under/over

[Chris Rapier]

On 6/23/06, Brian J. Parker <brian.j.parker at gmail.com> wrote:
> The CD interfaces have come far, but turntablism is certainly easier
> when you've got vinyl you can put tape on.  And let's face it, records
> are sexier and showier if people are WATCHING you DJ.

Even if people aren't watching you DJ I still think there is a lot to
be said for using vinyl. Of course, I cut my teeth on vinyl. But
really, all the advanced consoles that let you beatmatch and scratch
CDs and mp3s are just a simulation of what vinyls lets you do.

> Specific to the G/I scene, though, you're kind of forced to rely on
> digital if you want to play anything after a certain date.

Of course.

> technology exists to press one's own records, but it's prohibitively
> expensive.  Also-- as much as I enjoy the technical tricks one can
> bring to DJing-- it is not something the G/I crowd typically cares
> much about.

I disagree. I think the G/I scene doesn't tend to care because the G/I
scene has developed very low expectations. G/I DJs back in the late
80s and early 90s *used* to do all of the turntable action. I think
partly because they wanted to play around and the tools they had
available allowed (if not actually encouraged) them to.  That sort of
died out and I think it was in part due to the fact that people were
switching to CDs and the technology at the time simply didn't lend
itself to playing around like that (there were some people using
digital samplers to cut loops but that never really moved that far).
Times change, eventually they will change back because I really think
once you have a G/I DJ that can really excite people with what and
*how* they are playing more clubgoers will demand it. It would
certainly make the experience more interesting.