Are DJs Musicians?

[DJ Bebop]

I would vote yes, because I believe the recording studio itself is a "musical instrument." The studio is a piece of technology that converts abstract musical ideas into concrete audible sounds, and if that's not the definition of a "musical instrument" then I don't know what is.

In many ways a record producer has a similar musical role to the conductor of an orchestra (whom I definitely consider to be "musicians"). For example Teo Macero with Miles Davis, or George Martin with the Beatles, were definitely "musicians" in my mind.

And both were musicians in the sense that they were, musicians, they were players. Teo was a sax player and composer, George was a piano player and composer.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Is someone who goes to a supermarket and buys some 'stuff', a gourmet chef????　In one word, no, but in two, no way and in three , no F---ing way!

Is someone who goes to Guitar Center and buys some stuff, a musician?

 

[nonohmic]

If you haven't DJed, or openly experienced a well performed set, you really have no dog in the race

Agreed.

 

[ruju]

lol all you want, little man.
Your interpretations mean nothing to me.

Right. And you keep on blaming others for your lack of gigs..lol

 

[ruju]

Instrument-based message boards will never have a majority agreement on this, but I will put in my 2 cents.

First cent. Every talented DJ I know plays an instrument or two and understands the role of their instrument(s) in a band setting. They also create their own tracks, as well as remix and edit existing ones. These DJs are musicians, no argument will change that.

Second cent. Hip Hop turntablists may not play traditional instruments, but are manipulating two decks in a highly skillful, instrumental way. They are beat juggling and scratching in such a way that it shows the ability to match tempo like a band member, be as rhythmic as a drummer and manipulate gain and eq on the mixer like an engineer. It takes a lot of time and practice to do this, just like it did to learn an instrument.

I'm also a DJ-learned on vinyl in the late 20th century and continue to use Vinyl and CDJs as my primary source. I'm not as good as the ones referenced above, but understand what it takes to perform a moving set. Technology has made it quite easy to just push buttons and spit out a list of songs, but the talent is in putting together an emotional journey.

If you haven't DJed, or openly experienced a well performed set, you really have no dog in the race and your comments sound like DJism. That's right, I said it, you are a DJist.

Well put. I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[swink]

I would vote yes, because I believe the recording studio itself is a "musical instrument." The studio is a piece of technology that converts abstract musical ideas into concrete audible sounds, and if that's not the definition of a "musical instrument" then I don't know what is.

This is the key to the answer.... The world is our "musical instrument"... we're all musicians (exempt DJ's )

 

[swink]

Is someone who goes to Guitar Center and buys some stuff, a musician?

musician at skill level zero?

 

[consectaneus]

It is possible that the more we conceptualize what a musician is, the more we undermine what makes them unique and special.

 

[Spidey2112]

Is someone who goes to Guitar Center and buys some stuff, a musician?

Did they play 'Stairway To Heaven', during their visit?

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Most samples come from sources you didn't create.

So modern keyboardists aren't musicians if they are playing a digital keyboard. They're just hitting buttons that play samples someone else created.

 

[BassmonkeyJ]

That maybe true 20 years ago.

Now, a good DJ takes others music and crafts a set that is greater than the sum of it's parts.

Successful or 'good' DJs are absolutely musicians

I put good in quotations because it's subjective.

Hey, I can spin a record on a turntable, sooo... does that make me a dj? Surely.

 

[SJan3]

Right. And you keep on blaming others for your lack of gigs..lol

I have work. Don't you worry about me.

 

[IamGroot]

There are musicians and then there are people who impersonate musicians.

 

[SJan3]

musician at skill level zero?

That would be a beginner. Pretty simple.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I've seen hip-hop DJs and techno DJs use turntables, CD players, loopers, samplers, and/or pitch shifters (etc) as musical instruments. On the fly, these DJs create new music from snippets of existing music.

I'm not just talking mash-ups, although those can be brilliant. The best can create brand new songs, just as traditional musicians do with "original" music that has a verse progression from Hit Song A, a chorus progression from Hit Song B, and a bridge from Hit Song C. Actually, it isn't just that, either: DJs can build deep layers of sound, and also play solos, add melody. IMO these DJs are musicians, no question about it. They create original music with non-traditional instruments.



As for DJs that play songs as-is: the best are definitely artists. It takes skill to put songs in the right order, resulting in a pleasant flow of rhythm, mood, lyrical content -- tuning their set list on the fly with audience response and requests. Being a musician can certainly help, but many DJs have great ears and artistic sensibility without theory knowledge or the ability to play an instrument.

I don't think it's disrespectful in the least to say that these top DJs are "artists" but not "musicians". I understand that some will disagree, and I won't try to change anyone's mind. Just saying it's my opinion.

 

[bucky]

In my honest opinion-and from my experience ( bass player/band leader 40 plus years)
DJ’s are Musical Purveyors-
Musicians know how to tune instruments ( Gtrs & Basses) and perform songs in time - as well that the musicians know the chord changes to the songs-so a musician needs musical knowledge to perform -
A DJ needs to know “How to read a crowd” & bring on a sense of fun to any job -
People will continue to hire DJ’S because of 1) the budget 2) variety of music available on his laptop or iPhone-
In closing- Every band should have a Music guy who can be a substitute for a DJ and play songs on the break from his own laptop or iPhone to keep the crowd happy-

 

[nonohmic]

I'm reluctant to tell TB about this software...

Mixed In Key: Software for DJs and Music Producers - Mixed In Key

 

[ruju]

I'm reluctant to tell TB about this software...

Mixed In Key: Software for DJs and Music Producers - Mixed In Key

It's all good...many recording engineers already use similar software to tweak,quantize and autotune music.
I started DJing around 2001. At that time even the cdj from pioneer was relatively new, dj software was non existent. If you was mixing vinyl you had to cue up the mix part with the playing part. It had to be pitch matched manually using a pitch slider and your fingers to notch the record to be perfectly in sync with each other.
Mixing two records also involves eq ING and volume match each record. That means knowing how to blend multiple frequencies on the fly so the full mix doesn't sound like mush.
The only reason I defend DJs as musicians is because I am one and so are some of my extremely talented friends.
If it were so easy, anyone could do it. Many can dj, some have basic skills, and some can create a mood, atmosphere, experience.
The tools used is different, that's it.
Cheers

 

[consectaneus]

As for DJs that play songs as-is: the best are definitely artists. It takes skill to put songs in the right order, resulting in a pleasant flow of rhythm, mood, lyrical content -- tuning their set list on the fly with audience response and requests. Being a musician can certainly help, but many DJs have great ears and artistic sensibility without theory knowledge or the ability to play an instrument.

I don't think it's disrespectful in the least to say that these top DJs are "artists" but not "musicians". I understand that some will disagree, and I won't try to change anyone's mind. Just saying it's my opinion.

I think you have identified the line there for me. You may or may not have crossed it--it's still a little blurry. You made a good distinction though. The thing is, musicians are also called artists. It might be interesting to go back in history to find out when musicians started to be called artists. I think some things that are skills that are more and more called an art. Making a perfect souffle is an art, etc. I tend to think of this last sort of DJ as a skill gained through experience, knowledge of music, technical skill, and the ability to read a room. Not ready to call that person an artist. (Big "A" artist, anyway.)

 

[swink]

Hey, I can spin a record on a turntable, sooo... does that make me a dj? Surely.

After a lot of practice, I managed to wear a surgical mask correctly. May I call myself a surgeon?