DJ Times February 2016, Vol 29 No 2 by DJ Times Magazine

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

djtimes.com

FEBRUARY 2016

$4.95 US

$4.95

$6.95 CANADA

US $6.95 CANADA

DDJ-RX

DDJ-RZ

NEXT GENERATION

EXPLORE THE REKORDBOX DJ

P LU G - A N D - P L AY C O N T R O L W IT H

P L U S PA C K AT R E K O R D B O X . C O M .

PA D F X A N D S E Q U E N C E R

SAME FAMILI AR REKORDBOX,

HOT CUES, LOOPS, SLICER AND SAMPLER

N E W P E R F O R M A N C E C A PA B I L I T I E S .

S L I P M O D E A N D B E AT J U M P D D J - R Z : A D V A N C E D F E AT U R E S I N C L U D I N G O S C S A M P L E R

PIONEERDJUSA

PIONEERDJ

PIONEERDJGLOBAL

PIONEERDJ.COM

NAMM ’16 PREVIEW: WHAT’S HOT FOR DJs?

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

FEBRUARY 2016

$4.95 US $6.95

CANADA

MIDI Apps for Studio & Playback How Wedding Jocks Make Events Memorable

N A V N A I M AR

E T A T S R U

U B

E C

N A

L A

F O

PLUS: James Lavelle * Blond:ish DJ-Website Advice * Numark NS7III DSI Sequential Prophet-6

NOTABLES…MILESTONES NEWS

Evening: Oliver Heldens rocks Paradiso.

WINTER NAMM ’16: BIG DEBUTS FOR PRO DJS By Jim Tremayne Anaheim, Calif. – According to organizers, over 90,000 industry professionals—manufacturers, distributors and retailers—are expected to attend the 2016 Winter NAMM show. Set for Jan. 21-24 at the Anaheim Convention Center, the annual exhibition/trade show will see plenty of product and technology debuts. As always, the DJ segment of the market will find its share as well. Also, Testa Communications— publisher of DJ Times—will be there with a dedicated exhibition booth. It will also produce Convention TV @ NAMM, which will provide on-thespot show coverage. Onto the Exhibit Floor: Pioneer DJ will introduce a pair of big products – the CDJ-2000NXS2 professional media player and the DJM900NXS2 professional DJ mixer. New features on the CDJ include FLAC/ ALAC file support, 7-inch full-color touchscreen, eight color-coded hot cues and MIDI controller interface. New features on the mixer include 64-bit mixing processor, improved EQ, and redesigned clip controls, plus six Sound Color FX, 14 Beat FX with larger X-Pad and OLED screen and independent send/return. Related company Pioneer Pro Audio will debut the XPRS Series of active loudspeakers, which include the XPRS15 and XPR12 speakers, plus the XPRS215S subwoofer. Denon DJ, one of 13 inMusic brands, will debut the MCX8000 DJ controller. Offering command of Serato DJ and Denon’s unique Engine software, the unit can run both platforms simultaneously. Also, DJs can use USB drives by opting to use Engine, which enables DJs to directly import Serato DJ crates and hot cues. Rane Corporation will debut the MP2014, a two-channel rotary DJ mixer which features state-of-theart digital signal processing and dual

16-channel USB sound cards. The unit offers top phono preamps, 3-way swept-filters and a 3-band, steep 24dB/octave main mix isolator—with adjustable crossover points. Stanton DJ will show Deckadance v2.50 DJ software, which will feature streamlined architecture and high-speed processing. Fellow Gibson company KRK will show four ROKIT Generation 3 active studiomonitor models. Smithson-Mar tin will show several new products, including the K32 Kontrol Surface, a full, 32-inch capacitive touchscreen now compatible with Mac OS X. The system will include the new Mac version of Emulator 2.0 with features like touch edit, MIDI, OSC and KeyCommand. ADJ will debut the Inno Pocket Spot LZR. Geared for mobile DJs or smaller venues, the hybrid miniLED moving head/green laser fixture offers seven colors (plus white) and seven gobos. Related company American Audio will show the VMS5 DJ controller, which features four USB/analog selectable “MIDILOG” (MIDI and analog) channels, Inno-fader compatibility and XLR Master output with balance and booth output. Blizzard Lighting will offer several new items, including the BlockHead Z9 moving-head fixture, Blok 2 effect light, the Snake Eyes Mini LED multi-beam moving head, the Thunderstik uplight, and the Weather System EXA all-in-one solution. Chauvet DJ will break out several new products that utilize the company’s new D-Fi USB technology. They include: the 4BAR USB lighting system; the SlimBANK T18 USB washlight; and the COLORband T3 USB LED strip light. Chauvet will also debut five USB-compatible par-style washlights, including SlimPAR H6 USB, SlimPAR Pro H USB, SlimPAR Pro Q USB, SlimPAR Pro W USB and

MCX8000: Denon DJ’s latest.

SlimPAR QUV 12. S t o m p L i g h t I n t e r n ational will show its flagship product, StompLight, a portable, pedal-board-sized unit that produces dozens of colorful lighting effects for DJs and other performers at the click of a button. From the pro-audio world, Yamaha will showcase the DXS18 powered subwoofer, an 18-inch unit powered by a 1,020-watt Class-D amplifier. The sub features a Cardioid Mode setting for systems with two or more DXS18s, effectively reducing the energy directed toward the stage, while increasing the bass levels directed at the audience. Mackie will debut the SRM1550, a 15-inch, 1,200-watt subwoofer addi-

Knobs: Rane’s MP2014.

tion to the company’s SRM portable, active loudspeaker series. Italy’s FBT will show the Q 118SA, an 18-inch, 1,200-watt subwoofer, plus the VERTUS CLA 406A and CLA 118SA column loudspeaker systems. Harman brand AKG will debut several headphone models. They include updates to the on-ear K67 DJ and over-ear K167 DJ pro-grade DJ headphones, plus the new K72 and K92 models of studio headphones.

YOUR DIRECT SOURCE FOR

CALL TODAY FOR DIRECT PRICING www.soundpro.com

FEBRUARY 2016

ADJ’s Inno Pocket Spot LZR.

DJ TIMES

Sub Power: Yamaha’s DXS18.

VOLUME 29

NUMBER 2

Cover & Contents Photos by Anton Corbijn

14 A State of Balance

How Does a Superstar DJ/Producer Find New Artistic Ground, While Keeping Longtime Fans Happy? Armin van Buuren Finds the Way BY CHRIS CARUSO

22 Sweating the Details What Makes a Wedding Reception Genuinely Memorable? DJs Chime In BY JEFF STILES

24 Mobile Control

Modern Jocks Have a Multitude of MIDI Apps for Studio Use & DJ Playback BY WESLEY BRYANT-KING

DEPARTMENTS 9 Feedback

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

26 Making Tracks

DSI Sequential Prophet-6

28 Sounding Off

Numark NS7III

30 Mobile Profile

Iowa DJ Finds True Calling

32 Business Line

Why People Bounce from Your Website

34 Gear

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

New Products from Peavey, Grundorf & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Agoria, Anjunabeats & More

41 Club Play Chart

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

SAMPLINGS 10 James Lavelle

Goes Global

12 In the Studio Withâ&#x20AC;¦ Blond:ish

Full Beats. Full Mix. Putting you in the spotlight. Pro Audio • Video • Lighting • Musical Instruments

800-356-5844

•

fullcompass.com

FROM THE EDITOR

NAMMaheim ’16 If you’re reading this issue in sunny Southern California—as opposed to DJ Times’ frosty East Coast base—chances are that you’re with us at the Winter NAMM show at the Anaheim Convention Center. As always, we’re repping the Testa Communications booth, along with our fellow in-house titles (ClubWorld,The Music & Sound Retailer, and Sound & Communications), looking forward to another big product exhibition. As you’ll find on our News page, the DJ market will see many exciting new products this week. And by that we mean NAMM debuts in the playback, software, PA, studio, lighting, video and accessory segments of the market. Stay tuned for our NAMM wrap-up, detailing all the vital new gear, both online and in our next issue. If you’re a pro DJ, you’re no doubt familiar with Armin van Buuren and “A State of Trance,” his influential genre-leading broadcast. As one of the very few DJ/producers who can both headline major EDM events like Ultra Music Festival and sell out traditional music venues like Madison Square Garden, van Buuren holds a very special place in the DJ world. Still, at this point in his career, he can harbor some artistic leanings that may challenge a portion of his fanbase, which may want a never-ending stream of the same, uplifting trance that made him famous in the first place. How does he balance this? Our Chris Caruso found out, as he connected with him on a recent visit to New York City, following him to a very early TV appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America. In Samplings, our longtime L.A.-based correspondent Lily Moayeri interviews James Lavelle, whose latest Global Underground entry offers a few new wrinkles to the famed mix-comp brand. For our “In the Studio” Sampling, Mr. Caruso talks with Blond:ish’s Vivie-Ann Bakos and Anstascia D’Elene, as the Canadian DJ duo details the unique recording process for its latest Kompakt full-length, Welcome to the Present. From the world of the mobile entertainer, our Iowa-based writer Jeff Stiles asks a good handful of professional jocks how they help make wedding events memorable for everyone. In Mobile Profile, we remain in the Hawkeye State and meet with Dubuque’s Michael Lenstra of Alexxus Entertainment, who has become a successful multi-op, after ditching his regular job. Also, in Business Line, we explain why your DJ company’s website might be experiencing unacceptable bounce rates and we offer some solutions. In this issue’s range of tech evaluations, our Denver-based DJ/scribe Wesley Bryant-King does all the heavy lifting. In addition to offering some MIDI-app options for DJ/producers in his “Mobile Control” feature, he tackles Numark’s NS7III controller system in Sounding Off. But, for Making Tracks, he really goes above the call of duty with his evaluation of the Sequential Prophet-6 analog poly synth from Dave Smith Instruments. Then, as a sidebar, he tosses in a related book review of The Prophet of Silicon Valley: The Complete Story of Sequential Circuits. So, lotsa Dave Smith in this issue and lotsa Wesley—thanks, Wes. We’ll see you on the Convention Center, and don’t forget to watch Testa’s Convention TV @ NAMM, which offers daily reports from the showfloor.

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

Cheers,

Jim Tremayne, Editor, DJ Times

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

assistant editor Chris Caruso ccaruso@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Ally Byers Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Greg Hollmann Robert LaFrance Michelle Loeb Evan Maag Duanny Medrano Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Deanna Rilling Jeff Stiles Reisa Shanaman Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Ashley Zlatopolsky 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 ClubWorld 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 social media coordinator Matt Van Dyke mvandyke@testa.com

advertising manager Tom McCarty tmccarty@testa.com marketplace advertising sales manager Ricky Pimentel rpimentel@testa.com art/production assistant Ricky Pimentel rpimentel@testa.com Circulation circulation@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 © 2016 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 February 2016

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

FEEDBACK Which Songs Make Your “Do-Not-Play” List?

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED

JANUARY 2016

$4.95 US

$6.95 CANADA

16 LinkedIn Tips for Mobiles DJ-Lighting Debuts

Questlove djtimes.com

Music’s Renaissance Man

$4.95 US

04JA16_p001-044.indd 1

$6.95 CANADA

PLUS: The Juan MacLean * Claptone * EDC Orlando Cakewalk Rapture Pro * Novation Launchkey

Accessories & Other Products: Longtime supplier Grundorf Corporation will show the BB-48LSWB “Beat Booth” tabletop Lycra-front façade and the GS-LS4872TB Lycra DJ façade. CAD will show several new prod‑ ucts, including the CADLive 4000

and 3000 wireless systems, the reissued classic A77 vocal studio mic, and the U37SE Special Edition USB mic, perfect for podcasting, among other apps. Audible Genius will make its maid‑ en NAMM voyage by showcasing Syntorial, a video-game-like training

software that teaches users how to program synth patches by ear. VocoPro will debut its SilentPA line of products that can be used to cre‑ ate fully customizable wireless silent PA systems with either stationary or bodypack individual transmitters and bodypack receivers.

12/16/2015 12:21:11 PM

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to industry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – market‑ ing, mixing, equipment or insur‑ ance, 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 question that is not asked. The annual Winter NAMM show— set for Jan. 21-24 at the Anaheim Convention Center—will see doz‑ ens of new products aimed for the DJ market. On this month’s Page 5 News section, we take a look at the playback, lighting and pro-audio seg‑ ments of the DJ industry. But, as we all know, there’s more to the DJ-gear scene than that, so here we offer the debuts we expect to see from the studio and recording end of the market, plus assorted acces‑ sories that DJs may use. From the Studio & Recording World: Britain’s Novation will show the No‑ vation Circuit synthesizer worksta‑ tion, while related company Focusrite will exhibit its Clarett 2Pre 10x4 Thunderbolt interface. Output will demo Exhale, its “Mod‑ ern Vocal Engine” for producers and sound designers. Roland will show its M-100 AIRA custom over-ear headphones, which are designed and built by V-MODA. In addition to the HPH-MT7 studio monitor headphones, Yamaha will also release the Montage synthesizer, available in 61-, 76- and 88-key con‑ figurations and featuring the Motion Control Synthesizer Engine. Related company Steinberg will show its Cubase Pro 8.5 and Cubase Artist 8.5 music production systems and it will debut the UR22mkII audio/ MIDI interface.

OWN THE NIGHT K Family loudspeakers deliver high energy output, bone-rattling bass and amazing clarity - all night, every night. Bring your best. K’s got this.

K Series

qsc.com

KW Series

KLA Series

SAMPLINGS

Two of dance music’s most iconic and enduring entities come together for Naples #GU41: James Lavelle, he of UNKLE and Mo’ Wax fame, and Global Underground, the legendary compilation series. Two decades strong, Global Underground established its brand with top-tier DJs setting their contributions to the series in exotic and far reaching places, as well as obvious and cosmopolitan locales alike. Lavelle, no stranger to Global Underground having compiled three prior collections – GU23 Barcelona (2002), GU26 Romania (2004) and GU37 Bangkok (2009) – goes in a different direction for his latest compilation. “It’s one of my favorite cities,” says Lavelle of his choice of Naples as the setting for this decidedly UNKLE-heavy collection. “It’s not a new place to play. It has musical club history. It has always had this very intense relationship between the artisan and the art world, and a brooding chaos between that and being very working class. It has the intensity of a port city and being a volcanic city adds something to the air. I like cities which are raw and where things are on edge. That adds something to the nightlife. It’s a great place to be nocturnal.” For the first time in Global Underground’s history, the already collectible package is also including a hardback travel guide with exclusive photography, as well as a grip of postcards. This was another reason why Lavelle chose Naples, as it lends itself to the concept, plus he could enlist the help of the locals in making the project even more personal. Lavelle himself worked on the book, involved in both the choosing of the images and the shooting of some of them. His brother, Henry Lavelle of Modo, designed the bespoke box. The music took three months to put together with primarily UNKLE originals, remixes, and DJ edits—as the title, James Lavelle Presents UNKLE Sounds indicates. The final product was mixed on two Pioneer CDJ-900NXS players and a DJM-900NXS mixer using USBs. This is also the setup Lavelle prefers in a club setting.

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

JAMES LAVELLE: GOING GLOBAL

“I have no regrets not having to run around with two boxes of records in some Tokyo train station while my back rips apart,” he says. “I did 20 years of that, so I feel like I did my time.” Additional material was created and fit into the initial mix via Ableton. Lavelle’s home studio revolves around Logic, as well as CDs, mixer, keyboard, guitars, and basses. But when he requires some additional “fairy dust,” as he calls it, he’ll go to his engineer’s studio. “We work with a lot with live elements that we distort in the computer,” says Lavelle. “I’m not, and I never will be, the typical clubmusic maker. I’m not good at doing that. With this mix, it was about incorporating the elements I like about club music, but also for there to be a joy to it. I’m not somebody who can do what Carl Craig does or Dubfire or Richie Hawtin—and I’m jealous of those people because I wish I could make those records. I come more from a song-structure basis than a groove basis, and that’s the difference.” A unique listening experience, James Lavelle Presents UNKLE Sounds: Naples #GU41 features many traditional musicians (Lana Del Rey, Noel Gallagher, London Grammar, Jagwar Ma), but all of them get an UNKLE polish. The signature sounds are there—hollow tones, spooky vibes, and magnetic rhythms, all flowing smoothly. “I really weighed up between trying to do a more traditional mix, putting all the electronic dance records I like at the moment, which there are millions of, but I felt that has been done so much with so many great people,” says Lavelle. “I felt it would be musically more interesting, and more interesting for me to make, if I focused on my own thing. “What’s also important to me is that it is a physical thing. You have to consider those opportunities because they don’t happen that often anymore. All these remixes you do, they’re on SoundCloud or whatever, and it’s cool, but I wanted to see them in record stores, see the fruits of my work over the last few years as something tangible—otherwise, it always feels really disposable to me.” – Lily Moayeri

Welcome to the Family

Experience the new ROKIT 4 & 10-3 at Winter NAMM January 21-24, Anaheim, CA Hall 800B.

Introducing the New Rokit 4 & Rokit 10-3 G3 Professional Studio Reference Monitors It’s hard to top the world’s best-selling studio reference monitors—so we created two new ones to evolve the Rokit line further. Go compact with the Rokit 4, for portability and performance that fits in your carry-on. Or go big with the Rokit 10-3 three-way, which fills even large rooms with the high definition sound quality you expect from KRK—and then some. Music is your passion. Reproducing it with clarity, and detail is ours. Welcome to the family.

Rokit 8, 6, 5

www.krksys.com

IN THE STUDIO If there is proof positive that blondes have more fun, it most certainly lies within the transcendental techno parlayed by Canadian duo Blond:ish. With origins dating back to 2008—the pair got its name from a club night in Montreal for which they promoted and DJed together—and a nonstop work ethic since then, Blond:ish (Vivie-Ann Bakos and Anstascia D’Elene) has become many a tastemaker’s favorite over the years with key releases on labels Get Physical and Noir Music. More recently, the pair turned this journey toward musical enlightenment into something tangible with the release of their long-awaited debut LP Welcome to the Present on German label Kompakt. In a dancefloor-focused industry geared toward quick hits and smashing basslines, the 11-track album was a true artistic leap. Eschewing 4/4 beats for much of the record in favor of atmospheric, World Music-inspired

DJ Times: What went into the title Welcome To The Present? D’Elene: After we had finished the album, we had a tour in India and decided to take two weeks off to go explore, meditate, do lots of yoga, and immerse ourselves in the country because we knew that we would have the time there to be away from our phones and social media. When you meditate and get closer to nature, I think this opens the creative mind—at least it did for us. DJ Times: What sort of journey were you trying to take listeners on? Bakos: These tracks reflect every road that we have taken to come to this point in time, spanning our travels to South America, Mexico, India, and beyond. We wanted to bring a little piece of these magical places to the listeners. DJ Times: A lot of the album was recorded in Tulum, Mexico. What sort of impact did location have on the sounds of the Blond:ish (from left) record? D’Elene & Bakos. Bakos: We’re not sure about other producers, but we are products of our environment—kind of like chameleons. A lot of people are drawn to the beach in Tulum, and it’s incredible, it really is, but for me personally the magic is in the jungle. There’s something of this type of vibe that brings out a sense of clarity and creativity! D’Elene: We tried to keep the integrity of the Tulum magic and record local musicians that we met organically when we were here. For me, this adds to the authenticity of the music. DJ Times: You first previewed the album by releasing a different mix of “Endless Games.” Why this track, specifically? D’Elene: We thought it was one of the strongest tracks vocally to be remixed for the first single. We’re extremely happy with Patrice Baumel’s take on it. I think for both of us, “Nada Brahma” is the most liberating track that we made for this album. It is the turning point when everything changes for us. The title is a Vedic saying that translates to “sound is god” or “all is sound,” and this illustrates exactly what we believe in. We have recently been exploring sound with a whole new perception, and this is what keeps our creativity ticking. DJ Times: What sort of studio and recording gear was a go-to for the production of the album? Bakos: Our go-to was definitely the UAD Apollo Twin for a soundcard and all its incredible plug-ins. Moog Minitaur for bass, Ableton Live, the Omnisphere soft synth, Roland TR-8, Genelec 8030A speakers, and a lot of instruments that we don’t even know the names of because our friends Jupiter and Balam made them themselves. DJ Times: Has the journey to the album’s release affected the way your DJ sets in any way? D’Elene: Our sets are varied, as we often play in such different settings and vibes, so we always try to adapt to our environment. Since we’ve been wanting to incorporate some of the songs of our album into our sets, we’ve been recently playing a bit more eclectic, journey-type tracks, yet keeping it ready for the dancefloor. We’re always mixing it up to keep it interesting. – Chris Caruso

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

BLOND:ISH: WELCOME TO THE PRESENT

productions, the ladies have crafted a colorful sonic world that’s as varied and unique as the multi-faceted Playa-Tech sets they deliver on the sands of Burning Man’s Black Rock Desert. We connected with the ladies shortly after the LP’s release and discussed their creative journey as well as their production secrets. DJ Times: How did the idea of doing an album come about? Anstascia D’Elene: Kompakt has been asking us to make an album for the last two years. Last year was not right, so [in 2015] we decided to just dive in headfirst and set up a makeshift studio in a Tulum jungle house [in Mexico]. We had a lot to express inside of us and wanted to try and tell a story that we just couldn’t achieve in an EP. DJ Times: When did work on the album start? Vivie-Ann Bakos: It started in December 2014 when we were on tour in South America and did tons of field recordings. We would literally record everything and everyone that we came across with throughout our trip. We love to capture little moments of our travels as it adds a nostalgic feel for us in our music. Then in January, 2015, we set up the studio in Tulum and got all the foundations of the tracks and finished the arrangements as well as recorded some live vocalists and musicians.

SHAPE YOUR SOUND

Bose® F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker

1 speaker. 4 coverage patterns.

STRAIGHT

REVERSE J

Introducing the first portable loudspeaker that lets you easily control the vertical coverage – so wherever you play, more music reaches more people directly. The Bose F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker’s revolutionary flexible array lets you manually select from four coverage patterns, allowing you to adapt your PA to the room. Plus, the loudspeaker and subwoofer provide a combined 2,000 watts of power, giving you the output and impact for almost any application. Your audience won’t believe their ears.

hr C y

u Car

Photos By Anton Corbijn

wn Do ity. m a vicin Dre in he e near r Arm ll t o a t h o t f in s n . dc sea g back clubs i usines rs, an l e h hou blin any all b in C his ing is stum the m ning is t a few and P’s n r f n o s r e o s m ju eL , e ur wl mo iday ight o t at on , this rica in ivals. an Bu out th stime r F t ou res fe s t s t v s a b n’s iers Ame hn uie a q f stylis night e part rning lining mong pdate ? At p Buure n o s a a d o h u o om . van hea i o n m t od M nd n ew gle a.m r 30 , a gag ably f air fro on Go eslots hilarat rior, a e big hart in : 4 h p t ’s c m the but l tim e ex day ning. T unes ree – It esu T r ity 16th St tel, pr tion in his de is usua or, th t the i o C e ork est ue ho mmo make the h emean ut jus the m on th W t o q l wY ” o Ne n on bouti the c n wil y from calm d ame ughou Hello o c w eek e “ r o c t , o i s i c r i h e p D a sl e far and h brac ut th smas des tranc o m n, e er, —a tow owev n. The a.m. orning bum, E called adcor s l H ure ipe 5 y m a y l n t Bu tes cited ntua arl ar van is at the e His la re ex garga . e a tim espite lpable tions dele’s D s pa si fA o o p i m har t ahead a e t as st c late race w b Em

du /Pro

cer

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

J rD a t s r , py? upe d p S n a u H a ns Gro a oes c F i D t e s ay tim How Arti W g n e w o Ne s th gL d d n i n n i i p F F Kee ren e u l i u B Wh an v in ing sist ck Arm n o a c

s nes tb ce nd. h a p p i a r t a l l ien is vas i l l b e h s o d c s u i H a f f h t e r w nics, t th j u s t rs; it’ yo so iliar e iskintr n t t h a t h a n am icacie c a t a s otech f u b o e m i r r r ec re nu a re e intr mer he , py mo urhom ’s a p p m m o s a l e s een t o f t h t ch w the ning A , flows u occ ys b t m o and s r u I s e s o r o r n b b a f a n a b M k lw a s r— at h n t i o ts ms g to who G o o d with e nce has a the n i a s t e e m e n fo r w h e i n v e c a r e e y d la base o n d rm uren nd isr c ’s lot r, p cke r fo ca c s p l a ation i s t i c e a he cer l p e v a n B u mu s i y c o n e n , cula id fan r ty-se ney pa k u i d t a a l i t d l r n t c e i r b r o m B va o f a / p r o r. i e t c a h n u e t . i sp si jo an bu Buu er m il e se sr J e-t e a r o f h i m i nu t r a n c e e n t s . o p p o o f A r d o f d e i t h n v a n e s t c h D hat lat might e day, i n u n t F f t ert gic a l ly om orl rom rmi nds ro ask D u e o n t ly r i s e y i n t h l y b e g M o r n . Pie housa e thre lti-hou -up m metric he ma the w self f ally A ty. d l e . T ren r e r u o c r r o a r i a i o a a s m h t T t e u t r a i r e m he u G o f l o g . T y a m h a n d o d i t t i n g . i s t i n i n g h s s e n i n t e g E m b n B u u hT o n s o o e s n ’t t t h e e s S q v a n f e x w t t a a m eam of ti d i cat aced b ora o hese t ddly fi usly e aliena quint eative sed on es, va re wi c s T a d e T v n f l h s , n o i m b e fo s t r i a o i t i r t r o r lw p e e c c s e t e r i u u g e t l h a o n g a w r a t a i o o t ’s i a p t th th yin . day ulta his ith nd me sho w h group a s t u d backs few h h e D J : and he fac same o sim ess w ething conve fully nds, a t’s co globe ween er, t u a t t s n e e i T n the A m e r i c uffling e nex fo r t e show s s h e o m ad h h y o g h I in t abilit nsciou ces so focus nticity ents, s rom w ross t ieve b str y le g i n g c k ly s h e n d s t p a r i n o f t h T h i s r n r c f s i e o n m ce p indu r n hi e d i his auth die tru ns a f re n mc Qu ren sp n g p r he en y o f “ n o t h e bee strea ing au d from tistic ew ins perie d by fa ent o as an i t e u n l n A i t u n x r v “ r i a med t B mo ma ly ser straye n to a cing” n rent e belove e mom is role op. ce k tha and t o t h e orman i n u t e i k e ” e n c e d Nic r nt ever i ra i f fe e t rar m, h so b he t a f n i L n d i c h “ e m i l d ly d s h i m n i n a a l b u h i n g t s ’ e per r e e - m e e l s o a u d ines a Ken fo e d h it e w w e s ac F udi h a d Thi self w her a at mak Buur the ne ce re a t at It s t Sara H bie an ion. t n n k m a h h a e t r i o g v t r a u h w W ” t o hors s Ba ra i n s t r i n g p u t t o n i n g w i t h a t a b o t o go leb s do cted Yo u es anc ssed a en ce ands s late pe ch a n h a o t n e ab onne ay to ven ho t clud ey dr allowe nce s ’s pla s off t ’ u d e c o t n h a ’ s We gs tha ne can Lac tive H rform Buure ht he e s e n t s i g r o i e g e f n P n p a va id s two where Thi st to . At m e R P M a n g i r and l n t i c o n e ve n h e a d t o tha 9 4 t r e i P

Mixer Choice: Allen & Heath Xone: DB4

“The reason I started using the Allen & Heath [Xone: DB4] mixer,” says Armin van Buuren, “is the unit’s D/A conversion. We use the Pioneer CDJ players and what we hear are much clearer low frequencies and much less aggressive highs. It’s very clear. We’ve tested it on massive PAs out there and Wouter [Asselman], my sound guy, can acknowledge that it’s like day and night compared to other mixers. “It’s giving us more dynamics. Transients are the attack in a sound, so if there’s a kick drum, you really hear it—pop! There’s an attack and a decay and a release. But that’s so important, especially on a big PA. The fact that Allen & Heath, in the mixer, does everything in an analog way, while other mixers do it in a digital way, makes a huge difference. “The layout is unlike any other mixer. The knobs are a little closer, but when you get used to it—and I’m used to it—it’s fine. I forced myself to get used to the DB4—like I say, it’s like day and night.”

DJ Times: You performed on Good Morning America earlier today. Is that something you could have ever anticipated when you were starting out as a DJ? Armin van Buuren: No. You have to remember that I’m very much Dutch, so to be able to do a show like that is ridiculous, really. DJ Times: What does that say about the way dance music has progressed in the U.S.? Van Buuren: I think it really proves that dance music has become that big. If the show is rated that high, it means that the network wants to hold onto the tradition of having a DJ on the Halloween show. It proves that the big crowd out there—“the mass” if you want to call it that—really likes DJs right now. It’s crazy, seeing how far we’ve come ever since The Loft era and Studio 54 and all those days. DJ Times: How does a performance on a morning show compare to your set tonight at something like Pier of Fear and even your surprise set at the 800-person Armada Captivating event at Amsterdam Dance Event this year? Van Buuren: I’d say one day you eat steak, and then the next you eat fish, and the day after you eat vegetarian—it’s all different. Honestly, it doesn’t have a lot to do with technical skills when you’re playing a show like Good Morning America because you’re only playing two tracks. If you’re playing a longer set [like later that night at Pier of Fear], I really have to think about how I want my set to progress the mixes I want to do, and the stuff I want to try technically. The surprise set at ADE was a one-hour set—that’s kind of easy because you can just grab your biggest tracks and play them all in a row. Anything longer than an hour… you just have to go out of your way, which for me is great because that’s what I love. That’s when it becomes real DJing. DJ Times: It’s quite a balance. Van Buuren: I’m not consciously trying to cross over into the mainstream. Playing on a show like that is obviously to a mainstream crowd, but I just hope that I reach new fans that way. Tonight, I’m going 138 [beats per minute] all the way. It’s sort of like luring those people into the dark side of things, to keep it more interesting. A lot of fans now know me through “This Is What It Feels Like.” They come to my show and I play that, but they hear other stuff as well. You use that as a first step toward the more interesting and dark side of trance. I’m not going to play a really commercial set tonight with all my hits. That’s the way I view things: I’m a DJ and I want my set to be heard by as many people as possible. The way that I do that—and I know some DJs who might disagree with how I do that—is by reaching a larger audience and having more people listen to my music. DJ Times: You don’t seem like the type who would feel creatively stifled by that success. Van Buuren: I used to! I know for a fact that there are a lot of fans out there who disagree with the choices that I make creatively; they’d rather see me still in that safety zone of my trance world. Please don’t forget: I consider myself a trance DJ and I still love trance. I guess it’s all about the definition of trance and how you perceive it. For me, a track like [“Looking for Your Name”] with Gavin DeGraw is a trance track, very much so. It has that emotion; it’s very uplifting and emotional, driving music. I couldn’t play that in a 138 [BPM] set, obviously. I can’t limit myself to one style because it gets boring for me. And I’ve never done that. If you look at my past sets from 2004 to 2009, you’ll see that I’ve always played a little bit across the board. The main sound is trance, but I’ve always played a little progressive and techno. I’m not defending myself, but I’m trying to say that I’m trying to keep it interesting for myself because I don’t want to be a copy of anyone else. I want to be myself and do what excites me. DJ Times: When did work on Embrace begin and what kicked off your creative process? Van Buuren: The real work actually began during the [Armin Only] Intense tour. I had some studio sessions already in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York when I was touring with the crew. It was really strange: I was recording with other artists when I was still with my crew [from the tour]. I’m always working on music, even now to this day. Today, I was emailing with vocalists saying that we could work on this or that. The idea with Embrace came in 2014. I had a different album title that just didn’t feel right. The idea of Embrace came from literally embracing different sounds and different cultures. I had a few ambitions before that, mainly the track with the trumpet. That was just an ambition. I was like, “You know, let’s try this.” Actually, a lot of the tracks on the album took more than a year to finish, from initial idea to completion. The “Embrace” track, I think the trumpet player Eric Vloeimans was in my house four times. We were constantly changing things. I think I have hours and hours of him playing trumpet on my hard drives, and I think we ended up using only two minutes. That’s the creative process: you throw away more than you keep. That’s the beauty of it. You don’t really know what you’re doing with a trumpet in a trance track. DJ Times: What’s so striking about the album is how there are so many

k trac ll e l t i it a et n th at ties o h mjazz can ly E o u ike ool.” W l u n , o s r O y k in oy ent ld Sk ove t h i n d” all um A r m H ow d g e r ? elem n “O d? I e e b ! h l n t t n i . e sou bg e r,” n mi is a erara op o rac k o o hug even bigge e. r disp hip-h your : Emb rmin n of th h diff as a s t s b t i i , n A g m o i e , e e t n and ther uren rt of “ missio throu J set e to e was s d mak “mak a n I n o be t e e u D e o s y h r g t e e s n s t B to a n e ha l ly rne , th tou er a er s e n t u’re ying the V o som r me a jou proac n rea album : Yo ntense furth g to p differ just tr new, of s t o a p n e F c o a n e e o . t is I I n et is ’s m yin eI liste tracks to go way ting. a danc yself ll. J Ti ur. Th this o ot tr lbum ense, it y logo bouqu that s D e e m w to p up By n t h e a n Int ed, m the se is the erally It’s th intere aking iting as ce : e g as an t . bra to st uren brace er tha w-edg ng, and t Inten m that ith is li styles ing it ure m nd lim restin ions c t i a u u n t m t t o e r w n p a a a pl an B nt. E be be ore abo ay fr ing ent l. Kee the fu BPM be int limita me us t V ffere l to r is m more ly love ve aw . Work nscio tha i g we elf in t one could eative . n i n d l e l o i o h n a e v t y c e t a i r e v s s m s r t o e r a f t a c ju my is ju —tha the c eative . So w aybe g rall he m h at I d to uld not n r t an A ng It’s rent. T e albu er. Wh . I trie at wo t was tha genre es: So ore c y, yeah oing m helpi e s i h a e h r h l d go i ow d i f f s o n t i s w i d c l e a n ow t j n . T h one J Tim even m Exact yself that o not t o r. H our on goes h i c um o i g s u s b : m r D ou e a e , r o n y o t e l e k y ik at w st t y Co ork alb os on an ure y se slic at ml h ke the as so ent t A n t o n ays ting th ore w ma an Bu n reall n albu , but t was ju do wh w l . m and t e V I ca t it w xperi p h e r ] team r t of a daun uch m DJ r y. uur ke tha ere i g and , y r B e l y e e m l a u r o l n h i h n r n s o w , ve . yo ca an t o g ith t gen in va guys l ace. T r y t h i u’re physi nd ho o ing k i n g t h e t i r i n g s h ow w t r h o e m c b Y v p r A n m [ e m A GAI es: ore sele l o o r e ld a ing isio o I’ the ally do nE dec J Tim our m e wor ly, s hy s i c into , tour ok i n t o re yo u u w e the ion o y a n d n t t t h p e n O s D n ly u k in we t we h a t yo e to r ss t mis h e w a . ma a t ’s ep hat e ha t Arm t . T h hat w ould tour, w in you in O s acro the s , m ’ s t a l l tes m es: W e ? W r o m w e t I r t s er Ic B st i f J se ? ye a l y f o r en: n g e r effor t ision the la a US y care ’t D r e exc J Tim h i s t i m r e n t t i i h u I n t g f c lo u a s cts. D t s t d i f f e se? i n t o a n B l ay a u n t o s t d e a d . O n p u t t i n n t i n m e . I d o i n out ee i r w ten rough m o r big a ning o wo r alis a s i t V p t o o o n c s r I p o m o u o t a he t v a ym ed he an j on : T h n i n g w i t h m e a o n e n t t W e itea a h r t v ? e t n h e a h d, , it’s nd o ent t k. I’m much at I n e exc . I f a rics n f o r i n g fo u re n n o p r k i n g n o o r y y a e k l o u Sec nciall tire b differ w Yor that e in th e mo album 10 loo an B e b e e lly wo r mor t the y are r e a v a a e V i o f h h c Fin an en . That’s to N matte a sens ives m e new ened y ha lg r s , e s p e o k i n g u g h t t ul as t h g a e t n th y o tm l i n i l c i ap p l p o f y f w a d vo eo nd fl ’t re o w a s l o I t h o ning sel eedom ar on ave h t upse e bit e p n y h a m t 5 e h fr o tl 3 ket a oesn ove m e s s I w r i c s . s me ith y ive can h uldn’t d to n a lit d r r t c y w a l a e p e o t i k e m t v u p r e g wo the ren’ t I’ nte yo u d to t cr ere wo on w h l y n e e l s . T h a w h a t b r a c e ve w a a n s , b u into nse we ot you m N a l f l m m o s . o d I’ rea ng po that’ ike E uld h t my Inte race. es: D t e ly rote. sed fr r. , an away u l i o l e m ? . t d b s s o a M t w vo t, an lbum e I up E m J T i m l y r i c : A b s c o - w re l e a e a t . oI den m, ove s n a to D onfi am wh to m ho I a It m e s a n b e c a u want the u re n acks I s i n g l e u ” [ f ack? e c n e . g s w I o r o r s u tr gue s ago don’t . m o t h a t t t r y i n e r t o t n o w a lists a n B most e first t h e r Y that t relea e t i r w s a b l w o h V but T h A n o elect w i t h use yea . I stil ky no ’re a pt no I’m n e clo pt th like C ’re s e u “ es: k, e s m o ad ca fans e che es: Yo I acce else. to co o acc er DJ d they ing trac J Tim w a s de you to d ell, be we h a t t e ing r : h n t an o D b u m ma h o n m ad s w e rit i o t o s s h e m o m o m e a c t e r o n g w ow ? J T uur e any t tr y at n: It bz, a later, t r a c k uch al c h D e e s o B b kn n ar e ts m t I’v t h z]. W ure . Pro um b Van ying to m, I’m and look a big ch had th is, you ld play r b fi r s nt as I did u l o a M B r e P e h n h I n n u tr Ia ou am a rr d i fave Va g wit do a w a s t ver sp k tha finish. not who ho I y. If yo hey h , I wish lvin H at I w just a ts n c e o i t a t o d w n s a n h t a r m t n t e a en t t s fro t am ays e jack, mea not C hing plan going r s t . T h d. I’ve ingle . I’m elem ing. eek o n n e c m o I s t i r . w s c e w u s e f fi h i l j c m a A m r I’ I ti f th or wa o i t finish on a took g e t c a sn’t rris or fantas is, but not so ave fo euph ind o were d t a m y y l a u l e u o w k h t B ’re ou rea mon .” Th d yo e a rr at Ha t’s the you sI t h e bit lik vin t, they lvin H , but i ect a re for nts, th stor y, rise. Y o f was and er You ow d i t e a p a a e e e g s e e l o a t tl gre s of C is nic ch re ng m mom cover on th a , a l nk tim Anoth e s : H m e y a lit the st es” i m i l “ e f m skil music as mu look he-air Times were r k S i x you th uW mon d of Wav is on J T i bz? : , t c t m “ J n e s e a s ’ D Pro e k lk Th er Hi y set on. I ds-in ast D hough n d M nd do g and r. B u u r is a c e wa is trac for “ s l t a n r n m a M i a h r e , u H in nt p nd h you o d of -mak to a n s. rds g. ch rh s yo R L V s, whi rammy rds fo w awa talkin fere acks a es: In ce act e l , M a at kin taste sts? t d a e h r f i G r n a w go in t J Tim h tran w R ay off.W ada i ig art Aw Dutch t six a with a o we b c m e i D n r f s wh A n d r take nd A rts o the abou ed off ike,” ed y a L h ask e re d e reall ance ose so wit I walk Feels sw hav of Tr s th t d n I n a t a ha me te om wh A Sta beco 40) Is W e t o a th g wh n pag o n i t d a e r tinu (con

XONE+SERATO DJ=PERFECTION

A division of Jam Industries Ltd.

For more information visit: www.americanmusicandsound.com

Sweating the Details

What Makes a Wedding Reception Genuinely Memorable? DJs Chime In.

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

By Jeff Stiles

When he and his wife tied the knot in 1994, Erik Kent, publisher of NJWedding.com, and his bride had a DJ who compiled a cassette of all the special music he played at their wedding. “We enjoyed that tape for many years, and even made some copies by request,” Kent says. “It definitely stood out and provided that little ‘extra’ that made our DJ memorable.” According to Mark Haggerty, director of operations for Denon & Doyle Entertainment in the San Francisco Bay Area, creating a soundtrack for wedding clients is something he’s been doing from the start of his career. “For the most part, I find couples really appreciate me paying close attention to their details and wishes and incorporating them into the party,” he says. “It’s amazing how many stories I hear about DJs who disregard or somehow miss important songs or cues that make the event feel like a reflection of the bride and groom, thereby ig-

noring an awesome dance party.” For this story, we asked mobile DJs from around the USA about what can be done to make a wedding reception especially memorable—other than creating a viral YouTube video. For those things a DJ can control, what really counts? Being a true talent is what makes it possible to make a wedding reception memorable, says Rikki Starr, owner of Rikki Starr DJ Entertainment in Wantage, N.J. “It means being a polished MC, being able to sing a song or two, to lead the audience and to know a dance or two,” says Starr. “Be funny and be live in the moment.” According to Artem Lomaz of Nine-Three Entertainment in Morris County, N.J., the key to creating a memorable celebration is a simple thing known as personalization. “We want guests associating the event solely to the guests of honor. Like, ‘Oh man, that certainly was Russell and Alison’s wedding!’ or ‘Wow, that was Noah’s bar mitz-

vah, and it was all about him!’ In essence, we want to incorporate as many personalized elements into the celebration as possible, to really show the guests that their celebration is unique. “For example,” he continues, “if the maid of honor at a wedding is the bride’s sister, and you know that they used to watch and love a specific TV show together, as the entertainer you therefore have the power to play that show’s theme song as that maid of honor walks up to give her speech. “It’s a very small detail, but one that will be immensely appreciated by the guests and your clients. A fine attention to detail helps create personalized moments, as well as assisting with the flow and pace of the event that our clients desire.” Being a wedding photographer, Carly Vena of Carly Vena Photography and Studio Production in Port Monmouth, N.J., says she relies on the emotions on the faces of guests for creating memorable photographs for her clients.

was falling,” says Croce. “Her parents—who always exhibited the gross kind of love people make fun of, but secretly want for themselves—were themselves married on a Saturday in a December close to Christmas-time. “As a little girl, she loved looking at photos of her mother and father’s wedding, and her favorite picture was of her mother being kissed by her father in front of the country club that hosted their reception while snow fell.” Coincidentally (or not), when Croce’s own client became engaged, her wedding was scheduled in December, and everything was therefore set for her dream to come true. However, in the October leading up to her wedding, the bride-to-be’s father suddenly passed away in his sleep. The very sudden and totally unexpected passing took several weeks for the bride and her family to recover from, yet the wedding was still on. Fast-forward to December. “OK, so it’s two weeks before the wedding day and it’s 65 degrees without any trace of snow,” Croce recalls. “The bride calls me to go over the timeline for the wedding, and halfway through the conversation she brings up the lack of snow and her deceased dad, and then she suddenly erupts into tears and hangs up. “I called her back, helped her cheer up, and promised to do my very best to give her whole family a magical wedding experience.” Croce immediately went online to order gobo projectors and snowflake gobos to project onto all the walls of the room, and while he was online he stumbled upon a website for a company called “Snow Masters” (now known has “Global Special Effects”). “After looking over their site, I decided I was going to rent the biggest evaporative snow machine they had,” he says. “It had to be drop-shipped fairly quick to make the cutoff point.” When the bride and groom arrived at their reception, Croce merely told them he had arranged for something special that would surprise the couple for their first dance. It did and, as a result, Croce says that there was not a dry eye in the building during that particular first dance.

According to Adam Tiegs of Adam’s DJ Service in Seattle, creating a memorable event involves just going above and beyond what our clients’ desire. “Especially when faced with a dead-end or just putting their minds at ease, it goes a long way,” Adam says. “This year at a particular wedding, I had a nervous dad who wanted everything to be perfect for his daughter, including the microphone working properly. “He needed some hand-holding and, as a result of my extra efforts, I received three hugs from him alone at the end of the night, thanking me for all I did to make everything run smooth and for easing his tensions throughout the day.” Tiegs says another event for him required a one hour-plus drive each way to visit the father of a bride the week of his daughter’s wedding. “This amazing man—I’m glad I got a chance to meet him, as he’s worked for both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates directly—just wanted re-assurances that his PowerPoint presentation with video and audio would work perfectly during his speech. “I brought enough gear to convince him that one of three ways would work, so we had Plans A, B and C… and, of course, Plan A worked perfectly as planned. “Or even going with the flow with some strange relatives who wanted to do a skit for my two brides, providing microphones and background tunes on the fly, as they were in uniform for a one-ofa-kind performance. “Moments and memories like that don’t happen perfectly if we aren’t prepared, but in general I try to go above and beyond the wishes of our clients.” Steve Moody, of Steve Moody’s Enter tainment Connection in Ridgely, Md., says being supermemorable is the DJ’s chief role. “All DJ events are different,” chuckles Moody. “However, a memorable wedding DJ is the one who does everything asked for by a bride and groom—from planning to performance—and exceeds the client’s expectations along every step. “A memorable DJ takes all of those small special moments of an events and uses them to create unique memories for the client and guests. For example: Anyone can make an announcement of a cake-cutting, yet very few can ‘introduce’ a cake-cutting and turn it into something amazing that people will talk about for years!” n

FEBRUARY 2016

Darryl Jacobsen, from Affair 2 Remember Entertainment in Middletown, N.J., says he cannot remember a single client who has ever mentioned anything that makes an event memorable other than providing exceptional customer service. “I’m an end-result kind of guy,” he says. “When people leave a party feeling exhilarated and euphoric, you know that you were memorable.” And no, having a reception video that goes viral or having a great cover band during cocktail hour was not mentioned in our queries. According to Steve Croce of Silver Sound Disc Jockeys in Philadelphia, creating an event that is memorable involves three steps: listening; helping to create a result; and then delivering on our promise. “I once had a bride who decided, at a very early age, she would someday marry the love of her life at a time when snow

DJ TIMES

“I don’t know that ‘keeping them dancing’ is the key,” Vena says. “I think what makes a great DJ is not only the ability to feel the room and keep them dancing, but to know when to bring in the bride/ groom requests and the requests of the guests without disturbing the flow.” Adam Weitz of A Sharp Production in Huntington Valley, Pa., says that making an event memorable involves ensuring that our information data page is very specific. “Generic questions are for generic clients,” Weitz explains. “However, if we’re entertaining families, it’s important to delve into deeper layers: What makes them tick? What are some of the important milestones that’ve happened in their lives, and what song springs to mind when we hear about those wonderful milestones?” Weitz says it’s important that, when writing down the name of an important song during a consultation, we also should add notes down as to exactly why that song is being played. “Sometimes a simple shout-out during that song can change the entire energy of our dancefloor because they can all relate,” he says. “It’s the same way with multimedia, because if we really want to make an impact, we need do the same thing. “A great example of this for a mitzvah is when we’re doing a candle-lighting program, where the music matches the family, which matches the pictures on the screen. “If it’s a wedding, it can even be done while people are in the middle of dancing.” Weitz says another great example is when we have more of a generic party, like a corporate event, where there are all different people from different areas, but they all have one common knowledge of someone that works very hard in their unit. “Maybe this person should be elbowed a little?” he suggests. “Maybe this person should be pulled up on stage with us and start a little singalong. Usually, that individual is the key to getting people up out of their seats and all gathered around. “I’m sure all of us are aware of what we can do with a crowd once they’ve gathered around, right? But getting them to that point requires them all to focus on something special something they can all relate to is the key. Finding that one individual who guests can focus on is the starting point to that success.”

DJ TIMES

CONTROL

FEBRUARY 2016

MOBILE

Modern Jocks Have a Multitude of MIDI Apps for Studio Use & DJ Playback By Wesley Bryant-King One undeniable trend in both music production and DJing is that software developers are working overtime to leverage the prevalence of mobile devices (i.e., smartphone and tablets) in both the studio and the DJ booth. Some are going for full functionality on platforms like iOS and Android, as witnessed by the proliferation of DJ apps on these platforms. While I remain a bit skeptical that we’re going to see too many of the top festival DJs of the world doing a gig from their iPhone anytime soon, I do see the value in another popular approach: Extending the studio onto the smartphone or tablet as an adjunct to existing desktop workflows. It is along these very lines of thinking that I take a look this month at a couple of different options for such control: Conductr, as well as a pair of apps from Portuguese company Imaginando.

CONDUCTR Spain’s Patchworks makes Conductr, and the Barcelona-based company designed the product as a powerful tool for both Ableton Live and for Traktor, delivering utility for many different types of DJ Times readers. The app is designed for the iPad, and uses a “server” component (available for download at no charge from their web site), installed and run on your desktop computer, to facilitate a wireless connection between the iPad and your desktop. For Ableton Live, once installed and fully activated, the product provides a number of modules, which can be selected and loaded into what the makers call the “playground.” The modules include a so-called Brandl MIDI Drum Pad, Claydr MIDI Keyboard, and XY-4D Pad, along with Clips, Master, Mixer and others. The playground can be divided several different ways, and

easily changed on-the-fly while using the app, but provides support for one, two, three or four modules to appear on-screen at once. But, for example, when there are four modules up, you can touch an icon and expand any module instantly, or contract them just as quickly. The interface design is very modern, very Spartan, and not particularly intuitive. Thankfully, the documentation on their web site was quite good, and after a quick view of the highlights, suddenly it all made sense. Most of the functionality seems geared to Session View users— not Arrangement View users like me. (The same can be said of virtually all Ableton controllers on the market.) That said, it still offered many interesting capabilities, the Claydr Keyboard being one of the most interesting; you can set it to a specific key, the buttons

TKFX from Imaginando: Effects control for Traktor.

CONCLUSIONS Conductr, as well as LK and TKFX from Imaginando, all extend desktop workflows—both for Ableton Live users and for Traktor users—onto mobile devices. With such low latency, they function as well as hardware controllers, and can be used in tandem with those controllers to fillin functional gaps. (Note that latency results may vary depending on a number of factors, not the least of which is the performance of your own wireless network, and the level of WiFi interference in your environment.) And, of course, with the now-popular “freemium” app model, it’s possible to take any of them for a spin at no cost to see what might work best for you and your own workflows, and upgrade to full functionality inside the apps at fairly nominal cost. For Conductr, full Ableton live functionality runs $22.99 (although modules can be purchased individually), while full Traktor functionality costs $14.99. For Imaginando’s apps, LK sells the module unlocks individually for between $4.99 and $9.99 (about $27 for all of them), while TKFX also offers a modular approach, or $9.99 for unlimited use of full functionality. n

FEBRUARY 2016

K: Integrated for Ableton or generic MIDI control.

IMAGINANDO This company takes a different tack in terms of identifying itself; headquartered in Braga, Portugal, a small staff is dedicated to producing its small range of offerings. They take a different approach with the apps, too: There are two of them—one for Ableton Live, one for Traktor. The Ableton-centered offering is LK, and like the previous app, is primarily geared to Session View users. For example, one of its main modules—Matrix—is essentially a clip controller in the fashion of leading hardware controllers on the market for Ableton Live. When used in Arrangement View, you can still get some utility from controls such as mute and solo, and level displays still function nicely. The MIDI Pads module provides a 4x4 pad grid, with a chord locking system, while the MIDI Controller provides a 128-control configurable knob/button/slider interface that can be used a number of ways. And finally, an X/Y Pad controller is available. It’s worth noting that LK can be used as an integrated Ableton controller, or as a generic MIDI controller as well. Like the previous app, LK uses a separate piece of software running on the desktop to provide connectivity services, and here, too, the performance was just outstanding, with zero detectable latency. For Traktor users, Imaginando offers TKFX and, as the name suggests, the company focused solely on effects control, making the app exclusively an adjunct to existing hardware controllers you might already use. With an X/Y pad-based control system, and both single- and multi-effect modes, it provides the sort of creative, intuitive control over Traktor effects I’ve long been looking for. As I mentioned earlier, hardware controllers seem to offer such limited capabilities over effects, I usually end up using them far less than I could (or should), and given Traktor’s excellent effects support, that’s a shame. TKFX really tightens that slack. Both Imaginando apps can be used on smartphones or tablets, on Android and iOS—although the smartphone approach, while cool, doesn’t seem very practical given the small screen size.

DJ TIMES

Conductr: Powerful tool for Ableton Live & Traktor.

conform automatically, essentially preventing you from hitting a wrong note while developing melodies and the like. For Traktor, the app provides control for all the usual functionality: transport, mixing, and effects. It was perhaps the effects section that is of the greatest interest; most dedicated hardware controllers for Traktor have fairly anemic (if not non-existent) support for effects, so I could easily see using this function alone, in tandem with existing controllers, to give better hands-on access to effects during a set. However, there still seems to be an awful lot of touching and scrolling that strikes me as something that’d be a little tough to execute well without a fair amount of practice. I configured Conductr and used it over my regular home wireless network, and much to my surprise, the latency was undetectable. The main wireless access point in my home is just the other side of my studio wall, so conditions could be said to be “optimal.” But the fact that it performed as well as a hardware controller connected via USB was both impressive—and surprising. Note that Conductr is available solely for iOS devices as of press time—no word on whether Android support is coming.

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

PROPHET-6: THE REAL DEAL By Wesley Bryant-King For students of modern music and musicians of a certain age (this is where I cough innocently, I think), the name “Prophet-5” conjures-up a wide range of memories. While there are a number of revered instruments in the history of music synthesizers, few are as iconic or as celebrated as the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5. From epochal New Wave-era artists like Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, Thompson Twins, and Duran Duran, to songs from mainstream staples like The Cars, Laura Branigan and Genesis, to anthemic rock groups like Pink Floyd, the Prophet-5 is widely credited with helping define the sound of a generation of music. As the first practical, commercially successful polyphonic music synthesizer, the Prophet-5 holds a special place in music history—so much so that what remains of the 7,000 or so produced in total between 1978 and 1984 are sought-after collectors’ items when found in good, working condition. Sequential Circuits, the company behind the Prophet-5, operated from 1974 until 1987 (when it was sold to Yamaha Corp.), succumbing to changing market conditions and other factors, but not before generating a long line of noteworthy instruments. The founder of Sequential, Dave Smith, was also the co-inventor of MIDI, creating a legacy that lives on today—a rare technical standard that hasn’t been supplanted by technological evolution, despite occasional grumbling that perhaps it should be. (For more about Sequential, see the sidebar that accompanies this review.)

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

Evolution: The Prophet Analog Synths

While Smith spent time at Yamaha and Korg, among other outfits, after Sequential closed its doors, he eventually returned to running his own company, founding Dave Smith Instruments (DSI) in 2002. Like Sequential before it, DSI has been creating and producing an expanding line of synthesizers that are renowned in their own right. And now, after nearly outliving its predecessor company (in terms of years in business), DSI has revisited the past somewhat in the creation and release earlier this year of the new Prophet-6. And, thanks to a gesture of goodwill from Yamaha (who purchased Sequential’s assets out of bankruptcy back in ’87), it bears the Sequential name, the first new instrument to do so in nearly three decades. I asked Smith what’s changed that’s allowed DSI to prosper, where Sequential, in the end, did not. “We’ve emerged from the synth dark ages in the last few years,” he said. “After the M-1 came out, for 25 years it was all about digital workstation romplers and soft synths. Now everyone knows there’s an analog renaissance. While it’s still not a huge market compared to slab keyboards, I think it’s here to stay this time.” I, for one, am sure hoping so. Something Old, Something New Back in 2007, DSI introduced the Prophet ’08, billed at the time as a tribute to the Prophet-5 on its 30th anniversary. Smith deviated somewhat from the Prophet-5 template, using digital controls against an otherwise analog signal path. Purists, however, would point to the use of DCOs (digitally controlled os-

Feature Prophet-5 Polyphony 5 Voices Oscillators 2 VCO per Voice Waveshapes Saw, Pulse; Triangle on Osc. B LPF 4 Pole Resonant (per Voice) HPF No Envelope Generators 2: Filter, 1 VCA Sequencer No Arpeggiator No LFOs 1 Global Polymod Yes, 2 Sources (Filter Env., Osc. 2), 3 Destinations (Osc. 1 Freq, Osc. 1 Pulse Width, Filter Freq.) Keyboard 5 Octave Velocity No Aftertouch No Patches 40 on Rev. 1 and Rev. 2; 120 on Rev. 3 Clock CV IN = Gate and CV Effects No MIDI No Multitimbral No

Prophet '08 8 Voices 2 DCO per Voice Triangle, Saw, Triangle/Saw Mix, Pulse 2 and 4 Pole Resonant (per Voice) No 3: Filter, VCA, Assignable 16x4 Gated Step Yes; Selectable Note Value, 1/2/3 Octave Range 4 per voice No, But Has 4x2 Mod. Matrix with 20 Sources and 43 Destinations 5 Octave Yes Yes 256 No Clock, but Sequencer Interface: OUT = Trigger and No In, Out, Thru, Poly Chain Yes, 2-Part (Bi-Timbral) Stackable or Splitable

The Prophet from Silicon Valley—A Book Review

In preparing my review of the Prophet-6, I stumbled across a recently released new book that traces the fascinating history of Sequential Circuits, Dave Smith’s earlier company, and the one behind the legendary Prophet-5 synthesizer. If you’re a student of electronic music history, were a part of it, or like me, lived through the era, but were too young to have been a part of it, The Prophet from Silicon Valley: The Complete Story of Sequential Circuits is an intriguing read about a storied company and the history-making products it produced during a truly amazing era in modern music. Its author, David Abernethy, hails from New Zealand (perhaps an implicit acknowledgement of just how widely acclaimed the Sequential name is), but he literally circles the globe to compile his story, tracing the very beginnings of Smith’s first company, all the way to the very end. Any history of Sequential wouldn’t be complete without references to the market conditions, competition, and state of the music industry along the way, so the reader walks away with not just Sequential’s history, but a sense of what it was like to be a musician some 35 or so years ago when the dynamics were so incredibly different from today. Abernethy weaves his tale by liberally quoting from interviews with artists, producers, former employees of Sequential, and others who lived the history. Diving into details of the various models produced by the company, what went into them, how they fared, and what the challenges were, shines a light not just on the history of Sequential, but also on how much has changed in the few decades since. While an enjoyable read, and one rich in detail, The Prophet from Silicon Valley is not a particularly well-crafted book. The story proceeds more or less in order, but there’s an inordinate amount of jerking back and forth in time that makes reading it more work than it should be. And while the long-form quotes from artists, producers and others add essential context and insight, Abernethy chose to incorporate the quotes not into the narrative, but instead as a series of blocks seemingly glued to the ends of sections of the book. Perhaps he felt an obligation not to omit the full commentary from those quoted, but I’ve have preferred to see things more logically assembled, and with a better flow overall. That said, I ended the book wishing for more—always the hallmark of a good story in my view, and a reaction that leaves me strongly recommending the book despite its flaws. The Prophet from Silicon Valley is available both in print form, and in e-book form; I read the latter. I discovered only later that the digital version is missing a massive amount of content from the print version—ad reprints, photos, and much more. That, combined with the fact that the e-book version (via Amazon Kindle) is relatively poorly adapted to the digital format (with countless formatting glitches), appears to suggest that the print version is the one to buy. – W.B-K

cillators) instead of VCOs (voltage-controlled oscillators) as evidence of that deviation, and Smith readily stated that the instrument was a celebration of the past—not a reproduction of it. Regardless, the Prophet ’08 was (and still is) a highly regarded synthesizer reflective of Smith’s life’s work and commitment to music and the people who make it. But the Prophet-6, announced at the ’15 Winter NAMM and finally available this past summer, is perhaps a more faithful (and fitting) tribute to the fabled Prophet-5 and the earlier Prophet family. Since it was announced, DSI said that the Prophet-6 has stirred up considerable interest, not surprising that it’s a sort of modernized successor to the -5. With the best qualities of the original, including VCOs, and a completely analog architecture and signal path (apart from the effects engine, something the Prophet-5 never had, something implemented digitally in the P6), the new synth adds capabilities the original didn’t offer. They include the aforementioned effects, high-pass filter, aftertouch, stereo output, a polyphonic step sequencer, arpeggiator, MIDI, and a much larger factory sound library, as well as more room for storing user-created patches. It retains the essential spirit of the original, not just with the VCOs, filters and envelopes, but also with the famed Poly-Mod function, which received some expanded capabilities, too, vs. the P5. It also adds a “slop” control that reintroduces random drift and variations in tuning inherent to the technology of the ’70s and ’80s, a con(continued on page 40) Prophet-6 6 Voices 2 VCO per Voice plus 1 Sub-Oscillator Triangle, Saw, Pulse, Square (Continuously Variable) 4 Pole Resonant (per Voice) 2 Pole Resonant (per Voice) 2: Filter, VCA 64 step, polyphonic Yes; Selectable Note Value, 1/2/3 Octave Range 1 Global Yes, 2 Sources (Filter Env., Osc. 2), 5 Destinations (Osc. 1 Freq, Osc. 1 Waveshape, Osc. 1 Pulse Width, LPF Freq., HPF Freq.) 4 Octave Yes Yes 500 User, 500 Factory Internal, MIDI Out, MIDI In, MIDI in/Out Master w/ Tap; MIDI Clock Sync Distortion, Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Phase Shifter (Digital) In, Out, Thru No

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

NUMARK’S NS7III: SERIOUS SOLUTION

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

By Wesley Bryant-King

Since the 1970s, the Numark name has been widely recognized in the DJ community. Perhaps best known at one point for its turntables, mixers and CD players, Numark these days manufactures a very broad product line for DJs that covers all the old territory, plus media players, controllers and more. Along with Denon DJ, Akai, M-Audio and others, Numark is one of 13 companies within the inMusic Brands family, which is based in Cumberland, R.I. For some reason, I’ve always personally associated the Numark name with solid, but pretty mainstream product offerings. However, I recently discovered that Numark is much more than that— and the new NS7III DJ controller system makes that abundantly clear. Simply put, the NS7III is without question the most sophisticated, and I’d argue that in many ways is perhaps the most powerful DJ controller I’ve ever used. Let’s dig in, shall we? First Impressions: I knew without even opening the shipping carton that the NS7III is serious hardware for serious DJs—the box is enormous, and it’s no featherweight. Unboxing the unit only reinforced that impression. It’s nearly 32 pounds of metal and plastic, making it not exactly a “throw-itin-your-backpack” sort of offering (not that that’s the market Numark’s going for). One of the NS7III’s key features includes its motorized platters. The platters themselves are large and beefy, solid metal affairs, complete with slipmats and faux 45-RPM vinyl records to place on top. So “some assembly is required,” as they say. Also, a manual addition is the display console, which mounts to the rear of the main controller unit. It’s all easy and intuitive, and doesn’t take long. The NS7III is impressive. Apart from its sheer weight, it’s physically dominant, about 30-inches wide, 25-inches deep, and stands about 4-inches from the tabletop. The controller simply reeks of “cool,” and the overall first impression is one of it being serious DJ gear, for serious DJs—something that was clearly borne out from use. Set-Up & Use: After physical assembly, it was time for the software installs and connections to equipment. I evaluated the NS7III on a MacBook, where no driver installation is required. Getting it going was as simple as downloading the latest version of Serato DJ (the full version) from the Serato web site, and running the installer. No registration or other roadblocks were required; apparently, just using the software with this controller is all that’s required to unlock full functionality. Alas, I am getting ahead of myself a bit. On the physical connection side, the NS7III reflects Numark’s target market, or so it would appear. For master output, you have your choice of

NS7III: A world-class performance option.

balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA; booth output is RCA only. Any of the four input channels can be switched between PC (virtual channel from Serato), mic 2 (more in a moment), or line. Channels 1 and 2, when switched on the top panel to “line” can actually be switched on the back between linelevel and phono-level inputs. The end result is some pretty extraordinary flexibility in configuration of sources. Back to the microphones—and I do mean plural. For mobile gigs, I find two mic inputs to be essential, especially for wedding gigs. I always want a mic handy for my own PA use, but there’s always a best man who wants to “say a few words,” right? I love the flexibility to lend a mic without taking mine out of a desktop mic stand and fumbling with cords. The NS7III provides those dual mic inputs I like. There’s one for me right on the front, complete with gain, and even bass and treble EQ knobs (so I can sound my best!). On the back, the mic 2 input is available, which as mentioned earlier can be patched into any of the four mixer channels at will. It’s worth noting that both are Neutrik-style, with dual ¼-inch and XLR connectors. As long as we’re talking about that front panel, it’s worth noting its other features. In the center are controls for the crossfader, allowing you to select the A or B sides for each of the four channels—or to simply turn it off for any channel (or all channels). You can control the contour as well. Toward the right are the dual headphone connectors—both 1/8-inch and ¼-inch for flexibility without fumbling for adapters. Controls for blend and volume are right there, too. So after connecting my headphones and a pair of small monitors, I connected my MacBook via USB, and fired up Serato. After loading some music into the library, I was off to the races. I’m not a regular Serato user, but I was mixing a competent set from the very start while continuing to acquaint myself with the subtleties of the NS7III. One of the things I loved immediately was the inclusion of the platters on the unit. I suppose I could argue that the slipmats and faux 45s were high on novelty and a little light on utility, but the combination of those features, the heavy cast-metal platters themselves, and the motorized, turntablelike functionality netted out a control experience that was nothing short of amazing. I’ve used scratch systems with CDJs, hybrid mixer/controllers, and

dedicated DJ controllers of practically every flavor and variety, and all of them have their plusses and minuses. But somehow, the product designers at Numark have managed to create a system with that indefinable special “something” that just feels right. The level of accuracy and control that has been achieved here is magical. And for broad jumps across a track, the “strip-search” feature has you covered, allowing you coarse-level, random access to any point in a track. I think it’s the division of these two capabilities for playback head positioning—granular control and coarse control—into two separate, well-thought-out implementations that makes the end result so compelling, and so natural. Another key feature of the NS7III is the trio of LCD displays on the secondary console I mentioned earlier. The left and right displays show the active channels’ interfaces from Serato, including artist and title information, track positioning information, and effects, along with the waveform display for the track. The center display can be switched between the library view, allowing you to go through your songs and load tracks, and the classic stacked waveform view, giving visual feedback of beat alignment that’s an essential complement to your ear in performing competent mixes. I loved the displays, but after using smartphones and GPS units and the like so long, I found myself touching the effects elements on the displays and expecting something to happen. (No, they are not touchscreens; maybe something to wish for in the NS7IV?) The marketing materials for Numark suggest that the NS7III is powerful enough to literally close your laptop and use the controller exclusively. While perhaps factually correct, I found that proposition to be a bit optimistic in practice. One reason is the fact that you can’t show the song key on the library display on the unit (at least not in any way I found), and those of us who depend on predetermined key information (such as that provided by the popular Mixed in Key software) will find that an insurmountable limitation. Secondly, changing the effects selections via the unit is, for lack of a better word, clunky. You press and hold a shift button, then touch an FX button. That’s fine, but the only visual feedback of what you’re choosing (or what effect comes next) is within Serato itself— (continued on page 42)

#1 IN POWERED LOUDSPEAKERS.

Each member of the award-winning Electro-Voice portable loudspeaker family is designed and engineered in the USA to deliver best-in-class performance across every detail. The components inside every EV loudspeaker are manufactured and tested to the industry’s highest standards, to ensure years of superior sound quality and reliability.

[ EKX-15P ]

Whatever the application, there’s an EV speaker with a set of features to precisely fit your needs and your budget, from the unbeatable value and power-to-weight ratio offered by ZLX up to the uncompromising performance and advanced technology of our top-of-the-line ETX series.

STEP UP TO EV AND EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONAL-GRADE SOUND. ZLX

ELX

EKX

ETX

NEW! THE BEST-SELLING PRO AUDIO SPEAKERS IN THE WORLD.

SERIOUS SOUND. SIMPLE SETUP.

MAXIMUM SONIC IMPACT. MINIMUM EFFORT.

www.electrovoice.com

THE FULLY LOADED FLAGSHIP.

MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

IOWA DJ FINDS HIS TRUE CALLING

Alexxus: Mike Lenstra ditched the full-time job in ’08.

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

By Stu Kearns

Dubuque, Iowa—In 1992, Mike Lenstra and his wife were expecting their first child. Thinking it would be wise to get a part-time job to help offset the upcoming costs of daycare, diapers and formula, he perused a local paper and came across an ad for a multi-op DJ biz looking for help. Experienced with lights and sound, and with a love for music—he had been active in the local community theater scene—Lenstra thought it would be a perfect fit. The problem was that the multi-op was still using vinyl records and had no desire to change. “I knew they would not be in business much longer,” he says. Instead, Lenstra decided to venture out on his own. After kicking around several generic names like Ultimate Music and Gemini Productions, a coworker at the printing press Lenstra worked at suggested he name the company after his son; so he named it Alex & Us, turned the ampersand sign sideways to make it a second x, and pushed it all together. Thus was born Alexxus. That was the easy part. Getting clients was tougher. “That was the biggest hurdle in those early days,” he says. “If I could get people just to take a chance on me, I knew they’d be happy they did.” His first instinct was to compete on price. “The logic was that if I could beat most everyone’s price I’d become an attractive option,” he says. “Fortunately for me, at the time I was the pressroom supervisor at a local printing company. That company

also put out a weekly Penny Saver newspaper with local ads. Because I was around that and the sales people that put it together, I had the opportunity to learn a lot about marketing and sales. I began to dedicate more and more of my time on that aspect of the business than I ever did on technology or even music.” The marketing education came in handy, being that Lenstra operates in such a competitive market. Based in rural Iowa, with less than 70,000 people, with the Quad Cities (236,000 pop.) 75 minutes away, and Madison, Wisc., (243,000 pop.) two hours away, Lenstra says this creates downward price pressure: “It’s not hard to find a DJ under $500 in the area.” As for marketing, the days of doing a couple of bridal shows and “putting a good size ad in the Yellow Pages have long disappeared,” says Lenstra. “Now it is a constant battle to keep up on what is the trending place to be in Social Media for your demographics and how to keep your name at the top of the list in an Internet search. The rules of the game are constantly changing.” Lenstra says that because most of his bookings come from web searches, customer reviews are an important factor for his business. Alongside the changes in marketing, technology changes constantly, too. “The biggest change I’ve seen since I first put that needle on the record in 1994 has been the technology,” he says. “I began with two home-based CD players and thought life could not get any easier when the dual CD player with the rack-mounted control panel came along. Of course, it was not too many years later when we replaced those with the hard drive reader [the Cortex HDC-3000], which are now stuffed in a box somewhere in favor of the laptop programs.

“Now, my main system is an MSi laptop with VirtualDJ Pro software, controlled by the 19 MXR mixer/controller from American Audio. For PA, I use a combination of either the QSC K12s or Peavey PR 15s, depending on the size of the room. The light bar has a set of Blizzard Lighting Pucks for a wash effect, plus a pair of Vertigos, a Sparkle and a Galaxian—all from ADJ.” To keep on top of all the changes within his industry, Lenstra is a big advocate of education to better himself and his business. “It is so surprising to me how many people will go to college to get a better lifestyle, but those in the wedding industry feel it is completely unnecessary,” he says. “I try to attend some type of work-related conferences at least once every year, have taken advantage of the educational opportunities presented to me by our local chamber, read books and watched DVDs, all in an effort to stay relevant in this industry. It stuns me when I hear—as one local DJ said to me when I tried to convince him to go to a seminar with me— ‘I’ve been doing this for eight years. What are they going to tell me at a seminar that I don’t already know?’ I learn something new every time I’m in a room with the professionals in our field.” As for that pressroom supervisor job at the local printing company? In 2008, he kissed that goodbye. “I finally said to my wife, ‘Honey, this is no longer a part-time gig. I’ve got two full time jobs, and one of them has to go.’” Luckily for Lenstra, his wife let him choose the one gig he really loved. “I’ve been full-time ever since,” he says. “The lights are still on and I can still get ESPN, so everything must be working out well.” When we asked Lenstra where he sees his business in five years—he’s currently a multi-op—he said that predicting the future is hard. “I’ll be in my sixties in five years. By then, I’m guessing my children will all be gone, the house will be paid for and the couple of guys that have worked with me for several years will be ready to pull back the reigns a bit. I see myself still doing a few weddings and doing more of a program that we call Trivingo for fundraisers and nightlife entertainment. Hopefully, that can take me to the point where the 401K is available and the Social Security checks start coming in the mail.”

BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

ARE PEOPLE BOUNCING FROM YOUR WEBSITE? HERE’S WHY

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

By Cam Townes

Maybe you’re generating most of your DJ gigs through referrals. Or perhaps you’re generating many of them through bridal shows or Expos. Maybe you’re using direct mail. Whatever the source of your bookings, it’s likely that you’re leaving money on the table if you’ve got a website that encourages people to leave. Check for yourself. Go to your Google Analytics and see what your bounce rate is for your homepage. If it’s above 50-percent, it might be worth reading this article: Here are Five reasons why readers, or, rather, potential buyers, might be bouncing. 1) Your design is very 2005. Outdated design is probably the chief reason why people are leaving your website before they ever get a chance to dive in. On his blog “Social Triggers,” Derek Halpern cited a study that illustrates the importance of design to a user’s perception of the website—and its owner. In the study, Dr. Elizabeth Sillence asked participants to review websites on the subject of hypertension. She then polled the participants on whether they trusted or distrusted the website. The study found that 94-percent of wary respondents attributed their uneasiness to the website’s design. So, consider your web design, and a user’s confidence in your abilities, as bedfellows. If you haven’t updated your site in the last five years, it’s time to consider a re-design—or at least a tweaking. 2) Your navigation is like a labyrinth. There are terms like “conversion path” that are thrown around, and “UX,” as well. But the only thing you need to worry about is this Website Taste Test: When a user visits your website, does every page have a distinct purpose? If not, it might be time to consider a website tweaking. Also, do you take the reader through their “buyer’s journey”? In other words, is there a page that addresses the anxiety they might be feeling as they’re planning their wedding? (“Afraid that your wedding will be a bomb?” Or, “Tired of DJs who drag your party down?”). And, then is there a logical place for the reader to go that offers a solution to their problem—your DJ service! And then, you’ll need another page that offers testimonials that your service is the real deal. Too often, this “conversion path” is neglected, which encourages a user to leave your website. 3) Your content is difficult to read. The fonts you use, as well as the colors of your text and background, can determine how easily people can read and digest the content on your website. In other words, if they can’t read your site, they can’t buy your service. Follow these general guidelines to help you determine font selection: #A. Choose fonts that are readable.

What makes a font easy to read? There are a number of contributing factors, and they’re typically broken down into two issues, Readability and Legibility. Readability refers to the way in which words and blocks of type are arranged on a page. Legibility refers to how a typeface is designed and how well one individual character can be distinguished from another. It also refers to how well-defined the word shapes are. Serif fonts are typically easier to read in body copy and have been used extensively for decades, which sometimes can give a book or website a more classic feel. But due to the screen size and resolution that web content is often viewed from, many web designers favor sans serif fonts. These fonts are also preferred among designers with a more current feel. #B. Use contrast to your advantage A major component of a font’s readability is contrast, which is achieved by the use of space and color. Place dark text on a pale background; it provides the viewer a better reading experience for longer blocks of text. Reserve colored type for headlines and display text. #C. Choose the proper font size For multiple-line paragraphs, keep the size of your body font limited to 45-70 characters per line. More than 70 characters per line will tire readers as they scan back and forth and lose their place. Lines that are too short may cause awkward hyphenated breaks or, if justified, “rivers of whitespace running through paragraphs.” 4) Your site isn’t responsive. What is responsive design? Simply, the ability for your website to be viewed seamlessly on multiple devices. So many people put so much emphasis on how their website looks on a PC or Mac screen and neglect mobile, which is how most people are viewing websites. And, since Google’s mobile algorithm update arrived last year, if your site isn’t responsive to mobile devices, you’ll likely lose out significantly in the organic search rankings You can’t afford to miss out on the traffic that a responsive designed site will enable. Seek a professional for this aspect of your re-design. 5) Your site lacks personality. If only all DJs could translate their natural performing and music programming talents to their websites, there’d be no issue. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The reason is that DJs are not web designers. But you can take an active part in a re-design process. You can do this by simply showing your designer websites that you think have personality. This is a great way to arrive at your own design vocabulary. You like bold colors? Large imagery? Scrolling as opposed to a static homepage? Make a note of it. The same way you perfected your stagecraft—knowing what not to do, editing yourself, and incorporating as much information about your clients to make their day special—is exactly what should be reflected in your website. Happy tweaking!

The New

DARK MATTER™ Series Powered Enclosures

1,000 WATT PERFORMANCE* ADVANCED DSP, UNDER $300 From the audio experts at Peavey come the all new Dark Matter™ series powered enclosures. Thanks to their advanced DSP-equipped power section, the high-S.P.L. Dark Matter enclosures deliver best-inclass performance along with custom settings for specific environments, without a lot of time and effort on the part of the user.

LCD DISPLAY FOR SELECTION OF DSP CONTROL PARAMETERS • EQ Control • Factory and User Programmable Presets * See peavey.com for specs and ratings

DM™ 112 03614480

CALL OR VISIT YOUR AUTHORIZED PEAVEY DEALER TODAY.

DM™ 115 03614530

1-866-443-2333

DM™ 115 SUB 03614580

DM™ 118 SUB 03614760

WWW.PEAVEY.COM

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Brass Inno Pocket ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com ADJ’s Inno Pocket Z4 is a mini-moving head that creates dense beams and wide washes utilizing four 10W quad-color (RGBW) LEDs and a variable 10-60-degree beam angle. The unit features four built-in programs, 0-100-percent dimming, as well as 540-degree pan and 180-degree tilt movement. The Inno Pocket Z4 operates in Sound Active, Show and 16-, 19- and 22-channel DMX-controlled modes. It’s compatible with ADJ’s Airstream IR App for iOS devices, which allows for basic control from an iPad or iPhone with the purchase of an Airstream IR Adapter.

Mambo Italiano Italian Speaker Imports P.O. Box 856 Armonk, NY 10504 (914) 219-4180 www.italianspeakers.us FBT’s Q118SA subwoofer is housed in an 18mm birch plywood cabinet, which sports a scratch- and scuff-resistant paint finish, four aluminum handles and two M20 stand supports. The unit features a 1200W RMS class D amplifier with switching power, which is equipped with a digital signal processor and new algorithms, as well as a high-excursion ceramic B&C woofer with 100mm ventilated coil, which allows for negligible power compression. The subwoofer includes six presets and the control panel comes with three status LED indicators.

Renew Your Alesis Alesis 200 Scenic View Drive Suite 201 Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-5760 www.alesis.com Alesis’ SamplePad 4 is an all-in-one percussion and sample-playing instrument that comes equipped with four responsive, LED-illuminated rubber pads, dual-zone trigger input, and eight preset kits. The built-in library features 25 percussion and electronic drum sounds, and users have the ability to drag and drop samples via USB on a Mac or PC, or using SD/ SDHC cards up to 32GB, storing 91 user kits and 512 samples per card. Additional features include USB-MIDI in/out, eight preset kits and a dual trigger input for expansion.

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

Ears to the Ground

Pioneer Electronics 1925 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerdjusa.com Pioneer DJ’s HRM-7 professional studio headphones were specifically designed for dance music producers, delivering a neutral sound with optimal bass response for detailed monitoring. The headphones offer a frequency range of 5 - 40,000 Hz and an output sound level of 97 dBmW. They feature 40 mm HD driver units that reproduce frequencies of up to 40 kHz, as well as a 6.3 mm stereo jack, a 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack, and large, fully-enclosed ear pads that are made with a hybrid memory foam and covered with soft velour fabric.

AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Cloud 9.5

Dark Side

Ableton Inc. 36 W. Colorado Blvd. Suite 300 Pasadena, CA 91105 (646) 723-4550 www.ableton.com

Peavey Electronics 5022 Hartley Peavey Drive Meridian, MS 30305 (877) 732-8391 www.peavey.com

Comfort Ozone

TRAKTOR Beam

iZotope 1 Kendall Sq Cambridge, MA, 02139 (617) 577-7799 www.izotope.com

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

iZotope released Ozone 7 mastering tools, offering a variety of new mastering features. Ozone 7 features a wider variety of export formats, including MP3, WAV, and AAC. It also features a vintage limiter and an upgraded maximizer with a new algorithm that the company says “automatically detects which frequency bands would contribute most to clipping, and then reduces their level before hitting the limiter.” Additional features available on the advanced version include a codec preview and new vintage tape, compressor and EQ modules.

The portable TRAKTOR KONTROL S5 all-in-one DJ system from Native Instruments features a 24-bit/48kHz audio interface that includes both XLR and RCA master outputs, one ¼-inch booth output, and an independent stand-alone RCA or ¼ inch AUX channel input for connecting an MP3 player or microphone. The four-channel, Stems-ready controller utilizes a touch-and-see TRAKTOR workflow. When using Stem files with the latest version of TRAKTOR PRO 2, TRAKTOR KONTROL S5’s performance pads allow control of individual stems for creative mixing.

FEBRUARY 2016

Peavey announced its Dark Matter speaker enclosures, which come in four high-SPL models: the DM 112, DM 115, DM 118 Subwoofer and DM 115 Subwoofer. They come with an advanced DSP-equipped power section, as well as an LCD display. The units also feature multiple EQ presets for various applications or speaker positions and locations. Dark Matter enclosures are built with steel grilles and rugged injection molded cabinets. In addition, they are designed for use as both floor monitors and pole-mounted speakers.

DJ TIMES

Ableton Live 9.5 is a free update available for all Live 9 users. The new version features an updated sampling instrument that sports a new interface, as well as warping and slicing capabilities and new analog-modeled filters. Live 9.5 offers new filters that were built in collaboration with Cytomic and are now included in Simpler, Sampler, Operator, and Auto Filter. In addition, the mixer volume meters now show both peak and RMS levels, while new waveforms show more visual detail of the audio samples with smoother zooming and scrolling.

GEAR

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Born to Grundorf Hold the Phones Yamaha Corporation of America 6600 Orangethorpe Ave Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9011 www.yamaha.com Yamaha’s HPH-MT7 studio monitor headphones “are designed to deliver flat, high-resolution sound with precise stereo imaging and faithful source signal reproduction,” according to Yamaha. They feature a closed-back, circumaural configuration, as well as solid ABS housing, die-cast aluminum support arms and sweat-resistant headband. The headphones feature custom drivers equipped with CCAW voice coils and powerful neodymium magnets. Additional features include a frequency response of 15 Hz-25 kHz, a corrosion-resistant gold-plated stereo mini-plug, a gold-plated 6.3 mm stereo adaptor, and ear pads made from synthetic leather.

Grundorf Corporation 721 9th Avenue Council Bluffs, IA 51501 (712) 332-3900 www.grundorf.com Grundorf Corporation expanded its G-Series line of DJ façade products with the new GS-LS4872TB Lycra Façade. Specifically designed for use with standard six-foot tables, the façade measures 48.25 inches high, 73 inches wide and 19 inches deep, allowing DJs to limit the visual distraction of lighting fixtures while still leaving plenty of space for mixers, turntables and other gear. It comes in both black and white versions and, according to the company, the black version presents a solid black appearance when used without LED lights.

Pump Up the JAM

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com

Chauvet DJ’s JAM Pack Silver instant lightshow package includes three effects—an LED moonflower equipped with a six-watt red, green and blue LED source; a three-color RGB wash fixture with three LEDs (red, green, blue); and a combo UV wash/white strobe effect that features five UV and four white LEDs. The package comes with three eternal power supply adapters, as well as the company’s IRC-6 infrared remote controller, which lets users trigger Auto and Sound Active modes wirelessly from distances up to 30 feet.

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS “SAME SAME” EP u Sue Avenue u LANY Sue Avenue drops two female vocal outings that should please. First up is a “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless),” a remake of the Crystal Waters dance classic that goes in a completely new jazz-house/nu-disco direction—deep and very sexy. We also are loving the “Larse Remix” of the title cut, a low-key house vocal that just rocks along at 120 BPM and oozes with soul. Very Hot!

– Phil Turnipseed “SAME REVOLUTION” u Joeski u Maya Records A monster of a tech-house track with its tweaking hi-hats and hypnotic, swirling sounds. And don’t sleep on the very cool “Rastafari A Cappella” speech that sits over this well-produced track. Full support. – Tommy D Funk

ANJUNABEATS, VOL. 12 (SAMPLER PT. 1)

u Various Artists u Anjunabeats

This sampler EP showcases the extraordinary range that lies across the two Anjuna labels. Kyau & Albert offer an uplifting remix of Above & Beyond’s “Treasure” that will have you absolutely soaring. Jaytech makes his return to the Anjuna family with “Great Divide,” an excellent, quirky, driving progger. Thomas Schwartz and Fausto Fanizza round it off with “Circle,” a lovely, relaxed groove with swirling melodies.

Iban Montoro & Jazzman Wax

– Evan Maag DEFECTED PRESENTS HOUSE MASTERS

Heller & Farley u Defected A superb 30-track collection covering the duo’s legendary remix and production work from the ’90s to now. Highlights include: Fire Island’s “In Your Bones”; Happy Mondays’ “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” (Junior Style Mix); Simply Red’s “Money’s Too Tight” (Fire Island Vox Remix); and New Order’s “Regret” (Fire Island Mix). And don’t sleep on the Fire Island Mix of Moné’s sassy and soulful “Movin’.”

– Tommy D Funk “INDEPENDENCE” EP u Agoria u International Feel Separate the wheat from the chaff and zero in on the title track — that’s all you need. This monstrous, sub-bassy techno anthem is best enjoyed outdoors, as the deep vibrations are on a galactic scale.

– Chris K. Davis “CHICAGO” EP u Iban Montoro & Jazzman Wax u Strictly Rhythm A fantastic two-track EP of deep, funky, underground-house grooves from the Spanish duo. DJs won’t go wrong with the bumpin’ title track.

Agoria

– Tommy D Funk

Guest Reviewer: Greg Sawyer

FEBRUARY 2016

u “Aquarama” EP u Moomin u Smallville Records

DJ TIMES

Andy Pry

Kyau & Albert

Heller & Farley

B-side track “I Can’t Believe I Loved Her” stands as the dusty jewel in the crown here. Moomin’s haunting take on Peven Everett’s jaunty 2002 original patiently builds around a single looped, reverb-laden melody—smooth and terrific. Flanked by two typically pulsing Moomin originals (“Aquarama” and “Stotheh”), this is a heady, nostalgic masterpiece. Greg Sawyer

Armin

(continued from page 18) Van Buuren: Armada now has a lot of power, so big that even I don’t know what released on the label so much anymore [laughs]. Armada, Cloud 9, and a couple of other companies that we house in Holland have over 100 employees combined now. I guess we just have a lot of knowledge. We have a big social-media team, product team, and A&R team. We have seven A&R managers, so these guys know what they’re doing. I can’t control everything anymore, so I think it’s just great. Lost Frequencies is basically an act that Armada built, and it sort of blew up on its own. It’s great. DJ Times: And you didn’t really have a hand in it? Van Buuren: No, I didn’t even sign the track. I supported the track, I like the track—it’s a deep-house track. When I heard it I thought, “Wow, it’s a really nice song,” but I never expected that “Are You With Me” would be such a huge smash all around the world. It’s gigantic. DJ Times: Do you think there’s still a relationship between your curating A State of Trance show and potentially exposing people to the Armada releases that may blow up as a result? Van Buuren: No. I always prioritize the show itself. The show is more important than Armada. That could mean—in a hypothetical case—that I wouldn’t play any Armada tracks in the whole show. I think you can find some episodes in the past where there wasn’t a single Armada track. DJ Times: So they’re very separate entities in your mind? Van Buuren: Yeah. It should all be about the show and the mix. It’s A State of Trance. It’s a different concept than Armin Only. It’s a different concept than GAIA. It’s a different thing. There’s a lot of overlap, but it’s

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

Making Tracks

(continued from page 27) trol necessary today to achieve vintage sound given the outstanding stability of the design that current technology enables in the Prophet-6. The Prophet-5, -6, and ’08 definitely bear a family resemblance in appearance, functionality and sound, but there are some notable differences. The following summarizes some of the key differences: (see chart page 26) Speaking of factory sounds, DSI engaged John Bowen, former Sequential employee and designer of the Solaris synthesizer, to recreate his original Prophet-5 patches for the new instrument. Those 40 or so sounds, coupled with a wide range of others from a handful of capable designers, mean the P6 offers fully 500 factory patches that both demonstrate the

not necessarily that I’m just having A State of Trance to promote Armada artists, not at all. I mean, I’ve signed a couple of trance tracks that I didn’t play on A State of Trance because there was no room, they just didn’t fit in the flow, or key-wise they didn’t match, or whatever. If you’re signed to Armada, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll be on the show. DJ Times: Speaking of A State of Trance, you celebrated 700 episodes earlier this year with a festival. You celebrated 600 episodes at Madison Square Garden. What’s next for it? Van Buuren: Well, we’re getting awfully close to episode 1,000 [laughs]. I think for me right now, what I’ve come to notice is that I always want to be one step ahead in a sense that I feel that A State of Trance is still a very relevant radio show. That makes me very proud. We put a lot of effort into it—I think more now than a couple of years ago.We have a lot of specials and features on the show. We feature a lot of albums from competitive labels, as well—we have a lot of specials from Black Hole Recordings, High Contrast, and Spinnin’ Records. I find it important that A State of Trance is still the show that I started before I had Armada. When I started doing those live broadcasts around the world, it was kind of a niche thing because nobody was doing it. Right now, almost every weekend there’s a live broadcast, so the live broadcasts aren’t necessarily that special anymore. DJ Times: So, what’s that mean to you? Van Buuren: Actually, I’ve decided two things. First of all, I’ve decided to not have five weeks in a row of festivals anymore because one complaint from fans is them saying, “It’s cool if you celebrate five weeks in a row in five different continents, but we’re going to hear five weeks of the same sets.” At that point, there may be a couple of tracks that are

hot, so if you bring three times of Andrew Rayel and three times of Ben Gold, they might be playing a little bit of the same sets. Fair enough. So the first thing we did was spread out the festivals throughout the year. DJ Times: And the second? Van Buuren: We turn it into a festival, which is a big thing. It used to just be one room. Now it’s a minimum of two, most of the time four rooms for every festival. We record all the sets and they get broadcasted later. For me also, the live-broadcasting element is still essential because it’s a radio show, but not really anymore in that I want to broadcast every A State of Trance event. It still has to be special and has to connect fans. What I found which is interesting is that we have this A State of Trance event coming up in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, which is sort of the home of ASOT. Every year it pulls 30,000 trance fans. Every year that event is just about quality. I think what should do with ASOT to preserve the future of it is to invest in the event itself and the quality of the lineup. I guess the answer to your question is diversification. DJ Times: How so? Van Buuren: Really dig into the sound of trance itself. So what I’m going to do is I’m going to have a main stage with all the big names, then I’m going to have a stage that’s more dedicated to the 138 sound—a more darker sound. We’ll then have a talent stage where the new talents can shine, and then we’ll have a stage that could be 15 years of ASOT or maybe a legends area or live area. What I want to show to the people is that trance is such a diverse sound. For me, trance is everything from the darker stuff—Bryan Kearney, Will Atkinson, Jordan Suckley—all the way up to Arty, Above & Beyond, and everything. That’s what I want to bring to the festival as well. If you’re into the 138 stuff, there’s a room

for you. If you’re into the main stage stuff, then there’s the main room for you. If you’re more willing to hear the new talent or progressive stuff, go to the talent room. I want to show that trance has evolved. DJ Times: Who are a couple of artists you’re particularly feeling now? Who are we going to have this conversation about in 2017? Van Buuren: [laughs] I really like Arisen Flame. KhoMha from Columbia is doing amazing. First State is going to make a big comeback. I like Rodrigo Deem from Argentina—he’s good. There’s so much talent. DJ Times: You’ve ticked off so many bucket list items: Madison Square Garden, Good Morning America, playing for the Dutch royal family, and more. What else is there for you to accomplish and what keeps the fire burning? Van Buuren: To be honest with you, the numbers become less important. It’s more about the content. After Intense, I really didn’t think I had another album in me. When I finished it, I had put so much work and effort into it. You don’t even want to know how much stuff doesn’t make the album. Most of the tracks I finished [for Embrace] were seven minutes, and they end up on the album as three and a half minutes. A track like “Face of Summer” was 12 minutes; we cut it down to five-something. It’s like making a movie that’s two hours and 20 minutes and cutting it down. It’s good because it keeps it interesting. DJ Times: Definitely. Van Buuren: I really thought I couldn’t do another album after Intense, and then it just happened. I’m not really able to answer that question exactly. I think, again, that it boils down to the fact that I had so much fun, as you can probably see. I don’t have to do anything anymore; I could just sit at home and watch my kids grow. n

instrument’s capabilities, and that provide excellent jumping-off points for evolving the sounds further. The territory covered includes the usual strings, leads, pads, and the like, and sometimes wanders into truly bizarre (and cool) territory that leaves you wondering, “How’d they do that?” The on-board digital effects greatly expand the potential of the Prophet-6 over the P5, and even the ’08. Everything’s there you might want: distortion, various reverbs, multiple delays, chorus, and phase shifting. And once again, for purists, disabling the effects provides a true bypass, ensuring a 100-percent analog end-to-end signal path where desired. When it comes to the physical instrument, one thing that’s clearly improved from the old Sequential Circuits days is build quality. Perhaps the

majority of the reason has more to do with components than physical construction; electronics of the late ’70s and ’80s seemed almost universally to be a bit fussy and unreliable. (ColecoVision, anyone?) Regardless, while the old Sequential Circuits sourced components and assembled instruments in-house, those duties have been outsourced by DSI today, remarkably retaining, however, its “Made in the USA” label. Using outside expertise, coupled with today’s better components and build practices overall, the result is a solidly built, reliable instrument—albeit it one that retains the homey, classic, furniture-grade, realwood accents (and thus, the distinctive look) of its Sequential ancestors. USING THE PROPHET-6 My own workflows to date have been strictly digital, and almost com-

pletely through soft synths within my DAW of choice. I still own a pretty dated “rompler” synth I spent a lot of time with in the distant past, but while I’ve played real analog synths before, I’ve never owned one before, or spent that much time with one. That’s made the experience with the Prophet-6 particularly enjoyable and refreshing— and it’s shifting how I think about and approach the creative process. Making music has, for me anyway, felt rather analogous to programming a computer. Sure, I play notes on a MIDI keyboard controller, “record” those, and manipulate them, tie them to soft synths, and music comes out. But the process is not particularly expressive. When you have a Prophet-6 in front of you, that experience begs to be changed rather dramatically. Can you program its behavior via

MP3s in 6

Compiled As January 4, 2016

NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART

NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART

1 Lucas Nord F/ Tove Lo 2 Adele 3 Hailee Steinfeld 4 Duke Dumont 5 Dave Aude F/Olivia Newton-John 6 Justin Bieber 7 Ellie Goulding 8 Demi Lovato 9 Lady Gaga 10 Punch Inc. 11 Taylor Swift 12 Major Lazer F/ DJ Snake 13 Nick Jonas 14 Faithless 15 Jess Glynne 16 Calvin Harris 17 Goldhouse 18 Bob Sinclar & Dawn Tallman 19 Rudimental 20 Assia Ahhatt 21 Disclosure F/ Lorde 22 Zhu F/ AlunaGeorge 23 One Direction 24 Badar F/ Duncan Morley 25 Peter K 26 Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike F/ Neyo 27 Missy Elliott F/ Pharrell Williams 28 Scotty Boy F/ Sue Cho 29 Spandau Ballet 30 David Seyer 31 Skylar Steecker 32 Natali Yura 33 Disclosure F/ Sam Smith 34 JoJo 35 Andy Grammer 36 Sted-E/Hybrid Heights & Crystal Waters 37 WTS F/ Gia 38 Dj Jellyfish 39 Primo Cruz 40 Philip George & Anton Powers

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

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

Disclosure F/ Lorde Ronin & Dj Escape Primo Cruz Kosca F/ Kyshona Arm Mark F. Angelo & Eric Lumiere WTS F/ Gia Elephante ft. Trouze & Damon Sharp JoJo Philip George & Anton Powers Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike

Run On Love Radikal Hello Columbia Love Myself Republic Ocean Drive Virgin You Have To Believe Audacious What Do You Mean Def Jam On My Mind Interscope Confident Hollywood Till It Happens To You Interscope Heaven (Beautiful Life) S-Curve Wildest Dreams Republic Lean On Mad Decent Levels Island Insomnia 2.0 Sony Hold My Hand Atlantic How Deep Is Your Love Sony Over Robbins Feel The Vibe Slaag Lay It All Big Beat 6 Oclock In The Morning Seize The Day Magnets Capitol Automatic Sony Drag Me Down Columbia You Gave Me Love Global Groove Fighting For Your Love Vision Higher Place Motown WTF Atlantic Spin Spin Sugar Casa Rossa This Is Love Warner Brothers All About Me OBSR Crazy Beautiful Interscope Fall 4 U Golden Needle Omen Astralwerks When Love Hurts Atlantic Good To Be Alive S-Curve Synergy 418 Music One Night Global Groove / WTS Boom Boom Jellyfish Radikal Don’t Stop 4-Power Alone No More Motown Magnets Shout It Out Loud Don’t Stop Light It Up New Day One Night Age Of Innocence When Love Hurts Alone No More Higher Place

Capitol Groovilicious 4-Power Amathus Robbins Global Groove / WTS Zoo Atlantic Motown Motown

REPORTING POOLS n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen n

Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Nexus Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n Hype Radio - Yuba City, CA; Rich Fayden n DeeJay Creativity - Los Angeles, CA; KSXY KPAT n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle 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 DJ Laszlo - Las Vegas, NV; Laszlo

Szenasi

Drake Future F/ Drake J. Cole Tory Lanez Weekend Fetty Wap F/ Remy Boyz Travis Scott Post Malone Ty Dollar $ign F/ Future&R.Sremmurd Drake & Future Big Sean F/ C.Brown & Ty Dolla $ign Drake Rae Sremmurd 2 Chains Chris Brown Dej Loaf F/ Big Sean Yo Gotti Curren$y F/ August Alsina & Lil Way Alessia Cara Missy Elliott F/ Pharrell Williams

Hotline Bling Where Ya At No Role Modelz Say It The Hits 679 Antidote White Iverson Blase Jumpman Play No Games Back To Back Come Get Her Watch Out Back To Sleep Back Up Down In The DM Bottom Of The Bottle Here WTF

Republic Epic Columbia Interscope Republic RFG Grand Hustle Universal Atlantic Republic Def Jam Republic Interscope Def Jam RCA Columbia Epic Atlantic Def Jam Atlantic

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Fetty Wap Jeremih Bryson Tiller Young Thug DJ Luke Nasty

Again Oui Don’t Best Friend Might Be

RFG Def Jam Trippinout Atlantic Othaz

NEW NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Juan Magan ft Paulina Rubio JayCool Paty Cantu Jesse Medeles Jorge Celedon Rey Chavez 24 Horas Grupo Niche Los Jugadores J Balvin FransheskA Alx Veliz Elvis Crespo ft. Farruko Gente De Zona ft M. Anthony Poeta Callejero Alex Sensation ft Yandel, Shaggy David L Grupomania Poeta Callejero Layla

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

El Gran Combo Mala Fe Tarzana Tito Nieves Don Omar

Vuelve La Chica Que Quema Valiente Sucia Me Antojo A Primera Vista Aun Me Perteneces Te Enseñare A Olvidar Pasame La Botella Ginza Me Enamore Dancing Kizomba Si Tu Novio Traidora La Calle Ta’Que Pica Bailame Say Yes Te Vi Kamasutra (RMX) Locuras

Universal JayCool Charisma Universal Dessennium Ent. Sony J & N PPE 360 Group Jugadores Music Universal PPE Universal Flash Music Sony Universal Ent. One PPE Grupomania Universal Angulo Music

Most Added Tracks Tiene Que Hacer De To Za Ki Za Quiere Ser Mi Amante Si Me Tenias Te Recordare Bailando

Combo Calpio Demand 360 Universal

REPORTING LATIN POOLS n Latinos Unidos Record Pool n Salsamania Latin Record Pool n Lobo/Bass Record

Pool n Urban Tropics Music Pool n North East Record Pool n Mixx Hitts Record Pool n Ritmo Camacho Record Pool n Ritmo Internacional Record Pool n DJ Latinos Record Pool n Mass Pool n Record Pool Latino n V.I.P. Chicago Record Pool. 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

MIDI in the DAW? Sure… All the knobs on the Prophet-6 are mapped to MIDI control and can be automated, just as I’d always done with soft synths. But it seems almost unnatural; it makes more sense and feels more musical, more creative, and more expressive to simply play the instrument. Apparently, I’m not the only one. When I mentioned this to Smith, he wasn’t surprised. “Musicians can once again play a new analog synth, and they immediately hear the difference in the sound and appreciate the musical interaction with the instrument,” he said. “It’s something that’s missing from soft synths, and from digital keyboards with huge screens and long lines of confusing buttons as well.” As I’ve been figuring out DAW workflows with the Prophet, I’ve tended to record both MIDI and audio, and mixing and editing has often involved tweaking a combination of both, sometimes re-recording MIDI playback, sometimes not. This shift in emphasis (vs. my old workflows)

Sounding Off

(continued from page 28)

meaning that you still need the laptop front-and-center to make it anything other than a trial-and-error exercise. On the upside of effects control, however, is how well executed the physical interface is to the software interface in every other way. Once you have the effect selected, you can easily alternate between single effects with full parameter control, and basic effects chaining. Chaining is a great idea in concept, but it’s one I find too unpredictable to actually use. So, for me, the concept of single effects with full control is where it’s at, and the NS7III delivers. I’ve always liked Serato’s effects implementation, and the

toward recording live performance and manipulating the result has made the Prophet-6 unbelievably liberating creatively, breaking me out of a longheld mold (some might say, rut) in music production. Another unexpected benefit of the Prophet-6 and its myriad knobs and controls at my fingertips is venturing more confidently into sound design. The Prophet begs to be played—and played with. And because the experience is so incredibly satisfying, I find I can burn hours of pure fun without realizing it. The P6 lets you easily initialize a default sound configuration; factory default is a simple tone from a single oscillator. You can then tinker and dial-up or dial-down all the attributes of the oscillators, mix, filters, envelopes and effects, sprinkling in, perhaps, some arp patterns, or some aftertouch modulation, or whatever and wherever the creative urge takes you. Infinite possibilities—infinite fun. The single flaw I’ve found since purchasing my Prophet-6 is a minor issue with the function of some of the

digital displays while adjusting certain parameters when there’s incoming MIDI data. DSI was already aware of the firmware bug that causes it, which will be addressed in a future field update, and it affects only the display—not the functionality. So, the one thing I’ve not talked about—how does it sound? In a word, amazing. While your own reaction probably depends on your preferred genres and styles, there’s nothing quite like the powerful, edgy sound of a true analog synth. The mid-’80s might have seen this sound go a bit out of fashion for a time. However, for the past decade or more, the resurgence of analog has been strong (as Smith’s earlier comments suggested), able to find a place at various positions in the mix of most of today’s music, proving that the Prophet name is as important and viable today as ever. One of the main reasons that the Prophet-5 is still revered today is its sound, and the Prophet-6 justifies the same level of reverence in my view. It’s capable of a tremendous range

NS7III makes it a piece of cake to make the most of it. Finally, each side of the controller sports eight pads. Borrowing some name-dropping from another inMusic brand, these are said to be genuine Akai MPC pads, but in any case, are the expected rubberized translucent plastic material with RGB (i.e., full color) LED backlighting to identify state and status. The eight pads can be easily switched between their full set of functionality, which includes managing cue points, looping (both xbeat rolling and user-set loop points), sample playback, and “slicing” capability. Part of me would prefer labeled, dedicated controls for these rather

than generic mapping to pads that requires me to learn and remember the mappings. But there comes a point of diminishing return for the number of function-specific buttons and such, especially with lesser-used functions. Additionally, multifunction pads have become a sort of industry-standard for these sorts of functions, it seems, so once you learn the functions you need and which pad does what, the net-net is the same. Conclusions: Rarely have I seen such a tight integration between a DJ controller and the software for which it’s designed to be used. While generic controllers that can be paired with any software have their benefits,

of timbres, from soft and squishy to pronounced and dominant—accentuated, perhaps, when you kick it into unison mode and layer those voices over one another. I can tell when I’ve successfully dialed in just the right combinations on the controls—it’s when I realize I’m sporting a huge smile on my face while my fingers dance around the keys. And with the Prophet-6 in its prominent home in my studio, that’s been happening an awful lot lately. CONCLUSIONS With a street price of roughly $2,799, the Sequential Prophet-6 from Dave Smith Instruments represents a true investment for the typical keyboardist or producer. But with its incredible true analog sound and wide timbral range, renowned lineage, modern enhancements (like the on-board effects), excellent build quality, and overall capabilities, it represents a strong addition to the sonic arsenal of virtually any artist or producer—and it’s certainly (and proudly) found a permanent home in mine.

of course, the decision to tightly integrate hardware and software can pay dividends, and that’s truly the case with the NS7III and Serato DJ. They fit like a glove, providing incredibly full physical control over the software features—as well as visual integration with the NS7III’s own trio of LCD displays. With extraordinary flexibility of signal sources, excellent effects control, and its superior level of playback head positioning and control, the NS7III distinguishes itself as a world-class performance solution for DJs. With a street price of $1,500, the NS7III represents an investment—but one I’m sure many professional DJs will benefit greatly from.

I got my rep playing afterhours.

Pretty wild, huh?

Hey, somebody’s gotta do it.

Boris, Next Month in DJ Times

Photos: Dispirito Photography

DJ TIMES

FEBRUARY 2016

Boris: King of Late-Night