@@djrobswift Can't knock the djs that hit button because it adds to the performance but at the end of day. If you got skills, you got skills. Gear isn't a substitute for skills , it just edifies your skills
Part of the problem nowadays is that everybody wants to front like they're flawless for social media. I like all the flashy dope shit too, but when I see or hear someone make a mistake or trainwreck for a second or two then save it, I appreciate it more because you know its real and you know that person knows what they're doing on the decks.
Amen brotha! I work on my mixes for months trying make them perfect. I'll go for about an hour mixing tracks, then for about two seconds it gets out of sync, then recover. Since I'm trying to record a set for my SoundCloud, I would start all over again, only to have a minor mistake somewhere else. I just decided to not worry about it anymore. It's never going to be perfect and if anyone does notice the mistake, which most people don't, at least they know I'm really working the decks and not using the sync button for the entire set.
@@philharmonik77 Yo, I was about 30 minutes into a Reggae/Reggaeton mix the other night and I trainwrecked a transition for a few seconds, lol... That was already my second take and I wasn't starting over again 😆
The most plays I’ve ever had on one of my mixes on Mixcloud was a demo tape that I did back in 1991. It’s riddled with errors. Gave me faith that folk still wanted to listen to it.
Rob, thank you for bringing this into the open. As a female DJ, I am formally trained, I had the privilege to attend the prestigious Homeboyz DJ Academy, I have been on the decks since 2003. Back then turntables was all there was, once you know turntables, you can use literally any DJ software or equipment, because for most of them turntables are the template. It kills me to hear girls saying that it is ok to use their sexuality to get ahead in their career. I have seen women use this tactic; some are talented, others less so. When they do get bookings, fame, money, people, even those doing business with them, talk trash about them, they are not given respect, they have no real street cred. Some are rumoured to have slept their way up, or are side-chicks to promoters who are married, and all sorts of strategies that lack integrity. Being a female DJ before technology was great, you either knew how to use turntables or you didn't; for that, I got respect. I sailed through the CD era, entered the laptop era, now it will be flash disks, live performance, who knows what else in the future? I love technology, but it does have its pros and cons, especially allowing fakes to prosper and in the process discredit our art in the public eye, reducing earnings for many DJs because clients perceive that what DJs do is easy and has no real value. I could say a lot but my point is, I agree with everything Rob Swift has said, we should not use commerce and capitalism as an excuse to sacrifice the art. Plus we need the world to know what work REALLY goes into being a DJ, just like Tyra Banks used "America's Next Model" to show the world how difficult being a professional model really is. So that even those planning to become DJs or book DJs take this seriously.
I've seen almost all of your videos and this has to be the most telling of all. I actually subbed Lady Style when I 1st saw her, and you crushed me and educated me at the same time. Being a noob, I didn't catch her "fader mishap" until I watched this. Wow! Best DJ instructor on the planet!
I'm learning (self taught) how to DJ right now on digital controller. This channel has been super insightful on how to still try and be raw and not cheat.
I know this is an old comment, but as someone who has done so, going from a controller to wax is a completely different feel. Wax teaches you how to have hand control, only use the amount of force you need to use, etc.
I will never leave my underground DJing roots of the early 80's/90's Hip Hop scene and the House Music scene. Now my mixing is of eclectic styles, Funk, Soul, Reggae, Drum and Bass, etc, any tune, as long as it is a belter that fits the mix. Creativity in my mixing, excites me more than ever now. I love creating soundscapes on the Wheels of Steel.
Good man! eventually! nice one! its incredible how many people are oblivious to this. ive been mixing with vinyl for 20 years, and i still love it. Good times man
First, I think your classes are awesome and respect. Thank you for posting them - loved watching them. I was fortunate in that I started as a DJ back in 1979 with vinyl and have transitioned to digital only in the last decade. I can fully understand your anger with fake DJs. I experienced this before lockdown at a gig I did at a prestigious event where, although I was playing virtually all night, they hired a 'celebrity' beautiful young female DJ to play a 30 minute main set. Was very angry that she was getting paid more than I earn in a month for performing for 30 minutes - not because of the pay - but because she basically played a pre-recorded set and was faking the entire thing. She cheated not only her audience but also the organizers of the event who paid a lot for her to perform. In addition, although she was only playing from her computer - didn't see her work any of the CDJs the entire performance - she was red lining and distorting her sound until we jumped in to fix the levels for her.
Great vid. I find the imperfections are what makes it perfect. I want to see or hear a slight time drop or an out of time scratch because that's the real deal. Big up to the real DJ's and big up to the world of all vinyl, let's keep keeping it real.
@@thesleepstate Did I say I like mistakes? Don't think I mentioned mistakes. I've been watching scratching in competitions since mid 80s and have never heard a set without some slight timing slip or something. But I don't class those as mistakes. You may though.
I knew it with that Lady Style! I watched one of her vids a while back and ended up slowing it down coz i thought I was seeing either little extra moves or things missing on the fader or something completely different. She obviously can scratch but I've noticed with some of the more complicated scratches, you can hear them perfectly but you can see she's hit and miss with the fader when it's slowed down. She obviously can do them but it's heavily edited by the looks of it to make it sound perfect but not cool when you're showcasing something based on live skill. The average person would not notice the difference though. I was second guessing myself at first as well and I've been DJ'n for 23 years :)
She posted a follow up with the room audio instead of the source audio and you can hear all the fader clips etc. I think the source audio is just slightly out of sync with the video
@@rct3isepic I think calling her out here is grossly unfair - there are way worse offenders - shes just trying to present herself in the best possible light - that may be ill advised BUT she cleary know how to work a fader (and a crowd!)
Honor to you Rob, you banged out every point that I was going to put in the comment section. Your students are very sharp as well, with each vid that you put out from every semester, your students are getting more observant, excellent job fam. And I will always will rock out with the Technics SH-EX 1200 mixer, and vinyl to show that all the mixing, and scratching are authentic. Also, I don't feel those mixers with the effects at all. And to those EDM/artist people, who have that Avicii/David Guetta/Calvin Harris type people, they should separate themselves from the DJing realm, and just stick to the ghost producing realm. Also those EDM/artist people should just step off and, make room for those who really put in the work within craft of DJing because, they are in essence, music players or, MJ's (Music Jockeys) as I categorize them as. Because with that term, music can be played with anything, So for those event managements that book those figure heads at those major events, it will eventually go around to kick them in the ass, it's just a matter of time. But the bottom line is that, real recognizes real, the universe works in mysterious ways. So at the end of the day, at least for me vinyl is final, the vinyl frontier.
Wow Rob I can't even listen those kind of sounds. I'm switching on my mk2s right now. I love your videos man and you should be proud of those young djs they're a credit to you.
Great video 👍 rob.nice to see you use reloop 7000 mk 2...IAM having to pick mine up today after some damage.iam starting to teach DJing to some students soon and this is really some nice points regarding fakers out there.well done keep up the good work 😎
Bought a Rev 1, perfect for me as an intro to mixing, but I am trying to mix as best as possible without using Sync and without being some sort of automaton pressing a button, and that's because of all of the Rob Swift videos I've watched. Maybe after this intro to mixing I can progress to actual motorised platters
Its mad how you brought her up, I was watching that dj Lady Style on one video and was like, i swear the scratching is off...like the hand movements were not in line with the scratch...never expected it to be faked.
Rob.... You are one of the GOATs and I'm not even 1% of the Dj that you are, but I would like to say something about the Lady Style topic. 1. I think the finger drumming in the beginning is totally legit. Might just not be "necessary", because we all now that the song starts like this anyway. 2. About the open-fader-moment: looking at the record, it seems to me as if she moves it at the point just BEFORE the scratch-sound starts, so you would not hear anything from that side with an open fader. It might even be that her fader-curve is adjusted to have a tiny space before it opens. Of course it's also possible that she just edited that tiny mistake later, because the rest was flawless. 3. One of your students pointed out that there have been moments when she pretends to scratch but there is no scratching audible. I guess he is referring to the parts when she is scratching a beat to the moments without drums. All together I think that she knows everything she did in that video and actually did it for real. I have nothing but respect for you..... like I said you are one of the GOATs.... I just think that putting her in similar light as DJs that are really not capable of doing, what comes out of the speakers is not really fair. 1Luv
I remeber going to a big event here in the UK and was many top DJ's in the " Jungle " music scene. M-beat was playing with General levy on the Mic. Now in more then sure M-beat is capable of handling decks vinyl & cd , but my man came in stage plugged a laptop in and that was that for a 30min set. Lol shocking
Hey Rob , super interesting . You don't think Lady style may have the fader contour adjusted to where the crossfader is not picking up in the small open spot area? I see what your all talking about right away. I agree but just asking as a pro DJ myself. Great video's I enjoy your Lessons.
Probably won't see this year's later but Yeah I agree... Plus I was watching the original too. I think her contour isn't as sharp in that clip as most Scratch dj's because or how aggressive she is with it in a loose tension setting. The slightest gap we've seen may still have been in the quiet zone as u say. Also when she was scratching and they said it seemed like nothing was there despite her baby scratching .... In the original you can actually hear the low bass tone she's scratching to I think they were a bit harsh on DJ lady style. I thought it looked accurate.
@@DJONDEX Yes sir I remember this it was a few years ago when I commented on it. it’s all a bunch of fake BS. Not cool. I see what you’re saying I went back to the video and checked out what you were saying and you’re right. there is additional nonsense you picked up on. but once I notice something is not right i then Don’t even bother to continue to look it’s just sad at that point.
All this does is remind me of 2001 when I saw a guy at the pub with his white mac laptop going through the itunes playlist. And he was being paid to do it. From MP3s at like 128kb. Makes me mad Rob, the degredation of the base, to reveal a superficial image that totally does distract most people from reality. Hard to watch because alot of big money involved and the root of evil . Excellent to see your progression in the class with the 'graduating' to Serato that's amazing.
Lmfao.. Even before I got into Hip-Hop as a whole, I knew that wasn't the way to dj.. Anybody can fucking do that. Your grandmother could do that. That's fucking embarrassing. Like, he couldn't even try to pretend to actually do a mix.
@@sgtcreasegrease Nonsense. Your grandmother lacks the requisite tastes to choosing the right tracks! In Jamaica the DJ is known as the " Selecta ", because selcting the tunes to play is 100% of the art. Hipsters and olds like to think they are special because they've mastered placing a needle onto a vinyl record and moving a fader.. WOW !!! Who cares when everyone is firmly sat in their seats as they are at DJ competitions and exhibitions, instead of dancing their asses off
@@thesleepstate I was going to bite your head off at your ignorance here but I'll just give you some information so you know what i'm talking about. Firstly, this is a lot more than just "placing a needle on a record." Again, your grandmother can do that. Also, what does "requisite for selecting the rite tracks" mean? Playing the top 40 garbage that gets shoved down everybody's throat at the club? Pretty boring IMO, but that's just me. Also, there is a difference between being a turntablist dj and one who does mixes and blends, which can incorporate turntablism, the moving of the record to create rhythms. You can use this to enhance mixes, or even show off a bit of skill with juggles before letting a track play through. DJ competitions are for turntablism junkies. Usually the people following these are also turntablists or are fascinated what the types of sounds one can make out ot too spinning pieces of plastic and a crossfader. I was not saying that in order to be a decent dj you had to be QBert, but don't underestimate or disrespect an art and a culture that Hip-Hop, honestly, helped pushed forward. Edit: I wonder if you were the guy in the pub on the mac laptop going through your itunes playlist, and getting paid for it.. Good for you, you got your money, but your making it hard for people with actual talent to have opportunities by lowering the bar.
David Guetta used to be quite a decent dj "back in the day", there's a good video of him playing and has lost at Space in Ibiza and on vinyl too. Then he sort of sold out to the EDM market any respect that he might have had from when he actually DJ'd.
I totally Agree and to make things even worse products like Phase DJ will gain popularity because it will give those without the skill or the hard work the ability to manipulate without error.
Thanks Rob, i truly wanted to believe it was all her. I appreciate what you are doing in regards to teaching the ones who want to learn the history and art of turntablism. Do you have a website that i can correspond with you on an individual level??
Rob, absolutely... correct all round with this.. I try myself to educate 'some' of the younger djs.. I see it now every week / when im out at clubs in Uk - same.. its ACTING.. give em 2 x Technics theyd go red, embarrassed make excuses or fake illness and leave the room!? They wouldnt know what to do with 2 x vinyl. ( and no laptop or serato..) may hurt some.. but true.. ( vinyl scratch dj since 1987 ;) . WEll done exposing.. It needs to be known.. Respect..
Another thing I think her name is DJ Ladystyle and I seen her hip hop videos but I always had vinyl and still don't have dj software so when I saw it was using serato I thought it could be possible as I go to a party and wonder how is the dj keep switching songs without removing the records then I saw it was a computer so I thought anything was possible. But you opened my eyes to her
if she is lip synching or dj synching over her own scratches why not just do a live stream video? I wonder if the actual dj sees it and calls her out what would happen? Not like they could sue, right unless she's getting paid from the views
40 years of DJing and I witnessed fake DJs, Rappers, Singers, Groups, Bands, with hit records playing at venues where people pay $$$ has always been disturbing to me. I failed as a promoter in the 80s because I demand the artist perform live. Most were not good.
Dancers have this problem the least, i mean we still deal with the jaws of dancing, and some other stuff, but not this, WHAT I ALSO found, from From 20:02 to 20:39, is that photographers are having similar gripes with clients/models because of tech (smartphones/filters/etc) and extreme "tech edits." Seeing the examples here, mixed with the dance/photography ones that i know, i think its important to put on the horse blinders and develop, and get sharper at noticing the BS vs seeing the BS and turning the finger on ya self. Keep up the good work Rob Swift, and ya students, and ya TH-cam students (we all watching+learning).
Exactly! It should make you mad as hell. I’ve been doing this since the early 90s (and now it’s just a hobby) yet I’m still just as passionate about it as I was then… and it pisses me the F off as well… to be perfectly honest.
Those girls have good opinions but rob has a point that covers all professions. I work in outdoor recreation and I studied it and I hate it when companies hire unskilled people because it's cheaper because it puts me out of a job.
Sounds like personal bias tbh... seems like your bitter cos they could find someone to do your job cheaper than what u demand to be paid get with the times..
That's a shame that a female dj figure head will be used to draw ppl in and a background dj is doing all the work and it took a while for female DJs to get their recognition. Shout out to DJ Jazzy Joyce while we're at it. I didn't even know she competed in a DJ contest against dudes and proved she could rock like they could and even be better than some. Very Interesting, Rob.
@@gavdjdaddymac9266 lol nah man she's legit. Check her out
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Maximum Respect for the man, the legend, that is GM Rob Swift. I’ve been watching Rob on DMC, tv & listening to his music since the beginning as a youngster. Rob is off da chain both solo & as part of the X ecutioners. Nothin gets past him. I’ve been watching Lady Style since a post of hers randomly popped up in recommended a few years back. Always thought her hands were outta sync with the audio, but thought I was imagining it. Just shows what people will do fe a minute of fame & a few £/$/€. She’s not just disrespecting the true DJs that have been locked away for 12-18 hrs a day, everyday, for years, in their room or basement practicing, but the entire culture. All said & done she’s fooling herself, & conning her fans, promoters & venue owners. Sad. I’ve heard people over past couple of years or so, that have said they’ve been calling her out on posts of her mixes, she doesn’t respond, & just blocks them. As humans we’re not infallible & everyone makes mistakes, even the legends. It’s life. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous. Just shows the lengths people will go to. I’ve seen footage of TOP DJs blatantly faking. It’s crazy. Just lock ya self away, put the hours & work in. Effort = reward. Technology is both the best & worse thing to happen. Seems crazy to me that people would even want to pretend. Surely, it’s so much more satisfying to really have those skills/talent. Once people catch on to the faking, surely it’s over for them. Lady Style would never get away with that shit in a DMC competition, hence she’d NEVER compete. The fact that now someone can take a flawless scratch by a legend like Roc Raida, or Q-Bert, & program it into a mixer, then pass it off as their own real time scratch, is a travesty. Technology has enabled talentless fools to pass themselves as the real thing. Right now, every man & his dog wants to be a DJ, after watching the originators & legends for years. Rather than having to put the work in, new tech has allowed talentless fools to appear as the real deal. Bet the legends are pissed with these fools & fakery. Time for everybody to call these fakers out on ALL their posts. Sad times. Respect from across the pond in Weezy UK. Peace.
A lot of theses mainstream producer/ DJ the pre make and mix and master all their music before the event. The crowd never sees his decks or mixers (or her). And this made me feel differently about DJ lady style. .... witch I kinda knew but didn’t investigate. But yeah prior like David are just in it for the money. 200k fir the hour and the following. On music already created.... all i can say is respect the culture and we do what we do and we uplift and embrace the real DJs.
My brother was a Dj and he was from the analog era where you had to shuffle through milk creates to find your record. He was damn good DJ. RIP... A lot of these so call DJ's of this era can not hold a candle to him. They only thing digital system should be used for it the easy of categorizing your songs and the ease of cue them up. Not beat matching, cue's, or fading options. The way it works in today's market. The digital era can turn an newbie Dj to an average one, an average Dj to a good one, and a good Dj to one that makes 6 figures. Real talk!
Back in the olden days ⚛️: ............... LIVE SET $1000+🔥 DAT SET (Fake): $250~ .... Give or take some 🤳💵 That's going to make a HUGE impact on someone's career or a venues ability to market the 'artist' or whatever... Not to forget 'artists' who play for free, clout, drink cards, plus friends (+) entries or... to steal the stylus from the next man's turntables. ------ This video expose is so sweet and props to those who noticed the difference between real vs. fake. ........... The amount of times I see people releasing performances on certain platforms on the pretense they are doing this in real time or DJ'ing 'live' is far too many. More videos like this should be professed. Because this can be musical genius, or straight fakery. There's a fine line... ....... Mmmmm 📻........
When I watch lady styles and let alone people tagging me to her post just to make feel am not there yet. I will just work on mine,slowly but sure I will not compete but keep improving 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
If she were to adjust the contour so that the sound from the left turntable wouldn’t be projected when the fader bounced open her scratches would not sound as sharp. Although I appreciate you offering another explanation for this discrepancy I’m 100% that specific video is doctored.
@@djrobswift Even with the fader curve set to the one more suited to performing sharp cuts, is it not possible that the fader was physically open but the music still didn't come through? I'm not familiar with that mixer, though. But the Pioneer (DJM 800) does seem to have a little movement before the music from other side comes in properly.
I'm not sure it was fake tbh. Sure the buttons pushing at the beginning was laughable (as those samples are already part of the actual record) but if she was faking the scratching, she would at least have to have phenomenal memory skills as all of her record hand movements perfectly resembled what could be heard. Would be pretty hard to memorize all that just for the sake of faking. Even more, why would she even fake it then when she already learnt the routine ?
I'm from Serbia like those two persons from your last video, "DJ" and singer. That guy just shows in some turbo folk songs (thats what genre is called), he isn't even a DJ. That kind of music is considered like cheapest over here, unfortunately some people love it.
I’m learning to DJ on a Traktor s4 mk2 controller with a laptop and I try my best to keep it as real as possible I.e. not looking at the bpm, starting the songs similar to vinyl without using too many cue points. These people he showcases in this video are just freaks, there’s so many people who put a lot of time and effort into learning and these lot get paid big money either because of their name or looks, it’s so frustrating.
I think learning how to beat match and bpm match manually is probably a good thing to understand, but if you're on digital you can let the art form become something more. My thinking is that I don't have to manually match the bpm in my headphones and with that extra time I should be learning something new and unique and showing that talent. But regardless of the opinion on doing it the old way or hitting a button, I agree with "be real", don't prerecord your shit, don't fake it, don't lie. Wanna mix on digital, I personally think that's fine, but if your hands are on the platter then the platter better be turned on!
What I love most Rob is his passion for DJing, in this vid, you can sense his genuine, real pain (sadness?) from the exploitation of a true art form, one that he has mastered after dedicating his life to the 1's n 2's . That being said, "fakers" aside, Rob - I wonder how you would feel about these types of performers if they owned it. Meaning, the end of the day, people just want to be entertained and enjoy music. Many of the "button pushers" are not really "DJs" at all, they are simply artists, whether producing tracks that climb up the top 40 and land on the radio, or collect dust on beatport- whatever - their so called "DJing" a byproduct of exposure of their brand and the getting the music they make and/or remix for people to hear. Guys like Guetta, Calvin Harris, and the like...they make music with technology and then DJ to a crowd who will jump around to it all night, and then buy the single. The art form, the art of the mix, the beatmatching, scratching etc.. is not their angle, nor the reason people pack (or used to pack) Vegas clubs and pool parties, its background for the party nobody is paying attention to the mixing. Their is no need for these types of artists to fake anything! The only thing wrong with this kind of production/button pushing form of musical entertainment is the "faking" - why can't Guetta promote his nightclub set as a showcase for new music or his classics, whatever, where he will just play a simple continuous mix that highlights the tracks people come to hear anyway, rather than pretending that DJing his auto mix is the draw. And Lady Style, for example, could roll out the pre-mixed version for people to hear without mistakes and then give us the live one with warts and all - if it sounds good and people like it and she made it, both would command respect. Faking as if her live run was perfect with no editing whatsoever, is the only thing that takes away from the art she created. Rob, what is your take on there being room for both true artists like you, and musicians who use DJing as platform if it was no longer "faking" and just an accepted style of performance? For example, Steve Angello, a guy who is actually really unbelievably talented and can mix all genres of underground house/tech like no other, went the button pusher route with Swedish House Mafia, jumping around with his two buddies as people went bonkers for the songs they played. People worshipped these three guys despite knowing damn well that they weren't doing sh*t in the booth, let alone anything that required THREE of them. Their whole documentary was about how they produced the songs, nothing about mixing, and all of their sets are just a push of their own music. But he never pretended as if he was taking the true art of DJing into the mainstream with SHM, instead taking the persona of a pop star rather than mixologist. He was once called out for "faking" a festival set, caught standing around in the booth for like 15 minutes as the mixing continued. In reply he said something like, "of course the last 20 minutes was pre-mixed, it had to be synced with the fireworks show" - was the mainstream EDM and lights that people came to that festival for, why would he need to even defend it? So he didnt. Anyone who has been to a Miami or Ibiza nightclub for a real Steve Angello set knows the man can mix, so what if he also plays to the mainstream crowd. He owned that, and there was room for both in his career. Sorry for the long comment, I just wonder Rob, because I value your opinion so much, if you would still feel as if your artform was being betrayed and exploited by "button pushers" who view the DJ booth as a platform and byproduct of their brand/music, without regard to the art of the mix, if "faking" wasn't the issue . I find myself torn because my heart and soul lie with DJs like you, but I am not ashamed to enjoy the mainstream garbage too. Love to hear your thoughts, but NBD keep up the good work.
Hey, Back in the days Soul Train lip synced everything even the rappers. I think I remember seeing Don Cornelius interview the artist and they had to speak into his microphone and I'm like they're holding a mic in their hand.
@@D-One If I may add to your point, EVERY SINGLE ARTIST THAT PERFORMED ON SOUL TRAIN LIP SYNCED. That tells me the artist didn't have a choice in the matter, and so the point @biggdrake is trying to make is a moot point.
Im genuinely happy to be the hidden dj whilst someone else jumps about and gets people hyped...like i dont care for being seen or the attentiom, but iwould still respond to the audience n stuff
at last an ACTUAL dj exposing the bs, i fear Rob might get assassinated after some of the truths laid down here and i typed this before i got to the guetta bit
Not to defend fake DJing, but Guetta has a documentary called "Nothing But the Beat", where he DJs on vinyl. So why he would have a fake set upon the video yet he does know how to DJ, I am not really sure
On the s9 there is a fader tension and cut L & R adjustments ...it’s too close of a call to say where her cut off is. It doesn’t look like she’s faking it at all tbh. She’s a dope scratch DJ
Yo, that garbage at 25:27 isn't Russian, but Serbian ish.. Many people like those are famous DJ's, singers, 'rappers' up in here... We need you man, we need to populate this culture as much as we can and take this kitsch outta our kitchens.. Thanks for spreading this one out fam!
If people like to watch DJs triumph over mistakes they will LOVE watching me cause I get a couple of those every set. I never give up and ditch the record, if people want to see live timing corrections I'm their guy!!!
"When DJ's start hitting buttons I tune out!" MY FAVORITE Rob Swift line EVER!!! Amen.
Me too
@Der Red respect.
@@djrobswift Can't knock the djs that hit button because it adds to the performance but at the end of day. If you got skills, you got skills. Gear isn't a substitute for skills , it just edifies your skills
Ghost producers, ghost writers and now ghost djs🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️
I'm waiting for ghost ghosts
Part of the problem nowadays is that everybody wants to front like they're flawless for social media. I like all the flashy dope shit too, but when I see or hear someone make a mistake or trainwreck for a second or two then save it, I appreciate it more because you know its real and you know that person knows what they're doing on the decks.
Amen brotha! I work on my mixes for months trying make them perfect. I'll go for about an hour mixing tracks, then for about two seconds it gets out of sync, then recover. Since I'm trying to record a set for my SoundCloud, I would start all over again, only to have a minor mistake somewhere else. I just decided to not worry about it anymore. It's never going to be perfect and if anyone does notice the mistake, which most people don't, at least they know I'm really working the decks and not using the sync button for the entire set.
@@philharmonik77 Yo, I was about 30 minutes into a Reggae/Reggaeton mix the other night and I trainwrecked a transition for a few seconds, lol... That was already my second take and I wasn't starting over again 😆
@@DocHalliday I feel ya! At some point, you just have to let it go. 😆
You should check my routines on Instagram then! No shortage of “corrections” haha 😉
instagram.com/djzackdaniels
The most plays I’ve ever had on one of my mixes on Mixcloud was a demo tape that I did back in 1991. It’s riddled with errors. Gave me faith that folk still wanted to listen to it.
Rob, thank you for bringing this into the open. As a female DJ, I am formally trained, I had the privilege to attend the prestigious Homeboyz DJ Academy, I have been on the decks since 2003. Back then turntables was all there was, once you know turntables, you can use literally any DJ software or equipment, because for most of them turntables are the template.
It kills me to hear girls saying that it is ok to use their sexuality to get ahead in their career. I have seen women use this tactic; some are talented, others less so. When they do get bookings, fame, money, people, even those doing business with them, talk trash about them, they are not given respect, they have no real street cred. Some are rumoured to have slept their way up, or are side-chicks to promoters who are married, and all sorts of strategies that lack integrity.
Being a female DJ before technology was great, you either knew how to use turntables or you didn't; for that, I got respect. I sailed through the CD era, entered the laptop era, now it will be flash disks, live performance, who knows what else in the future?
I love technology, but it does have its pros and cons, especially allowing fakes to prosper and in the process discredit our art in the public eye, reducing earnings for many DJs because clients perceive that what DJs do is easy and has no real value.
I could say a lot but my point is, I agree with everything Rob Swift has said, we should not use commerce and capitalism as an excuse to sacrifice the art. Plus we need the world to know what work REALLY goes into being a DJ, just like Tyra Banks used "America's Next Model" to show the world how difficult being a professional model really is. So that even those planning to become DJs or book DJs take this seriously.
Maximum RESPECT!
Thank you Sir! ✊
I've seen almost all of your videos and this has to be the most telling of all. I actually subbed Lady Style when I 1st saw her, and you crushed me and educated me at the same time. Being a noob, I didn't catch her "fader mishap" until I watched this. Wow! Best DJ instructor on the planet!
Respect! 💪🏾
I'm learning (self taught) how to DJ right now on digital controller. This channel has been super insightful on how to still try and be raw and not cheat.
"This channel has been super insightful on how to still try and be raw and not cheat." Mission Accomplished then!
I know this is an old comment, but as someone who has done so, going from a controller to wax is a completely different feel. Wax teaches you how to have hand control, only use the amount of force you need to use, etc.
I will never leave my underground DJing roots of the early 80's/90's Hip Hop scene and the House Music scene. Now my mixing is of eclectic styles, Funk, Soul, Reggae, Drum and Bass, etc, any tune, as long as it is a belter that fits the mix. Creativity in my mixing, excites me more than ever now. I love creating soundscapes on the Wheels of Steel.
Good man! eventually! nice one! its incredible how many people are oblivious to this. ive been mixing with vinyl for 20 years, and i still love it. Good times man
First, I think your classes are awesome and respect. Thank you for posting them - loved watching them. I was fortunate in that I started as a DJ back in 1979 with vinyl and have transitioned to digital only in the last decade. I can fully understand your anger with fake DJs. I experienced this before lockdown at a gig I did at a prestigious event where, although I was playing virtually all night, they hired a 'celebrity' beautiful young female DJ to play a 30 minute main set. Was very angry that she was getting paid more than I earn in a month for performing for 30 minutes - not because of the pay - but because she basically played a pre-recorded set and was faking the entire thing. She cheated not only her audience but also the organizers of the event who paid a lot for her to perform. In addition, although she was only playing from her computer - didn't see her work any of the CDJs the entire performance - she was red lining and distorting her sound until we jumped in to fix the levels for her.
I am so glad this is being called out
I started DJing in the early '80s. Fake DJs piss me off especially when they are getting thousands of dollars a night to play a canned set.
Great Teacher! Nice to see the real DJ's are working hard to ensure the art form is engrained!
This is a dope video, it shows the importance of building a foundation of skills! Thanks for making this video Rob!!!
15:45 dont get me started lol. respect to all the real djs out there. Hi Rob from New Zealand!
Bro, I don't even own turnies but loved this discussion. Great teacher and great students. Peace✌️
The skill ain't final until it's proved on vinyl!
I love this quote! A handshake to you Big Uncle Skunk XXL, drops Mic! 🔥🔥🔥👏👏😈
I personally think the medium is less important than the result, work, and artistry.
#stankface…
#bars…
Great vid. I find the imperfections are what makes it perfect. I want to see or hear a slight time drop or an out of time scratch because that's the real deal. Big up to the real DJ's and big up to the world of all vinyl, let's keep keeping it real.
You like mistakes?? Okkkkkaaayyy...
@@thesleepstate Did I say I like mistakes? Don't think I mentioned mistakes. I've been watching scratching in competitions since mid 80s and have never heard a set without some slight timing slip or something. But I don't class those as mistakes. You may though.
Small mistakes and glitches are gonna happen, It's how you recover from those that's impressive. So glad Rob Swift covered this.
I knew it with that Lady Style! I watched one of her vids a while back and ended up slowing it down coz i thought I was seeing either little extra moves or things missing on the fader or something completely different. She obviously can scratch but I've noticed with some of the more complicated scratches, you can hear them perfectly but you can see she's hit and miss with the fader when it's slowed down. She obviously can do them but it's heavily edited by the looks of it to make it sound perfect but not cool when you're showcasing something based on live skill. The average person would not notice the difference though. I was second guessing myself at first as well and I've been DJ'n for 23 years :)
She actually fakes that shit?
She posted a follow up with the room audio instead of the source audio and you can hear all the fader clips etc. I think the source audio is just slightly out of sync with the video
@@rct3isepic I think calling her out here is grossly unfair - there are way worse offenders - shes just trying to present herself in the best possible light - that may be ill advised BUT she cleary know how to work a fader (and a crowd!)
Thanks for your videos I'm a student DJ self taught I have learned so much
Honor to you Rob, you banged out every point that I was going to put in the comment section. Your students are very sharp as well, with each vid that you put out from every semester, your students are getting more observant, excellent job fam. And I will always will rock out with the Technics SH-EX 1200 mixer, and vinyl to show that all the mixing, and scratching are authentic. Also, I don't feel those mixers with the effects at all. And to those EDM/artist people, who have that Avicii/David Guetta/Calvin Harris type people, they should separate themselves from the DJing realm, and just stick to the ghost producing realm. Also those EDM/artist people should just step off and, make room for those who really put in the work within craft of DJing because, they are in essence, music players or, MJ's (Music Jockeys) as I categorize them as. Because with that term, music can be played with anything, So for those event managements that book those figure heads at those major events, it will eventually go around to kick them in the ass, it's just a matter of time. But the bottom line is that, real recognizes real, the universe works in mysterious ways. So at the end of the day, at least for me vinyl is final, the vinyl frontier.
Wow Rob I can't even listen those kind of sounds. I'm switching on my mk2s right now. I love your videos man and you should be proud of those young djs they're a credit to you.
RESPECT!
I love revisiting this stuff. 💪🏿
So informative, good to see.
Great video 👍 rob.nice to see you use reloop 7000 mk 2...IAM having to pick mine up today after some damage.iam starting to teach DJing to some students soon and this is really some nice points regarding fakers out there.well done keep up the good work 😎
Cool vid👍 enjoyed this one💪
man this is such a cool class. i wish i could be there
Bought a Rev 1, perfect for me as an intro to mixing, but I am trying to mix as best as possible without using Sync and without being some sort of automaton pressing a button, and that's because of all of the Rob Swift videos I've watched.
Maybe after this intro to mixing I can progress to actual motorised platters
Thanks bro I love it
Its mad how you brought her up, I was watching that dj Lady Style on one video and was like, i swear the scratching is off...like the hand movements were not in line with the scratch...never expected it to be faked.
Rob.... You are one of the GOATs and I'm not even 1% of the Dj that you are, but I would like to say something about the Lady Style topic.
1. I think the finger drumming in the beginning is totally legit. Might just not be "necessary", because we all now that the song starts like this anyway.
2. About the open-fader-moment: looking at the record, it seems to me as if she moves it at the point just BEFORE the scratch-sound starts, so you would not hear anything from that side with an open fader. It might even be that her fader-curve is adjusted to have a tiny space before it opens.
Of course it's also possible that she just edited that tiny mistake later, because the rest was flawless.
3. One of your students pointed out that there have been moments when she pretends to scratch but there is no scratching audible. I guess he is referring to the parts when she is scratching a beat to the moments without drums.
All together I think that she knows everything she did in that video and actually did it for real.
I have nothing but respect for you..... like I said you are one of the GOATs.... I just think that putting her in similar light as DJs that are really not capable of doing, what comes out of the speakers is not really fair.
1Luv
Take a shot of liquor everytime you hear the word "like" in this video. Congratulations. You now have serosis of the liver
*Cirrhosis.
It's painful how many times "like" is said
very true rob; its a shame this would happen.. i also av seen such a case here in Kenya somewhere
I get your point, don't disrespect the art, skill, trade of DJ.
great video bro !!!
I'm glad RS is here teaching the true shit!!!!!!!
Your a great teacher loco wish i was a student, I remmember yu off of SCRATCH the movie
Thank you Rob!!!!
No doubt!
2 Turntables and a mixer, hours of fun....
The art of dj-ing is the most underestimated art form - even by (most) djs,
When this era produces Dj's like Dj Pauly, then you know we're in trouble.
💯👍🔥
Who?
Guido pranksters(smh)
I remeber going to a big event here in the UK and was many top DJ's in the " Jungle " music scene. M-beat was playing with General levy on the Mic. Now in more then sure M-beat is capable of handling decks vinyl & cd , but my man came in stage plugged a laptop in and that was that for a 30min set. Lol shocking
I can't wait to get back into DJing!
@A Tango Lost my equipment :(
Hey Rob , super interesting . You don't think Lady style may have the fader contour adjusted to where the crossfader is not picking up in the small open spot area? I see what your all talking about right away. I agree but just asking as a pro DJ myself. Great video's I enjoy your Lessons.
Probably won't see this year's later but
Yeah I agree... Plus I was watching the original too. I think her contour isn't as sharp in that clip as most Scratch dj's because or how aggressive she is with it in a loose tension setting. The slightest gap we've seen may still have been in the quiet zone as u say. Also when she was scratching and they said it seemed like nothing was there despite her baby scratching .... In the original you can actually hear the low bass tone she's scratching to
I think they were a bit harsh on DJ lady style. I thought it looked accurate.
@@DJONDEX
Yes sir I remember this it was a few years ago when I commented on it. it’s all a bunch of fake BS. Not cool. I see what you’re saying I went back to the video and checked out what you were saying and you’re right. there is additional nonsense you picked up on. but once I notice something is not right i then Don’t even bother to continue to look it’s just sad at that point.
Her scratching reminds me of the Asian Karate movies
All this does is remind me of 2001 when I saw a guy at the pub with his white mac laptop going through the itunes playlist. And he was being paid to do it. From MP3s at like 128kb. Makes me mad Rob, the degredation of the base, to reveal a superficial image that totally does distract most people from reality. Hard to watch because alot of big money involved and the root of evil . Excellent to see your progression in the class with the 'graduating' to Serato that's amazing.
Lmfao.. Even before I got into Hip-Hop as a whole, I knew that wasn't the way to dj.. Anybody can fucking do that. Your grandmother could do that. That's fucking embarrassing. Like, he couldn't even try to pretend to actually do a mix.
@@sgtcreasegrease Nonsense. Your grandmother lacks the requisite tastes to choosing the right tracks! In Jamaica the DJ is known as the " Selecta ", because selcting the tunes to play is 100% of the art. Hipsters and olds like to think they are special because they've mastered placing a needle onto a vinyl record and moving a fader.. WOW !!! Who cares when everyone is firmly sat in their seats as they are at DJ competitions and exhibitions, instead of dancing their asses off
@@thesleepstate I was going to bite your head off at your ignorance here but I'll just give you some information so you know what i'm talking about. Firstly, this is a lot more than just "placing a needle on a record." Again, your grandmother can do that. Also, what does "requisite for selecting the rite tracks" mean? Playing the top 40 garbage that gets shoved down everybody's throat at the club? Pretty boring IMO, but that's just me. Also, there is a difference between being a turntablist dj and one who does mixes and blends, which can incorporate turntablism, the moving of the record to create rhythms. You can use this to enhance mixes, or even show off a bit of skill with juggles before letting a track play through. DJ competitions are for turntablism junkies. Usually the people following these are also turntablists or are fascinated what the types of sounds one can make out ot too spinning pieces of plastic and a crossfader. I was not saying that in order to be a decent dj you had to be QBert, but don't underestimate or disrespect an art and a culture that Hip-Hop, honestly, helped pushed forward.
Edit: I wonder if you were the guy in the pub on the mac laptop going through your itunes playlist, and getting paid for it.. Good for you, you got your money, but your making it hard for people with actual talent to have opportunities by lowering the bar.
Eloy, Arizona in the house 🤣
That's the problem, some of these who be faking it are big names and can actually Dj and dj good.
David Guetta used to be quite a decent dj "back in the day", there's a good video of him playing and has lost at Space in Ibiza and on vinyl too. Then he sort of sold out to the EDM market any respect that he might have had from when he actually DJ'd.
I totally Agree and to make things even worse products like Phase DJ will gain popularity because it will give those without the skill or the hard work the ability to manipulate without error.
I agree with you 100%.
Thanks Rob, i truly wanted to believe it was all her. I appreciate what you are doing in regards to teaching the ones who want to learn the history and art of turntablism. Do you have a website that i can correspond with you on an individual level??
djrobswift.com brother.
Ending words by Rob is where it's at. Cheers.
Cheers to you as well 💪🏾
What a great video’
Rob, absolutely... correct all round with this.. I try myself to educate 'some' of the younger djs.. I see it now every week / when im out at clubs in Uk - same.. its ACTING.. give em 2 x Technics theyd go red, embarrassed make excuses or fake illness and leave the room!? They wouldnt know what to do with 2 x vinyl. ( and no laptop or serato..) may hurt some.. but true.. ( vinyl scratch dj since 1987 ;) . WEll done exposing.. It needs to be known.. Respect..
Respect.
Yawn..the age old vinyl vs. digital debate again. Who cares. This video wasn't about that.
Another thing I think her name is DJ Ladystyle and I seen her hip hop videos but I always had vinyl and still don't have dj software so when I saw it was using serato I thought it could be possible as I go to a party and wonder how is the dj keep switching songs without removing the records then I saw it was a computer so I thought anything was possible. But you opened my eyes to her
if she is lip synching or dj synching over her own scratches why not just do a live stream video? I wonder if the actual dj sees it and calls her out what would happen? Not like they could sue, right unless she's getting paid from the views
great video thank you take years of practice and my vynel weighs a ton
Hey Rob, where do these classes take place? Are they available to anyone?
At The New School University. You must be enrolled as a student at the school to take my class.
Where's the link to the article you wrote? I will look for it but could you include it here for others. Thanks.
Here you go: medium.com/cuepoint/the-day-i-learned-to-stop-hating-laptop-djs-fe9a8db29f5d
40 years of DJing and I witnessed fake DJs, Rappers, Singers, Groups, Bands, with hit records playing at venues where people pay $$$ has always been disturbing to me. I failed as a promoter in the 80s because I demand the artist perform live. Most were not good.
Yeah ... thanks ....you pioneer people to be themselves
Dancers have this problem the least, i mean we still deal with the jaws of dancing, and some other stuff, but not this, WHAT I ALSO found, from From 20:02 to 20:39, is that photographers are having similar gripes with clients/models because of tech (smartphones/filters/etc) and extreme "tech edits."
Seeing the examples here, mixed with the dance/photography ones that i know, i think its important to put on the horse blinders and develop, and get sharper at noticing the BS vs seeing the BS and turning the finger on ya self.
Keep up the good work Rob Swift, and ya students, and ya TH-cam students (we all watching+learning).
great vid bro i see so many fake djs in LA
i wish i could join ur classes.. but am quite far away..
Rob Swift, you're Absolutely right.
I'm always absolutely right tho. Even when I'm wrong.
@@djrobswift LOL I understand more where you stand with current dj technology, now that I saw this video. And I'm with you.
Is dj lady style using a prerecorded set For sound quality and its latency?
As a dj learning the art, its sad that someone that is professional does not take it seriously like i do
Exactly! It should make you mad as hell. I’ve been doing this since the early 90s (and now it’s just a hobby) yet I’m still just as passionate about it as I was then… and it pisses me the F off as well… to be perfectly honest.
Those girls have good opinions but rob has a point that covers all professions. I work in outdoor recreation and I studied it and I hate it when companies hire unskilled people because it's cheaper because it puts me out of a job.
Sounds like personal bias tbh... seems like your bitter cos they could find someone to do your job cheaper than what u demand to be paid get with the times..
That's a shame that a female dj figure head will be used to draw ppl in and a background dj is doing all the work and it took a while for female DJs to get their recognition. Shout out to DJ Jazzy Joyce while we're at it. I didn't even know she competed in a DJ contest against dudes and proved she could rock like they could and even be better than some. Very Interesting, Rob.
I've known one or two dj's from the late 80's... who played early house music in the uk
'Jazzy Joyce on the wheels, Jazzy Joyce - No-one better.. ! ' sweet.. quite right - peace
Check Helena Hauff✌️
@@soultekkamusic115 yes,.. shes bleedin awful too!? looks it.. they should all have a green card .. (actors license..) man.. lol...
@@gavdjdaddymac9266 lol nah man she's legit. Check her out
Maximum Respect for the man, the legend, that is GM Rob Swift. I’ve been watching Rob on DMC, tv & listening to his music since the beginning as a youngster. Rob is off da chain both solo & as part of the X ecutioners. Nothin gets past him. I’ve been watching Lady Style since a post of hers randomly popped up in recommended a few years back. Always thought her hands were outta sync with the audio, but thought I was imagining it. Just shows what people will do fe a minute of fame & a few £/$/€. She’s not just disrespecting the true DJs that have been locked away for 12-18 hrs a day, everyday, for years, in their room or basement practicing, but the entire culture. All said & done she’s fooling herself, & conning her fans, promoters & venue owners. Sad.
I’ve heard people over past couple of years or so, that have said they’ve been calling her out on posts of her mixes, she doesn’t respond, & just blocks them. As humans we’re not infallible & everyone makes mistakes, even the legends. It’s life. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous. Just shows the lengths people will go to. I’ve seen footage of TOP DJs blatantly faking. It’s crazy. Just lock ya self away, put the hours & work in. Effort = reward. Technology is both the best & worse thing to happen. Seems crazy to me that people would even want to pretend. Surely, it’s so much more satisfying to really have those skills/talent. Once people catch on to the faking, surely it’s over for them. Lady Style would never get away with that shit in a DMC competition, hence she’d NEVER compete. The fact that now someone can take a flawless scratch by a legend like Roc Raida, or Q-Bert, & program it into a mixer, then pass it off as their own real time scratch, is a travesty. Technology has enabled talentless fools to pass themselves as the real thing. Right now, every man & his dog wants to be a DJ, after watching the originators & legends for years. Rather than having to put the work in, new tech has allowed talentless fools to appear as the real deal. Bet the legends are pissed with these fools & fakery. Time for everybody to call these fakers out on ALL their posts. Sad times. Respect from across the pond in Weezy UK. Peace.
A lot of theses mainstream producer/ DJ the pre make and mix and master all their music before the event. The crowd never sees his decks or mixers (or her).
And this made me feel differently about DJ lady style. .... witch I kinda knew but didn’t investigate.
But yeah prior like David are just in it for the money. 200k fir the hour and the following.
On music already created....
all i can say is respect the culture and we do what we do and we uplift and embrace the real DJs.
I grew up on vinyl... now I have numark ns7iii .. I knew there was something fishy of this new generation of DJ's..Thank for making it official 🙄
Just callin' it how I see it.
@@djrobswift You got my support ✌#realtalk #realdj
I see this all the time!!!!!!
My brother was a Dj and he was from the analog era where you had to shuffle through milk creates to find your record. He was damn good DJ. RIP... A lot of these so call DJ's of this era can not hold a candle to him.
They only thing digital system should be used for it the easy of categorizing your songs and the ease of cue them up. Not beat matching, cue's, or fading options.
The way it works in today's market. The digital era can turn an newbie Dj to an average one, an average Dj to a good one, and a good Dj to one that makes 6 figures.
Real talk!
I agree with everything you wrote here!
How can I sign up and take this class?
Where's the link I want to see it
Nothing will beat analog turntablism ever!!!!
Digital is better
Hey dj how can I sign up for this class??
You must be enrolled as a student at The New School University to take my class.
Wowwww Dj lady styles!? I feel betrayed 😭😂
Back in the olden days ⚛️:
...............
LIVE SET $1000+🔥
DAT SET (Fake): $250~
....
Give or take some 🤳💵
That's going to make a HUGE impact on someone's career or a venues ability to market the 'artist' or whatever...
Not to forget 'artists' who play for free, clout, drink cards, plus friends (+) entries or... to steal the stylus from the next man's turntables.
------
This video expose is so sweet and props to those who noticed the difference between real vs. fake.
...........
The amount of times I see people releasing performances on certain platforms on the pretense they are doing this in real time or DJ'ing 'live' is far too many.
More videos like this should be professed. Because this can be musical genius, or straight fakery. There's a fine line...
....... Mmmmm 📻........
When I watch lady styles and let alone people tagging me to her post just to make feel am not there yet.
I will just work on mine,slowly but sure I will not compete but keep improving 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
yes ! microphones Who deflate-or some kine of magic, for help !" the voice " exist for the shows !
Hey rob, just a thought but do you think she had the fader adjusted to not have any sound when open just a smidge?
If she were to adjust the contour so that the sound from the left turntable wouldn’t be projected when the fader bounced open her scratches would not sound as sharp. Although I appreciate you offering another explanation for this discrepancy I’m 100% that specific video is doctored.
@@djrobswift Even with the fader curve set to the one more suited to performing sharp cuts, is it not possible that the fader was physically open but the music still didn't come through? I'm not familiar with that mixer, though. But the Pioneer (DJM 800) does seem to have a little movement before the music from other side comes in properly.
I'm not sure it was fake tbh. Sure the buttons pushing at the beginning was laughable (as those samples are already part of the actual record) but if she was faking the scratching, she would at least have to have phenomenal memory skills as all of her record hand movements perfectly resembled what could be heard. Would be pretty hard to memorize all that just for the sake of faking. Even more, why would she even fake it then when she already learnt the routine ?
Can't you set the cross fader up on different ways?
I'm from Serbia like those two persons from your last video, "DJ" and singer. That guy just shows in some turbo folk songs (thats what genre is called), he isn't even a DJ. That kind of music is considered like cheapest over here, unfortunately some people love it.
I’m learning to DJ on a Traktor s4 mk2 controller with a laptop and I try my best to keep it as real as possible I.e. not looking at the bpm, starting the songs similar to vinyl without using too many cue points. These people he showcases in this video are just freaks, there’s so many people who put a lot of time and effort into learning and these lot get paid big money either because of their name or looks, it’s so frustrating.
I think learning how to beat match and bpm match manually is probably a good thing to understand, but if you're on digital you can let the art form become something more. My thinking is that I don't have to manually match the bpm in my headphones and with that extra time I should be learning something new and unique and showing that talent.
But regardless of the opinion on doing it the old way or hitting a button, I agree with "be real", don't prerecord your shit, don't fake it, don't lie. Wanna mix on digital, I personally think that's fine, but if your hands are on the platter then the platter better be turned on!
I wish I was at Rob Swift lessons..
Shouts out to Andy C , he gets paid mega bucks but you will never see him fake it
That damn "SYNC" button..... Lol....
Hey Rob what do you think about the phase?
What I love most Rob is his passion for DJing, in this vid, you can sense his genuine, real pain (sadness?) from the exploitation of a true art form, one that he has mastered after dedicating his life to the 1's n 2's . That being said, "fakers" aside, Rob - I wonder how you would feel about these types of performers if they owned it. Meaning, the end of the day, people just want to be entertained and enjoy music. Many of the "button pushers" are not really "DJs" at all, they are simply artists, whether producing tracks that climb up the top 40 and land on the radio, or collect dust on beatport- whatever - their so called "DJing" a byproduct of exposure of their brand and the getting the music they make and/or remix for people to hear. Guys like Guetta, Calvin Harris, and the like...they make music with technology and then DJ to a crowd who will jump around to it all night, and then buy the single. The art form, the art of the mix, the beatmatching, scratching etc.. is not their angle, nor the reason people pack (or used to pack) Vegas clubs and pool parties, its background for the party nobody is paying attention to the mixing. Their is no need for these types of artists to fake anything! The only thing wrong with this kind of production/button pushing form of musical entertainment is the "faking" - why can't Guetta promote his nightclub set as a showcase for new music or his classics, whatever, where he will just play a simple continuous mix that highlights the tracks people come to hear anyway, rather than pretending that DJing his auto mix is the draw. And Lady Style, for example, could roll out the pre-mixed version for people to hear without mistakes and then give us the live one with warts and all - if it sounds good and people like it and she made it, both would command respect. Faking as if her live run was perfect with no editing whatsoever, is the only thing that takes away from the art she created.
Rob, what is your take on there being room for both true artists like you, and musicians who use DJing as platform if it was no longer "faking" and just an accepted style of performance? For example, Steve Angello, a guy who is actually really unbelievably talented and can mix all genres of underground house/tech like no other, went the button pusher route with Swedish House Mafia, jumping around with his two buddies as people went bonkers for the songs they played. People worshipped these three guys despite knowing damn well that they weren't doing sh*t in the booth, let alone anything that required THREE of them. Their whole documentary was about how they produced the songs, nothing about mixing, and all of their sets are just a push of their own music. But he never pretended as if he was taking the true art of DJing into the mainstream with SHM, instead taking the persona of a pop star rather than mixologist. He was once called out for "faking" a festival set, caught standing around in the booth for like 15 minutes as the mixing continued. In reply he said something like, "of course the last 20 minutes was pre-mixed, it had to be synced with the fireworks show" - was the mainstream EDM and lights that people came to that festival for, why would he need to even defend it? So he didnt. Anyone who has been to a Miami or Ibiza nightclub for a real Steve Angello set knows the man can mix, so what if he also plays to the mainstream crowd. He owned that, and there was room for both in his career.
Sorry for the long comment, I just wonder Rob, because I value your opinion so much, if you would still feel as if your artform was being betrayed and exploited by "button pushers" who view the DJ booth as a platform and byproduct of their brand/music, without regard to the art of the mix, if "faking" wasn't the issue . I find myself torn because my heart and soul lie with DJs like you, but I am not ashamed to enjoy the mainstream garbage too. Love to hear your thoughts, but NBD keep up the good work.
Hey, Back in the days Soul Train lip synced everything even the rappers. I think I remember seeing Don Cornelius interview the artist and they had to speak into his microphone and I'm like they're holding a mic in their hand.
That's for TV purposes tho, they still had to record in the studio and have skills. Unless they were into some milli vanilli type sh*t
@@D-One If I may add to your point, EVERY SINGLE ARTIST THAT PERFORMED ON SOUL TRAIN LIP SYNCED. That tells me the artist didn't have a choice in the matter, and so the point @biggdrake is trying to make is a moot point.
Whats the difference between CDJs & controllers?
Im genuinely happy to be the hidden dj whilst someone else jumps about and gets people hyped...like i dont care for being seen or the attentiom, but iwould still respond to the audience n stuff
at last an ACTUAL dj exposing the bs, i fear Rob might get assassinated after some of the truths laid down here and i typed this before i got to the guetta bit
I’m good. God’s my body guard. Also, I don’t fear death. When it comes it comes.
Not to defend fake DJing, but Guetta has a documentary called "Nothing But the Beat", where he DJs on vinyl. So why he would have a fake set upon the video yet he does know how to DJ, I am not really sure
I’m not sure either. Maybe he was just being lazy.
Real talk. Put in the deck time.
Or get a real job and stop dreaming !
On the s9 there is a fader tension and cut L & R adjustments ...it’s too close of a call to say where her cut off is. It doesn’t look like she’s faking it at all tbh. She’s a dope scratch DJ
Yooo, I always got mad as hell when I saw fake DJ performances on Soul Train!! I don't remember it happening on Showtime at the Apollo!
Even after being exposed she still has name for herself.
Yo, that garbage at 25:27 isn't Russian, but Serbian ish.. Many people like those are famous DJ's, singers, 'rappers' up in here... We need you man, we need to populate this culture as much as we can and take this kitsch outta our kitchens.. Thanks for spreading this one out fam!
If people like to watch DJs triumph over mistakes they will LOVE watching me cause I get a couple of those every set. I never give up and ditch the record, if people want to see live timing corrections I'm their guy!!!