Electronic instruments have made it possible that anyone can be a musician
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Are DJs Musicians?
- Thread starter Jazzdogg
- Start date
Not really relevant. You can have great music producers that are musical, but that doesn't make them musicians.
They’re taking all our gigs. They’re stealing all our recorded parts. They’re not musicians; they’re the ENEMY of musicians.
This is not a simple yes or no question.
I would not classify a traditional disc jockey (someone who strictly plays other people's music) as a musician.
I would however, classify people who compose and create music on their computers and then act as a DJ mixing the songs live for concerts as musicians. EDM (Electronic Dance Music) artists typically write their own melodies using 100% electronic instruments. They are still musicians, but not in the traditional sense.
Oxford defines musician as "a person who plays a musical instrument, especially as a profession, or is musically talented."
My $.02
I would not classify a traditional disc jockey (someone who strictly plays other people's music) as a musician.
I would however, classify people who compose and create music on their computers and then act as a DJ mixing the songs live for concerts as musicians. EDM (Electronic Dance Music) artists typically write their own melodies using 100% electronic instruments. They are still musicians, but not in the traditional sense.
Oxford defines musician as "a person who plays a musical instrument, especially as a profession, or is musically talented."
My $.02
It does take a skill set to be a good DJ. Does that make them a musician?
No more than being a good producer makes one a musician.
So, no it doesn't.
I'm referring to laptop Wedding DJs
No more than being a good producer makes one a musician.
So, no it doesn't.
I'm referring to laptop Wedding DJs
Grandmaster Flash played a gig in our town. Him and a DJ. He played his hit " The message " . Didn't sing it. The DJ played it. They also played famous songs from many bands including the Beatles, Stones, Beachboys, etc. It was a good show and the crowd was loving it. If a one hit wonder band played covers for most of their set they would not get to play gigs at that level. Seemed a bit contrary.
The DJs that stole all the gigs a long time ago are a dying breed. Everyone has an uncle or neice who can hire a PA and plug a phone into it. The DJs that get gig are getting gigs playing music that very few bands can even play. Let alone want to.
It souns harsh but "stay relevant or die" is probably the musical equivalent of "OK Boomer".
When I DJed a wedding off my phone it didn't take much musical talent. Producing an electronica album is taking me years, and I've played half a dozen instruments on it. Electronic instruments are call that because they are both electronic, and an instrument. After decades of eschewing electronic music because my musical "heritage" taught me it wasn't real music, I've realized it it the deepest well for musicians who want to swim down into it. The problem here is we call both of these things "being a DJ."
I use to DJ and even I stopped. I told some folks just that, you know you can just plug a phone in and play your own playlists, right?
That what I do now, hire out my PA gear.
PA Gear: $100
Me DJing and playing the music I can't stand to listen to, for your benefit: $1200.00
- May 3, 2019
- 92
- 79
- Disclosures
- I have no disclosures and am not receiving any product endorsements
I stopped by a music store in my small Arizona home town a few years ago and recognized the keyboard player from my very first band. His little brother played drums, I Played guitar.
As I recall, our first gig was cancelled because he was jailed for burglary.
Second gig, his keyboard was out of tune ???, so he played bass.
Fast forward 40 plus years, I decided to let bygones be bygones as I learned a great deal from him & there was still some respect for him. He and the singer were all older than I, and, back in 1967, I wasn't old enough to drive yet.
so i struck up conversation, he was renting a PA system from De No music prior to the weekend. i asked if he was still playing keyboards?
His answer....no he was a DJ.
As I recall, our first gig was cancelled because he was jailed for burglary.
Second gig, his keyboard was out of tune ???, so he played bass.
Fast forward 40 plus years, I decided to let bygones be bygones as I learned a great deal from him & there was still some respect for him. He and the singer were all older than I, and, back in 1967, I wasn't old enough to drive yet.
so i struck up conversation, he was renting a PA system from De No music prior to the weekend. i asked if he was still playing keyboards?
His answer....no he was a DJ.
I've got a buddy who does 50's and 60's R&B, Jazz, and Rocksteady DJ sets - he's got several albums on the market, and has literally toured the world (Europe last summer, he's done southeast Asia a few years ago, and many North American tours). Let me see if I can find some samples of his work.
C'mon man, you gots to get out more.
Blues DJs have already hit #1 on Billboard in 2018
Buddy of mine is a very skilled DJ. Club and mobile DJing. He’s very good at scratching, using effects, changing speeds, etc. Not just an average hit start/stop guy.
I asked him if he considers DJs musicians. I figured he has a somewhat unique perspective as he’s a very skilled pianist and trumpeter, which we would all consider instruments.
His response:
It got me thinking about seeing him perform. I’ve definitely seen him mix a capella versions of songs over the beat of a different song. I’ve seen him slow down or speed up a song to be able to mix perfectly into/out of another song. Aside from just having skills on turntables, a successful DJ also needs to know how to be able to read the room.
I’m going to amend my answer to say they can be, depending on what it is they’re doing.
Some places in this thread it’s been said that musicians need to create music. Well by that definition there might be some bedroom bassists here that aren’t in bands or play out that don’t fit the definition of musician.
I asked him if he considers DJs musicians. I figured he has a somewhat unique perspective as he’s a very skilled pianist and trumpeter, which we would all consider instruments.
His response:
It got me thinking about seeing him perform. I’ve definitely seen him mix a capella versions of songs over the beat of a different song. I’ve seen him slow down or speed up a song to be able to mix perfectly into/out of another song. Aside from just having skills on turntables, a successful DJ also needs to know how to be able to read the room.
I’m going to amend my answer to say they can be, depending on what it is they’re doing.
Some places in this thread it’s been said that musicians need to create music. Well by that definition there might be some bedroom bassists here that aren’t in bands or play out that don’t fit the definition of musician.
