Technological advancements have made our lives convenient. There is no question about this. A device as simple as the remote control has made simple activities like watching TV more relaxing. We can talk for miles about the cellular phone, the laptop, and voice operated home systems. They definitely have made the lives of ordinary people easier.

For professionals in any field, technology has become a game changer. In the medical field, for instance, technological breakthroughs have spelled the difference between life and death.

In the music industry, for professional sound engineers and DJs, technological breakthroughs such as these enhance the quality of the results.

The downside of technology for the average person is that it makes them lazy. It seems like every new generation that is exposed to technology become more whiny than the last. Adults often complain that they never had it that easy when they were their kids’ age. For the old school DJs from impressiondjs.com.au, they would often discuss about the old times when being a DJ involved tedious commitment to their work and a genuine interest to keep the party going.

Pre-produced sets and showmanship

In the era of old school Djs, deejaying involved grinding sessions for overnight parties. The DJ will actually mix the records and interact with the audience. They’ll choose the requests and totally dictate the mood of the party. Nowadays, most Djs will pop in a pre-produced set and just press ‘play’. Then they will prance around like rock stars and flirt with the audience.

Old school Djs did that, too. They also had showmanship. Also, any Dj worth his salt should be able to dance to his own music. After all, you have to set the mood. But using pre-produced sets is more like copping out. It takes away the art of the mix, of playing the right song at the exactly the right moment. Pre-produced sets take away that magic.

Difference between producers and DJs

Just like everything in the world today, deejaying which started as an art and a passion has become a business. Some Djs have resorted to mass producing pre-mixed sets. This is forgivable, and it actually gives more people access to mixes, if they cannot afford to pay for a live Dj. What is regrettable is when these Djs use their ‘gigs’ or ‘spins’ to promote their recorded material. There is a reason why they actually paid for live Dj--they want to see him actually mix.

The problem is, some Djs actually don’t have the skill to make actual mixes. They can only do so in the studio. Well, if that is the case, they should be called ‘producers’ and not actual ‘Djs.’ There is a line that separates the two. This is not to undermine music production--it is a well respected art as well. It is also a fact that some Djs can become very good producers and vice versa. However, you should not mix the two. Just like multi-sport athletes, they have to separate one from the other.

Djs as ‘Corporate Pets’

Old school Djs share memories of their most memorable grind out sessions. These bring out the best in them. In the 90s, the Dj mix was a supreme art form, and to mastery required creativity, passion and careful attention to detail. Any aspiring Dj should pay homage and respect to those who planted the seeds and made this artform famous, starting from the Rave festivals of the 90s to the current scene. We should not let this artform fade into the clutches of corporations who only treat Djs as their drones or pets--a gimmick to make money.