PREVIEW: MIAMI MUSIC WEEK
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Above Beyond
Reaching New Peaks
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How to Make Non-Payment a Non-Issue
NEWS
Doug Van Sant
INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES
MIAMI MUSIC WEEK: WMC, ULTRA, CLUB PARTIES & MORE WMC Q&A: Martin Garrix. Armin van Buuren: Ultra fest headliner.
APRIL 2015
New Venue: Sydney Blu at STEAM.
DJ TIMES
By Chris Caruso Miami Beach, Fla. – The tail end of March draws near, signaling South Florida’s impending onslaught of DJs and dance-music junkies flying south for Miami Music Week. It's an EDM fan's paradise, with a week's worth of club events, festivals, pool parties, conferences, and dance music energy. Once again, DJ Times will be there all week to exhibit, interact, and—of course—dance. Winter Music Conference: Running March 24 to 28 at the Deauville Beach Resort, the 30th annual WMC will present five days and nights of DJ-driven events and parties alongside two days of exhibitions and five days of seminars. As always, DJ Times will maintain a dedicated exhibition booth. Seminar topics at the 2015 conference will cover a broad range of topics. They include: “DJs, Producers & New Technology,” “A New Era: The Artistry & Business of the Global DJ,” “Beats to Bucks: Making Money With Your Music,” “DJ Culture: Branding of Cool,” “Bridging The Gap: DJ & Live Musician,” and “A&R and Alteration: Remix A&R.” Additionally, WMC will also host a Q&A session with Dutch wunderkind Martin Garrix, as well as its annual DJ Spin-Off and VJ Challenge. On Thursday, March 26, WMC will host the 30th annual International Dance Music Awards, which will honor dance music's movers and shakers across 55-plus categories. STEAM Miami: Partiers looking for a new clubbing experience this year need to look no further than STEAM Miami. Located in Downtown Miami's Wynwood area, the new club boasts an all-star roster of DJs and a thumping Funktion One sound system to soundtrack its lineup of Miami Music Week events. DJ Times is sponsoring the proceedings this year, and we'll be onhand all week to catch the events both inside the club and on its new Lot 14 patio outside. Showcases include: Reboot Presents Noon (with Todd Terry) on March 22; Deeperperfect (with Butch) on March 23; Sydney Blu Presents The Blu Party (with Stacey Pullen, Kevin Saunderson, and Pleasurekraft) on March 24; Incorrect Music (with Chus & Ceballos and Coyu) on March 25; Redlight Miami (with Danny Howard and Marcus Schossow) on March 27; and Dirtybird 10 (with Claude VonStroke, J.Phlip, and Justin Martin) on March 29. Ultra Music Festival: Miami Music Week's crown jewel returns once again for a packed three-day weekend boasting big names and even bigger production. Set for March 27-29 at Downtown Miami's Bayfront Park, the 17th annual event will draw an estimated 165,000 attendees to see dance music’s top talents spread across seven stages. Mainstage performers for Friday include Tiësto, Avicii, Afrojack, and Alesso. For Saturday, March 28, they include Axwell ^ Ingrosso, Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix, and Steve Aoki. For Sunday, March 29, they include Skrillex, David Guetta, Steve Angello, Knife Party, and Nicky Romero. Other Notable Events: Over at the Sagamore, The Art Hotel, Red Bull Guest House will return to Miami for its third iteration. From March 26-29, seven showcases will feature over 25 DJs during daily pool parties (from 2 to 7 p.m.) and late-night Breakfast Club events (2 to 6 a.m.). Pool party events include: Rumors (with Guy Gerber, Danny Tenaglia, and Chromeo) on March 26; HARD (with Duke Dumont, Boys Noize, and Destructo) on March 27;Young Money (with Lil Wayne and Questlove) on March 28; and Tropical (with Kygo and Thomas Jack) on March 29. Breakfast Club events include: Ladyfag & Seva Granik Present SHADE: MELTDOWN (with Joris Voorn) on March 27; Big Tittie Surprise (with Seth Troxler, Jackmaster, and DJ Tennis) on March 28; and Red Bull Music Academy (with Dixon and DJ Harvey) on March 29.
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VOLUME 28
NUMBER 4
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View from the Top
With Hordes of Hardcore Fans Turning Up to Massive Shows, like a Sold-Out Madison Square Garden, Above & Beyond Has Reached a New Peak BY BRUCE TANTUM
20 Charity Begins at Home Although DJs Have Differing Opinions on the Benefits of Performing Freebie Gigs, All Should Start with a Set of Guidelines BY JEFF STILES
DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback
As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions
22 Holy Ship! With Its Star-Studded Line-Up, EDM’s Premier Boat Party Took Fans for Quite a Ride BY ERIK VOAKE, OH DAG YO & IAN WHITLEN
24 Man of Many Hats As a Product Specialist, Tour Manager & Now-Traveling DJ, Mike Henderson Keeps Living the Dream BY PAUL DAILEY
26 Making Tracks Moog Sub 37 Tribute Edition
28 Sounding Off N.I. Traktor Kontrol S8 MK2 & Akai AMX/AFX
30 Mobile Profile
Vermont Vinylist Scratches Ahead
32 Business Line How to Make Non-Payment a Non-Issue
34 Gear
New Products from Pioneer, ADJ & More
38 Grooves
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
Phat Tracks from Madonna, Ellen Allien & More
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40 DJ Times Marketplace
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41 Club Play Chart
The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools
8 Ferry Corsten
Hello World
10 In the Studio With…
Étienne de Crécy
NEW FOR SPRING 2015!
FROM THE EDITOR
Above & Beyond… Finally Someone recently asked me “why it had taken so long” to put Above & Beyond on the cover of DJ Times, and I didn’t really have a good answer. Sometimes, even with acts as popular as A&B, it’s simply a matter of circumstances, timing, access or plain bad luck. It’s not like we weren’t aware of the group’s rising star. In years past, we’d done a Sampling story and a small feature, sure. But once the London-based trio sold out Madison Square Garden this past October, there were no more excuses—it had to be done. Lucky for all of us, the ever-versatile DJ/writer Bruce Tantum was available to connect with A&B’s Tony McGuinness, who was all too happy to discuss the group’s studio approach, its growing fanbase, the lure of its well-crafted music, plus how A&B shows aren’t too far removed certain ancient druid rituals. Speaking of rituals, the boat party has really become a major setting for top DJ talent and fans to connect. Holy Ship!—presented by HARD, Cloud 9 and Bowery Presents—takes it one step further. It packs a cruise liner with EDM fanatics and books the industry’s most popular DJ/producers—from Fatboy Slim to Skrillex, Basement Jaxx to Bauuer. Altogether, the floating asylum of mad beats left Miami this past Feb. 18 and cruised for four crazy days through the Caribbean. We have the pictures to prove it. New Englander Mike Henderson may not be as big a DJ as fellow Vermont native Morgan Page just yet, but he’s on his way, even if his story does veer a bit from the regular. He began as a raver, attended Boston’s Berklee College of Music, worked as a Native Instruments product specialist, taught at New York’s Dubspot school and served as a road manager/tech for such global talents as Dubfire and Nicole Moudaber. Now DJing as “Endo,” he’s begun to hit some of the world’s larger venues and festivals. Paul Dailey tells his story. For Samplings, Lily Moayeri heads into the studio with French pioneer Étienne de Crécy, who’s reprising his Super Discount series. Meanwhile, Chris Caruso handles our annual check-in with longtime Dutch fave Ferry Corsten, who’ll be approaching his release schedule a little differently in 2015. In our review columns, Jon Jay plays with Moog Music’s Sub 37 Tribute Edition synth for the Making Tracks entry. Then, in the Sounding Off column, Paul Dailey tests Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol S8 MK2 controller, while Reed Dailey handles a pair of Akai controllers (AMX and AFX). In mobile-entertainer pursuits, Jeff Stiles asks jocks about the benefits of doing freebie gigs (for charities, benefits, etc.) and what kinds of guidelines they follow for doing them. In Business Line, we offer methods to ensure that non-payment from clients becomes a non-issue. And for this month’s Mobile Profile, we feature another Vermonter, Evan LeCompte, who has gained traction in the New England wedding market by going vinyl. Of course, this issue finds itself on South Beach for Miami Music Week. DJ Times will maintain an exhibit booth at Winter Music Conference, where we’ll commiserate with DJs and the entire dance-music community. Additionally, we’ll be conducting interviews with some of the market’s top talents and co-sponsoring evening events at STEAM Miami. Of course, by week’s end, we’ll be in downtown Miami for Ultra Music Fest, for three days of craziness featuring the biggest DJs in the world. See you there.
editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com
art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com
editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com
production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com
chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Tom Banham Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Ally Byers Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Jon Jay Robert LaFrance Michelle Loeb Duanny Medrano Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Julia Sachs Jeff Stiles Bruce Tantum 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
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Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times
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exhibitors are male. Why? Hard to say, but it’s probably the same reason most rock bands or country bands or jazz bands are mostly full of guys. However, in the world of clubland, I’d have to say that there are more female DJs than ever now. There are some of the ones you mentioned, but also people like Syd‑ ney Blu (house), Nicole Moudaber (techno), Reid Speed (bass), Shortee (turntablism) and others, offering a
variety of approaches and playing a variety of genres with genuine skill. You mention Paris Hilton, who’s got‑ ten a lot of flak for her relative inabili‑ ties behind the decks, but people do pay money to see her. Why? That’s up to them. Nobody has a gun to anyone’s head forcing them to part with $50 or $100 to participate in that spectacle. And, I wouldn’t necessarily include her in a group, say, with the others I just mentioned—perhaps she’s more
of the “celebrity DJ” variety. Anyway, to answer your question: Yes, I think female DJs get the bookings and notoriety they deserve. Anybody who’s been to a major festival in the past couple of years is sure to have run across a set by the Nervo twins, for example. And judging from their throngs of loyal fans, I don’t think Mim or Viv Nervo are crying about secondclass status these days. – Jim Tremayne, DJ Times
This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the question that is not asked. 048MR15_p001-044.indd 1
2/18/2015 5:15:00 PM
DJ TIMES: Do you think that female DJs—Paris Hilton, Eva Shaw, Helena, Havana Brown, Nervo, etc.—get the recogni‑ tion and bookings they should? I feel from just viewing the constant barrage of male DJ headliners that female DJs who can spin with the best of them, who create their own music, who entertain, excite and pack dancefloors are second-rated DJs in this industry. What say you? – Rich Unger, Sarasota, Fla.
RICH, If a DJ can draw people to a club or festival, help make the venue money whether it’s through entrance fees or selling beverages or merchandise, I’m not sure gender really enters into it. Most promoters don’t care. The pro‑ moter just wants a DJ that can attract an audience—simple. When I’ve done stories on female DJs, I can’t think of a time that gender was really a topic. I sure didn’t ask. If it was something they wanted to talk about, we did. But more often than not, at the end of the interview, I’d hear some‑ thing like, “Hey, thanks for not asking, ‘What’s it like to be a girl DJ?’” Of course, it is quite true that DJing is very male-dominated and always has been. If you come to DJ Expo in Atlantic City, N.J., each August and meet the attending jocks from all around North America, it’s plainly a guy-fest—the overwhelming majority of the attendees, performers and even
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This past year featured plenty of big moments for popular Dutch DJ/producer Ferry Corsten. In addition to seeing his Full On Ferry brand enjoy a summer residency at Space Ibiza and having a repeat appearance as a stage at Atlanta’s TomorrowWorld, Corsten also saw a raised profile for New World Punx, his collaboration with Markus Schulz, which hit major venues and festivals as well. With 2014 in the books, Corsten has wasted no time in kicking it into high gear for 2015 with the launch of his ambitious three-part Hello World EP series on his Flashover Recordings label. The first installment is a seven-track mix of big-room, electro, progressive, and tech-influenced cuts, all based around an anthemic trance heartbeat. Corsten connected with DJ Times ahead of the EP's release to talk about the forthcoming installments, New World Punx, and more. DJ Times: Why a series of EPs, instead of a more traditional album? Ferry Corsten: I wanted to switch things up a little, so instead of releasing an album all at once, I just chop it up and make it a piece of a full album. The life span of that is going to be throughout the year, and the anticipation is going to be a lot stronger and a lot longer as well. Instead of each EP having three or four tracks, it will instead have six or seven tracks by coming with some extra remixes. They're also going to be very current. Part One is out now, but I'm still working on Part Two. Instead of releasing tracks I did a year ago, like I would on an album, these tracks are very current. DJ Times: “Hyperlove” was the first track you released from the EP and saw you incorporating breakbeats. What sort of other sonic textures are you playing with on the new EPs? Corsten: I'm almost playing with everything, really. I'm just a music lover in general, but I think the big common thing is always a little bit of a trance element because that's really the key sound that I'm part of. But I borrowed influences from house, techno, trance obviously, and even some big-room here and there—just elements, though, not full-on. It's going to be pretty diverse. With this series I'm really focusing on a lot of the vocal stuff that I've been doing lately and really enjoying. DJ Times: Are there plans to compile the EPs together? Corsten: Yeah. At the end of the year when all three of these are done, we're going to re-bundle the whole thing again with some extra unreleased stuff. DJ Times: What do you have planned for your Full On Ferry brand this year? Corsten: It looks like TomorrowWorld will probably be happening again this year. We're doing Space Ibiza again. Last year, we did 14 dates and this year it might be 18, so it's going to be the whole season— pretty good! Full On Australia is going to be happening again, and we're definitely working on some dates in the States. DJ Times: You and Markus Schulz are each one half of New World Punx, which is slated to play Coachella in April. Was it an intentional decision to play as New World Punx at the event instead of performing separate solo sets? Corsten: No, not really. New World Punx just came about really organically, and everything that's happening with New World Punks is because of that. We only started doing it because we worked on a few tracks together at first. We were like, “Let's do something,” and “Let's play back-to-back and see what happens.” The interest was there straight away, and it's became this project really on its own now. It's a side project for both of us, but at the same time we really take it seriously now. When we play individually, we play a little bit trancey, which may not be initially the sound that crossover festivals like. When we play as New World Punx, our sound is definitely a little more aggressive, way more energetic, and very driving, so I think it touches that other part of the market that is big enough for Coachella to book us. DJ Times: Any firm plans for New World Punx throughout the year, both in releases and touring? Corsten: It's still organic, but we definitely feel as New World Punx that we have to come up with music as well. There's a new single coming out around March, I think. We're working on single two and three already as well, so that's in the works for this year. I can't say that we're already going to do one big New World Punx tour. For now, we want to focus on some good festivals and maybe a couple of one-off concerts to keep the demand. Basically, not doing too many shows. – Chris Caruso
Full-On Ferry: Corsten will release a 3-part EP Series.
FERRY CORSTEN: HELLO WORLD
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IN THE STUDIO WITH
Before Daft Punk ever broke out big, Étienne de Crécy helped put French club music on the map. His mid-’90s collabs with Philippe Zdar as Motorbass, plus his work with Alex Gopher and Air in his Super Discount series were part of the “French Touch” movement that had global clubland abuzz. Almost two decades later— and after spending the last few ye a r s t o u r i n g h i s l i ve s h ow, Beats’n’Cubes, in a visually stimulating cube— de Crécy has revived Super Discount for a third installment. His timing, as always, is perfect. Audiences have been prepped by new-school house DJ/ artists and again seem ready for the sensual grooves and hookready rhythms of Super Discount 3 (Pixadelic/Sony). Listening to the tracks, subtlety is the keyword on the understated “Smile,” which features the aforementioned Gopher. Same goes for “Follow,” which finds Kilo Kish slinking under its flutters. Then you have Baxter Dury, who offers suggestive rumbles under the hip-shaking hi-hats of “Family.” In contrast, “WTF” gets more upfront, shifting tones and tempos
and old school, making his sounds on Ensoniq SQ-80 and Roland Juno-60 synthesizers with Oberheim DMX, Sequential Circuits DrumTraks, Roland TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. Other items included Akai MPC1000 and Future Retro Mobius sequencers and Universal Audio 1176 Blue Stripe and Kush Audio UBK Fatso compressors. His analog mixing console—not one seen often in an electronic music studio—is a Trident 24, while the only software in his studio is Avid Pro Tools, Celemony Melodyne, and the Xfer Records Cthulhu VST plug-in. But you won’t find de Crécy, who comes from a studio engineering background, in front of a screen. In fact, there is no computer between the speakers atop his console. His studio looks like you went back in time to the first Super Discount, circa 1996. Also, he has been uploading tutorials for each of the Super Discount 3 tracks to YouTube, showing this original hardware in practice. “I tried to work with plug-ins and the computer, but the process is so long to get the right sound,”
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
ÉTIENNE DE CRÉCY: INSPIRED
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without a hiccup. Shrugging off his own impact on modern house music, de Crécy credits the contributions of today’s young producers for the inspiration behind his return to the Super Discount brand. “You can hear the youth of the producers and their innocence in front of the music—they are discovering the music,” says de Crécy, sitting in his Paris studio, located a stone’s throw from the famed Rex Club. “When I did Super Discount 2, music bored me. I was not enthusiastic. I can hear with these new productions that the young producers are really enthusiastic. I’m enthusiastic again now because of them. They brought new energy into this music. They are not looking for complicated things. It’s simple and it’s fresh again. They’re showing me how to do it.” To assist in keeping himself fresh, de Crécy changes his studio set-up with every album. For Super Discount 3, he kept things analog
says de Crécy. “With my machines, I just have to program the kick in the DMX, the bass in the SQ80 and the sound is immediately perfect. I will need to work with plug-ins soon because, technically, I know I can’t provide the same energy and dynamics. I can feel my productions aren’t hitting as hard in a club. Mostly, the plug-ins emulate old synths. The old synths should be better because they are the original. But it’s not the same. The old synths are really old. Today’s copy is better than the original. “In the last two years, the music became close to the music I used to make 20 years ago,” adds de Crécy. “I was a bit afraid when we started Super Discount live [with Gopher and Julien Delfaud]. I used to play really hard in the Cube. The tempo, the sound, is much smoother. But young people are bored with bangers and aggression. Like me, like old people, they want something else.” – Lily Moayeri
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No one doubts that Above & Beyond has spent the past decade and a half as one of the world’s biggest trance acts. After all, it’s not every group, electronic or otherwise, that can sell out a Madison Square Garden gig in a heartbeat, as the trio did this past October. But ask the group’s Tony McGuinness to describe the music that he, Paavo Siljamäki and Jono Grant have been creating in recent years, and the “t” word doesn’t make the cut. “I would say that it’s mostly electronic, mostly emotional, mostly dance music” his how he puts it, simply and succinctly. He’s not wrong, he’s only telling part of the story: Give a listen to Above & Beyond’s latest full-length, We Are All We Need (Anjunabeats), and you’ll be treated to a bevy of styles, with trance playing only a supporting role. Released Stateside this past January on the Ultra label, the album is brimming with sunrise ambience (opener “Quieter is Louder”), stomping, industrial-tinged house (“Peace Of Mind”), soothing downtempo material (“Making Plans”), hands-in-the-air festival fodder (“Excuses”) and lots, lots more. But Above & Beyond’s music, most of all, is pop—shimmering, spine-tingling electronic pop, the kind that uses arena-size EDM as more of a jumping-off point than as an end in itself. We Are All We Need, featuring vocal turns from Zoë Johnston, Justine Suissa, Alex Vargas, Gemma Hayes and McGuinness, is graced by dramatically emotive sounds that can sadden and elate in equal measure, made by an electronic act that makes the kind of heartfelt connection with its fans that few of its contemporaries can claim. Of course, that connection is aided and abetted by the gang’s long-running radio show, Group Therapy (formerly Trance Around the World), and the music released on the Above & Beyond–affiliated labels, Anjunabeats and Anjunadeep. In conversation, McGuinness comes off as an analytical sort of guy who’s truly curious about the world around him. Right after “hello,” he asks me about the provenance of my last name; I tell him that tale, too boring to relate here, and then he proceeds to tell me his. “The name was originally McAngus in Irish, which means ‘son of Angus’—so I’m part of a Celtic dynasty. All the Anguses in Scotland are probably all part of the same family, too, if you go back 10,000 years. We’re all related somehow.” And that leads the conversation towards druid ceremonies, which is where we pick up the conversation. DJ Times: Ancient Celtic rites often involved a priest leading worshipers in communal dancing. That’s not so far off from what you do, really. McGuinness: Indeed—we still do that now. Recently, I was talking to somebody about the validity of DJing versus being a musician, and I pointed out that the ancient lord of the dance was there before music existed, before people even knew about notes. He was the guy who would stand in front of the tribe, leading the log-banging and influencing the mood of the gathering. DJ Times: And he would be the equivalent of today’s DJ? McGuinness: Right. So, in some ways, DJing is an even more noble tradition than playing a musical instrument… not that there’s anything wrong with playing an instrument. DJ Times: You’re still reveling in the afterglow of the release of We Are All We Need. But is putting an album together, rather than just releasing a series of singles, even necessary nowadays? McGuinness: Yeah, it is. I used to read [music-industry commentator/curmudgeon] Bob Lefsetz’s entertaining e-mails, and one of the thing he says—which I think is mainly for effect—is that albums are dead. Obviously, the advent of iTunes, single-track downloads and streaming services mean that there’s a lot more access to single tracks, and consequently, they look like they are doing something that they’ve not done for a long while—dominating music sales. DJ Times: I think there’s something like a 10-toone ration when it comes to album downloads versus track downloads nowadays. McGuinness: That may be the case. But I would counter that albums do work for us, and I think that all the successful artists in the world today—at least, those with any amount of longevity—do sell albums. There’s something about a col-
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With Hordes of Hardcore Fans Turning Up to Massive Shows, like a Sold-Out Madison Square Garden, Above & Beyond Has Reached
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
Photos By Doug Van Sant
a New Peak
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lection of songs that says something that single songs can’t do. It allows to you to get your shit together before you open your mouth—and to say that this wide range of material, this wide range of subject matter, this wide range of tempos, of arrangements and instruments, is what we feel we represent. What an album represents is a much more complete and fulfilling thing to put into the marketplace than a single track. The nature of musical creativity is that it’s expressed in songs in the same way that literary creativity Above & Beyond: Our Go-To Music Software is expressed in words, but it gathers gravitas when you put In our interview with Above & Beyond’s Tony McGuinness, we got into some tech-talk, and them all together. And you want the thing to work in one solid he detailed some of the group’s favorite software for DJing and music-making. listen, which they say nobody does anymore. Apple Logic: “I hasten to add that it might not be our favorite, exactly, but this is the DJ Times: Are you’re convinced that they do? most important piece of software we use. It’s basically the one that we use to proMcGuinness: There are supposedly so many things that nobody duce. It’s enormously powerful, robust, sounds great and never goes wrong. We’ve does anymore—but that’s just bollocks. For me, albums are the way I’ve been using Logic since we started—that was Logic 5, if I recall correctly. We just always gotten into artists, and I still do. When you invest a little bit of time upgraded to Logic Pro X, so we’re still finding our way around it.” in it, getting to know the story and the journey and the way it moves from Ableton Live: “It’s what we use to construct our radio show and to one bit to the other, it’s like a whole meal. practice DJing. We don’t actually use it for DJing, more just for seeing DJ Times: The Above & Beyond sound has obviously evolved over the past 14 what records work together and things like that. Its genius invention is years, but there is still a lineage from the earliest productions that runs through to its variable time scale, which is very much the same as when you’re the newer material. Is that something you’re conscious of? DJing on a deck with a variable-tempo control. But, for actual McGuinness: Definitely. There’s a joy in using things that suggest other things that DJing, we still use Pioneer CDJs, and usually Pioneer mixers.” you’ve heard before. They can sound very pleasant. In some ways, those references become Pioneer DJ rekordbox: “Speaking of Pioneer, I think not so obvious as we progress, but they’re still in there, so there is definitely continuity with rekordbox has improved enormously—though it’s still a the past. And we’re even influenced by our own older material, so there’s that. little idiosyncratic, and clearly a piece of software writDJ Times: Other than that older work, what would you consider Above & Beyond’s influences ten by a hardware company. Still, rekordbox 3.0 is a to be? huge leap from where it was before. I really like the McGuinness: When we started, we were trying to mix together the best bits of Ferry Corsten, new cue-points system, where you can do things in terms of the music; Paul Van Dyk, in terms of the banging-ness of the tracks; and Matt Darey, in terms like fast-forward eight bars and put a cue of production finesse. They were the three shops that we bought most heavily from. That all went into the point in—in case you missed the first one original style of Above & Beyond trance in the early part of this century, and within that, there have always if you are clapping or drinking or smokbeen opportunities for us to put in bits and pieces from some of our favorite tracks and favorite artists. Within ing a fag. It’s like a get-out-of-jail card.” that sphere, I would put Chicane—and certainly Tiësto, who back then was doing loads of stuff that was very inter– Bruce Tantum esting. And then we would pull in stuff from outside of that world, from Depeche Mode and Prefab Spout to ambient soundtracks and film music. And lots more, too. DJ Times: A lot of artists aren’t so upfront, or so specific, about their influences, as if they want us to believe that they’re creating their music in a vacuum. McGuinness: Well, it’s very difficult to do something that sounds like nothing that people have ever heard before. Even the advent of a whole new genre, like drum-n-bass, had that recognizable thing—the drummer from James Brown music, played at twice the speed. It was fast, but it was recognizable. And that was considered a huge leap, nonetheless. So, yeah, everything is borrowed and assimilated and squeezed into our music. DJ Times: Throughout the years, a lot of Above & Beyond’s music has blended an intimate, melancholy feel with one of grandeur. I think that a lot of producers strive for that combination, but few get there as successfully as you guys do. Is that something you have to work at, or does it come naturally? McGuinness: I think that we definitely do try to make stuff to sound big, so that it will work in the environment in which we play live. But you’ve hit upon something interesting: The “intimate” bit was completely accidental. Above & Beyond started out by remixing, and then two things happened quite quickly. One was that we started writing songs together, and the songs that we wrote were songs about our lives—our girlfriends, our ex-girlfriends or whatever else it was. And those songs tended to be these sensitive, sad, melancholy things. DJ Times: So that feel came organically?
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McGuinness: Yeah, but I can remember having some heated discussions about whether that kind of song was appropriate for the quote–dancefloor–unquote... especially a song like “Alone Tonight,” which on the face of it is about isolation, specifically isolation when you’re in a relationship and you don’t communicate. We got a resounding reality check the first couple of times we played it—I think on the radio show, and then at Global Gathering in the U.K., in a tent full of 8,000 people—and when it got to the chorus, every single person in the room was singing along as loud as possible. DJ Times: Wow. McGuinness: Yeah, and it suddenly hit me that one of the reason people go out to nightclubs and gigs is because maybe they want to meet people; maybe they want to be with other people; maybe you’ve got your own issues, and when you get there, maybe you find out that there are 7,999 people who feel the same way that you do. Even if the personal headspace that you are bringing is one of sadness—which we’re all prone to, as humans—then the feeling that you’re not alone, literally, is really powerful. I had realization that lyrics that are very personal and confessional can also be very anthemic. That was a real eye-opener. DJ Times: That was your first full-scale show, right? McGuinness: That was our first big gig. And to see the physical joining of people in this big mass of lonely humanity, finding this energy and a kind of reassurance, was amazing. DJ Times: I’ll bet! McGuinness: It opened up a world of possibilities. You don’t need to just sing about dancing. You don’t need to sing about girls’ bums or who you’re fucking. DJ Times: I don’t recall hearing very many songs about girl’s bums on We Are All We Need. McGuinness: No, you don’t, though I’m not particularly denigrating those things. DJ Times: Above & Beyond is known for having a rabid fan base, and I think the emotional connection that your music makes with people goes a long way towards explaining that. McGuinness: I do, too, and I’m glad you said that. We’ve been doing a lot of interviews recently—with a lot of big press, with people who have never heard of us—and they want to attribute our success to some kind of marketing trick, some kind of community-building effort that’s got nothing to do with the music. But frankly, it’s all about the music. The reason we do as well as we do is because people connect with that music; they certainly don’t connect with us as pin-ups! DJ Times: How do you guys work together in the studio? Is it a real collaborative process, or is it more a case of simply sending files back and forth to each other? McGuinness: There’s no formula, really. But generally speaking, either Jono or Paavo will write a music track. Paavo tends to write on the piano, and Jono tends to write more in the computer. We’ll end up with this ever-increasing pile of songwriting beds—raw material for writing on. Some of them will end up being instrumentals, of course, but with the others, Zoë or Justine or I will write a song on top. Then, we’ll tend to take that song away from the original writing bed, and we’ll produce it for the dancefloor. DJ Times: So far, so good… McGuinness: There are many exceptions to that method. Sometimes Zoë or I will sit down together with Jono or Paavo, and have the song and the music happen at the same time. That was the case with “Making Plans,” for instance. As far as getting the arrangement right and getting the mix right, it’s usually fully collaborative. We’re all hovered around the computer—adding bits and taking bits away, trying different basslines and riffs, and just keep going ’til we’re all happy with it. It’s a method that’s worked pretty well. DJ Times: Considering Above & Beyond’s success, that’s a bit of an understatement. (continued on page 42)
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Miami – This past Feb. 18-21, hardcore fans of various electronic-music flavors set sail from Miami through the Caribbean on Holy Ship! Presented by HARD, Cloud 9 and Bowery Presents, the four-day excursion featured performances from some of the industry’s top talents, including Skrillex, Kaskade, Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, DJ Mustard, Bauuer, DJ Snake, and many more. It all looked 2
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H O LY S H I By Erik Voake, Oh Dag Yo & Ian Whitlen
WITH ITS STAR-STUDDED LINE-UP, EDM’S PREMIER BOAT PARTY TOOK FA
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It’s a Party: Holy Ship! Oh Dag Yo Kaskade: Cameo appearance. Erik Voake DJ Snake: Turn down for what? Ian Whitlen The Crowd: Nurse Ratchet & friends. Erik Voake Good Eggs: Destructo & Fatboy Slim. Erik Voake Red Alert: It’s Basement Jaxx. Erik Voake Double Trouble: Posso in the mix. Erik Voake Big Scene: Kaskade onboard. Erik Voake Trashists: Fans of Tommy Trash. Oh Dag Yo Bangarang: Skrillex takes a leap. Oh Dag Yo DJ Mustard: Dijon spreads his wings. Erik Voake Fatboy Slim: Right here, right now. Ian Whitlen Galantis: Drops the Big Beats. Oh Dag Yo 3 Kings: Claude VonStoke, Green Velvet & Lee Foss. Erik Voake Wrap-Up: Thank you & goodnight. Oh Dag Yo
ANS FOR QUITE A RIDE
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By Jeff Stiles Whenever celebrity DJ Carl Williams is asked to perform for a fundraiser or non-profit, he only asks one thing in return: That he receives the rights to all branding and exposure. “If the event is advertised in print or online, then they have to display my logo,” explains the New York City-based jock. “If the event will be on TV, then I request that they show my image at the event.” Williams says he receives many requests to do charity events— he recently flew into Orlando for the Camp Boggy Creek fundraiser and fashion show, the second consecutive year he was asked to be the executive music producer and MC—but sometimes he simply has to turn them down. “Doing four charity events per year is my quota,” he says. “However, if a special corporation or individual wants to sponsor me to perform then I’ll definitely exceed that quota.” We asked mobile DJs from throughout the country how they respond when a potential client or non-profit asks them to do a no-cost gig. How do they gauge whether the freebie will benefit their business? Are there particular tax benefits? Or is donating occasional jobs just their way of “paying it forward”?
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p in South Portland, Maine, Mark Mahoney of M&M Entertainment says his company does a lot of charity work, so they’ve developed a set of guidelines to help determine how it works. The first rule is to make every attempt to at least get paid a little something. “I always charge for them, and I push to be worth every penny,” Mahoney says. “If it’s a devastating personal situation, I may very well donate my payment back to them, but those are extremely rare—and I don’t let them know ahead of time that I’ll be donating back. “This is much different than doing something for free, as I don’t want to set an expectation. I’ll say something to the effect of, ‘I’ll be happy to donate my time; however, I need to charge for use of the equipment.’ This is a significantly reduced rate, but it does in fact cover my costs.” Mahoney says that a donated DJ is often a lose-lose proposition. “A donated DJ will generally play music and do nothing more—not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t know how,” he explains. “I do get paid for the charitable events I do, and my reasons for doing so are threefold: “First of all, while I may be fully committed to the cause at hand, I may not be able to be there in person for the event due to any number of unf oreseen issues, including illness and Acts of God. As a professional, I’m obligated to make sure that, despite any failing of my own, an event will still be a success. So, should someone need to fill my shoes, I’m no longer just donating time, but actual money to use all the equipment it takes to make an event a success. “Secondly, a good DJ will make a fundraiser-client more money—that’s what we do. We work with our clients to design activities to raise money. We help market an event so that it gets maximum exposure, advise on things such as cover charges, photo opportunities, selling swag to make you more money, and drawing attention to your cause by getting mascots and other sponsors to get involved.” Mahoney says that, while a successful event with a donated DJ might net a group $1,000, the same event with a seasoned charitable event professional should net an organization more than three times that amount. “Thirdly, I give the potential client a price range based on the scope of what they’re asking me to do. Depending on the size and scope and date, they’ll likely be looking at somewhere in the $150-300 range.” Of course, Mahoney says there’s always an exception. “I do have one event I donate to every year that pays me $1,000,” he says, “but that’s a three-day event on a weekend smack in the heart of wedding season. So, as I see it we’re both getting a deal.”
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
charity 22
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Although DJs Have Differing Opinions on the Benefits of Performing Freebie Gigs, All Should Start with a Set of Guidelines
APRIL 2015
erry Bazata of Jaz Music & Entertainment in Ogunquit, Maine, says it’s important to balance the feel-good aspect of giving with the actual cost of donating the services of your business. “Consider these pros and cons of donating your time and talent,” Bazata explains. “You have hard costs associated with performing at the event, which can include travel, business insurance, wear-and-tear on your equipment and laundry. This may be $100–$200 out-of-pocket expenses. “For tax purposes you can only deduct the actual mileage to and from the event, overnight accommodations and meals. You’re not permitted to deduct what you normally would charge for a general event as a fee.” Bazata says it’s important to consider the potential lost revenue because we committed to a freebie and passed on other events for which we would have been paid. “DJs sometimes commit months in advance to a gratuitous event during prime season, such as a Saturday in June, only to find they had to turn away weddings or proms,” he explains. “Donating your DJ services will not automatically generate referral revenue for you. Many of us have the false perception that people attending the event will book us for future events because our time was donated. But veteran mobile DJs will tell you that less than 1-percent of non-profit function attendees will book a DJ service because they were a good citizen and donated their time. “The greatest risk factor is that you could have been paid for the event, but were too quick to donate your time.” Bazata explains that over the past six years he’s assisted a local nonprofit organization with an event that annually raised thousands of dollars. The first year he donated his services, but as the event (and the demands on his own time) grew, he was able to negotiate a fee for his services, which compensated for his travel expenses, six to eight hours of meeting time, wear-and-tear on his equipment, etc. “But this past year, a young and energetic DJ who was new to the market offered his services ‘gratis’ to a new member on the planning committee,” he says. “After much debate, those long-standing committee members who trusted in me were outvoted and the organization went with the new DJ. “The DJ may or may not have known that the organization had paid for service in the past; however, what he left on the table was $2,000 for his services. “The lesson? Don’t be too quick to donate 100-percent of your services. A little investigation about a client’s budget just might put some dollars in your pocket for the hard costs you incur.” Bazata has lots of advice for DJs considering a donation to a non-profit event, and he says the most important thing is to plan ahead. “Be willing to negotiate a fee for your time outside of the event, and set a minimum fee for nonprofits to cover the hard costs you incur,” he says. “If you offer during a prospect meeting to donate back part of your fee, I guarantee you 90-percent of the time they’ll book with you. “Ask up-front if the organization has a budget for your services—99-percent of the time they do and are willing to pay. It may take some negotiation, but in the end both you and the client will benefit from the negotiation.” n
DJ TIMES
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own in Birmingham, Ala., Geoff Carlisle of JAMM Entertainment Services says his company is asked by numerous non-profits for donations for their events, whether it’s an item to auction off or an entertainment element for an event they’re hosting. “We pick one nonprofit that we donate services for each year,” he says. “This donation is done for just the idea of ‘paying back’ for all of the success that we’ve had for the year.” Carlisle says if there’s an opportunity for another non-profit or organization that he can donate to or for which he can provide a discount, he might create a special package. “For example, a local PTA wanted us to donate a DJ package for their auction,” he explains. “We agreed that we’d do it if we could also bring our photo-booth, which allows us to instantly upload the photos to our Facebook page. Allowing everyone to tag themselves on our Facebook page—along with the instant printouts with our logo—made that a winwin for us. “But we also made a deal that we get all of their school events for the next year if we donated to the auction, so that actually turned into a win-win-win.” Carlisle says that every non-profit/organization and their events is
different, so it’s important to evaluate the exposure, the type of crowd, the marketing opportunity and the cost of the service his company will provide. “Also, sometimes the groups will pay you to provide certain items that they need,” he says. “They may need décor lighting, a PA system, etc. They’ve rented from other vendors, but it’s up to you to ask what all is needed at their event. The person who’s in charge of the entertainment may not know the needs of the other chairpersons, so dig a little and you can discover the perfect scenario.” Carlisle is quick to agree that a simple tax write-off isn’t what some people think. “I’ve been told,” he says, “that you can only write off the actual hard cost—labor, product usage, etc.—and not your normal retail value of the element.”
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M A N O F M A N Y H AT S A S A P R O D U C T S P E C I A L I S T, T O U R M A N A G E R & N O W - T R A V E L I N G D J , MIKE HENDERSON KEEPS LIVING THE DREAM
B Y PA U L D A I L E Y
HYPERCHARGED DJING WITH “ENDO” When Mike Henderson launched the latest version of his personal website (djendo.com), he included his customized mappings for Traktor controllers. With zero promotion, DJs from all over the world were finding and buying his mappings on a daily basis. So he teamed up with a few close friends and started the MIDI Monsters site (midimonsters.com). Designed to help DJs harness the full potential of their equipment by offering professional-grade mappings for MIDI equipment and controllers, the site offers tried-and-tested maps for Native Instruments gear like Traktor Kontrol X1
MK2, Traktor Kontrol F1, Maschine Mikro MK1 and MK2 and Maschine Studio, plus Pioneer’s CDJ-2000. They essentially take stock mappings and hyper-charge them, adding fea-
From an anonymous music lover in the crowd at the 1999 Woodstock rave, to traveling around the world with the biggest names in dance music, Mike Henderson is living a life that many readers of this magazine would call a dream. He’s ser ved as tour manager for some of the biggest DJs in the world, but also as product specialist (for Native Instruments), teacher, DJ, entrepreneur. But that dream didn’t come easy. It was built through years of hard work, perseverance and a “never-take-no-for-an-answer” attitude . We recently caught up with Mike Henderson (aka DJ Endo) to find out about how it all began, the steps he took to become a full-time dance-music ambassador, and his plans for the immediate future. DJ Times: I know you are from Vermont, but where exactly and what was it that got you into DJing? Henderson: I got into DJing in 1999 after going to my first rave. Sandra Collins, Moby, Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers all played and I was blown away by the vibe, energy and electricity of the party, and also how the DJs manipulated the music and programmed their sets to create a vibe and move the dancefloor. I bought my first pair of Technics 1200s the day I got back. DJ Times: Who were your earliest influences on a local and national level? Henderson: My first love with electronic dance music was the group, Hybrid. Their melodic style of breakbeats was like heaven to my ears. It was intelligent, progressive, percussive, uplifting and even to this day their sound is timeless and forward-thinking. Their DJ mixes were all mixed harmonically, which was mindblowing to me. DJ-wise, I always looked up to DJs that pushed the envelope—like Bad Boy Bill, Z-Trip, DJ Craze, and DJ Shadow. DJ Times: What inspired you to apply to Berklee College of Music? Henderson: All I ever wanted to do in life was music. I was originally a math major and basically decided to sacrifice everything, including my future, to switch to Berklee College of Music. It was the best move I ever made. DJ Times: Being at a music school with so
many famous alums, did you ever feel DJing was a “step down” or “less impressive” than playing an instrument or being a vocalist? Henderson: I guess it depends what you are doing with your DJing. If you’re just beatmatching one song into the next outro, I’m sorry to say, but that doesn’t impress me. But what an amazing DJ would do is way beyond that.You are using other people’s tracks (sometimes two, sometimes four) and using the tools and technology to completely manipulate and remix stuff, and play it in new ways. Also with harmonic mixing, I play more like a musician, and my set is one constant harmonic progression, taking my listeners on a journey that’s deep and spiritual. I am moving around the circle of fifths all night like an animal, just as a great jazz musician would do. DJ Times: So what did you learn from the Boston scene? Henderson: I got my Jedi music industry training in Boston. I worked for Satellite Records for a couple years, was the street promoter for about seven different clubs and parties all at the same time. I was paying my way through college, doing guestlists for Avalon Boston, and was the sole soldier promoting electronic music events to Berklee. DJ Times: How did you come to be such a devotee of Traktor and Native Instruments? Henderson: My final project at Berklee College of Music was a DVD on how to use Traktor, and I also invented a new system of harmonic mixing. I literally chased Native Instruments for a year. I was determined to work with them and was too stubborn to work for anyone else. Not getting that job was not an option. DJ Times: What prompted your move to New York City?
Henderson: I met Dan Giove, owner of Dubspot, when I was working the Native Instruments booth at [the now defunct] Remix Hotel in Miami. I was doing demos on Traktor 3 and Traktor Scratch, and he asked me if I would be interested in teaching and told me he’s opening a DJ school. I moved to NYC to work at Dubspot and it was a great decision, personally and professionally. DJ Times: What is your view in general on DVS/digital DJing? How do you respond to the “anti-sync-button” brigade? Henderson: I think a DJ should use whatever means or DJ platform that helps them express themselves the best as an artist. Digital DJing has opened my world to being able to play any song that’s on my computer without the limitation of a small record crate; but I also love seeing a DJ work it out and ride the beatmix with all its bumps and imperfections. It is not the tools that matter, it’s the carpenter. DJ Times: How did you get into tour-managing? Henderson: My second training with Native Instruments was with Dubfire. He had just made the switch to Traktor and was doing some really advanced forward-thinking stuff that was pushing the envelope—and pushing his computer—to the limit. He realized that, while making this transition, he’s going to need someone close by who knows the software inside out and can troubleshoot any issues—plus, we got along great. He asked me right then if I wanted to be his tour manager, then shortly after I went to Asia with him for a month. It was actually the first time I had ever been out of the continental U.S.! DJ Times: Who were some others? Henderson: From there, I started tourmanaging for other artists like Pete Tong, Nicole Moudaber, Sasha, Sharam, Victor Calderone and many others. It’s never something I envisioned myself doing, and honestly it’s not something I want to be doing for long, but it’s helped me stay dialed-in to the scene and what’s going on. Also, I’ve made a ton of contacts and amazing friends in every city. Now I’m pushing to launch my own career and tour more for myself. DJ Times: You are starting to get a number of gigs in impressive places—BPM Fest in Mexico, Aruba, Ibiza, Hawaii. How do you usually meet the promoters who are booking you? Henderson: One of my dreams in life is to visit as many amazing tropical paradises as possible, so I could live my life touring to different islands. I’m constantly chasing this dream, and seeking out promoters in amazing exotic places. This scene is very small in reality and like a big happy international family. n
tures to streamline workflow. Its “magic” macros, which allow one button-press or knob-twist to execute multiple actions, help DJs become more creative and spend less time with the mechanics of DJing, leaving more time for creative expression. As a Traktor user myself, I use several MIDI Monster mappings and love them. They are easy to install, easy to use and not only enhance features found in the factory mappings, but hypercharge them, flawlessly. Field-tested at the big-
gest clubs and festival in the world, they offer you a one-on-one session with a Traktor product specialist for the price of a cup of coffee. Highly recommended. – P. D.
MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…
MOOG’S SUB 37: A GEM OF A SYNTH By Jon Jay
Since the famous Minimoog Model D made its debut over 40 years ago, Moog Music has been a leading pioneer in the realm of analog synthesizers. From growling basslines to fat legato sustained notes, the warm low-end and analog sound of Moog synthesizers remain a staple in electronic-music production. Combining an intuitive analog circuitry with Moog’s coveted ladder-filter technology, each Moog synthesizer is carefully constructed with the upmost attention to detail. With that being said, anytime Moog releases a new synthesizer, all eyes shift back to Asheville, N.C., where the world awaits to see what new innovation Moog laboratories has made. The Sub 37, Moog’s first 2-note paraphonic analog synthesizer in over 30 years, is a notable release from Moog Music. This 37-key analog synthesizer comes with two oscillators, one sub oscillator, and one noise generator based on the Moog Sub Phatty. Compared to its older counterpart, the Sub 37 boasts two fully assignable modulation busses, two DAHDSR looping envelopes and a powerful new arpeggiator with paraphonic 64-note step recorder.
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
Sub 37: Analog delights based on the Sub Phatty engine.
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First Impressions: The Limited Edition Sub 37 is housed in a rugged black steel chassis with aluminum extrusion, and finished with classic wood sidepieces. In every aspect, the Sub 37 is an eye-turner. The synth connects via USB or MIDI and has an audio in/out, as well as inputs for pitch, volume, filter CV and Gate. Weighing about 22 pounds with 37 semi-weighted keys, the Sub 37 not only demands visual attention, but also begs to be played with. Setup & Use: Setting up the Sub 37 through a DAW was relatively straightforward. With a simple USB connection and a single line into an audio interface, the synth was ready to go. The synth comes initially equipped with 16 banks of 16 presets, half of which are populated, for a total of 256 presets. Having the same platform engine as its Sub Phatty predecessor, the Sub 37 also has a dedicated sub-oscillator, as well as a multidrive
circuit in the filter that gives the synth engine the all powerful gritty and destructive sound that users have come to love. A Quibble: One slight negative compared to its predecessor is that Moog does not offer a DAW plug-in editor for the Sub 37 synth. (Editor’s Note: Moog Music tells us that its product developers are currently working on a free version.) Performance: To best sum up the new synth in one word would be… unrivaled. The Sub 37 has a very unique soundsculpting capability that allows users to achieve full-on, brutal, destructive, vicious and downright body-moving sounds. With unique features like its looping filter and amp envelopes with DAHDSR, the Sub 37 sound engine allows for enhanced creativity and control when it comes to achieving a desired tone. In addition, the Sub 37 has multiple modulation LFOs and a new arpeggia-
tor step sequencer that allows for even greater creativity and manipulation. Lastly and most importantly is the Sub 37’s ability to play paraphonically, or the ability to play two notes at the same time. This feature is engaged by pressing a button called “duo mode,” allowing users to achieve very complex and unique sounds. Conclusion: Building upon its already successful Sub Phatty synth engine, Moog Music delivers another home run with the Sub 37. Moog has produced a gem with this synth, adding several new features that give users a new depth of control. Although on the higher end of the pay grade at $1,579 MSRP, the Sub 37’s sleek look coupled with its unique sound design makes it worth every penny. Again, it’s important to mention that the Sub 37 Tribute Edition is only available for a limited time and therefore enthusiasts should not miss this opportunity!
SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS & AKAI: CONTROLLER CRAZY By Paul Dailey & Reed Dailey
Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S8 MK2 Since the early days of partnering with Stanton on Final Scratch, Germany’s Native Instruments navigated the world of digital DJing using the road less traveled—and, for DJs, this has made all the difference. Unlike Serato, which concentrated on a model that mirrored vinyl DJing, Traktor was conceived as a pathway to the future: Four-track deconstruction, loops, samples, and studio-quality effects all built around removing the constraints of manual beat-matching. N.I. set out to take the art form to an entirely new place where the performer is less DJ and more live remixer. In light of this, it is hard to see how anyone that has been following the progression of controller-based DJing could not see this day coming. Native Instruments has gone all-in on the sync/beat-grid-based paradigm—not only delivering an incredibly well-made, futuristic piece of kit, but revealing a big part of its long-term strategy and direction for Traktor in general. I am what I would consider a Traktor power user. I am a big fan of the functionality of N.I.’s full-size controllers, and in settings where space is not an issue, my Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2 is by my side. I also love the flexibility and portability of N.I.’s modular controllers (X1, F1, Z1), which are often the only choice in crowded, poorly planned DJ booths, where you barely have room for a laptop and two X1s. The “type” of DJ you consider yourself also comes into the equation. Mobile DJs are more apt to use a larger, all-in-one controller, while club DJs, particularly global jocks like Dubfire and Danny Tenaglia, have most often gone the modular route. Can you be considered a world-class DJ while using an all-in-one controller? Seems like a ridiculous question, as CDJs with USBs or HID mode are nothing but controllers in guise, but curious perceptions remain in the industry. So, this is the second paradigm that Native Instruments is seeking to conquer with the launch of the Traktor Kontrol S8, its fully integrated 4-deck Traktor controller, which inBig Solution: Traktor Kontrol S8 MK2. cludes Traktor Scratch Pro 2 software. And N.I. has elicited the legendary Carl Cox to help destroy this myth once and for all, as he’s added the S8 as the centerpiece to his nightly stage setup. Built around a simple, well-made, stand-alone, 4-channel mixer, it comes complete with the ability to connect external CDJs and turntables directly to the unit for use with or without Traktor. The S8 features a powerful headphone amp, plus faders and knobs that are smooth and logically arranged to mirror many popular DJ mixers. Add a myriad of pads and push-button encoder controls, an accurate touch strip and greatly improved mic preamp section… and you have a first-class cockpit. It certainly must be noted that in order to give proper space for all of these advanced features, the S8 has ballooned to extra-large proportions. It is more than 8.5-inches wider than the S4, which is already pretty big for many DJ booths. But the functionality and ergonomic improvements that the S8 provides are a reasonable trade-off. It ultimately comes down to the type of shows you are doing and the physical limitations of the DJ booth/performance area. Features Abound: The first thing you notice when looking at the S8 is the dual hi-res screens, which look great. Not high-definition great, but considering what you will be using them for, they certainly do the job and offer a decent level of customization, with additional improvements likely coming via future software upgrades. Using the controls, it is very easy to zoom in and out, scan your library, reset BPM and pitch, and view two decks at once using the split-screen feature. One of the stated goals of the displays is to “keep you focused on performance—not on your laptop.” On this point, I score a resounding… “I’m not sure.” Maybe it is a limitation based on the way I choose to use Traktor, but as much as I enjoyed the LCD displays, I did not find it possible to use them in place of the screen on my laptop. This may change over time, as N.I. adds
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
This month’s column finds Boston’s Paul Dailey taking on Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol S8 MK2 controller and Atlanta’s Reed Dailey tackling Akai’s pair of controllers (AMX and AFX). No, the two aren’t related, but they are both Chelsea supporters. So for one pro-audio column, at least, “we’ll keep the blue flag flying high.”
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Akai AMX: Powerful control of Serato DJ.
Akai AFX: Versatile 4-deck FX controller.
more nuance to the displays, but even an incremental amount more focus on your crowd-vs.-your technology is a positive in my book. Remix decks are next up and this is something Traktor has spent a lot of the last year or so focused on. For those who have played around with the F1 modular controller, the interface here will be familiar. You do lose a few options (eight keys on the S8 vs. 16 on the F1), but you are in essence gaining two F1s – all perfectly integrated into your hardware. I dabble in remix-deck use and the ability to record a loop from one of the live tracks and easily drop it into a remix deck certainly makes this feature even more useful. I have to think, however, that if you don’t often use remix decks, the S8 may seem like a less-than-ideal option. Some other features and choices of note include the inclusion of four new modes for use with the performance pads: Hot Cue, Loop, and Freeze. Hot Cue allows you to trigger up to eight pre-set loop/hot cue points (just like the X1/S2/S4), while Loop gives you two configurable rows, one for quick setting loop lengths – the second for quickly jumping around the track a set number of beats. This is particularly useful for quickly getting to the meat of a track, without messing up the structure of your mix. Freeze enables the ability to hone in on different elements of a loop, triggering and retriggering them as you see fit. Combining this with flux mode gives you a very cool way to totally trick out a track in real time. Conclusion: As a DJ that performs at many events where manual beat-matching and unsteady rhythms (caused by human drummers) are still a part of what I deal with, I must admit that I will be keeping my S4 MK2 at the ready. But the underground-techno
side of me has me falling for the S8. It not only brings together a high-quality mixer, chunky, backlit LED pads, and exceptional sound quality, but it adds features that take DJing in a totally new direction. Fans of next-level gear and those who want a glimpse at the future of digital DJing need look no further than the S8 ($1,199 MSRP). It’s an exceptional new flagship addition to the Native Instruments line up. A Note on S8 Accessories: With the S8 being fairly new, not to mention relatively large, only limited accessories are currently available. The best of the bunch so far includes several bags from Magma (CTRL Case S8 and Riot Backpack XXL), one from Fusion (DJ Controller Backpack), as well as a great slide-top road case (Magma Multi Format Workstation XXL) and a new Decksaver that will do a perfect job keeping out the dust and dirt in your home studio. All of these offerings are available from Mixware. Akai AMX & AFX CDJs, mixers, turntables, controllers… they all let you play what you want. It’s just a matter of picking your poison, so to speak. Sure, who doesn’t love the look of a massive mixer and some big CDJs or a turntable? But in reality, if you know what you are doing, a controller can emulate a lot of the same things a traditional DJ setup can do, while offering flexibility, reliability, and, of course, a lighter load in your gig bag. So with that in mind, I tested Akai Professional’s AMX and AFX DJ controllers for Serato DJ. It’s a two-unit “system” that allows you mix, record, and tweak four tracks at a time, while it also layers FX, loops, and samples over the top. Pretty amazing when you (continued on page 40)
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MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES
By Stu Kearns Burlington, Vt.—Evan LeCompte got into DJing in the late ’90s, at a time when turntablism and deck wizardry was adding fireworks to the art. He followed all the DJ battles, watched the videos, and tried to replicate those skills on his own, in the sanctity of—where else?—the bedroom. “I was looking up to all of the top DJs that were battling in the DMCs and touring, but my mentors were the DJs that were around me on a local level,” he recalls. “I learned a lot from friends and older DJs that had been doing it longer than me. Their skills and experience were huge in my learning process.” In college at Burlington, LeCompte was the typical bedroom/college radio/house party DJ, not thinking about money, just doing it for the love of the fader and the scratch. That changed when
VERMONT VINYLIST SCRATCHES AHEAD
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
Old-School: Evan LeCompte & his DJs all work Tech12s.
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an upperclassman DJ at the station (WRUV-FM Burlington) asked him to do a gig with her. They would split $150 for a Saturday night at a club. That, of course, for a college student, is the equivalent of pulling off a Brinks Job. “I was pumped!” he says. “But it wasn’t until I had some real consistent club residencies and events that I saw real money could be made.” These money-making DJ schemes informed his post-collegiate pursuits, when he had been DJing weddings, mostly generated through word-of-mouth. At one wedding, the groom was starting his own SEO web business. “He encouraged me to start an official website so that I could reach more clients,” says LeCompte. “We launched the site in the fall 2010 and by the spring of 2011, I had enough weddings to leave my full-time job and fully focus on the business.” “Fully focused” meant he had more time to pay attention to the challenges of running a business, which he named SEO-friendly “Wedding DJ VT.” Says LeCompte: “Projecting the growth of the business was a challenge when it was just me in the beginning. One person can only do so much. I felt like eventually I might have a team of DJs, but didn’t know how to get there. Because I was focused on my own success with DJing weddings, I didn’t plan very well for growth. It just sort of happened and I am thankful that it did.” The other challenge was spreading the word of his wedding-DJ company’s unique selling point. “It was a little different from the others in the area,” he says. “We were doing well on Google searches and Facebook, but the problem was getting venues and other vendors on board. Simply, the more weddings we do put us more on the map with venues and vendors. As we all know in this business, word-of-mouth is invaluable, and it’s happened more over time and I am really thankful for the great venues and vendors that continue to recommend us.” By 2012, he was booking more gigs than he could handle, so he recruited a friend and fellow DJ.
“I started to be more aggressive about recruiting the good DJs in the area,” he says. “I even have a friend who lives in NYC that comes up to DJ weddings with us. It just snowballed from there and I started adding any DJ in the area that I knew was good, actively DJing and personable.” Oh, and that unique selling point? LeCompte and his crew—there are now more than a handful—are all turntable DJs, using old-school vinyl and Serato DJ software. You can take the DJ out of the bedroom…. “It is a definite requirement of mine to DJ with us,” he says. “It was a niche in the market that was not being met. I saw an opportunity there. Most of our clients and their guests really appreciate the turntables. It is the classic DJ look, very aesthetically pleasing. Every wedding I do, someone young or old will make an approving comment.” The basic set-up includes: two Technics SL-1200 turntables, Serato DJ software, a Rane Sixty-Two mixer, two QSC K10 active 10-inch speakers, and a KSub active subwoofer. “I use Serato for dinner and dancing, but I use vinyl for cocktail hour,” says LeCompte, who also books club-oriented events under the DJ Cre8 handle. “It’s mostly jazz, Rare Groove, Afro-beat or Latin kind of stuff. I go record-shopping in New York, Montreal, online with Discogs.com, and wherever I am traveling. I also work at a record store called Burlington Records where I get records.” Since going full-time in the spring of 2011—he says it was a bit scary, and took nearly a year of planning to get there, but that it’s “been one of the best decisions of my life”—the business has grown modestly. “It has been pretty simple. More DJs on the team has meant more weddings for us. And again, the more that venues and vendors learn about our unique style we are able to spread the word and become more prevalent in the forefront of the wedding industry.” Seventy weddings in 2014 expects to grow to 80 this year, slow but steady growth, with enough room in the market that LeCompte plans to keep promoting the unique aspect of his service. “Just continuing to do more weddings and events in the New England area is the plan,” he says. “I would like to add more DJs to help make this happen. I think that couples getting married are going to continue to look for ways to make their wedding unique. More and more couples are being thoughtful about the music and want a really good DJ that they can connect with.”
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BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…
HOW TO MAKE
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
By Stu Kearns
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All businesses feel the occasional sting of getting stiffed on payment from a client. But if your business is constantly feeling cash pressure, or you’re always under-capitalized, you might have a collection problem. The good news is that your collection problem is rooted in the fact that you have a sales problem, and that can be remedied. Many DJ businesses, like many service businesses—especially those just starting out—have a collection procedure that’s based on either emergency or urgency. You need to get in front of that, because we all know how important cash flow is to a young company. And when you’re not on top of accounts receivable, unfulfilled remittances have a way of piling up, which fuels anxiety and can rob you of being your best the day of the gig. We all know the obvious—get all payment terms in a written contract, specifying deposit amount and consequences for non-payment. Still, there are times when you’ll get stiffed. Tom Woodcock, owner of Seal the Deal sales consultancy in St. Louis, knows this all too well. A former salesman in the construction-equipment industry, he’s been advising small businesses for more than decade about best practices in marketing and closing deals, and he’s seen the non-payment pain first-hand. He outlines the following steps that you can take at the beginning of every client relationship that can mitigate any collection problems later on. Develop a relationship with the customer to establish the parameters: “You need to work the sales process through the whole transaction,” says Woodcock. “When you meet your customers faceto-face early on, ask them: ‘Payment can be an issue in the service industry, it happens all the time. What’s the procedure you want me to follow to make sure you’re getting the information you need so we don’t have a payment situation on the back side?’” When a customer responds to this at the beginning of your interaction, says Woodcock, before you have a transaction, “the customer is taking responsibility for that action.” Woodcock says even though your payment procedure is clearly stated in your contract, the articulation of this is a crucial element to the relationship. It’s an airing out before anything “gets weird.” Don’t be slow on the draw: Some DJs
“You’ve got 30-day terms? Reach out on Day 31. Ten-day terms? Reach out on Day 11. Do not vary from that.” – Tom Woodcock, Seal the Deal
NON-PAYMENT and service providers can be slow on their billing, and can be equally slow to respond to non-payment. This is a frequent problem among DJ business startups that don’t have administrative help. Specify in your contract what the terms of payment are. “You’ve got 30day terms? Reach out on Day 31,” says Woodcock. “Ten-day terms? Reach out on Day 11. Do not vary from that.” Maintain the same persona: Be the same person you always have been, advises Woodcock. “It’s important that your demeanor is consistent, the same as when you are trying to collect as when you were trying to get the business in the first place,” he says. This way you don’t appear desperate or angry, which can exacerbate a nonpayment issue. Always contact the client by phone, not email. “Just like any contact in sales, face-to-face, voice to voice, is best,” says Woodcock, who notes that e-mails are easy to ignore. “Look, we know that we all hate to get calls, and we all hate to be called and hassled when any payment is due. So if we hate to be called and we hate to make the calls, if you have procedures in place that your customer can get used to, they won’t be getting those calls, but they’re consistently being contacted in a way that’s easy for them to digest.” Some DJs recommend a regis tered letter as a replacement tactic
A NON-ISSUE
for email. Woodcock doesn’t agree. “Pick up the phone—a letter is just as easy to ignore as an email.” Come from a position of trust, not mistrust: “Mistrust can easily be read in your voice,” says Woodcock. “If non-payment becomes an issue, trust that it’s initially a paperwork error, or an employee that’s dropped the ball. Whatever the client’s first excuse is, trust it. Say you know how that situation can be. Then tell the client there’s something here that needs to be solved, and the sooner the better.” Dismiss the old saying: “Nice guys finish last” is not necessarily true in the sales dynamic. “By crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s, the day the payment’s not in, put a procedure in place—a pleasant, easygoing friendly outreach to start the collection process. It’s the consistency of the contact and the way you contact them. A little bit of sugar gets a lot of results.”
DJ EXPO 15: DEFINING THE DJ MARKET FOR 25 YEARS.
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IN 1990, DJ TIMES FIRST PRESENTED DJ EXPO AND 25 YEARS LATER, IT REMAINS THE INDUSTRY'S LONGEST-RUNNING AND BEST-ATTENDED TRADE SHOW.
# D J E X PO201 5 EACH AUGUST, DJ EXPO PRESENTS MORE THAN TWO DOZEN EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, AN EXHIBIT HALL JAMMED WITH THE LATEST DJ-RELATED GEAR, AND THREE EVENINGS OF SPONSORED EVENTS. THIS YEAR’S SHOW WILL BRING ALL OF THIS AND MORE! FOR MORE INFO OR TO REGISTER ONLINE thedjexpo.com | 1.800.YES.7678 For advertising and sponsorship information, contact Tom McCarty at 516-767-2500 Ext.507 or email tmccarty@testa.com
GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Connect the Dotz ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com The Illusion Dotz 4.4 from ADJ is a wash fixture that utilizes a powerful COB LED 4x4 matrix mounted on a moving head yoke to create both wash effects and beam effects, alongside its use as a pixel-mappable effects matrix. The unit offers a 15-degree beam angle, 270-degree tilt and 360/540-degree pan. The Illusion Dotz 4.4 operates in DMX, Stand Alone and Sound Active operational modes, and it is also RDMX compatible, allowing users to set DMX values remotely.
The DJ’s Prescription Pioneer DJ 1925 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerdjusa.com Pioneer DJ has released the XDJ-RX, an all-in-one DJ console that incorporates two separate digital players, a mixer and a built-in monitor. Designed for users of Pioneer’s rekordbox music-management software, which enables DJs to quickly play prepared music stored on a USB device, XDJ-RX features a 7-inch LCD screen that provides simultaneous displays of music waveforms from each player. The unit’s players also features performance functions like Hot Cue, Beat Effects, Sound Color FX and a new Loop Slice feature.
A Harman for All Seasons JBL Pro/Harman International 400 Atlantic Street Stamford, CT 06901 (203) 328-3500 www.harman.com JBL’s new line of 7 Series Master Reference Monitors introduced its first two models— the 708i eight-inch two-way, and 705i five-inch two-way installed monitors. Both are designed with new high-excursion woofers that allow the speakers to deliver robust low-frequency output into the 30Hz range. Housed in front-ported birch plywood install-ready enclosures, these two models are equipped with Harman’s BSS Soundweb London signal processor, which accepts 16 or more analog and AES/EBU inputs and provides speaker tuning, room EQ, and bass management.
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
Fair Shake
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Shake 132 Mulberry St., Suite 503 New York, NY 10013 www.shakelaw.com Shake, a legal tech company that lets users create, sign and send legal agreements straight from their phones, officially launched a free contract template designed specifically for DJs. The DJ contract covers key terms including the time and location of the event; payment, including deposit amount; what equipment the DJ will provide; hirer obligations; delay and interruptions; cancellation of performance; and liability and indemnification. The DJ contract template is available for iOS and Android.
AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Vantec Halen
Alpha O-MegaSeg
D.A.S. Audio of America 6900 NW 52nd Street Miami, FL. 33166 (305) 436-0521 www.dasaudio.com
Fidelity Media PO Box 6478 Champaign, IL 61826 (877) 634-2734 www.megaseg.com
D.A.S. released the new Vantec series of portable systems, which includes incorporates 12- and 15-inch powered two-way systems, a double 15-inch powered three-way system, and a single 18-inch powered subwoofer system. All of the models come equipped with the company’s F Series loudspeakers, as well as an M-28 compression driver that features a Finite Element Modeling (FEM) optimized motor. Both the 12-inch and the 15-inch two-way systems have dual-angle, pole-mount sockets, as well as angled side panels, so that they can double as stage monitors.
Fidelity Media released MegaSeg 5.9.4, offering more than 60 improvements to its popular professional DJ and radio automation software. This latest update, which is free for all MegaSeg Pro 5 users, is fully optimized for OS X 10.10 Yosemite. It features a new sound engine that includes higher-quality pitch-locking, seamless looping, and hot swappable output devices. Additional features include Denon MC2000 and MC3000 controller presets and additional support for logging via TCP/IP and Telnet protocols.
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APRIL 2015
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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Looking for Mr. GigBAR Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com The GigBAR IRC from Chauvet creates four different effects on one bar. The unit comes equipped with two RGB par fixtures that are powered by six 2.5-watt Tri-Color LEDs; two LED derbies, which shoot out a total of 42 red, green and blue rotating beams; an adjustable laser effect, containing both red (650nm/100mW) and green (532nm/30mW) diodes; and four LED strobes. The GigBAR IRC also ships with carrying bags, a tripod and a wireless footswitch.
Reloop in the Mix Reloop/American Music & Sound 925 Broadbeck Dr. #220 Newbury Park, CA 91320 (800) 431-2609 www.americanmusicandsound.com Germany’s Reloop, distributed in the U.S. by American Music & Sound, has released the RMX-60 digital 4+1 club mixer with effects. Featuring 11 input and six output options, the unit is customizable, allowing users to switch between Classic and Isolator mode. Also, it boasts eight studio-quality effects (Delay, Echo, Reverb, Gate, Pitch Shift, Phase, Bit Crusher and Noise) that are adjustable to suit the DJ’s sound. Underneath the full three-band EQ on each channel, there is also a dedicated bi-polar filter pot that allows for creative mixing with high- and low-band filter curves.
iRig Pad Thai
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
IK Multimedia 1153 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy. Sunrise, FL 33323 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com
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IK Multimedia’s iRig Pads is a full-featured ultra-portable 16-pad MIDI groove controller for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Mac and PC. The unit features a full set of controls — two knobs, two pushbuttons, one slider and one pushbutton rotary encoder— that are MIDI assignable and customizable. It comes with six preprogrammed default scenes and ships with both a lightening cable and a USB cable for plugging directly into your device without a power adaptor.
AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
GEAR
Laptop of the Pops Mixware LLC 11070 Fleetwood St, Unit F Sun Valley, CA 91352 (786) 362-5757 www.udggear.com The UDG Laptop Stand sports a solid secure construction and a low-weight design that makes it easy for amateur and pro DJs, producers and musicians to balance both a laptop and a controller on one stand. This portable stand comes in black and is made out of aircraft-grade, anodized aluminum. It also comes with a protective neoprene sleeve. The stands and trays can be adjusted for height, as well as rotated for a variety of angles.
Arista-Crat IsoAcoustics 4981 HWY 7 East, Unit 12A, Suite 160 Markham ON, Canada L3R 1N1 (905) 294-4672 www.isoacoustics.com IsoAcoustics’ Arista is an aluminum acoustic isolation stand for medium-sized professional studio monitors weighing up to 35 pounds. The Arista stand, which features a platform measuring six inches wide and 7.5 inches deep, incorporates the company’s patented “floating design” for better isolation and imaging, according to the company. It also features an integrated tilt adjustment. The stand is available in black and aluminum models.
8 Ball Yamaha Corporation of America 6600 Orangethorpe Ave Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9011 www.steinberg.net Steinberg Media Technologies announced the availability of Cubase Pro 8. The program features VST Connect SE 3, which provides remote recording capability of audio and MIDI data over the Internet, as well as VCA faders that “emulate the control of channel gain with DC voltage,” according to the company. Additional features include a new plug-in manager, global workspaces, chord pads, chord assistant modes, MIDI tempo detection, render-in-place capability, and an enhanced EQ module on each channel strip.
Off the Beaten TRAKTOR Native Instruments North America 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com The TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 from Native Instruments is an all-in-one DJ system that features a four-channel standalone mixer that offers connectivity for up to four turntables or CDJs. The unit features a Freeze Mode that takes a snapshot of a running track and allows for live improvisation and detailed slicing, as well as a Remix Deck that can be controlled with timecode media for extended hybrid analog-digital control. XLR, ¼-inch and RCA signal outputs are also included.
TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS “LIVING FOR LOVE” (REMIXES)
u Madonna u Interscope
“I picked up my crown/Put it back on my head,” Madonna proclaims in the lead single from Rebel Heart, and she truly reclaims her dance-royalty status with its remix set. Djemba Djemba gives the track a more set-ready electro aesthetic with his slight rework, while Offer Nissim’s orchestral take on big-room house lives up to its “Living For Drama Mix” title. Erick Morillo delivers the highlight of the package, though, crafting a thick house bassline that rumbles from a druggy haze.
– Chris Caruso
H&LA touring vocalist Richard Kennedy for a gospelmeets-house slammer packed with bouncing basslines and vogue-ready synths, while the instrumental “Personality Track” is a xylophone-fueled techno odyssey.
– Chris Caruso “ACCESS”
u DJ Misjah & DJ Tim u Toolroom Records Another seminal ’90s tech-house track gets a nice re-work, plus a strong remix by Matt Smallwood and Polarized. Check those unmistakable synths and great vocal licks, plus its heavy acid bassline and overall techno groove.
“MY HEAD IS A JUNGLE” (THE U.K. REMIXES)
– Tommy D Funk
u Wankelmut & Emma Louise u Poisie Music The re-rubs for one of 2014’s top dancefloor groovers offer plenty of house delights. Without minimizing Emma Louise’s smoky croon, the “Billon Remix” gets warm and wonderful with tweaky sound effects. Meanwhile, the “Friend Within Remixes” (and especially the outstanding dub) strip things down, ramp them back up, then vault into the ethereal zone. Sweet stuff.
– Jim Tremayne
WIGGLE FOR 20 YEARS
u Terry Francis, Nathan Coles & Eddie Richards u Fabric The Wiggle trio—U.K. tech-house pioneers Terry Francis, Nathan Coles and Eddie Richards—bring a mix of exclusives featuring heavyweights like Just Be, D’Julz, Jay Tripwire and more. Highlights include D’Julz’s sexy groover “Give Me Your Hand,” Just Be’s techy “My New Girlfriend,” and Berkson & What’s deeper “Psychedelic Underground (RM Mix).”
– Chris Davis “BLEEDING”
u Adana Twins feat. Human Life u Exploited Slow-burning deep-house fare here, but heavy with a nostalgic melody that builds before climaxing with a crescendo of colorful synths. Solid collab.
– Chris Caruso DIRTYBIRD 10
u Various Artists u Dirtybird
“JEALOUSY”
u Roisin Murphy u Crosstown Rebels Murphy continues to amaze with her dazzling, captivating and emotive vocals. DJ Parrot provides the production with his “Disco Mix” that drops an organic, funky bassline and warm, silky pads. Meanwhile, the “House Mix” hits hard with its bellowing bassline and thumping kick.
– Shawn Christopher
The SF label celebrates its 10th birthday with a superb comp featuring new cuts from some of its heavy-hitters. Doorly’s tech-house meets Paris Is Burning camp on “I Worked Hard For This” is an undeniable earworm, but nearly every track on the release is simply top-notch. It’s no surprise that label chief Claude VonStroke manages to succinctly encapsulate the Dirtybird experience, as his contribution “Big Ten” packs crushing bass, hip-hop vocal samples, and a booty-shaking groove into one club-ready package.
– Chris Caruso “YOU CAN SHINE” EP
u Andy Butler u mr.intl The Hercules & Love Affair mastermind drops a delightful two-tracker. The title cut sees Butler teaming with
38 38
Wankelmut
Claude VonStroke
Wiggle
Adana Twins
Ellen Allien
Steve Bug
Dave Angel
underground goodness with artists like Romanthony, Mateo & Matos and The Idjut Boys. Choice cut: the Larry Heard Underground Vibe Mix of Neon Heights’ “Are We Thru?”
– Tommy D Funk
Madonna
“THERE’S NO SHAME”
u Onur Ozman u Ready Mix Records
– Tommy D Funk “TEARS INSIDE”
u Noa u Sonido Local This big, upfront house track delivers an earthy punch and a way-cool vocal. The original gets rugged with a classic heavy bass vibe, while JayJ’s “Shifted Up Mix” delivers a dark, pounding tribal groove. A killer!
– Phil Turnipseed “REVELATION”
u Dave Angel u Crosstown Records Angel does it again with this excellent twotrack EP. On both “Revelation” and “Guru,” he provides terrific underground, deep, tech-house sounds. It’s all here—dreamy vocals, warm synths and driving beats. A sure-shot for all dancefloors.
– Tommy D Funk “ALLIEN” (REMIXES)
u Ellen Allien u BPitch Control With its bass, 303 stabs, Roland piano sounds, this one sends out all the signals for a great underground acid-house track. This three-track EP, which includes “Butterfly (Aux 88 Remix)” plus the Radio Slave and Ejeca remixes for “Freak The Night,” stands as an electro-disco-Detroit monster.
– Tommy D Funk “COOKIE JAR”
u Traffic Signs & Jake The Rapper u TS7 On this collaboration, Steve Bug does it again with stripped-down Chicago-house-style
“VOODOO GROOVES” EP
u Andrea Fiorito u Cynosure
Fiorito breaks his year-long studio silence with this hot and deep three-tracker. Don’t sleep on the snare-heavy funk-groover “Give Yourself to Me.”
– Tommy D Funk “IS IT LOVE” u G-Spice, Zorz Post & Emme u Ready Mix Three really great mixes highlight this new one from the ever-reliable Ready Mix. We love the silky deep-house vibe of the original mix—also the smooth minimal vibe of the “Moe Turk Remix” is working. The “Deep Active Sound Remix” delivers as well, with a bouncy house groove that’s hot as well. A definite pick! – Phil Turnipseed GLASGOW UNDERGROUND 97:07
u Various Artists u Toolroom Records Here’s an hour of quality material that looks back over Kevin McKay’s superb Scottish label. You get genuine deep house, disco and more
Ozman offers up some quality house on this multi-mix thriller. With several mixes worth your attention, we definitely like the original with its soulful house groove and sexy vocal—it just flows so nicely. Also, David Kassi’s remix and dub both drop funky, bass-dominated, underground vibes. Love It!
– Phil Turnipseed “BODY ROCK”
u Paralyze Idea u Check In Recordings Combine a nice, pumping 4/4 beat, tight hi-hats, and some very ’90s key/synth sounds with a great hip-house vocal running smoothly over the top, and you’ve got the recipe for a winning house track.
– Tommy D Funk “MIRAGE” EP
u Mark Twerk u EJ Underground Twerk takes us on a ride into his vibe with three new, adventurous house tracks. Although “Mirage,” “Space Walking” and “She’s a Heartbreaker” all deliver dreamy dramatic intros, they also break into three unique, deep, tech-house pieces that are equally hot. We especially like the dark moody “Heartbreaker” and its haunting vocals by Circe.
– Phil Turnipseed “THE SUNSET MAGICIAN”
u Morttagua u Uplifting Music Brazilian DJ/producer Morttagua drops a brilliant new single, a subtle, progressive piece that delivers a deep, catchy hook. The vocals flow effortlessly over a gorgeous groove and the arrangement is top-notch.
APRIL 2015
grooves. Jack your body and don’t sleep on the “Steve Bug’s Sticky Fingers Mix.”
– Phil Turnipseed
39
MARKETPLACE
Sounding Off
(continued from page 29)
consider that, combined, they are around the size of a 13-inch MacBook Pro. (MSRPs: $349 for the AMX and $299 for the AFX.) Quick Overview of Controllers: For those less familiar with what a controller can do, here’s a primer. Rather than having a traditional DJ setup of turntable and/or CD players and a mixer, you now have a laptop running DJ software, in this case Serato DJ, and the controllers are used to manipulate the music within the software. Essentially, you have replaced milk crates or CD cases with a laptop. Software: When I first read about these controllers, I was curious which version of Serato software Akai would choose to bundle with the units. I was pleased to learn that the full version of Serato DJ was included. While the light version offers a lot of the same functionality, I am always just a little more happy to have every feature at my disposal. The added bonus of Serato DJ is that it enables you to upgrade to Serato’s DVS expansion pack, allowing you to then use turntables or CDJs, too. “System” Overview: While many people will always love the look of gear on the table or in the booth, it’s become a fact of life that a light bag filled with cords, laptop and controllers is the way to go for many DJs. The AMX and AFX units offer all of the above advantages and more. The units individually offer much of the same functionality as a traditional setup. The AMX plays the role of a mixer and gives some player functionality, while the AFX provides other portions of the player’s functionality and provides FX manipulation. With that said, let’s jump right into each of the components of the system, understand what each unit offers and see how they can be used to create the perfect setup for you. AMX Functionality: As we mentioned above, Akai has created the units to be a system; however, the AMX can be used without the AFX. From a functionality standpoint, the AMX can be broken down into four different layers of functionality— mixer, soundcard, music-library browser, and players. If we examine the AMX mixer controls, it is a © 2014. All Rights Reserved. NYS Dept. of Consumer Affairs #1387598 two-channel mixer with removable “innoFADER” crossfader with Xfader curve control. It made a lot of sense for Akai to include a high-performing fader DJ_Times_February_2014.indd 1 12/5/13 10:23 AM and controller knob, due to the fact that this slim controller can act as a mixer to be used with two turntables and replace both a traditional mixer and IDJNOW • Holiday Ad • 4c, 4.125” W X 4.375” H • Ad Runs in DJ TIMES for NAMM 1/15/2014 • Serato box. The AMX is able to act as a mixer due 631-585-1100 x 7460 to the built-in soundcard, a pair of RCA inputs for two CD players or turntables, along with an RCA output. In addition to the high-quality crossfader, there are rugged, rubber high, mid and low knobs, large filter knobs and infinite gain knobs for each channel. Next up is the music-library browser, which is driven by a large infinitive knob button combo. Having a single object serve a duel piece of functionality allows the ability to not only scroll through track list, but it also offers the ability to jump in and out of track lists by pushing down on the knob. This functionality had not previously been included in some controllers, which would result in having to use the laptop mouse to jump from playlist to playlist. Now with this knob button combination, it allows an individual to truly would never have to touch their laptop during a gig. Similar to the logic of placing a high-quality re(continued on page 42)
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APRIL 2015
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MP3s in 6
Compiled As March 9, 2015
NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART
NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART
1 Mark Ronson Bruno Mars Uptown Funk 2 Mary J Blige Right Now 3 Beyonce 7/11 4 Madonna Living For Love 5 Pitbull F/ Ne-Yo Time Of Our Lives 6 Gorgon City F/ Jennifer Hudson Go All Night 7 Wolfgang Gartner Unholy 8 Iggy Azalea F/ MO Beg For It 9 Liz Primo Like A Star 10 Carmen Electra Around The World 11 The Ting Tings Wrong Club 12 Salt Ashes If You Let Me Go 13 Giorgio Moroder F/ Kylie Minogue Right Here Right Now 14 Ariana Grande & The Weekend Love Me Harder 15 Calvin Harris F/ Ellie Goulding Outside 16 Gwen Stefani Baby Don’t Lie 17 Gia World 18 Alesso Heroes 19 Pepper MaShay Dance Floor 20 Tavo F/ Sophia May Amazing 21 Alison Wonderland F/ Wayne Coyne U Don’t Know 22 Natasha Ashworth Back To You 23 Maroon 5 Sugar 24 Azealia Banks Chasing Time 25 Erasure Reason 26 Tydi F/ Melanie Fontana Redefined 27 Right Said Fred Shoulda Been Me 28 Dave Aude F/ Jessica Sutta I’m Gonna Get You 29 Bea Miller Young Blood 30 Rihanna & K. West & Paul McCartney FourFiveSeconds 31 Gwen Stefani Spark The Fire 32 Isabel Rose Reflections 33 Jesse Jay Bang Bang 34 David Seyer F/ Karoll Floss Moonlight 35 Kim Cameron Drive 36 Kristine W Love Come Home 37 Cathy Tramontana Talk To Me 38 Philip George Wish You Were Mine 39 Charlie XCX Break The Rules 40 Rainie There Is A Light
1 J. Cole 2 Usher F/ Juicy J 3 Drake 4 O.T. Genasis 5 Sevyn Streeter F/ Chris Brown 6 Nicki Minaj F/ Drake, Lil Wayne/C. Brown 7 Nicki Minaj F/ Drake & Lil Wayne 8 Beyonce 9 Ne-Yo F/ Juicy J 10 Nicki Minaj F/ Beyonce 11 Chris Brown & TYGA 12 Rae Sremmurd F/Nicki Minaj & Young Thug 13 Weekend 14 Ciara 15 Big Sean F/ Kanye West 16 Mark Ronson Bruno Mars 17 Trey Songz F/ Nicki Minaj 18 Rihanna & K. West & Paul McCartney 19 Omarion F/ C. Brown & Jhene Aiko 20 T.I. F/ Chris Brown
Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Tony Moran F/ Martha Wash Jes Eddie Amador F & Ultra Nate’ Charli XCX F/ Rita O Azealia Banks David Seyer F/ Karol Floss Calvin Harris F/ Ellie Goulding Meghan Trainor Pepper MaShay Dave Aude F/ Jessica Sutta
Free People High Glow Take Care Of My Heart Doin’ It Chasing Time Moonlight Outside Lips Are Moving Dance Floor I’m Gonna Get You
Atlantic Capitol Columbia Interscope RCA Capitol Kindergarten Def Jam 444 Global Groove Pias American Radikal SME Republic Columbia Universal Global Groove Universal Freckle Bandit Tazmania Astralwerks Global Groove A&M Sony Mute Robbins Promark Audacious Hollywood Roc Nation Interscope Juilee Universal 27 Side FX Fly Again Global Groove Motown Atlantic Branch Radikal Planetjes Citrusonic Atlantic Sony 27 Columbia Epic Freckle Bandit Audacious
Columbia RCA Republic Atlantic Atlantic Republic Republic Columbia Capitol Republic RCA Interscope Republic Epic Def Jam Atlantic Atlantic Roc Nation Atlantic Columbia
Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5
Migos Omarion F/ C. Brown J Aiko Trey Songz T.I. F/ Chris Brown Weekend
One Time Post To Be Slow Motion Private Show Earned It
Quality Control Atlantic Atlantic Columbia Republic
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.
Cro Cro y su Tumbaka Papo Kpuccino Hector Acosta Enrique I. ft Yandel & J Magan Juan Luis Guerra Layla Angelina Alexon Luis Vargas Yunel Cruz Angie K ft Qbanito Miratti Yvi Queen Johnny Sky Zacaria Ferreira Ricky Martin Papo Sanchez Romeo Santo ft Marc Anthony Tomas The Latin Boy Delilah Bobby Cruz
REPORTING POOLS
Most Added Tracks
n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Victors - Milwaukee, WI; Chris Egner n KRYC 105.9 - Yuba City, CA; Rich Fayden n Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketcher n Pittsburgh DJ R - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich 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 DJ Rafy Nieves - San Juan, PR; Rafy Nieves n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis n Fusion Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n WPTV-Prty 105FM Frd MdMx - New York, NY; Mike Rizzo n MOOD Spins - Seattle, WA; Randy Schlager n DJ Laszlo - Las Vegas, NV; Laszlo Szenasi
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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
Apparently I Don’t Mind How About Now Coco Don’t Kill The Fun Only Truffle Butter 7/11 She Knows Feeling Myself Ayo Throw Sum Mo Earned It I Bet Blessings Uptown Funk Touchin, Lovin FourFiveSeconds Post To Be Private Show
Jerry Rivera ft Romeo Santos Tarzana Carlos Vives Joey Montana ft De La Ghetto Tito El Bambino
Tambo Tambo Mi Tambor Ojala De Dia y De Noche Tus Besos La Pelicula Amor (RMX) Alejate Ay Amiga De Moda La Noche Provoca (RMX) Soy Libre Quiereme Si Pudiera Adios (RMX) Entre Las Nubes Yo Tambien Bailalo Party Til’ We Drop Agua Para Beber
Noche Bohemia Asi Fue Ella Es Mi Fiesta Moribundo A Que No Te Atreves
Tierra Music New Latin Records Dam Latin Inc. Universal Universal Angulo Music Insinna Mngt. Chocoalte Prod. Universal Big Dream Trigg Ent. Musa Sounds Premium Latin Latin Hits Sony Arpa Sony Latina Latina Princess Salsa Factory
Latin Hits Demand Summa Capitol Venemusic
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.
Above & Beyond
(continued from page 16) McGuinness: We actually got a bit unstuck with the new album, because it took so long to put together. A lot of the songs were written a while ago, and their tempo was too fast for where we’re now at [laughs], so they didn’t really work. We won’t make that mistake next time. DJ Times: Switching gears, not many electronic acts go so fully into an acoustic phase as Above & Beyond did in 2013 and 2014 with the Acoustic album and a series of live gigs. What was the impetus behind doing that? McGuinness: It was my idea, I’m
afraid! When I was young and looking forward to being in a successful band, I thought about the two things that successful bands did. One of them was to be on Top of the Pops; the other was to be on MTV Unplugged. I loved the idea of taking songs that were familiar in one form and performing them in another, and it struck me that if we did that with Above & Beyond, it would be an even bigger leap than what a band like Nirvana did. The loudness, rhythm and intensity of our music would be in sharp contrast to doing something entirely acoustic. So, of course, I thought it would be a
fun thing to do—to make the songs naked, as it were. DJ Times: Above & Beyond’s rise has coincided, to a degree, with the rise of EDM. But unlike a lot of EDM acts, I get the feeling you are looking beyond EDM, and are in this for the long haul. McGuinness: Definitely. Jono and Paavo were in university when we started this, and their dream was to do music full-time; that’s what they went to university for. And they want to keep doing that. I’ve been in a number of bands that have had a degree of success, but nothing like
the success of Above & Beyond—and I’ve always wanted to do this full-time. So none of us are about to let this go, whatever the trends are. We all love writing and recording and performing. And most of all, connecting—that’s what makes it all worthwhile. When you scribble some thoughts down at 4 o’clock in the morning, turn that into a song, and then have 8,000 people singing them back to you… that’s the most fulfilling thing you can have. To be able to connect musically with people is enormously rewarding, and we’re lucky enough to be doing that. And we’re not about to give that up anytime soon. n
we have talked about the AFX setup, time to dive into the functionality. AFX Functionality: At 10-inches-long and 5-inches-wide, the AFX shares the same form factor as the AMX. But the form factor is where the similarities stop. At the top of the AFX are two sets of buttons, one for “Decks 1/3” the other for “Decks 2/4.” These buttons allow this compact controller the ability to control four decks. So for the purpose of our discussion, we’ll only be looking at the AFX as it would function if paired with the AMX. The AFX has six FX knobs each with an associated kill button. Each FX button can be assigned to either deck, which means layering has never been so amazing. Now instead of three FX per channel, a user can have six. Next up is the Parameter knob, which is located in the middle of the device. Similar to the track selection knob/button, this one offers a ton of creative options, including the abil-
ity to do loop rolls with an active display indicating the loop length. This feature was by far the most fun part of this controller for me. While everyone loves a good loop roll, it is also important to highlight the five activation buttons and eight responsive buttons located at the bottom of the unit. The five activation buttons include the following: cues, auto looping, manual loops, slicer, and sampler. As it sounds, the activation buttons switch the functionality of all eight buttons located below. So when the Cues button is selected, the eight buttons can become backlit, based on the number of cue marks which have been identified for each track. While cue buttons are something that we look at as more standard, the ability to live sample and/or use samples is something that is becoming increasingly important, as the line between DJ and live performer continues to blur. While the AFX has the ability to play samples,
we do want to highlight that the eight buttons used to trigger those samples are about half the size of a traditional APC controller. But, as this is made by Akai, the kings of the drum machine, the response of the buttons is spot-on. A Quibble: While the five activation buttons allow for tons of varying controls by track, we wish the deck-selection button was located closer to the cue buttons to allow for faster switching between decks. Not a major issue, but different design decision. Conclusion: For functionality and versatility, both units offer a plethora of options. If you love Serato DJ, you love not having to break your back carrying a ton of gear and, of yeah, you really want a ton of features. And what’s more, you want them all without the heavy price tag of a mixer, CD/turntables, soundcard, FX unit. If that scenario floats your boat, then this system is for you. n
Sounding Off
(continued from page 29) sponse crossfader and soundcard in the AMX, it also made a lot of sense to include sync, cue, and play/ pause buttons. So this controller, if paired with a laptop, could control a large portion of core Serato DJ software, making it the perfect tool for a DJ who travels and does lots of mobile gigs. AFX Setup: We’ll try some soccer parlance here. If the AMX is the workhorse of the team, think of the AFX as a striker filled with finesse, excitement and unpredictability. Unlike the AMX, the AFX can only be used when either a compatible Serato DJ controller or SSL box SL2 version (or above) is also plugged into the computer. What does that really mean to me? Basically, the AFX was meant to be used as an add-on device. So individuals who already have Serato DJ controllers, devices like the Numark V7, or SSL system can enjoy the use of the AFX to add additional functionality to their setup. Now that
John Tejada: The Great Divide
DJ TIMES
APRIL 2015
Hey, it’s their loss – as usual.
42
EDM kiddies wouldn’t know this, but…
I make some of the best techno you’ll ever hear.
John Tejada, Next Month in DJ Times
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