DJ Times July 2012, Vol 25 No 7

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

JULY 2012

$6.95 CANADA $4.95 US

HOW DJ EXPO CHANGED BUSINESSES (AND LIVES)

Mac Vs. PC

WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU?

PAUL van DYK’S

+

MORGAN PAGE FLOSSTRADAMUS VIBESQUAD IZOTOPE NECTAR BOOKING GIGS WITH VIDEO SMITHSONMARTIN EMULATOR

www.djtimes.com

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A D RE P ORT

INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

NEWS

AMERICA’S BEST DJ: DETROIT, SAN FRANCISCO & BEYOND Minnesota: SovietPanda at First Ave.

Detroit: Jeff Mills at Movement. on the main stage (with a cameo from Ice-T)—despite the incessant socialmedia banter from Flavor Flav.

The weekend after Movement hit Detroit, a pair of America’s Best DJ events fired up other historic dancemusic hotbeds. On June 2, Chicago’s Bad Boy Bill rocked San Francisco’s Ruby Skye club with his unique blend of deck skills and house grooves.

Back in the Midwest on the very same evening at Minneapolis’ legendary First Avenue club, local DJ hero

Jersey Massive

E. Rutherford, N.J.— Afrojack lords over the masses near Metlife Stadium during the “New York version” of Electric Daisy Circus. Presented

by Insomniac & Pacha New York this past May 1820, EDC NY drew nearly 45,000 fans to see a lineup that included Armin van Buuren, Bassnectar and Markus Schulz.

SovietPanda banged his dance-rockelectronica party Too Much Love, which recently celebrated its 5th anniversary. DJ Times was in both houses—taking America’s Best DJ votes and flexing the brand.

For the latest on America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times, including all the exciting prizes that fans can win through voting, visiting ABDJ’s Facebook or following us on Twitter, please visit www.americasbestdj.net.

JULY 2012

the America’s Best DJ closing party/ award ceremony.

A few quick Movement festival flashbacks of ABDJ nominees: Mark Farina dropping his Mushroom Jazz grooves on the main stage in the midst of a refreshing sunshower ; Derrick Carter giving his nod to the past by infusing MJ’s “Remember the Time” with massive beats, then dropping Donna Summer’s “On the Radio,” which induced wide grins all over the main-stage area; and Carl Craig rocking a rumbling, but groovy techno set as the plaza filled up early Sunday afternoon.

Also, we had Josh Wink on the main stage spinning clacking bangers before dropping a mini-set that acknowledged the recently departed—The Beasties’ “Brass Monkey,” then a rousing “I Feel Love”; on the Made in Detroit stage, DJ Godfather getting nasty with his ghetto-tech booty-shakers and ripping scratch routines; and, closing out the festival with a vinyl set, Jeff Mills (aka The Wizard) drove mainstage fans mad by dropping his 1997 classic, “The Bells,” then later pushing a punishing TR-909 finale.

Other notables: longtime U.K. fave Mr. C tore up the Underground Stage with a proper acid-house program; solid sets of jumpin’, pumpin’ tunes at the Beatport Stage from Guy Gerber/ Seth Troxler, the Martinez Brothers and Joris Voorn/Nic Fanciulli; Keys N Krates’ unique turntablist/drummer/ keyboard-mined grooves and araabMUZIK’s MPC madness on the Redbull Music Academy Stage; and Public Enemy’s crunching, classics-heavy set

DJ TIMES

Detroit—If the DJs at Electric Daisy Carnival in New Jersey set a new festival record this past May 18-20 for playing Avicii’s already ubiquitous “Levels,” then the following week’s Movement fest in Detroit certainly topped any mark for spinning the late Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” But, given the differing natures of the two mega-events, it was easy to see which was done out of duty (the former) and which was done out of love (the latter).

Indeed, Movement—held this past Memorial Day weekend in the Motor City’s Hart Plaza—brought a closely curated lineup of EDM talent. As usual, there was no trance or current radio-pop, but plenty of quality techno and house—plus a few curveballs.

According to organizers Paxahau Promotions, Movement drew over 107,000 fans for the weekend.

Movement also ser ved as the launch event for America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times. Ten of the 100 ABDJ nominees played the event—they included Carl Craig, Claude VonStroke, Derrick Carter, Dillon Francis, Diplo (with Major Lazer), DJ Godfather, Jeff Mills, Josh Wink, Mark Farina and Stacey Pullen. DJ Times was there all three days with a dedicated exhibition booth, handing out the latest issues, pushing DJ Expo (Aug. 1316 in Atlantic City, N.J.) and taking America’s Best DJ votes for the fans’ favorite jocks. All voters were automatically entered to win a slew of prizes, including Pioneer DJ gear and a trip for two to Las Vegas for

Ashley Suszczynski

Kosmik: Stacey Pullen at Hart Plaza.

By Jim Tremayne

Brittany Somerset

Brittany Somerset

Denis Plaster

Javier Ovalles

San Fran: Bad Boy Bill at Ruby Skye.

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12 EDM Evolution VOLUME 25 NUMBER 7

Paul van Dyk Returns to America & Finds a New Landscape for DJ Culture

BY EMILY TAN

18 Mac Vs. PC

For DJ & Studio Apps, The Platform Wars Continue.

Which Side Best Suits You?

BY WESLEY BRYANT-KING

20 In the Air

America’s Best DJ Nominee Morgan Page Prepares for the Summer’s Festival Season

BY NATALIE RABEN

22 What If We Missed the DJ Expo?

DJ Expo Has Not Only Changed Businesses—It’s Changed Lives

BY JEFF STILES

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions

24 Making Tracks

iZotope’s Nectar

26 Sounding Off

SmithsonMartin’s Emulator

28 Mobile Profile

For Carolina DJ, Beats Are Good Business

30 Business Line

At DJ Expo, Learn How to Book More with Video

32 Gear

New Products from Line 6, Stanton & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Disclosure, Jody Wisternoff & More

40 DJ Times Marketplace

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

41 Club Play Chart

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

4

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

SAMPLINGS 8 Flosstradamus

Dropping Bombs

10 In the Studio With…

VibeSquaD

Cover & Contents Photos By Christoph Köstlin

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FROM THE EDITOR

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

Summer Specials: PvD, ABDJ & DJ Expo For nearly two decades, Paul van Dyk has been one of EDM’s busiest and most popular DJ/producers—of course, his career accomplishments have been well-detailed in these pages. And like DJ Times, PvD is seeing the second big wave of dance-music popularity in America (mid- to-late ’90s being the first). So, as Evolution, his latest artist album dropped, we thought it would be a good time to catch some of his perspective on America’s latest round of love for electronica. Our Emily Tan reports.

As DJ Expo approaches—Aug. 13-16 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.—we present a couple of perspectives on the show. One is from our Iowa-based mobile-jock writer Jeff Stiles, who connects with some DJ Expo veterans as they deliver their show testimonials. Not only has the Expo changed their DJ businesses for the better, it’s also changed their lives positively. Read how.

Additionally, in Business Line, we visit with Vincent Velasquez of New Jersey’s Hurricane Productions, who will present his seminar (“Know Your Video, The Future of Event Marketing”) at the upcoming Expo. Here, he offers a preview on how to book more gigs via video.

This month, we’ve let our Denver-based DJ/scribe Wesley Bryant-King run a little wild. Not only does he weigh in on the always-popular topic of “Mac Vs. PC” (in studio and DJs apps), he also tackles both of our audio-review columns—Making Tracks and Sounding Off. In the former, he puts iZotope’s Nectar—a suite of 11 vocal-production effects—through its paces; in the latter, he tackles SmithsonMartin’s Emulator—a very visual, multi-touch, MIDI-control DJ solution. Get some rest, Wes! In our Samplings section, we welcome a pair of new contributors. Kansas-based Axel Maldonado interviews dubstep sensation VibeSquaD, who details his studio toys and live approach. Also, Big Easy-bound Lina Abascal spends time with J2K, one half of DJ-production duo Flosstradamus, who explains how he and partner Autobot took studio inspiration from 15-year olds. Additionally, New Yorker Natalie Raben catches up for a short feature on America’s Best DJ nominee Morgan Page, as he readied for the summer-festival season.

Speaking of ABDJ, we’re back on the road reporting on all our summer gigs. The America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times launched in Detroit at the massive Movement festival this past Memorial Day weekend, and we caught 10 nominees there—many, like Jeff Mills, dropped some very memorable sets. After that, we hit San Francisco (for Bad Boy Bill at Ruby Skye) and Minneapolis (for SovietPanda at First Avenue) for a pair of tour dates, connecting with fans and taking votes for their favorite ABDJ nominees. Of course, there’s always plenty of incentive—fans who vote at americasbestdj.net, who Like us on Facebook or who Follow us on Twitter are immediately registered to win a slew of awesome prizes. They include subscriptions from DJ Times, top gear from Pioneer DJ and (the grand prize) a trip for two to Las Vegas for our America’s Best DJ Closing Party/Award Ceremony. As they say, you gotta be in it to win it—good luck!

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

Cheers,

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

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

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graphic designer/artist Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com promotions/web designer Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com advertising manager Jon Rayvid jrayvid@testa.com art/production assistant Douglas Yelin dyelin@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com

operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York, USA 11050-3779. (516) 767-2500 • FAX (Editorial): (516) 944-8372 • FAX (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-9335 • DJTIMES@TESTA. COM Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, NY, USA, 110503779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care an d should be accompanied by return postage.

DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) (USPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 110503779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2012 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. djtimes.com and www.testa.com July 2012

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

EP Y-S MA

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AMERICA ’S B ES T

FEEDBACK

MER TOUR SUM 201 2

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DJ PIONEER DJ &

Americ A’s First mAgAzine For Pro Fession Al DJ s est Ablishe D 1988 JUNE 2012

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Americ A’s bes t d j 20 11

t Akes his music

in and go for it! You have to start somewhere.

However, there are a lot of things that drive this decision—like, is this a small backyard or huge banquet-hall reception? Or, do you have the equip‑ ment to pull off such a gig? (I’ve read somewhere that you should get the gig, then get the equipment—lol!).

t o the people

miami music week visions of ul

tra fes

t & more

ho w business gurus help mobiles $4.95 US

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048JN12_p001-044.indd 1

PLUS:

chuckie * ma ya jane coles social-media tips * hercules’ pro dj kit teenage engineering op-i synth

5/1/2012 5:28:52 PM

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, I was reading the Feedback topic in the May 2012 Issue and I wanted to chime in. (The question from Michi‑ gan-based, house-party DJ Addison DeWitt was: “What kind of homework does it take for a DJ to successfully work a wedding?”)

I was bitten by the DJ bug by sitting in with the house DJ at a club, while working as a bouncer. I started with parties for friends and then I played a reunion gig for a friend—and it was frightening how unprepared I was.

The guests bombarded me with re‑ quests and wanted their song next.

Some of the music I did not have and, as this was before I went digitalon-laptop, I had CDs everywhere af‑ ter the show. I cried on the way home and seriously considered giving up, when one of the guests called me the very next day and said she liked what I played at the reunion and asked, “Could I play her daughter’s wedding in three months?”

I said yes and, although I made a few minor mistakes, the guests nev‑ er even noticed them—and I was hooked! I’ve now been doing wed‑ dings and DJ work for nearly 15 years and I can honestly say I still learn something every time I do a gig.

Tools: I get a lot of help using DJ Intelligence; the Planning Forms and Music Database make life so much easier. My advice to Addison is: dive

I am guessing the prospective cli‑ ent has seen Addison in action and knows what he is getting. Making the bride and groom happy is your No.-1 goal. Go into it with a plan and be ready for anything.

I do somewhat agree with Jody Amos’ response, when he says that experience is nice for some folks, but

some people just have natural talent.

Being able to get it done when things go wrong and to sometimes think out‑ side the box is the key!

The most important advice I could give to Addison is to have fun!

– “Digital” Don Swindler, Springfield, Ohio

SAMPLINGS

It’s rare for DJ/artists to stay afloat in the ultra-competitive world of dance music for nearly a decade without steadily producing their own music. But a combination of party-starting remixes, years of non-stop touring, and support from head honchos like Diplo and A-Trak have kept Midwestern DJ duo Flosstradamus on the map.

Their remix of Major Lazer’s “Original Don” was one of the most played tunes at both SXSW and Winter Music Conference/Miami Music Week. Add that to the duo’s February release of the all-original EP “Total Recall,” its May release of the remix-filled EP “Jubilation 2.0,” plus a new live-set approach, and we’ve seen the Flosstradamus profile achieve new heights in 2012. Not bad for a duo previously best-known for its manic remix of Lil Jon/Three 6 Mafia’s “Act a Fool,” way back in 2007.

We caught up with Josh “J2K” Young, who teams with Curt “Autobot” Cameruci to form Flosstradamus, and we discussed his love for everything hip-hop and learning to produce from videos done by 15-year olds.

DJ Times: What made you guys start producing your own songs?

J2K: It happened by accident, actually. We spent most of 2011 making beats for rappers, and decided to post one of them up as a Soundcloud free download because we got 10,000 followers on Twitter. That was the “Total Recall”

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

FLOSSTRADAMUS: DROPPING BOMBS

8

joint. That, paired with our “Jubilation” EP, really got people ready to hear more original work from us.

DJ Times: You recently debuted your new “live set.” What gear are you using for these events?

J2K: The live set is run by Ableton using an Akai APC-40, a Novation Launchpad, touchAble running off an iPad, and Traktor.

DJ Times: How did you learn how to produce?

J2K: Loads of 15-year-old kids on YouTube dropping knowledge in tutorials, and hours and hours of learning from our mistakes. Curt has been at it since he was young, I think he started out when he was 16 or 17. I made edits here and there with Ableton and Logic, but didn’t really know how to make music. I spent most of last year figuring out how to get my ideas into a session. That was a huge step for us.

DJ Times: What is the interaction like between you two while making a song? How do you guys get along?

J2K: We’ve tried a lot of methods over the years, but we’ve really only figured out what works best in the last year or so. Curt moved to Brooklyn, and got really into the engineering side of production. I stayed back in Chicago.

What really works for us is this assembly line of me pumping out demos, and Curt making them sound huge.

Flosstradamus: (from left) J2K & Autobot.

DJ Times: Recently you’ve released material on Mad Decent/Jeffree’s and Fools Gold Records, how did you get involved with these EDM powerhouses?

J2K: We’ve known both Diplo and A-Trak since 2006. They’re like family to us, and both have been big influences and supporters since our humble beginnings at Town Hall Pub in Chicago. For most of 2011, I was sending tracks to Nick Catchdubs from Fool’s Gold.

We hadn’t had a release with them since 2009.

I sent the track we did with Kid Sister, “Luuk Out Gurl” and they were feeling it, so we made a whole EP around it. Paul Devro from Mad Decent/Jeffree’s reached out to us after we dropped “Total Recall,” so I sent him some tracks and we picked three for the release.

DJ Times: What have you done to keep yourself afloat in the dance-music scene over the past decade?’

J2K: I wouldn’t give this as advice, because it beat the hell out of us, but we toured constantly. Even when we didn’t have new music or a big remix out, we were playing shows.

Even if you don’t have new material, if someone can go see you, you’ll stay on the radar. I’d

say, 2011 was the only break we ever took, and it was the best thing to happen to us as far as releasing music goes.

DJ Times: Your “Climax” (for Usher) and “Original Don” remixes have been wildly popular and were definitely the most played songs of SXSW and WMC. Tell us a bit about the process of remixing and what you wanted to add and change to make them your own sound?

J2K: We like to go into a remix thinking we can somehow enhance the song and put our stamp on it, but at the same time preserve the initial integrity that made the track appealing.

Both of these songs were tracks we liked and played in our sets already, we just wanted to swap out the drum work for something that worked better with our sound. We heard a huge pop tune juxtaposed perfectly with NL Hardstyle and dancehall in “Original Don.” We knew if we added our drum work over the song’s original structure, we could make it even bigger. When we’re finishing a remix we like to think, “Would Jeezy rap on this?” If that answer is yes, we bounce it.

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DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

IN THE STUDIO WITH

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As American bass music continues to blow up, many EDM fans (and DJs) are just now getting introduced to some of its longtime practitioners. So, in that spirit, meet Aaron Holstein—aka VibeSquaD. Before succumbing to the wobblier side of EDM, the Denver-based dubstep master was a touring jazz guitarist and a multi-instrumentalist for “livetronica” bands like Zilla and Sporque. But, since 2007, Holstein has released nine studio albums and two mix compilations in his VibeSquaD alter ego. His latest release on VibeSquaD Recordings, Orphan Alien Part 2, features his trademark blistering beats and sizzling bottom end. And it’s that expanding list of accomplishments that has made him a 2012 nominee for the America’s Best DJ title.

As he just began to hit the road, opening a summer-long slate of dates on Bassnectar’s “Vava Voom Tour,” we caught up with Holstein, 40, to discuss his latest doings—in the studio and in the DJ booth.

DJ Times: How’s it been touring with Bassnectar [aka Lorin Ashton]? Your style is certainly different from his. Do you feel the two musical styles come together well?

VibeSquaD: I feel great about it! I’ve been focusing on my mid-tempo, funk-based music and working on building a huge vibe, but not playing tracks that overlap with Lorin’s style. It is complimentary stylistically, and it works out well together.

DJ Times: Lorin described your sound as being in between a “full meltdown and deep, ultra-grinding groove.” How do you describe your music?

VibeSquaD: That is always so hard to do.

It’s bass music. It’s melodic and harmonic. The tempo and style are diverse albeit original EDM. I would call it a made-up word—I’d call my music, “crunkstep-lazerwobble-bounceblappin-thunderfunk.” [laughs] I love dirty love songs. I mean, really, it gets goofy to try to describe it after a while.

DJ Times: How does your latest studio album, Orphan Alien Part 2, deviate from previous ones?

VibeSquaD: It’s diverse, but it all sounds like VibeSquaD. I’ve been pushing into new territories rhythmically and sonically, and I’ve been playing with some new gear. I am enjoying the growth and progression.

DJ Times: What’s your studio setup like?

VibeSquaD: My studio is a collection of 20-plus years of gear. I have a Fender Stratocaster I got when I was 12, in 1983. I have some hardware synths like a Moog Little Phatty, an Access Virus TI. I have some outboard gear like an Empirical Labs Distressor, a Vintech preamp, gear from Grace and Summit Audio. I have a bunch of mics like talk boxes, vocoders, vox effect devices, and so on.

DJ Times: And software? Monitors?

VibeSquaD: I use a good amount of VST plug-ins in Cubase, Ableton Live and sometimes Reason to produce tracks. I use a lot of Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere, Native Instruments’ Massive, LennarDigital’s Sylenth, Gladiator, Image Line’s Harmor, Native Instruments

VibeSquaD: Touring this summer with Bassnectar.

VIBESQUAD: BANGIN’ THE BASS Battery, FXpansion Geist and more. I’m kind of a plug-in junkie! [laughs] I listen to everything on full-sized QSC-powered PA speakers with a huge sub in a really little room—I have a pair of QSC HPR153i active speakers, a QSC HPR151i active sub, plus a pair of Mackie HR824 active monitors. It sounds like a full-on nightclub in my studio. That’s a key part in the mixing/mastering process.

The speakers are behind me. I swivel around in my chair to stop looking at the computer and just listen.

DJ Times: We know you take pride in playing only your own songs live. Do you find it difficult to put together a set with only your own material?

VibeSquaD: It’s challenging to write all of

the stuff I need for my live sets and to keep up the pace with new tracks all the time, but I love that. It’s highly motivating and challenging. I have been remixing and re-editing some of my older material for shows, and I drop it in from time to time. I have a ton of tracks to choose from, you can’t imagine…

DJ Times: What are your thoughts on this sudden dubstep craze?

VibeSquaD: I have two sons, ages 7 and 11, and they rock out to dubstep with all of their little homies! [laughs] It makes sense to a lot of people. It made sense to me when I heard it years ago. I think it’s great that people are enthusiastic about electronic music in general.

– Axel Maldonado

Christoph Kรถstlin

PAUL VAN DYK RETURNS TO AMERICA & FINDS A NEW LANDSCAPE FOR DJ CULTURE

BY EMILY TAN

In the four-and-a-half years since DJ Times last interviewed Paul van Dyk, the EDM scene in America has undergone a dramatic and positive transformation.

To a veteran of the scene like PvD, however, the real culture of clubs hasn’t changed all that much. It just took awhile for America to catch up.

Firm in his opinions on the state of dance music (and its mainstream popularity) in the U.S. at the moment, it’s long been van Dyk’s way of speaking in straightforward and brutally honest tones. Just don’t call him an esoteric or an EDM purist.

What Paul van Dyk is is true and genuine in the way he feels about this music. To him, EDM is empowering, equalizing and freeing. His earliest musical influences came from listening to pirate radio as a youth growing up in East Berlin and he tapped into those seminal experiences as he built a wildly successful career, playing the biggest festivals and the most-respected nightclubs. Van Dyk may be one of the world’s most-popular DJs, but electronic dance music is not something he takes lightly—and he wants today’s newer fans to know what it really means to love this music.

Does PvD consider himself a DJ? Well, he used to be one. Now, he considers himself a musician whose favorite music just happens to be created using computers.

So with the release of his latest artist album, Evolution (Vandit), and a new round of U.S. gigs—including select dates on the 15-city Identity Festival tour this summer—DJ Times sat down once again with the Berlin-based van Dyk to discuss the perspective of a DJ who’s been at it for two decades.

DJ Times: Just listening to Evolution, I was struck at how it instantly conveys that signature Paul van Dyk sound. It’s been quite a spell since you released your last album. The obvious question would be, where have you been and how have you evolved?

Paul van Dyk: A lot of things had to be done. That’s good. This is what

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

every producer is aiming for. Regardless of how diverse the thing is you do, it ends up still having a signature that people recognize. It’s something I’ll always keep, because I have a definite idea how things should sound.

That’s a good thing that’ll stick with me. But at the same time, coming to evolution and development and stuff, when you grow up, you have more experience. It makes you more self-confident. When you’re an artist that applies to the art you do. The most obvious thing is that it’s very intense…

DJ Times: How so?

PvD: The album is very to-thepoint of what it is. If something is banging and housey, it’s banging and housey. But at the same time, I tried not to make an album that you can categorize. There are many different sub-genres. There’s trance in it and there’s also house, also techno and electro with creaky noise and stuff.

It comes from all different directions. I try to put everything in place and establish something. I always say: In the DJ world, it’s not about just playing trance or house—it’s about

14

electronic music. To make something unique that still sounds like Paul van Dyk in the end.

DJ Times: The last time we spoke, you were saying that the term “pop music” was not a bad thing because that meant your music was popular and liked by many people. You saw that as a positive. Considering the explosive growth of EDM at the moment–just listen to commercial terrestrial radio, for example–do you still hold that point-of-view?

PvD: Well, it’s a question of how you define it. There’s good and bad pop music. There’s also good and notgood electronic music. What most music people refer to as really big and “Top-40” has not much to do with electronic music and where it came from. It’s the Top-40 artists that suddenly do a danceable sound. It doesn’t mean Rihanna and Usher are dance acts! This is what these guys do—whatever’s trendy, they make music according to that. It’s not sticking to that because they really enjoy dance music. What they really enjoy is selling multi-millions of records.

DJ Times: So do you like those artists for what they’ve done before?

PvD: I was always a big fan of Usher when he did “Yeah!” because it was different. It was great R&B and soul.

The stuff he’s doing now has nothing to do with what I do or how I feel

about music. This is not electronic music. A lot of people have mistaken electronic music from what’s really… just because you have a 4/4 beat under what Rihanna’s singing does not make it an electronic record. If you just take it from a physical point-ofview, it’s done electronically, yeah. But to you and to me, electronic music means much more! This is something that’s very dear and important to us.

There’s so much more to what we do, how we live and how we think.

DJ Times: What do you think about Simon Cowell’s reported attempt at making a DJ-competition show for prime-time television?

PvD: He’s gonna ruin it for the wider audience that’s now consuming cheesed-up, pop-dance music. I don’t think anyone who’s believing and loving and going to clubs will watch this show more than once to get, like, “What the fuck are they going to do? Oh, it sucks.” I don’t think the “winner” is going to blow our minds! [laughs] There are two different approaches. One thing is the DMC thing, which is more performing than DJing. Then there’s DJing that you can’t judge after a two or threehour set—so how are you going to put this into a TV show?

DJ Times: Exactly.

PvD: I’m pretty sure people are gonna watch it, but it’s not how I

approach my music. I’m not out and about to catch any of those cheesedup dance lovers, because it’s not what I’m about. If you look at the Grammy Award Show, you saw a pop act onstage, an electronic crossover act and a rock band performing together.

That’s not really new, but thumbs up to them for pulling it off.

DJ Times: Your DJ setup has evolved over the years as we’ve spoken to you. What’s your latest DJ incarnation, gearwise?

PvD: I’m using the Xone: DB4 [mixer], the latest from Allen & Heath. It’s got two side wings attached to it. It’s a bit like the one I had before. This mixer is absolutely crazy! You have so many built-in effects in there, you hardly need to use a sequencer, as well. Then, I have my keyboards, two computers running Ableton Live on one and [Apple] MainStage on the other that give me more depth and the ability of creating sounds and numerous smaller things.

I have an Akai that allows me to trigger things.

DJ Times: Whereas Ableton Live allows DJs to remix live, do you consider what you’re doing to be engineering live?

PvD: I’m playing live and then playing live elements on top of that! If you take my tracks “Symmetries” or “Verano,” these are tracks that had

the most impact. It’s coming out with beats and a bassline. I played those and played strings on top of it and recorded them, then I added piano.

Then the next time, I banged in a big hook. I’ve done that live in front of an audience. What did I do in the old days when records were eight minutes long? [laughs] I’m seriously hectic with what I do onstage.

DJ Times: What does it mean to you to be a DJ, these days? Do you consider yourself a DJ? PvD: I definitely started out as a DJ. I played with two vinyls and mixed them and beat-matched them. I always had a clear idea of how I should sound when I play. Then I got into this whole production world. I’m a musician. My favorite music is electronic music, and the most common way of presenting it is as a DJ. I use a lot of skills as a DJ, in terms of reading and building a crowd. This allows me to combine the passion I have with being a DJ with being a musician.

DJ Times: Visuals have become an increasingly important part of DJs’ live performances as of late, and the ante seems to constantly be pushed upward. How are visuals factoring into your live shows right now?

PvD: In front of me, I also have both machines running tightly sequenced visuals, as well, which I mix with an Edirol V8 [video mixer]. Then there’s another [Edirol] controller/ visual-media sampler called a P-10.

Also, I have screens in front of me so I can see what the visuals are doing.

I’m able to control all that. So, what you see behind me on the screens is quite a complex setup. Presentation became a major part in the last two, three years—it’s about visualizing it. I had to learn that this is a very important aspect to how electronic music is received these days. For the big shows with festivals, we have a whole crew traveling with me. For club shows, it makes more sense I have direct control.

DJ Times: How do you top yourself, then?

PvD: If you asked me two or three months ago, I wasn’t doing visuals.

The idea just came up. Am I physically capable of doing that while doing all the other things? Yes, it works. It’s another element that joins into the creative process when I play. It’s a new challenge. In terms of topping myself, it’s not how I function. I always give 100-percent when I play.

The next most important thing is the next show.

DJ Times: Who are some new artists that excite you?

PvD: In terms of [people who contributed to] my album, Arty told me that I was the first one who ever played his music. He has some very unique sounding elements in his music. It was just a question of timing to work together. We did two tracks

for my album. Austin Leeds, I’ve been working with on the In Between album. There’s this guy from Canada, Tyler Michaud, who is this crazy sound freak. Whenever you listen to productions by him, there’s a whole other level of soundscape behind it.

DJ Times: Who else?

PvD: People like Sue McLaren and Sarah Howells are fantastic vocalists.

Johnny McDaid has to work under a different name that’s Fieldwork.

It has been a lot of fun putting this album together. Someone else, I believe, is bridging the element between classy pop and real electronic music is Adam Young from Owl City. This is purely because we love music and this is what the album is all about.

There wasn’t a manager who told me I should work with this or that person. I’m not trying to be accessible.

I’m not trying to be underground or overground or pop. I’m just working on a piece of music until it’s right. I take care of every single element and I finish when the track is right.

DJ Times: What’s your take on

the whole dubstep/bass music craze that has taken over America with artists like Skrillex?

PvD: It’s like when people call me a trance DJ. It’s what people are defining as a certain genre. When I listen to Skrillex, it has nothing to do with dubstep! It’s his very own take on electro-house music. Listen to his latest track and it’s 123-BPM fast and it’s a straightforward beat. Dubstep is more like a noisy drum-and-bass outlet. We’re talking even 160 BPM for dubstep. Skrillex is anything, but dubstep! As people always call me a trance DJ, there are key elements where you can define something.

Skrillex has his very unique own way to make his own music.

DJ Times: You’ve long done your part with non-profit organizations— (continued on page 42)

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self, for the applications you have installed, for hardware drivers, and much more. I believe it’s fair to say that the longer a Windows system is used, the bigger the registry becomes, and as a consequence, the more overall performance suffers as data is read from and written to the registr y—which itself occurs constantly as you use your computer. A contributing problem is that as applications are upgraded or removed, legacy settings (data) in the registry often remains intact, so the registry just seems to grow and grow—and never shrinks, slowing things down a bit over time.

OS X doesn’t use a registry. Instead, application settings, operating system settings and the like are stored in the file system, on the hard disk. It is as true of a Mac as it is for Windows that when applications are removed, bits of detritus can live on. The difference is that on a Mac, these are merely files on disk—not entries in a registry database which have to be sifted through constantly. They’re also easier for advanced or expert users to identify and remove than editing the registry database on a Windows box (something I’d never recommend to anyone, but the most expert of users).

I’ll confess it’s hard to

quantify the ultimate benefit of this architectural difference. But given my experience over the years with the Windows registry? I sleep a bit better knowing my Mac doesn’t have all its configuration eggs in one basket.

Secondly, the native file system, and issues of fragmentation—a condition where files stored on the hard disk are broken into scattered parts due to the way they are written to the disk. (Excessive disk fragmentation can cause performance issues.) Windows machines use a file system architecture called FAT32, or in later Windows versions, NTFS. The Mac uses a file system called HFS+.

While Windows incorporates some measures to help prevent fragmentation in NTFS, OS X and HFS+ have some design differences that largely prevent fragmentation sufficiently that defragmentation tools are not even provided by Apple, nor is defragmentation even routinely recommended for Macs. While fragmentation in general might not be the issue it used to be, I still consider this a performance plus on the Mac side.

For architecture: Mac wins by an edge for storing settings in disk files, not in a database, and for a fragmentation-resistant file system.

Audio Handling: Most DJs and producers need and use low-latency, high-

JULY 2012

FOR DJ & STUDIO APPS, THE PLATFORM WARS CONTINUE

WHICH SIDE BEST SUITS YOU?

(and sometimes hundreds) bits and pieces that make it work. But all you ever really see or have to deal with is the package itself—not the bits and pieces. Delete the package, and the application is uninstalled. So unless the application installs system components (e.g., drivers for a piece of hardware), there’s no need to run any special uninstaller to get rid of something. With Windows, all those bits and pieces are written separately to the hard disk, sometimes in a variety of locations, and to remove the application correctly, it must be properly uninstalled—you can’t simply delete the icon or folder.

For usability: Mac wins by an edge for application maintenance.

A rc h i t e c t u re : M u c h has been said about the decades-old Windows architectural legacy, and that it makes Windows inferior to OS X. However, OS X, being based on UNIX, has a pretty dated legacy itself. Suffice it to say that a computer operating system is a complex thing, with lots of moving parts, and the differences between OS X or Windows are probably more of interest to computer scientists than actual users.

Two of the architectural differences do merit some discussion, however. First is the Windows “registry.” This database holds thousands of settings for Windows it-

DJ TIMES

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ust two months ago, something happened—something I never expected would happen in a million years, as they say. I bought a Mac. I suppose in most respects it was inevitable, although it started innocently enough, with a gift of an iPod Touch. At the time, I was a dedicated Android phone user, and poo-poo’d all those “Apple lemmings” who seemed to worship the late Steve Jobs. But it really didn’t take long to understand the fundamental differences between the user experience of iOS, and the user experience of Android. I immediately loved my iPod Touch. I just wish it made phone calls and had 3G. Well, that’s an iPhone, and within a month of getting my iPod Touch, I was off to the Apple Store to get one. And it, too, I love.

I love its WiFi, and its apps, and its 3G, and I just wished it had a bigger screen. Well, that’s an iPad. And it wasn’t long before I got one of those, too. (Does this progression sound familiar to any of you?)

While I sneered at all those Apple users for years, I now understand the appeal, and that “Apple experience” is a big part of the reason that I decided recently to replace my aging studio PC with an iMac. There’s just a certain polish to the entire Apple experience that I didn’t get with my Android phone, and I just didn’t get from a Windows PC either.

The decision was bolstered by the long-standing perception that Macs are “better at media” (music, video, etc.) than Windows PCs. But when you strip away that certain something, that Apple aura, is it really worth it? Is the difference truly that compelling?

And maybe most importantly—is it worth the price?

Usability: For years, Apple has traded on the superior usability of OS X, the operating system at the heart of the Mac, when compared to the experience of using Microsoft Windows. Is it really better? Easier?

Usability has a lot of very subtle elements, and it’s a bit hard to quantify. As someone who considers himself to be an expertlevel computer user, it’s also difficult for me to be objective. But Microsoft has worked very, very hard indeed to improve the Windows user experience. With Windows 7, its latest incarnation, Windows is prettier, it’s more intuitive, and I’d judge it as easier to use than ever. However, the Mac lives up to its reputation as pretty, clean, enjoyable and intuitive to use.

For most routine things that users do, I’d have to say it’s a bit of a toss-up. They’re different, but the overall experience is roughly the same.

That being said, the experience of installing or removing applications on a Mac strikes me as better than Windows. The reason is that, for the most part, applications on the Mac are self-contained as a “package,” and inside that package are all the various

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WHICH SIDE BEST SUITS YOU?

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performance, multichannel audio interfaces for their computers. The native Windows audio system, called WDM (for Windows Driver Model), is known for its comparatively high latency. As a result, a third-party audio system called ASIO (for Audio Stream Input/ Output) was developed by Steinberg, and has since been adopted relatively widely for professional audio on Windows boxes.

By contrast, the Mac includes CoreAudio, Apple’s native audio technology, which is suitable for professional audio applications. On the surface, it would seem to give the edge to the Mac. However, for both Windows and the Mac, third-party, pro-audio interfaces nearly always require special drivers, and on both platforms, the quality of those drivers can vary.

One of my multichannel interfaces performed very poorly indeed on the Mac, suffering from clicks, dropouts and other problems that ultimately were proven to be caused by poorly written drivers. I’ve experienced similar problems over the years with Windows.

For audio handling: No clear winner here.

Cost: There’s a widely held perception that Macs cost more than Windows PCs. That perception is largely accurate.

Spec for spec, I found that my new iMac was not a huge premium over a comparable Windows PC when you factored in a comparable display, comparable storage, comparable memory, and comparable CPU. However, what you define as a “comparable Windows PC” is, of course, the rub. My comparison point was a workstation-class desktop computer from Dell—not merely an off-the-shelf consumer PC at retail.

The story gets far worse with laptops. There’s no question whatever that a decently equipped MacBook Pro will set you back as much as double the cost of a similarly configured Windows laptop.

Is the price worth it? That is, unfortunately, not a question I can answer. Ultimately, you need to assess warranties, support availability, build quality, and other factors that may (or may not) be important to you. There’s no question you pay a premium for Apple gear, but some users find the extra investment worth it in terms of overall quality and support.

For cost: Microsoft Windows machines are nearly always more affordable.

Other Considerations: There are other differences between Macs and the typical Windows PC or laptop—differences which are hard to quantify.

For example, after I moved to my iMac, my work area was considerably more streamlined. Two conventional flat panel monitors were replaced by the iMac and its hefty 27-inch display—a display that is illuminated by LEDs, not fluorescent tubes, making it brighter overall, and instantly at full brightness at power-up vs. the warm-up required for fluorescent. The computer itself starts up much more quickly (although in fairness, that’s nearly always the case with a newer computer). I’ve come to love using a combination of the Apple Magic Trackpad and the Magic Mouse for control. And with no hulking CPU box on the floor, I can finally put a trash can under my desk. There’s even room now to set my Axiom 25-key MIDI keyboard on the desk in front of the iMac. Application compatibility is another factor. My primary applications—Native Instruments Traktor for DJing and Ableton Live for production—both are available for Mac, and both use the same serial numbers, so moving from Windows to Mac was smooth and easy. However, some of my studio VST plug-ins are not compatible with the latest OS X, leading me to figure out substitutes in a couple of cases. It’s worth checking if you’re moving from one platform to the other.

BY WESLEY BRYANT-KING

19

In my case, I also found myself using VMWare’s Fusion to install a Windows 7 virtual machine on my Mac. This allows me to continue to run a handful of Windows applications I decided I just can’t give up yet, and I enjoy having both a Mac and Windows at my fingertips on the same machine.

Finally, some of the other issues you might confront are not really unique to Mac vs. Windows. For example, at this writing, the MacBook Pro 13-inch comes with a choice of solid-state disk storage (fast, but expensive), or a 5,400 RPM conventional hard disk—too slow for production or DJing, or I’d be seriously considering one already for my mobile DJing, or for working a songs during my regular trips back east.

For Other Considerations: Toss-up—just depends on your needs, preferences, and configuration.

Bottom Line: In my view, there’s just not a clear winner here. Each platform has its plusses and minuses and, as is the case with any DJ or studio gear, what’s right for you is a complex mixture of preferences and needs.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m thrilled to have an iMac in the studio, and I love using it. It works great, it feels great, it looks great, and I just couldn’t be happier. (And I am toting around a 13-inch MacBook Pro now, just not for my musical endeavors yet.) And I do still have Windows machines around and, while the ones with Windows XP are feeling awfully long in the tooth these days, I find my Windows 7 systems to be perfectly usable and likable for the tasks I have them take on.

And given that nearly all the common DJ applications, DAWs and plug-ins are available for both platforms these days, in the end, you just have to invest a little time figuring out which platform best suits you, your needs, your preferences, and your pocketbook.n

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JULY 2012

This year, Coachella cloned itself.

While the promoters’ intention may have been to bring different sets of fans to the Indio, Calif.-based festival for each semi-identical weekend this past April, it required double trips for the actual talent.

So, we caught up with Morgan Page as he was about to hit the road for Coachella’s weekend No. 2 and take over the Sahara tent for his daytime slot. During our chat, the L.A-based Page gave us on a ride through In the Air (Nettwerk), his latest artist album. Featuring a pair of tracks with indie-fave folk duo Tegan & Sara—including the ultra-catchy club hit “Body Work”—In the Air offers up Page’s regular serving of melodic gems and ethereally influenced cuts.

As Page prepared for a busy season of summer festivals, we discussed with the 2012 America’s Best DJ nominee how his studio collaborations come together and how he finds his vocalists. One male vocalist in particular may come as quite a surprise from this project...

DJ Times: So you’re in the middle of a Coachella sandwich—what’s going on with your sets in Indio?

20

America’s Best DJ Nominee Morgan Page Prepares for the Summer’s Festival Season

Morgan Page: I’m keeping it more basic with the emphasis more on the visuals, like the content we’ve developed for Coachella. It’s become a much bigger thing.

DJ Times: Specific visuals?

Page: The big thing we’re trying to do with that is having the lyrics in sync with the music. It’s relevant, it’s guided. Mixing between my logo flashing up there with lyric videos for the songs—we spend a lot of time trying to do it.

DJ Times: Yeah, I like the video for “Body Work” with the flashing vocals.

Is that what you used for Coachella?

Page: Yeah, very lyric-videos driven and the words turn into a symbol or a shape—just having it lined up is really cool. So, basically, when I play a song, it will trigger the video so we have it all linked up in kind of a cool way.

DJ Times: How’s it done?

Page: It’s through Ableton Live and just firing MIDI clips, basically.

DJ Times: Speaking of Ableton, tell me about your set-up in the studio?

Page: In the studio, basically, I use ProTools and Ableton. I’m using a lot of Ableton these days. And I have mainly soft sets and I have a couple of hardware sets like Prophet 08 and a Moog Voyager. But for the work that I do, that’s mainly it for software and then I’ll come back to the studio and flesh out a song with analog stuff.

DJ Times: Because you have to do a lot of your stuff on the road, right?

Page: Right.

DJ Times: So why have you leaned more towards Ableton throughout the years?

Page: It’s just the easiest program to use when I need it done quickly— and it’s the most stable. So just using that on the road—and I perform with it—it just seemed like a natural transition. I do my national radio show [“In the Air”] on it, I perform with it, and I produce with it.

DJ Times: Speaking of performing, we think we heard a familiar voice on some songs off on the album. Was that you?

Page: I sang on “Missing” and “S.O.S. (Message in a Bottle),” which is a Police cover.

DJ Times: Are you trained as a singer?

Page: I’m definitely not trained.

I always try to sing the guy vocals first before I send them to a vocalist.

I don’t usually end up using them—I just try to get it from my head down quickly. I had an idea for a song and the vocalist was like, “Why don’t you use these?” So she wrote the lyrics and she did her version and then I sang it to try and show her a way that I wanted to hear the melodies.

She was like, “Why don’t we use your voice? It’s perfect for it.”

DJ Times: That sounds like a montage from a movie...

Page: Well, it’s funny. Everyone thinks that you’re just a born artist or a born singer, and that’s not necessarily the case. I think that people are born with a certain leaning towards something, or a certain skill, but you’ve got to earn your skills.

DJ Times: You have to nurture it. So would you consider yourself a born DJ? Page: I think I’ve had to earn it.

You know, I think I was born with a sort of musical ear, but I’ve had to spend the “10,000 hours”—so they say—to kind of master it, to get somewhere where I’m proficient at it.

DJ Times: When it comes to DJing and producing, you seem to have mainly stuck with vocal tracks.

Got any non-lyrical bangers?

Page: There’s going to be a few coming out and I think that when I collaborate with other producers that are better at those instrumental types it will make sense. I’ve done some, but things just haven’t clicked.

But in the past, I’ve done a lot of instrumental stuff. I think the vocal thing is just my sound. n

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BY NATALIE RABEN

21

BY JEFF STILES While Adam Tiegs of the Seattle-based Adam’s DJ Service admits he’s never before attended a single DJ Expo in Atlantic City, Steve Croce of Silver Sound Disc Jockeys on the opposite coast claims the exact opposite: That if he didn’t attend the Atlantic City convention every year, he would be at a total loss as to how to experience so much technology, new music and technique demonstration under one roof in just a few days.

“The worst part of the DJ Expo is not being able to clone myself,” the Philadelphia-based Croce says with a chuckle. “Seriously, there’s so much information coming at us at once that I feel like a tea cup with a wideopen fire hose pointed right at me.”

We polled mobile DJs from all over the country to ask how their business owners would be different if they had never attended DJ Expo, the annual exhibition/convention produced by DJ Times and its publisher Testa Communications. (This year’s show is set for Aug. 13-16 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.) For Brian Doyle of Denon & Doyle Entertainment back over on the West Coast, without the DJ Expo his sleeping habits nowadays might be much different.

This San Francisco Bay Area DJ owner says that after starting his business back in 1984, he attended his very first Expo in the early 1990s, after spending six years blindly inventing how to be a mobile DJ. And it was sort of a blind date when he met Sue McCue (now Doyle), the business manager from A Good Time DJs in Salem, N.H., that company owner George Whitehouse brought down to that year’s Expo.

“I don’t exactly remember our first meeting, but I do remember becoming fast friends with the whole crew of A Good Time DJs,” Doyle recalls. “I think it was our third Expo together that Sue and I found ourselves drinking at the Irish Pub with [DJ Times staffer] Brian O’Connor. Our first kiss—with Sue, not O’Connor—happened as we were walking back on The Boardwalk. I said something saucy and she threw her glass of water in my face... and then we kissed.”

Two years later, Sue left A Good Time DJs in New England and moved to California, commuting back to the Boston area most weekends to work. Fellow DJ Randy Bartlett actually figured out how to officiate the marriage of the couple, with former boss George Whitehouse attending and DJ friend Paul Binder attending as the best man.

But it wasn’t just Sue’s smarts and business connections that attracted Brian to Sue, says Doyle.

“George had a 27-system company, and he and Sue’s ideas alone helped me catapult my own company into a much bigger entity,” he recalls. “Sue and I fell in love ‘at third sight’ and now have three children, are celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary, and my already successful business has quadrupled with her as my partner.”

Beyond gaining a marital partnership, Doyle says he has many fond memories of the Expos, and to this day enjoys all the friendships that have occurred as a result.

5 Ideas: How to Make the Most of DJ Expo “At the DJ Expos I learned the bar/bat mitzvah business from Bobby Morganstein—who has influenced so many of us—and grew that aspect into a huge Atlantic City, N.J.—Set for Aug. 13-16 at AC’s Trump Taj Mapart of our business,” says Doyle of the longtime Philly-based operator. “Without hal, DJ Expo will offer DJ-centric exhibits, seminars and parties. learning from Bobby and many others, I think we’d still be treating the mitzvah But, according to longtime DJ/Expo attendee Blake “Sticky market as a glorified middle-school dance.”

Boots” Eckelbarger, jocks should do much more than simply Beyond learning the mitzvah market at the DJ Expo in Atlantic City, Doyle says seek out gear bargains at the show. Here are a few ideas: the annual convention has given him many quick tips on how to be a better MC, • Make contact with a handful of DJs prior to the event, to plus so much more. schedule time to share ideas and experiences.

“Learning from others helped me expand my business with employees, while • Meet with other DJs and actually explore the trade show all the discussions with people in the hallways let me pick the brains of others to floor together. “We test, brainstorm and gather information on help me solve all the little problems I had with my own business,” he says. “This what new equipment will generate revenue and new clients,” has been a great way to have dozens of free business advisors who have all ‘been he says. there, done that.’

• Attend as many seminars as possible, even if you feel the “Besides, the Expo floor was always a highlight—it’s terrific being able to see all topic might not be of interest. “You can’t judge a book by its the gear for DJs in one place.” cover,” he says.

Over in the Midwest, Blake Eckelbarger (aka “DJ Sticky Boots”) of South Bend, • When attending seminars, sit with a different person each Ind., says he could talk forever on the subject of what he would not have learned time in order to build on your contacts. “Over the years I’ve colhad he never attended the DJ Expo. lected over 1,000 business cards,” he says, “which I still keep in “The bottom line for me is that the Expo has been instrumental as a catalyst in my desk and refer back to from time to time.” helping me grow my business—not only the mobile side of things, but also for my – J.S. ‘Sticky Boots’ brand as well,” says Eckelbarger. “When I first started attending the Expo, probably 15-16 years ago, not only did I not know anyone in the industry outside of my local area, but I had no idea of the types of technology, business development and products that were available to guys like me.

“The DJ Expo really opened my eyes those first few years as to what was possible and the networking opportunities that were— and still are—invaluable.”

Eckelbarger says that attendees at the Atlantic City convention are guaranteed to only get as much out of the Expo those as they are willing to put in.

“Although DJ Times puts a lot of information and value at your fingertips, it’s up to people to get involved, meeting people, asking questions and utilizing what they see and hear to the biggest advantage when they get back home,” he says. “After all these years and all the contacts I’ve made and achievements I’ve earned, I still take away tons of great information from the Expo every year, and my

DJ EXPO

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CHANGED BUSINESSES—

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IT’S CHANGED LIVES

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WHAT IF

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business would not be half of what it is now without the contacts and opportunities the Expo has afforded me.

“I’ve also met some of my best friends, both professionally and personally through my attendance in Atlantic City each year.”

Eckelbarger says there are so many styles of operation and performance out there, and the Expo is a great way to be exposed to all those methods and see what works best for each individual market.

“It’s true that many things I’ve seen at the Expo won’t work in my market,” he admits, “but I can still take a concept or piece of something I’ve seen and adapt it to improve my performance or operation in ways that work for me. The industry is also moving much faster now in terms of technology, digital music and a lower cost of entry.

“If you don’t attend the Expo, you’re likely to get left behind by a competitor that did make the investment to come and find a new or more efficient way of achieving customer satisfaction. If I didn’t attend the Expo, I’d likely still be doing a lot of things the way we did in 1988, or even 1978—and that model simply won’t work in today’s market. The Expo keeps you current, keeps you sharp, and can really recharge your batteries.”

Before he attended his very first DJ Expo in 2004, Jerry Bazata in Oqunquit, Maine, says he was always under the impression that the convention was nothing more than a low-budget trade show in which vendors sold overstock and less-popular lighting, sound and electronics to mobile jocks.

“I didn’t put much thought into the seminars, and believed that attendees would not be willing to network, as they would be giving away some secret formula to their success, but was I ever wrong,” says the owner of DJ Jaz Music & Entertainment. “In fact, after attending my first Expo, it motivated me in 2005 to create a seminar and share the tools and knowledge that have lead to the success of my DJ business. Since that time, I’ve been both an attendee and a presenter of seminars on finance, marketing and sales management.

“In speaking to hundreds of DJs across the country, the common response for not attending is that it’s not worth the time or money, but my response is: ‘Then you really don’t believe in investing in your business,’ because what I mean is you need to educate yourself beyond the help you find on the Internet or what you hear on the streets. Your investment is building a network of professionals that you can rely upon to help you make the right decisions in growing your company. There is no greater opportunity to develop a level of trust and lasting business friendships then networking at an event with one common purpose to build upon the foundation of your experience and skills.’” n

JULY 2012

WE MISSED THE DJ EXPO

23

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE… Nectar features 11 vocal effects in a single plug-in.

In the years I’ve been recording, producing and remixing music, there’s been no area of the process that has been more frustrating than dealing with vocals.

It’s true that, through trial, error and experience, I’ve finally figured out how to record a competent vocal track in the studio. But, once the vocal is set down, making it sound right in a finished mix has been a pretty elusive endeavor, especially considering I’m not an audio engineer by training, and am not as conversant with the lingo—let alone the tools.

Making matters even more challenging is the fact that, as a remixer, I’m not always

Electronic, Hip-Hop/Rap, Country, etc.), and then audition the results from the various named styles within the chosen Genre.

For one recent project (male vocal over a piano), I picked “Jazz” and was then presented with Styles including Clean and Wide, Full Swing, Vintage Crooner, and so on. The names provide only vague clues to the end result, but that’s not so much the point as just auditioning them, much as you might audition presets in your favorite soft-synth.

Once you find something that seems like it’s getting you on the right path (and you should feel free to try Styles in Genres you’re not actually working in—the results can be just as useful), then you can take advantage of Nectar’s second innovation: what I’d called a “two-layer” tweaking model.

By default, Nectar presents a simplified view of the effects that have been dialed into the chosen Style preset. This view is remarkably powerful, and what I find most intriguing (and beneficial) is that it lets me focus on making tweaks easily, without being overwhelmed by all the esoterica that’s at the root of these effects—whether the ones in Nectar, or similar effects native to my DAW that have proven so overwhelming to me in the past. So if it hurts your head trying to understand low cutoff vs. high cutoff or what “pre-delay” means when you’re tinkering with reverb, then this simplified view is for you.

In my aforementioned Jazz preset, reverb is (in the simplified view) named merely Teenage Engineering’s OP-1:“space,” and includes just three controls: Synth engines, FX and LFOs.wet/dry, size and color. That I can manage.

Of course, if you’re tinkerer, or even if you just want to get your fingernails a bit dirtier, the “advanced view” is merely a click away, and reveals the full spectrum of all 11 underlying effects. Punch them in or out, and fine-tune every aspect of each one to your heart’s content. Even with my admitted lack of audio engineering knowledge, I found myself going to advanced view periodically to fine-tune things just a bit more.

Simply put: Nectar is every bit the professional vocal toolset is promises to be. It’s just put into a convenient, accessible, digestible package that mere mortals like me have some hope of understanding and applying successfully— while still giving pros the granularity they seek.

Some of the tools in Nectar seem downright magical. Pitch correction is one of those tools. I have a dedicated pitch correction tool, and it’s nice to have granular control over things when and where you need it (like that one bad note you discover in a recorded vocal, long after you can even bring the singer back into the studio). But at least in my experience, most of the time I wish I had a small bag of magic pixie dust to gently push and pull just a tiny bit those imperfections that exist in every vocal track. Not to achieve pitch perfection, necessarily, but just... improve it a bit.

Nectar’s automatic pitch correction is that magic pixie dust. (It’s worth noting that there is a manual pitch correction interface, too, for those who want to tweak by hand; because it requires certain DAW functionality, it may not work in all hosts.) To test the automatic pitch correction, I pulled a two-year-old project out of my archives—one that shall remain nameless to protect the innocent.

(It has one of the worst vocal pitch problems I’ve ever had to deal with.)

I disabled the dedicated pitch tool I’d used originally, and dropped in Nectar instead, dialing-in automated correction with a 30 ms speed setting. Once I (continued on page 42)

IZOTOPE’S NECTAR: VOCAL PERFECTION

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

By Wesley Bryant-King

24

in control of the vocal to begin with. Sure, some of the vocal stems I’ve gotten are already tuned and tweaked and sound great.

But more often than not, I’m required to build a mix around a vocal track that lacks punch, may have technical issues like hum or noise, might have a sibilance issue, breath problems, pitch problems, or any number of other things that all add up to one conclusion: This vocal isn’t ready for prime time.

Virtually every modern DAW comes with a variety of stock tools of the trade, like compressors, limiters, EQ, reverb, delay, and so on. The challenge is knowing how to set them up—or even just where to begin.

That’s precisely where iZotope’s Nectar comes to the rescue.

Boston-based iZotope is perhaps best known for its popular Ozone mastering plug-in, reviewed on these pages just a few months ago. But with Nectar, iZotope brings together 11 tools designed specifically for vocal processing, and with ease-of-use firmly in mind.

While the product has been on the market since 2010, last year it received a significant upgrade with a number of improvements. And the company has in just the last few months released additional “Bonus Style Packs” free of charge. These packs add even more presets to the fold, providing plenty of new starting points and inspiration for your vocal projects.

Set-up & Use: Nectar is, of course, a plug-in, and is provided in popular formats for both Windows and Macs, ready for installation and use within your DAW. As with other iZotope products, you can pick up a copy of the software at retail, or “try before you buy” through a direct download from the company’s web site. If you decide you like the software, you can buy a serial number to unlock the demo beyond the initial trial period. Regardless of how you try it or buy it, installation is quick and easy on either platform (Windows or Mac).

The 11 tools provided cover all the bases: pitch correction, breath control, gate, compressor, saturation, EQ, de-esser, doubler, limited, reverb and delay— in short, everything needed to make your vocal tracks sing loudly, and clearly.

While I’ve had some of these tools in my arsenal for years, either within my DAW or in other plug-ins, what sets Nectar apart is the approach. Instead of having to just intuitively “know” what a vocal is lacking, or what it might benefit from, Nectar provides a couple of features to get the ball rolling.

First, intelligent presets, using a system of Styles grouped within Genre. In most cases, you’ll pick the genre you’re working in (listed as Jazz, Pop, Dance/

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

EMULATOR: LOOK SHARP

Emulator: A unique, visual approach to DJing.

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

By Wesley Bryant-King

26

For the pages of this magazine, I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a wide variety of different controllers for digital DJing. Some small, some large. Some good, some great. Some basic, some very complex. But I have to say I’ve never heard of, seen, or experienced something quite as unique as the Emulator from Canada’s SmithsonMartin, with which I recently had the opportunity to spend some quality time.

Emulator bills itself as the world’s first multi-touch, touchscreen-based controller for DJs. While it’s available as software for those who wish to roll their own solution, the company’s flagship offering is a bundled software/ hardware solution called Dual View System that includes a 32-, 42- or 46-inch (diagonally measured) translucent-glass touch screen, that is visible both to the DJ and to the crowd when the unit is positioned, say, in the typical DJ booth above a dance floor. The idea is not only to provide the DJ with a massive touch surface for DJ software control, but also to provide the audience with a visually interesting way to be a part of the action. (The company has recently released its newest product, the desktop version of Emulator called Kontrol Surface 1974, or KS-1974.)

First Impressions: For review, SmithsonMartin sent along the 42-inch Emulator package. It arrived in a pair of massive boxes—one for the metal parts of the screen (the stand, basically) and accessories, and another for the large glass panel. Let’s just say that two very enormous boxes make an impactful first impression. After moving some living room furniture out of the way, I unpacked everything, and set to assembling it all.

The hardware unit is composed of a large metal “Z” frame, not unlike one you might use for a large keyboard or synthesizer. For the lower crossbar, there’s a custom metal shelf that merely slips on; this shelf is used to hold the included high-resolution projector, which projects the computer’s screen image to the underside of the translucent glass—which is how both the DJ, and the crowd, can see it. The large multi-touch glass panel mounts to the “Z” frame. Actual assembly was fast and relatively straightforward.

Make no mistake, however; this is a massive piece of gear. Remember, the intent is for you (the DJ) to stand before this huge chunk of glass and metal and control your performance. To drive the point home, all you need to do it search YouTube for “SmithsonMartin Emulator,” and you’ll understand immediately upon reviewing the results. (Videos provided by the company can be accessed on their web site, www.smithsonmartin.com.)

Because the unit uses multi-touch technology, at present, Microsoft Windows 7 is required to run Emulator. And, at present, the software works only with Native Instruments’ Traktor Pro. However, at press time, SmithsonMartin had just launched Emulator Modular, which is a “universal” skinnable version of Emulator that can be used with other DJ, lighting and video apps (more on that later), and a Mac version is also in the works.

Set-Up & Use: Aside from the physical assembly outlined above, you’ll need to install the Emulator software, set-up and align the projector, and align the touch screen. For my review, the company provided a laptop with everything pre-loaded, but all indications suggest that installation is straightforward enough. There’s an installer for Emulator itself, as well as drivers for the large touchscreen panel, which connects to the PC via USB. As with any controller, you’ll need to load the MIDI configuration for the controller into your software, which is (of course) included for Traktor with the Emulator software.

Though the installations were done for me in my case, I still needed to align everything, and that was easy, too. The projector has to be set up the first time to mirror its image so everything is right-side-up and oriented properly, and the controls on the projector are used to make sure the image sits on the screen correctly. Once this is done, a control panel app for the touchscreen is used to align the touch points with the image. These alignments are easy, and fast, and must be completed each time the unit is disassembled and moved (or presumably after, say, changing a projector lamp, and having moved the projector itself to do so). Otherwise, it can be aligned and left alone.

Firing everything up for the first time was a smile-inducing experience.

Load Traktor first, then load the Emulator software, and get down to business.

While the more subtle or esoteric aspects of Emulator’s control arrangement needed some time and experience, the basics seemed quite intuitive and natural, especially given that I normally use Traktor to start with. And having both my software, and its control mechanisms, melded together in this way was, quite simply, a blast.

Emulator performs its magic using an extremely clever approach. Envision, if you will, the usual screen layout of Traktor (or your preferred digital DJ software). Now, further envision if there was a “layer” on top of the computer screen—a stencil, if you will—through which rectangular pieces have been cut, to expose the virtualized DJ decks underneath. In the areas of that stencil which have not been cut out, envision graphical representations of typical DJ controls—but chunkier ones, designed to be used by the tip of your finger.

Got that picture in your mind? That’s Emulator. And the new, configurable version of the product (according to the company) promises to allow you to customize these “cut-outs” and other aspects of the configuration, either to tailor it to your preferences, or to use it with any MIDI applications.

The software includes buttons along the bottom that allow other spaces to be selectively cut out (or filled back in), for example, to expose the playlist in Traktor, and allow you to load tracks into the decks. There’s also a button to replace the main controls with effects controls, and back again. It honestly just didn’t take long to feel pretty much at home with Emulator, and to perform a decent DJ set. (continued on page 42)

MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

Joe Bunn (left & center) has been DJing for 25 years.

FOR CAROLINA DJ, BEATS ARE GOOD BUSINESS

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

By Con Carney

28

Raleigh, N.C.—Since the last time we spoke to Joe Bunn, owner of Joe Bunn DJ Company in Raleigh, N.C., 10 years have passed. Since then, he says, it’s all been about change—and growth.

“In the last five years, we were up 10-percent in the first two years,” says the 40-year-old North Carolinian, “and in the last three we’ve been steady, which in this economy is good.”

Bunn says weddings have been up—last year they booked 400—because bands have been taking a beating. “People are saying, ‘I can get a DJ for $1,500 instead of paying $5,000 for a band. And with that $3,500, I can buy flowers.’ That’s been something we’ve been seeing a lot of and I don’t expect that to change.”

Of course, the biggest change to Bunn’s business—he has 15 DJs—has been in the way he generates it.

“Over the years, I’ve done every type of marketing that there is—Yellow Pages, wedding magazines, radio, and the web,” he says. “I’ve spent a lot of money on a custom website because everything about it relates to the client: the wedding demographic is female, they’re 25-40, and they are so net-savvy. In fact, very few times a day does my phone ring. If it does, it’s a parent.”

Bunn has had success with Facebook and Twitter, too. “One of my most veteran DJs handles the Facebook page, he’ll post a couple times a day. I spent a month in training with a social media guy, two days a week, five hours a day, and I learned everything from how to set up the page properly to come up in the search engines properly, and adding calls to action.”

With his Twitter feed, Bunn initially had no clue how to navigate. “And now, as I talk to you, I’m sitting here with two 27-inch monitors, one of them I have my emails, and the other I have Hoot Suite on the screen all day long. I’m looking at my local feeds, ‘wedding Raleigh,’ for example, seeing what they’re talking about. And if I see something that I’m knowledgeable about, I’ll jump in there.

In this market, Twitter has not gained me business, per se, but it’s developed my relationships with other vendors, by re-Tweeting them, responding to their posts, so it’s become a great tool for vendor relationships.”

The biggest boost his business has received is from a presence on YouTube.

“We’ve gotten a ton of activity from there,” he says. “It’s the second-most powerful search engine in the world. So on our channel, we’ll talk about our favorite records, recorded with a flip cam, but tagged properly. We’ll record a Memorial Day playlist, and we’ll tag it ‘Memorial day playlist’ and we’ll get a ton of hits. It works really great on St. Patrick’s Day.” But an even bigger change has impacted Bunn in ways beyond his bottom line.

“We’re longtime Pioneer CDJ-1000 guys, and now everyone’s gone to the 2000.

But for my guys and me, we’ve gone to powered speakers. And we’ve all gone Serato, I’ve even gone smaller—the Pioneer DDJ-S1 controller, I load up my Mac Book, two QSC K12 speakers, with the QSC 18-inch sub that I can put under the

table. That’s my wedding set-up—for 200 people, that will rock the room.

That rig will fit into an Accord—without the sub. And truthfully it’s extended my career by years—easier set-up.

“I’m in good shape, but hauling a trailer full of gear around, by the time it was set up, I’d be like, ‘Do I even want to do this?’ Now it’s 20 minutes in, 15 minutes out. Physically and mentally, it’s made it better.

And there’s more interaction with people. I can line up five or six songs, and when a song is winding down and it starts flashing with 30 seconds left, I make a shift click and cue it up real fast and start playing.”

A long way from the days of spinning on the wheels of steel in the basements at frat parties at the University of North Carolina. “I’ve been in North Carolina for 40 years,” he says. “When people come to me and say, ‘Your name is everywhere,’ I think to myself, ‘It better be. I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve been doing this for 25 years, I better be doing something right.’”

The biggest change of all?

“I’m married, with two young boys,” says Bunn. “Talk about changes. So I graduated from playing in the clubs five years ago—I couldn’t have the boys knocking on the door every morning at six after playing the club, it was brutal.”

So now Bunn must find ways to keep current musically. Thankfully, a couple of his DJs are still playing those clubs he’s retired from, so they’re up to date about music. “When I go out to play a Sweet 16 or a prom, I’ll ask them to send me a spread sheet of the ‘bangers.’ I need to know what these kids are going to want, unless they’ll eat me alive. So they keep me up to date. The music at weddings has changed, and that’s what led me to buy that QSC sub. My night still starts with ‘Respect’ and stuff like that, but an hour in, you better believe that that 25-year-old bride wants to hear Rihanna, Pitbull and Black Eyed Peas, and that bass, that four-on-the-floor. Dance music has come back harder than ever. Usher? Used to be straight R&B. Not anymore. It’s all 120 BPM. And 120 BPM all over the airwaves is really good for business.”

BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

company a video or montage and put it on YouTube. Those days are over.

YouTube has invested a lot of money in software that flags those videos once they’re uploaded—or they’ll throw a ton of ads around it. It really depends on the agency, the artist, and other factors. But YouTube is really hoping that people create original content—someone who’s been really great at doing that that has been [SCE Event Group owner] Jason Jani.

He’ll do a standup in front of a venue, talk about the event and cut to a bunch of clips with natural sounds of the party—you hear the music being played at the party, but you also hear the sounds of the real event.

YouTube isn’t flagging that for removal. It’s when you’re playing the MP3 that YouTube will pull it down.

AT DJ EXPO, LEARN HOW TO INCREASE BOOKINGS WITH VIDEO

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

By Stu Herm

30

At last year’s DJ Expo, the guys from Red Bank, N.J.-based Hurricane Productions offered a seminar that helped hundreds of attendees navigate the turgid waters of social media. This year, they’re back, and their seminar will focus on video—“Know Your Video, the Future of Event Marketing.” (Set for Aug. 13-16 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., the DJ Expo will feature seminars, exhibits and parties.)

We spoke to Hurricane Productions’ Vincent Velasquez and asked for some guidance and some teasers for the seminar.

What’s the Internet going to look like in 2015? High-quality video is going to be the No.-1 reason why people go on the Internet—they want to see events and things that happened. The companies that are providing the video for stories that people are talking about are the ones getting higher traffic, and it’s only going to increase over the next few years.

“There are plenty of howHow has video worked for your DJ company? I think video, for us—in a very niche market like DJing—people are looking for venues, party ideas, innovative ideas.

We have a wedding video where the whole promo is designed to try and sell our services, but there is one clip in there of a marshmallow roasting outside, and this whole family is surrounding the fire pit, and it’s one of our No.-1 videos, because viewers are interested in using that sort of thing at their event. So I really think there’s a lot of idea-generated content on video that’s telling a little bit more of a story than a picture is.

And I think that’s where DJs can be winning.

At your seminar at this upcoming DJ Expo, you’re going to be talking about platform changes.Tell us how the YouTube platform is changing. YouTube has changed because of privacy acts out there from Congress. It’s always been easy to download a song to ac-

to videos on YouTube, and that’s a good way to get your feet wet.”

What about a mashup? We’ve tried that, and they identified that it was a Chris Brown song, for example, and threw a ton of ads around it, so I wouldn’t advise that. It’s a pretty smart piece of software they’re using. WWE, ABC and NFL and other big brands are now giving YouTube original content every week that they’re selling ads around. They’re really looking to change the culture of online video— stressing original content, original music, which DJs can really capitalize on moving forward.

What are some tools I should be using for video editing? There are four software platforms out there

that most people are using: Windows MovieMaker, which is great for those using PC; iMovie is really popular, and then there are Final Cut and Adobe Premier. Those are the four big ones.

You can really tell who’s using what, but there are things that you can do to make your video seem not so template-y and make your videos unique. There are tons of brides and grooms who work in jobs or make photo montages that know, “Oh, he used iMovie for this, I can do that, I don’t need to pay anybody for this.”

So one thing you can do: a lot of people use fades and transitions, to go from one clip to the next. One tip is you should only use a fade when there’s time elapsed between clips.

Let’s say it’s the beginning of the day, and the bride is getting ready, doing hair and makeup, and then you want to fade to a clip of her at night. A fade is the perfect way to show that time has passed. But if there’s no time elapsing between your clips, a hard cut is the way to go. Hard cuts are the more professional way of doing it. If you stay away from fades, you’ll be able to hide what program you’re using, because a lot of programs have template fades that they use.

There’s a learning curve on the software, so I how do I solve that? Community colleges offer amazing visual and arts programs. You can pick what you want to learn— you’re not going there to get a degree, you’re just looking to learn. And, of course, there are plenty of how-to videos on YouTube, and that’s a good way to get your feet wet.

How else can I make my video seem robust? If you want to use one camera to interview the bride, for example, you can film half the interview with her on the left hand side of the frame, maybe the angle is a little bit wide, and then you stop the interview half way through, press pause, and re-position your camera and then it seems like you’ve used two cameras. Also, if you have some b-roll of some objects, like the cake, say, you can overlay that and sync it when she talks about it.

What camera should I be using? If you want to shoot a full wedding from one angle, tape is the best way to go—the Sony HD 720, HVR-Z1U, and HVR-A1U. The Canon series of DSLR cameras are a step up—they’re up near $2,500, with the lens and all. The B&H website is a great resource for research—but then again, so is attending our seminar at the Expo!

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Jelly Roll American DJ Supply, Inc. 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (800) 322-6337 www.americandj.com American DJ announced two new mobile RGB color-mixing LED par can systems—the Mega Par Profile System and Jelly Par Profile System. The former is housed in a black case while the latter comes in translucent plastic “Jelly” case.

Both systems can be operated either manually with the included foot controller or via a standard DMX-512 controller. They come equipped with 26 red, 46 green and 37 blue LEDs, as well as 11 built-in programs, a color strobe effect, 0-100% electronic dimming, and fast or slow color change operation.

Set Phasers to Stanton Gibson Corporate 309 Plus Park Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37217 (800) 444-2766 www.gibson.com

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

Stanton’s DJC.4 Virtual DJ Digital Workstation features touch-sensitive jog wheels, steel chassis, long-lasting faders, and two stereo line/phono inputs for connecting CD players or turntables. The DJC.4 offers control over four software decks at once and features an FX section with a Fader-FX control mode and direct access to three FX per deck. The DJC.4 comes bundled with a USB cord and a four-deck version of Virtual DJ LE, which lets users control video, as well as scratch and mix four decks of audio.

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A-Minimal House

Step Up to the Microphone

Future Loops www.futureloops.com

Line 6, Inc. 26580 Agoura Road Calabasas, CA 91302 (818) 575-3600 www.line6.com

Minimal House 01 from Future Loops includes 516 WAV and 490 REX minimal house loops designed for producers and DJs. For each beat, users have access to the standalone build loops, top loops, full loops and loop elements including kicks, hats, claps, snare, FX, clicks, percussion, rides and more. Available for download from the company’s website, Minimal House 01 is compatible with a variety of programs, including Logic, Acid, Kontakt, Nuendo, ProTools, Reason and Cubase.

The XD-V55 digital wireless handheld, lavalier and headset microphone systems from Line 6 offer compander-free performance with 24-bit sound and 10Hz - 20kHz frequency response. Housed in a metal chassis, all models in the line feature 12 channels, a 300-foot range, and a 1/2U desktop receiver with externally mounted antennas. The mics offer a wide dynamic range and operate in the 2.4GHz band, which the company says is free from interference due to TV broadcast, public safety announcements, cell phone towers and other transmitting devices.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Kandy Man

Visual Learner

MBT Lighting and Sound 2456 Remount Road, Suite 305 North Charleston, SC 29406 (800) 845-1922 www.mbtlighting.com

DVJ Media, Inc. 55 Washington St. Brooklyn, NY 11201 (877) 385-8474 www.dvjvision.com

MBT Lighting has introduced two new LED Kandy Bar lights, the LEDKANDYBAR RGB and the LEDKANDYBAR UV. The LEDKANDYBAR RGB features of 216 red, blue and green LED lights that are arranged in 24 blocks. The LEDKANDYBAR UV creates a black light effect with its 192 ultraviolet LED lights. Both models can use audio or auto modes for their built-in chase patterns, as well as master/slave linking and DMX control capability.

DVJ Vision is offering its full catalog of club-friendly visuals for digital download on its website, dvjvision.com/ downloads. All clips are available in NTSC and PAL. The files are available in MP4 format in 640x360 and 640x480 pixels and, according to the company, the clips are optimized for software such as Serato Video and Virtual DJ (with keyframes every 20 frames), and Quicktime HD files (1280x720 pixels). The company added that this marks the first time its content is available in HD.

Get Your Pix on Route 66

feature automated, pre-built programs that are accessible with or without DMX control. In addition, they are compatible with all major pixel-mapping programs, including ShowXpress, which lets users manage light shows with a computer or smartphone. The PixPar 24 comes equipped with 24 three-watt tri-colored LEDs, while the PixPar 12 has 12 LEDs.

Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com The PiXPar 24 and PiXPar 12 PAR canstyle wash lights are part of Chauvet’s PiXPar Series. Both fixtures project a saturated wash and include dimming curves for smooth LED fading. They both

Loop de Loop

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

Ableton Inc. 43 W 24th St., 12th floor New York, NY 10010 (646) 205-9568 www.ableton.com

34

Ableton partnered with The Loop Loft to create Hip Hop Drums, a collection of 322 live clips, 144 MIDI clips and 18 drum racks. Hip Hop Drums includes a series of six breaks, with up to 50 variations of each main beat, plus bonus loops featuring solo percussion. Each percussion instrument from each break is individually sampled and assembled into ready-made Drum Racks. There is also an Effects Rack that includes sub bass, tape delays, punchy New York-style parallel compression, granular time-stretch and more.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

A Skanner XT Darkly

Greased Lighting

Donald Dubstep

Native Instruments North America 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com

American Lighting 7660 E Jewell Ave Denver, CO 80231 (303) 695-3019 www.americanlighting.com

Prime Loops Unit 2a, Tavern Quay Business Centre SE16 7TX United Kingdom +44 (0) 207 237 7666 www.primeloops.com

The SKANNER XT from Native Instruments utilizes a unique synthesizer architecture to create a wide variety of electronic music sounds. It features a morph control option that lets users switch between eight different snapshots, as well as two oscillators that scan samples at low and high frequencies. In addition, SKANNER XT offers two interface views—a simplified page with a preset morpher and four macro controls, and a more advanced page with detailed parameters. SKANNER XT runs in the free REAKTOR 5 PLAYER or the full REAKTOR 5 version.

American Lighting introduced three new lighting products. The Light Bar Plus features manual brightness control, RGB plus Amber, three-pin plus five-pin DMX In and Out, and Power In plus Power Out for easy daisy-chaining. The LED High Power Wash is a compact fixture that comes equipped with 24 RGB LEDs at 10 degree beam angles and features both strobe and dimming effects. The LED Mini UV Washer includes internal chase programs, DMX compatibility, strobe function and dimming.

Prime Loops’ “Official Dubstep Drum Loops” is a sample pack with 90 dubstep drum loops and more than 70 one-shot samples. The loops are recorded at various speeds ranging from 140 to 145 BPM and come with and without kick.

The 550MB pack is royalty free and includes such formats as WAV, FL Studio, Rex2, Reason Refill, Apple Loops and Ableton Live Pack. It’s pre-formatted for all major music hardware and software in 24-bit quality.

Heroes in a Soft Shell

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

Arriba Products 6122 S. Eastern Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90040 (626) 217-6710 www.arribacase.com

36

Arriba Cases released two new soft-shell gear bags that, according to the company, can accommodate more than 75 different American DJ mobile lighting fixtures between them, as well as lighting products from other manufacturers. The AC-115 and AC-125 are padded with high-density foam that conforms to the fixture inside. The bags are made of high-denier nylon and feature carry straps, “extra wide” zipper openings and zipper pockets for cables and other accessories.

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GROOVES TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

Christian Sol

Aki Bergen Disclosure

Eric Prydz

Mirko Loko

“DEEP BLU” u Mutiny u Social Problem A driving, techy and dark floor-pumper here. The original boasts a devastating key riff, earth-shattering effects and a groovy rhythmic flow. Matt Playford lends some edge with a clever, bellowing bassline, thunderous horns and some playful percussive elements that give it a wicked vibe.

– Shawn Christopher ERIC PRYDZ PRESENTS PRYDA

u Eric Prydz u Pryda/Astralwerks This 3-CD set includes rare/unreleased tracks and a DJ mix drawing from the Pryda catalog.

The rarities range in vibe from chill-house to proggy stormers—all immaculately produced with lush disco strings, soaring synths, and a sheen that only he can muster. Melody is clearly the top priority, and it serves us well. Prydz makes beautiful music ripe for both underground and commercial consumption.

– Robert LaFrance “LAW OF ATTRACTION” EP

u Climbers u Culprit

From the banging “Losing You,” with its classic vocal samples and deep bassline, to the funky

DJ TIMES

JULY 2012

Download

Corner

38

Jody Wisternoff

and dark “OWS,” this EP’s a winner. Also, “Go With the Flow, a funky, but slightly proggy house tune, just rocks.

– Phil Turnipseed “STAY WITH ME” u Amit feat. Rani u Exit An atmospheric and sensual journey, this wicked track offers delicate beats, smooth FX and bewildering samples. Featuring Rani’s soulful vocals, Amit’s latest d-n-b entry is another beauty.

– Jen Shapiro “NICE BABY”

u Platinum Monkey u Dextrous Trax This deep, tech-house groove guarantees a vibrant dancefloor, with the bouncy bassline and alternating vocals—“Nice, baby! Lights, baby!”— that’ll maintain the euphoria.

“HOW YOU MAKE ME SMILE”

u Jody Wisternoff u Anjunadeep This anthem featuring Pete Josef blends a concoction of dub house and deep house into the perfect summer cocktail. From funky sub-basslines to tasty tambourines, teasing guitar riffs to gentle bells, smooth orchestral strings to picture-perfect vocal harmonies, this track has it all.

– Chris Davis “TIME CARRIER” u Dabs & Safire u Dispatch Dual project “Time Carrier” hits on the harder side of d-n-b with fast, rolling beats, ripping drum madness, and filthy, percussive grooves.

Meanwhile on the flip, Dabs rolls out “Subsidiary,” incorporating heavy kicks and twisted basslines. Big tunes!

– Jen Shapiro

– Chris Davis “GEMINI ENJOY MY LIFE” EP

“I FOUND YOU”

u Franco De Mulero & Hector Romero u Favouritizm Romero teams up with De Mulero on this beautiful, Latin-inspired house piece with delicate pads, classy, melodic pianos, a fluid, grooving bassline and a gentle, chic vibe.

– Shawn Christopher

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).

“Skptc9” (Original Mix) by Christian Sol [Troll]: The first track from an outstanding EP, “Skptc9” is cozy, comfortable house music. Layer after layer of minor-key chord stabs work together to create a hypnotic vibe. Add some ethereal pads and a subtle bassline and this is a journey worth taking. Found at beatport.com.

“Melancholy” (Original Mix) by Aki Bergen [Apt. International]: The title is deceiving.

A distorted bass-and-kick groove gradually transforms into an almost uplifting workout with a repeating reminiscent vocal, dubbed-out synth blasts and clever drum programming—intoxicating. Found at beatport.com.

“Work That Shit Party” by Still Going [Still Going]: Fans of classic house take notice.

What starts as a simple low-slung groove with some acidy synths works itself into a frenzy with sounds swelling, spinning, and bouncing around the stereo spectrum. Toss in some familiar house vocal samples and you’ve got a peak-time stormer. Found at beatport.com.

– Robert LaFrance

u Maria & The Mirrors u Exotic Pylon The title track is a cacophony of sub-bass and panic sirens, while “Mudchute,” brick wall-limited to the point of no return, is an exorcism of sound. Don’t skip over the rattling Vindicatrix remix either.

– Chris Davis “FEATURING” u Mirko Loko u Visionquest “Harder” is a tour through the night as a sexual deviant, the sleazy lyrics layered atop swelling basslines intent on dazing an impassioned dancefloor. “Timeline” employs a bouncing, techy groove complemented by evolving classical piano riffs.

– Chris Davis “THE FACE” EP u Disclosure u Greco-Roman “Boiling” features Sinead Harnett’s longing vocals layered atop a provoking bassline, while the suggestive “What’s In Your Head” cheekily questions what’s on your mind. Lividup paints a nice disco picture along with comical, slowed-down vocals, and the uptempo “Control” lays down a funky syncopated groove.

– Chris Davis

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While every care is taken to ensure that these listings are accurate and complete, DJ Times does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

REGISTER TODAY WWW.THEDJEXPO.COM

IN ITS 22ND YEAR

Compiled As Of June 7, 2012

National Crossover Pool Chart 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

Kelly Clarkson Dev And Enrique Iglesias Madonna Blush Katy Perry David Guetta F/ Sia Erika Jayne Jessie J Rihanna Afro Jack And Shermanology Beyonce Hayla Body Lingo Deborah Cox Gloria Estefan Madonna Nash Kristina Korban Nicki Minaj Chris Brown Lucas Prata F/ Lenny B Taio Cruz F/ Flo Rida David Guetta F/ Nicki Minaj Madonna Eric Turner F/Lupe Fiasco &Tinie Tempah Linda Clifford Swedish House Mafia Vs Knife Party Wynter Gordon Swedish House Mafia Melanie Amaro Florence And The Machine Raquela Daniela Lauren Hildebrandt F/ Basstoy Parralox Gotye F Kimbra Stacey Jackson Madison Park NiRe AllDai Mika Newton J. Dash

National Urban Pool Chart

Stronger RCA Naked Universal Republic Girl Gone Wild Interscope Dance On Farwest Part Of Me Capitol Titanium Capitol Party People Pretty Mess Domino Universal Republic You Da One Island/Def Jam Cant Stop Me Robbins Love On Top Columbia I’m Free Halya-Dauman Yum Yum Gatorbait If It Wasn’t For Love Verve Hotel Nacional (remix) Verve Dirty Little Secret Mad Charm This Is Your Night Dauman Starships Universal Republic Turn Up The Music Jive First Night Of My Life Popnotch Hangover Universal Turn Me On Capitol Give Me All Your Luvin’ Interscope Angels & Stars Capitol How Long Nu & Improved Antidote Capitol Buy My Love Big Beat Greyhound Capitol R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Big Beat Shake It Out Universal Republic Tell To My Heart ISV Love Me Enough To Lie Robbins Devil Blue Plate Creep Sub Terrane Somebody That I Used ... Universal Republic Is This Love 3B1G Sunrise BasicLux Inside Out Capitol Don’t Dumb Me Down Friendship Transformer Stereofame

1 Beyonce 2 Charlie Wilson 3 Drake 4 Lil Wayne 5 R Kelly 6 Nicki Minaj 7 Johnny Gill 8 J Dash 9 Wale F/Jeremih & Rick Ross 10 Dj Drama F/Fabolous 11 David Guetta F/ Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj 12 Kelly Rowland F/ Big Sean 13 Rihanna 14 DJ Nick Cannon F/Akon 15 Tyrese 16 Ace Hood & Chris Brown 17 Timberland F/Pitbull 18 Big Sean & Kanye & Rosco Dash 19 Lil Wayne F/ Drake 20 Jennifer Hudson 21 Speakers 22 Beyonce F/Andre 3000 23 Marsha Ambrosius 24 Red Cafe F/ Rick Ross 25 Pitbull 26 Kanye West & Jay Z 27 Bad Meets Evil F/ Bruno Mars 28 Mary J Blige 29 Monica F/ Rick Ross 30 Nicki Minaj F/ Rihanna 31 Dj Khaled F/Drake & Rick Ross 32 Ace Hood 33 Rihanna 34 Rihanna 35 Diggy 36 T-Pain F/ Joey Galaxy 37 Ace Hood 38 Beyonce 39 Jill Scott F/ Paul Wall 40 T-Pain F/Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Katy Perry Dj Pauly D F/ Dash Akcent Kylie J. Dash Havana Jamiroquai Kwanza Jones Bohannon Bimbo Jones

Best Thing I Never Had Columbia Life Of The Party Epic Headlines Cash Money How To Love Universal Radio Message Jive Super Bass Universal In The Mood Notify Wop Stereofame That Way Geffen Oh My (2011) E1 Where Them Girls At Astralwerks Lay It On Me Universal Man Down Def Jam Famous NCredible Stay EMI Body 2 Body Def Jam Pass At Me Interscope Marvin & Chardonnay Def Jam She Will Universal Republic No One Gonna Love You Jive Bass Capitol Party Columbia Late Nights Jive Fly Together Interscope Intl. Love F/Chris Brown Jive Otis Island/Def Jam Lighters Interscope 25/8 Interscope Anything To Find U J Records Fly Universal I’m The One Def Jam Go & Get It Island/Def Jam California King Bed Island/Def Jam Cheers Def Jam Copy Paste Atlantic Booty Wurk Jive Go & Get It Island/Def Jam Love On Top Columbia So Gone Reprise 5 O’Clock Jive

Most Added Tracks

Wide Awake Capitol Night Of My Life G Note My Passion Robbins Timebomb Astralwerks WOP ( Remixes ) Stereofame Dance Like That Made2Dance White Knuckle Ride EMG Time To Go (Remixes) Innovation Let’s Start The Dance (Electronic Soul Mixes) HNA See You Later Robbins

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

A$ap Rocky Crooked I F/ B.O.B. Sterling Simms F/ Meek Mill Brian Grind Flo-Rida F/ Sia Nicki Minaj F/ Chris Brown Dj Khaled F/C. Brown Wale F/ Rick Ross & Future Anthony Hamilton

Goldie Every City Tell Her Again To The Flow Wild Ones Right By My Side Take It To The Head Bag Of Money Same Damn Time Pray For Me

RCA Treacherous RCA Napo Ent. Atlantic Universal Universal Warner Brothers Epic RCA

Reporting Pools ✦ Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller ✦ 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 ✦ 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

PvD

(continued from page 17) in India, Germany and other countries—in order to give back to society. Why is that important to you?

PvD: I’m known to doing charity things and I’ve given more than enough money to lots of different causes. If this money does something good for people… one of my big role models in this world is Bono in that regard.

DJ Times: Back to the States, How do you size up the live scene in America right now?

PvD: I’ve been part of what’s going on in the U.S. since 1993. I was a resident of the Disco 2000 [parties]. I had my Twilo shows, shows in Central Park [in New York] and so on. I’ve seen it existing for a very long time.

I remember [my wife] Natascha and me going to L.A. in 1994 and playing in front of 2,000 people already.

What’s new these days is so much pop culture. It’s lots of people joining pop culture rather than the electronic culture. There’s also a risk of, what’s gonna happen? In a way, I think Simon Cowell doing the TV show thing is the worst it’s gonna get. I truly believe for people who stick with music and stick with the real thing, there will always be people who enjoy the genuine thing. The pop people will move on to the next thing. n

Sounding Off

(continued from page 26) The design of the controls helps; they are chunky, and labeled with plain English words or abbreviations that reflect the function of each control. As I said earlier, it’s just a bit of time invested in the effort, and using it was quite natural.

One of the more interesting fea-

tures of Emulator is “the wall.” At any time, the DJ can call up the wall, and draw, in color, using a fingertip—then invert the screen toward the audience below. Use your imagination; you can say things to the crowd, or using the picture support in the software, you can load your logo, your club logo, photos, and more. When you’re ready, just touch the button and return to the Traktor display, and your ability to control it as desired.

So, how well did it work? Extremely well. In the hours I spent with Emulator, I didn’t experience any hiccups. Using my iPad already made me a touchscreen junkie; controlling Traktor on this massive piece of multi-touch glass made me alternately feel like I was on an episode of Star Trek—or that I wish I had a massive touch screen in front of me for all my computer tasks.

Admittedly, DJing became quite a bit more of a physical experience than I’m used to, but with the 42inch unit, it’s not like anything was any kind of (literal) physical stretch.

Nonetheless, I was far more animated than normal during my mixing.

The only potential downside is the projector approach. As with any bright video projector, it’s hot.

Literally. For most usage situations, perhaps that’s not a problem. But one that might be is image stability; thumpy bass did cause some noticeable image shake that while not affecting functionality, might be a little fatiguing on the eyes over the course of an evening-long set. The company says it’s working on other hardware solution approaches to minimize this. (It has introduced a product called The Monster that utilizes two 46-inch LED TV moni-

tors back to back on hydraulic lifts.

This huge unit is mainly for club installs or touring artists. Flo Rida currently has this on his world tour with DJ Kronik at the helm.)

Of course, the software could also be set up on your own hardware with a conventional multi-touch touchscreen monitor (e.g., a Tablet PC), and while negating the crowd engagement features, still makes for an interesting method of software control.

(I did not test this approach for this review, however.)

Conclusions: SmithsonMartin deserves bonus points for coming up with a unique and truly innovative approach to DJ software control. Simply put, I’ve never seen or used anything like it, and the experience of doing so was fun, exhilarating, functional, and—did I mention—fun? The Emulator software alone runs $299— less than many standalone hardware controllers—and the company has an introductory offer on Emulator Modular right now for $99. The company doesn’t disclose pricing on its website due to fluctuations in global markets; but online reports suggest it’s in the neighborhood of $1,800 for the KS-1974, which is affordable for studio use and live performance.

The Dual View System (DVS) reportedly runs $4,000 to $5,000, and The Monster goes for $19,000, so that’s not something that the average DJ is going to choose.

But for a club looking to provide some unique differentiators in the market, or for mobile DJ services wanting to provide something a bit different, the SmithsonMartin Emulator might be just the ticket. And the DJs who might get to use it will be chomping at the bit to have the chance.

Making Tracks

(continued from page 24) set the key of the song and pushed play, I was highly impressed. The result was very natural-sounding, realtime, no muss, no fuss. Dialed to 0 ms, it goes into the ever-popular robotic-pitch territory; being able to automate that in my DAW brings-up some interesting possibilities (robot in an intro, but more natural in the rest, for example), but I digress.

In any case, I was also able to remove the other processors I had on the track as well, since Nectar brings those to the table, too, including EQ and compression, as mentioned earlier. Also noteworthy are Nectar’s “de-essing” tool for controlling sibilance. While I didn’t have a truly egregious sibilance specimen to test, it performed admirably against the track I tested, as did the product’s breath control functionality.

Perhaps the only negative comment I can find is that some of the presets can be a bit heavy-handed, most likely a result of the fact that one size does not necessarily fit all.

Trust your ear, and take the time to get to know the adjustments.

Conclusions: For me, Nectar has definitely fulfilled its promise of breathing some real life into my vocal tracks, adding color, texture and punch, while rectifying a range of flaws common to recorded vocal tracks, and doing so in a way that’s nearly completely automatic. While designed to be usable by musicians and others whose interests are more creative than technical, it still provides the granular control that professionals will demand, while providing “tweakability” in a way that the rest of us can truly wrap our brains around.

Noisia: Say, “Cheese!”

DJ TIMES 42

It just hurts us so much to smile.

Noisia, Next Month in DJ Times

Photos by Rutger Prins

It’s not that we’re ugly…

JULY 2012

We don’t like to take pictures.

KEITH SHOCKLEE As a founding member of Public Enemy Keith Shocklee has been defining and defying musical genres for over 30 years.

“The future is the past! We’re taking new music to the streets in New York… it’s how we did it before Public Enemy and it’s happening again today - very organic and powerful.”

Keith and his mobile DJ’s, Power5, trust their PRX600 speakers to deliver devastating grooves night after night.

“PRX’s bang hard! We record on JBL LSR4300 monitors and when we perform live our PRX’s sound identical, just ten times louder.

And, at 3:00 am after the smoke clears, their lightweight is heaven.

JBL is the bomb!”

Photos by: James DeMaria

Learn more at jblpro.com/prx600 Check out Keith at keithshocklee.com

POWERFUL. RUGGED. VERSATILE.

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