The Unspoken Truth About DJs

When you think of a DJ, what comes to mind? Perhaps it's a packed dance floor, with people jumping and screaming to the beat of the music. Or maybe it's a guy in a neon-colored shirt, nodding his head behind a laptop. Whatever your mental image may be, there's a good chance it doesn't capture the full range of what DJs actually do.

For starters, let's clear up a common misconception: not all DJs are created equal. Just like with photographers, there are different types of DJs with different skill sets and styles.

The roots of DJing can be traced back to the late 1800s, when Emile Berliner invented the gramophone, the first device capable of playing recorded music. However, it wasn't until the 1930s that the first radio DJs appeared, playing recorded music for their audiences.

In the 1950s and 60s, DJs began to gain more prominence, particularly in the United States. Alan Freed, a Cleveland-based DJ, was one of the first to play rhythm and blues music on the radio, and is often credited with coining the term "rock and roll". In the UK, radio DJ John Peel began his career in the 1960s, playing underground and alternative music on the BBC.

To understand the origins of modern DJing, we have to go back to the early days of hip hop in the Bronx, New York. In the 1970s, a man named Kool Herc started throwing parties in his neighborhood, where he would use two turntables and a mixer to extend the instrumental breaks. This technique, which he called the "Merry-Go-Round," became the foundation of hip hop music and the art of DJing.

From there, the scene exploded. DJs like Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grand Wizard Theodore took the art of turntablism to new heights, introducing new techniques like scratching, back spinning, and beat juggling. Meanwhile, in downtown New York, DJs like Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckles were pioneering the sound of disco and house music, respectively, in clubs like Paradise Garage and The Warehouse.

New York City in the 1970s was the epicenter of a new and exciting scene that blended music, dance, fashion, and art. The city's diverse communities and cultural influences combined to create a melting pot of sound and style. DJs were the heart and soul of this scene, and they played a vital role in shaping its sound and energy.

Today, there are many different styles of DJs, each with their own unique approach to creating and performing music.

For example, there are turntablists, who specialize in scratching and manipulating vinyl records to create complex and intricate soundscapes. Think of a DJ like Qbert.

Then there are club DJs, who play music in nightclubs and other venues, typically focusing on dance music genres such as house, techno, and EDM.

Radio DJs are another type but they're not all the same. While some radio DJs focus on current hits, others have very specialized shows. A great example of this is Gilles Peterson, who hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 6, where he plays everything from jazz to hip-hop, soul, and beyond. He's a master at discovering new and obscure music and sharing it with his listeners.

Fast forward to the present day, and the art of DJing has evolved even further. With the advent of digital music and DJ software, DJs can now manipulate tracks in ways that were once impossible. Some DJs use live production techniques to create entirely new tracks on the fly, while others incorporate visual elements like projections and lighting into their sets.

So the next time you see a DJ behind the decks, don't just think of them as someone who presses play on a pre-made playlist. Instead, think of them as an artist who uses music to create something new and exciting in real time. And if you're lucky enough to experience a truly great DJ set, you might just find yourself lost in the moment, swept away by the sounds and the energy of the crowd.