New Media Research Studio

I’ve drawn a few conclusions after talking to some DJ’s about the whole vinyl/digital divide. I was able to video only one interview, with Alex Barnes, but I also talked with Gasuza (East African Urban Funk/Reggae DJ and Photographer) Steve B (House DJ and promoter) and Menda (Funk DJ, guitarist and vynil distributer). Alex and Gasuza represent the digital DJ’s (who learned on vinyl) and Steve B and Menda are the die-hard vinyl fans.

Neither Menda or Steve B are protecting a dying art, or maintaining an elitist skill set. They are both vinyl DJ’s for purely aesthetic reasons. Steve B describes the visual and physical attributes of spinning vinyl “the touch, the smell, you can see the bridge and the sections of the song in the grooves of the vinyl.” He even enjoys “the thrill of the chase” in record hunting. He appreciates the culture of “white-labeling” (the white labels that go over the name of the song in the middle of the record) and the possibilities for rare and unknown tracks you can find on vinyl. Menda deals records and he is intimately entwined in the chase for rare and coveted records, from the other side.

Alex and Gasuza both spin music that is sometimes only available in mp3 format, so Serato is a given for them. But Gasuza talked about all the major DJ’s resisting Serato for a couple years. What made Serato such an important bridge between digital and analogue music was not only that it allows DJ’s to mix vinyl and mp3′s in the same set, but it created an interface that allowed DJ’s to use their skills with vinyl turn-tables, also with their mp3′s. It created a bridge where traditional DJ’s didn’t have to throw away their skills or become obsolete.

Here’s the interview with Alex Barnes:

The transcript:

P: “I wana know, and everyone in the class wants to know, what’s the difference between Serato and vinyl? What do you use?”

A: “I use Serato. And I also use vinyl, but the real reason I first got into Serato was just that it opened up my collection. When I first started out, when I first got my records, turntables, I was all about spinning wax, you know, I still am. I like the feel of it, I like the technique, that’s just how I learned, so I feel comfortable using two turntables and a mixer. But I had all these mp3′s, like everybody else, my iTunes collection was growing. So there I was, spending money on all these records, downloading all this great music, and saying ‘Dam, wouldn’t it be great if I could mix this track I got digitally with this shit I got on wax’–oh sorry, I shouldn’t curse right?.”

P: “No it’s ok. it’s all good.”

A: “Right. so I had all these great tracks on mp3 that I was like ‘I would love to put these in my set, I would love to learn how to mix these with the records I’ve got. So, shy of going out hunting down every last 12-inch that
I’ve also got on mp3, which, let’s be honest, is a little pricey. Serato, which is not cheap itself, what really attracted me to it was just that it would allow me, by using the same set-up, the same feel of two turntables, a mixer– you’re doing the same techniques, but it opens it up, now you have your whole mp3 library, available to mix with any records and vice-versa.

Now, the way I use it, I’m strictly using my Serato software, I got all my music in one library, it’s on my hard drive, I plug it [Serato] into my laptop and I’m good to go. But what started me out was to be able to go from vinyl to mp3 without anyone really knowing the difference.”

P: “So you were mixing mp3′s and vinyl in the same set.”

A: “Yeah. But as I got to know the interface more, Serato– see they’re really slick, ’cause they really let you do all the basic techniques, like tracking the BPM, you can set cue points, it opens it up so you can do all these things digitally that you would still be doing manually, scratching and mixing, it just makes your life easier. So instead of counting our BPMs…”

P: “There’s just a button?”

A: “You still gotta tap it out, you still gotta have rhythm, you still gotta know how to scratch. It’s not like you push a button and it’s playing your whole set. And that’s actually why I like it. You still got to use the same craft of DJing. At the time when I was learning just the basic techniques, it [Serato] actually really helped me out. I had more tracks available. To do doubles, I didn’t have to go to my local record shop and get double the same $9 record. It’s [Serato] expensive, but in the end it really opened things up.”

P: “Did you experience, in the DJ’s that you know, any kind of resistance to mp3′s being used?”

A: “I don’t know, I haven’t been DJing for that long, so maybe the people I know aren’t of that generation. I mean, every DJ I’ve seen playing out has been using Serato and has no qualms about it. The big radio DJ’s– listen to Funkmaster Flex on Saturday night, that’s Seratio you’re listening to. You go to the club, most likely, the Dj’s using it. Cause, it makes your life just so much easier. Keeping track of all your mp3′s aside, lugging all your records– I mean, you got two crates right here, and that’s two hours if you’re really spacing yourself out– that’s a pain. [In stead of ] just having the laptop set up.

And as far as DJ’s that are trying to keep it ‘pure’ or whatever, that argument just doesn’t make sense to me, in this day and age. First of all, you’re listening to digital anyways. If the shit was made on an MPC or a drum machine, we’re already talking about analogue-digital break down. So you mean to tell me that you’re going to play your digital music on vinyl and– I’ve just never heard that argument made with much conviction.”

P: “What about podcasting and online radio? How has the explosion of social media that’s right at your fingertips effected the game? Do you think it’s watered-down the population of DJ’s, or has it made Djing as a profession better?”

A: “It’s hard to say. Certaintly with digital media, you’re going to have a lot of kids who have easier access to technology putting any old playlist up, and now its a podcast. Like anything, there’s always going to be an influx of wack shit. But– I’ve learned about a lot of great music through podcasts. Online radio is something I’ve always been fascinated by. East Vill Radio, I don’t know if you know them, but I think they really do it right. If you have good programming, if you have good material and you can get it online, it just makes it easier for fans to get at.

I remember when I was a teenager, spent hours and hours and hours of my life, pressing record on the tape decks, trying to record late night freestyles on hip-hop radio or what have you. You know, going downtown on weekends to get mixtapes. Not to say I loved doin it, but there was definitely a culture that you got to be part of, that’s definitely being lost, in terms of going out physically shopping for records. Now, it all happens online, sitting in your living room. This is where I sound old. You know, going into Fat Beats. They’re still open. They were the mecca if you were into underground hip hop in New York. It still is, but ten years ago, you walk in and just breathe the air. Dance Tracks was a big House record shop in the East Village. They actually closed down and now have a great online store– they’re all eCommerce, and it’s a terrific site. ”

P: “Do you see new places where that kind of energy pops up?”

A: “Most definitely. Turntable Lab is another great example of a traditional record store that’s had really strong success online. It’s just the way people are using the technology. I think the possibilities of opening up with podcasting, online radio, just distributing. If you’re trying to start out, you got a cd, you got a mixtape, you’re trying to get gigs, put it up on your website, its just another empowering tool.

So, yea I got no problem with the technology. DJ’s have always been the technology nerds, from Grandmaster Flash, these are just guys who are trying to get into the record player, open it up, see what it could do, tinker. So take that and fast-forward 30-some years, same trajectory. Of course technology is making things ‘easier’ in certain ways, but there’s always new shit popping off.”

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