What do you look for in a DJ

[bxtreme]

In this thread I would like to know how you people rate djs, and why you consider certain djs better than others. Which skills are you really critical about. Do you care about crowd interaction? Etc.

So list the different points/criteria you use to subjectively rate a dj. Also, please list these in terms of priority (highest to lowest)

possible criteria
- beatmatching ( do u tolerate trainwrecking/out of sync beats? )
- harmonic mixing
- track selection
- crowd interaction
- looks/fashion
- personality away from the booth
- up-to-date music/promos

this should say a lot about how closely the 'educated' crowd listens to djs and what they care about most.. should be interesting!

[Proof]

Good topics. Although....what i would rate certain dj's to be better would be

Real DJ Skills (Not play...pop another track, blend...then play)
Mood selection tracks (Doesn't break a mood by dropping a shit one)
Beatmatching (Cannot tolerate trainwrecks and EQ abusers)
Crowd interaction (Personality in and away from booth, we need action)

That would it for now...can't really think.

*EDIT: shouldn't this be in the "music room"??*

[bxtreme]

it took me a couple of minutes to think about it.. but the DJ section is the most suitable at the end since this topic is strictly dj related..

[Genesis]

Apu, stop sticking ur nose in wrong places

i'll line-up the criteria bxtreme suggested in order of importance:

- beatmatching and track selection should be the most influencing criteria
and of equal importance so i couldn't really split them.

- up-to-date music/promos : i care a lot for unreleased tunes. it's a striking
element for me.

- harmonic mixing should be 3rd, building up the set properly, no unrelated
tunes thrown into the dancefloor.

- crowd interaction is not big deal for me. i do care for it, but i won't value
a DJ on that criterion. if a DJ had no interaction at all (rare as this might
be) i'd still be into his music if he delivered the 1st three principles.

- personality away from the booth .. well, i'd care for that on his radio
show messages, or comments on certain news, reviews, mag articles,
activity and interaction with his fan base in his forum, but still... doesn't
influence his skills in the more important three sectors.

- looks/fashion.. don't care at all...

[Proof]

If you want ur curry slushie...u'll shut up by now Gen .

[Roland]

Nice Topic Here ...

1- Beatmatching Skills
2- TrackSelection
3- His Interaction With The Crowd
4- His Pernonality Beside Beeing A DJ (Friendly,Rude....)

[c-rouge]

very nice topic! I agree with all the points you said Bxtreme, one completes the other but beatmatching & track selection are on the top!
Plus I would add ur own production on 4th row, thats something very important!

- beatmatching
- track selection
- harmonic mixing
- Own productions
- crowd interaction
- looks/fashion
- personality away from the booth
- up-to-date music/promos

[Tala]

ignorant people sometimes dont notice the "mistakes" a Dj is commiting (regarding the beatmatching i mean). i think the track selection is very important so by that the Dj can keep his crowd jumping/dancing all the time.. with a good track selection people wouldnt really care about the beatmatching unless it's too obvious and can't handle it.. the combination of the 2 together makes a perfect Dj + we, from the middle east, adore to interact with others. same goes with the Dj, our joy will grow much more while seeing this Dj making you understand how great the music it is and makes you smile him back without even noticing with a very simple smile. so:
1- track selection
2- beatmaching (a good Dj knows how to "correct" his "mistake" if he goes offbeat so it wont be obvious)
3- interaction with his crowd
i think the personality here can be shown in the interaction with the crowd, so i wont list it alone. Nice/deep topic.

[DIONYSOS]

First and foremost: taste in music (including new releases and just a few classics); even if he commits a couple of non-fatal technical mistakes, it's really not a big deal at all - when you leave an gig that had great music, you'll remember that great music and not the few mistakes.

Second, technical skills: a couple of mistakes are only due to human imperfection, but overall a minimum of technical level is required of a DJ, and anything above that minimum (such as effects or harmonic mixing) adds to his value.

Third, crowd interaction: it's not an absolute must, but it's a great added value!

Fourth, personality: not even an added value, just a luxury, something you can mention when talking about the DJ, but not something I'd evaluate him for.

[Blue]

1-track selection
2-harmonic mixing
3-beatmatching
4-up-to-date music/promos
5-crowd interaction

[st. lassic]

All DJ's must measure up to one standard- Armin van Buuren is, in my opinion, the best DJ to ever have existed. He has all of those things. He is the premiere, pristine DJ.

[Nino]

1-His name 2 atract ppls ...like Tiesto massalan 16000 bcz he is Tiesto
2-Beatmatching
3-Tracklist selection
4-The crowd

[samer]

[A.H. DeeJay]

[Shy--Ism]

1- harmonic mixing (includes taste in music too)
2- beatmatching (it was hard to split "1" and "2" but still i take them both very important elements)
3- up-to-date music/promos (it is better to go to an event and enjoy listening to new/unreleased tunes)
4- track selection ( it is better to have a good track selection and not playing the most wanted/Massive tracks at the same time then leaving other tunes till the end....or vice versa)
5- crowd interaction/personality (i find it important too:it will leave the *nostalgia* in each raver spirit after the event finishes ....but i think what i mentioned above would certainely let the crowd jump all over the night)

I don't care that much in the Dj's look and appearance but it's cooler/better to have a fashioning Dj spinning at a gig....however still don't mind since a good music quality is played!

Nice Topic Bassel , it is very interesting to know how others rate Djs