Are DJs Musicians?

[mongo2]

The DJs I know would be insulted if you called them musicians.

 

[Wanker_Joe]

Just as owning a bass and parroting the Seven Nation Army riff does not in and of itself make one a musician.

So how do you define a musician then? Why is exclusivity so important to so many in this thread? Is there some kind of prestige I'm missing out on when it comes to "being a musician"? Maybe I'm not a musician so I just don't get it.

 

[Mikey F]

Yes. Watch Cut Chemist. Percussive mastery.

 

[lokikallas]

How much of a DJ performance is an act of real time musicianship and how much is a CD listening party? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I played with a “DJ” for a bit in a live band, but he had his keys and keytar for jamming at his performances. That’s a musician.

 

[Bassist30]

Yes.Obviously. What I meant was antiquated view of the term these days.

Got it

 

[DigitalMan]

Is the conductor of an orchestra a musician? No, not during the act of conducting anyway. Is that same person a musician if they pick up an instrument and play it? Yes, of course.

Is everyone who uses a turntable a musician? How about everyone who uses pots and pans? No. Unless an object is specifically a musical instrument, then it doesn’t automatically mean that what you do with it is being a musician. Some people play records, and some people cook with pots and pans instead of banging on them as drums. If I smash a guitar am I a musician? Same argument in reverse.

Do all DJs use the tools the same way? Is a DJ also considered a public speaker? Are they also a philosopher? Are they a life coach? Since they stand up and move around a bit, are they also a professional athlete?

 

[Drax]

Appreciate much of this lies in the pedantry of what defines a musician, and haven't trawled the 17 pages, so apologies if already covered.

Interesting to see people berating DJs for 'only playing other peoples music' - not far from the same criticism you could level at the average function band.

And is everyone that plays bass a musician? I've definitely come across some folk through the years who technically play an instrument, but would be a stretch to call them a musician.

 

[MrBassManG]

No. Not in the least, and I can't believe there are 70 people in this poll who have some sort of abstract justification to say they are.

As one of the 70, could I ask you to watch the last video in this quite frankly excellent post

do DJ know music theory ? Maybe not ... just like cover band musicians ! Do DJ took the time to learn to manipulate the computer or other electronics tools ? Yes just like someone took the time to learn to play bass ...

This is ridiculous stop being winey because you loose gig with your boring cover band in dive bar... stop thinking you are superior because of that

and tell me why my belief is abstract? Showing an understanding of rhythm, creating melodies, harmonies, basslines and awareness of various musical concepts to piece together a song using a chord progression that happened to be played by someone else shows musical talent. And that has appeared in all the definitions of 'musician' posited up to now.

As one of the 200+, would you mind explaining why those folk are not musicians?

 

[Willie5String]

On

I know that a musician can become a DJ. But, does being a DJ somehow make someone a musician?

My oldest daughter told me a friend of hers is a wonderful musician. When I asked whether her friend was an instrumentalist or vocalist, she gave me the "Dad, you're such an old fart" look and grumpily replied, "He's a DJ; DJ's are musicians."

OK, I'm an old retired guy, and my daughters frequently roll their eyes when I ask such questions, but - are DJs now considered musicians?

Does Berklee have a DJ major? Do folks now conflate being a DJ with being a musician?

No, unless you call photocopiers authors. Authors create, photocopiers reproduce.

 

[swink]

If I'm not a drummer, but I play finger drums to an original song?

percussionist.

If I play finger drums to a track piecemeal where I'm copying another person's performance note for note?

tribute percussionist.

If I read drum tabs and data enter the MIDI data directly into the DAW without having written the music, nor performed it in an audible way?

modern percussionist.

What if I launch BFD3 and let it roll a preset loop into my DAW, and then I find another preset loop and play that next?

digital Jazz percussionist.

What if I'm producing a song for someone else and I lay down a synthetic cowbell track for four beats of one bridge in the song?

producer.

I'm at a live performance and as a member of the audience I clap along to the song, and the sound of my clapping along with the rest of the audience becomes part of the live recording?

story to annoy the grandchildren.

If I listen to a song, and in my brain I hear a melody that is not part of the song, but my own complimentary creation, although I never manifest it in the real world in any tangible or audible way?

onanist.

The question is not "is that music" or "is that art", but "does that activity make someone a musician"?

To answer with "Big S" : What's in a name......

When the waitperson picks up your drink at the bar, adds a small garnishment to it and then delivers it to your table, is the waitperson now also a bartender?

This one should be discussed in the 4-string Vs. 5-string section
They're both qualified to do each others job but only one of them has more notes in its register.

 

[matthewbrown]

Some dj's can make quite a bit music on their own using samples, etc. In the broader sense, every human being with intact hearing is at heart a musician. And some folks without much hearing at all are pro musicians, so why not dj's?

 

[zubrycky]

No.

 

[Liam Wald]

Are sportscasters athletes? Are taco assemblers at Taco Bell or burger flippers at McDonalds Chefs?
If a painting contractor is hired to paint the walls at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and his work is clearly there for all to see right next to Jackson Pollock's work does that mean that they are peers? Brothers of paint and brush?

 

[Polish Thunder]

This stuff kills and is a good example of 'making music' as a DJ...Good example

I worked with DJ Disk before and He is extremely proficient in what He does.

I listened to this and it sounded familiar. Oh yeah, when my Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon CD got stuck in the CD player. He is proficient (I thnk?) but I do not hear any music....

 

[Bassist30]

There are great DJ's and average DJ's. Are they musicians I say no. Many really good ones I see some of which came from a background where the school system did not have a very good or substantial music department. Some mentioned here that they want to be musicians. Not sure that's a good or accurate statement. I know many teachers in the New York System where the music department is cut back or the arts in general. It is the same kids who want to make music. Nothing wrong with that and some are extremely good at it. They have their own community but being a musician is debated. But they are creating music with sounds but not from a dedicated instrument. You pull the plug there is no sound. With a dedicated instrument there is.

 

[DrMole]

Are sportscasters athletes? Are taco assemblers at Taco Bell or burger flippers at McDonalds Chefs?
If a painting contractor is hired to paint the walls at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and his work is clearly there for all to see right next to Jackson Pollock's work does that mean that they are peers? Brothers of paint and brush?

No, but the contractor's work may be equally as artistic as Pollock's just the other end of the spectrum- order, monotonality, planned.

 

[5StringBlues]

I'm not even stooping to post in this thread.

 

[buldog5151bass]

It depends. If all the person is doing is playing records, he is not. They are neither playing an instrument, singing, or creating new music. If they are using pre-recorded music to create a different composition, you have an argument that they are.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

actually building a bridge over a creek does make you an engineer. you planned, tested it, constructed it and used it. therefore you engineered the bridge. now you may not have enough skills to engineer a more complex bridge but that doesn't make you not an engineer. now if you define engineer as someone who has some sort of certification then you would also have to say that even if you know how to play an instrument, if a governing body has not certified you, are you a musician?

Not necessarily certified, but I would argue one must have an understanding of the theories/laws, principles, & science of how music works to be a musician. It’s not strictly applied to DJ’s either, many “musicians” aren’t. Ever meet a guitarist (or bassist) who talks about notes or keys as fret numbers?

 

[cnltb]

There are great DJ's and average DJ's. Are they musicians I say no. Many really good ones I see some of which came from a background where the school system did not have a very good or substantial music department. Some mentioned here that they are want to be musicians. Not sure that's a good or accurate statement. I know many teachers in the New York System where the music department is cut back or the arts in general. It is the same kids who want to make music. Nothing wrong with that and some are extremely good at it. They have their own community but being a musician is debated. But they are creating music with sounds but not from a dedicated instrument. You pull the plug there is no sound. With a dedicated instrument there is.

Like a synthesizer or a Hammond organ?