the contents of their crate. No better way to learn DJing curation. Here are a few ideas for filtering the rubbish from your collection and building an awesome set.

The feels

At least once a year, sort your whole collection into two piles: tracks that still make you feel something, and the rest. If a track doesn’t make you feel something, it should be in line for removal. Not necessarily every track needs to be removed from the pile. There’s room for oldies and tracks that you know your friends and crowd enjoy more than you. But definitely cull your collection based on feel as often as possible. 

Seasonal selection

Fresh material usually makes up the bulk of most DJs’ sets, so you should always be on the lookout for the new stuff that suits your style. But remember that acquiring certain tunes means letting others go. You don’t actually want a collection of 10 million songs. Onboard the new stuff in summer and offload the old stuff in winter. Feels natural. 

Switching

No DJ should give their collection away, but swapping tunes with friends is a great way to build connections that matter and last. Maybe one of your ‘meh’ tunes will spark some joy in a buddy. Call up a mate, go through each other’s collections and do a trade of some of your tunes. Sharing music is a timeless way to bond. You’ll probably end up throwing a party together. 

Curating a great DJ collection is a skill worth hanging on to. DJing isn’t all only about getting loose and curating the vibe at a party. Your connection with your collection is what matters. Get more pro tips from TLM in the DJ Careers course by DJ Courses Online.

Make your next DJ mixtape better

Let’s take a look at how your next mixtape could be better. Nothing wrong with your latest one, of course. But there is a type of playbook for making your selection pop. DJs take heed! Your next mixtape could be better than your last one. Here’s how. 

Do the levels right

Having one track come in softer than the one before it is an energy-killer. That’s what the Loudness War is all about. We perceive louder music as better. You can use a free loudness metering tool called Youlean to make sure you’re judging your levels by overall integrated loudness, not just peaks. Don’t be afraid to tweak the EQ to make the whole mix sound ‘mastered’. Learn more about level mixing with a DJ Courses Online membership.

Plan the music

Especially if you’re doing a drag-and-drop mixtape compilation (instead of a recorded live performance). Planning a set to play out on a sound system is different to planning as set for listening back on bud headphones on a noisy bus. Make sure the energy you’re trying to convey suits your intended playback. 

Get it done!

It’s cool hearing your mixtape back. And you get to hear it back forever. It’s not about short-term hype and getting immediate plays and follows. Motivation is the natural byproduct of looking back at your body of work and seeing how far you’ve come and how others have joined you on the way. But you have to put in the time. Your DJ mix can be scrappy for now, while you get started. But make sure it’s better than the last thing you did. 

The art of the mixtape has been mostly usurped by streaming playlists. But so much playlist compiling starts with the question “how can I reach a million people?” And in the process, we’re kinda forgetting to reach out to the few people that will actually care that you made something for them. Don’t forget to throw in one of your own tunes! Pick up some more insight from the pros on any of the DJ courses by DJ Courses Online today. And a quick plug - DatPiff is still top of the pile for mixtapes!

Should DJs use Ableton Live 11?

It’s a debate we’re not going to end today. And it’s sort of a silly one too. There’s no audio workstation or DJ software that covers all the bases. You can use any software to do the job of showing a crowd of people a good time. So whether or not you produce your own beats and perform using Ableton Live 11, here’s a quick overview of the DJ-focused upgrades to the leading live performance DJ DAW

Towards production

With the recent upgrade to version 11, Ableton Live has shifted focus away from its power as DJ software and towards production. There is the standard host of new sounds and device upgrades, but the big one is the ability to comp. Not much use for DJs, but a fantastic development for anyone who records any kind of live input while producing music.

Follow action 

There have been a few improvements to clip follow action in Live 11. This means that you’re able to be a little more unpredictable than before. You can alter the note and velocity probabilities. You can customize clip length. And here’s the big one - you can jump to specific clips. All great little tweaks for DJs looking to push their live set forward and give it freshness. 

MPE capability

Another one that benefits the keyboardists and performers among us is the MPE support. MPE (MIDI polyphonic expression) controllers allow you to play really space age sounds. The Roli Seaboard produces mind-bending sounds. It’s like keyboard aftertouch on steroids. This development might even turn a few DJs into keyboardists because it sounds so cool.

Ableton Live has long been the DJ platform for controllerists and DJs who want to play spontaneously with their tunes. If you’re unfamiliar with Ableton Live (and especially if you want to play more instruments during your set), it’s a recommended upskill from other software. DJ Courses Online has a course specifically for Ableton Live DJs that you might wanna check out. Catch you next week!

A brief history of Daft Punk

As you’re likely aware, the duo that basically created the French house genre have split. Pioneering, Grammy-winning electronic music outfit Daft Punk is no more. And so, in memory of their contribution to DJ and dance music culture, here’s a brief history of Daft Punk’s wide arc across our musical skies.

Early years

Daft Punk was formed by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter in 1993. In 1997, their debut studio album Homework was released, with singles ‘Around The World’ and ‘Da Funk’ leading their charge. In 2001, their second album ‘Discovery’ pushed them even further upwards with classics like ‘One More Time’ and ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’, both featuring the by-now trademark vocoder sound. 

Later years

The duo toured from 2006-2007 and won a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album in 2007. In 2010, their space-age appearance and futuristic sound made them a perfect match as the soundtrack composers for the film Tron: Legacy. In 2013, their fourth album ‘Random Access Memories’ went on to win 5 Grammys, including Album of the Year. All while setting the bar on how to DJ way high. 

Interstella 5555

If there’s one enduring legacy that Daft Punk have left us with other than their music and aesthetic, it’s a rather unknown animated musical film called Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. The film was a collaboration with Japanese director Kazuhisa Takenouchi and had a budget of $4 million. Interstella 5555 enjoys a cult following, and is worth a watch for fans of Daft Punk’s crystal clear trademark style.

Daft Punk have no doubt set the bar high for any future generations of music that feels like it was given to us by an advanced alien civilization built on the principles of EDM. Their departure from our hearts (and charts) is major loss to electronic music. But don’t let that stop you from pushing onwards in your own DJ career. Check out the Ableton Live DJing course by DJ Courses Online today.

Now curate your setlist in your browser

Prepping a new setlist for every new event can be a pain. Buying new tracks, crate digging, loading them onto your DJ software platform, transferring to USB. Not always ideal, and in the case of last-minute gigs, a straight up nightmare! One new development of interest to online course DJs might be of help. Meet Beatport DJ.

What is Beatport DJ? 

Beatport DJ is a web application that runs in your browser and aims to streamline a DJ’s workflow. Using the service, DJs are able to browse tracks in the Beatport catalog, search and build playlists and preview full tracks. You can even layer songs without having to download and import them to your software. Basically, Beatport has taken advantage of the fact that web browsers are feature-rich and sophisticated enough to process audio on the fly. 

Pros

Beatport DJ looks dope when it comes to track curation and high-quality, full track preview playback. The industry benefits when paid music services are done right. The service allows for cross-device playlist curation and serves as a hub for crate digging and more. Essentially, Beatport DJ is LINK on steroids. On the web. Oh, and while you’re on the web, level up your skills with an online DJ course.

Cons

To sign up, users require LINK, which is Beatport’s cloud subscription service currently starting at $15/mo.  Currently only available on Google Chrome web browser. Safari is being promised later in the year, along with mobile devices. Another challenge is the fight against the forces of subscriber lock-in. By its very nature, DJing track selection is (or perhaps used to be?) about having access to tracks that others can’t or don’t have. When everyone has access to the exact same catalog of conveniently categorized tunes, you might as well have DJ Suggesto-Bot running the event. 

But do check out Beatport DJ. There’s currently a 30-day free trial if you haven’t signed up for LINK yet. As per the official hype, Beatport DJ promises a “truly effortless experience that you would expect from dedicated desktop software”. And all things considered, it looks like a real time-saver for professional DJs on the road. For the rest of us, Beatport Link does look like a fancy new way to organize your library. As with all things tech, just remember to keep focused on the music! 

Using streaming services to DJ

There’s a discussion taking place about the role of integrated streaming services when DJing. Because wifi is so widely available and mobile data is cheaper than ever, it sorta makes sense to have instant access to 60 million songs rather than however many you carry on your flash drive. So should DJs use streaming services? Here are two reasons against (and one for) Spotifying your setlist.

Quality

With one less gatekeeper (the record label) in the path between the producer and the fan, more people than ever are self-publishing their work. Inevitably, this means a drop in the overall quality of what we hear. When the cost of manufacturing a track is so low, so is the average quality of the output. So beware. With repeat exposure, we’re training our ears to think average audio quality is good. Here’s a 22-minute doccie on that topic.

Convenience

Future mobile DJs are going to wonder how their predecessors dealt with bridezillas who absolutely needed to hear her favorite obscure 80s cut - right now! For events where your setlist is not fully decided, using integrated streaming services wins. You can’t beat having access to basically the entire catalog of recorded pop music. 

Conformity 

We’re outsourcing ever more of our brain and decision-making power to software. Recommended songs, automatically generated playlists and smart track selection are all features that are now available to DJs. “If you like that, you might like this.” Neat! Problem? Everyone taking the easiest possible route all the time leads to a gray goo of conformity. In the case of club nights, it leads to a setlist that doesn’t seem too different to the ones before and after it. Many of us still want DJing to reflect the personality and taste of the human being behind the decks. 

Contrary to what many DJs think, integrated streaming services aren’t a devilish attempt to turn us all into button-pushers. They’re just a new base of the pyramid. It’s simply a tradeoff. You get convenience and in return you sacrifice some personality and culture. So choose where you want to be on the pyramid, and work for it. A good place to start? One of the DJ Courses Online course options.

Why DJ pools make sense

Joining a DJ pool makes life easier. When you’re part of a DJ record pool, you have access to a library of curated tracks and DJ edits which serve as food for commercial DJ audiences. Tracks that aren’t widely available to the public. Let’s check out a few of the advantages of being part of a record pool.

DJ pools make sense

Being part of a pool makes sense because not every DJ needs to have completely exclusive access to 100% of their tracks. There’s overlap. There should be, if playing hot tracks is your aim. People like what other people like, and being part of a pool means having access to the stuff that’s being pre-promoted the most widely. Just remember that in order to stand out, you gotta have some cuts that the others don’t!

DJ edits

Pools sometimes include edits to the master tracks. Intros, outros, instrumentals, censored versions, acapellas, remixes, tempo transition tracks, and so on. Stuff that gives you options. Platforms are constantly announcing and adding DJ edit versions. This week, Beatsource is leading the charge with a first-ever delivery of licensed edits by artists like Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Rich The Kid, Anderson Paak and more.

Widen the library

Buying music is expensive, especially when you’re finding your audience. Professional DJs all obtain their music legally, both to support the industry and to avoid the risk of playing bad quality. Bar and restaurant gigs can last for hours, so having a big library makes sense. DJ pools make it possible to do so at a fraction of the cost.

You get the point? Join a DJ record pool. Here’s a good list of where to start. DJ record pools allow you to access music which isn’t accessible by the general public, and there are some hoops to jump through. But having access to the goods will spark new enthusiasm for your DJ career. 

New management for Traktor parent company

Native Instruments, the creators of DJ software Traktor, is under new ownership. In January 2021, it was announced that Native Instruments, EMH Partners, and Francisco Partners are selling the majority shares to the investment firm Francisco Partners. What could it mean for Traktor and the world of professional touring DJs who have made their names using it? 

DJ software changes

This official forum post points to the future building of some type of “Google One” version of Native Instruments called “One Native”. Native Instruments openly states their aim to create a “seamless user experience”, one which is based on community needs. All standard corporate waffle, by the sounds of it, and somehow generally well-received by the commenters. But where does Traktor fit into it all?

The future of Traktor

Development on Traktor has basically ground to a halt in recent times. In the latest announcement, there was no mention of the DJ software, with most of the news focusing on their Maschine and Komplete platforms. In the reshuffle, will Traktor be able to keep up with the more rapidly developing competition, or is it on the way to becoming abandonware? There are many choices for software DJs! 

Allen & Heath to purchase Traktor?

All we’ve had are rumors, but the idea has been floating around that Allen & Heath might purchase the Traktor division of Native Instruments. This makes far more sense given the relative brand awareness and DJ-friendly support of Allen & Heath. Traktor may have been a reason to jump aboard the Native Instruments ship years ago. But now it seems to have fallen into disrepair. A buyout and overhaul by A&H would be largely welcomed by DJs who use Traktor.

Companies which thrive by selling digital products do so by measuring their users in precise detail and by incentivizing repeat payments over once-off purchases. By the sounds of it, Native Instruments is gearing up to lock their existing users into some kind of subscription model. Let’s wait and see. While you’re waiting, how about checking out the free preview video of the DJ Courses Online Traktor course?

Mixcloud Live to the rescue?

Here’s the problem: you’re trying to keep your head above water as a professional DJ. But right now, you’re basically not allowed to leave your house, let alone play out at a club. One solution might have been livestreaming your set to drum up some donation or subscription cash. But Facebook - home to the masses - keeps killing your stream due to licensing issues. What can be done? Fortunately, you’re not the only one who’s been thinking about it. Mixcloud Live has exited their beta phase and come to the rescue of many struggling DJs with a platform that allows them to stream on a legal and licensed platform.

OBS-friendly

It would be tempting for Mixcloud to launch their own proprietary version of OBS in order to maximize user lock-in. But for now it seems as though your favorite open-source broadcaster is still the go-to for streaming to Mixcloud Live. Great! No switching costs.

Producers get paid

Producers sure are gonna be happy about this. The best part about Mixcloud Live is that copyright holders get paid. You can sort of get away with it on Twitch, and YouTube does pay rights holders, but only if their music is pre-registered with a publisher or mechanical rights collection agency like Audiam.

The downside

Mixcloud Live currently requires a Pro membership, which costs $15/month to use. Why should you pay when you can stream for free on YouTube? The short answer is based in psychology. Free costs nothing because the creators don’t value the work enough to charge for all of it. Pro costs something because they do. The power of paid content platforms is both in attracting the quality and deterring the amateurs. Choice is always yours.

Mixcloud Live is breaking new ground. Not as a streaming platform - that’s all been done - but as a legal, licensed and fair way to keep DJing alive in a time of crisis. Be the change you want to see by considering signing up and streaming your sets to a new category of fans - the ones that are serious about what you do. While you’re at it, think about advancing your own DJ skills by signing up for a course by DJ Courses Online.

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.