DJ Times January 2012, Vol 24 No 1

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTA

JANUARY 2012

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Skream & Benga DUBSTEP BEYOND THE DUBPLATE

HOW MOBILES MAINTAIN VENDOR RELATIONS

PLUS

Full Reports from Moogfest & A.D.E.

Toddla T n DJ Q45 n The Value of “Thank You” n Yamaha DSR Series n NI’s Komplete 8 Ultimate n

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INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

NEWS

(plus the afterlife), Vega briefly, but pointedly made the analogy to the ongoing Occupy Movement. It was met with some indifference. Undeterred, he cautiously hissed, “This is for all the Frankies out there.”

Sunday night at the Asheville Convention Center, LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and Pat Mahoney (billed as Special Disco Version) spun a vinyl-only set that connected better than anyone might’ve imagined. Before dropping his first needle, Murphy stared out at the relatively cavernous venue and mumbled, “I know this is a festival, but we’re just going to play some records for you.” Somehow, the duo pulled it off with a loose balance of older obscurities (Fern Kinney’s “Love Me Tonight”) and more modern club fare (Art Department, Joakim, Virgo Four). From the first Instruments of Rapture beat, heads began bobbing and booties started shaking. Mission accomplished.

“The first thing we noticed was that the crowd was really run and really good,” said Murphy the following day. “Usually, DJing festivals just isn’t that fun; usually, you’re stuck doing these big, dumb moves. But this crowd was actually fun.”

More attuned to the ACC’s vastness, Amon Tobin unleashed his crazy, 3D, multimedia presentation.

Playing inside a cube among many other cubes—all of which served as ever-changing projection screens— Tobin manipulated arresting soundscapes that were alternately plodding, crunching or booming. This was not so much offered up for dancing, but—with the cubist projections going mental—rather more for facemelting.

Over at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, legendary Krautproggers Tangerine Dream—I must admit— had me daydreaming, so I doublebacked to the ACC and caught Holy Fuck, a Canadian electronic band that, at times and rather pleasingly, sounded like Ummagumma on Red Bull. Warped synth loops, clanking

LCD Refugees: Murphy & Mahoney.

Amon Tobin: Projections going mental.

percussion, odd melodies, a pause for brainscramble, then a return to whopping beats—it was a unique combo of all-out experimentalism and crowd-pleasing moments.

Having seen Moby spin or front a band more than a dozen times, I did my best this time to watch the audi-

ence watching Moby. From his happy Italo-piano surges to the fierce-ruling diva moments, all the way to his nowtrademark, set-ending JC pose, it’s an uplifting, well-paced presentation that had the ACC floor of kids reacting with screams, ecstatic dancing and arms in the air.

JANUARY 2012

Dubstepper: DJ Times presented Kode9.

DJ TIMES

By Jim Tremayne Asheville, N.C .—Just like last year, Moogfest 2011 saw the freaks come out for Halloween weekend.

The music festival and conference— held this past October 28-30—filled up the gorgeous Carolina town in the Blue Ridge Mountains with costumed ghouls, goblins and—in keeping with the Moogfest logo—spacemen, plus a few Deadmau5 helmets.

Again, DJ Times was there as a media sponsor and gig co-presenter, and we did our best to keep up with all the activities, which saw much musical fancy.

Part of the thrill of Moogfest is the idea of discovery. Because most of the eight downtown venues are within walking distance—OK, there are some relatively steep hills—hopping from one spot to another is fairly easy. And thankfully, almost all the acts we caught went on and ended at the appointed times.

So with this much music—over 70 DJs and bands—you have to pick some acts you really want to see, then stumble upon whatever else comes your way—that’s the fun part.

My rule: If I walk into a venue and find the act interesting, I’ll have a beverage and listen—if not, I’m out and onto the next spot.

Some highlights: Kode9 at the Orange Peel. Alright, full disclosure— this was DJ Times’ co-presentation, but was it ever terrific. Long known as one of the U.K.’s original dubstep DJ/producers and principal of the Hyperdub imprint, Kode9 (aka Steve Goodman) dropped an education on the Moogfest kiddies with a 60-minute set of hiccupping beats, blasting sirens and embracing, warm grooves.

The near capacity crowd wasn’t doing “the dubstep lurch” with each wobble—no, they were actually dancing. That he dropped the Warren G/ Nate Dogg G-funk classic “Regulate” didn’t hurt either. A big win.

Odd-Pairing Dept.: Just before Kode9 finished out Saturday night at the Orange Peel, synth-punk pioneers Suicide played its eponymous 1977 debut album in its entirety. As Martin Rev hammered away on his drum machine and keyboards with clenched fists, Alan Vega (now 73) stalked the stage, offering growls, yowls and aborted shrieks. During “Frankie Teardrop,” the album’s centerpiece tune of dashed dreams, alienation, murder and, yes, suicide

Ioan Opris

MOOGFEST 2011: COSTUMED FREAKS & MUSICAL FANCY

3

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 1

12 Foundational Figures

Skream & Benga Drop Dubstep Studio Secrets & Tell the Genre’s New Fans to Chill the F*** Out

BY JUSTIN HAMPTON

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

18 Greetings from Amsterdam

4

Once Again, Amsterdam Dance Event Brings Together the Global DJ/Dance Community

BY JIM TREMAYNE

22 Vendor Relations How Do You Curry Loyalty From Fellow Vendors? Some Mobiles Have Decided to Re-Write the Old Rules.

BY JEFF STILES

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJRelated Questions

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Laura Jones, Fracture & More

24 Making Tracks

40 DJ Times Marketplace

26 Sounding Off

41 Club Play Chart

28 Mobile Profile

SAMPLINGS

Native Instruments Komplete 8 Ultimate

Yamaha DSR Series

Jersey Jock Finds New Brush

30 Business Line The Value of “Thank You”

32 Gear

New Products from Arriba, Chauvet & More

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

8 DJ Q45 Media Maven

10 In the Studio With…

Toddla T

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FROM THE EDITOR

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com

Skream & Benga: No Debate

It’s become more and more obvious that dubstep/bass-oriented music has gained a significant foothold in the United States—and very quickly. And as American DJ/artists like Bassnectar and Skrillex continue to play bigger venues, the Stateside fans—many of whom are relative newcomers to the genre—continue to conduct endless “authenticity debates.” (Eg.—“This guy’s not real dubstep,” or “The American version of dubstep has too much testosterone,” etc.) Well, there’s no such conversation with this month’s cover boys—Skream and Benga.

A few months ago, the U.K. dubstep pioneers did a quick trip across America, hitting a few major markets, then returning home to London. Luckily, their tour stopped in Los Angeles—one of America’s strongest EDM markets—and our Justin Hampton was waiting for them.

In addition to detailing studio and DJing approaches, the pair—aka Oliver Jones and Adegbenga Adejumo—also offers a big “so what?” to the authenticity debates. In the end, more genre exposure means more interest, and that means more emerging genre talent—a surefire way to seed the genre for years to come. To paraphrase Benga himself, “How can that be bad?”

This issue also finds reports from a couple of major industry confabs—Amsterdam Dance Event and Moogfest. Down in Asheville, N.C., for Moogfest, we caught three tightly packed nights of music—DJs, electronic bands and a few more traditionally equipped bands—and we came back properly illuminated. (Please see Page 3 for our review of Moogfest.)

In Holland for ADE, we enjoyed the networking during the day, then the clubbing at night. As usual, we experienced some whopping DJ sets—notably, Gregor Tresher and Karotte at Studio 80; Sander van Doorn and Ferry Corsten at Escape; and Afrojack at Air. Additionally, the conference portion entertained some vital topics, including an entertaining, DJ-centric debate about the proliferation of auto mixing via the “sync button.” (Please see Page 18 for our photo spread from ADE and please visit our blog for daily reports from Amsterdam.)

This month also visits with DJ Q45, a Florida-based jock who has expanded beyond the club and mobile world by transitioning into television and radio. We also take a studio turn with Toddla T, a U.K.-based jock who remains unbound by genre.

On the review tip, contributors Phil Moffa and Wesley Bryant-King swap departments this month. Moffa, owner of the NYC-based Butcha Sound Studios, fills out the Sounding Off page by reviewing Yamaha’s DSR Series of active speakers. Meanwhile, Bryant-King, a Denver-based DJ, reviews Komplete 8 Ultimate, Native Instruments’ entire line-up of software synths and effects.

In the mobile world, our Jeff Stiles asks jocks how they curry loyalty with fellow vendors. Some of the answers might surprise you. In Business Line, we investigate the value of “thank you.” And in Mobile Profile, we introduce Bob Morgan, a New Jersey jock who gave up his paint brush for full-time DJing.

As we prep for the 2012 Winter NAMM show, we wish you a happy holidays. Enjoy.

editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Justin Hampton Josh Harris Russ Harris Robert LaFrance Polly Lavin Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Jonathan Novick Scott Rubin Jennifer Shapiro Nate Sherwood Jeff Stiles Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Floor Vahn Curtis Zack Stacy Zemon President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa

FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

Cheers,

6

Jim Tremayne, Editor, DJ Times

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ist—is easily the biggest story in DJ/ dance music from 2011. So when talk‑ ing with someone like Bassnectar—a fellow genre-traveler, so to speak— Skrillex would seem to find its natural place in the conversation.

But, if you noticed in Deanna Rilling’s interview with Gabriel & Dresden, they brought up dubstep and Skrillex, not

us. On the following page’s interview with Porter Robinson, who records for Skrillex’s OWSLA label, I didn’t ask him about Skrillex once. Again, Robin‑ son brought him up.

Whether you like it or not, Skrillex re‑ mains a hot topic with other DJs—and thanks for reading.

– Jim Tremayne, DJ Times

www.djtimes.com

www.djtimes.com/blog

* Porter Robinson * Gabriel & Dresden * Website SEO Tips * Amsterdam Dance Event * Apogee Duet2 * Allen & Heath Xone:DB4 * Shure SRH550DJ

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the ques‑ tion that is not asked.

DJ TIMES, What is DJ Times’ Skrillex obses‑ sion?

I’m a big fan of DJ Times and have been subscribed for a while now. I hardly ever have disappointments with the issues, but lately in near every issue for the past several months, Skrillex somehow comes up in an interview—i.e., Bassnectar, Gabriel & Dresden, etc.

Don’t get me wrong he’s a great guy and makes amazing music, but when I’m reading an interview and a question like, “What do you think of Skrillex...” comes up constantly, it gets old very quick, especially when him and/or dubstep as a whole is totally irrelevant to the interviewee.

When I’m reading an interview about an artist or group, I want to know more about that artist, not someone who anyone in the electronic world has already heard enough about.

Plus, it seems somewhat unfair to the interviewee, in the sense that it takes away from individuality.

Don’t mean to be a misanthropist or anything, but it’s something to think about. Thanks.

—DJ White Chocolate, Dallas, Texas

WHITE CHOCOLATE, Well, we like Skrillex.

But more to your question, Skrillex— a recent recipient of five Grammy nominations, including Best New Art‑

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SAMPLINGS

DJ Q45 has taken his turntables to TV and radio.

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

DJ Q45: MEDIA MAVEN

8

Kenneth Eric Williams stands as proof that turntablists can realize dreams beyond winning DJ competitions. Known professionally as DJ Q45, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based Williams has transitioned easily into other media—namely, TV and radio.

His outlets are many.

On television, he’s the monthly resident on BET Network’s top-rated show, “106 & Park.” And on The WB, he’s featured on the Daily Buzz morning show that reaches 165 U.S. television markets. On radio, he appears regularly on WJBT 93.3/The Beat, his hometown station, as part of their scheduled mix shows. When it comes to clubs, he has a residency in Jacksonville at Club Pure and he also plays a monthly R&B party in Orlando called Pillow Talk at the 23 Orlando club. He also travels to oneoff events around the country.

We recently caught up with DJ Q45 to discuss his range of work.

DJ Times: What got you into DJing?

Q45: I wanted to become a DJ because I love how music moves people.

People can have the worst day of their lives and that one special song brings them back into a good mood.

Jam Master Jay was the first prominent DJ I saw perform live. I loved how he used to cut the record! It was such a wonderful sound. And, of course, there’s Kid Capri, Doctor Dré from “Yo! MTV Raps,” DJ Laz, DJ Magic Mike, QBert, Grand Master Roc Raida, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Trans, DJ Capone and DJ PeeWee, just to name a few in no particular order.

DJ Times: Did you ever do mobiles?

Q45: Mobile gigs are cool. I just hate having to set up and break down.

But being able to go anywhere and perform is great. I was the first Nike store DJ and that was a great opportunity for me. I was playing in front of people that had never seen a real DJ before. I love Nike shoes and having worked with that brand is a big thing on my “got-it-done” list.

DJ Times: Aside from using Serato Scratch Live sometimes, what’s in your current DJ rig?

Q45: My turntables of choice are

the Stanton STR8.150s and their M.207 mixer. The STR8.150s are battle tanks! They are the strongest and toughest turntables out there. I have dropped mine, had drinks spilled on them. I even did a party in the rain with them and the motor is just as strong as the first day out the box.

The speeds are still on-point with each other after six years of use. The motor is powerful and the pitch control is very sharp—meaning, when I push it to the number, it’s on the number. With the way I DJ, I need a turntable that keeps up with me.

DJ Times: What’s your approach to spinning on a TV morning show?

Q45: Spinning is very different.You only have a 20-second window—as part of the show intros and outros— to make an impression. That means your cuts and your persona have all got to be working perfectly in sync with the TV-production timing. I’m featured five or six times per show.

We do two shows each day, so it all adds up. On BET’s “106 & Park,” you always have to be “on” and ready for those breaks when it becomes

showtime.

DJ Times: What’s your musical selection for the shows?

Q45: Musically, the focus on “106 & Park” is the most-current, hot, new music. The Daily Buzz is a more open-format, often chosen by the show’s viewers. It can var y from classics such as The Doors to Rick Ross—every day is different.

D J T i m e s : Yo u a l s o h o s t e d “Changing Lanes,” BET’s show about the NASCAR world—sounds challenging.

Q45: It is really all about preparation. For NASCAR, the role I play is that of TV host. Sure, there is some DJing involved, but they are really looking to me to keep 1,000 people entertained with as much of what I say as what I play. This is where preparation is key—and NASCAR fans know their sport, so I have to know it, too.

DJ Times: What’s the best way for a DJ to get the kind of exposure you’ve enjoyed?

Q45: I feel the best way for a DJ to make it in this game is—to not be a DJ! Be an entertainer. Anybody can play music, but if you can truly entertain people and keep them wanting more of you and what you are doing, then you are an entertainer.

DJ Times: But your skills have to be sharp first.

Q45: I’m never satisfied with how my skills are today—they can always be better. So, on top of my performance schedule, I’ll be practicing my baby scratches to make sure they are perfect. I’m passionate about practicing my skills, exploring new music and reviewing my performance style to keep it exciting for the crowd and me. Also, there comes a time when you realize that you can’t do this all alone and that having a support team to help with the logistics is critical. And if you have the right team behind you, they will also provide constructive feedback. I’m very willing to take some chances with my performance on a regular basis. Challenging myself keeps it fresh and I always remember that the true greats in our world took chances and pushed the envelope.

– Jim Tremayne

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DJ TIMES 10

In the booth or studio, Toddla T remains unbound by genre.

Unlike their forebears, young bucks like Tom Bell (aka Toddla T) don’t have to legitimize dance music— they just have to jockey for position in an even more crowded musical landscape.

Most choose to align themselves with a specific genre, but U.K. jock Toddla T has won himself a monthly timeslot in BBC’s “In New DJs We Trust” radio program and earned high-profile gigs at venues like Fabric and events like Bestival for his deeply varied DJ and production style. By mixing up garage, dubstep, dancehall, house and whatever else makes sense, he’s become the U.K.’s answer to Diplo, if you will.

While this approach has cons as well as pros attached to it, Toddla, 26, says he wouldn’t have it any other way. “If you’re a dubstep DJ, then you can fit into a bracket and you can play a dubstep night, or when it’s house, you play house,” he reasons. “But when you’re neither of anything, you can bring your own thing to a night, which is wicked, because obviously that’s what you can get creative.”

Since Toddla T initially came up as a DJ in his hometown of Sheffield, his eclecticism is borne from soaking in lessons from all over, first from local DJ heroes such as early Warp artist Winston Hazel and Pipes and then a teen apprenticeship in hip hop and vinyl. He’s moved on from vinyl to Serato and Pioneer CDJs. “I don’t care what mixer it is,” he says. “I just use the up and down, the left-right and the EQ. I don’t really mess with the effects. I do all that on the Serato.”

He often takes the time to jump around from track to track on slower-tempo genres like dancehall, with longer mixes reserved for house tracks. And while he doesn’t jump up on the mic like Diplo, he often tours in the U.K. and Europe with his longtime mate MC Serocee, who takes on that duty.

A well-publicized online leak, as well as last year’s disastrous UK riots, marred the release of Toddla T’s second LP, Watch Me Dance (Ninja Tune), but he still managed to get the point across with collaborations with Roots Manuva and Skream. Much of the album focused on radio-ready tracks, but once the live instrumentation—recorded at various studios in London and Jamaica—was on tape, he worked with a combination of Logic Audio and Ableton Live, such as on his remix for Duck Sauce’s “Big Bad Wolf.”

“I get all the parts into Ableton, get them all warped properly and then I’ll close it,” he says. “And I’ll open Logic and then I’ll open Ableton again and wire in Ableton to Logic. They’ll run side to side with Logic as master, Ableton as my slave, and I can change my tempo in Logic to wherever the remix wants to go and the parts to go in with it.

“And when I’ve got a groove, I’m like, ‘I’m definitely using that!’ I’ll export the parts from Ableton and bring them into Logic and finish it up.”

– Justin Hampton

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JANUARY 2012

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DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

The intro sounds truly fit for a king—or in this case, kings.

Before they can even drop a beat or crack wise on the international airwaves, the MC has to make it known: “OK, ready to turn the page to the next chaptah... REAL. I need everybody to get one hand in the air, one hand in the AIR! Let me see them! Make some noise for Skream and BENGAAAAAAA!!!”

And then the duo in question— Oliver “Skream” Jones and Adegbenga “Benga” Adejumo—take to the air, often chuckling to themselves. Surely, their unassuming ladtalk as they begin their installment on the semi-regular “In New DJs We Trust” program seems to suggest, “This dude who just gave the intro can’t be speaking about us.”

But, of course, he is. As the BBC bumper to the show indicates, these two jokers just so happen to wield an authority on dubstep that simply can’t be duplicated by the hordes of hyper-competitive bass-jockeys that ride their jock.

Initially performing together as part of the Smooth Criminals crew, Skream and Benga came up in the South London district of Croydon, schooled by older brothers involved with the U.K. Garage and drum-n-bass scenes, respectively.

Moving on from habitués of Big Apple Records and Playstation sample-stitching, the two eventually made some of early dubstep’s

12

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

most enduring anthems. “Midnight Request Line,” which propelled a sample from an early ’80s hip-hop chestnut by Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three towards a darker, minimal present, gave Skream a leadership role within the fledgling genre at the tender age of 19, while “Crunked Up” and “26 Basslines” introduced the world to Benga’s funky swagger.

Yet, as the status of both producers grew, the two forged their reputations apart from each other.

Skream would feature prominently in Mary Anne Hobbs’s legendary BBC dubstep special, which gave the genre its international introduction. And Benga’s collab with Digital Mystiks co-founder Coki, “Night,” became an enduring classic.

However, the Magnetic Man project changed this, and proved that Skream and Benga, together with fellow Big Apple alum Artwork, could do more than make club bangers. The single, “I Need Air,” which featured pop-dubstep crossover artist Katy B, made it to No. 10 on the U.K. charts, and Katy B’s own Benga-produced track, “Katy On A Mission,” peaked at No. 5. Skream also continued to chart with his remix of Laroux’s “In for the Kill” (at No. 11).

As foundational figures, Skream and Benga have not only gained career success, but universal respect

13

Skream: Basic sequencing.

Benga: Basic sequencing and basic drum editing and mapping was how I got started. And then we kind of moved onto FL Studio and stuff like that, which was like Fruity Loops 4 at the time, I believe, or…

Skream: No, Fruity Loops 3 was the first. That was when I first, well, that was what I first started using.

Benga: Then we started using that, and with that you could sample for longer, while we could find stuff off the internet. We used to get these dodgy kicks and snares I used to love and there was another plug-in called the TS-404?

Skream: Yeah, the TS-404, and that was the start of our wobble.

Benga: [laughs] We started trying to replicate other people at first with Wookie’s wobble bass. The first time I remember actually getting outside press, like at the time of people having tracks played in clubs, were [tracks] literally just made in bedrooms.

Skream: And people started to take notice, saying, “Hold on a minute—the sound is good enough that maybe we can do this.”

DJ Times: So what are your individual workstations nowadays?

Skream: I use a stick and a stone.

[Laughs] Benga: And I use an Akai. [Laughs] Skream: No, no, come on, go on.

Benga: I use Logic on a Mac and I guess I run it through my Symphony

i/o and I have a Manley 16 X 2 mixer.

I use an Access Virus desktop. That’s about it.

Skream: I still use FL Studio, a really powerful workstation, Orpheus Prism soundcards, and I’ve got a few synths. I’ve got a Dave Smith Prophet, a Minimoog and a Korg MS-20. I’ve got a Juno 106, but it’s been in Benga’s garage about a year. [Laughs] Hint, hint, I want it back. But yes, that’s me, and Dynaudio BM6As. DJ Times: Monitors must be important. What would you recommend for dubstep artists?

Benga: Me and Skream both use the same ones and they’re Dynaudio BM6As. Skream: But to be honest, I used to get better bass when I used to use some old Tannoy hi-fi speakers, and I know Benga’s kind of the same. Like it all got a bit more complicated when I got high-end studio monitors because it’s a whole different dynamic from using a general hi-fi speaker.

It’s just used for playing music rather than mixing music. I generally actually enjoy my old Tannoy hi-fi speakers more than I do my Dynaudios.

DJ Times: Basslines, how are they made? Do you work at all with Massive?

Skream: I do use Massive now, but the reason it’s so popular is it’s made for bass. The waveforms in it are out of this world, but having said that, I’m still reverting back to what I used to, which is Rob Papen’s Albino 3—I just mastered it and have kind of gone back to it for certain baselines.

But also I’ve been using Native Instruments Razor, which is really, really good, and Native Instruments’ FM8, actually. I’m not actually trying to get

sponsored by Native Instruments, here. [Laughs] I’m being honest. I think we both started making music by making basslines properly. I think that was what we cared about, really.

It was a few years before we started thinking about melodies.

Benga: It was. It was like TS-404 and Albino. I guess we grew up a lot on Albino. It’s still there, still useful, but to be honest, the Massive and the Native Instruments plug-ins are the ones at the minute.

Skream: Yeah, especially for the sonic output of them and the stereo and how big you can make them sound.

DJ Times: Sound design, how often do you rotate sounds? It seems like you have to do that a lot, as so much gets churned out in this field.

Skream: Every day, I think, especially when—because everybody’s making so many new basslines—it’s easiest to get caught in a trap to try and recreate other people’s basslines.

I think that’s only become a current thing because, before, it was a craft to have your own bass sounds. At the moment, I try and make new sounds, not as much basslines, more like lead sounds.

Benga: You just try and make interesting noises that fit, I think.

Skream: Yes, because obviously, so many people use Massive. You’re gonna stumble across [sounds and say], “Oh shit, that’s how they made that sound!” And then it’s easy to go, “Ah, I’m just gonna do a variation of that.” But yeah, I’ve got over 1,000 bass patches that I’ve made, but about eight that I use.

DJ Times: One of your biggest tracks, Benga, is “26 Basslines.” Is that

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JANUARY 2012

from the normally fractious crew of dubstep fans around the world, since quite frankly, the music would not be what it was without the two to guide it along. Can’t front on that.

While Benga may regret a few things he says here in the interview— we managed to get him to part with a few choice details on compression he would rather have kept to himself—we’re sure that you won’t. For even though it’s not always easy to get these two to behave, their views on production, the ever-changing skill sets of their profession and the dubstep community will prove invaluable regardless. Forward...

DJ Times: It’s only recently that your names have become soldered together as a production unit. Tell me about the first time you guys played out. Were you part of any sorts of partnerships before that?

Benga: We’ve been DJing together since we were about 14-yearsold. We used to be in a group called Smooth Criminals together, which was quite funny.

Skream: A long time ago.

Benga: Long, long time ago. And we’ve always done separate music, but we’ve always toured together and DJed together. I guess it’s just become stronger and stronger and stronger as we’ve come along.

Skream: It’s like best-friend energy onstage as well, which you can’t really replicate. That’s the difference between us and what other people do. We’ve done this, what we’re doing now, since it started, so it’s just kind of natural. And I think people can see it as well.

DJ Times: A while ago, I heard some early tracks of yours, Skream, on Joe Nice’s show, this stuff on Fruity Loops. Artwork even said you did a lot of Playstation PS tracks as well. So tell me how you started on your productions.

Benga: We did start out on Playstation. There wasn’t a lot you could do with it.

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Skream (left) & Benga.

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JANUARY 2012

an accurate tally?

Benga: Well, it’s crazy, because of all the layering and all the bouncing I had to do with that. This is why Massive’s so popular, because you don’t have to layer as much.

Skream: You don’t have to open 26 Albinos.

Benga: [Laughs] Yeah, back then, yeah, I guess it was just like, how many things I had to open and how many things I had running throughout the track was mental to get the kind of thickness and the movement between the noises.

DJ Times: So that was Albino you were using for those basslines?

Benga: Yeah, not sure if I should have told you that, but I told you that now (laughs).

DJ Times: Deadmau5 ranted on Twitter on dynamics in dubstep, about how everything was run through a limiter. So I should ask: What are your pet peeves when it comes to dubstep production?

Skream: Vowel basses.

Benga: I just think over-compressing stuff and then getting that sound where you push certain frequencies with multiband and then you expand it and you start to lose a bit of the dynamic. But I don’t know—that sound is weird, do you know what I mean? It doesn’t sound very natural.

Skream: Since people aren’t really going and cutting dub plates or mastering their stuff before us. A lot of people are mastering their stuff themselves at home and they haven’t got the skills to do it. Hence, why when you used to play dubplates, you’d finish your track, you’d leave so much headroom and you would have so little over-compression. Now ev-

16

eryone’s just mastering it themselves and it’s all about who has the loudest sound rather than the best dynamics.

DJ Times: So what do you use for compression and how do you use it?

Benga: [Laughs] OK, I guess, when it comes to compression for me, right, I don’t know. It’s weird how I use compression nowadays, just because of how I’m trying to compete, but not to sound the same. I want my stuff to sound a little bit more dynamic, so I guess when it comes to me compressing stuff, I use more distortion, try not to give away too many of my secrets here, but [laughs] I use distortion to kind of limit, not limit, but compress the sound in a way.

Skream: Shape it.

Benga: To shape the sound in a way. I guess that’s how I’m gonna leave it.

Skream: I only really compress my drums. I don’t like compression myself basically because it takes away the oomph. It almost puts it in, like, a hold. I use side-chain compression, on the other hand, to try and help give the track space rather than squeeze it in.

Benga: Side-chaining the synths snare-wise as well—you can give it that bit of room where people will just try and push the snare too much.

Secrets, secrets are out. Ahhhh! (laughs) DJ Times: Is any compressor better than the other?

Benga: If I can release how quickly the compressor can grab it and how natural it will sound, so in that respect, yes, some compressors are certainly better [than others], and it depends on what you’re compressing, but…

Skream: And it kind of depends

on how you use it. I’m pretty sure I could use some compressor and someone will say, “No, that one’s shit compared to the one I use.” But I might not necessarily know my way around the one that they use. Although all compressors generally have the same setting, they don’t all have the same sound and the same output.

Benga: Transparency. I guess, for what we’re heading for as well, to have that sound where it sounds loud, but not ducking and…

Skream: Yeah, loud, but not hitting +6 dB. Benga: I guess it’s very due to how transparent the compressor is and how good the attack hits and stuff like that.

Skream: I’m all about Waves compressors.

Benga: I reach for three different things. I’ll give you two of them. I definitely reach for Waves compressor and then second thing I reach for, which is like compression and it’s like tape—kind of tubing-like style—is the Fatso and my UAD card, which kind of compresses, gives it a little bit of distortion and a bit of bottom-end warmth, with a kind of rumble.

DJ Times: DJing: What do you both play on—both as a unit and individually?

Benga: With CDJs. Skream: CDJs. To be honest, I’m actually devastated that that I stopped playing ’plates. As we were touring the States, it put the final nail in the coffin. We were playing out and the shows were getting a lot bigger, and we were playing stages where we were the only people playing from turntables and it was literally impossible. It made us look very…

Benga: Amateur.

Skream: Yeah, and the mixes were jumping, but the decks were just hocked and left in a cupboard for God knows how long. I can’t remember where the show was, but I remember turning up and they were like, “Oh, you’re using turntables.”

And it was like, yeah, but to be honest—and I think it’s the same for Benny—I’ve definitely developed great love for CDJs now. I can move from them pretty rapid.

DJ Times: Will you ever shift to your laptops?

Skream: My problem with laptop DJing is that you lose your subtle connection with the crowd. I see some people do it really well, like Bassnectar, for example. But I just find you don’t get full interaction with them.

Benga: A hundred percent. We had to search through our CDs to get our tunes out, but it’s so much— it’s weird.

Skream: Everyone else may know what’s coming next. I think with laptop sets, you tend to become a bit

lazy. I know a lot of people who play from playlists, which in some ways is great. But other times, I’m pretty sure the playlist isn’t gonna work at every party. And if it does, they’re just there. It’s all about playing for who’s in front of you.You never play in front of the same type of crowd twice, I don’t think.

DJ Times: Dubstep has gone over in a really big way here in the States, and you even have an act like Nero in the U.K. What’s the biggest difference between the UK and the US as far as the production ethos?

Benga: I have to put it down to how hard the sound is. But I think that’s kind of come to the U.K. as well. I wouldn’t say come to the U.K., but the sounds are a lot harder in the UK as well. I guess it’s just I find that it’s a lot more processed.

Skream: It’s a real fratboy community in the States—it’s rubbed off over here as well. Like there’s a lot more college and university kids going out, just loads of boys going out and getting pissed and going mental. I think that stems from the States, especially the hand-wave dance [laughs]. Like, it used to go crazy a bit—it was more from like a rave culture going crazy and everyone dancing—but now the way the whole rock thing has moved in, I think that kind of stems from the States. It kinds of stems from Pendulum and drum-nbass, but yeah…

Benga: It’s hard to really pin down the differences now, because they’re so close together.

Skream: The one difference over in England is you’ll have a dubstep night that doesn’t cater for the more midrange heavy stuff. You still get the ultra-deep nights with Digital Mystiks, Kode 9, Pinch, etc., where I don’t really see that as much in the States. There’s not really a market for that. There is in certain cities like New York. I think there’s some in San Francisco. But still with dynamics, if you’re into dubstep and you’re not just into, say, like the Skrillexes, Neros or Flux Pavilion, you’ve still gonna get it [in the U.K.]. Whereas in the States, you’ll find a lot of kids aren’t exposed to the root more. I hate using this term, but the more “post-dubstep” sort of sound.

DJ Times: The dubstep world is pretty polarized these days, between the brostep stuff and the muso stuff like James Blake, Burial and Zomby.

Where do you stand on that?

Benga: We stand in the middle of it all. And that’s the best thing because we like everything. If it’s good music, it’s good music—and if it’s bad music, it’s bad music.

Skream: As producers as well, we’ve never made one style of music, and I think that’s why we still get a good rep. The heads who know, (continued on page 42)

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DJ TIMES 18

Amsterdam—The global dance/ DJ community dropped into The Netherlands this past Oct. 19-21 for the 16th Amsterdam Dance Event. With conferences held at the Felix Meritis Centre and the Dylan Hotel, ADE also offered diverse evenings of music at dozens of area venues.

As always, DJ Times was there to take it all in. Luckily for us, ADE’s crack photography team—plus Declan O’Driscoll of Canada’s BPM-TV— was there as well to record the action for posterity. Enjoy.

—Jim Tremayne

JANUARY 2012

u9 The Legend: Carl Cox lords over Paradiso.

Betribes u10 Over Here: ADE flags fly over Keizersgracht.

Mike Breeuwer u11 Fist Pump: Mark Knight grooves at Escape.

Roy Laros u12 Sold Out: Attendee registration station at ADE. Aico Lind u13 Ka-Boom: Confetti streams at Fedde le Grand’s Escape gig.

Melvin Rompas u14 Authenticity Panel: Carl Cox & David Morales with moderator Tommie Sunshine Declan O’Driscoll u15 Network Drink: Pioneer presents DJ Miss Nine.

Aico Lind u16 Melkweg Mosh: Dubsteppers do battle.

Emma Pierre

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u1 Felix Meritis: ADE conference’s main vein.

Mike Breeuwer u2 Trance Titan: Ferry Corsten spins at Escape.

Betribes u3 The DJ Cook-Off: Seth Troxler vs. Dubfire.

Aico Lind u4 ADE Keynoter: Boy George bares his soul.

Mike Breeuwer u5 Stand Back: Afrojack blasts fans at Air. Declan O’Driscoll u6 Champagne Wishes: ADE staffer pours bubbly for the queue.

Aico Lind u7 Melkweg Madness: Beamwork explodes on the dancefloor.

Betribes u8 Networking Lounge: Attendees get down to business.

Aico Lind

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JANUARY 2012

DJ TIMES 22

Looking back over his many years as the wedding entertainment director for Philadelphia’s Silver Sound Entertainment, Steve Croce continues to find many professionals in the mobile DJ industry clinging to the old plastic façade of completely “buying” friendships.

As a result, Croce says he has found great success in his ability to look through that “thin, fraudulent film” and actually connect with fellow vendors in the field.

“After years of practice, it’s pretty easy for me to filter out the pretenders and find the individuals who will collaborate with me in a more organic way,” he says. “If you truly care about the professionals you surround yourself with, it will show to those who are worth your time.”

Croce says that vendors who can identify authenticity and passion are actually drawn to it like a moth to a flame. “Because I am real,” he says, “I have photographers and banquet directors who cannot wait to refer me to their clients.”

We asked DJs from coast to coast what they are doing to cultivate relationships with fellow entertainment vendors. How do we convince a vendor to think of our company first when asked for a referral?

Are we merely sticking to oldschool techniques, such as supplying them with business cards and brochures? Or are we setting up face-to-face meetings to do the convincing?

Do we, as a reminder to suggest our company to their clients, deliver donuts or fruit baskets to photographers, videographers, banquet facili-

ties and bridal shops? Or are we simply working to impress these other entertainment professionals as they observe us at our events?

Five years ago, Croce was at a networking event in Philadelphia, sponsored by NACE, when he suddenly noticed that one of the other attendees was the director of sales from a Delaware museum known for hosting upscale events.

Of course, Croce was not the only DJ in the room who noticed this person was present. “Because that particular venue was not one that ever held events like this, all the most ferocious salespeople attacked her shamelessly,” he recalls. “So after she had been badgered for about an hour and the clamoring died down, I qui-

etly walked over and said, ‘Sometimes I hate these dog-and-pony shows.’

“We had never met before, so she looked at me in disbelief for a moment, and then replied, ‘What?’”

While nonchalantly preparing himself a cup of coffee, Croce said, “These events are filled with remoras just trying to attach to the biggest fish in the room . . .”

Croce said this director of sales again looked at him for a moment, asked for a card, and then called him the following day to talk for almost an hour.

“Until her recent depar ture ,” Croce claims, “I was her No.-1 choice and personal strongest solution for clients seeking a quality DJ.” Back over on the other side of

the nation, Mark Haggerty of the Bay Area-based Denon & Doyle believes cultivating vendor relationships is a multi-faceted effort that requires DJs to first and foremost be good at what they do, and also maintain a strong track record of client satisfaction.

Haggerty says he once attended a caterers’ open house/tasting for an upcoming wedding season when the owner approached the microphone and told the gathered crowd that he had invited these particular vendors to be a part of the evening not only because they were good, “but because they make us look good as well.”

He continues, “He also went on to say he enjoyed working with them and being part of a ‘wedding team.’

sort of ‘pay-to-play’ with a catering manager or venue, but that has backfired on all parties involved. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but I know it involved an angry client that blamed the facility for something the DJ did.”

In the end, Haggerty says a great everyday working relationship is always key to gaining more referrals and developing a more enjoyable rapport for everyone.

“You need to know all the ins and outs of a facility, their rules, their load-in and set-up,” he says, while jokingly adding that, “Of course, it doesn’t hurt to remember everyone’s name as well.”

As for photographers and videographers, Haggerty says they appreci-

JANUARY 2012

to them. We actually do follow-up with venues two or three times a year to make sure they’re happy with our crews.”

Haggerty says Denon & Doyle has been known to drop off a Starbucks card or care package once in a while—at least to the places they travel on a regular basis.

“The places that do refer us we reward with a complimentary company party DJ or a photo booth during the holidays,” he explains. “Most have their company party in January—or maybe a weekday in December, since they’re usually too busy when we’re busy, too—so that works well with our own schedule.

“I’ve heard that some DJs in our area have tried to actually do some

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This caterer had rented a nice facility and invited cake people, photographers, florists, videographers, a limo service and a rental company—only one or two from each category— while I was the only DJ for around 100 potential clients.”

Haggerty relates that this team approach is what gets Denon & Doyle the most referrals—and that includes clients such as the San Francisco Giants, Lucasfilm Limited and Nickelodeon.

“Most of the popular venues get hit many times a week by outside vendors looking to get on The List,” he says. “I think the catering and sales teams at these venues get overwhelmed by that approach and it becomes just a lot of ‘blah, blah, blah’

ate being in communication with DJs throughout the timeline for an event.

“They obviously don’t want to miss a shot,” he says. “If I announce the toast and they’re not ready, that’s my fault. I make sure to tell them—offmic—when something is about to happen, and I’ve even received referrals from that.

“I also make sure to refer the people and places I like. When possible, I send clients to my favorite coordinator, florist, cake decorator or photographer. And as a result, clients even ask us what we think about a particular venue, before they even book it.”

Back over on the East Coast, Gregg Hollmann of Ambient DJ Service in East Windsor, N.J., claims to have a few legs to his strategy for networking with banquet halls and other entertainment vendors.

When it comes to recommended vendors, Hollmann says he creates a list of all the major categories of wedding production vendors—from the banquet halls and the wedding planners early in the planning process, to the tuxedo and limousine companies closer to the actual wedding date.

Hollmann says it simply makes sense to promote all the major vendor categories, as referrals often work out in unexpected ways. “For example, we recently booked a wedding referred by a tuxedo shop,” he recalls. “The groom had originally planned to have an iPod wedding, but thought better of it and booked us two weeks before his wedding.

“The limousine company—one of the last vendors to get booked— might make an introduction to a corporate executive who he drives,” says Hollmann. “As DJs, while we most often refer downstream vendors such as photographers, videographer and florists, we’ve also been asked to provide recommendations for upstream vendors such as banquet halls.”

This New Jersey DJ says he now distributes his preferred vendor list to each couple he meets with regarding wedding DJ services, and actually takes the time during a sales consultation to see if there are any vendor categories for which they need a recommendation.

“At the beginning of each year, we mail a copy of our list to each recommended vendor, with a letter explaining how we promote their companies to our clients,” says Hollmann. “Importantly, our promotional efforts have worked with many vendors on our list, with some of these vendors adding us to their lists and referring our own services.

“Sales consultant ‘Zig’ Ziglar said that, ‘You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.’” n

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MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

STUDIO POWERHOUSE: KOMPLETE 8 ULTIMATE

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

By Wesley Bryant-King

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As a DJ, I love spinning with just about any gear someone sets in front of me—and frequently, I get to write about those very products in these pages. But like most DJs, I suppose I have my “go to” set-up, the one with which I’m most intimately familiar— for me, that’s Native Instruments’ Traktor.

As a long-time Traktor user, I’ve also been exposed to the other side of NI’s product line-up—their wide array of software instruments for musical artists, producers and remixers—and in fact, I own a few of them.

But when the opportunity to kick the tires on the company’s full line-up arrived, I jumped at the chance to immerse myself.

Native Instruments makes it easy for anyone to do so by taking a page from Microsoft (e.g., Office) and Adobe (e.g., Creative Suite) by offering value-priced bundles of its products in the form of Komplete. Recently, the company updated several of its products, added a number of new ones, and christened a new generation of the bundle, Komplete 8. This time out, NI actually created two versions: the regular Komplete 8, and the new Komplete 8 Ultimate—the latter being a soup-to-nuts affair that gets you, for all intents and purposes, Native’s entire line-up of software synths and effects as it was as of September 2011.

Either bundle provides incredible value for the dollar. The regular Komplete 8 retails for $559, but includes over $3,500 worth of products (if you’d have purchased them individually), while the figures add-up to $1,099 and over $6,000 (respectively) for Komplete 8 Ultimate. There are so many products—and so much supporting content for the products—that the regular bundle arrives on a whopping 12 DVD-ROMs. Komplete 8 Ultimate smartly arrives on—get this—an external USB hard disk. (It suddenly seems like an eternity ago when a pair of high-density floppy diskettes was a big deal.) This review focuses on the regular Kom-

Komplete 8 Ultimate: NI’s soup-to-nuts affair.

plete 8 bundle, but I’ll touch on some of the highlights of Ultimate as well.

So, what exactly do you get for your money beyond a lot of media?

Let’s back-up just a bit, and dig-in.

Germany’s Native Instruments has over its 15-year history established itself firmly in the minds of those with a passion for electronic music as one of the world’s preeminent suppliers of software instruments. These days, NI’s line-up includes soft-synths for electronically creating music in almost any genre (including orchestral and cinematic). While Native has expanded successfully into the DJ space, and now offers a range of hardware devices for both DJs and producers, faithful to its roots, NI continues to evolve and expand its impressive range of software synthesizers and accompanying content.

NI has taken a somewhat interesting approach to offering such a diverse line-up of software instruments and effects. While there are a number of standalone, niche products like Absynth, Battery and FM8, Native has three so-called “flagship” products that serve as platforms on top of which many of their other products run. These include Kontakt (a sample-based synth), Reaktor (a modular synth), and Guitar Rig (an effects platform primarily for guitars).

These three products are offered two ways. First, they are for sale as standalone products, each of which comes with extensive content libraries. Secondly, they are offered as freeto-download “players” which comes with a very limited amount of sample content. The players are designed primarily to be host platforms on which other NI products run, for those who don’t own the full versions of these platforms. For example, NI’s Retro Machines Mk2—a collection of 16 analog synths—is “under the hood” merely a content add-on for Kontakt, and as such, runs under the full, paid Kontakt synth—or under the free Kontakt Player—your choice.

These other products (Retro Machines, and dozens of others) are more than just sample libraries; NI has architected their flagships in a way that these add-ons can bring unique user interfaces and other features to the table, while still running inside an otherwise familiar environment.

The end result is that the Komplete bundles are, in a sense, bundles of bundles. In both versions, you get the three flagship products, and an array of other standalones, including Absynth, FM8, Massive, and Battery, plus others that run on the flagships, including the aforementioned Retro Machines Mk2 (Kontakt), Reflektor

(Guitar Rig), The Finger (Reaktor), and so on. As mentioned earlier, Komplete 8 (both versions) includes both synthesizers of various types, and a range of studio effects.

Set-up & Use: Installing Komplete 8 was a fairly time-consuming undertaking; it simply takes a while to unpack and copy the content from 12 DVD-ROMs to one’s studio computer—on the order of several hours in my case. (Presumably, Komplete 8 Ultimate arriving on a hard disk of its own speeds the process a bit.) But aside from the time required, it was neither difficult, nor problematic. NI includes a beautifully prepared multilingual color booklet that describes everything you need to know about the process, including using NI’s Service Center product activation.

Installation does involve choices, of course, most revolving around where the voluminous content is stored—I’d strongly suggest using a separate hard disk or hard disk partition with plenty of space—and which types of plug-ins you want or need. In my particular case, my DAW (digital audio workstation) of preference is Ableton Live, and my platform of choice, Windows.

As such, I use VST (“Virtual Studio Technology”) plug-ins, the now-ubiquitous plug-in technology originally created by Steinberg, which is supported by all of synths and effects in the Komplete bundle. But support for Windows and Mac are both offered, and in addition to VST, both RTAS and AU plug-in interfaces provided. Additionally, the major components can be run as standalone programs. Standalone operation makes it easy to play with musical ideas, get a feel for the products, or perform the synths or effects “live” and without the added hassle or overhead of loading your DAW first.

The sheer volume and variety of content is in itself a bit of a problem for the new Komplete user like me. While it’s difficult for me to find too much fault with NI over it, the company also hasn’t really made it particularly easy to get started, or

even to understand the products conceptually. Documentation is provided on a product-by-product basis, in PDF format, and as is typical of Native Instruments, that documentation is both of good quality, and complete.

But beyond the installation guide for Komplete, you’re on your own when it comes to understanding what you just bought and installed, or where to begin in your discovery process. I can easily envision some sort of comparison or summar y chart; something to inform the user where they might wish to start for this or that. But alas, you’ll need to plan plenty of time to sort it all out yourself.

To assist you in that effort, NI provides on their web site an interesting “Komplete 8 vs. Komplete 8 Ultimate” comparison chart that handily groups the included products into categories: flagship products, synthesizers, strings and cinematic, creative and studio effects, drums and percussion, guitar and bass, and finally, piano and keys. Not only will this chart help you choose the best bundle for your needs, but it also helps focus your tinkering once you have the product in-hand. But even with this chart, you’ll want to dig a bit deeper; it’s not apparent at first that Massive is particularly well-suited to crafting

powerful basslines, but indeed it is.

Understanding that, perhaps most users will use factory synth patches as-is, or at least as a starting point, NI has taken a relatively consistent approach to organizing their sound libraries across the various synth products in a uniquely usable way.

Each employs a multi-layered, category-driven browsing metaphor; you begin by choosing a bank, then a type (such a lead synth, bass, bowed strings, etc.). The choices you make filter the options in the next “layer.”

For example, choosing a synth lead type, you would next choose a subtype, such as soft lead, dirty lead, classic poly lead, and so on. Finally, you pick a mode, such as processed, percussive, monophonic, and so on.

While this approach is not perfect (since one man’s “dirty” may be another man’s “classic”), it does allow you to home in on a family of patches and narrow the task of sampling the resulting sounds to find what you need.

Guitar Rig, the effects member of the Komplete family, works similarly to home in on specific effects configurations. And whether an effect configuration in Guitar Rig, or one of the many synths, your own creations or modifications can be saved back out using the attributes you choose

so you can put things where you can easily find them next time you want them.

Speaking of Guitar Rig, its name does suggest that it’s primarily for guitar users, and indeed, it provides an incredible array of software-modeled amps, cabinets and effects that enable the recreation of some pretty incredible guitar sounds for your guitar tracks (or for live performance). But its name belies the fact that it’s also a platform for effects that you can use in plenty of other situations from vocals tracks to mastering. While I do play guitar, I play acoustic rhythm guitar, so at first I wasn’t sure how I would kick the tires on Guitar Rig. Alas, connecting my acoustic-electric to my audio interface and firing up the software, my usual folk-centric guitar efforts were transformed into all manner of kick-butt rock guitar licks, and it was easy to get lost in the product’s capabilities (and have a lot of fun doing it).

Back to Synths: While some of the NI synthesizer line-up offers “deeper” programming options, many of the synths provide simplified controls for tweaking the factory sounds with a fairly common layout. Quite often, it’s a small bank of knobs to tweak filter curves or resonance levels or oscillator frequencies—things

of that sort—and the options vary with the synth, the sound you loaded, and other factors. But from Absynth to FM8 to many of the products that run within Kontakt, you’ll find these same, easy-to-use ways for verging off the factory preset path, without the brain damage of from-scratch synth programming.

As I noted earlier, I found it easy to get lost and a bit overwhelmed by the vast array of choices in Komplete 8. I’ll hit some of the highlights of my few weeks with the bundle: FM8, NI’s FM synthesis product, was surprisingly interesting. Given its synthesis model, it should be no surprise, but the sounds it produced had a uniquely clean, but rich character that I can easily see myself incorporating often into my productions. NI claims that programming FM synthesizers is extraordinarily difficult. While I honestly don’t know enough about the subject to judge, NI provides a set of simplified tweaking options (of the sort I described earlier) to make experimentation easy and fun.

Absynth is one of the NI products I owned prior to Komplete. But post-install, I was pleased to discover I now had more banks to play with.

Absynth’s unique “morphing” feature (continued on page 42)

See us at NAMM at Booth #6563

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

DSR Series: Perfect for DJ or live apps.

By Phil Moffa

DSR SERIES: BIG YAMAHA POWER

This past summer, Yamaha sent me a top-sub combo system from its DSR Series of powered speakers, and I spent a few months with it. Knowing Yamaha’s reputation of building solid, yet reasonably priced pro-audio pieces, I was properly intrigued.

And, as expected, the results were righteous.

A Look at DSR: This active-speaker range features some very modern internal DSP in considerably lightweight cabinets. The DSR line includes the full-range DSR112, DSR115, and DSR215 models, plus the DSR118W subwoofer. The full-range tops contain a single 12-, single 15- and dual 15-inch bi-amp powered bass-reflex type speakers, respectively, while the sub has a single 18-inch speaker.

For this review, I tested a pair of the DSR115 units with the DSR118W sub in a several different situations.

Knobs & Connections: The controls on the back panel are fairly simple and easy to operate. It is a welcome feature to see both XLR inputs and balanced ¼-inch inputs, as well as an XLR thru jack.

It is worth noting that is only possible to use one jack at a time.

Above the volume knob is an LED that blinks when -3dB away from peaking and below it is a Mic/ Line switch. Operators can therefore connect a microphone directly into the speaker or switch to line for mixing board and DJ mixer configurations.

In the 115 model, the highs are handled by a considerably large 2-inch Titanium diaphragm compression driver that produces highs up to 20 kHz. These transducers use compact neodymium magnets for their low weight and are designed for low distortion even when pushed. The 15-inch aluminum woofers on the bottom have a 3-inch voice coil, also utilizing neodymium magnets, and are powered by 850W. The highs are driven by the remaining 450W for a total of 1,300W per unit.

Digital Signal Processing: To the right of the

rear panel is the DSP section. At the top, there is a limiter LED that indicates when the digital output limiter is active. This protects the speakers when there is too much output voltage, excessive integral power consumption, or if the amp overheats.

There is a sleek, white LED on the front of the speaker, beneath the grill, that also indicates when limiting occurs to give operators an idea of how hard the speakers are being hit, without having to go behind them.

The next LED on the back panel is a protection indicator that operates when the amplifier overheats, DC output is detected, or if overcurrent is detected. In those cases, the speaker will be muted

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

DSR118W: An 18-inch sub with 800W amp.

26

Top/Sub Combo: Great sound, mobile-tested.

and, if DC output is present, the power shuts down.

These two safety features will definitely protect your investment from careless operators or even electric issues beyond your control.

Another DSP feature that comes built-in is Yamaha’s FIR-X (Finite Impulse Response) tuning.

This linear phase filter provides smooth frequency response without phase cancellation around the crossover point. This does not need to be activated—it’s always on.

What does need a single-button operation is the Dynamic Contour, or D-Contour. Basically, this three-band multiband compressor works with the volume of the speaker’s outputs to dynamically adjust each frequency range. At low volume levels, the high and low frequency ranges are boosted to provide powerful and balanced sound at any level.

This works well with dance music, hip hop, and any music where the low end benefits from sounding full at any level. I found that it was best to leave this button engaged all of the time for a nice bass and treble boost.

It’s worth noting that the DSR Series utilizes high-quality discrete AD and DA converters with a very high signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range.

Signals are processed at an impressive 48-bits, so you can count on no signal degradation.

Protection & Mounting: Another welcome feature is that the included AC power cable has a special locking latch button to prevent it from being pulled out accidentally. For mounting, the DSRs have speaker-pole sockets and are also prepared to be flown with three M10 eye bolts.

In Practice: I tested these speakers in a variety of situations, including a large room with terrible absorption (think: lots of marble), a house party, and a reggae show in a high-ceilinged motorcycle shop. Using a variety of source material—including vinyl records, digital music, and a few live bands— the speakers sounded great across the board.

Without the sub, the 15-inch tops held their own (they go down to 45 Hz), but with the inclusion of the powerful 18-inch sub, the system rivaled any similar speaker configuration I’ve ever come across. Band members and DJs alike all commented on how pleased they were with the sound of the system. They’re pretty impressive looking, too, and (at 62 pounds) not nearly as heavy as they appear. I had no problem getting them up on poles.

Conclusion: With reasonable prices—DSR112 at $699, DSR115 at $799, DSR215 at $999 and DSR118W at $899, all MAP—the DSR Series is a real contender. Good job, Yamaha.

If you have any questions for Phil Moffa or Sounding Off, please send them to djtimes@testa.com.

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MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

By Ed Convery

Bob Morgan juggled two careers, then chose DJing.

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

FORMER JERSEY PAINTER FINDS A NEW BRUSH

28

Millville , N.J.—For about five years, from 2002 until 2007, Bob Morgan was double dipping, in a sense.

But, for him, it created more of a dizzying effect than any laser could.

As the full-time owner of a contractor business, he’d paint buildings, churches and houses by day; as the part-time owner of a growing DJ company, he’d spend nights meeting with brides, and weekends performing gigs.

“It came to the point where I was getting so busy with the DJing, I felt like at some point something had to give,” he admits. “At a gig, you don’t want to be thinking about painting someone’s house. Thing was, during the week I was thinking about what I was going to do on the weekend, and on the weekend I was thinking about what I have to do during the week. It got to the point where I would meet a client, and I wasn’t sure if I had DJed their wedding or painted their house.”

To Morgan, the solution, after 20 years owning the painting company, stared at him unambiguously.

“I switched to full time DJing, and I was able to commit myself 100-percent to the company, and to the client,” he says. “I don’t know how I did both, really, coming home at night and meeting brides and grooms after I cleaned up from painting. The funny

thing is, when you’re painting, you’re wearing all white, painter whites, and now at gigs I’m wearing all black.”

Morgan came to DJing a little later than most, in 1997, when he was well into his adulthood, but his enthusiasm had not a gray hair in it. “I always liked music,” he says, “and when I started buying equipment, my wife said to me, ‘You’ve gotta pay for this equipment somehow—so you better start getting jobs.’”

Which he did, spinning vinyl at a skating rink first, then a friend’s party and other events. “Then I realized you can’t just stay behind the booth and play music,” he says, “you really have to get the crowd going. Not everyone knows the line dances, so you have to teach them. That’s when I became an entertainer.”

And that’s when he switched into wedding mode, a more professional version of his skating-rink self, making sure everything met the client’s expectations. He advertised on the Internet, picked up some off-season bar gigs, and then needed to hire staff to cover the gigs when he got busy during the spring. He built the staff little by little as he branched out beyond his home in extreme South Jersey— into the tri-state area, including Philadelphia and a little bit of Delaware.

“Sometimes a person you’ll meet will look the part of a DJ—energetic, they like music, and they’re personable. But sometimes they’re not necessarily right for it. You’re working weekends, you’re working nights, and many times you have to sacrifice other things to do this—so reliability is huge.”

Soon, he launched a website, began advertising in the phone book, and then weeded out the marketing avenues that weren’t working.

He’d engineer a performance spot at bridal shows, and began using digital tools to make life easier for brides.

“We’ve been using bridelives.com, which is a new way to meet brides and grooms online,” he says. “We’ll get leads from theknot.com or some other online site, and we’ll see some brides who are out of state, from Florida, California, Missouri, but they’re looking to return to New Jersey to get married. With bridelives.com, we’re able to connect with them, and setup a virtual conference and give them a tour though our office, show them how the photo booth works, so when they do come into town we feel like we have a relationship with them. For those who aren’t familiar with it, I describe it as gotomeeting.com, but designed for brides and grooms.”

Morgan also uses gigbuilder.com, an online planning form, to make it easier for the couples. “It’s all about making it easier for them,” he says, “because it’s hectic to plan an event when you’re getting married.”

Morgan’s growth has occurred mostly due to referrals, since he hasn’t increased his ad expenditures, and he says the best way to fuel

referrals is to present his service in unique ways. “Everyone’s dancing on the floor—that’s a great way to assure a referral,” he says, “and with uplighting, plasma screens, photo booth—those sort of things—a little bit of uniqueness goes a long way.”

It’s helped generate some corporate gigs during the holiday season. “They’re picking up,” he says.

“They’re still not spending the money they were spending four years ago, before the crash, but they are spending more money than they were two and three years ago, and I feel like there’s more to come.”

Overall, Morgan and his 10 DJs book nearly 200 gigs a year, mostly weddings, with a price range between $850 and $3,600 (the latter of which includes full-scale production, plasma screen, photo booth, and three or four entertainers).

As for any regrets about the career switch, there is not one iota.

“Now, I’m working nights and my weekends are booked, and during the day I’m doing bookwork, so I’m actually working more now than I was when I owned the painting business, but it doesn’t feel like work, because its something that I enjoy doing. I enjoyed what I was doing before, but DJing takes it to another level.There’s something about getting paid to make sure everybody has a good time, and when you hear testimonials afterwards, it’s a whole different feeling.”

Shortly, Morgan hopes to open a storefront—he currently has an office attached to his house—and continue on the upswing booking more gigs, bringing on more DJs. “We don’t want to be the biggest,” he says, “we just want to be one of the best.”

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BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

Serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk built his family’s liquor store into a national industry leader, and he did it by applying old-fashioned customer service principles (as in the days of the momand-pop store, before the faceless, big box-store suburban phenomenon took over in the post-World-War-II economy), but filtered through the fresh lens of social media.

Through his New York Times bestseller, Crush It!, and the recently released The Thank You Economy, Vaynerchuk has ar-

By Stu Himmel

Vaynerchuk cites the example of Joe and Angie Sorge, restaurant owners based in Milwaukee who leveraged social media—specifically Twitter—to monumental effect. And you can, too. He describes it thus: “Go to the AJ Bombers website,” he begins, “and you’ll see a list of tweets scrolling down the right side of the page.

There’s a lot of talk about burgers. The Caesar seems to be particularly popular.

People want to know how they can get a burger card. At one time, there was a discussion about who’s gone electric shaver over blade.

The conversation seems to be endless between AJ Bomber fans, maybe because AJ Bombers, a Milwaukee burger joint star ted in March 2009 by Joe and Angie Sorge, makes it a priority to keep the conversation going.”

Vaynerchuk goes on to describe how Joe, AJ Bombers front man, has been doing his best from opening day to keep people talking. First was quality: “He and his wife opened a restaurant that critics lauded for its food and ambience in one of those cursed ‘revolving door’ locations where chef’s dreams of culinary stardom usually come to die. They did it by keeping their prices recession proof—$4.50 for a basic cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, $7.50 for the Bomber. They did it with an awesome peanut delivery system, in which bartenders load up colorful bomber airplanes with peanuts, and then launch them on rails attached to the ceiling where they travel across the restaurant to smack into a target on the wall and dump their cargo into a bin. And they did it by figuring out the best way to get customers to care passionately about their business is to let the customers help them build it.”

The customers have input over almost every aspect of the restaurant brand.

They build menu items, determine price structure and hours of operation, suggest promotions, and even guest bartend for charity events. How does Joe Sorge dare give such control of his brand over to his customers? “Two reasons,” writes Vaynerchuk. “The first is that one-to-one relationships make life more fun. The second is that in a ‘thank-you economy,’ it pays off. Big.” Knowing his customer base has always been a priority for Sorge. The idea that

THE THANK YOU ECONOMY, ACCORDING TO A TWITTER GURU

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

ticulated social media’s place in the business ecosystem, and all business owners can benefit from it.

Customers, he says in The Thank You Economy, have always wanted a level of engagement from the companies they do business with, and now, with the advent of social media, the power has shifted in their favor. Every business owner—and DJs know this more than most—is now a customer concierge, doing all you can to make every one of your customers feel acknowledged, appreciated and heard.

You have to make them feel special, and you need to make people who aren’t your customers wish that they were.

If you treat each customer authentically, as if they were your most important customer (the “Thank You” principle), you’re well on your way to developing “fan” loyalty.

30

you have to create a welcoming atmosphere in a restaurant is a no-brainer, but at AJ Bombers, online customers get as much attention as anyone sitting at a booth.

Vaynerchuk is convinced that the biggest disconnect for business leaders lies in their understanding of how they should treat customers they meet face to face, and how they should treat the ones they meet through their computers, iPad, or iPhone. “There should be no difference,” he writes. “Customers or potential customers can have some powerful emotions when they’re considering using your product or services.

They’re imagining what it might do for them, what they could make with it, how it could make their life or job easier, how it could affect their relationships or family. Those emotions exist whether the consumer is interacting with you face-to-face, or via chat, IM, blog, twitter, Facebook or in a forum.”

From the beginning, Sorge used social media to reach out and build connections with burger lovers throughout Milwaukee, finding out what they like and what they don’t, and asking them how he can better serve their needs. He paid close attention to Yelp reviews, expressing thanks for the raves, and for every negative one, he apologized and invited the disgruntled customer to come back to the restaurant, on the house, to try something else. More than once that offer has been extended multiple times until the customer is truly satisfied with their meal.

Sorge’s approach to negative reviews reflects his departure from typical business thinking. In his view, mistakes and snafus aren’t something to hide; they’re a great opportunity to get more information on how to do better next time, and to connect with people.

Vaynerchuk illustrates this with an anecdote about one Friday when the restaurant’s main grill wasn’t working and couldn’t be fixed in time for the lunch rush. He set up a live ustream.com at the front door so that people could see what the problem was and what was being done to fix it. He handed out free peanuts and beer. “To this day,” says Vaynerchuk, “he meets people who tell him that it was seeing the ustream.com video that compelled them to remember AJ Bombers the next time they had a craving for a burger.”

What can you do that’s analogous?

Gary Vaynerchuk is the author of Crush It! and The Thank You Economy.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Keeping TrakProDJ Digital Music Technology Ltd Rose Cottage Wirral CH63 4LB United Kingdom 0151 201 0692 www.iximix.com TrakProDJ is a complete MIDI DJ control system for iOS devices. It’s compatible with both MACOSX and Windows operating platforms, and is available in versions for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Version 1.1 of the program features bi-directional MIDI communication, VU track meters and ultra-low latency. According to the company, the program connects to Traktor via Coremidi Networking technology in one to three minutes.

Disco Duck Line 6 26580 Agoura Rd Calabasas, CA 91302 (818) 575-3600 www.line6.com

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The Reason Disco School ReFill library brings the disco sounds of New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia to Propellerhead’s music-production system. Disco School includes bass, drums, guitars, strings, keyboards, percussion and horns in REX format, as well as electronic drums, claps and toms designed by electronic music artist Sharooz. Reverb and distortion effects are included, as well as “needle drop” snippets of sampled grooves.

Arriba Products 6122 S. Eastern Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90040 (626) 217-6710 www.arribacase.com Arriba’s line of Stackable Rolling Series Cases includes three sizes of wheeled bags— 16-, 19- and 22-inches wide, respectively— and three corresponding top stackable bags.

The zippered cases feature a pull-up handle, internal padding and two movable dividers that let users configure them for lighting fixtures, audio products, cables, microphones and other electronic equipment.

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

Passive Voice

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GCI Technologies 1 Mayfield Ave. Edison, NJ 08837 (732) 346-0061 www.gci-technologies.com The GTX Series of passive loudspeakers from Gemini includes four models—the GTX-1000 houses a 10-inch woofer and handles 100 watts RMS; the GTX-1200 sports a 12-inch woofer and handles 125 watts RMS; the GTX-1500 contains a 15-inch woofer and handles 185 watts RMS; and the GTX-2150 boasts dual 15-inch woofers and handles 315 watts RMS. The units feature balanced, full-range audio and rugged, portable enclosures.

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Give Me a MiN Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com Chauvet introduced three new compact lasers— MiN Laser FX, MiN Laser RGX and MiN Laser Star. These plug-and-play models project thousands of red and green laser beams onto any surface and can be controlled via wireless infrared remote control. Each laser includes both truss and tabletop mounting stands, and features automated and sound-activated programs.

MIKRO Management Native Instruments North America 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com Native Instruments introduced the new 1.7 software version of MASCHINE, as well as MASCHINE MIKRO, which the company says “provides hands-on control of the central MASCHINE features at two-thirds of the size and weight of the full-sized hardware.” MASCHINE MIKRO includes the full-featured MASCHINE software, as well as the full 6 GB MASCHINE sound library.

For both models, the 1.7 software version provides advanced integration with the instruments and effects in the KOMPLETE 8 and KOMPLETE 8 ULTIMATE bundle.

Herculean Task

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

Guillemot Corporation BP 2 56204 La Gacilly Cedex France +33 (0) 2 99 08 08 80 www.hercules.com

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The Hercules XPS 2.0 80 DJ Monitor connects to a computer, DJ equipment, mixing gear, MP3 players, game consoles and other audio sources. It sports four-inch woofers with Kevlar diaphragms, as well as a silk dome tweeter, two ports on the front face, RCA and TRS connectors, and a headphone output. The unit offers a total power output of 40 RMS, with a peak power of 80 watts and a frequency response of 60 Hz - 20,000 Hz.

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NDX Marks the Spot Numark Industries, LLC 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com The NDX900 is the latest USB DJ controller from Numark. It mixes music from a computer, CDs, MP3 CDs, or USB flash drive and integrates with almost any MIDI-compatible DJ software thanks to its plug-and-play built-in audio interface. A variety of beat-synced DSP effects are included, such as chop, echo, filter, flanger, pan and phaser. The NDX900 includes Traktor LE 2 DJ Software, and also serves as a MP3/CD/USB player.

Gives You Wings Red Bull GmbH Am Brunnen 1 5330 Fuschl am See Austria +43 662 6582 0 www.redbull.com Red Bull BPM applications were developed in conjunction with Stereomusik Systems to bring a complete mobile DJ booth to the user’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The apps include a customizable player, built-in effects engine,Vinyl Vision, iTunes tag management, iTunes library usage, built-in virtual audio mixer, zero-latency monitoring and two independent stereo outputs on WLAN. The line includes a MasterOut app that provides a latency free stereo output for monitoring, and features four ranges of pitch control, BPM sync, gapless/cue loop points and more.

Stand-ard Bearer Mixware 7421 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Suite 14 North Hollywood, CA 91605 (786) 362-5757 www.mixware.net Magma’s new Control Stand holds an iPad or 13- to 19-inch laptop plus a variety of large controllers, including the Reloop Jockey III, Numark NS6, NI Kontrol S4 and Pioneer DDJ Series. The unit can be adjusted to fit over a 12-inch club mixer and features a non-slip rubber surface. The width and height of the Control Stand are both adjustable.

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

What the Hex

36

Hex Designs 3051 Sturgis Road Oxnard CA 93030 (866) 284-8785 www.shophex.com HEX, a division of fashion house August Accessories, designed two accessory products for use by the modern DJ. The Varsity Sonic Backpack sports blended wool shell with surplus cotton webbing and real leather zipper pulls. It fits up to a 17-inch laptop and includes an exterior pocket for storing an iPad or tablet. The Original Watch Band comes in a choice of nine colors.

It’s made of custom silicone and features a “pop-in, pop-out design” for the sixth and seventh generations of iPod Nano.

GROOVES TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

“SO MUCH LOVE”

u Fedde Le Grand u Ultra Records A winning mixture of smooth, rolling beats, high-energy synths and thrashing percussive grooves, this one switches up tempos and rhythms—creating an absolute beast of a track. Another Fedde bomb.

– Jen Shapiro “LOVE IN ME” REMIXES

“TONIGHT” u Wilkinson u Ram On this smashing d-n-b track, you get ultraheavy basslines, perfectly placed delicate female vocals, and a massive kick-and-snare combo, programmed to perfection. Solid!

– Jen Shapiro “BAD HABIT” u Fracture u Astrophonica UK

Maceo Plex offers the standout remix here, as he bangs out a gripping, grooving, heavy, house piece.

Check the deep, gritty bassline and complementing effects that will keep your dancefloor begging for more.

– Shawn Christopher “HARD TO FIND” u Bazar u Ellum Audio A hammering kick, monstrously groovy, twangy bassline and crazy, bouncy keys are the fundamental elements here. Maceo Plex cranks out another vicious floor pleaser with his rendition of the timeless classic by DJ Gregory and Michael Tordjam. Danny Daze lends a heavier hand to this mix which has an undeniable groove.

– Shawn Christopher “ENDLESSLY FEELING” EP A quality, full-bodied, three-track heavy houser. “Endless Feeling” has a robust bassline, slick keys and a cleverly placed

– Shawn Christopher

u Laura Jones u Leftroom

u Gavin Herlihy u Culprit

NYC Peech Boys sample. “Tell Me What You Need” has an ethereal, electronic swarm of melodies and elegant effects, while “The Sequence” is a monster late-nighter with all the hallmarks of a major choon.

Mostly recognized for his huge basslines and tight percussion, Fracture’s latest d-n-b banger hits all the high points—tough bass, drum madness, plus superb effects. Another epic release,

– Jen Shapiro

“WIZARD PISS”

u We Bang & Natty Freq u Smashed Beatz Starting out atmospheric and delicate, this one suddenly unleashes crazed distorto-bass and all hell breaks loose. Check the bangin’ electro synths and ripping melodies—big tune.

– Jen Shapiro “SHAKE IT OUT” (REMIXES)

u Florence + The Machine u Universal Republic

You’d think that a track featuring the heavenly voice of Florence Welch couldn’t possibly sound any better, but Benny Benassi throws his housey spin, taking this one to a new, massive level. Anthemic keys, bigroom pleasure.

– Natalie Raben

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

Download

Corner

38

Each month in this space, DJ Times digs through the virtual crates to give you a quick sample of the plethora of extraordinary tracks available exclusively on legal download—care of our favorite next-generation “record” stores (e.g. Beatport, iTunes, etc).

“Modern Heat” (Original Mix) by MAM [Fina]: If funk is your thing, you’re in the right place. MAM takes a riff that could’ve easily been lifted from a Prince record, loops it, filters it, adds an ’80s-style slap-bass foundation, and a very live-feeling house beat. A true head bobber. Found at beatport.com.

“D-Clash” (Matador Remix) by Bryan Zentz [Plus 8]: The original “D-Clash” has been gracing my late-night sets for years and Matador gives the track new life with his bassheavy remix. The original feel and “Lately Bass” riff is still intact, just updated for another round of techno bliss. Found at beatport.com.

“Crocodile Tears” (G Flame Remix) by Davide Squillace [Hideout]: Speaking of techno, this powerful, dark, driving and unforgiving remix will push all the right buttons with it relentless bass and a variety of careful interweaved sounds snippets from trumpets and organ to diva vocals. Nothing fancy—just solid, edgy house music. Found at beatport.com – Robert LaFrance

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2 0 1 2 D A T E S A N N O U N C E D A U G 1 3 - 1 6 1.

Publication Title: DJ Times 2.

Publication Number: 1045-9693 3.

Filing Date: September 27, 2011 4.

Issue frequency: Monthly 5.

Number of Issues Published Annually: 12 6.

Annual Subscription Price: $19.40

Contact Person: Vincent P. Testa (516-767-2500) 7.

Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 8.

Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of the Publisher: 25 Willowdale Ave.,

Port Washington, NY 11050-3779

Publisher: Vincent P. Testa, 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779

Editor: Jim Tremayne, 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779

Managing Editor: Jim Tremayne, 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 10. Owner: DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 13. Publication Title: DJ Times 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: October 2011 15. Extent and Nature Of Circulation Average No. Copies Each Issue No. Copies of Single Issue Published

During Preceding 12 Months Nearest to the Filing Date A. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) B1. Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions B3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers C. Total Paid and /or Requested Circulation D4. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the

USPS by Other Classes of Mail E. Total Free Distribution F. Total Distribution G. Copies not Distributed H. TOTAL I. Percent Paid and /or Requested Circulation

22,013 1,992 14,021 16,013

20,789 1,672 13,711 15,383

5,489 5,489 21,502 511 22,013 75%

5,014 5,014 20,397 392 20,789 74%

16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Will be printed in the December 2011 issue of this publication.

17. Publisher: Vincent P. Testa, President Date: September 27, 2011

Compiled As Of December 9,2011

National Crossover Pool Chart 1 David Guetta 2 Nervo 3 D’Manti 4 September 5 Dev 6 Leona Lewis / Avicii 7 Katy Perry 8 Jess Sutta 9 Kelli 10 Enrique Iglesias F/ Pitbull & Wavs 11 Chris Willis 12 Dacav5 13 Speakers 14 Jason Derulo 15 Julissa Veloz 16 Gloria Estefan 17 Britney Spears 18 Lopez 19 Anjulie 20 Maroon 5 F/Christina Aguilera 21 Emilia De Poret 22 Guetta F/Tinie Tempah & Ludacris 23 Adele 24 C&C Music Factory F/Scarlett Santana 25 J Dash 26 Rihanna F/ Calvin Harris 27 Hakimakli 28 Enrique Iglesias F/ Usher 29 Kim Leoni 30 Lady Gaga 31 Inxs F/ Tricky 32 Right Said Fred 33 Mayra Veronica 34 DJ Nick Cannon F/Akon 35 Sir Ivan 36 Pitbull F/Ne-Yo +Afrojack+Nayer 37 Beyonce 38 Craig Smart 39 Coldplay 40 Deep Dark Robot

Without You F/ Usher We’re All No One Tonight Party In My Head In The Dark Collide The One That Got Away Show Me Gave Up On Love I Like How It Feels Too Much In Love Dirty Style Bass Dont Wanna Go Home Mayhem WEPA Criminal Papi Brand New Bitch Moves Like Jagger Weightless Little Bad Girls Someone Like You Rain Wop We Found Love Ding Dong Ding Dirty Dancer Around And Around You & I Mediate I Am A Bachelor Freak Like Me Famous Live For Today Give Me Everything Best Thing I Never Had Tooty Fruity Paradise Stupid B*tch

National Urban Pool Chart

Astralwerks Astralwerks D’Manti Robbins Universal Republic Sony Capitol Hollywood Big Mgmt.

Universal Republic Veneer Dacav5 Capitol Warner Brothers Carrillo Crescent Moon Jive Island Universal Republic A&M Robbins Astralwerks Columbia C&C Music Factory Stereofame Def Jam Robbins Universal Republic Robbins Interscope Rhino Promark Universal NCredible Peaceman Sony Columbia Trippin’ Out Capitol Custard

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Drake Charlie Wilson J Dash Lil Wayne R Kelly Beyonce Ace Hood & Chris Brown Johnny Gill Dj Drama F/Fabolous Nicki Minaj Beyonce F/Andre 3000 Mary J Blige Big Sean & Kanye & Rosco Dash Rihanna Red Cafe F/ Rick Ross Diggy Timberland F/Pitbull Jennifer Hudson Laura Michelle Estelle & Rick Ross Dj Khaled F/Drake & Rick Ross Rick Ross F/ Nicki Minaj T-Pain F/ Joey Galaxy T-Pain F/Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen Fantasia Kanye West & Jay Z Tyrese Fat Man Nicki Minaj F/ Rihanna Wale F/Jeremih & Rick Ross Bad Meets Evil F/ Bruno Mars Rihanna Beyonce Drake F/ Nicki Minaj Monica Monica F/ Rick Ross T.I. F/ Big Krit Yo Gotti Big Sean DJ Nick Cannon F/Akon

Most Added Tracks 1 Katy Perry The One That Got Away 2 Chris Willis Too Much Love 3 Coldplay Paradise 4 Rafael M F/ David Gordon Music Take Control 5 Craig Smart Tooty Fruity 6 Benni Cinkle Can You See Me Now 7 Penny Foster Castles 8 Carol Hahn Your Love 9 Andres Cuervo Love Love Love 10 C&C Music Factory F/ Scarlett Santana Rain

Headlines Life Of The Party Wop How To Love Radio Message Best Thing I Never Had Body 2 Body In The Mood Oh My (2011) Super Bass Party 25/8 Marvin & Chardonnay California King Bed Fly Together Copy Paste Pass At Me No One Gonna Love You Pose Break My Heart I’m The One You The Boss Booty Wurk 5 OClock Collard Greens & Cornbread Otis Stay Jig It Fly That Way Lighters Cheers Love On Top Make Me Proud Until It’s Gone Anything To Find U I’m Flexin’ We Can Get It On Dance (A$$) Famous

Cash Money Epic Stereofame Universal Jive Columbia Def Jam Notify E1 Universal Columbia Interscope Def Jam Island/Def Jam Interscope Atlantic Interscope Jive Thompkins Media Atlantic Def Jam Def Jam Jive Jive J Records Island/Def Jam EMI SOW Universal Geffen Interscope Def Jam Columbia Universal J Records J Records Atlantic Jive Def Jam NCredible

Most Added Tracks Capitol Veneer Capitol Fresh Music LA Trippin’ Out Less Than Three Robbins Beagle Boy Animal C&C Music Factory

1 Birdman F/ Nicki Minaj 2 T.I. F/ Big K.R.I.T. 3 Drake F/ Nicki Minaj 4 Lil Wayne & Bruno Mars 5 Rihanna F/ Calvin Harris 6 Beyonce 7 Mv Aka Movono 8 Drake & Lil Wayne 9 Melanie Fiona 10 Mary J Blige & Drake

Y U Mad I’m Flexin’ Make Me Proud Mirror We Found Love Countdown The Jam The Motto 4 AM Mr. Wrong

Universal Atlantic Universal Universal Def Jam Columbia Diamond Universal Universal Interscope

Reporting Pools ✦ Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller ✦ Flamingo - Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Julio ✦ Lets Dance / IRS - Chicago, IL; Lorri Annarella ✦ Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketchter ✦ Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo ✦ OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen ✦ Central Ohio - Columbus, OH; Fred Dowdy ✦ NW Dance Music - Shoreline, WA; John England ✦ Philly Spinners Assoc. - Bensalem, PA; Fred Kolet ✦ Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich ✦ Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle ✦ New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy ✦ Rickett’s Record Pool - Saddle Brook, NJ; Bill Rickett ✦ Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis

Looking for these titles?

You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com.

Just click on the links in the chart.

DDK has limited memberships available for qualified DJs in the US. We service CDs and MP3s in dance and urban formats. Feedback and membership dues required. 770-740-0356

45791

Skream & Benga

(continued from page 16) they know that me and Benny have been there from Day 1. We’ve been involved in all aspects of this sound, which a lot of people haven’t.

DJ Times: Did you buy some of the discussion about dubstep and the U.K. riots? Is that sort of political rage present in the audience, to some degree?

Skream: That was all just a joke that kind of got out of hand. It was just a Twitter thing with people going, “Yeah, this tune caused the riot and then that tune...” That’s a whole social division that caused that riot.

It’s irrelevant to anything to do with music.

Benga: Yeah, definitely the riots had nothing to do with us or with dubstep.

DJ Times: Any plans to do an LP together? Is that where this is headed?

Skream: We’ve spent enough time doing [the Magnetic Man LP] with Artwork that I think we’d not be friends anymore if we did an album together.

Benga: [Laughs] I think we’re gonna do this EP together, which isn’t quite like a collaboration. It’s just two of us with our tracks together and I wanna do more stuff like that. In the future, we don’t have to be sitting in the studio together, but tracks that lend themselves to each other can go out on the same EP and we can tour that same EP and stuff like that.

DJ Times: Benga, you’ve done work with Katy B and Rihanna. So how is your production altered when

working with vocalists, particularly the big ones?

Benga: Well, that’s been the funniest thing. Like, doing some of these records, I’ve just kept on doing what I do. I’ve always loved the top line.

I’ve always spent a lot of time investigating other people’s top lines. So I guess the only real thing that I could possibly say I’ve changed is just slight structure. I’ve always wrote in 16s.

I’ve always wrote like this bit comes in on the 16, after this 16, and this will come in, so it wasn’t too hard for me to jiggle it around and do a little bit kinda of verse-chorus-break-chorus, mid-delay or whatever. It wasn’t too hard for me to do that. I already had the elements. I always had that style.

My intros were usually really quick, which lends itself to a pop record.

We never really had to move away.

I didn’t have to, anyway. And when we did stuff like, “I Need Air,” and “Perfect Stranger” and stuff like that, it was the same sort of thing.

DJ Times: Skrillex, you’ve defended him in the past, Skream.

What do you think he brings to the game? Have you heard the new KoRn LP? Benga: I haven’t really heard it, to be fair, but the thing that I heard [they did] with Skrillex sounds like a Skrillex recording. Honestly, I like a lot of it. And I can’t really see, like, if KoRn does a dubstep record what bad that is. I hate to bring this up, but it’s just easy for me to explain it, like Britney doing that dubstep record… what bad does that do for it? It’s just exposure. n

found it more than a bit overwhelming. There’s so much breadth and depth there, I can already tell it’ll take some time to digest it completely.

In what playing with Reaktor that I did do for this review, I found it to be somewhat CPU-intensive, which given its architecture and capabilities, is not surprising. (Most DAWs offer a way to “freeze” a track to work around these very situations.)

Reaktor is clearly the synth tinkerer’s paradise, and I look forward to cozying-up to the manual and spending more time with it.

Kontakt, as one of the flagship products, is the foundation for several of the other products in the Komplete box.You’ll find a wide array sounds to choose from, and browsing features I described earlier are particularly helpful here. My only real complaint in testing is that the patches loaded quickly, but hardly instantly,

making it somewhat time-consuming to preview a list of patches that appears after category browsing. I’m sure CPU and hard disk performance makes a difference here, so your mileage may vary.

Massive was one of my favorites in the Komplete 8 box. In addition to being a particularly good source of bass sounds, I really enjoyed previewing its gutsy, gritty array of leads.

While working on a recent remix project, it wasn’t difficult to find something that really drove the overall sound right home where I needed some real punch and texture.

Conclusions: Whether bundling via Komplete is the right way to purchase these products depends largely on your situation, and what types of synths or effects that you need. You can do your own math, but I know that in my own case, I’ll be using FM8, Massive and Absynth quite a bit in

the future. Those three synths alone add-up nearly $600 (list price); the standard Komplete 8 bundle is $559 (list), making the choice a complete no-brainer—even if I only rarely used some of the other products. (They even throw in a $30 voucher toward the purchase of even more goodies to go with your bundle.)

Komplete 8 is so broad, and so deep, that for a new user, you’ll find yourself taking months to really digest what you just bought—let alone put it to good use (unless you’re fortunate enough to work in music full-time, I suppose). In the roughly one month that I’ve had Komplete 8, I’ve spent a good deal of time with its components, but I fully expect to be discovering more and more every time I enter the studio for months ahead.

Simply put, for me, it’s the perfect combination of good value, good fun, and good music-making fodder.

Making Tracks

(continued from page 25) has been a long-time source of inspiration; it lets you modify a loaded patch automatically based on characteristics of other patches to make new sounds. It’s a tremendously fun alternative to manually programming sounds.

Battery is NI’s drum machine, which for Ableton users will seem very much like Live’s drum racks. In short, it’s an easy way to load drum samples (and there are a ton of them included with Battery), and manipulate each individual drum part in myriad ways to achieve the results you want.

Battery hasn’t seen an upgrade in quite a while—it’s still at Version 3, which I recall looking at several years ago— but with its broad sample library, and wide range of options for tweaking, it probably doesn’t need one.

Reaktor is the modular synth platform in the group and, quite frankly, I

DJ Kid Millionaire Gets Soaked

DJ TIMES

JANUARY 2012

Anybody got a snorkel?

42

Underwater photos— very Nirvana, huh?

Doesn’t always work, though… (gulp!)

Steve Aoki, Next Month in DJ Times

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