DJ Times November 2013, Vol 26 No 11

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

NOVEMBER 2013

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DJ Expo: Snapshots & Takeaways

THE DIRTYBIRD WAY

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Plus: Rudimental Jeannie Hopper Ableton Live 9 Mackie DLM Speakers V-MODA Crossfade M-100s

America’s Best DJ 2013: KASKADE

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INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

NEWS

TWICE AS NICE: KASKADE VOTED AMERICA’S BEST DJ Exhibition Center and Los Angeles’ Shrine Expo Hall.

“Words can’t do justice to how completely grateful I am to receive this honor for a second time,” said Kaskade. “I am constantly in awe of the love, encouragement and energy I receive from my fanbase, which has continued to inspire and motivate me throughout my career. I feel connected to them in such a real way and

1. Kaskade 2. Diplo 3. Skrillex 4. Bassnectar 5. Porter Robinson

6. Steve Aoki 7. A-Trak 8. Wolfgang Gartner 9. Z-Trip 10. Vice Atmosphere: Kaskade at Vegas’ Marquee.

their support is something that keeps rocking my world. I couldn’t do this without them.”

Title sponsor Pioneer DJ offered praise to the victor. “Once again, Pioneer is proud to honor Kaskade— America’s Best DJ for 2013,” said David “Davey Dave” Arevalo, Director Marketing/Artist Relations Pioneer Electronics (USA), Inc. “And, obviously, this is a special one because he’s our first two-time winner. As always, Kaskade represents the best that the U.S. DJ culture has to offer and we congratulate him for his welldeserved victory.”

DJ Times Editor Jim Tremayne also chimed in. “What can we say? Ryan has really become an icon for the entire Stateside DJ scene and beyond,” he said. “His popularity has grown organically over the past several years and that’s become evident with the larger venues he’s playing now and the unending enthusiasm of his fanbase, which we saw all summer long with the ABDJ tour. Congrats, Ryan—you deserve it.”

Additionally, DJ Times announced that Evie Schmeer of Cupertino, Cal., as the Grand Prize Winner of the ABDJ fan voting contest. Schmeer and one friend will receive flight to and from Las Vegas, two nights’ accommodations at Cosmopolitan, plus VIP treatment at the America’s Best DJ Closing Party/Award Ceremony on October 13.

Pioneer-sponsored ABDJ tour hit 20 events.

/beamzdj

@beamzdj

DouglasWojciechowski

Port Washington, NY – The votes of the fans have all been counted and it’s official: DJ Times magazine and Pioneer DJ are proud to announce that Kaskade has been voted America’s Best DJ for 2013.

This is the second time Kaskade has taken home the award—he also won in 2011—and it marks the first time any DJ has won the 8th annual award twice.

While most of the fan votes were cast online at the America’s Best DJ website, the America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times supported the contest by allowing fans to vote in-person at 20-plus club and festival events, which included Las Vegas’ Electric Daisy Carnival, Detroit’s Movement festival and Denver’s Global Dance Festival.

The talented Los Angeles-based DJ/producer/songwriter – who is celebrating the recent release of his new Ultra Records artist album Atmosphere – will be honored October 13 in Las Vegas at the America’s Best DJ Award Ceremony/Closing Party.

For his unprecedented achievement, Kaskade (aka Ryan Raddon) will be presented with a special trophy— personalized, gold-plated Pioneer DJM-900nexus mixer at Marquee Nightclub—plus a commemorative plaque from DJ Times. The Vegas event will include performances from America’s Best DJ nominee Seven Lions and special guests.

Kaskade received the news as he was rehearsing for his upcoming Atmosphere Tour, which will see him playing venues like Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Chicago’s Navy Pier

2013 AMERICA’S BEST DJ TOP 10

Check it out!

Kaskade Tour: Playing big venues this fall.

© 2013 Beamz Interactive, Inc. The Beamz logo is a registered trademark of Beamz Interactive, Inc. Light Up Your Creative Genius is a trademark of Beamz Interactive, Inc. All other marks are property of their respective owners.

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VOLUME 26 NUMBER 11

12 The Dirtybird Way

With “Urban Animal,” Claude VonStroke Keeps the Quirky Fun Rolling

BY TOM BANHAM

20 Are You Expo-Erienced?

DJ Expo Abounded in New Ideas & Practices. Even the Old-Timers Returned Home With Valuable Takeaways

BY JEFF STILES

22 Highlights from DJ Expo

From Aug. 12-15, DJ Expo Rocked Atlantic City.

Here’s What It Looked Like…

BY DJ TIMES PHOTOGRAPHERS

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

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

26 Making Tracks Ableton Live 9

28 Sounding Off

Mackie DLM Series & V-MODA Crossfade M-100

30 Mobile Profile

“DJ of the Year” Jazmine of H.Y.P.E. Productions

32 Business Line Bird’s Eye View of DJ Expo

34 Gear

New Products from KRK, Pioneer & More

Phat Tracks from Hot Since 82, Hauswerks & More

40 DJ Times Marketplace

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

41 Club Play Chart

4

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

SAMPLINGS 8 Jeannie Hopper Rocks the Boat

10 In the Studio With…

Rudimental

Cover Image By Dan Wilton Credits Image By Tim Jones

38 Grooves

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FROM THE EDITOR

A New King Crowned & Our 25th Anniversary First up, we must congratulate Kaskade, who recently was voted America’s Best DJ for a second time—an unprecedented accomplishment. From my perspective, I can’t say I was too surprised.

Why? In attending 20-plus club and festival events (as part of America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times), we saw an amazing outpouring of support for Kaskade all season long. At almost every big event where we maintained an ABDJ voting booth, Kaskade racked up a crazy amount votes and, by summer’s end, he became the two-time champ. Congrats Ryan, you’ve earned it and we’ll see you in Vegas Oct. 13, when you’ll be presented with your second golden Pioneer mixer, plus a special plaque from DJ Times.

Onto this issue, with coverboy Claude VonStroke. Ever since attending Detroit’s Movement festival this past Memorial Day and on through the summer to Denver’s Global Dance Fest, NYC’s abbreviated Electric Zoo and, most recently, Atlanta’s Tomorrow World, we’ve seen plenty of instances where Claude VonStroke and his dirtybird crew carried the day. And, by now, dirtybird seems to be more than a brand—it feels like a movement, a way of life among its hardcore fans.

Like many, I was equally confounded and tickled the first time I heard CVS’ 2006 breakout track “Deep Throat,” and if you give a listen to his latest full-length, Urban Animal, you’ll find that he’s still cranking out great house tracks with that deliciously quirky quality. Our U.K. correspondent Tom Banham caught up with CVS to discuss his process and his history.

In this month’s Sampling section, our L.A. scribe Lily Moayeri conducts studio talk with hitmaking U.K. sensations Rudimental. Meanwhile back East, new contributor Tania Fuentez connects with longtime house practitioner Jeannie Hopper, whose Liquid Sound Lounge radio show is celebrating 20 years on New York’s legendary WBAI. In our review sections, Josh Harris tests Ableton Live 9 software for Making Tracks. (Also, expect to see our look at Ableton’s Push controller in next month’s issue.) In Sounding Off, Chris Davis checks out V-MODA’s Crossfade M-100 headphones, while Wesley Bryant-King powers up a PA system from Mackie’s DLM Series.

In the mobile world, Jeff Stiles looks back at DJ Expo, held this past August in Atlantic City, N.J., and gets a handful of takeaways from longtime show attendees. Meanwhile, our Business Line column offers 30 different takeaways from the show. In keeping with the Expo theme, this month’s Mobile Profile subject, Jazmine Gonzalez of Chicago’s H.Y.P.E. Productions, won her second “DJ of the Year” title at the most recent DJ Expo. The annual Expo competition recognizes excellence in the mobile-entertainer segment of the market.

And finally, this month kicks off a year-long celebration of DJ Times’ 25th Anniversary. Each month, we’ll take a look back through the years at the hot DJs, the game-changing products and the memorable events. Join the celebration.

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Cheers,

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

art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com

editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com

production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com

chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Lina Abascal Jody Amos Tom Banham Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Chris Caruso Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Chris Davis Tania Fuentez Justin Hampton Josh Harris Robert LaFrance Polly Lavin Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Jennifer Shapiro 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

DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications Blue Book America’s Best DJ The DJ Expo IT/AV Report Convention TV News VTTV Studios

brand design & web development manager Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com digital media manager Chris Davis cdavis@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 © 2013 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 November 2013

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

FEEDBACK Big Numbers in AC

AmericA’s First mAg OCTOBER 2013

alone. I gained a few tips and learned a few things that I implemented into my first post-Expo wedding—and I feel like a better MC already.

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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.

This year’s Expo was terrific. The mix‑ ture of music was phenomenal—as far as Latin, hip hop, dance genres—and the exhibition was filled with loads of new equipment. I am very impressed with the balance of different items for

the music professionals, and can’t wait till next year.

– Al Pizarro, International Hip Hop Parade, Bronx, N.Y.

Odyssey would like to thank the staff at DJ Times for their hard work and dedication in helping to pull off yet another great DJ Expo.

Over the many years, Odyssey and its partnered retailers have had noth‑ ing but success during and after the Expo—not only from the sales gener‑

ated during and after the Expo, but we also benefitted in gaining of valu‑ able knowledge from the thousands of working DJs out there, who graciously give us their input on what they’d like to see in the future for new products and also on how to improve on our ex‑ isting product line. We can only make great product based on the needs of the working DJ. Again, many thanks for great Expo. See you next year.

– Dave Lopez, Odyssey Innovative Designs, San Gabriel, Calif.

GETLOW

The following are full testimonials from exhibitors, presenters and at‑ tendees of DJ Expo, which DJ Times and Testa Communications co-pro‑ duced this past Aug. 12-15 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.

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DJ TIMES: Thanks. It’s great that you provide a show like this for us gear guys to check out. The technology that is of‑ fered and all the wise people that you have assembled to discuss the new gear and show DJs how to maximize profits with their businesses are in‑ valuable components. Great show.

– Craig Bernabeu, SBS Designs, East Brunswick, N.J.

Thanks for another exceptional DJ Expo.

The show has evolved into the most essential gathering of EDM industry insiders in the Northeast. There is no other place where as many label execu‑ tives, artists, producers, remixers, DJs and those involved in peripheral en‑ deavors get together. Also, the Expo’s showfloor area always has some new and interesting equipment—and this year was no exception. It was super!

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The educational value at this year›s DJ Expo was awesome. There were a number of performance-based semi‑ nars like the “Games” seminar and the “Mock Mitzvah” and, of course, Steve Moody›s “All-Star MCs” seminar that were just chock full of nuggets.

Any mobile DJ—from a beginner to an old veteran like myself—had plenty to learn and experience just from those

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SAMPLINGS If you know anything about NYC’s underground dance culture, the name Jeannie Hopper travels in very good circles as an ambassador of the scene and ardent supporter on the airwaves.

She wears many hats—DJ, radio host, producer, label owner, music programmer and station manager for Art International Radio, the first online radio station dedicated to the

arts. Her show, Liquid Sound Lounge, celebrates a 20-year milestone in 2013 at the legendary WBAI-FM and she continues to push soulful grooves on all frequencies and venues. We recently connected with Ms. Hopper.

DJ Times: Congrats on your WBAI show’s 20th anniversary.

Jeannie Hopper: The honor to be a part of this rich community

continues to amaze me, and I’ve always called myself an ambassador in the scene in my radio personality and journalist role. In terms of listeners, WBAI historically has played a crucial role impacting the community locally and nationally, thus it feels especially humbling to be a part of this history.

DJ Times: Did you ever imagine that your show would have such

longevity, global reach and impact on listeners?

Hopper: It’s my record label and productions, collaborations and DJing that have been the catalyst in having a global reach and come full circle in impacting the radio show. But, longevity does feel good! Record releases—like “Déjà Vu” by Jon Cutler and DJ Romain and “Guiding Light” by Louie Balo

JEANNIE HOPPER’S LIQUID SOUND LOUNGE

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2013

Milestone: Hopper’s show celebrates 20 years.

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Guzman—have continued to be a true ticket to globally impacting so many and in such a grassroots way in my case, which is very different than the international impact of a dance record that has a major-label engine behind it.

DJ Times: So, which gear works best for you?

Hopper: I’m very tactile and have moved into mainly DJing via CDJs and Pioneer gear, which has remained the most natural for me from the creation of the CDJ-1000 to the new USB-capable CDJs. I love vinyl; however, my drive is to support new artists, which means managing promos, which are all sent digitally these days. I do miss record shops, though, as they were also a community hub, especially pre-Internet. I’d dig the idea of vinyl interface discs with Trak-

tor, which I do have, but I just don’t like staring at a computer when I have a live audience in front of me.

DJ Times: And for radio?

Hopper: I’ve warmed up a bit, as I’m surrounded with computer screens and it’s just a very different thing DJing on the radio versus a club. I approach the radio like a puzzle and the pieces are about how I can fit together all the amazing music into a show to squeeze in as many records as possible to support as many artists as possible in being played on the radio as a tastemaker, so to speak. At a club, having done radio for so long, I have a unique sense of time, thus I’d rather have less music than more with me and it’s usually based on my favorites of the moment.

However, I do have my seven-hour gigs as well and do have fun being able

to carry more with me, but yes, on CDs. I’m working in Ableton with regard to my band [The Super Dupers], however, more so for pre-producing some fun tools than manipulating on CDs, more editing and loops.

DJ Times: In 1999, you launched the LSL boat parties – “the original soulful house party on a boat.” Obviously, you were ahead of the pack with that. What was the inspiration?

Hopper:The changing club culture due to the impact of NYC’s “qualityof-life” campaign in the ’90s, which, thanks to our politicians, focused on the negative sides of clubs, and influenced the entire club scene. The city’s Nightlife Task Force [was excessive]. The impact all this had on clubs created bottle service, which to me is the corporatizing of the scene for us folks who were trying to have a

grassroots party that focused on the music, dancing and the experience as a community, rather than bar guarantees and posing, which seems the only affordable model to be able to exist in Lower Manhattan where the scene historically developed.

DJ Times: So you sought an alternative?

Hopper: I partnered with Marco Polo Cruises in creating an event that would be welcoming to the vibe I was trying to create. I try to have every detail focused on the joy of the patron to walk away with an unforgettable experience. I was the first to head to a boat for the vibe I was trying to create for soulful house music heads. It’s been incredible—unique journeys with each cruise.

– Tania Fuentez

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IN THE STUDIO WITH

RUDIMENTAL: HOME & AWAY tempo within a song, a particular treat for DJs who are trying to mix one of their tracks into their set.

On the group’s debut album, Home (Asylum), you’ll find drum-n-bass (“Powerless,” “Waiting All Night” and the chart-topping “Feel The Love”), house (“Baby,” “Spoons”), and hip hop (“Hell Could Freeze”).

You’ll also find elements of grime, garage and funk. But most of all, you’ll

find soul, which is what makes the whole thing work—even if genre purists might beg to differ.

“Pirate radio is a big influence on us,” says Amor, sitting in the dark bowels of Hollywood’s Avalon club.

“We come from a soul background and that’s really what dictates the way. A drum-n-bass head wouldn’t call us drum-n-bass and a house head wouldn’t call us house, but they can

appreciate us.”

Writing songs starts on instruments at their Major Toms Studio in the Hackney neighborhood of East London. They kick off with a chord progression and a vocal, which they write and sing a guide for—prior to finding a final vocalist. From here an arrangement is built with some rough ideas for tempo and rhythm, a beat is programmed. When it feels

Danny North

In electronic-dance music, it’s rare when an artist easily and effectively spans genres, but that’s exactly what Rudimental has done The British foursome—Amir Amor (producer, keys, guitars), Kesi Dryden (keys, percussion), Piers Aggett (keys, DJ) and Leon Rolle (DJ)—pick a different style and tempo for every song they create. And sometimes, they pick more than one

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Rudimental: (from left) Amor, Aggett, Dryden & Rolle.

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like they have something, they’ll deconstruct everything in the Apple Macintosh-Logic-Pro Tools combination.

“That’s when you start hitting difficulties,” chuckles Amor. “One of the key things in becoming a good producer is learning to under-produce.

You have to communicate the most music with minimal sounds. The more you put down, the more you’re taking away from the emotion and meaning of the song. We like to keep it organic and simple.”

In keeping with that theme, strings are a notable feature on Home. These are created and arranged on keyboards, then taken to David Gray’s The Church Studios where arranger Sally Herbert translates for an eightpiece string section to perform. “We

reversed it, distorted it, chopped it up, made it sound not like strings at times,” says Amor, “because that can make it classical and we wanted to make it more interesting.”

Vocals are featured on every song on Home with performers including Emeli Sandé (“Free,” “More Than Anything”) and Alex Clare (“Not Giving In”). In recording with the album’s 10 vocalists, the signal path remains pretty consistent: an AKG C414 microphone into a Focusrite Sapphire Pro 40 interface, Prism Sound converter and, on occasion, an RME Fireface into the computer.

“When I first started at 16, that was the cheapest, best mic,” says Amor of the AKG unit. “It’s not exciting—it’s just clean. I’ve used every other mic.

The C414 is the best overall neutral sound you’re going to get from anything. You can record a violin with it or you can record vocals with it.”

When the group plays live, three vocalists represent the multiple voices featured on Home.They are joined by a horn section, a live drummer who also has electronic pads, Amor on guitar and keys, and the other members on a variety of synthesizers, which they use to play sounds rather than trigger samples. With Beanie, the drummer in place, the Rudimental performances are more dynamic and flexible. Even so, at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, Rudimental played four DJ sets in addition to its live set.

Using four Pioneer CDJ decks and Pioneer DJM-2000 mixer, Aggett and

Rolle (aka Locksmith)—the DJs of the group—employ USBs and SD cards while their trumpet player Mark Crown plays over the top. The sets, which require a minimum of 90 minutes, start at 120 BPM and end at 180 BPM, running the gamut from disco, house, garage to dub and dubstep, then jungle and drum-n-bass.

Plus, they’ll throw in some Marvin Gaye or Ray Charles mash-ups.

“You have to treat each set differently,” says Aggett. “We have quite a wide fan base—from 50-year-old ex-drum-n-bass ravers to 16-year-old kids. Whatever crowd we’re presenting to, it changes slightly.”

Perfectly in keeping with the band’s ethos.

– Lily Moayeri

By Tom Banham Ever ything about Claude VonStroke is fun.

Amongst so much faceless techno, so much house that sees itself as some serious, transcendental art form, the man born Barclay Crenshaw and his all-conquering dirtybird crew are a brightly coloured, noisy, always-smiling, party-starting whirlwind of fun.

Take the sleeve of his debut album, which starred a purple bird taking a police officer hostage. Or its 2009 follow-up, in which Crenshaw’s brain served as a chick’s nest. There’s the crazy vocal sounds of his breakthrough smash, the comically named “Deep Throat,” which sampled his own gurgling and ground it into a record that slayed dancefloors from

ideas for some tracks. I wanted to have a big project to come up before the tour and that was the driving force as well.

DJ Times: How does it differ from the previous two?

CVS: I think it’s a little more moody this time. Not as playful as before, but also the production’s a little better and it’s just slightly darker.

DJ Times: Do you write songs as songs, rather than sitting down with a drum loop?

CVS: A lot of these songs, I did the melody, and then I put in the other stuff. So “Can’t Wait,” I made this chord progression, and then I inserted it into a really deep beat. Then I just made it come up to it, and then break. Come up to it, and then break.

DJ Times: You went away and did Point Blank studying, didn’t you? A dubstep course, not a house course.

What did that bring back into your productions?

CVS: That’s a conscious decision, because I don’t think that house pro-

beats, beatboxing in my bathtub.

DJ Times: What was music like for you growing up?

CVS: My parents only played classical music, and the occasional Beatles or jazz record. And so when I heard hip hop, that’s what broke me away the fastest. That was coming in on the radio from Detroit. There was also techno on the radio, but I didn’t think that was any good.

DJ Times: Were you listening to things like the Electrifyin’ Mojo?

CVS: Yeah, that was the best show ever.

DJ Times: But you came away from it with a different take than Juan Atkins and the rest?

CVS: I just didn’t get it. I didn’t get that stuff. The songs that were on from Juan Atkins, like “Technicolor,” I was like, what is this? [laughs].

There was some cool stuff, like Egyptian Lover and some of the electro.

“Freak-A-Zoid,” that kind of breakdancing music was cool.

DJ Times: I guess even if you

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

With “Urban Animal,” Claude VonStroke Keeps the Quirky Fun Rolling

12

New York to Ibiza, and found its way into the boxes of everyone from Kerri Chandler to Erol Alkan to Richie Hawtin.

There’s also the earworm hook of “The Whistler.” Or the crazed, Bootsy Collins-featuring funk of “The Greasy Beat.” Or... or… hell, just pick anything. We can guarantee it’ll be fun.

But despite his sunny disposition as he chats to us ahead of the release of third long player, Urban Animal, it turns out the climb to the house music pinnacle hasn’t been quite so fun as you might imagine. He was a lonely hip-hop fan, first in suburban Detroit, then boarding school in Connecticut.

He was a frustrated filmmaker who got milled through the Hollywood machine. He was a failed drum-nbass producer, both in Detroit and San Francisco. There have been some tough steps on Crenshaw’s road to the top.

But as he spills his life to us—his philosophy for DJing, for production, and the importance of having a crew around you—we get the feeling that through every setback, Crenshaw had a smile on his face, that somewhere in every difficulty, he found the fun.

DJ Times: What inspired you to do another album?

Claude VonStroke: I just felt it was time. It had been a few years since the last one and I had some

ducers are innovative sound designers. I don’t think it’s changed in 30 years [laughs]. It’s not that it hasn’t changed, it’s just that—the sound is not the key element of house music, all the time. And I’ve always felt that drum-n-bass, and now dubstep… these people are real sound designers. They care about the frequencies and the way that the sounds work together more than the house people do. And I just felt like if I was going to take a course, I’d rather have it pushing the boundaries on sound. Because the house course… I already know how to do that [laughs].

DJ Times: It’s interesting, because so many people come to electronic music and feel that there has to be a self-taught, DIY ethic.

CVS: The other reason that I take courses and keep trying to learn about stuff is that that was the main thing that was not available when I was a kid, and I was super pissed off that I couldn’t learn how to scratch, or make hip-hop beats. There was no documentation, no internet, not a person to tell me how to do anything. I’ve always been looking for that mentorship.

DJ Times: Because you started making music at boarding school in Connecticut, right?

CVS: I started making music even before that. I had a 4-track recorder at my house and I made hip-hop

weren’t buying Metroplex LPs, it was filtering in.

CVS: Yeah, I heard it. But I was really buying rap cassettes. They didn’t have many, apart from at the gas stations. So I’d bike to a gas station in the ’hood and buy every single rap cassette they had [laughs]… the battle tapes, everything.

DJ Times: Was there much of a scene with your friends for rap, as a guy from the suburbs cycling into the gas stations?

CVS: I was completely on an island. Nobody was down with it at all.

I was a complete weirdo. That’s why there was the relief when I finally met the Martin brothers in San Francisco.

I was already kind of old when that happened, but it was a relief because I’d always been listening to stuff that nobody gave a shit about. Nobody wanted to listen to it.

DJ Times: When you went out to Connecticut, presumably that became even harder?

CVS: That was actually easier, because we had people from everywhere at that school—like, every possible area. And I found a lot of people into it. I had a rap radio show a lot of people listened to. It sounds like: “Oh, boarding school, everybody’s in a blue blazer and getting a bowl of soup,” you know? But it was way more open-minded than where I was before. I went to boarding school

Pearcey Proper

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

“Do you like funk in the beat?

Or do you just like to be straight?

That’s the difference between [dirtybird] and everybody else.”

14

because my parents’ were so strict I had to get out of there. Boarding school was less strict than my house [laughs].

DJ Times: Was that a bit of an opening up for you musically, or was it still purely into the rap stuff?

CVS: I was totally into rap. I made a rap album in high school and sold it to all the people in the high school door-to-door.

DJ Times: Would that be findable?

CVS: [Laughs]. Maybe, somebody has it. Somebody’s gotta have that tape. I have it, but I’m not going to play it for you [laughs]. But the thing is that that is electronic music. That’s what everyone forgets. All that is electronic music—drum machines and samplers and sequencing. It’s electronic music, 100-percent. You just add someone talking on top.

DJ Times: I read that you were almost expelled twice and then eventually you were expelled.

CVS: I wasn’t expelled [laughs]. Everyone thinks I was expelled, but I wasn’t. I just failed German, and got caught drinking on the same day [laughs].

So they basically sent me home before graduation, and everyone thinks I was expelled. But I took German that summer at Wayne State University and I got my papers. I graduated that fucking place [laughs]. They were a bunch of assholes there, I’ll give you that [laughs].

DJ Times: What took you from there to film?

CVS: I studied at college, the University of Rochester. It was a cool program. It was more a film studies program than production. But I also took a creative writing minor, a lot of English courses, a lot of creative classes, as many as I could.

That was where I’d say that I was successful in col-

lege academically. I got straight A’s and everything, but it stifled the music stuff. I got there, I was a white rapper, and at that time it was a novelty. I’d just find myself at parties with a bunch of kids being like: “Dude, rap for us.” [laughs] I immediately discarded it. So I got out of music for a minute.

DJ Times: So nothing musically at all through college?

CVS: Actually, I’d forgotten about this. I never talk about this. I went to summer school, and there was this guy, Howard Massey, who’s like—I don’t remember his credentials, but he’s some legendary electronic music guy—and he taught a class on electronic music. We played keyboards and messed about with sequencers and everything, studied LFOs and all that stuff you never would know.

DJ Times: So you did have that practical teaching at one point, in how many machines work and why they make the noises that they do?

CVS: Yeah. But I forgot that I did that [laughs].

Because I wasn’t really making any music at that point. I hadn’t really—I kind of said I’d study in college, and just get through college, and I didn’t think music would be what I’d end up doing.

DJ Times: And then you went straight from there to L.A. to try and “make it” in film?

CVS: Right. For anybody reading this now who’s about to go to L.A. and get a job as a PA… do it maybe one time. But the best way to go to L.A. is to write five screenplays and then go to L.A. Or make a movie in Omaha and then go to L.A. Go to L.A. with something. Because if you start at the bottom, it’ll not only take up all your time, you’ll also do none of the stuff you’re supposed to do.

DJ Times: Were you still making music at this

point? Had you got back into it?

CVS: I made a bunch of stuff that sounded like super crazy breakbeat, and I got a song into the movie that I was working on, and then they pulled it all out two weeks before the movie came out.

And I thought: “You know what? I’m going about this the wrong way.” So, back to Detroit. I got a loft right in the middle of downtown, and I’d work on car commercials, and I could literally work one day every two weeks and it would be enough money to survive. It was crazy. They’d pay you really well, rent’s super cheap. And my friend – the first person I lived with, he’s still my friend, he directed the “Deep Throat” music video [Anthony Garth], he’s a director in Detroit now. He started taking me to raves, real raves in abandoned warehouses and stuff. And that’s actually when I started being like: “Wow, people are DJs for their job.”

DJ Times: What were those parties like?

CVS: It was like an abandoned car factory, no lighting, decaying walls, nitrous tank, water table, no booze [laughs]. A bunch of people going bananas.

DJ Times: So how did you get into drum-n-bass from these techno parties?

CVS: A guy that I was friends with gave me a mixtape. And I just put it on headphones one night, I was just sitting in my apartment that overlooked all the city, and I freaked out. It was really heavy stuff—Panacea, Ed Rush and Optical. So then I got super into drum-n-bass, and I built a whole rig, with a head light on my head, and a mixer and samplers.

And I started building a whole live show.

DJ Times: Not even DJing, but straight to synths and drum machines?

CVS: A full, live show. With a modular E-mu

Tim Jones

25th Anniversary Moments Emulator, a TASCAM mixer, some guitar pedals. That headlight.

DJ Times: I like the sound of the headlight.

CVS: It probably took me two hours to set it up and [at a rave] I played to 30 people in the B Room. It was awesome. But when I got back from that gig I’d lost all of it. The hard drive didn’t back up, it shut down in the middle of the backup and I lost the whole thing. That had a whole album. Done. And it wasn’t pure drum-n-bass either; it was a weirdo, drum-n-bass influenced by what was going on in Detroit. So it was fast, but it was definitely not just “Amen Breaks” and stuff.

It was different. That was one of the biggest bummers ever in the history of my life. It was so depressing; I didn’t want to talk to anybody. It took me a long time to make that set. So then I stopped making music again.

DJ Times: That must have been quite hard to take.

CVS: I just completely stopped making music for a year, at least. I said fuck it, I can’t take this. And then I just started DJing drumn-bass and moved to San Francisco. The girl I was dating wanted to move there, but she was Canadian, so she had all these plans to move to San Francisco, and she set it all up, and she got me so psyched on it. And then we broke up. But I was like, man, I’m still going [laughs]. So I went and I was in San Francisco for 16 years. And I might go back there next year [laughs].

DJ Times: So you didn’t know anyone, didn’t have anything lined up?

CVS: Right. I became an assistant editor at a post-production house. And then— we edited Men’s Wearhouse commercials [laughs].

DJ Times: Not exactly the Hollywood dream.

CVS: No, I was so frustrated, because there was still no mentor, and I still didn’t know what to do. And I thought: “OK, I’ll figure out what’s going on. I’m going to borrow the equipment from this post-production house, and I’m going to interview every DJ that comes into town, and I’m going to ask them how they did it.”

DJ Times: How did that work out?

CVS: I called my friends in Detroit and was able to get help. If you know five people in Detroit, you can get hooked up with anyone who lives in Detroit. So I got Theo Parrish, Derrick May, Juan Atkins. And once I got them to be on it, it was really easy to get everybody who came through San Francisco.

I was getting Timo Maas, and Paul van Dyk, Sandra Collins. The film that I made is so in a timeplace. It’s like Charles Feelgood, Doc Martin. It’s like a time period, you know? I had all these people—50 artists and I did an hour interview with each person, found out their whole thing. Then released it as a DVD [Intellect: Techno, House, Progressive (2003)].

DJ Times: Why were you interviewing

house and techno people, rather than the drum-n-bass DJs? CVS: I started doing a drum-n-bass film, and then a girl came out with a film called Circles. And then I just said: “Well, this is really going to be a waste of time.

The second drum-n-bass film?” Also, I’m an American, so for me to make a drumn-bass film, it’s not really going to have the authentic roots. But house, it’s the opposite. And you’re right, I wasn’t that into it. But by the end, I was super into it. We didn’t have enough money to license the music, so I had to make a lot of music that sounded like the people.

DJ Times: When did you meet the dirtybird crew then?

CVS: During this whole thing.We were friends, and we started a party, because I was really into this certain sound, and Justin [Martin] was into the same kind of sound with a little bit of a twist. It’s the same as now – I’m into a thing, Justin’s into it, but he’s twisted it in his own way.

DJ Times: Do they have that same love of drum-n-bass?

CVS: Oh, yeah. Everybody at dirtybird’s into drum-n-bass. It’s really weird.

Even the guys that we get from abroad, they’re all ex-drum-n-bass lovers, or still love it. Eats Everything still does drum-nbass sets. Breach loves drum-n-bass. But drum-n-bass is also kind of like hip hop, it’s so intertwined. Just having funk in the beat, that’s it. Do you like funk in the beat, or do you just like to be straight? That’s the difference between us and everybody else.

DJ Times: What was the music scene like in San Francisco?

CVS: There was a drum-n-bass scene, and that’s the only thing I liked. Everything else was smooth, elevator house, the hot thing that everyone went out to was this sound. So I would get dragged to these parties, because all the girls were at these parties, of course. And drum-n-bass was pretty much at the point when drum-nbass hit that wall and all the girls left. It got too dark. So how can we get the girls to come back and still keep it dirty? [laughs] That’s basically how dirtybird started.

DJ Times: What were the first parties like?

CVS: Small. Fun. Really a pain in the ass to set up [laughs]. Setting up a sound system and all that, going at 8:30 in the morning with Chris Martin to some garage in South San Francisco to get the speakers, rent a van. Then Justin signed a record, I start managing Justin, thinking I’m gonna be a manager/record executive. But I still have the inkling to get in the studio.

DJ Times: So how did you move from the managing Justin’s stuff to being the guy who had records like “Deep Throat” being released?

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Pearcey Proper

16

The heart of any Claude VonStroke track is the bass.

Unsurprisingly, considering his roots in hip hop and drum-nbass, Crenshaw’s records live and die by the sub, that immediately recognizable low-end that’s at once booming and yet sinuous, sitting somewhere between the 808 thud of rap and jungle’s snaky wiggle.

Though his studio boasts an array of analog synths, including a Moog Voyager and Arturia MiniBrute, Crenshaw’s weapon of choice for that gut-shaking rumble is actually a VST—Rob Papen’s SubBoomBass. “It’s just really solid,” he explains.

“Everybody’s making things that sound like they’re from another planet, but sometimes you just need a solid bass sound. And it’s got other frequencies in there, so I don’t have to go and layer separate basses on top of each other.”

Layering frequencies, though, is at the heart of his approach: “Get the sub, then layer and EQ like crazy,” he laughs. His bass is built in three parts: a true sub at 30-60Hz, then a mid-bass for clarity, and a top, both of which he cranks with different levels of distortion to make them punch through the mix. “You have to see how much distortion you have in the middle before it starts cutting the sub,” he warns, adding that dialling in exactly the right amount is a refined art. “Get to this middle ground where it’s banging, but it’s a sub, and it’s clean. So it’s got distortion, it’s all tweaked out, but you can’t tell that it’s distortion. It’s the key thing on bass, always.

Because if you put distortion in that 30-60Hz sub, it’s going to ruin it.”

As with the rest of his synths, he then runs it through a Thermionic Culture Rooster pre-amp and API 2500 compressor, “just to juice it up.” Of course, writing a bassline that booms like “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” is up to you.

– T.B.

CVS: It wasn’t that long of a time period. I realized I couldn’t manage Justin. I wasn’t knowledgeable enough, or equipped to do that job. But this is not very long. I’m on record number three, that’s “Deep Throat.” And I did remixes on the first two records. So by the third record, I’m in on the label all the way, music producer and runner. And the guys wanted to be the king of San Francisco, but I never put any effort into that. I just went straight to Germany, played for people for free. I made up a fake booking agent email who’d do my deals, but it was really me [laughs]. I got a German distributor. I didn’t give a shit about the U.S. Because I knew that was where all our business was getting driven from.

DJ Times: Were you never tempted to move away, to move to Berlin?

CVS: No, I love San Francisco. It’s one of the greatest places ever.

DJ Times: So when “Deep Throat” came out, did you have any inclination how big it would be?

CVS: No, it was just a record, in a style that I liked. It was in the style of Cajmere, like “Percolator” rethought into a different joke [laughs]. But people liked it.

DJ Times: Was there a point where you realized just how big it had got?

CVS: People were like: “This guy’s playing it at DC10!”And I thought: “Oh, that sounds amazing, but I have no idea what any of these clubs are” [laughs]. Is that for 20 people? I did an interview with Pete Tong really early on, and he said “Deep Throat” was wedding music in Italy. What? They played it so many times and that was kind of shocker. But that was when it could take a year for a record to get popular.

DJ Times: There are so many producers who make records that explode without them ever having even been to a club, and then suddenly they’re off playing festivals.

CVS: Yeah, but they just use Ableton. They don’t even try. They shouldn’t bother, just keep it in sync.

If you have a massive track and you’re 16-years old and you’ve never DJed, you might as well go up there with some Ableton loops. Because otherwise it’s going to be a complete disaster [laughs].

DJ Times: You’ve always made records that are great for DJs—they’re these things that are recognizable, catchy and excitable for dancefloors.

CVS: Well, I have a philosophy on the singles: If you can’t go up to the DJ and explain what record you want to hear, and them understand, without saying the name of the record, then you didn’t do a good job.

DJ Times: You’ve talked before (continued on page 42)

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By Jeff Stiles

DJ Expo Abounded in New Ideas & Practices.

Even the Old-Timers Returned Home With Valuable

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Takeaways

20

Every year the DJ Expo in Atlantic City brings together a diverse group DJs from throughout the nation—and 2013 was no different.

It wasn’t such a long travel for John Horne, of Jam Machine Productions in relatively nearby Huntingdon, Pa., who says it was this DJ’s 13th year of attending the DJ Expo.

“As always, I enjoyed seeing and interacting with my favorite vendors face to face, thereby getting answers to burning questions about lights, sound and other technical issues,” Horne says. “It’s also always nice to meet new DJs every year.

“This year at the ADJ PizzaFest, I got to meet fellow DJs who I shared a table with and got to know very well—one of whom I sat next to at a seminar the next morning, while the other I saw again on the Expo floor at the ADJ demo. It’s great to share knowledge and life experiences with one another to help one another become better.

“After 13 years, I don’t get tired of coming and I learn something new every year.”

We asked long-term DJs and company owners to tell us about their own highlights of the Expo this year. Was it a spellbinding performance at one of the many parties? A fact-filled educational seminar? A new sound or lighting product? Or merely networking with other mobiles, establishing new relationships and hobnobbing with industry professionals?

A professional DJ for nearly 40 years, Denny McConnell of Music To You in Reading, Pa., has been attending the DJ Expo every year since 1990, and says he comes away from each show with new knowledge plus new friends.

“This year the seminars were fantastic, especially those of Steve Moody and Randy Bartlett,” McConnell says. “They were the moderators of their seminars, but the panel of experts was also very interesting and knowledgeable.

“The games seminar by Jake Jacobsen was fantastic, as I came away from that one with several new games I’ll definitely use. Mike Walter and his crew from New Jersey’s Elite Entertainment are always willing to let you pick their brains on how to do something, while the ‘Mock Mitzvah’ with Sean ‘Big Daddy’ McKee was off-the-hook, filled with info on how to do a mitzvah.

“The kids seminar with Rob Peters was also very entertaining, and again filled with tips on how to do kids’ parties, and—if you already do them—how to make them better. The seminars ran from DJ 101 to DJ 1001. There was something for everyone from the newbie first-timer to the seasoned veteran like me. If you think you know it all, you’re kidding yourself.”

McConnell says he especially enjoys the exhibit hall and the demo rooms every year, where he’s able to play with the latest gear and software, such as Virtual DJ’s soon-to-be-released version 8.0.

“There’s tons of lighting, photo booths, speakers—you name it, it’s

there,” he explains. “Then there are music services like RPM Top Hits USA and Promo Only, offering the latest in all genres of music and video.

I wouldn’t miss it.

“You also have parties every night plus the ‘DJ of the Year Competition,’ which I was fortunate to win the Wild Card Award for several years ago. And that’s on top of all the networking that goes on in the hallways and hotel rooms, which really is where you’ll come away a better person and DJ.” According to Adam Weitz in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., the DJ Expo this year was not only fantastic, but also electrifying.

“There was an opportunity this year for everyone to get involved with everything,” says Weitz, “and the best part was it showed something that we haven’t seen in a very long time—and that was an economic growth. The reason why people were so excited this year was because it’s become a little bit easier now to enter the DJ industry, with its convenience of equipment and what-not, so it’s brought in a lot of young

“As I get ready to celebrate my 40th anniversary in the mobile DJ industry in 2014, I’m so honored to help anyone with their business and performance skills,” says Martinez. “This industry has been so good to me and I’m so humbled to know that there are so many DJ entertainers who seek to improve, not only their performance, but also their personal life as well. And I hope I can always continue to make a difference in our DJ community.”

This year Martinez says there were two highlights for him: “The Steve Moody All-Stars” with their tips for better performances, and secondly he was asked to meet with two young DJs from New Jersey, to help mentor them with their business.

After attending trade shows for more than 20 years, Martinez says the reason many DJs don’t attend the Expo is simply because of their ego.

“But these guys have to remember that the industry has been around long before they came into it, so they’re not bigger than the industry,” he says. “Believe me, my message is: Don’t believe your own press clippings. Man up, put your ego aside, and know that there’s always room for improvement and learning.

“The day you stop learning is the day you stop living. There are so many professionals who are willing to teach the next generation and hopefully stop them from making the mistakes we made many years ago.

We laid the groundwork for them, and hopefully we can now help make their path a lot smoother.” n

NOVEMBER 2013

trade show, which unfortunately has been the mindset of too many DJs for so many years.

“I’m amazed at those who just run in and out to grab a quick deal on lighting and leave,” he says. “When I asked a DJ from New Jersey this year why he wasn’t going to the seminars, he abruptly replied, ‘I already know all I need to know to run my business.’ When I pursued with further questions, he admitted that his business was struggling and he just didn’t have the time to learn new things.

“This is the key benefit for me to attending the DJ Expo: Attending the seminars and networking with others, each year I gain more knowledge and information for those informal meetings in the hallway to a brief conversation on the elevator. I make it a point each year to make a dozen or more new connections, and take away three new ideas to implement in my business and marketing strategy.

A 2006 American Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Inductee, one might think that Ray Martinez of Ray Mar Productions in Goodyear, Ariz., might be one of those few mobile jocks who indeed knows all there is to know about the DJ industry and therefore would find minimal benefit from attending the annual DJ Expo. Think again.

DJ TIMES

people.

“Youth always adds a lot of energy to any situation, which is what we saw this year. We also saw a lot of attendees from the past, such as myself, receive just a really good buzz in the air when it comes to new business, growth opportunities, and doing creative things, so we can add to our own multi-ops.

“I thought the talent at Mike Walter’s ‘DJ of the Year’ was the best it’s ever been, I think the challenge was the best it’s ever been, and I thought for the first time in a very long time we saw a true competition on the stage. I’ll tell you the convention floor was really buzzing with a bunch of great new stuff. I think Dragon Frontboards is the bomb, as they’ve got a lot of great new ideas.”

Weitz says that while the DJ industry grows, the annual DJ Expo really shows an awesome opportunity for mobile jocks from throughout the country to expand their businesses—which therefore shows there’s a lot more money to be made in this industry.

“And my company, A Sharp Productions, has been therefore been focusing on event planning—we don’t just do the music anymore, we do it all,” says Weitz. “We really have a great time exposing to people in our seminars to what we can do. Even though I didn’t actually have a seminar this year of my own, I got sucked into everybody else’s seminars, and it was great. I enjoyed participating because I’m an entertainer, and most of the time that’s to me what it’s all about, which is interaction.”

Jerry Bazata of Jaz Music & Entertainment of Oguinquit, Maine, says that, while having attended every DJ Expo since 2001 (and being a featured speaker since 2004), he never falls short of learning something new every year—gaining insight and best practices from others who help him grow his business.

“From year to year,” says Bazata, “it’s rewarding to hear from previous attendees what they took away the year before and, after implementing those ideas, how it helped their business grow. That leads me to the key benefit of participating in the DJ Expo each year, which is networking.

“As a business owner and entrepreneur, meeting with other professionals in our industry enables me to build a network of colleges and friends to seek advice, brainstorm with and help in making the appropriate decisions for my business. It’s rewarding to be looking at equipment on the show floor and have another DJ come up to you and share input or thoughts unsolicited to help you make a decision to buy or not to buy.

“Beyond the DJs, being a veteran of the show, you also get to know the vendors. And over years, they see you repeatedly and reach out to you and network in terms of your needs as a DJ—so they can build better products to meet our needs. So not only are you learning from the vendors, but they’re learning from you, too.”

Bazata says that the DJ Expo has expanded far beyond being just a

21

c e l e b r at i n g 2 5 y e a r s i n t h e d j i n d u s t r y

Each month, wE’ll takE a look back through thE yEars at thE hot DJs, thE gamE-changing proDucts anD thE mEmorablE EvEnts. wE’ll follow thE DJ inDustry’s timElinE—from its wilD Early Days through its ascEnt to rEspEctability, anD towarD thE formiDablE placE it is toDay. wE’ll show you how DJ timEs hElpED DEfinE thE DJ inDustry. sEE pagE 15 anD 35 for this month’s mEmoriEs

Expo Store: Staffers Chris Caruso & Kate Blessing.

ADJ PizzaFest: DJ Kool sets it off.

25th Anniversary: DJ Times thru the years.

DJ Premier chills with the Stanton crew.

Big Daddy: Mobile jock Sean McKee in action.

Gals pose at the iSIT booth.

Dominic

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Spinning at the Studio EFX booth.

24

Biz Markie rocks the Expo showfloor.

Showfloor Scene: Chauvet’s booth.

Photos by Jeff Heart & MetroMix Media.

DJ Kai Song, 9, spins on the floor.

Sestito & Mike Walter flank “DJ of the Year” Jazmine.

Denon’s Silvio Zeppieri & Rane’s Mike May.

Winner Evan Clark with his Ultimate DJ Giveway loot.

From Aug. 12-15, DJ Expo Rocked Atlantic City. Here’s What It Looked Like…

DJ TIMES

Brenda K. Starr at Promo Only party.

NOVEMBER 2013

Enferno in the mix at DJ Times Square.

Artist Panel: Krewella takes the mic.

25

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

Live 9: New browser, faster workflow.

ABLETON LIVE 9: UPGRADES APLENTY

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

By Josh Harris

26

Audio to MIDI is now possible, which is a huge addition.

Over the last few years, Ableton Live has emerged as one of the leading DAWs and performance tools for electronic music. Its ability to time-stretch loops “on the fly” is unparalleled, and with the recent release of version 9, Ableton has pleased many of their users by including some important features in both workflow and functionality.

When you first launch Live 9, the most obvious user interface (UI) difference is the browser. For years, Live worked off a three-window browsing system, allowing users to assign certain folders to any of the three folder browsing windows.

Now, it’s up to the user as to which folders they want to add to the browser, by adding them to the “Places” section. At first, this new UI change threw me, but once I settled in, it made sense, and now I find it much easier to navigate my hard drives than in the previous versions.

Audio to MIDI is now possible, which is a huge addition. For those of you who may not be familiar with this function, it allows an audio loop to be converted to a MIDI loop, giving the user access to the MIDI data. For example, if you happen to like the notes being played in a bass audio loop, but you don’t like the sound, you could use the audio-to-MIDI func-

tion to create the bass line into MIDI notes, and then choose your desired bass sound. The same process can be applied to drums, opening up endless possibilities for creating beats and drum loops, as well as editing.

When it comes to converting a drum loop to MIDI, it's a similar process. Select "Convert Drums to New MIDI Track" from the Clip's pull-down menu, Live 9 will analyze the audio file, and then create a MIDI track, with the different parts of the drum loop (snare, kick, etc.) now being played as MIDI notes.

Among the new plug-ins, there’s a new master bus compressor called Glue.

This will most likely find a permanent home on your master fader, as it really does glue the mix together. Other studio effects have been improved, in terms of their displays, functionality and sound.

Users now have the ability to record automation into Session View clip, which should make those of you who use Live as live performance tool very happy.

Max for Live is now included as part of the Suite edition, and it gives users the power to create their own devices, and share them amongst the Live community.

Users can build their own devices from scratch, like sequencers, audio effects and

samplers. But it also should be noted that there are dozens of Max for Live devices included in Suite 9 and function as if they were native Live devices—no need to build or edit, unless desired.

Ableton continues to raise the bar on its flagship software with version 9, and I believe that the current Live users out there will love this version, once they settle into it. For those of you who have never used Live before, do yourself a favor and give Live 9 a test drive.

Prices on the Ableton site break down thusly: Suite complete integrated studio with full feature set, 3,000-plus sounds, nine instruments, 40 effects and Max for Live ($749 list); Standard with full feature set, 1,100-plus sounds, three instruments and 37 effects ($449 list); and Intro with limited feature set, 700plus sounds, three instruments and 26 effects ($99 list). Check Ableton’s website (Ableton.com) for upgrades and crossgrades. (Just at presstime, Ableton released its Live 9.1 update, which allows users the ability to open two windows simultaneously on one or two monitors.)

And check with Making Tracks next month, as Wesley Bryant-King reviews Push, Ableton’s new instrument/controller.

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

ACTIVE SPEAKERS & TIGHT CANS

DLM12S: Great connectivity options.

Mackie DLM8: Full-range, 8-inch top.

Style & Substance: V-MODA’s Crossfade M-100.

By Wesley Bryant-King & Chris Davis

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

This month, Wesley Bryant-King road-tests an active PA system from Mackie’s DLM Series, while Chris Davis gives a listen to V-MODA’s Crossfade M-100 headphones.

Mackie DLM Loudspeakers I don’t know about you, but when I look at loudspeakers, I don’t exactly get warm fuzzies inside about the potential for technological innovation.

It seems that speakers haven’t really changed too radically over recent years. Sure, some sound noticeably better than others, but aside from the typical variations in quality and

28

price (which are often very much related), speakers just aren’t something I think much about—even as I lug them from gig to gig.

Late last year, I was, to put it bluntly, “enlightened.” I was summoned on behalf of DJ Times to Seattle, the home of LOUD Technologies, parent of the Mackie brand, for what was promised to be the unveiling of some impressive new loudspeakers. With my “speakers are speakers, right?” attitude, I headed to the Emerald City with, shall we say, low expectations.

But when the folks at Mackie lifted

away the covers on their new DLM line, I was immediately struck by the size of what I saw— small!—and assumed I’d be underwhelmed. Then the audio came on. To say my jaw dropped would be an understatement: I’ve never heard such great sound quality from such a tiny package—proving that yes, there’s room for innovation in loudspeakers, and I was looking at (and hearing) it firsthand.

One of the single worst parts of doing mobile gigs is schlepping all the equipment around, and central to that effort is the PA system itself.

When I first started doing mobile gigs, I decided I’d forego the amp and speaker combo in favor of self-powered units, and ended up picking out two-way, top speakers with 15-inch drivers, and a single, rather typical 18-powered powered sub. The tops are usually awkward for a single person to handle—they’re huge—but it’s doable. The sub? That’s a two-person job—period. Moving footlockers full of cables is no picnic either, but getting audio moved around and set up always reminds me that I’m truly earning my fee.

I recently had the opportunity to try out Mackie’s DLM line first-hand.

For the evaluation, Mackie loaned me a pair of DLM8 full-range top units (it’s also available as a 12-inch— logically enough, the DLM12), and the matching sub-woofer in the line, the DLM12S. All boast 2,000 watts of system power, delivering tons of headroom despite the compact form factor.

Let me just say this right up-front: The DLM8 sounds better than my leading brand two-ways with their big 15-inch main drivers, despite being nearly half the size. How or why?

I don’t fully understand, but Mackie calls it TruSource—a combination of custom-designed drivers (one 8-inch main, and one 1-¾-inch tweeter, that are integrated and use a single, shared magnet), plus digital DSP-based audio processing. I remain in disbelief that it’s possible. But even better, I can carry one DLM8 in each hand since they’re just 22 pounds a piece.

Mackie brings the same innovations to the DLM12S. Once again, despite the 12-inch driver, it is as effective as my 18-inch, with the decided advantage that I can carry it around myself. It weighs 48 pounds, so it’s no featherweight, but grasping the pair of side handles and hugging it close, it’s easy to move around without an assistant to share the duties.

The DLM8 and DLM12 top units sport excellent connectivity options—XLR, TRS or RCA—and handle mic, line, and instrument sources, including stereo. The DL2 digital mixer sports an easy-to-use digital interface (there’s even a bright OLED screen), allowing you to adjust levels

with ease, and which even include an array of effects, making them attractive for live performance use. There’s even an integrated kickstand for use in stage monitor situations.

The DLM12S has the same versatility for routing signals, and, of course, lets you band-pass the audio to the top units. There’s a pole mount in the top for stacking one of top units above it, too.

Thanks to the systems’ diminutive size, I was able—for the first time ever—to get my entire DJ set-up into the back of my midsize SUV, including my cable and lighting footlockers, to work a recent wedding gig. (It normally requires splitting the gear between two vehicles—with my cohort and me driving separately.)

I’m not an audio engineer, nor do I possess the necessary equipment to analyze the output of the DLMs from a technical perspective. But I can say this: They deliver a punch, and they sound incredible, easily surpassing the performance of my usual system. My wedding clients wanted me to recreate a club experience for them, and with the help of the Mackie DLMs, that’s exactly what I gave them (much to their satisfaction).

As much as I loved the DLMs I used, the size and performance comes at a price. The DLM8 top units are roughly $700 a piece (street), while the 12-inch version (DLM12) pushes the per-unit price to around $850. The DLM12S sub is in the neighborhood of $1,000. So total price as-tested?

Right around $2,500.

Bottom line? Mackie proved me wrong: There’s plenty of room for innovation in loudspeakers. And while that innovation may require an investment, when it’s time to upgrade your mobile PA, the DLM series should be on your comparison list.

V-MODA Crossfade M-100 With the Crossfade M-100, VMODA has succeeded where most headphones manufacturers continuously fail. These headphones include everything and the kitchen sink, due in no small part to V-MODA’s “Chief Visionary Officer” Val Kolton’s direct involvement in the entire production process. Kolton is a DJ/producer himself, and after crowdsourcing the research and development alongside the producer and audiophile community for over four years, he and V-MODA have managed to craft a product that sounds fantastic, oozes style, is ripe with features and customization options, and is of an exceptional build quality.

In The Box: One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to highend headphones is the lack of a hard case, so the “exoskeleton” form-fitting case included with the M-100s is a Godsend for storage and travel purposes. The interior “V-STRAP”

system lets you store both included cables, as well as the ¼-inch headphone adapter. Leaving no stone unturned, V-MODA has also included a carabiner and attachment for clipping the headphones to your DJ bag.

Cables & Inputs: Two detachable cables are included. The shorter, orange “SpeakEasy” mic cable features a single universal control button that works with Apple, Android, Windows, Kindle and Blackberry phones, while the black, Kevlar-reinforced “SharePlay” audio cable allows you to share your music with a friend, or DJ in tandem without the need for pesky

adapters.

The dual inputs on the headphones allow you to choose which side you want your cable to be on, as well as the ability to listen to or mix two sources at the same time. If you’d rather go the traditional one-cable route, the included “V-CORK” seals and protects the unused input from dust, debris and ambient noise.

B u i l d Q u a l i t y : T h e M - 1 0 0 ’s smooth-as-butter “CliqFold” hinge allows you to rapidly fold the headphones into a tiny shape without any fuss. This new all-metal hinge, unlike any that I’ve ever seen on

headphones before, is a complex, but incredibly sturdy system that delivers a satisfying “click” each time you fold or unfold the headphones. The hexagonal shape creates an excellent seal to block out ambient noise, while also avoiding that dreaded clamping effect that can make you feel as though you’ve been wearing a vicegrip on your head for a few hours.

You’re going to be hard-pressed to find more durable headphones than these. While we didn’t test out these claims personally, V-MODA advertises that the “virtually indestructible” (continued on page 42)

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MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

Lynwood, Ill. — It’s a not-souncommon story. Jazmine Gonzalez realized she had a knack for the MC/ DJ “thing” in the sixth grade, when a DJ at her school dance in Chicago was unable to get the kids onto the dancefloor. So she did what any Type A would do: She asked for the microphone and got a break-dancing circle going.

“At the end of the dance, the DJ gave me five bucks and said thanks,” says Gonzalez, now the president of multi-op H.Y.P.E. Productions. “Little did I know, years later, the payoff wouldn’t just be financial, but the real success is loving my career.”

Jazmine Gonzalez has won DJ Expo’s “DJ of the Year” twice.

CHICAGO DJ OWNER BUILDS THE H.Y.P.E.

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

By Gene Chrystal

30

She started out in the business while in college, as a “Party Favor Girl,” handing out glasses, hats and light ups at Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. Then, as she tells it, opportunity knocked. “To fill in for a dancer,” she says. “I quickly became one of the most requested dancers.”

And then opportunity knocked again. “To fill in for an MC,” she says.

“It was my first time running a Mitzvah, and at the end of the night, a guest said, ‘Great job! I’ve never seen a female MC.’” That, as they say, was “it.”

“I knew I was going to crush that stigma and be the first female MC in Chicago,” she says. Continuing to MC/ DJ throughout college, she had her eye on a career in broadcasting upon graduation—until a few event planners hunted her down and encouraged her to start her own company.

“It wasn’t until a few of the other companies in the industry started offering me jobs that I realized I had made an impact,” she says. “So I decided to buy some equipment and maybe do one event a month for extra money. From the start, I had an amazing relationship with event plan-

ners, venues and clients as a ‘team player’ and I made the details a priority.”

So her company, H.Y.P.E. Productions, began in earnest.

Living an hour and a half from most of her clients made driving house to house for meetings a challenge. “I could only do a few meetings in a day because I would have to leave drive time from house to house,” she says. But after they got an office in the Northshore Area, “sales went up tremendously.”

There were other challenges: learning accounting, payroll, taxes, insurance.

“I am a bit OCD and I like things done a certain way,” she says. “It was tough to delegate early on when the business was growing. And going from a solo-op to a multi-op in one year had my head spinning. I knew what my business goals were, but wasn’t quite sure how to get there while running the back office, front office and performing.”

How did she solve her problems? She took a few classes with the Small Business Administration, where she met an amazing accountant, who still, 17 years later, is handling her company’s finances.

She also began attending the DJ Expo in Atlantic City. “Meeting some amazing people in our industry at DJ Expo really helped,” she says. “Hearing the stories of their experiences and how they got through it is such a value. I hope I am able to now share my experiences, and give back to the industry. Statistics show that brides, corporate planners and Mitzvah families all rate the entertainment as the piece of the puzzle that makes or breaks their celebration. I want to help continue the growth and knowledge of performers so as a whole, we are raising the bar and the results of our industry.”

These experiences have helped her evolve to where she can wear many business-side hats at H.Y.P.E.— president, head of sales, marketing director, visionary and, her favorite role, “Head Coach”—while still able

to fulfill her passion for being an entertainer. “Whether I am hired as the MC, DJ or dancer, I look forward to every event and helping families put their personal stamp on it,” she says.

“It is amazing to be a part of their event behind the scenes throughout the planning process and then be the performer to execute the details, get the crowd rocking and make it all come to fruition.”

For H.Y.P.E., “fruition” means 50-percent of their bookings are Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, 35-percent weddings (the division has tripled in the last year), and 15-percent corporate, schools and charity galas. H.Y.P.E. produces its own Mitzvah showcase, the largest independent show in the Tri-State area. “It allows us to introduce our newest entertainment options and performers,” says Gonzalez. “We now have other show producers asking us to be the exclusive entertainment for their shows.”

Such kudos is not rare, of course.

Winning the “DJ of the Year” competition at DJ Expo in 2008 and 2013 has opened the door for H.Y.P.E. on a national level. “It has also given us the opportunity to explain to our clients how H.Y.P.E. shares our ideas to better our industry. Being a finalist, let alone the winner several times, shows that we are the real deal and always hungry to learn, get better and give back,” she says, noting that her team has also won the “Best Dancers” and “Best Choreography” categories in 2008 and 2013. “While I may have won the title twice, I did it both times by having an amazing team with me.”

And in five years? “On a business level, I would like to see that our team has grown and I have the opportunity to offer full-time employment to others who are as passionate as I am about our craft.”

M

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Dec 12

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BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

The industry’s sharpest business minds and up-and-coming DJs flocked to the seminar halls of the DJ Expo in Atlantic City, N.J., this past August to broaden their knowledge with actionable ideas.

Kicking off the seminars on Monday was How the DJ Expo Grew My Business—and How It Can Grow Yours, presented by Steve Moody.

Steve’s DJ career plodded along with mediocre results before he reluctantly attended his first DJ Expo in 2007. Enlightened by what he learned engaging with the industry, Moody has since doubled his prices and quadrupled bookings. His Expo presentation was multidisciplinary, with segments on marketing, sales, business administration and performance.

The first important takeaway from the seminar was: “If you have phenomenal marketing, everything else will fall into place.” Moody’s marketing program features a modern website, prolific use of Video Logs (“Vlogs”) and a beautiful

DJ EXPO ’13: 30 TAKEAWAYS

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

By Gregg Hollmann

32

magazine containing photos and articles with playlists and planning tips. Vlogs, in addition to impressing prospective clients, also serve to charm wedding venues. The strategy is working, with Moody’s company listed on the Recommended List at 17 high-end venues in his home market on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. For those DJs anxious about asking a bride for a video testimonial to include at the end of a Vlog, Moody said that brides who book his services know what they are getting into and are usually eager to participate.

Speaking about the wedding market and Millennial generation, Steve presented a slide showing that Millennials are most Moody in 1) convenience (of planning), 2) style/taste, and 3) peer recommendation. Price was low on the list—the ninth most important factor.

On the administrative side, Moody recommends creating as many templates as possible for e-mail correspondences, and then using automation to communicate with brides and grooms over the life cycle of an engagement.

On the performance side, Moody emphasized the importance of coming out from behind the DJ booth and engaging guests.

He received a well-deserved standing ovation at the conclusion of his terrific seminar. Subsequent to the DJ Expo, Moody announced that his company signed a lease on a full-time office space.

All-Star MC Secrets Revealed. This seminar, in its third annual installment, has become one of the most popular seminars of the Expo. Chaired by Steve Moody, the panelists vary from year to year, and this year’s panel included Jack Bermeo (LJ Productions), Dominic Sestito (Elite Entertainment), Sean “Big Daddy” McKee (James Daniel Entertainment), Jerry Bazata (DJ Jaz Entertainment), Tony Tee Neto (SCE Event Group and Drophouse.com) and Randy Bartlett (1% Solution). A huge takeaway from this seminar is that commanding a room is an acquired skill that requires careful planning, training and practice.

Bermeo, a two-time “DJ of the Year” winner, spoke about the importance of style, both in terms of having a unique personality and a strong sense of fashion. At sales consultations, Bermeo recommends taking more risks and dressing like an entertainer. For him, v-neck sweaters and pocket silks help him to stand out. At weddings, he wears a suit of exceptional quality to stand out from the guests. To further differentiate himself, he also uses his unique sense of humor at sales consultations and performances.

Sestito advised on how to command a room as an MC. He spoke about the importance of being a confident leader who inspires guests. Sincerity, good voice inflection and confidence are critical. He advises MCs to smile, be themselves and to never scream into the microphone to create energy. Commanding a room is a skill that can be acquired with practice and does not require great looks—as the example of Mick Jagger attests.

McKee is an inspirational figure in the entertainment industry who advises DJs to “Smile as Loud as You Can.” McKee reminded attendees that celebra-

tions are not about us, but about our clients and giving them 100-percent!

Specific wedding performance techniques used by Big Daddy to create “energy and love” are 1) packing the dancefloor with a high-energy set prior to the grand entrance, and 2) after the first course, having guests at each table stand and join hands, and then mobilizing these guests to the dancefloor.

Bazata also spoke about stage presence and shared a construct he uses called “SPACC” (Speed, Posture, Animation, Connectivity, Confidence). Regarding speed, it’s important to look guests in the eye and speak in a relaxed tone. For posture, an MC should throw his shoulders and look proud. For connectivity, the MC must ensure that he is getting reactions from guests. For confidence, it is critical to project confidence and not show any signs of nervousness. To step up his own confidence, Bazata memorizes the names in his bridal party introductions.

DJ Tony Tee (SCE Event Group and Drophouse.com) is an accomplished voice-over artist and wedding entertainer. To warm up his voice before a wedding, Tony breathes deeply 20 times through his nose and stretches his face and tongue. In addition to wearing a smile on your face, Tony says that it’s critical to put a smile in your voice. When speaking, don’t go too fast and use punctuation to allow guests time to absorb your words. Develop a cadence (rhythm) for your speaking and remember that “physical movement orchestrates vocal expression.” When performing in front of an audience, an MC should focus on connecting with a single guest and the rest will follow. Tony strongly advises wedding MCs to make their bridal party introductions from the other side of the DJ booth in order to connect with guests and gain command of the room.

Bartlett spoke about how important it is for wedding DJs to “slay the beginning and end of a reception.” Bartlett shared his method for quickly gaining the attention of a room of talking guests at the beginning of a wedding reception.

He will say “Good Evening,” then wait for the natural dip in the crowd chatter, and then immediately begin his short introductory statement: “Glad you’re all here tonight. My name is Randy. I’m going to be your Master of Ceremonies this evening. Tonight is going to be so much fun!” The grand entrance follows.

While Bartlett’s opening remarks are short, he makes it up to guests with an incredible ending.

DJ Expo 2013 offered a wide range of high-quality content across the business and performance spectrum. Seminar attendees return from Atlantic City with notebooks full of tips and ideas. Numerous seminar speakers challenged attendees to put new ideas into practice. Jason Weldon even laid down the gauntlet, stating, “I promise you if you quit your day job and go 100-percent with your DJ business, you’ll be successful.”

Stay tuned for next issue, where I’ll review more of the seminars from DJ Expo 2013 Gregg Hollmann is the owner of Ambient DJ Service in East Windsor, N.J.

Amsterdam Dance Event The Electronic Music Platform 16 / 17/ 18 / 19 / 20 October An initiative of Buma

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DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

34

Fly Me to the Moonflower

Color My World

ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com

American Music & Sound 22020 Clarendon St, Suite 305 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (800) 431-2609 www.americanmusicandsound.com

ADJ released the Quad Phase HP Moonflower, which uses a 32-watt, four-in-one, quad-color RGBW LED source (red, green, blue and white) to produce 15 preset colors in rapid patterns. Housed in a new case design, the unit features a 65-degree beam angle and a 1.8-degree long-life stepper motor. There are four DMX channels—color, rotation, strobe, dimmer—as well as built-in programs and Sound Active, Master/Slave and DMX-512 operation modes. Additional features include a strobe and pulse LED effect and 0-100 percent electronic dimming.

Vestax announced the HFC-1 line of headphone cables, which comes in a rainbow of different color options, including pure white, neon purple, mint green and Vestax red. The cables connect with a dual-sided mini jack cable to almost any headphone on the market, as well as audio systems, portable music players and external speakers. The 1.2m cables are made from OFC-grade copper for “a wide frequency range and dynamic response,” according to the company, and they feature a “contemporary flat cable design.”

ROKIT Science

And Away WeGO2

Gibson Corporate 309 Plus Park Blvd.

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

Pioneer Electronics 1925 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerdjusa.com

The ROKIT Generation 3 Studio Monitors from KRK Systems come in 5-, 6- and 8-inch models called the ROKIT 5, ROKIT 6 and ROKIT 8, respectively. These two-way active monitors feature an analog, bi-amped, class A/B amplifier that the company says was “enhanced to maximize headroom while retaining minimal distortion.” The unit also features a lightweight yellow composite woofer and a re-designed radius cabinet baffle that the company says minimizes diffraction. Each model includes a one-inch silk-dome tweeter that provides response up to 35kHz.

The DDJ-WeGO2 from Pioneer is an ultra-compact DJ controller that “makes it easy to learn DJing essentials,” according to the company.

The controller comes with a variety of easy-to-use controls, including Jog FX and Pulse Control. In addition, the unit is equipped with Virtual DJ Limited Edition DJ software for Windows and Mac. A Pioneer cable with Lightning connector is included for users to connect the DDJWeGO2 to an iPhone 5 and iPad. The DDJ-WeGO2 is available in white, black and red.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

25th Anniversary Moments

iTrack Star Focusrite Novation 840 Apollo Street, Suite 312 El Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 322-5500 www.focusrite.com Focusrite’s iTrack Studio is a complete system for recording music on Mac, PC or iPad. iTrack Studio comes as part of a complete kit that includes a CM25S studio condenser mic, XLR mic cable, HP60S closed-back studio headphones, and a long 30-pin device link cable for connecting to an iPad. iTrack Studio records both channels at a maximum quality of 24 bit, 96kHz to a new free app called Tape by Focusrite, which is available free from the App Store.

“People see me as a producer, DJ or remixer.

But I see myself as an artist, I DJ as a hobby, not even for the money. I’m interested in developing techno and I think the faceless aspect of it has to change. I do enjoy the anonymity of it, but for it to have a measure of commercial success, someone has to put their face forward.”

– Moby, June 1992

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Jimmy Mackie LOUD Technologies 16220 Wood-Red Road NE Woodinville, WA 98072 (425) 892-6500 www.loudtechinc.com Mackie added three 1600W models to its SRM powered loudspeaker line, including the 12-inch SRM550, the 15-inch SRM650 and the SRM1850 18-inch powered subwoofer. All models in the SRM line feature Mackie High Definition Audio Processing with patented acoustic correction DSP. Housed in internally-braced all-wood cabinets, products in the line come with custom transducers, application-specific speaker modes, and an integrated two-channel mixer with Mackie Wide-Z inputs.

READ ENTIRE INTERVIEW ONLINE djtimes.com

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Traktor Pull

Duck Duck Juice Goose

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

Juice Goose 7320 Ashcroft Suite 104 Houston, TX 77081 (713) 772-1404 www.juicegoose.com

Native Instruments has updated its TRAKTOR KONTROL X1 decks and effects controller. The new MK2 version gives users plug-and-play physical control over two track decks and two freely assignable TRAKTOR FX units, with or without the use of turntables or CDJs. Features include touch-sensitive Browse and Loop encoders, LED indicators, seven-segment displays and RGB back-lit buttons that match color with cue point types.

The controller also features a multipurpose touch strip that allows for nudging, needle dropping, track seeking and setting loop length with the use of a finger.

The rack-mountable Juice Goose JG 8LED is the latest addition to the company’s JG Series family of power and light modules. JG 8LED features two long-lasting dimmable LED lights. The lights are housed in anodized black aluminum tubes that not only slide into the chassis when not in use but can also be rotated to control the direction of the light beams. As with other models in the JG Series, the JG 8LED features switched outlets on the back of the unit.

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Yellow SUBmarine

36

RCF-USA Inc. 110 Talmadge Rd. Edison, NJ 08817 (732) 902-6100 www.rcf-usa.com The SUB 8004-AS subwoofer from RCF is powered by a 2,500-watt digital amplifier module that the company says is loaded in a separate chamber in the rear so that it is “mechanically insulated from vibrations.” The unit features a hypervented 18-inch woofer with four-inch inside/outside voice coils and it is capable of producing 136 dB max SPL. The SUB 8004-AS is housed in a Baltic birch tour-grade cabinet and features a side mounted M20 insert so that it can be used both vertically and horizontally.

Hexed!

Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com Chauvet DJ has introduced the SlimPAR Hex 3 IRC. According to the company, it’s the mobile-entertainment industry’s first low-profile Par with its 6-in-1 LED technology (RGBAW+UV) and built-in infrared remote control capability. SlimPAR Hex 3 IRC generates a broad spectrum of colors and achieves natural looking color temperatures using three 9-watt, 6-color LEDs. Ideal for wall washing or truss warming, SlimPAR Hex 3 IRC features sleek, lightweight housing to fit inside compact spaces.

GROOVES TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

Hot Since 82

Olaf Stuut

“WORDS AND CHANCE” EP

u Eric Volta & Sebastian Voigt u Visionquest The Berlin-based remix team brings its production talents together on this deliciously sexy new EP. Dark and groovy with a smooth, but intoxicating vibe—and an engaging vocal from newbie Forrest—the title cut is making noise in deep-house circles. Lee Curtiss adds his own interpretation with a bouncy muscular remix. Also, Volta drops “One Last More?—a gorgeous little fusion cut that really rocks.

– Phil Turnipseed

EQUILIBRE u Olaf Stuut u Manual Music On his shockingly sophisticated and artful debut album, Stuut makes use of odd time signatures and loop lengths to produce thoroughly engaging tuneful techno. With dubby echoes, strong builds, and delightfully dark (and unanticipated) melody lines, his formula stays fresh over 11 cohesive tracks and is almost as good at home in headphones as it is on the dancefloor.

– Robert LaFrance

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

u Hot Since 82 u Moda Black Part artist LP, remix compilation and mix album, the Welsh producer’s debut is an exploration of velvety bass and entrancing deep house. The

Aidan Lavelle

Nir Shoshani

well-paced mix shows new tracks like opener “Shadows” and the string-filled finale “The End” achieving the dizzying heights first teased by his pulsing, sexy remix of Green Velvet’s “Bigger Than Prince.”

– Chris Caruso

“SINGULAR EP” (REMIXES)

u Nir Shoshani u Punch Music All three remixes should garner much love from DJs, especially the chunky Muzarco re-rub of “Sinai.” We’re also digging Agaric’s trippy, tech-house remix of “Midnight Sail.” And finally, Jay Tripwire drops a scintillating techno mix of “Singular.” From start to finish, this EP rocks!

– Phil Turnipseed

“THE WORLD GOES QUIET”

u Freemasons vs. Rubylux u Freemaison In this euphoric reinterpretation of a cut from indie rockers Rubylux, the Freemasons trade in their trademark synth strings and diva vocals for a mild electro influence and big-room horns. Fans shouldn’t fret, though; the release is still brimming with the Freemasons’ signature melancholy-at-the-disco aesthetic.

– Chris Caruso

Hauswerks

“JUST FINE”

u Social Society feat. Stephanie Cooke u Restless Soul Excellent deep, soulful house piece here. Silky smooth vocals and classy, celestial production, with a graceful instrumental and exquisite “Alternative Mix,” which adds some chic, musical Rhodes keys, followed up by an angelic reprise.

Rob Garza

– Shawn Christopher

“NINE TO FIVE” EP

u Hauswerks u Moda Black This engaging new EP features three cool house cuts that should make some noise. The soulful “No Escape” leads off with its excellent deephouse groove and sweet vocal by K:MiSS. “Worth The Wait” drops a rugged tech-house vibe that just bangs. Finally, “I Live Inside Your Mind” delivers a splashy percussion-drenched rhythm. A very hot collection.

– Phil Turnipseed

“DIRECTION” EP u Aidan Lavelle u Rebellion This new deep-tech banger is sure to find its way on many house sets. With a dark overtone on all three tracks, the vibe is thick and rugged. Both “Direction” and “Issues” are moody, funky gems with lowdown vocals and deep-house attitude— big, bouncy and in your face. Meanwhile, “Crush” delivers a smoother, more laid-back sound. A definite essential.

– Phil Turnipseed

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Download Corner

38

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

“Gimme Luv” (Strokes Craft Dub) by Waifs & Strays vs. Lukas & DJ Sneak [HPJJ]: Slow burning and straight-up funky. The chord swells are reminiscent of Chicago house, while the percussive bassline and arpeggiated synth bring a modern feel. The repeating hip-hop female vocal offset by chants of “black tinted windows” make it unforgettable.

Found on beatport.com.

“Rain & Shine” (Kresey Remix) by Bali Family feat. Navid Izadi [Southern Fried]: A little something for the house heads with altmusic roots. All the danceable elements are here—four-on-the-floor kick, stabby minor-key piano chords—but there is a shoegazer feel with the bleepy, swirling effects, pumping atmospheric melodies and a blissedout vocal that could easily find itself on a Blind Melon record. Found at beatport.com.

“Limit” (Original Mix) by Dale Howard [BeatFreak]: House music doesn’t have to always be so difficult. This one is more guttural than cerebral with a thumping beat, driving low-end bass and syncopated snares that get you nodding with a detuned rap that will make booties shake—not complicated. Found at beatport.com.

– Robert LaFrance

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the way you want!

AmEricA’S FirST mAgAzinE For ProFESSionAl DJs ESTAbliShED 1988

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MP3s in 56

Compiled As October 8, 2013

National Crossover Pool Chart 1 Krewella 2 Enrique Iglesias 3 Avicii 4 Daft Punk 5 Robin Thicke F/ Pharrell & T.I. 6 Kim Cameron 7 Kylie Minogue 8 Lady Gaga 9 Gali 10 Selena Gomez 11 Tiesto F/ Kyler England 12 Justin Timberlake 13 Natali Yura 14 Chris Cortes 15 Georgie Porgie 16 Zendaya 17 Duck Sauce 18 Katy Perry 19 Pet Shop Boys 20 Kelly Clarkson 21 Audio Playground F/ Snoop Lion 22 Lana Del Ray 23 Icona Pop 24 Michael Butera 25 Jay Sean 26 Sylvester 27 RH3 28 Capital Cities 29 Priyanka Chopra F/ Pitbull 30 Leann Rimes 31 Dj Max Hardcastle 32 Teri Bristol 33 Cedric Gervais & Howard Jones 34 Kaskade 35 Rihanna 36 Cazwell & Luciana 37 John Legend 38 Jason Dottley 39 KromOzone Project 40 Noah

National Urban Pool Chart

Live For The Night Turn Up The Night Wake Me Up Lose Yourself To Dance Blurred Lines Not Into You Skirt Applause I’m Alive Slow Down Take Me Take Back The Night Scream For Love Awake Yea Yea Yea Replay It’s You Roar Vocal People Like Us You Never Know Summertime Sadness All Night Ignore You Where You Are You Make Me Feel Mighty Real When I’m With You Safe And Sound Exotic Spitfire Summer Love Tom-es Theme Things Can Only Get Better Atmosphere What Now Guess What?

Made To Love It’s Our Night Come Back No More Angels

Columbia Interscope Island/Def Jam Columbia Interscope Side FX Parlophone Interscope Ryal Hollywood Republic RCA N.A.T. Global Groove Music Plant Hollywood Casablanca Capitol X-2 RCA Sony/Canada Interscope Atlantic Music Plant Cash Money Concord Firm Grip Capitol Universal Curb Trippinout Music Plant Robbins Ultra Island/Def Jam Peace Bisquit Columbia JD3 KZP Noah

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

Ricky Martin Martin Garrix Cindy Valentine Icona Pop DJ Sammy F/ The Jackie Boyz RH3 Tiesto F/ Kyler England Katy Perry Cazwell & Luciana Priyanka Chopra F/ P

Come With Me Animals Wicked Ways All Night Shut Up And Kiss Me When I’m With You Take Me Roar Guess What?

Exotic

Sony Casablanca Valentine Prod.

Atlantic Robbins Firm Grip Republic Capitol Peace Bisquit Universal

Reporting Pools

n Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketchter n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen n Fusion Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n B 98.5 - Staten Island, NY; Mike Gloria n Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy n Dixie Dance Kings Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller n MOOD Spins - Seattle, WA; Randy Schlager n Northeast Record Pool - Revere, MA; Justin Testa n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis n WPTY - Long Island, NY: Mike Rizzo n KPAT / KSXY - 25 Markets; DJ Creativity n Majik Boys - Los Angeles, CA; Jeremy Martarano

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Fantasia F/ Kelly & Missy Eliott Robin Thicke F/ Pharrell & T.I. Wale F/ Sam Dew Jay Z F/ Justin Timberlake 2 Chainz F/ Pharrell J.Cole F/ TLC Tamar Braxton French Montana Meek Mill Justin Timberlake Chris Brown F/ Nicki Minaj Chrisette Michele Toni Braxton & Babyface Drake F/ Majid Jordan John Legend PartyNextDoor F/ Drake Eric Benet Tyga F/ Future Sebastian Mikael F/ Wale Ace Hood F/ Meek Mill

Without Me Blurred Lines Love-Hate Thing Holy Grail Feds Watching Crooked Smile All The Way Home Ain’t Worried About Levels Take Back The Night Love More A Couple Of Forevers Hurt You Hold On We’re Going All Of Me Over Here Runnin’ Show You Last Night Before The Rollie

RCA Interscope Atlantic Roc Nation Island/Def Jam Columbia Epic Interscope Atlantic RCA RCA Motown Motown Cash Money Columbia Warner Brothers Capitol Republic Slip-N-Slide Cash Money

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Drake F/ Majid Jordan R. Kelly Mario Toni Braxton & Babyface Chrisette Michele

Hold On We’re Going Genius Fatal Distraction Hurt You A Couple Of Forevers

Cash Money RCA RCA Motown Motown

NEW National Latin Dance Pool Chart 1. March Anthony 2. Alejandro Fernandez 3. Delilah feat Demo Lyrics 4. J Martin 5. Enrique Iglesias & Romeo Santos 6. Juan Magan feat Paulina Rubio 7. Zawezo 8. Salsa Giants 9. Rigu feat Toby Love 10. Prince Royce 11. Charlie Cruz 12. Don Omar 13. Tito El Bambino 14. Charlie Zaa 15. Grupomania feat J King & Maximan 16. Toby Love 17. Romeo Santos 18. Tone Crush feat Tony Fuego 19. La Maye 20. Los Cadillacs

Vivir Mi Vida Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti Sexy (Bogart Remix) Cada Vez Que Te Vas Locos Mal De Amores Me And My Cup Para Celebrar Y Es Que La Quiero Darte Un Beso Labios De Puerpura Feeling Hot El Carnaval Digo Yo No Tengo El Valor Hey Propuesta Indecente Dj In The House Guapa Bom Bom

Sony Universal Latina Princess PPE Universal Universal Digital Launch Top Stop Music Warner Musica Top Stop Music LP Universal Venemusic Entity Flame Top Stop Music Sony Rex Music AJ Music Venemusic

Most Added Tracks 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pedro Jesus Ruina Nueva Grupo Niche Johnny Rivera Andreas Bocelli & Jennifer Lopez

Amarte Y Mas Si Tu No Estas Tocando El Cielo Por Fin Paro La Lluvia Quizas, Quizas

PJP Papa Grande PPM USA Orlando Prod.

Universal

Reporting Latin Pools n Flamingo - Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Julio n Lets Dance / IRS - Chicago, IL; Lorri Annarella n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n NW Dance Music - Shoreline, WA; John England n Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy n Dixie Dance Kings R - Atlanta, GA; Dan Miller n WPTV-Prty 105FM Frd MdMx - New York, NY; Mike Rizzo n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis n NE Record Pool - Boston, MA;

Justin Testa

VonStroke

(continued from page 16) about that tension between a set where you can go super-deep, or one where you feel you have to be a little bit more commercial. Is that still the approach?

CVS: I want people to have fun.

I don’t play more commercial, I’ll just play bigger, which is not my favorite. I call it “the hammer.” You have to put down the hammer. I purposely try to limit – it’s all going back to that thing that I saw with drum-n-bass. There is a point in the music where you can go over the point and it’s just going to be railing it, and all the girls are going to go home.

DJ Times: Is that always the approach then? Keep the girls on the floor and don’t drive them away with too much techno?

CVS: I like to sneak in techno. I’m not afraid of techno, it’s just the bashing. One thing I do quite frequently is I’ll bash it for two tracks, I’ll build up to it then I’ll bash it, then I’ll go straight into the deepest thing that I have. It’s my favorite trick and it almost always works. If you just go into the most booming, thrashing techno, and you can tweak it into a sub-bass groover, cool track… that technique is awesome. It works. And then you can build it back up.

DJ Times: Dirtybird, the thing people think of is a crew, rather than just a selection of people you release and discard. What’s that A&R policy like?

CVS: I listen to them, and make a folder of maybes, then listen to that folder. Then I pick out the ones that are actually going to go into my box, then I remember them [laughs] and the ones that I gravitate to, I play, the

other ones I discard somehow in my brain. Then the ones that I play, I get a feeling for if I’m really into it, and I see how it works, but it’s more about if I’m really into it. Then if it’s really great, I’ll email them.

DJ Times: So everything’s roadtested?

CVS: Yeah, for the most part. Unless it’s unbelievable. So it’s really hard to get to that point. There’s so many filters, and then I might not even email you. Even if I play it every week, just because I don’t think it’s the right thing for that month. Then after that, it’s even harder, because if you actually get it onto dirtybird, you have to show us something else. So you’re not this person that makes the same track. Then, after that [laughs]…

I actually meet you at some point, or you send me a DJ set and I actually book you, and we see if you can DJ. And if you’re cool, like a nice person that we want to hang out with, and then you get the ruling. Is this person going to be cool to hang out with?

It seems almost impossible. It’s so daunting. But really, if you make an amazing track, it will get on the label.

DJ Times: What’s your studio setup like at the moment?

CVS: I have a Moog Voyager that gets on a lot of tracks. The Arturia MiniBrute—it’s all over that track “Dood.” That thing’s pretty nasty, but it’s also almost uncontrollable.

DJ Times: Are you a gear nut?

CVS: I am so a gear nut. But I’m not an outboard gear nut. I’ll say that I buy a lot of gear, but I sell a lot of gear. I buy a lot of stuff, and if I don’t use it for a year, I’ll sell it. And then I’ll buy something different.

DJ Times: Have you ever toyed

with the idea of a live show? Perhaps go back to the head-torch drum-nbass rig?

CVS: I was going to try and do this tour live. It might still happen.

I just have to get my shit together [laughs]. n

Sounding Off

(continued from page 29) “STEELFLEX” headband can endure being bent completely flat roughly 10 times before losing its shape, that the Kevlar-reinforced cable can endure over 1 million bends, and that the headphones can survive over 70 6-foot drops onto concrete.

Aesthetics: It’s easy to get distracted by the heavily marketed consumer-brand headphones of today that are highly fashionable, but utterly awful-sounding—certainly not suitable for professional apps.

Though not wholly scientific, I often suggest to friends that there’s typically an inverse relationship between headphones’ looks and sound. Luckily, V-MODA hasn’t lost sight of the fundamental reason we buy these things—to listen to music—while simultaneously delivering an exceptionally eye-catching product.

The matte-black version we were given to review has a very attractive, minimalistic aesthetic that feels militaristic, with a tinge of Zen simplicity.

Out of the two included cables, I went with the longer black version, as I tend to move around a lot when I DJ, though the shorter, high-contrast orange cable makes more of a statement, and matches the interior lining of the case. For those who really like to customize their gear, V-MODA

offers a whopping 3 base color options, with 16 different colors for the shields that adorn the outside of the ear cups, as well as the possibility to have them engraved with any graphic or text of your choice.

Sound Quality: V-MODA lists the M-100’s frequency response at 5 – 30 kHz, ensuring plenty of subbass, and a high-end response past the range of human hearing. They have a sensitivity of 103 dB @ 1kHz 1mW—read: moderately loud—and an impedance of 32 Ohms, meaning that you can drive these headphones without having to use a headphone amplifier to really make them “sing.”

I routed the M-100s through my Apogee Duet 2 interface plugged into my MacBook Pro via USB, and found that the M-100’s 50mm dualdiaphragm drivers emphasize the bass and lower midrange, with a slightly muted high-end response.

This gives their sound quality a pleasing warmth, but these will probably not be your go-to pair of reference headphones, as the EQ isn’t very flat.

Not to worry, though—this warmth means that the M-100s perform tremendously for casual listening and DJing. In fact, they’ve become my goto DJ headphones.

Wrap-Up: The Crossfade M-100’s are a powerful step up from V-MODA previous Crossfade LP offering. A testament to their attention to detail, they also offer the option of custom outer-shield colors, engraving, and optional cable and ear cushion color customization. Covering all the bases, from compact portability to superior sound quality, stylish customization to industry-leading durability, you will not regret picking up a pair of these headphones, especially at their veryreasonable $310 list price. n

DJ White Shadow & The Fame Monster

DJ TIMES

NOVEMBER 2013

Lady Gaga discovered me while I was DJing.

42

Now, I’m her platinum co-producer.

Life could be worse, right?

DJ White Shadow, Next Month in DJ Times

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