Walking away from a night of spinning music that leaves you feeling completely empty is a nature sense and experience you will have from time to time. There will be days were you will not connect with the venue, the sound system, and/or most importantly, the folks that showed up for you to entertain. Just take note and deep consideration that emptiness and disconnect is enviable. I cannot explain why it happens, it just does. Even if you walk into the environment thinking it’s going to jump off, only to realize that the excitement never left the ground. What I can say, is that I can only share my insight based on my personal experiences. I played at many socials and events throughout my DJ career where that one night of spinning just felt like a job, a hired hand for the night with no high level of excitement or thrill. I just know I walked away with the feeling of emptiness because I had control over the room after I spun all the music that I thought would bring up the energy. I was booked by an event planner to spin a private birthday party at the Bentley Reserve in downtown San Francisco in spring 2003. The Bentley Reserve was formally a bank, with 100 foot ceiling, tall marble Columns, and a 10,000 square foot open event space. The event was a lavish production, the crew took a full day to load-in the sound equipment, lights, decor, and catering. My call time and sound check was 5:00pm. The event was due to start at 7:00pm. I arrived a few minutes before my call time and just as I was settling in, local recording Grammy artist Rob Thomas was completing his sound check. The band was rocking out. Rob sounded wonderful. Rob Thomas was a surprise gift to the birthday boy’s guest who was turning 32. The event planner and production crew designed and constructed an amazing DJ booth with 2 turntables, pioneers CDJ'S, and mixer, and two monitors. The booth was positioned on a platform high above the guest, the stage, and the dance floor. I felt like, the Wiz, in the Land of Oz. The two hundred guest arrived and I played NuJazz and up-tempo jams to accompany the spirit and energy of the cocktail reception. Rob Thomas was due to entertain the guest at 8:30. He was scheduled for a one hour performance. For whatever reason under the sun, Rob's start time was delayed. The show finally started 30 minutes later and once the band got started, they ran overtime. My role was to keep the energy high and party going after Rob Thomas. The band completed their set at 11:00pm. I drop my first song and all of the two hundred personal guest filed out the door making a final exodus. I was taken-a sideways. I could not believe what had just happened. The entire venue became empty for the exception of the production crew, catering staff, the Bentley Reserve staff, and the birthday boy and his family. I was thinking possibly the last Bart train to the Eastbay was leaving and everyone took public transit. I played maybe two or three more songs until the event planner came to me and said, "It’s a wrap". He apologized. I packed up my headphone, records, and CD's. I was paid my agreed compensation for the night, exited the building, jumped in a cab, and I was home sitting on my couch eating a bowl of cornflakes by 12am midnight. Even though I was ready to rock and play music all night, the guest were not. Although the birthday party at the Bentley was one of the most elaborate gigs I have played, I walked away with the sense of emptiness and disconnect. It happens and when it does I have to remind myself over and over that every gig, even the one that appears to be one of the finest of them all has left me with a lack luster emotional state and sense of purpose.
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I am fascinated by the DJ controller; the Pioneer DDJ is the second generation in the series of DJ controllers. One of the greatest attributes of the controller is the fact that the unit is a self-contained system; two playing decks with mixer, input for external devices, and microphone inputs. I really enjoy the fact that I can transport my light weight controller in the Pioneer Utility Backpack with convenience and ease anywhere I travel. For example I live in Mission District of San Francisco and at times my gigs are located just a few blocks from my home. I can walk to the event or jump on the public transit in a jiffy knowing that all my music and controller is on my back. I appreciate the idea that my system is always ready to go. Transporting my unit in my hatchback is also easy and I have any taken the DDJ-SR on airplanes as carry-on luggage. I am always ready to spin rather it be for friends, family, the street corner, city parks of San Francisco and or a professional gig. Another import factor for me having a personal devise such as a DJ Controller is that it eliminates the incompatibility issues that may arise when I spin at clubs or a venue that provides their own DJ equipment. Walking into a gig, I never knew what to expect when I played at an unfamiliar venue. Before controllers I would work at a nightclub with mixed matched CDJ’s or Turntables. It was frustrating to work on inferior units and not have any option to improve the conditions of the DJ gear. When I worked on equipment I had no connection with, it made a long night seem longer. The challenges that may arise using non personal devices is connectability issues such as DJ software and hardware, low quality, warn, outdated, dirty, damaged and missing DJ equipment. Even during the days of turntables or CDJ’s, I just never knew what to expect. I have gain the confidence to know when I spin using my DJ controller the unit is ready to perform at its optimum best. If a technical issues does surface I can isolate the trouble by either focusing on my computer and controller or the sound system that the venue provides. Using a controller is an efficient means to assure an evening of quality performance, programming and always being in control. Investing in a DJ Controller of any style, make, or model is a sure bet you can trust in. You can focus on your passion that will fuel and inspire your performance rather than distract and unsettle yourself just before you start your event or in the middle of a gig trying to be an I.T. (information technology) specialist or tech person. I am a DJ, you are a DJ, and we are DJ’s. I purchased 2 Pioneer Controllers: DDJ-SR & DDJ-SX2 The DDJ-SX2 is the larger robust model with all the features to challenge a seasoned DJ like myself. I have been spinning music for 35 years now. I have spun using Reel to Reel, Cassettes, 8-Tracks, Turntables, Dural CD Players, DJ Apps, and now DJ Controllers. I use the DDJ-SX2 in the Fingersnaps Home Music Studio to practice my skill set, record my music mixes, edit audio and songs, remix tracks, and teach DJ Lessons. The DDJ-SX2 is an amazing system with technological advances that summarizes the history of the art form. All makes and models of DJ Controllers are the culmination and linage of the past 50 years of DJ performance, audio recording and audio playback from a DJ perspective and discipline. Think about it, having a light weight DJ device that you can carry almost anywhere that is equipped with the capabilities of sampling, looping , programming, scratching, remixing, and tons of special effects is a tireless consideration of creative possibilities. The DDJ-SR is the smaller sibling to the DDJ-SX2. The DDJ-SR was the first within its model and class. The DDJ-SR became the standard and base quality brand for the Pioneer DJ Controller series with in the past few years. The DDJ-SR has many of the features the DDJ-SX2 has but the most important element is the USB power source. The Pioneer DDJ-SR is USB powered via laptop, tablet, and or desktop computer. I appreciate the idea that I can set up my controller almost anywhere and start spinning music creating a live activated space. I acquired the DDJ-SR as a quick lightweight unit I can carry and set up in a flash. I use the Alesis Trans-Active Mobile PA System (this unit maneuvers like a roll-away luggage bag), the DDJ-SR, and my laptop computer. The laptop powers the DDJ-SR and I am good to play for up to 5 hours at a city park in San Francisco or a small social gathering at a friend’s house. The USB powered feature is one of the major definitive variables of the Pioneer DDJ-SR Controller and for any controller within its class. There are many makes and models of DJ Controllers of all price points on the market. What every unit you start with just know will be ready to rock your world! For information contact DJ Lamont at Fingersnaps Media Arts Music was played in my home as a child, my mom’s mom Virginia Fountain played gospel hymns on Sunday morning while Maxwell House coffee percolated in the coffee pot in the kitchen as she got ready to go to church to in sing in the choir. Yet, the night before, Saturday night, she sang the Blues and dance sensual moves to Soul Music ‘till the late evening while hosting a lavish cocktail and dinner party for friends and family. As a teenager, my mom collected as many 45rpm’s as I have 12’ vinyl singles today. As a kid slowly approaching my double digit years, I vividly remember my mom hearing a song on the radio or at a friend’s house. Then shortly thereafter her hearing that new song, my mom would say “get your coat we are going to the record shop”. We would leave the house swiftly, drive to the south side of the city and park the car. We would both jump out. I was trailing behind her while she held my hand, I felt the excitement of my mom’s energy flowing through my body as she anticipated acquiring that brand new record. We approached the main entrance of the shop. The announcement of a door bell would present are arrival only to be welcomed by a familiar face of the record shop owner or clerk, gracefully stating, “good to see you again Jackie, what are you looking for today”. Many things have changed in my life since those early days of the 1970’s but what has not changed is my passion and enthusiasm for music, rather it be music on a Reel to Reel player or a hot new track I just downloaded to be played using Serrato DJ and my Pioneer DJ controller. My connection is about the music. A great passion of mine is creating a DJ mix for my radio show on KPOO 89.5 San Francisco. The mix is coined the San Francisco Street Inspire House, the name was derived from me spinning live on the streets corners of San Francisco using my mini-portable DJ unit. When I was a kid and just discovering music and my interest in audio, I would use my older sisters Jean and Loray’s cassette recorder that had a handheld microphone. I would record mixes from radio station WYBC & WNHU in New Haven, Connecticut. Every weekend the DJ’s on the air would mix Disco and Soul Music. Each week I would learn from the previous week how to improve the overall quality of my recording by adjusting the microphone to various positions until I was able to gain my ideal sound, I guess would can say I was training my ear. Some weeks the recording of the music would peak with distortion. On other occasions the microphone was too far away from the speaker and the audio signal of the recording would record week. Other times, the family would be milling around the house so I was able to hear people walking up and down the stairs, or the running of the vacuum cleaner, or even the flushing of the toilet, all of these household affects was captured while I was recording the radio signal using an eternal microphone. Then I learned to close the door and windows, ensure everyone was out of the house or at lease settled down before I would try once again. After several weeks, I was able to capture the cleanest, crispest sound quality that one was able to record using a Zenith Portable Cassette Record from 1979. Till this day I hold the passion for recording my mixes as I did when I was a young lad exploring the world of audio. Although today, I use DJ equipment that extends way beyond the quality of an analog cassette tape however, I can say I gained a trained ear for audio during those sessions. |
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