What does a DJ actually do?

Wat doet een live DJ (nou eigenlijk)?

Many people have the idea that a live DJ is just turning a few knobs and mostly holding their hands in the air. But is that really true? And if not, what does a DJ actually do on stage during a show? And why not just pre-programme a DJ set? Guest blogger Amar Amlani (DiceDJ) explains!

First up: DJs vs producer DJs

To understand what a live DJ does, it helps to first know the difference between a DJ and a DJ/producer. Back in the day, you could become a popular DJ simply by playing records—you did not have to make music yourself. Even today, of course, you can still be “just” a DJ and throw brilliant parties. But you only become a big name if you have made one or more successful tracks yourself. A producer DJ is happy to sell their records and then sell as many tickets as possible for a show. A “regular” DJ mainly wants to keep a good flow in their set and respond to the crowd as much as possible. That way, he or she increases the chance of getting booked again. More about DJ vs producer in our blog on the subject.

“Anyone can do what those famous DJs do!”

That depends on what kind of DJ we are talking about. Becoming a live DJ can be relatively easy—especially if you use newer techniques like beat sync and you have downloaded (or stream) tracks. You then only need to learn which records you need to get people dancing, and how to maintain a good flow. That said, it does not automatically make you a good live DJ. More on that in a moment. But as mentioned, famous DJs these days produce their own tracks, and that is also how they became popular with their audience. Becoming that kind of producer DJ is far less easy: it takes effort, talent and luck. On top of that, a successful DJ is often backed by a whole team of professionals. In that sense, the DJ profession is about more than just making tracks and mixing them!

What does a live DJ who is “working hard” do versus a DJ who plays a premix?

A live DJ who is “working hard” pays attention to the crowd. Every track you play triggers a certain reaction, and that reaction is feedback for what you will play next. A DJ also pays attention to the transitions between tracks: if tracks keep running for too long, or contain long breakdowns, that can really disrupt the flow. Good DJs look for combinations of tracks that will work well, test them on a live crowd, and fine-tune the transition. Where do I cut the bass? When should the vocals of the next track come in? Is it better if I skip this breakdown with a cue point? Laidback Luke is a great example of a DJ who constantly adapts to the crowd and uses creativity to keep surprising people. A DJ who only strings tracks together will, in my opinion, have much less of a connection with the audience.

Can the audience hear the difference between these two types of DJs?

This will differ from person to person. But in my experience of clubbing with people without a musical background, they often say there was no nice flow in the set. Or that they did not feel a connection with the DJ. Or that too many different tracks were being mixed together. If a DJ can create that flow and tries to figure out what is working with the crowd, that also affects how people experience the night. People often stay on the dancefloor longer. And then there is the visual factor. When you go to see a famous DJ, it is often also about the show around it: the lighting effects, fireworks and visuals make it a great event to go to. DJs like Steve Angello premix the last 10–15 minutes of their set, so the fireworks and other show elements are perfectly synchronised to the music. The fact that this last part of the show was a premix will not be obvious to the audience.

Can you call a DJ a musician?

A live DJ is, in my view, an artist (I will leave the scratch DJs from hip-hop out of the discussion here). He or she selects tracks and creates a story that the crowd is taken on: the DJ set. The DJ can tell an upbeat story with melodic tracks, or choose a darker techno set that explores darker emotions together with the audience. But a story can also be a mix of different emotions. A producer, or a producer who is also a DJ, I would call a musician—because they compose a piece of music and put that unique piece out into the world as their own creation.

Do you have a different view of what a musician is? Or would you like to share your experience with live DJing versus premixes? Let us know in a comment below!