by Angus Macdonald

Created on: February 01, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

As a DJ I am aware of many common misconceptions of my trade. I am faced with them whenever I get behind a set of decks. So, to save public embarrassment and future argument, I shall dispel these myths one by one.

1. DJs are not talented.

I've heard this a million times, mostly by people who have spent years learning to play the guitar only to find they can't get booked for a gig when people who 'only spin some records' or 'only pick tunes' play on a weekly basis. I have spent years learning how to mix records properly, how to construct a set which flows and how to keep it going for hours. It's hard work, and takes a lot of talent to pull it off. Each DJ has their own style, and that's not just what kind of music they play. There are many more things to consider when DJing than merely 'what tune shall I play next'.

2. DJs are not musicians.

Granted this may be true of some DJs. However, a good DJ should be a musician on the decks as much as they may be on any other instrument. Consider a scratch DJ, someone who can turn any sound on record into an instrument. This takes considerable skill, and a LOT of practice. This I know from personal experience. If anyone reading this thinks that a DJ is not a musician, go and check out DJ Kentaro or Q-Bert. Then you will see (and hear) how turntables are instruments. I write electronic music as well as DJ, and I put just as much time and effort into both.

3. Any idiot could do that.

OK, go and try it. Even simple things like beat matching (making two records go at the same speed) aren't easy.

4. DJs have, and are willing to play, anything you ask them for.

If I'm playing at a party or a private function or something like that, then I'll put on any requests if I have the record. Chances are, however, I won't. In a club, however, I will generally have prepared the full set beforehand, working out every detail to make sure it sounds perfect. So in a club, all requests become null and void. It's the equivalent of being at an Oasis gig and asking them to play a Blur song you really like halfway through their set. It's not going to happen I'm afraid. Also, any DJ playing from vinyl will only have a select few records with them for the event. Vinyl weighs a ton, anyone who has a DJing friend will appreciate the weight of record bags after offering to carry one after a gig. To have any tune that anyone is likely to ask would would be back-breaking.

5. DJs are only in it for the money, and they make a lot of it.

Again, this may be true of some DJs. However, most DJs play because they love the music, and love playing it to people. I personally find only one thing more enjoyable than making people dance when I'm DJing, and that's making people dance when I'm playing my own music live. I currently organize a monthly night-club event from which I take no money at all, and it takes up a lot of my time and energy. This I do because I love doing it. I, like most DJs I know, have a day job. Granted, the top DJs in the business live in the lap of luxury, but the majority of us work in the same rubbish jobs as everyone else.

I hope this has cleared up a few things for some people reading it. DJ culture is something to be truly admired, as much as any music scene. If you take the time to look beyond the common misconceptions, you will find something you enjoy greatly. Guaranteed.

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