DJ Times June 2015, Vol 28 No 6

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 JUNE 2015

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DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Red Bull Thre3style Experience

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INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES Runner-Up: Reed Streets

NEWS

USA Champ: J. Espinosa.

RED BULL THRE3STYLE: J. ESPINOSA TAKES USA TITLE IN PHX

By Jim Tremayne

Detroit – America’s Best Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ will open at Motown’s Movement festival May 23-25. With a lineup that boasts 13 ABDJ nominees, including Carl Craig, MK and Maceo Plex, the fest will see maintain a booth to take ABDJ votes from fans looking to support their favorite DJs and possibly win prizes. For more on ABDJ, please visit americasbestdj.net.

put your set together, you’re guessing what’s going to go on. It’s really a gamble.You don’t know if it’s going to work or not. Luckily, for me tonight, it did.”

And now J. Espinosa can join other national champions in Tokyo, this September for the Red Bull Thre3style World Championship. “It feels amazing,” he said, still clutching his newly earned trophy. “I’ve never been to Japan. I always wanted to go and it’s going to be really crazy going out there to represent the United States.”

And for those who have followed turntablism and DJ battles for the past few decades, it should come as no surprise that Espinosa hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, home of some of the world’s most innovative DJs. “I grew up watching all the Bay Area turntablists—Invisibl Skratch Piklz with QBert, Shortkut and others,” he said. “There were always

so many crazy, talented turntablists from the Bay Area influencing me, that I always incorporate scratching and turntablism in all of my sets, even when I’m DJing in clubs and on radio.

I always represent for turntablism.

Any time I touch turntables, I have those guys as an influence.”

Second-place finisher Reed Streets earned his finals berth by impressing the judges enough during Friday night’s qualifier at Club Red to take a “wild-card” spot. His set covered the widest range of music, everything from Stevie Wonder and Chuck Brown to Neil Diamond and Diplo. “It’s been such a great weekend, hanging with all the DJs,” he said. “It’s been an experience I won’t forget.”

Editor’s Note: For more coverage on Red Bull’s Thre3style competition, including our DJ Jazzy Jeff cover story, please visit Pages 12-16.

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JUNE 2015

America’s Best DJ Launches

judged on how well they rock the room. Judges for the final event and its two qualifying rounds included industry notables DJ Jazzy Jeff, ZTrip, Four Color Zack, Grandtheft, and Skratch Bastid.

“Everybody’s sets tonight were amazing— I really didn’t think I was going to win,” said Espinosa immediately after taking the title. “I looked at what killed it with the crowd [from the previous night’s qualifying set], and then I brought some of it back tonight and changed it a little bit to make it different.”

Fans filled the Monarch Theatre in downtown Phoenix and Club Red in nearby Mesa on consecutive nights for the two qualifying rounds.

However, The Pressroom held a genuine air of anticipation and its audience offered more enthusiasm.

“I feel like this crowd was into seeing you doing your thing,” said Espinosa of The Pressroom’s throng.

“I did a little bit of beat-juggling. I did some toneplay, some scratches and played some stuff that I thought was cool, and the crowd did, too. I played some ’90s stuff. I played some rock.

“When you put a set together, you never really know. It’s a guess, always a guess. Wherever you sit down to

DJ TIMES

Phoenix, Ariz. – After three evenings of competition saw 12 partyrocking DJs drop 17 sets of diverse music, the verdict finally came in: J. Espinosa from San Bruno, Calif., was The 2015 Red Bull Thre3style USA Champion.

With the title, Espinosa earned a September trip to Tokyo, Japan, where he’ll be the American representative in the competition’s World Championships.

In battling four other Thre3style finalists at The Pressroom in downtown Phoenix this past April 4, Espinosa earned the title with a Serato DJ set that balanced a bevy of turntable tricks with a tight selection of hiphop touchstones, house moments, metallic riffs and a few pop hooks.

But in the end, Espinosa won over the judges and nosed out the other finalists—DJ Dynamix (Los Angeles), DJ Akshen (Phoenix), DJ Trayze (Washington, D.C.), and Reed Streets (Philadelphia), who earned runner-up status with a wildly eclectic set.

Red Bull Thre3style differs from other DJ competitions in that it requires its participants to present three different musical genres in a 15-minute routine. In addition to their technical abilities, DJs are

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VOLUME 28

NUMBER 6

12

The Ambassador

As a Touring Performer & Battle Judge, the Legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff Continues to Take DJ Culture to the World

BY JIM TREMAYNE

7 Feedback

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

26 Making Tracks

14 Red Bull Thre3style: A Battle Diary As 12 DJs Vied for the USA Title, We Had FrontRow Seats for the Entire, Dazzling Show

BY JIM TREMAYNE

Steinberg UR44

28 Sounding Off Numark NV

30 Mobile Profile New York’s Nikki Lions

32 Business Line

Building Your Brand Awareness

How to Maximize Your Sound-&-Lighting Set-Up? Top Mobile Entertainers Weigh In

BY JEFF STILES

34 Gear

New Products from Allen & Heath, Magma & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Cuartero, Miguel Migs & More

40 DJ Times Marketplace

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

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22 That Subliminal Kid

With a Slew of Unique Projects, DJ Spooky Pushes for a More Progressive Culture & Calls on Other Jocks to Help

BY DAN OLBRYCH

41 Club Play Chart

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

8 Nickodemus A Diverse Decade

10 In the Studio With…

Jacob Plant

Cover & Contents Images By Red Bull Content Pool

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FROM THE EDITOR

Thre3stylin’ With the Desert DJs When asked if I’d like to cover this year’s USA Finals of the Red Bull Thre3style DJ battle in Phoenix, Ariz., I jumped at the chance. While the DJ scene has morphed and evolved into several different scenes over the years, it’s fun to get back to basics once in a while and fully appreciate the amazing abilities that our DJs bring.

Yes, Thre3style celebrates and rewards DJs who demonstrate mad skills on the decks and crowd control with their song-selection. The Rule: In their 15-minute battle routines, they must play at least three genres and still rock the crowd. Sounds simple, right? Well, when you experience the kinds of sets from the 12 DJs I saw in Phoenix, well… you’ll see that there’s nothing simple about it.

If you just drop bomb tracks one after another without any flow or enough deck tricks, it won’t get you over. If you rip the tricks DMC-style, but don’t connect with the audience, forget it. It takes a special DJ to win this title and, in our news section and in two of our features, we take a look at the entire spectacle and recount our experience in the desert. We also catch some precious time with one of the competition’s judges—the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, who has served as one of the DJ culture’s ambassadors for three decades. We hope you enjoy it.

DJ Spooky has a led a career quite different from most DJs. While the majority of jocks live to move your hips, Spooky seeks to stimulate your mind. As an author, a lecturer and a producer of off-beat musical projects, Spooky’s job description remains unique. In an interview with Dan Olbrych, he discusses his latest book, “The Imaginary App,” among other many things.

In our Sampling section, our L.A. correspondent Lily Moayeri connects with Nickodemus, another DJ who often plays with a different beat pattern. Additionally, New Yorker Michelle Fetky gets some studio talk with Jacob Plant, one of EDM’s rising talents.

In our review sections, Wesley Bryant-King descends into the studio with the UR44, Steinberg’s powerful audio/MIDI interface. In Sounding Off, Chris Davis spends time with Numark’s NV controller. Though it’s designed specifically to work with Serato DJ, at presstime, we found that mapping and screen use has been “unlocked” for Atomix Virtual DJ8 software. The more, the merrier, right?

In mobile-oriented matters, our Midwestern scribe Jeff Stiles asks entertainers how they configure their sound-and-lighting systems, and offers a few enlightening tips. Business Line explains how DJs can build and measure a company’s brand awareness. In Mobile Profile, we connect with DJ Nikki Lions, who has parlayed a Manhattan club gig into opportunities of the mobile variety.

Two more items: In Detroit, at the end of May, America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ will launch at Movement, a festival that expects to near the 100,000 mark in attendance. The tour will hit 15 events between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Fans who cast their ballots at the events or online at americasbestdj.net earn chances to win valuable prizes, including gear from Pioneer DJ. Also, on the opposite page, we offer a first glimpse into seminar topics at DJ Expo. Set for Aug. 10-13 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., the show—presented

by DJ Times and Testa Communications—will celebrate its 25th year with nearly 30 seminars, an exhibition hall full of the latest DJ gear and sponsored evening events. For the very latest on the show, please visit thedjexpo.com. See you in Atlantic City!

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

art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com

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

production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com

assistant editor Chris Caruso ccaruso@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Ally Byers Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Jon Jay Robert LaFrance Michelle Loeb Evan Maag Duanny Medrano Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Deanna Rilling 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

Cheers,

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

Jim Tremayne, Editor, DJ Times

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DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) (USPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 110503779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2015 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. djtimes.com and www.testa.com June 2015

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FEEDBACK

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 MAY 2015

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MIAMI MUSIC WEEK WMC, ULTRA FEST & MORE FUTURE DJING MOBILES IN 2025

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DJ business model in recent years. DJ Times’ Money Answer Man Jerry Bazata will share best practices and industry in‑ sight into what drives the review process and how to effectively use it to grow your DJ business.

“All-Star MCs—Hosted by Steve Moody.” Back by popular demand, Maryland mobile Steve Moody has gath‑ ered some of the best MCs from across the country to share unique tips that will

take your events to another level.

“New Games with Jake Jacobsen.” In this all-new, high-energy session, Jake Jacobsen will help showcase the best, new, party-starting games that’ll be sure to help you entertain and win business in your market for years to come.

“Making Your Own Breaks: How to Jump-Start Your DJing Career.” Linda Leigh is a Philly jock who has never taken no for an answer—when in doubt, she

believes, do it yourself. So, in this panel— part motivation, part instruction—she will show you how to take control of your own path, by starting a club night, connecting with other DJs and promoters, distribut‑ ing your music and more.

Plus, the Expo’s sponsored seminars will include sessions from show ex‑ hibitors ADJ, Pioneer DJ, and QSC Audio (“Turning Your DJ Business into a Multi-Op”).

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.

DJ Expo: What’s On Tap?

CONNECT WITH US

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This year’s DJ Expo is set for Aug. 1013 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J. The event—produced by DJ Times and Testa Communications—will celebrate its 25th year in the business and it will feature nearly 30 educational seminars, an exhibit hall full of the lat‑ est DJ-related products and sponsored evening events. On the seminar tip, here are a few sessions: “Same-Sex Weddings: A Primer.” Now that 36 states (plus Washington, D.C.) have passed marriage-equality laws, the same-sex-wedding market is booming.

If you’re wondering how these weddings differ from traditional events, and want to learn how you can break into this emerg‑ ing market, look no further. The experts at New England’s DJ Jodi Entertainment will offer tangible insights to help you grow into this valuable client base.

“Get More Brides.” Rick Brewer has been speaking on the subject of booking brides for more than a decade. Although the Internet has changed the way brides purchase services, their needs have re‑ mained the same. See what he has to say about the psychology of persuasion and how to put the relationship back in your marketing.

“The Art of Latin Events.” Presented by Jack Bermeo of New Jersey’s LJ Produc‑ tions, the DJ Expo’s two-time “DJ of the Year” will reveal to Expo attendees the secrets of rocking Latin events.

“The Art of the Review as a Business Tool.” The “review” has become a key and critical component of the mobile-

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SAMPLINGS

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

NICKODEMUS: A DIVERSE DECADE

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In an EDM world where seeing DJs’ faces on billboards is a commonplace occurrence, sometimes it is better to be flying just a bit under the radar.

Following the more modest approach, New York-based Nick DeSimone (aka Nickodemus) has managed to successfully maintain a steady career for 20 years, and counting. He gained his initial profile DJing at the legendary Giant Step parties and, later, helming his own Turntables On The Hudson events, which continue some 17 years later. Held every other month at Le Bain in The Standard High Line NYC all year ’round and monthly at a big outdoor space in Washington Heights during the warmer season, the event is now global.

Indeed, twice a year, he takes it to Cairo, Egypt, as it’s dubbed Turntables On The Nile, and three times a year to Barcelona, Spain, as Turntables On Las Ramblas. Recently, Nickedemus traveled alongside Massive Attack’s Daddy G and Captain Planet to Dubai for Turntables On The Gulf. The tour also saw him carry his internationally accessible sounds to other major Middle East cities like Beirut, Lebanon, and Amman, Jordan.

It is Nickodemus’ free approach to creating eclectic sounds that makes him so palatable across genres—you’ll find organic elements, plus plenty of soul and a genuine funkiness.

He draws from all corners of the globe for sounds, making them work within his palette.

This is exemplified on the mixed compilation Wonderworld: 10 Years Of Painting Outside The Lines, a disc on his own Wonderwheel imprint that’s accompanied by a free download of each of the 23 individual tracks on the mix. A real blend of styles, the rolling rhythms of “Los Tarantos” balance against the rich vocals of Carol C. on “Cleopatra in New York” and the Latin flourishes of “Conmigo.” And yes, the 10 years in the title references the decade that he’s been releasing music.

“The music I did 10 years ago is being discovered by a lot of people now,” says Nickodemus, who credits social media, music platforms like Pandora and Spotify, and festivals for the ongoing interest. “The organic-meets-electronic music I was making back then is in full stride. A lot of us are progressing into new territories, reflecting on the older stuff, and bringing it to new levels. That’s why I decided to put out the 10-year retrospective. I want to reintroduce people to what’s been happening over the past 10 years. The kids that are 20 were 10 when the stuff came out. Maybe they’ve seen me at a club or at a festival or on YouTube. I want them to also hear what was going on back then that paved the way for music that we make today.”

The mix of styles heard in any given set from a number of DJs has allowed Nickodemus’ music to fit easily into a variety of settings. Plus, depending on who is playing before or after, Nickodemus can make his selections fit the flow and keep the crowd moving without compromising his personal taste.

“People are more open,” he says. “When I was growing up, you were either a house head, a hip-hop head, a dancehall/reggae head and, if you went to a rave, you were going to get techno. Nowadays, there are a lot more opportunities for people to hear different artists. Especially the way management and booking agencies work, they have artists on the roster they want to expose, so there’s definitely good cross-pollination going on.”

For DJing, there are two separate set-ups for Nickodemus. One is a pair of Pioneer CDJ-2000s that are conducive to playing WAV files on USBs, plus a Pioneer DJM-800 effects-friendly mixer. The other is all-vinyl, for which he prefers Technics SL-1200s with a Pioneer DJM-900 mixer, which he taps into for effects—this approach also allows Nickodemus to move through genres more easily with delays and reverb.

If the venue has really high-end audio, he says, a rotary Rane or Allen & Heath mixer is preferred—plus, cement or something solid and vibration-cancelling under the decks. A combination of CDJs and turntables is what Nickodemus mixed Wonderwheel on, along with a Pioneer DJM-600 mixer.

“I organized the mix how I do a lot of my DJ sets, starting downtempo and going up to house tempo,” he says, “So from 95 BPM to 125 BPM, that’s the range I usually play in. I picked songs that were highlights meaning some of the vibration I felt from other people about what they liked best. Then I picked some of my favorites from old to new—stuff from 2000 all the way to 2014.”

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JUNE 2015

JACOB PLANT: ASCENDANT TALENT

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Over the past 18 months London’s Jacob Plant has been responsible for some of the most infectious club and festival-tent bangers around. With a string of singles released on Plant’s own Shakedown Recordings, Calvin Harris’ Fly Eye and Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak—and even more on the immediate horizon—EDM fans have had plenty to shout about.

Plant caught his first big break in 2013 with “Shakedown,” a propulsive, melodic track that Harris released after the two met in Los Angeles. Almost immediately afterwards, Plant headed back into the studio and emerged with “Fire,” a Fly Eye follow-up that offered an even harder, breathlessly confident beat. The tune got early spins from Rob Swire of Knife Party and Zane Lowe also played it twice in a row on his influential Radio 1 show, where he also announced he’d be spinning the tune in Ibiza the very next night.

Plant began 2014 with another EP, “Louder,” a Dim Mak release that peaked at No. 5 on Beatport’s Electro House chart. Label chief Aoki even used the track for his tour video soundtrack and played it heavily in shows. As his star continued to rise, Plant embarked on a busy remixing schedule, which included re-rubs for Rihanna, Iggy Azalea and Benny Benassi. So far, 2015 has seen Plant release a pair of singles (“Ice Cream” and “All Night” with Tujamo) as he prepared for a busy summer schedule.

A P ro To o l s u s e r s i n c e 1 3 , Plant’s studio includes Avid’s Pro Tools Mbox Pro interface, Mackie HR824mkII monitors, Native Instruments Maschine Groove Production Studio, Alesis Q49 MIDI keyboard and an Avid Artist Mix control surface. He gets most of his sounds from samples and Native Instruments plug-ins. Also, he employs Soundtoys effects. We recently connected with Jacob Plant to discuss his musical approach and his career ascent.

DJ Times: When did you realize that you wanted to produce music?

Plant: I was about 13 when I started making music in Pro Tools.

I used to record my guitar over electronic beats and play around with a few synths I had. I didn’t make anything serious, but it was a

great learning curve! I used to rush home from school and make music all night. I genuinely found it exciting, so it was a pleasure learning.

DJ Times: How did your career take off?

Plant: Things started picking up properly in 2013. I released “Shakedown” and “Fire” on Calvin Harris’ label, Fly Eye. It gave me great exposure and good connections in the DJ world. I also got some great BBC Radio 1 support from the specialist DJs like Zane Lowe.

I was always making music before then, though. I used to do a lot of remixes and play a lot of shows from the age of 16.

DJ Times: What was the first gig you ever played? How did it compare to playing something like Lollapalooza, for example?

Plant: My first proper gig was at Notting Hill Carnival in London.

I must have been 17. It’s so funny looking back because I had never played out before. I was way out my comfort zone, but for some reason it actually went OK. It was nothing like playing Lollapalooza, that’s for sure! Lolla was my first show in the U.S., and it was amazing!

DJ Times: I love your recent tune, “Ice Cream.” Can you tell me how this one came about?

Plant: I actually wrote “Ice Cream” last summer whilst eating an ice cream in the studio! I had fun making it and it was nice to experiment with different sounds, rather than using the usual. For me, I have to enjoy writing/producing or there’s no point in me doing it any more. I was in Ibiza playing at Pacha with Steve Aoki and I played it to him. He really liked it and asked if he could put it out on Dim Mak. If I am honest, I was quite nervous about putting it out, but the reaction has been great so far.

DJ Times: Do you have any collaborations in the works?

Plant: My newest single is “All Night” with Tujamo. It was nice to finally work together, as we always get tweets and comments saying we should collaborate. I have also been working on a lot of new songs which will be coming out this year.

I have a song in the pipeline at the moment that me and my team are really excited about. That will be coming in the summer.

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�

AMBASSADOR

AS A TOURING PERFORMER & BATTLE JUDGE, THE LEGENDARY DJ JAZZY JEFF CONTINUES TO TAKE DJ CULTURE TO THE WORLD

(continued on page 40)

JUNE 2015

Phoenix, Ariz. – It’s not too much of a stretch to say that, going on nearly 30 years, Jeffrey Allen Townes has been one of America’s greatest ambassadors for DJ culture.

Before he gained massive notoriety as a recording star and a TV-sitcom actor, he was a teen DJ, who made his breaks by playing and organizing block parties in his hometown of Philadelphia. In 1986, DJ Jazzy Jeff won the DMC world championship and, to turntablists worldwide, his name became associated with the “transformer scratch,” a now-common, rhythmic-stutter technique also credited to fellow Philly jocks Cash Money and Spinbad.

Soon afterward, of course, he began topping charts and winning Grammy Awards with Will Smith, as DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. Crossover MTV-era hits like “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and the Kool & the Gang-sampled “Summertime” put hip-hop further into the mainstream and certainly served as palatable precursors to the gangsta-rap storm that was gathering. Between 1987 and 1993, the group released three gold-selling albums and two platinum albums on Jive Records, including 1988’s tripleplatinum, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper.

In 1990, Townes became a recurring character on Will Smith’s first onscreen star vehicle, “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” As Will’s best friend Jazz, he was forever breaking decorum in the stuffy Banks Mansion and, in a running gag, often getting chucked onto its front yard.

In addition to various musical ventures, DJ Jazzy Jeff still maintains a busy touring schedule and, as such, remains a nominee for DJ Times’ annual America’s Best DJ promotion. Recent years have seen him working with the Red Bull Thre3style competitions, serving as a judge and post-battle performer.

We caught up with the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff in Phoenix, Ariz., this past April during the competition’s USA final, for which he again served as a judge, along with other notables like Z-Trip and Four Color Zack. As usual, he was accommodating as ever, and it went like this: DJ Times: As a judge in the Red Bull Thre3style competition, what are you looking for? How do you grade the DJs? What impresses you?

Jazzy Jeff: I think the play selection is the main thing. It’s very easy to walk into the door and play all the top hits. As a judge, what is the record that I’m least-expecting that’s going to wow me the most. It’s kinda like you walk out of club after hearing a great DJ, but you never talk about the popular records he played. No, you talk about the curveball he threw that kind of surprised you.

DJ Times: Or the new record that turned you out, the one you didn’t know...

Jazzy Jeff: Yeah. So there’s that, but also all of the judges, myself included, are realizing that [Red Bull Thre3style] is trying to breed the next great DJ. I’ve always said that I don’t base how good a DJ is from a good night; I base it on a bad night.

DJ Times: What do they learn from it?

Jazzy Jeff: Yes, but not just that. You can have a set planned, but a DJ comes on before you and plays 80-percent of the records you intended to play. So, how well do you re-group?

DJ Times: You’ve obviously been through a lot of competitions from back in the day. Won some, lost some. For a DJ who’s competing now, what would be your advice to them, for any kind of battle?

Jazzy Jeff: One of the things I say, especially to the people who didn’t

DJ TIMES

THE

BY JIM TREMAYNE

13

Red Bull Thre3style:

Winning Set: J. Espinosa in the mix.

Trickmaster: Dynamix dazzles at the qualifier.

A BATTLE DIARY Philly Style: Reed Streets taps out a beat.

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

As 12 DJs Vied for the USA Title, We Had FrontRow Seats for the Entire, Dazzling Show

14

By Jim Tremayne Photos by Red Bull Content Pool

Phoenix, Ariz. – This past May1-4, DJ Times ventured out to the desert to catch the Red Bull Thre3style USA finals and its two preceding qualifying rounds—all held in three Phoenixarea venues.

In addition to connecting with most of the jocks and event staffers, DJ Times kept notes the whole week, including every set from every DJ. It all went like this:

Day 1

I arrive in Phoenix and, yes, I’m a long way from the sub-freezing temps I just left in NYC—the weather’s terrific, a very dry 88 degrees. Nice.

With my driver on the way to the hotel, however, I have an odd conversation that seems like a parody from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Let’s just say that, between the pleasant weather talk, he somehow manages to shoehorn the topic of

Miami Mixer: DJ Obscene wows ’em early.

handguns and general weaponry. Welcome to Arizona.

At the Talking Stick Resort, I connect with the Red Bull people and their indie PR staff, plus the dozen Thre3style contestants. We all commiserate at a nearby venue that’s part wet bar, part driving range. We hit golf balls, have a beverage or two, and talk tunes. As usual, most of the DJs go deeply into the geek-zone, discussing music, gear and trends.

Everyone feels at home.

Day 2

In the afternoon, we venture to Scottsdale Community College , where we meet Rob Wegner, who heads up SCC’s DJ Program, and Candyman, who teaches the “MC Skills” class. Here, students can actually get a degree in DJing—it’s the first such program in American academia, I’m told.

We also enjoy a Q&A in the auditorium with Z-Trip, aka Zach Sciacca, a longtime Arizona resident who happens to be one of the world’s greatest turntablists and a Red Bull Thre3style judge.

In addition to detailing career highlights—like popularizing the mashup—Z-Trip also offers advice for up-and-coming jocks. He especially emphasizes the importance of hustle, self-motivation and, once you’re confident enough in your skills, never underselling your talent. After the talk, I catch an on-mic minute with Z-Trip: DJ Times: As a judge and someone who’s competed in more than few DJ battles, what are you looking for in this competition?

Z-Trip: I’m always looking for someone who’s pushing the boundaries of music selection. That’s always the first line of defense for anything.

If your selection is on-point, you al-

JUNE 2015

Above: D.C. DJ: Trayze takes his turn on the decks. Below: Quickness: Z-Trip cuts it up at the Final.

DJ TIMES

ready have people’s attention. If you select the wrong tunes, it’s more of an uphill battle because you’re forcing yourself to do amazing stuff with it.

That’s not to say that if you didn’t pick the right tunes, you wouldn’t win, but I always feel like if you can stand apart from everybody else, that’s best. And after awhile, there are probably some “do-not-play” songs that you can take out of the mix.

DJ Times: This competition requires that DJs play at least three genres. As a judge, does the level of a genre’s obscurity—something like be-bop, for example—impress you more than playing, say, another AC/ DC tune?

Z-Trip: Most definitely. To me, and this is something that I’ve been trying to get [the competition] to really emphasize, it’s about the diversity of the styles. Having a house mix of a rock tune, then a pop tune, then a hip-hop tune that’s got four-on-the-floor on it, then you’re really not departing from a style—you’re just sort of interweaving them. But yeah, playing a be-bop tune or a free jazz tune or a marching-band thing, playing any of those things can be interesting because the listener isn’t fatigued by hearing the same style over and over.

DJ Times: But you’re probably going to be the only one in the club that knows that it’s a tune by, say, Ornette Coleman, right?

Z-Trip: Yeah, well… [laughs] there’s something to be said about that, too! Game recognize game! If you put in the work and you’re digging, I’m going to find that as a favorite because I know what you went through to get that.

Duly noted, Zach.

Later, everyone hops on the outrageously tricked-out Red Bull Tour Bus—DJ rig, plasma screens, righteous sound system— and ventures downtown to the Monarch Theatre for the Qualifying Round No. 1. At least two DJs will be picked to compete in Saturday night’s final.

The Competition: Tonight, the order is: DJ B-Stee from Kansas City, Mo., (local regional champ); Boi Jeanius from Chicago (local regional champ); DJ Akshen from Phoenix (local regional champ); DJ Obscene from Miami (Tampa regional champ); DJ Trayze from Mount Rainier, Md., (Washington, D.C., regional champ) ; and Spare Change from Dayton, Ohio, (Indianapolis regional champ).

B-Stee goes from Kurtis Blow to “99 Luftballoons,” ending with Fatboy Slim.

Boi Jeanius, a Traktor driver in a sea of Serato, kicks off with “1901” from Phoenix, rocks thru The Hives and ends with “If I Ruled the World.” Obscene drops some intense tone-scratching, then eases through Devo, Bob Marley, Robin S, Jackson 5—tight and effective.

Some of the other jocks believe he’ll get the nod. Spare Change kicks it old-

15

Four Color Zack & Z-Trip rock The Pressroom.

Local Hero: Phoenix’s Akshen gets busy.

school DMC-style, opening his scratchheavy set with a dis to the competition, then impresses with Public Enemy’s “By the Time I Get to Arizona.”

But the judges go for the local, Akshen, who opens with a dazzling drum-n-bass scratchfest and tosses logo’d towels to the crowd. They also pick Trayze, who begins with a campy Lebron-like chalk-clap, then eases through a set that includes the “Andy Griffith Show” TV theme, “Ring of Fire,” some G-n-R hard rock and a touch of reggae. See you guys Saturday!

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

Day 3

16

It’s back on the Red Bull Tour Bus and we’re headed to Club Red in suburban Mesa for Qualifying Round No. 2. I’m getting to know some of the DJs a little bit and I’ve become impressed by the general camaraderie among most of the competitors, even the quieter ones. They happily discuss their past routines, their local scenes, their unique career paths and, as always, gear and music… lotsa gear and music. My people…

The Competition: Tonight, the lineup is: Reed Streets from Wenonah, N.J., (Philadelphia regional champ); J. Espinosa from San Bruno, Calif., (Eugene, Ore., regional champ); Jaycee from Atlanta (Charlotte regional champ); DJ Bonics from Philadelphia (Pittsburgh regional champ); Buck Rodgers from Austin, Tex., (New Orleans regional champ); and DJ Dynamix from Los Angeles (San Diego regional champ).

Jaycee throws down the gauntlet with the James Brown “Star Time” intro, rocks some Hendrix and Nir-

vana, drops some Jack Ü/2 Chainz with “Febreze” and ends with Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler.” DJ Bonics goes with The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” then scratches through plenty of DJ/hip-hop classics, like “The 900 Number,” and rocks AC/ DC. Buck Rodgers opens with Ludacris, pad taps some sound effects before dropping Stevie Wonder.

The judges? They go for Dynamix and J. Espinosa as qualifiers and toss in a wild card, Reed Streets, whose set was easily the most diverse of all qualifiers.

Streets’ rock-leaning set includes: C+C Music Factory, Black Box, Manfred Mann, Starship over a trap-beat, Zep, Heatwave, Oasis, tone-scratching, Billy Idol, Ramones, White Stripes, Gary Glitter, Depeche Mode, “The Roof Is On Fire,” David Bowie.Whew.

The other two offer more standard battle fare, but execute plenty of jack-flash deck-scratching. Dynamix’s blazing, trick-filled set hits on some classics (“The Breaks”) and a few other bona fide party-starters (“Get Ur Freak On”), before ending with the famous warning from “Breaking Bad” TV character Walter White: “I am the one who knocks!”

J.Espinosa’s ultra-tight routine opens with a dizzying scratchfest, then punches up a bit of trap and dubstep, then house (“100% Pure Love”), before finishing with a manic “Turn Down for What.”

With the five competitors determined for tomorrow night’s final at The Pressroom, I grab one of the judges, Four Color Zack, himself an amazing DJ, to offer his judging approach.

DJ Times: As a judge, what are you looking for?

Four Color Zack: We all agree that original selections stand out, but I also like to look at the details. I like creativity. I like the conceptual approach. It’s not just things like using pads, but if it’s a good thought behind it, if the mix is in key or some instruments go together, or even if it comes down to basic stuff like wordplay or toneplay, I can respect it. There’s always that fine line between what’s corny and what’s not. If you can walk within something that enriches the soul and you’re still playing good music, it’s game over.

Day 4

With seven of the 12 jocks sitting out tonight’s event, a few of them have no qualms getting loose and lifting a few beverages. Though they’re certainly disappointed not to be playing tonight, more than one admit that they’ve already learned a thing or two from the experience. A DJ, apparently, can never be too battletested. See what works, remember what doesn’t. Watch, listen and learn, and load up for the next opportunity.

The Competition: The finalists order: Reed Streets; Trayze; Akshen; J.Espinosa; and Dynamix.

Once again, Streets goes deep into the crates—Diplo, Avicii, Chuck Brown, Mark Ronson, Lionel Ritchie, Stevie, Aretha, some jock jams, then Neil Diamond and a-ha.

Trayze opens his relatively varied set with Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” then “1901,” Rick Ross, C+C Music Factory, Nirvana and Chili Peppers. Akshen gets busy with The Fugees, Black Sabbath, Kool and the Gang, Jimmy Castor Bunch, “The Peanuts Theme” and Public Enemy.

Dynamix dazzles again with a routine that includes De La Soul, DJ Shadow and Jacksons before finishing with a furious scratch flurry. J. Espinosa starts strong with scratching skills, then drops into a groove—Lil Jon over metal riffs, Armand Van Helden’s “Funk Phenomena,” then “The 900 Number.” By the time he drops Ludacris’ “Move Bitch,” the audience is bobbing, moving as one. He ends with some funky beats and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.”

After the competition, but before the winner’s announced, Z-Trip wows the crowd with a memorable and varied set that includes Diplo’s mix of Marlena Shaw’s “California Soul” and Luniz’s “I Got 5 on It.” Then, fellow judge Four Color Zack cuts up some hip-hop classics and relative obscurities, like indie-rock fave “Feel the Pain” by Dinosaur, Jr. Before long, however, all the judges and competitors hit the stage. And the runner-up is… Reed Streets. The diverse approach, as hinted by Z-Trip, almost takes the title.

And the winner is… J.Espinosa.

Not only did the Bay Area battle jock impress with his lightning-quick deck skills, he offered plenty of flow to match his selections, plus the crowd loved him.

Congrats, J. Espinosa—we’ll see n you on Tokyo time!

Tokyo Bound: J. Espinosa & his prize.

Go ahead, get Loud What can you get for a couple hundred bucks nowadays? Gold-plated dog bowls and cashmere sweaters, that’s what. How about getting something more for your money? Something that fuels your soul and puts you in control of your sound. Something that helps you be heard. Meet Crown’s new XLS DriveCore 2 Series. With a new sleek look, larger LCD display, more DSP and 2400W at 4 ohms bridged, you can handle the load of the show without costing a lot of dough.

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© HARMAN 2015

H o w to M a x i m i z e Y o u r S o u n d - & - L i g h t i n g

By Jeff Stiles

Go

Configure

In Arizona, many event facilities nowadays feature floor-to-ceiling glass doors that slide open to create indoor/outdoor spaces. When the weather is nice outdoors, guests tend to enjoy this neat feature, though mobile DJs find they need to be flexible enough to be able to provide an appropriate sound set-up for both indoor and outdoor partiers.

“One time I was set up outside and needed to provide sound for both my area and the indoor part of the space as well,” recalls Jeff Jones of Direct Sounds DJs in Gilbert, Ariz. “The first hour I had tried to manage by only having my speakers outside and pointing in the direction of the inside, but after walking the space a few times I realized my sound wasn't all that great on the inside.

“So I threw a long mix on, and then ran my cables and one of my [QSC Audio K-12] speakers inside to give myself a better and more even sound. When dancing started in the outdoor part of the space, I increased the volume for my dancefloor, but was able to individually control the indoor speaker to maintain the same music, but at a lower level.

“The ability to individually control the speakers on the inside from getting too loud was a huge feature when dancing started for this particular event.”

Creating the appropriate sound-and-lighting balance for a given space is imperative for providing an excellent entertainment environment, and DJs from throughout the countr y have provided us with their advice and experiences.

“I just think it's important to make sure that the sound is even throughout the whole room,” explains Jones. “I don't want to blast music or announcements across the tables closest to me in order for the tables on the opposite side of the room from me to hear what's going on.

“Sometimes a third or fourth speaker is needed to achieve a surround-sound effect. Control of your music and announcements volume will have a big impact on your control of the crowd and getting them to participate in the activities the client has you creating at their special event.

When the guests hear clean and even volume, they trust your voice more. I believe it's a combination of great sound and professional announcements, complimented by awesome music selections that will lead to a great event.”

Whenever selecting a location to set up his equipment, Brian Zutter of New England's Brian Zutter Productions says many questions come to mind.

“For example, where's the best vantage point to the actual events, with the least concern for safety of the guests and the equip-

ment?” asks the Windham, Maine-based DJ. “Where's the best location to be in the center of attention— without actually becoming the center of attention?

“And lastly, what is the easiest location in order for the load in/load out, setup and breakdown to be most efficient?”

While many of those preliminar y questions might seem like they contradict each other, Zutter says there's a fine line between finding the right spot at a location, while ensuring that the entertainer is not interfering with other event activities.

“Clearly, the best vantage point for a wedding ceremony is located directly next to the bride and groom,” Zutter says. “However, the photographer—along with the bride's parents—might not be too happy with your

awesome setup in their highpriced wedding album. And similarly, at the reception the best vantage point would be right smack in the middle of the crowd—with an unbelievable array of powered speakers/subs and state-ofthe-art moving heads—but we'd make no friends with a videographer who's trying to capture that special moment of the first dance.”

According to Zutter, the concept of being the center of attention without actually becoming the center of attention is oftentimes overlooked by entertainers who are new to the business.

“The event is about the customer, not about us… assuming that we're not playing for a million screaming fans in Rio,” he explains. “Thus, we are there to enhance the good time with audio and visual effects. Most of the time, the event location provides a reasonable location to set up the equipment that (continued on page 20)

S et - U p s ? To p M o bi l e E nt e rta i n e r s W eig h I n .

NOW AVAILABLE!

H o w to M a x i m i z e Y o u r S o u n d - & - L i g h t i n g allows us to provide the enhancements without being the central focal point.

“This can include the edge of a dancefloor or a small riser near the dancing.

However, there are many times when the location is in a corner, far away from the edge of the dancefloor, or even worse in a balcony above the guests. In these situations, do your best to educate the venue and/or your customer that, in order that to provide the best service, an alternate location is required.

“If the location is still not ideal for you, then a knowledge of sound and lighting are really worth the education time spent. Understanding audio concepts and

how sound travels, along with your speaker specifications, can really save the bad placement.

“The same applies for the lighting: Know the specifications of the fixtures to best utilize the technology. Having the knowledge of the equipment can ensure that, where the set-up is located is not a limiting factor.”

Considering the space of a venue is the chief concern for Adam Tiegs of Adam's DJ Service in Seattle.

“Does the client want or

need all we offer with full production packages, or do they only need something simple?” he says. “What are the acoustics like? How high are the ceilings? How will the room be set up, in terms of tables, chairs, dancefloor, etc.? Will there be a stage or riser?

“So one example I have is a long skinny room, with horrible acoustics—like delay/ echo—from one end to the other. I always recommend to my clients that we put the DJ, sound and dancefloor in the middle, and then I bring extra speakers for side fills.

“When you throw sound in all directions from the middle of the room, you end up with decent, equal sound in the space. When you have to set up on one end or the other, on the other hand, you get that delay/echo—and that's not cool for guests.”

The best way to prepare for maximizing a DJ company's vantage point beforehand is to do a pre-vent site visit, suggests Artem Lomez of Ninety-Three Entertainment in Morris County, N.J. “This allows me to see the layout of the room, brainstorm options, and ultimately understand where my team could and could not set-up,” he says. “A pre-event site visit is very important to my preparation process, as it provides for a complete analysis of the room(s), and provides myself with the time needed to consider various options.

“A site visit allows us to see the layout of the room, as well as any additional elements, such as columns, balconies, staircases, etc.”

Ultimately, Lomez says it's really up to his clients and their visions to dictate the set-up for an event.

“For example, based on room capacity and attendance, we determine which element [photo-booth, light-

ing, etc .] will be placed where,” he explains. “Equipment and speaker positioning is determined by ceiling height, size of the room, stage height, if applicable, and table arrangement.

“A pre-event visit also allows us to consider lighting, in terms of distance between each uplight, proper spotlight and personalized light design [gobo] placement, and amount of lighting needed for each key moment.”

As a Seattle-based entertainer whose client list includes well-known CEOs, celebrities and Fortune 500 companies from throughout the country, Austin Beaver says a jock’s focus needs to be not on what's best for the mobile DJ, but on what's best for the event.

“I know there has to be a compromise between 'easy' and 'best,' at some point, but if that compromise is too early then you're no better than anyone else in your market,” Beaver says.

“That said, wireless has been a key factor for cutting down set-up time with the lighting. I’m not comfortable enough yet to go that route with speakers, but I know we're not far away from that point. Also, organization is a key factor in speed of any production set-up and teardown— making sure that everything has an appropriate place, so that you're not hunting for a piece of gear for 15 minutes during the turn.”

In order to be an effec-

tive MC, Beaver says it's imperative for him personally to be in front of his audience.

“I can't be behind a mixing board tweaking levels during toasts, so someone else has to do that for me,” he says. “Also, a typical light show for us is four Elation 5R spots, plus uplights, all custom programed to the venue and client.

“For this to be really effective I realized that I couldn’t run them on my own, so now my events have a dedicated lighting person for them.”

When it comes to choosing appropriate lighting for a venue , Jeff Jones—like many other DJs throughout the nation—says he's really been getting into uplighting.

“I usually go for a selection of Chauvet Minis or long LED strips for my uplighting, because they give me wider coverage and great color options,” says Jones. “Sometimes I'll put them all around the room, or sometimes I'll just line them on the wall where the head table is.

“Going all around the room is nice and dramatic, but uplighting the wall behind the head table draws a t t e n t i o n t o t h a t a re a , which is what I also want to accomplish—keeping the guest's attention on the bride and groom and making them look good. I always bring extra lights and make my final decision the day of the event, once I see how the room has been set up.”

When it comes to dancefloor lighting, meanwhile, Jo n e s s u g g e s t s ke e p i n g things simple.

“I work in a lot of hotel and country club ballrooms, and have found the Chauvet Eclipse light to be my favorite,” he says. “I simply mount it on one of my speaker stands and it covers the whole room. It's always been a hit and saves me a ton of time whenever setting up and breaking down.”

In the end, Brian Zutter agrees that all decisions must be made with the client—and our ability to save time—in mind.

“I'll assume that most of us have worked with sound-and-lighting systems long enough to make our setup times most efficient, because extra time spent on setting up gear is reducing the enjoyment and doesn't pay the bills,” he says. “Selecting a location to set up the equipment follows these same rules.

Find a location that best meets the needs to quickly load and unload the equipment.

“There's a true science in selecting the perfect location for sound and lighting at every event. Utilizing all your senses and gained knowledge from education and/or experience can be the best advocates.” n

S et -U ps ? To p M o bi l e E nt e rta i n e rs W eig h I n .

THAT SUBLIMINAL KID

JUNE 2015

DJ TIMES 22

W i t h

a

DJ Spooky is not your typical disc jockey: He’s also an author, a philosopher, and an explorer.

Known to his parents as Paul D. Miller, Spooky

S l e w

o f

has published a handful of books, most recently, The Imaginary App, where he explores the significance of apps and digital technology. In 2011, he wrote the

U n i q u e

radically different, The Book of Ice, a poetic reflection on humanity’s relationship with Antarctica as climate change takes hold. It is this way of looking

P r o j e ct s ,

at the world that earned Miller a place in National Geographic’s Emerging Explorers Program. Additionally, he currently serves as Executive Editor of Origin magazine, a self-described “platform for

DJ

Spooky

Art, Culture, Conscious Lifestyle, Humanitarianism, Sustainability and Yoga.”

But before he became involved in publishing and

P u s h e s

more academic exploits, he was known as a big contributor to New York’s “illbient scene,” a subgenre of electronica that mixed dubby soundscapes,

for

a

More

hip-hop samples, off-center loops and, sometimes, the entire kitchen sink. More than a genre, illbient was a template that allowed jocks like Spooky, DJ

Progressive

Olive and others to pursue a personal musical approach, one unfettered by the demands of the dancefloor and a constant 4/4 beat.

C u lt u r e

&

During that time, Spooky’s passion for literature and science fiction led to his forming the NYC-based artist collective, Soundlab, which also

C a l l s

o n

became an offbeat club night. Eventually, he began remixing for other artists and producing his own music. He also began to collaborate with high-

O

t

h

e

r

profile musicians, like indie-rocker Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, free jazz legends Joe McPhee and William Parker and speed-metal drummer Dave

J o c k s

to

Lombardo of Slayer.

More recently, Spooky has been on a national tour that includes supporting lectures for The

h

e

l

p

Imaginary App. For some engagements, he’s also spun DJ sets, typically eclectic affairs which may include elements of ambient and celestial sounds, or hip-hop and space rock, whatever he’s feeling at the moment. We caught up with Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid) just before he

By

Dan

O l b ry c h

embarked on his tour.

JUNE 2015

DJ TIMES

Danielle Levitt

23

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

planet. I like to think that humanity could one day just wake up. If a DJ makes X million dollars a year and would donate $1 million to a climate fund, why not have a DJ battle where people are using solar-powered sound systems, do something cool. Donate a little. If DJs have that much cultural power and can make that much money, we are now influencers. We are part of the DNA of modern society. So let’s try to use that shit to uplift and be more progressive.

DJ Times: You’ve had the privilege of working with so many different artists over the years. Is there a favorite?

Spooky: Probably the weirdest collaboration I did and most fun was with Dave Lombardo of Slayer and Chuck D of Public Enemy. We did a project called Drums of Death [in 2005]. Being a producer is different from being a DJ. I’ve dabbled with different styles, just because it keeps life fresh and interesting. DJing for our culture and our time right now is about multimedia, and my new book, The Imaginary App, is about apps and design.

DJ Times: Let’s get into that. With mobile technology being the driving force behind everything, what challenges do we face when creating art with the touch of a button?

Spooky: It’s kind of an arms race between creativity and automation. The Imaginary App [co-

24

DJ Times: What was it that you found so enticing about DJing?

Spooky: I was never planning on doing music.

It was always a secondary hobby. I’m kinda really into information. I try and keep well-versed in a lot of different issues, mainly science, art, and environmental stuff. But in the ’90s, when I was first coming up, I was between things. I was planning on going to graduate school. I had majored macro-economics policy.

DJ Times: No kidding?

Spooky: Yeah. A lot of my friends were DJing— Stretch Armstrong, Moby—and I was trying to decide which direction I wanted to go.

DJ Times: How did you find your style?

Spooky: I wouldn’t say I’m locked into any one style—I’m very agnostic about styles. People are really partisan about their tempo maps—it’s annoying.

DJ Times: Too much classification?

Spooky: Yeah, and I think that’s a problem with DJing. Everybody is into formulas and people will stick to a tempo or a specific genre for an entire night, which to me is the equivalent of a lobotomy.

DJ Times: What was it like growing up in D.C.?

Spooky: You gotta imagine D.C. in the ’70s.

It was at the cross center of a transition in the American Dream. The failure of Vietnam, etc. There was a lot of crisis about the foundation of what it meant to be American. Dinner conversations—and my mom still chuckles over this—like when Jimmy Carter got out of office, the first thing that Reagan did when he came into office was take the solar panels off the White House. Shit like that.

DJ Times: How about musically?

Spooky: Musically, I was into go-go bands like Trouble Funk. There was also a political scene of music that was very inspiring, like Bad Brains and Minor Threat.

DJ Times: What is your take on the current DJ scene?

Spooky: What I love about DJ culture is that, at heart, most people who are DJs are really passionate about music. My only critique right now is that there are too many DJs… like, Paris Hilton is DJing.

editor Svitlana Matviyenko, available via MIT Press] about apps and design deals with this. The whole economy will change, and that’s for the best. Writing a song is hard. Writing a good song is even harder. Creativity will have to evolve. There are too many people doing everything right now. I want to encourage people to pull back and think more.

DJ Times: The information age has brought on a wave of legal issues. Do these rules apply to art?

Spooky: Everything in our modern society is a copy. But you know what I think is going to be the real revolution of the 21st Century is the 3D printer... when anyone can make anything, with just the push a button. But I’d like to see it get so extreme where people just say

Ha-ha, I’m not hating, just using her as an example.

There’s just too many freaking DJs. People need to branch out more.

DJ Times: What are you most passionate about?

Spooky: I think the underlining theme in my work is climate change—it’s a serious crisis. Crazy shit is happening. And, meanwhile, people are just numb and I think music can really help catalyze people to think better. I don’t mean smarter—I firmly believe humanity is not stupid—people are not dumb. Societies told them to be dumb. But the potential for each person is infinite. Art is meant to be a tool, tools for thinking. So many people go into DJing to turn their brain off and jump around and dance. And that’s OK, but music can help spark other directions, too.

DJ Times: Do you worry about a “zombie culture” that doesn’t seem to get involved with bigger issues?

Spooky: Nothing worries me per se. I love to be an optimist, though this is a cynical time—war, drought, climate change, terrible stuff all over the

the whole system is broken. That way it’ll collapse, because there is no way you can regulate an idea.

Anyone can have an idea, so why not celebrate that? That’s the nature of creativity—it sparks and spreads. I’ve sampled, I’ve been sampled. I don’t give a fuck. Copyright is broken. Anyone who thinks it’s real, needs to get their head checked.

DJ Times: Why are we a remix culture?

Spooky: I think that we are in an era where everything is unfinished. Previous generations would look at World War II and say, “OK, it’s done.” For us... look at Iraq, Middle East, etc. Compare that to the sense that war and art, technology and science, that they are reflections of their time. Remixing isn’t political—but thinking that everything can be changed, that’s political. The 21st Century is being scripted by technology and code. And that means radical and continuous change. DJing is the soundtrack to that.

When you look at the fact that hip hop comes from the South Bronx and techno comes from the ruins of Detroit, you can get a vibe of what I’m talking about. The mega-city is a remix. n

M

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UR44: STEINBERG’S TIGHT SOLUTION

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

By Wesley Bryant-King

26

The venerable Steinberg has been a force in music since the 1980s. Under the stewardship of Yamaha for roughly a decade now, the Hamburg, Germanybased company continues to offer a range of music-related software and hardware—from the Cubase DAW line to audio editing in the form of WaveLab to audio interfaces. The company sticks with an increasingly popular playbook of cross-leveraging their software and hardware businesses to expand market share.

One of the company’s newer audio interface offerings—the UR44—is the subject of this review. A USB-based, 6-in/4-out desktop audio interface is a sexy-looking, solidly all-metal built pathway between the digital domain of your computer, and the analog domain of your studio. With enough ins and outs to support even fairly demanding home-studio scenarios, and with truly useful capabilities like latency-free direct monitoring, I’ll cut to the chase and say it’s found a permanent home in my studio hardware array.

The Basics: On the back panel is a cluster of ¼-inch jacks: two for line input (two of the ins), four for line output (all four outs), and a pair for the main output. Also included are DIN connectors for MIDI in and out—a nice touch for those (like me) with lots of legacy MIDI gear around, and who want to de-clutter the studio work desk a bit. (They allowed me to put my small USB MIDI interface back in the closet.) Back there you’ll also find the USB 2.0 connector, power switch, power input (no, it’s not USB bus-powered), and a Class Compliance mode on/off switch (more about that later). The back-panel choices are logical, and let you permanently connect the stuff you’ll most likely want permanently connected.

It’s worth noting at this point that despite the description above, there are only four outputs organized in two stereo pairs. Outputs 1 and 2 are routed through dedicated line out jacks at their native signal level, and also get routed through their respective level controls to the headphone 1 and master out jacks. Outputs 3 and 4 are routed through their dedicated line out jacks, and optionally, can be routed to headphone 2 through its gain control. (Headphone 2 can receive either 1 and 2 or 3 and 4, programmable through the control applet, described below.)

On the front panel we find four genuine Neutrik connectors (combo ¼-inch and XLR), representing the four ins. The left pair is for mic/high-Z inputs, and the right pair for mic/line inputs. Four small knobs adjust corresponding lev-

els for each, while switches enable 48-volt phantom power for a pair of inputs at a time. The front panel is rounded out by knobs to control the two headphone outputs individually, and the master out level. Again, these are the things most likely to get plugged-in and -out quite a bit, so the placement is logical.

All four of the combo inputs on the front panel offer Yamaha’s D-PRE microphone preamps, and the unit itself supports up to a whopping 192 kHz sampling rate with 24-bit resolution.

The companion software provides DSP-based effects, as well as a control panel to configure everything when using it with non-Cubase DAWs. The UR44 suppor ts Windows (ASIO), as well as Mac (Core Audio) and iOS (Core Audio)—the latter through Apple’s Camera Connection Kit USB adapter, and when set for Class Compliance mode.

Operation: For evaluation, I connected the UR44 to my Mac-based studio computer, and installed the included software in full, with the exception of the Cubase AI DAW, but which is also available for free download with the purchase.

The UR44 offers some minor additional capabilities when matched with Cubase, but I did not test the unit in that configuration for this re-

view, but rather, with Ableton Live, my usual DAW. Not directly part of the Cubase capabilities, but nonetheless related is the fact that the bundled VSTs—which allow use of the hardware effects within your DAW—are VST3 plug-ins, which are not currently compatible with many DAWs, including Live. As a result, I couldn’t evaluate these capabilities, but I’m not convinced that I’d abandon my familiar workflows and preferred effects for them anyway.

The UR44 is designed to work in native mode with its drivers on desktop machines, but in point of fact, you can get basic functionality from the unit in Class Compliant mode (ostensibly provided only for iOS device uses) without installing drivers—something I took advantage of with my MacBook a couple of times quite successfully for a quick hook-up to my studio monitors.

It’s important to understand that, with a typical DAW, the unit will show up as offering six mono inputs (or three stereo), and four mono outputs (or two stereo), offering a lot of flexibility in the recording and routing of signals within the DAW. In testing, I loved being able to hook up a vocalist, a backing vocalist, a guitar, and a synth all at once, recording each to separate tracks in a live take. For those whose workflow is mostly within the DAW and limited to electronica, all those ins and outs probably wouldn’t be so compelling (although some of the UR44’s other capabilities might well be).

In addition to the drivers, the installer puts in place a control panel app (called dspMixFx), the aforementioned effects VSTs, and a required soft-lock copy protection system. Unfortunately, the copy protection system—eLicenser—proved a bit balky.

The license key provided in the package failed to validate, necessitating over two hours’ worth of Googling,

uninstalling, reinstalling, and updating before I could finally get everything working. Not the best first impression, frankly, and quite honestly, I’m not sure why Steinberg requires such stringent controls; it’s not as if the software is usable without purchasing the UR44 hardware. What, exactly, justifies the mistrust of the user—not to mention the annoyance factor?

While you can use the UR44 simply for its inputs, outputs and hardware-based level controls, additional functionality can be had through the dspMixFx applet. It provides deeper functionality than is available through the hardware controls alone, but I found that functionality to be packaged in a slightly clunky, cumbersome and dated-looking interface. It is, however, quite usable with a little investment of time in learning. The included PDF digital manual doesn’t get very high marks for helping in this effort; while it seems to cover the bases, I found it a bit lacking in explaining the UR44’s basic concepts. Too much of that was left to a careful examination of the signal flow and block diagram illustrations in the back of the manual.

(At least they were provided.)

Regardless, once mastered, the software allows you to set signal routing and processing options, including high-pass filter, channel strip (compressor and equalizer) functionality, any of four different guitar amp models, REV-X reverbs, channel panning and level controls—all on a per-channel basis, in a mixer-like user interface. (The number of effects you can use simultaneously is actually fairly limited; the manual’s appendix has a table showing them, but it’s effectively three mono effects total, with a maximum of one guitar effect at a time.)

The settings take effect in the DSPbased hardware, and are saved to the unit—even through power cycles— allowing you to set options for a typical workflow and utilize them without having to load the app or keep it open during your studio work. You can easily save and retrieve set-ups, too; I configured one for a typical “guitarist + vocalist + keyboard” configuration in my studio, and another for a multiple keyboard workflow for quick recall on-demand.

One of the things the UR44 provides is an ability to insert its DSPbased effects either before or after the signal goes to the DAW. Between this capability, the dual headphone outputs, and the dual mixer paths in the dspMixFx applet, it was easy to punch in some effects for my vocalist during a recording session to enjoy with zero-latency monitoring, while bringing the vocals into my DAW in

“The UR44 is a flexible, right-sized solution for home-studio recording and monitor needs.” totally dry form (and being able to monitor them dry on my own headphones).

Conclusions: Despite the difficulty I had with the soft lock copy protection during installation, I found the UR44 to be a flexible, right-sized

solution for my own home-studio recording and monitoring needs, providing the flexibility to record multiple sources simultaneously to my DAW, while giving the monitoring flexibility I prefer. With its affordable, roughly $300 street price, it offers

great value along with some impressive capabilities (like high-quality 192 kHz, 24-bit sampling), logical hardware-based controls and functional applet for tailoring the hardware’s settings and operation. In lieu of sending the unit back to Steinberg, I sent them a check—and am now enjoying the UR44 as a functional centerpiece of my home studio.

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SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

NUMARK NV: DUAL-SCREEN SERATO DJ CONTROL

By Chris Davis

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

The NV is Numark’s latest four-deck flagship controller, designed to satisfy the need of any jock using Serato DJ software. Aimed at the middle of the DJ controller market with an impressive combination of size (21.6- by-13.4by-2.1-inches), weight (7 pounds) and cost ($699), the unit has been marketed

by Numark as the controller that “changes everything.”

Well, DJs can believe the hype, as Numark has fulfilled this lofty claim in a few ways. For one, it’s the first controller to feature Serato Flip, an expansion pack for Serato DJ that allows users to create and store custom track edits, cue point and censor actions. But what’s really making DJs envious is that this is Numark’s first controller to feature two 4.3-inch color screens. These screens provide feedback on what’s happening inside Serato DJ, allowing DJs to focus on the performance and not on their laptop. Will this spell the end for “Serato Face” (aka, the blank stare or goofy look that DJs give while staring into their laptop screens)? Let’s dig in.

Hardware + Build Quality: As a result of their critically acclaimed NS7 series, Numark has a lot of experience making respected DJ controllers, and it shows with the NV. The pitch faders and jogwheels feel quite nice, and the screens are bright and easy to view from any angle. Considering all that’s going on under the hood, you won’t be powering this hoss on USB power alone, so make sure you have a free power outlet. As far as size goes, the NV won’t fit inside a backpack, but it’s lightweight enough that portability should never be big issue. In fact, an Odyssey flight case for the NV is nearly five times as heavy as the unit itself.

The Feel: While the metallic sync, cue, and play/pause buttons are great, the volume sliders and the crossfader feel a little flimsy in my hands. The filter knobs are nice and chunky, and the capacitive touch plates atop many of the knobs give everything a nice metallic sheen, but the outer portion of the knobs are actually made of plastic. I would have liked these plastic knobs to have been made of rubber, as I sometimes had trouble gripping them when my hands were sweaty or slick from grabbing a drink. Additionally, most of these plastic knobs were a bit too resistant when turning them back and forth, and I found I wasn’t able to cut frequencies as quickly as I’m used to.

4-Channel Mixer: The 4-channel mixer includes a built-in USB 2.0 au-

28

NV Controller: Affordable, portable & feature-filled.

dio interface and ample outputs, which include both booth and master phono outputs, and balanced XLR outs for club use. As for inputs, there’s a single RCA line input, and a shared auxiliary/mic input reshaped by gain and mic tone knobs.

Unfortunately, the mixer section can’t be used independently of a laptop. The saving grace is that the aux channel, shared with the mic input, can still be used as a backup input channel for a device like an MP3 player. When switched to aux, this channel bypasses the main mixer section—it doesn’t even show up on the VU meters—so even if the controller is disconnected from the laptop, the signal feeding into the aux channel will continue to go out the master out.

With the laptop lid closed and waveforms split between the two screens, Serato users that rely on visual waveforms to keep tracks in sync might think they’re out of luck, but Numark has them covered. Below the mic knobs and the booth/master out controls lies Beatkeeper, a meter for matching the tempo of decks currently playing. When the white center LED is lit, the BPMs are matched, and if they aren’t in sync, the meter will lean towards the faster deck.

The further the meter is from center, the greater the difference in tempo is between the two tracks.

Directly below Beatkeeper are two FX assignment buttons per channel. DJs can also apply effect A and/or B to the entire program mix by using the FX Send buttons below the master volume knob. Below the FX buttons lay the mixer and channel LEDs. When DJing in the dark, I sometimes had difficulty differentiating between the master and the individual channel LEDs because of how closely they’re arranged. I would have liked for the individual channel LEDs to have been moved down the controller a bit with the master LEDs staying at the top, or the master LEDs accentuated in some way.

Next to the LEDs are the EQ and filter knobs. Just like with Numark’s NS7II controller, the FX, EQ and filter knobs are capacitive, meaning that they respond to touch in addition to a standard twist. So, in addition to standard EQ sweeps, pressing the “Touch FX” button and subsequently touching an EQ knob can temporarily “kill” that frequency off until you raise your finger.

Under the EQs are nice, fat filter knobs—one per channel—which low-pass with a flick to the left and high-pass with a flick to the right. Below that are PFL buttons for sending tracks to the headphone cue channel for monitoring. At first, I thought that the NV was limited to single-channel monitoring, but I soon realized that multiple channels could be monitored if I pressed the desired channel PFL buttons simultaneously.

Beneath the PFL buttons are the volume faders, which are very easy to flick around, and a crossfader with fader start and a smooth/sharp curve adjustment option.

Great news for DJ duos is that there are two headphone outputs: one ¼-inch output and one 1/8-inch output, both of which work simultaneously.

The NV also features a split-cue switch. If turned on, all channels sent to cue are applied to the left headphone channel and the main mix is applied to the right channel. An additional cue-blend knob lets a user blend channels being cued and the main mix.

Screens: Numark is confident that the NV’s screens will allow a DJ to close

LOUD 131 dB SPL

the laptop lid and get rid of the “Serato Face” that many in the industry loathe.

To play devil’s advocate, if a DJ is disengaged from the audience, is there really that much of a difference between staring down at a controller or staring across at a laptop? I don’t know, but there will surely be less of a blue glow lighting up DJs’ faces.

The two 4.3-inch screens provide feedback on what’s happening in Serato DJ, including virtual decks, effect information, cue points, waveform displays, BPM, key, loop display, pitch and pitch range. The screens aren’t touch-sensitive, and they’re not particularly hi-res, but they are certainly high enough resolution to provide four-deck feedback by sharing two decks per screen. The tilted viewing angle is great and, although you can’t tweak the brightness on the fly, I had no issues seeing the screens in indoor and outdoor environments.

The screens offer two performance views. While both views display the dry/wet level of the three FX decks, Performance View 1 highlights the length of loops and the status of the focused deck. Performance View 2 shows a much more granular, colored waveform view that lets you see exactly what is going on with a track’s waveform. The small-ish jogwheels have no position indicator to show where your cue point is on the jogwheel, but fortunately, the screen directly above each platter shows the cue-point position for both Performance Views.

In order to actually close that laptop lid, DJs will need to utilize Windows’ built-in power management tool, or download a Mac OS X apps like NoSleep. But does closing the lid really work? Well, as a DJ who personally favors Traktor, I don’t have a lot of my music library analyzed by Serato DJ. Because of this, I found that the dedicated beat grid adjust buttons weren’t very useful when closing my laptop lid, as you can’t actually see the beat grid on the screens. Additionally, with no keyboard input, there’s no way to search for tracks when the lid is closed, which I find myself doing often when I don’t want to waste time scrolling through a playlist using a slow encoder knob, or if a track is located deep in my library outside my prepared playlists. “Open format” and crowd-reactive DJs may not like closing the lid.

A big area for improvement on the next iteration of the NV is the mirroring of the screens. While most everything else on the controller is mirrored, the displays and controls surrounding the screen aren’t, which I found confusing at times. I had to be especially careful that I didn’t hit the wrong button in the dark, because none of the button labels surrounding the screen are backlit—another potential improvement for the NV2. I often had to stop what I was doing and stare intently at the button arrangement for fear that I would do something unforgivable, like load a track into an active deck when I meant to just change the deck in focus. A handheld light in the booth was key in these situations.

FX, Jogwheels, Pads & Playback: What else does the NV offer? There are dedicated touch-activated controls for Serato DJ’s 12 iZotope-powered effects, as well as FX combinations which can be intensified by pressing the filter roll button. Additionally, pressing the “Touch FX” button allows a user to toggle through the touch modes in order to access the touch-capacitive functions of the FX 1, 2 and 3 knobs located under each screen.

There is also a dedicated reverse button that reverses track playback, with a “Bleep” mode that resumes playback where the track would have been if the reverse button had never been pressed. There’s even a dedicated scratch button to activate or deactivate Serato’s scratch mode. If scratch mode is off, the center of the platter will pitch-bend when you touch or spin it, rather than scratching the track.

Depending on your DJing preference, the two 5-inch jogwheel platters and accompanying pitch faders may be an essential feature for you. For “newschool” controllerist DJs, they may not be. Regarding things that interest controllerists: I found that not all functions of the controller are mappable. For example, when I tried to see how nicely the NV would play with software other than Serato DJ, I found I couldn’t map any of the mic or mixer booth or master knobs to Traktor. Maybe stick with Serato DJ. (Editor’s Note: According to the company, “Those knobs aren’t mappable because they’re analog controls and dedicated to the function regardless of the software—this is very common on controllers.”)

Lastly, the small Akai MPC-style pads, which include the same performance pad modes introduced with NS7II, have a nice width and a short height, so make sure you’re accurate with your finger-drumming, looping, and cueing. The 16 velocity-sensitive pads offer control over 10 different pad modes for finger-drumming, sample slicing, looping, hot cueing and more. Each pad is (continued on page 42)

NXL24-A 131 dB SPL

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MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

the crowd—to introduce myself because they will be spending the next few hours in the venue with me, so we have to build a relationship. I’ll pump up the crowd with song facts (‘Throwback ’82 MJ’) because I want the crowd to have an unforgettable experience.”

Reading the floor does have its differences between a club and mobile gig, though. “I don’t plan out my sets,” she says.

“I feel I can be more authentic with the crowd and feel what they like—it really depends on the venue for the club and the clientele for the mobile parties. In both scenarios, I always engage with the crowd.

I will step off the stage, mingle in the crowd, dance and just feel the vibe.

“In a club, depending on the venue and the event, you can be more versatile with the genres. I play for seven hours every Friday night and, when the crowd is different every so often, I experiment with genres—see if they are dancing, facing the DJ booth, heading to the bar for a drink, standing in the corner, engaging in everything around them. I know if I play house at a venue where they most likely like reggae or old-school hip hop, I will play house earlier throughout the night, so half of the crowd will go to the bar to purchase a cocktail—bring up revenue sales—and they will wait for ‘their song’ or genre to come on. I will always say on the mic, ‘Reggae in 20 minutes,’ just to let them know

By Larry Marlew it’s coming and I hope to see everyone on New York City—Nikki Lions says that without music, she wouldn’t know how to the dancefloor.” live.

In order to transition from deep house/ That’s a pretty strong sentiment, and one appreciated by the partiers at club and tribal/progressive to hip hop, Lions will mobile events this up-and-comer has been booking in the few short years since she throw on a Missy Elliott song—works picked up her first mini controller and assumed her place behind the console. every time. “Her music is commercial and “My father was a DJ in the ’70s in the Lower East Side,” she says, explaining how everyone responds,” she says. “The house she grew up in a tune-filled household—The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Madonna, heads will stay amongst the hip-hop lovMichael Jackson, Run-DMC, Funkmaster Flex, and A Tribe Called Quest. “I’ve evolved ers.” into such gratitude for music and artists. I guess it runs in the family being part of the For the mobile parties, though, readmusical journey.” ing the floor is a bit different. “Most of Such wide-eyed appreciation for artists and music actually expressed itself for Lions the time your clientele will express how through tap dancing and Sammy Davis Jr., but four years ago she decided to showcase they anticipate the night to go,” she says. her love for music by using her hands instead of her feet.

“However, oftentimes the clientele is not “I focused my energy on the basics on DJing,” she says. “I began to watch live sets what you are expecting and will not enfrom artists all over the world and YouTube tutorials on ‘How to DJ.’” gage. I have to react quickly, and see which She bought that first controller, and whenever she had extra cash she would up- genre’s they are responding to the most— grade her system—a new monitor, turntables, CDJs. always Top 40 in a nice transition if you are Two years ago she got up the nerve to introduce herself to Spice NYC party pro- trying to read the crowd as most listen to moter/host Nikki Hill, and began what turned into her first residency. the radio.”

“I can’t thank her enough for giving me the platform to showcase my music,” says Lions.

I ask Lions where she sees her DJing “All the exposure from DJing at her events has landed me gigs for tons of venues and taking her, and her positive outlook and promoters. My first weekly residency I booked was and currently is at Henrietta Hudson.” ambition practically bursts through the The gig at Henrietta, a “Bar & Girl” ladies bar in Manhattan’s West Village, has also phone connection. “Travel the world, see generated lots of word-of-mouth and referrals for mobile gigs. “I believe being active new cultures and new musical influences, on social media and on Soundcloud has definitely put a face and music to a name,” that would be just amazing,” she says. “To she says. be able to have my own weekend festival Lions currently books wedding receptions, non-profit events and private parties— with all-female DJs with different stages she recently spun deep house and electro jazz for the grand opening of 150 Richard- depending on the genres they want to son, a high-end loft-inspired condo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. showcase, would be incredible. I would But the mobile gigs are informed in every way by her club experiences. “I will love to touch tons of souls and connect always bring my personality to the table and give it my all in every event I play, re- via music. It would be a beautiful experigardless if it’s mobile or club,” she says. “I always bring a mic, so I can engage with ence.”

DJ Nikki Lions began spinning four years ago.

NYC CLUB DJ MAKES MOBILE MOVES

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

“I will always say on the mic, ‘Reggae in 20 minutes,’ just to let them know it’s coming, and I hope to see everyone on the dancefloor.”

–Nikki Lions

30

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DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

By Josh Columbia

32

To generate brand awareness, I know of at least one DJ company that has tried skywriting. Others have sponsored softball or baseball teams. Still others have advertised on bus stops.

We’ve come a long way since the 1930s, when some manufacturers on the East Coast commissioned “sky shouting”—a low-flying, singleengine plane carrying a man with a megaphone, who shouted product endorsements like “Smoke Gold Cigarettes!” within earshot of pedestrians. The plane then lifted toward the heavens, blaring music as it buzzed skyward.

Of course, the effectiveness of such brand awareness tactics is difficult to track. In the case of the sky shouter, one Brooklyn resident in 1933 approvingly told a New York Times reporter, “I would rather listen for a moment to such a message and have it over with, instead of tuning in on my radio and being compelled to listen to many minutes of blah about Ajak Dog Blubber in order to hear a good dance orchestra.”

And while the tools to generate brand awareness have evolved, the desire for it hasn’t—in fact, it’s increased. For the DJ industry, which experiences a large amount of churn, and whose clientele does a tremendous amount of research online before they select a vendor, it’s more important than ever.

Without brand awareness— which we can broadly define as content on your website, like blog posts, e-books, a video presentation of your services, anything designed to inform readers and prospects about what makes your company different from the competition— those brides diligently doing their web research will have no way of knowing who your company is.

Some DJ owners believe “brand awareness” is PR. While PR placements are great—media placements look great on your office wall to impress clients or to put on your

HOW TO BUILD & MEASURE YOUR BRAND AWARENESS Goals to Get Your Brand-Awareness Campaign Started: Lift brand conversation (media mentions, social mentions, etc.) by 10-percent by X DATE Increase referral traffic by 20-percent by X DATE Increase direct traffic by 15-percent by X DATE

website as a form of social proof— their impact is not easily measured.

In the digital world, fortunately, Brand Awareness is measurable.

First, determine what form of brand awareness you’re looking for: Mass awareness of your service Ease of recollection of your company—aka brand recall, the “tip-ofthe-tongue” test.

A specific action you want a group of people to take (i.e., a bride calls you after an interaction at a bridal show) Several metrics can be employed to meet any one of these Three Brand Pillars of Awareness. All

of these metrics require that you’re using content—blogs, vlogs, infographics, or “how-to” informational pages on your website—to circulate your brand statement and messaging, and be comfortable using Google analytics.

Brand mentions: If your goal is mass awareness—via links or @ mentions—then you should be monitoring Brand Mentions. For this, you can use brand monitoring tools like Radian6 (expensive) or en.mention (more affordable), which will send an alert anytime anyone mentions your company. If you’re interested in tracking whether the mentions

are positive or negative—and who isn’t?—then you should track brand sentiment, too. Note: These tools can also help you identify which channels are interacting most with your content.

Shares: This is similar to brand mentions, but only on social media.

The caveat here is that your content needs to be “shareable” or “snackable” in order for this metric to make sense. Therefore, your content creation should be aligned accordingly.

Links: When the goal is to get in front of a publication’s audience— your local paper, a national trade magazine, etc.—this is your ticket.

It’s also good for long-term organic search and domain authority. To monitor links, try Moz Open Site Explorer.

Traffic: This is important if you want to increase the public’s interaction with your brand. When readers click a link from a social channel and arrive at your site, that means your headline did the trick—although it can always be done better.

New visitors: The lifeblood of every business. Look at New Visits in Google Analytics to make sure you’re hitting your goal of legitimate brand awareness.

Are they reading your content? A high bounce rate might not necessarily mean your content has failed.

That’s why Event Tracking is useful.

Download the Scroll Depth plugin and you can set a Google Analytics trigger event to indicate how far down a user has scrolled on your page—from 25- to 100-percent.

Forwards: Are you creating content that people want to forward to friends? A classic e-mail “Forward to a Friend” report or a Bitly link can help determine how shareworthy your content is.

Branded keyword search: A good way to track brand awareness is to monitor in Google Analytics how many times users arrive at your site by entering your company or brand name into a search engine.

Happy brand-building!

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– LOOKING BACK... AND MOVING FORWARD. – IN STYLE THE DJ EXPO CELEBRATES

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Each piece of 24-bit 44.1 KHz content in this sample pack was created using analog signals in the same way the originators’ material did.

All Trap Music Sample Pack 2 is compatible with all DAW software programs.

34

(RGBWA+UV), as well as 63 built-in color macros that allow users to create distinct, customized colors. The fixture is designed so that it can lie flat, with IEC and DMX in/out sockets positioned on one side. According to the company, this design facilitates uplighting walls, marquees, stages and décor and also allows it to be set inside truss for glow effects. Thanks to a dual yoke, the unit can also be hung.

ModernBeats has released a three-volume collection of PDF music contracts, including more than 30 publishing, production and management music contract templates. These include radio release agreements, music copyright assignment, booking agreements, sponsorship contracts and much more. Also included is a bonus report on starting your own publishing company. Music Producer Contracts (Volume 1), Music Manager Contracts (Volume 2), and Music Publishing Contracts (Volume 3) are each available for download from the ModernBeats website. All ModernBeats music contract templates were drafted and authenticated by music attorneys in Los Angeles and Hollywood.

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M70x is the flagship model in its M-Series line of headphones. The ATH-M70x professional monitor headphones feature a metal design, 90-degree swiveling earcups with professional-grade earpads, and proprietary 45mm large-aperture drivers with rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils. The headphones are tuned to accurately reproduce frequencies ranging from 5 to 40,000 Hz and they feature a maximum power input of 2,000 mW, which the company says results in very low distortion even at high volumes.

GEAR

AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

EZ Like Sunday Morning Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com Chauvet expanded its EZ line of battery-powered, wireless fixtures to include the EZWash Hex IRC. It is a compact wash fixture that uses 6-in-1 (RGBAW+UV) technology and features nine custom-mixed preset colors. Sporting white housing, the EZWash Hex IRC features a magnetic mounting plate and also comes with a scissor clip base. The unit is also available as part of the EZWash Hex Pack, which includes six fixtures, a charging unit and an IRC-6 remote control.

Magma Hard-Shell Mixware LLC 11070 Fleetwood St, Unit F Sun Valley, CA 91352 (786) 362-5757 www.mixware.net The Magma CTRL-Case series, distributed Stateside by Mixware, is a line of lightweight and compact hard-shell cases, offering a safe, convenient and comfortable way to hand-carry your DJ gear to any venue or event.

The EVA Durashock shell and interior foam padding offer ample protection without the weight, volume, and cost associated with heavy-duty road cases. The Magma CTRL-Case hard shell cases are available for most popular models from Pioneer DJ, Numark, Native Instruments, Ableton, Akai Pro, and more.

Kits & Kaboodle

DJ TIMES

Serato DJ Kits are available from both the company’s online store or in app within Serato DJ. The company bundled Serato DJ together with the existing Serato DJ Expansion Packs to create an all-in-one Serato DJ Suite. They also put together a Serato DJ + Tool Kit; Serato DJ + VJ Kit, which includes Serato Video; Serato Tool Kit, which is an add-on for existing Serato DJ users; and Serato FX Kit, which gives existing Serato DJ users access to more than 45 single- and multi-FX presets powered by iZotope.

JUNE 2015

Serato Private Bag 92015, AMSC Auckland 1142 New Zealand +64 9 379 4944 www.serato.com

35

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Max Out Blizzard Lighting N16 W23390 Stoneridge Dr. Suite E Waukesha, WI 53188 (414) 395-8365 www.blizzardlighting.com

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

The G-Max 150 from Blizzard Lighting is a moving head fixture that features a single 150-watt LED light source with 15-degree optics. It comes with a seven-color plus open color wheel and features dual colored beam effects, designated DMX values for each solid color, and bidirectional rainbow effects with a separate channel for speed control. The unit comes with three-phase stepper motors and two extra changeable gobos. Additional features include 540-degree pan, 270-degree tilt, four-button LCD control panel, three separate 32-bit dimming curve modes, and more.

36

My Xone & Only American Music & Sound 22020 Clarendon St, Suite 305 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com The Xone:43 from Allen & Heath is a 4 + 1 channel analog DJ mixer designed for DJs at all levels. The mixer features a Voltage Control Filter system that offers HPF, BPF, LPF, frequency sweep and “mild to wild” resonance control, according to the company. The unit is outfitted with four phono/line channels; an adjustable crossfader with three curve settings; a flexible mic/aux input with XLR and phono connectors and twoband EQ for tonal balance.

Born to Grundorf

A Matter of TRUSST

Grundorf Corporation 721 9th Avenue Council Bluffs, IA 51501 (712) 322-3900 www.grundorf.com

TRUSST 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (954) 577-4455 www.trusst.com

Grundorf expanded its DJ accessory line to include the Grundorf Façade Transport Bags, which are available in two sizes. The 75-506 transport bag measures 7.0 X 52.5 X 34.5 inches, while the 75-507 transport bag measures 5.0 X 33.0 X 17.5 inches. Both are made from synthetic black ballistic nylon fabric that the company says is water repellant and offers “exceptional tear strength and abrasion resistance.” They also include a special reinforced strap for securing the façade and a hook and loop closure for side loading.

TRUSST introduced a new line of scrim designed to cover trussing of different sizes. The company offers three products measuring two, two and a-half and three meters respectively. In addition, the CT-SCX is designed to fit a conventional X-stand, while the CT-SCDUO is designed to mask two sides of a tripod stand, leaving the third side open. TRUSST Scrim is made out of white fabric that fire retardant and features both double-stitched seams for extra strength and elastic sewn into the ends to prevent slippage.

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MOVEMENT, WITH VALUED SUPPORT FROM

THANKS OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

Claudio Coccoluto

“DON’T STAY” EP u Howson’s Groove u Chasing Unicorns This smooth and soulful deep-house piece brings a rich, vibrant groove, especially on the title tune—a sweet vocal cut that just rides along on a subtle bouncy beat. We also like the jazzy house sound of “The Night” with its dramatic keys. Quality release.

– Phil Turnipseed “ARE YOU DANCING?” u Vanni & Fav u Favouritizm This colorful electronic disco piece has monster synths, an infectious bassline and an energetic groove. The “Oompah Mix” takes a slightly more musical approach and both mixes are perfect for causing mayhem on the dancefloor. Check it!

Cuartero

– Shawn Christopher “THE MELODY” u Miguel Migs u Salted Music Another deep-vocal underground-house winner from Migs. Three worthy mixes to choose from, but we give the nod to the original that drops sweet keys over a tough groove.

– Tommy D Funk “WORDS GONE” EP u Popof feat. Arno Joey u Hot Creations The synthy, indie original mix proves no match for the incredible vibes of Luciano’s tribal remix, which is buoyed by an ocean of fat low-end. Label boss Jamie Jones mellows those vibes out and injects his signature percussive quirkiness. Marc Houle’s remix swaps out the synth and grooves it up.

– Chris Davis “LIGHTS DOWN” u The New Sins u Defected Records

“DIONELI” EP u Cuartero u Hot Creations This terrific four tracker of tech-house gems features some sultry vocals, killer basslines, massive drum rolls and bouncing 4/4 beats. Dancefloor weapons include the title track and the can’t-miss “Liquido.” A masterful production.

– Tommy D Funk

Full-on electro-house with some fantastic mixes, including the wonderfully warped “Waze & Odyssey Remix.” Another Defected floor-filler.

– Tommy D Funk “GROOVE ON” EP u in.deed u Kittball “Old School Lovin’” gets our love here—a Nu-Disco/deep-house gem that delivers a haunting bassline. The smoky vocals and hook will definitely get your attention and the intoxicating rhythm will have your head bopping. Just a killer!

– Phil Turnipseed

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

“BERLIN CHRONICLES” EP u Fur Coat u Crosstown

38

Rebels Dropping a rugged, full-bodied production across all three cuts, the Venezuelan duo offers some raw, techhouse energy here. We definitely love both “Seven” and “Banhof,” both delivering big basslines and lots of deep-house bite.

– Phil Turnipseed

“THE DUB 101” EP Claudio Coccoluto The Dub A funky ode to the disco/soul sounds of yesteryear. Both “Everybody Boogie” and “Burn Free” have those disco-inspired rhythms as well as some very cool vocal work. Top-notch!

– Phil Turnipseed

Fur Coat

Dosem

MADTECH 02 IBIZA

“PRESENCE” EP u Dosem u Toolroom Records On this two-tracker, both “Presence” and “The Next Room” offer incredible grooves with quirky, old-school horn patterns. And check the latter track’s amazing breakdown. Two destroyers.

– Tommy D Funk Miguel Migs

– Phil Turnipseed

With a classy, epic piano riff and some delicious vibes, this one has feel-good summer anthem written all over it. Nacho Marco’s mix lends some old-school flavors with a classic houseflavored bassline.

SO MANY COLOURS José Padilla International Feel From the opening cut, the jazzy and brilliant “Day One,” you know this is going to be special.

Fusing several genres of Afro-Soul, Afro-Cuban, jazzy house and subtle EDM-styled grooves, Padilla takes the listener on an adventurous, rhythmic journey. Top tracks include “Lollipop,” “Maybe the Sunset” and “Blitz Magic.” Terrific.

– Phil Turnipseed

GUEST REVIEWER: LENNY FONTANA

“DANCE DANCE” 3 Winans Bros. Ft. Clark Sisters Vega Records Sounds like an instant classic to me—if you’re into gospel-infused/ vocal-driven dance music, you won’t be disappointed. All the Louie Vega remixes are hot here, especially the “Funk House” mix, and they’re all packed with his signature soulful sound. A keeper.

JUNE 2015

– Shawn Christopher

Lenny Fontana

DJ TIMES

“WIFE” u Pete Dafeet u Lost My Dog

Various Artists MadTech Records This collection on Kerri Chandler’s imprint goes from original house to Nu Disco and deep house, from tech house to minimal and back again.

Trust me, you will find plenty of weapons for your next gig.

Some picks include “Depletion” by Celsius, “Mistical” by Copy Paste Soul, “Don’t Go”

by Cristoph and “Moment” by Human Life. Essential.

39

Jazzy Jeff

(continued from page 13) win, is: Learn from your mistakes. One of the things that I realized is that probably 80-percent of the Thre3style winners have competed before. So it’s almost like they think, “OK, I didn’t win, but I know what I did wrong—and I know how to fix it.”

DJ Times: Like, “What am I taking from this experience?”

Jazzy Jeff: Right, it’s just… paying attention, you know? And for the winners of the first heat, it’s like, “How well can I adjust to make sure I can

win the second heat?” You’ve got to pay attention to everything.

DJ Times: How has this particular competition put battles and the original culture of DJing back onto the map?

Jazzy Jeff: First of all, you have to give credit to Red Bull for putting the resources forward for all this. I mean, listen, Red Bull’s got somebody jumping out of the Space Shuttle [laughs], so they’re very much into the authenticity of things. So, making sure

that the competition has credible judges that you can’t really pull anything over on—because we’ve been around the block—or by putting these events in great venues, they’re doing it right. And with these competitions, they are showing everyone that there are a lot of great DJs around the world, not just the United States. And it’s all creating a network that, say, you get cool with the DJs from South America, next thing you know you’re playing there.

DJ Times: Such a difference now in the DJ scene, compared to when you started. Now the profile of the DJ has changed with the huge success of dance-music side of the things, and some of the enormous EDM festivals that are drawing more than 100,000 a day. From your perspective, what does that say about the evolution of the DJ culture?

Jazzy Jeff: For DJs, I look at it like this: You got the best job in the world. Your job is to go and make people have a good time by playing music, any kind of music. Just like the ebbs and flows, to me, watching the resurgence of dance music, it felt exactly like the rise of hip hop.

DJ Times: You came from Philadelphia, so you came up in a culture of R&B, disco, jazz, Philly Soul, Neo-Soul, then some more modern dance music, rock, hip hop—all of the above—and you’ve seen them all take their turns and have their day. Now electronic music is the sound that this generation prefers.

Jazzy Jeff: And this is something that has happened outside of America, long before it’s gotten here, as we now know it. That’s usually how the music trends go…

DJ Times: Unless it’s hip hop.

Jazzy Jeff: [Laughs] Yeah, exactly! But me, having the ability to travel abroad, I saw the dance-music/ EDM craze five or six years before it hit here.

DJ Times: Speaking of Philadelphia, Josh Wink was having pop hits in Europe in the 1990s. Meanwhile, they were still underground here.

Jazzy Jeff: That’s it, you know! So I watched it and even now I’m starting realize that the festivals want another stage. It’s like they’re taking it back to the old-school raves where you had rooms playing all the house music and all the techno, but you also had the “alternative room” that was playing something else. So it’s starting to kind of give people the ability to pick and choose what music you like.

DJ Times: Can you tell me three favorite venues that you’ve played?

Jazzy Jeff: There was a place in Philly that’s shut down called Fluid. Just the intimacy and the sound system made it feel like a house party. As a DJ, you always seem to cut your teeth in someone’s basement with a leaky pipe. I mean, Fluid didn’t have leaky pipes [laughs], but it had that closeness and intimacy made it great.

DJ Times: One of our faves, too. They had all kinds of DJs playing all kinds of genres, not to men© 2014. All Rights Reserved. NYS Dept. of Consumer Affairs #1387598 tion Guinness on tap. What else?

Jazzy Jeff: The Mighty in San Francisco has one of the best sound systems because it’s a throwDJ_Times_February_2014.indd 1 12/5/13 10:23 AM back—four big, giant stacks in each corner. People come and want to hear all kinds of music. They just want to dance and have a good time. And The Soda IDJNOW • Holiday Ad • 4c, 4.125” W X 4.375” H • Ad Runs in DJ TIMES for NAMM 1/15/2014 • 631-585-1100 x 7460 Factory in Sydney, Australia—just the vibe there.

It’s one of those places that draws an open-minded musical crowd. The décor there is really cool, but it’s not really big. In fact, a lot of my favorite venues aren’t the really huge ones; I prefer the ones where (continued on page 42)

MARKETPLACE

FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND DEADLINES CALL 800-YES-7678 X507

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

SUPPLIES

40

MP3s in 6

Compiled As May 13, 2015

NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART

NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART

1 Kelly Clarkson Heartbeat Song RCA 2 Tony Moran F/ Martha Wash Free People Radikal 3 Tove Lo Talking Body Universal 4 Nick Jonas Chains Columbia 5 Martin Garrix F/ Usher Don’t Look Down Spinnin 6 Madonna Ghosttown Interscope 7 Philip George Wish You Were Mine Motown 8 Chic F/ Nile Rodgers I’ll Be There Warner Brothers 9 Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars Uptown Funk Atlantic 10 Ellie Goulding Love Me Like You Do Interscope 11 Giorgio Moroder F/ Kylie Minogue Right Here Right Now SME 12 Calvin Harris F/ Ellie Goulding Outside Columbia 13 Pitbull F/ Ne-Yo Time Of Our Lives RCA 14 Sia Elastic Heart RCA 15 Madonna Living For Love Interscope 16 5 Maroon Sugar A&M 17 Alesso F/ Roy English Cool Def Jam 18 Delilah Party Till We Drop LP 19 Liz Primo Like A Star 444 20 Mary J Blige Right Now Capitol 21 Sir Ivan Kiss All The Bullies Goodbye Peaceman 22 Erasure Sacred Mute 23 Audien F/ James Parson Insomnia Astralwerks 24 Robert Clivilles Set Me Free C&C Music Factory 25 Muzik Box Fabulous Control Voltage 26 Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly Shite Dauman 27 Gorgon City F/ Jennifer Hudson Go All Night Capitol 28 Zedd F/ Selena Gomez I Want You To Know Interscope 29 Axwell and Ingrosso On My Way Def Jam 30 Clean Bandit Stronger Atlantic 31 Rihanna & K. West & Paul McCartney FourFiveSeconds Roc Nation 32 Eddie Amador F & Ultra Nate Take Care Of My Heart Citrusonic 33 David Seyer F/Karoll Floss Moonlight 27 34 Dave Aude F/ Jessica Sutta I’m Gonna Get You Audacious 35 Right Said Fred Shoulda Been Me Promark 36 Taylor Swift Blank Space Big Machine 37 TiE Won’t Let Go Global Groove 38 Stash Strip Me Bare CEO 39 Eric Prydz Vs Chvrches Tether Astralwerks 40 Alesso Heroes Universal

1 Fetty Wap 2 Omarion F/ C. Brown & Jhene Aiko 3 Weekend 4 Trey Songz 5 Big Sean F/ Kanye West 6 K.West F/T.London/A. Kingdom & P.McCartney 7 Drake 8 Migos 9 Ne-Yo F/ Juicy J 10 Chedda Da Connect 11 Ciara 12 Wale F/ Usher 13 Kendrick Lamar 14 Future 15 K Camp 16 J. Cole 17 Rihanna 18 T.I. F/ Chris Brown 19 Jidenna F/ Roman Gianarthur 20 Rich Homie Quan

Most Added Tracks

1 Robert Clivilles Set Me Free C&C Music Factory 2 Franques We Got It All Promark 3 TiE Won’t Let Go Global Groove 4 Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly Shite Dauman 5 Raquela Summertime HOP 6 Calvin Harris F/ Haim Pray To God Columbia 7 Zedd F/ Selena Gomez I Want You To Know Interscope 8 Sir Ivan Kiss All The Bullies Goodbye Peaceman 9 Chic F/ Nile Rodgers I’ll Be There Warner Brothers 10 Sam Smith Like I Can Capitol

REPORTING POOLS

Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen n Chew Fu - Woodbridge, CT; Chew Fu n Dirty Pop Productions - San Diego, CA; DJ Drew n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Victors - Milwaukee, WI; Chris Egner n Nexus Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n KRYC 105.9 - Yuba City, CA; Rich Fayden n MetroMix - Pittsburgh, PA; John Hohman n Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketcher n Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n Klubjumpers - San Antonio, TX; Dan Mathews 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 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 n Northeast Record Pool - Revere, MA; Justin Testa n Pacific Coast Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis Looking for these titles? You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com. Just click on the links in the chart.

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

770-740-0356

Trap Queen Post To Be Earned It Slow Motion Blessings All Day How About Now One Time She Knows Flicka Da Wrist I Bet The Matrimony King Kunta Commas Lil Bit Wet Dreams Bitch Better Have My ...

Private Show Classic Man Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)

RFG Atlantic Republic Atlantic Def Jam Def Jam Republic Quality Control Capitol EOne Epic Atlantic Interscope Epic Interscope Columbia Roc Nation Columbia Epic Tight 2 Def

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Jidenna F/ Roman Gia J. Cole Wale F/ Usher Kid Ink F/ DEJ Loaf Rich Homie Quan

Classic Man Wet Dreams The Matrimony Be Real Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)

Epic Columbia Atlantic RCA Think It’s A Game

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

Angie K ft Qbanito J Martin Rey Chavez Delilah Oro Solido, Hmns. Rosario y Grupomania Chino & Nacho Enrique I. ft Yandel & J Magan Angelina Alexon Zion y Lennox Papo Kpuccino Gente De Zona y Marc Anthony Tomas The Latin Boy Charlie Aponte Tarzana Victor Manuelle A. Santos ft Prince R. Clasicon Johnny Sky Prince Royce Tito Rojas

De Moda Yo soy el Loco Aquel Voy A Robarme a la Novia Party Til’ We Drop Merenguemania Me Voy A Enamorar De Dia y De Noche Amor (RMX) Pierdo La Cabeza Mi Tambor La Gozadera Bailalo Para Festejar Baila Con Tarzana Agua Bendita Que Cosas Tiene La Vida La Calle Soy Yo Quiereme Solita Aguzare y Come Berro

Big Dream PPE J&N Latina Princess 24K Universal Universal Insinna Mngt.

Latin Hits New Latin Records Latin Hits Latina Sony Demand Sony Latin Hits BN Premium Latin Top Stop Music T.R.

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Jessy Rose Pitbull ft J Balvin Sofia Reyes Amarfis ft Luis Vargaz Piso 21 ft Nicky Jam

Falso Amor Coco (RMX) Conmigo Solamente Tu Suele Suceder (RMX)

Park East 305 Warner Amarfica Latin Pulse Music

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.

Jazzy Jeff

(continued from page 40) you have more of a one-on-one connection with the audience.

DJ Times: What’s your DJ platform-and-mixer combo now?

Jazzy Jeff: I’m still using two turntables, whether they’re Technics or the new Pioneers, which I absolutely love. Right now I am on a Rane SixtyTwo mixer with a Pioneer DDJ-SP1controller, and Serato DJ [software].

DJ Times: Tell us about your predigital days.

Jazzy Jeff: I was taking vinyl, and it was a little bit of a pain. It could be very nerve-wracking flying into a place, like London, and you’re praying that your records show up. Please take my clothes, but not my records!

And then, I’m always the geek that I realize, “You know what? Getting my favorite records are getting harder and harder because now they’re only pressing one run of the records because nobody is caring about the DJ.” So when the music became kind of scarce, I was like, “Oh my God, what am I gonna do using two turntables and a mixer?” Enter Serato.

DJ Times: Let me go way back.

What was the very first DJ set-up that you bought?

Jazzy Jeff: Woo! I had a Technics SL-B1 belt-drive turntable. I had a Numark DM-500 mixer where the crossfader was only this big [holds fingers an inch apart], and the cue was right next to it and it was only about that big, too. It had no master on the mixer, so you almost wanted to run it through another mixer, so you could gain some control over it. I had either some Radio Shack ADC needles or some Pickerings that burned the daylights out of your records. That was it [laughs].

DJ Times: How did you get the

bug to start DJing?

Jazzy Jeff: Mine started early, like at 10 or 11. Somebody had a birthday party and I had a spindle of 45s. It was like I was the selector. I put the records on and it would end, then you would pick it up, pull it off and put the next one on.

DJ Times: What were you playing then?

Jazzy Jeff: Aw, man… back then, it was all funk and soul records. This was before hip hop, so it was Brass Construction, Mass Production, Con Funk Shun, Mandrill, anything that was playing at the block parties.

DJ Times: These days, DJs have so many options to promote themselves and, ultimately, raise their profiles.

The hustle is a little different from when you were doing it at first. What was it like for you then?

Jazzy Jeff: At first, it entailed you do somebody’s party for free, just to let people know who you are and know your name. I was the neighborhood DJ and you had to become the neighborhood DJ, and you wouldn’t get paid at first. One of the things I tell young people is how I got a job at Roy Rogers and I saved my money up to rent a hall to throw a party to buy two Technics 1200s.And even when I got my turntables, the goal of getting them wasn’t to make me money; it was more like, this is what I really want to do. It’s like… when I was a little kid, I had a basketball, but I didn’t really dream of going to the pros—I just enjoyed playing basketball. That’s how it was with DJing. But eventually, I started to play this party, then that party, then this party, and it just went on like that.

DJ Times: You began recording at a time when the DJ’s name came

first, before the rapper/MC’s name.

You had acts like Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Eric B & Rakim, and you were DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Obviously, that situation changed, but what was that time like for the DJ? Jazzy Jeff: It was great. It was like ever y Batman had a Robin [laughs], and you learned to play off of each other. It was good, especially growing up in Philly. But Philly was a little bit different from New York in that the MC’s job was to narrate the party and narrate what the DJ was doing. That camaraderie and that back-and-forth was like playing tennis.

DJ Times: And that’s still there with you and Will Smith?

Jazzy Jeff: When Will and I get together even today, some of the younger guys see this and they’re looking at us like, “Wait, you haven’t seen each other for seven months, and you just walked onstage and did a whole show just through eye contact?” It’s still that way.

DJ Times: So when did you re-

alize that you had that magic thing going with Will?

Jazzy Jeff: Very first night that we got together. I ended up doing a party on his street—but my MC didn’t make it. It’s like, you know everybody in the Philly scene, but we didn’t really know each other. He walked in the basement and it was like, “Hey, where’s Ice? Oh, he couldn’t make it? Mind if I rock the mic?” I was like, “Cool.” It was kind of the like the typical approach—let me throw some breaks on and he started rhyming. And it was just kinda like, “Hey…” DJ Times: What was it that worked?

Jazzy Jeff: For people who don’t DJ, it’s hard for them to know that the punchline comes on the fourth bar. Now I know that, as a DJ, I know to cut the music off on the fourth bar.

And he was looking at me, like, “Hey, how’d you know how to do that?” It was just that he was in-sync with me naturally, and I was in-sync with him.

That was it. I went home thinking, “Hey, I want that guy.” [laughs] And n the rest is history.

Sounding Off

(continued from page 29) backlit with red, blue and green lights, providing feedback in dark club environments. In addition to a Serato DJ download with each NV purchase, Numark is offering free artist remix pack samples from Toolroom Records, a label run by world-class DJ/producer Mark Knight. Load these up in your sampler and let ’er rip!

In Conclusion: After the success of Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol S4, Numark has answered with a top-tier Serato DJ controller that fills

a wide-open gap in the middle of the market. The highlights include its light weight, its portability, and the two 4.3inch color screens, which in certain situations will allow DJs to close the lid of their laptop as they perform. The only real drawback of the NV is the lack of a standalone mixer, which may prove a deal breaker for clubs that have frequent DJ changeovers in a night. All in all, Numark has done a great job at packing in so many features into such a reasonably-priced controller. n

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2015

Wiggle: Eddie Richards, Terry Francis & Nathan Coles

42

If you like Seth Troxler & Patrick Topping…

Then you probably like tech-house.

Well, we kinda invented it.

Wiggle, Next Month in DJ Times

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