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88-475: A disc jockey , more commonly abbreviated as DJ , is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals ), mobile DJs (who are hired to work at public and private events such as weddings, parties, or festivals), and turntablists (who use record players, usually turntables , to manipulate sounds on phonograph records ). Originally,

176-721: A DJ controller device to mix audio files on a computer instead of a console mixer. DJs may also use a microphone to speak to the audience; effects units such as reverb to create sound effects and electronic musical instruments such as drum machines and synthesizers . Some of the most popular DJs are Skrillex , David Guetta , Porter Robinson , deadmau5 , Avicii , Calvin Harris , Martin Garrix , Marshmello , Zedd , Alan Walker , Eric Prydz , DJ Snake , R3HAB , Timmy Trumpet , Tiësto , Steve Aoki , Diplo , Nicky Romero , Lost Frequencies , Daft Punk . The term "disc jockey"

264-556: A DJ controller . Modern media players have the ability to stream music from online music providers such as Beatport, Beatsource, Tidal and SoundCloud GO. DJ mixers are small audio mixing consoles specialized for DJing. Most DJ mixers have far fewer channels than a mixer used by a record producer or audio engineer ; whereas standard live sound mixers in small venues have 12 to 24 channels, and standard recording studio mixers have even more (as many as 72 on large boards), basic DJ mixers may have only two channels. While DJ mixers have many of

352-438: A break is an instrumental or percussion section during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece. A break is usually interpolated between sections of a song, to provide a sense of anticipation, signal the start of a new section, or create variety in the arrangement. A solo break in jazz occurs when the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums) stops playing behind

440-521: A microphone , effects units such as reverb , and electronic musical instruments such as drum machines and synthesizers. As music technology has progressed, DJs have adopted different types of equipment to play and mix music, all of which are still commonly used. Traditionally, DJs used two turntables plugged into a DJ mixer to mix music on vinyl records. As compact discs became popular media for publishing music, specialized high-quality CD players known as CDJs were developed for DJs. CDJs can take

528-472: A talk radio show that may take calls from listeners; interviews celebrities or guests; or gives news, weather, sports, or traffic information. The radio personality may broadcast live or use voice-tracking techniques. Increasingly in the 2010s, radio personalities are expected to supplement their on-air work by posting information online, such as on a blog or on another web forum. This may be either to generate additional revenue or connect with listeners. With

616-443: A New York-based collective and booking agency, describe themselves as "representing and showcasing cis women, trans women and genderqueer [ sic ] talent." In Japan, the newest Bushiroad franchise: D4DJ focuses on an all-women DJ unit. DJs use equipment that enables them to play multiple sources of recorded music and mix them to create seamless transitions and unique arrangements of songs. An important tool for DJs

704-468: A bachelor's degree had a salary range of $ 19,600–60,400. The salary of a local radio personality will differ from a national radio personality. National personality pay can be in the millions because of the increased audience size and corporate sponsorship. For example, Rush Limbaugh was reportedly paid $ 38 million annually as part of the eight-year $ 400 million contract he signed with Clear Channel Communications. Break (music) In popular music ,

792-422: A break and use this technique. A break beat is the sampling of breaks as ( drum loop ) beats, (originally found in soul or funk tracks) and their subsequent use as the rhythmic basis for hip hop and rap . It was invented by DJ Kool Herc , a Jamaican who emigrated to New York. He is usually credited with being a pioneer of the technique of using two copies of one record so as to be able to mix between

880-545: A break is where all the elements of a song (e.g., synth pads , basslines , vocals), except for percussion, disappear; as such, the break is also called a "percussion break". This is distinguished from a breakdown , a section where the composition is deliberately deconstructed to minimal elements (usually the percussion or rhythm section with the vocal re-introduced over the minimal backing), all other parts having been gradually or suddenly cut out. The distinction between breaks and breakdowns may be described as, "Breaks are for

968-410: A broad style classification itself called breakbeat . Hip-hop break beat compilations include Hardcore Break Beats and Break Beats , and Drum Drops . It was during the break beats of the song that break dancers and b-boys and girls would become the focus of attention and demonstrate their personal flair. DJ Kool Herc inspired local dancers to dance on the break beats, creating new sounds by combining

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1056-482: A computer to fully take advantage of its features. The consumer-grade, regular sound card integrated into most computer motherboards can only output two channels (one stereo pair). However, DJs need to be able to output at least four channels (two stereo pairs, thus Left and Right for input 1 and Left and Right for input 2), either unmixed signals to send to a DJ mixer or the main output plus a headphone output. Additionally, DJ sound cards output higher-quality signals than

1144-692: A decisive influence on the club or a series of events. Per agreement with the management or company, the DJ would have to perform under agreed times and dates. Typically, DJs perform as residents for two or three times in a week, for example, on Friday and Saturday. DJs who make a steady income from a venue are also considered resident DJs. Examples for resident DJs are: In Western popular music , even though there are relatively few women DJs and turntablists, women musicians have achieved great success in singing and songwriting roles, however, they are given much less representation than men DJs. Part of this may stem from

1232-412: A deejay (DJ) is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and " toasts " (recites poetry) to an instrumental riddim . Deejays are not to be confused with DJs from other music genres like hip hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors. Deejays whose style is nearer to singing are sometimes called singjays . The term deejay originated in

1320-481: A demographic distinct from teenagers in the Bronx, Herc's parties had a ready-made audience. DJ Kool Herc developed the style that was the blueprint for hip hop music . Herc used the record to focus on a short, heavily percussive part in it: the " break ". Since this part of the record was the one the dancers liked best, Herc isolated the break and prolonged it by changing between two record players. As one record reached

1408-411: A feature commonly labelled "sync". Most DJ mixers now include a beat counter which analyzes the tempo of an incoming sound source and displays its tempo in beats per minute (BPM), which may assist with beatmatching analog sound sources. In the past, being a DJ has largely been a self-taught craft but with the complexities of new technologies and the convergence with music production methods, there are

1496-423: A feature known as "keylock". Some software analyzes the loudness of the music for automatic normalization with ReplayGain and detects the musical key. Additionally, DJ software can store cue points, set loops, and apply effects . As tablet computers and smartphones became widespread, DJ software was written to run on these devices in addition to laptops. DJ software requires specialized hardware in addition to

1584-487: A generally low percentage of women in audio technology-related jobs. A 2013 Sound on Sound article by Rosina Ncube stated that there are "... few women in record production and sound engineering ." Ncube states that "[n]inety-five percent of music producers are male, and although there are women producers achieving great things in music, they are less well-known than their counterparts." The vast majority of students in music technology programs are male. In hip hop music ,

1672-410: A growing number of schools and organizations that offer instruction on the techniques. In DJ culture, miming refers to the practice of DJ's pantomiming the actions of live-mixing a set on stage while a pre-recorded mix plays over the sound system. Miming mixing in a live performance is considered to be controversial within DJ culture. Some within the DJ community say that miming is increasingly used as

1760-461: A hardware mixer. Turntables allow DJs to play vinyl records. By adjusting the playback speed of the turntable, either by adjusting the speed knob or by manipulating the platter (e.g., by slowing down the platter by putting a finger gently along the side), DJs can match the tempos of different records so their rhythms can be played together at the same time without clashing or make a smooth, seamless transition from one song to another. This technique

1848-417: A laptop as a source of music instead of transporting CDs or vinyl records to gigs. Unlike most music player software designed for regular consumers , DJ software can play at least two audio files simultaneously, display the waveforms of the files on screen and enable the DJ to listen to either source. The waveforms allow the DJ to see what is coming next in the music and how the playback of different files

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1936-423: A live audience in a nightclub or dance club or a TV, radio broadcast audience, or an online radio audience. DJs also create mixes, remixes and tracks that are recorded for later sale and distribution. In hip hop music , DJs may create beats, using percussion breaks , basslines and other musical content sampled from pre-existing records. In hip hop, rappers and MCs use these beats to rap over. Some DJs adopt

2024-405: A means to better mix and blend recorded music. These techniques primarily include the cueing , equalization and audio mixing of two or more sound sources. The complexity and frequency of special techniques depend largely on the setting in which a DJ is working. Radio DJs are less likely to focus on advanced music-mixing procedures than club DJs, who rely on a smooth transition between songs using

2112-656: A more creative manner (although turntablism is often considered a use of the turntable as a musical instrument rather than a tool for blending recorded music). Professional DJs may use harmonic mixing to choose songs that are in compatible musical keys. Other techniques include chopping , screwing and looping . Recent advances in technology in both DJ hardware and software can provide assisted or automatic completion of some traditional DJ techniques and skills. Examples include phrasing and beatmatching , which can be partially or completely automated by using DJ software that performs automatic synchronization of sound recordings,

2200-473: A motor to directly drive a platter on which a vinyl record rests. In 1969, Matsushita released it as the SP-10 , the first direct-drive turntable on the market, and the first in their influential Technics series of turntables. In 1972, Technics started making their SL-1200 turntable , featuring high torque direct drive design. The SL-1200 had a rapid start and its durable direct drive enabled DJs to manipulate

2288-436: A musical instrument. Perhaps the best-known turntablist technique is scratching . Turntablists often participate in DJ contests like DMC World DJ Championships and Red Bull 3Style. A resident DJ performs at a venue on a regular basis or permanently. They would perform regularly (typically under an agreement) in a particular discotheque, a particular club, a particular event, or a particular broadcasting station. Residents have

2376-403: A non-stopping flow of music. Mixing began with hip hop in the 1970s and would subsequently expand to other genres in especially (but not exclusively) dance music. One key technique used for seamlessly transitioning from one song to another is beatmatching . A DJ who mostly plays and mixes one specific music genre is often given the title of that genre; for example, a DJ who plays hip hop music

2464-424: A number of prominent women DJs: Hannah Wants , Ellen Allien , Miss Kittin , Monika Kruse , Nicole Moudaber , B.Traits , Magda , Nina Kraviz , Nervo , and Annie Mac . Two years later, another article brings out a list with world-famous women DJs including Nastia, tINY, Nora En Pure , Anja Schneider, Peggy Gou , Maya Jane Coles , and Eli & Fur . American DJ The Blessed Madonna has been called "one of

2552-603: A post-high school education, but some do hold degrees in audio engineering . If a radio personality has a degree it's typically a bachelor's degree level qualification in radio-television-film, mass communications, journalism, or English. Universities offer classes in radio broadcasting and often have a college radio station, where students can obtain on-the-job training and course credit . Prospective radio personalities can also intern at radio stations for hands-on training from professionals. Training courses are also available online. A radio personality position generally has

2640-436: A range of techniques. However, some radio DJs are experienced club DJs, so they use the same sophisticated mixing techniques. Club DJ turntable techniques include beatmatching , phrasing and slip-cueing to preserve energy on a dance floor. Turntablism embodies the art of cutting, beat juggling , scratching , needle drops , phase shifting , back spinning and more to perform the transitions and overdubs of samples in

2728-424: A record where only two minutes of the song was all it was worth. They wouldn't buy those types of records. The type of mixing that was out then was blending from one record to the next or waiting for the record to go off and wait for the jock to put the needle back on." DJ Kool Herc's innovative use of the break-beat came about through his observations of dancers and desire to give them what they wanted. In this case

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2816-631: A significant impact on the American hip hop culture. DJ turntablism has origins in the invention of direct-drive turntables . Early belt-drive turntables were unsuitable for turntablism and mixing, since they had a slow start-up time, and they were prone to wear-and-tear and breakage, as the belt would break from backspinning or scratching. The first direct-drive turntable was invented by engineer Shuichi Obata at Matsushita (now Panasonic ), based in Osaka , Japan. It eliminated belts, and instead employed

2904-593: A soloist for a brief period, usually two or four bars leading into the soloist's first improvised solo chorus (at which point the rhythm section resumes playing). A notable recorded example is sax player Charlie Parker 's solo break at the beginning of his solo on " A Night in Tunisia ". While the solo break is a break for the rhythm section, for the soloist, it is a solo cadenza , where they are expected to improvise an interesting and engaging melodic line. In DJ parlance, in disco , hip hop and electronic dance music ,

2992-417: A special signal, referred to as "timecode", to control DJ software. The DJ software interprets changes in the playback speed, direction, and position of the timecode signal and manipulates the digital files it is playing in the same way that the turntable manipulates the timecode record. This requires a specialized DJ sound card with at least 4 channels (2 stereo pairs) of inputs and outputs. With this setup,

3080-471: A strong technological tendency such as DJing, sound engineering and producing" are "not necessarily about their dislike of these instruments but relates to the interrupting effect of their dominantly masculine delineations". Despite this, women and girls do increasingly engage in turntable and DJ practices, individually and collectively, and "carve out spaces for themselves in EDM and DJ Culture". A 2015 article cited

3168-852: A talk format in 1965, and WCBS (AM) followed two years later. Early talk radio personalities included Bruce Williams and Sally Jesse Raphael . The growth of sports talk radio began in the 1960s, and resulted in the first all-sports station in the US, WFAN (AM) that would go on to feature many sports radio personalities such as Marv Albert and Howie Rose . Notable radio personalities include pop music radio hosts Wolfman Jack , Jim Pewter , Dick Clark , Casey Kasem , John Peel , Charlie Gillett , Walt Love , Alan Freed , Mamy Baby , Frida Amani , The Real Don Steele and Charlie Tuna ; sports talk hosts such as Mike Francesa ; shock jocks and political talk hosts such as Don Imus , Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh . Many radio personalities do not have

3256-573: A technique by celebrity model DJs who may lack mixing skills, but can draw big crowds to a venue. During a DJ tour for the release of the French group Justice 's A Cross the Universe in November 2008, controversy arose when a photograph of Augé DJing with an unplugged Akai MPD24 surfaced. The photograph sparked accusations that Justice's live sets were faked. Augé has since said that the equipment

3344-406: Is thought of as a break by a producer. In the words of DJ Jazzy Jay : "Maybe those records [whose breaks are sampled] were ahead of their time. Maybe they were made specifically for the rap era; these people didn't know what they were making at that time. They thought, 'Oh, we want to make a jazz record ' ". Like the song Stereo World By Feeder and Upon This Rock by Newsboys are example that have

3432-399: Is aligned. The software analyzes music files to identify their tempo and where the beats are. The analyzed information can be used by the DJ to help manually beatmatch like with vinyl records or the software can automatically synchronize the beats. Digital signal processing algorithms in software allow DJs to adjust the tempo of recordings independently of their pitch (and musical key ,

3520-399: Is called a hip hop DJ, a DJ who plays house music is a house DJ, a DJ who plays techno is called a techno DJ, and so on. The quality of a DJ performance (often called a DJ mix or DJ set) consists of two main features: technical skills, or how well the DJ can operate the equipment and produce smooth transitions between two or more recordings and a playlist; and the ability of a DJ to select

3608-402: Is impacted upon by what he defines as "male technophilia ". Historian Ruth Oldenziel concurs in her writing on engineering with this idea of socialization as a central factor in the lack of engagement with technology. She says: an exclusive focus on women's supposed failure to enter the field – is insufficient for understanding how our stereotypical notions have come into being; it tends to put

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3696-473: Is known as beatmatching . DJs typically replace the rubber mat on turntables that keep the record moving in sync with the turntable with a slipmat that facilitates manipulating the playback of the record by hand. With the slipmat, the DJ can stop or slow down the record while the turntable is still spinning. Direct-drive turntables are the type preferred by DJs. Belt-drive turntables are less expensive, but they are not suitable for turntablism and DJing, because

3784-423: Is the specialized DJ mixer , a small audio mixer with a crossfader and cue functions. The crossfader enables the DJ to blend or transition from one song to another. The cue knobs or switches allow the DJ to "listen" to a source of recorded music in headphones before playing it for the live club or broadcast audience. Previewing the music in headphones helps the DJ pick the next track they want to play, cue up

3872-712: The Scotch Club , opened in Aachen and visiting journalist Klaus Quirini (later DJ Heinrich) made comments, conducted audience games, and announced songs while playing records. The first song he played was the hit Ein Schiff wird kommen by Lale Andersen . In the 1960s, Rudy Bozak began making the first DJ mixers , mixing consoles specialized for DJing. In the late 1960s to early 1970s Jamaican sound system culture, producer and sound system operator (DJ), (Jamaican) King Tubby and producer Lee "Scratch" Perry were pioneers of

3960-399: The back-up played on the banjo for a mandolin 'break' may differ from that played for a dobro 'break' in the same song". According to David Toop , "the word break or breaking is a music and dance term, as well as a proverb, that goes back a long way. Some tunes, like 'Buck Dancer's Lament' from early in the nineteenth century, featured a two-bar silence in every eight bars for

4048-639: The "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to shellac and later vinyl records , but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons who mix music from other recording media such as cassettes , CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ , controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names. DJs commonly use audio equipment that can play at least two sources of recorded music simultaneously. This enables them to blend tracks together to create transitions between recordings and develop unique mixes of songs. This can involve aligning

4136-569: The 1960s and 1970s when performers such as U-Roy and King Stitt toasted over the instrumental ( dub music ) versions of popular records. These versions were often released on the flip side to the song's 45 record . This gave the deejays the chance to create on-the-fly lyrics to the music. Big Youth , and I-Roy were famous deejays in Jamaica. Turntablists, also called battle DJs, use turntables and DJ mixer to manipulate recorded sounds to produce new music. In essence, they use DJ equipment as

4224-419: The 1970s, DJs would have to lug heavy direct-drive turntables and crates of records to clubs and shows. In the 1980s, many DJs transitioned to compact cassettes . In the 1990s and 2000s, many DJs switched to using digital audio such as CDs and MP3 files. As technological advances made it practical to store large collections of digital music files on a laptop computer, DJ software was developed so DJs could use

4312-431: The DJ software typically outputs unmixed signals from the music files to an external hardware DJ mixer . Some DJ mixers have integrated USB sound cards that allow DJ software to connect directly to the mixer without requiring a separate sound card. A DJ software can be used to mix audio files on the computer instead of a separate hardware mixer. When mixing on a computer, DJs often use a DJ controller device that mimics

4400-490: The TR-808 would be widely adopted by hip hop DJs, with 808 sounds remaining central to hip-hop music ever since. The Roland TB-303 , a bass synthesizer released in 1981, had a similar impact on electronic dance music genres such as techno and house music , along with Roland's TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. Radio personality A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses genres of music; hosts

4488-470: The beats of the music sources so their rhythms and tempos do not clash when played together and enable a smooth transition from one song to another. DJs often use specialized DJ mixers , small audio mixers with crossfader and cue functions to blend or transition from one song to another. Mixers are also used to pre-listen to sources of recorded music in headphones and adjust upcoming tracks to mix with currently playing music. DJ software can be used with

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4576-429: The belt-drive motor can be damaged by this type of manipulation. Some DJs, most commonly those who play hip hop music, go beyond merely mixing records and use turntables as musical instruments for scratching , beat juggling , and other turntablism techniques. CDJs / media players are high-quality digital media players made for DJing. They often have large jog wheels and pitch controls to allow DJs to manipulate

4664-489: The break—a quick showcase of improvised dance steps. Others used the same device for a solo instrumental break; a well-known example being the four-bar break taken by Charlie Parker in Dizzy Gillespie 's tune ' Night in Tunisia '." However, in hip hop today, the term break refers to any segment of music (usually four measures or less) that could be sampled and repeated. A break is any expanse of music that

4752-535: The burden of proof entirely on women and to [unreasonably] blame them for their supposedly inadequate socialization, their lack of aspiration, and their want of masculine values. An equally challenging question is why and how boys have come to love things technical, how boys have historically been socialized as technophiles. Lucy Green has focused on gender in relation to musical performers and creators, and specifically on educational frameworks as they relate to both. She suggests that women's alienation from "areas that have

4840-593: The crossfader provides only the channel A sound source. The far right side provides only the channel B sound source (e.g., record player number 2). Positions in between the two extremes provide different mixes of the two channels. Some DJs use a computer with DJ software and a DJ controller instead of an analog DJ mixer to mix music, although DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware DJ mixer. DJs generally use higher-quality headphones than those designed for music consumers. DJ headphones have other properties useful for DJs, such as designs that acoustically isolate

4928-497: The disco records which emerged out of the influence of this type of mixing tended to feature long introductions, anthemic choruses and extended vamp sections, all creating a tension which was released by the break. Break-beat music simply ate the cherry off the top of the cake and threw the rest away. In the words of DJ Grandmaster Flash, "Disco was brand new then and there were a few jocks that had monstrous sound systems but they wouldn't dare play this kind of music. They would never play

5016-490: The drummer; breakdowns are for electronic producers". In hip hop music and electronica, a short break is also known as a "cut", and the reintroduction of the full bass line and drums is known as a " drop ", which is sometimes accented by cutting off everything, even the percussion right before the full music is dropped back in. Old-school hip-hop DJs have described the relationship between breaks, early hip-hop music, and disco . According to Afrika Bambaataa : Now he took

5104-617: The end of the break, he cued a second record back to the beginning of the break, which allowed him to extend a relatively short section of music into a "five-minute loop of fury". This innovation had its roots in what Herc called "The Merry-Go-Round", a technique by which the DJ switched from break to break at the height of the party. This technique is specifically called "The Merry-Go-Round" because according to Herc, it takes one "back and forth with no slack." Radio DJs or radio personalities introduce and play music broadcasts on AM , FM , digital or Internet radio stations. In Jamaican music ,

5192-473: The environment of DJ usually tends to be very noisy. Standard headphones have a 3.5mm jack but DJ equipment usually requires ¼ inch jack. Most specialized DJ Headphones have an adapter to switch between a 3.5mm jack and ¼ inch jack. Detachable coiled cables are perfect for DJ Headphones. DJs have changed their equipment as new technologies are introduced. The earliest DJs in pop music, in 1970s discos, used record turntables , vinyl records and audio consoles . In

5280-481: The exception of small or rural radio stations, much of music radio broadcasting is done by broadcast automation , a computer-controlled playlist airing MP3 audio files which contain the entire program consisting of music, commercials, and a radio announcer's pre-recorded comments. In the past, the term " disc jockey " (or "DJ") was exclusively used to describe on-air radio personalities who played recorded music and hosted radio shows that featured popular music. Unlike

5368-420: The following requirements: Due to radio personalities' vocal training, opportunities to expand their careers often exist. Over time a radio personality could be paid to do voice-overs for commercials, television shows, and movies. Radio personality salaries are influenced by years of experience and education. In 2013, the median salary of a radio personality in the US was $ 28,400. A radio personality with

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5456-472: The genre known as dub music . They experimented with tape-based composition ; emphasized repetitive rhythmic structures (often stripped of their harmonic elements); electronically manipulated spatiality; sonically manipulated pre-recorded musical materials from mass media; and remixed music among other innovative techniques. It is widely known that the Jamaican dancehall culture has had and continues to have

5544-418: The layout of two turntables plus a DJ mixer to control the software rather than the computer keyboard & touchpad on a laptop, or the touchscreen on a tablet computer or smartphone . Many DJ controllers have an integrated sound card with 4 output channels (2 stereo pairs) that allow the DJ to use headphones to preview music before playing it on the main output. Several techniques are used by DJs as

5632-480: The low percentage of women DJs and turntablists may stem from the overall men's domination of the entire hip hop music industry. Most of the top rappers, MCs, DJs, record producers and music executives are men. There are a small number of high-profile women, but they are rare. In 2007, Mark Katz's article "Men, Women, and Turntables: Gender and the DJ Battle", stated that "very few women [do turntablism] battle[s];

5720-580: The mass marketing of home phonographs in the late 19th century. British radio disc jockey Jimmy Savile hosted his first live dance party in 1943 using a single turntable and a makeshift sound system. Four years later, Savile began using two turntables welded together to form a single DJ console. In 1947, the Whisky à Gogo opened in Paris as the first discotheque . In 1959, one of the first discos in Germany,

5808-400: The matter has been a topic of conversation among hip-hop DJs for years." In 2010, Rebekah Farrugia said "the male-centricity of electronic dance music (EDM) culture" contributes to "a marginalisation of women in these [EDM] spaces." While turntablism and broader DJ practices should not be conflated, Katz suggests use or lack of use of the turntable broadly by women across genres and disciplines

5896-514: The modern club DJ who uses beatmatching to mix transitions between songs to create continuous play, radio DJs played individual songs or music tracks while voicing announcements, introductions, comments, jokes, and commercials in between each song or short series of songs. During the 1950s, '60s and '70s, radio DJs exerted considerable influence on popular music, especially during the Top 40 radio era, because of their ability to introduce new music to

5984-612: The most suitable recordings, also known as "reading the crowd". DJ Kool Herc , Grandmaster Flash , and Afrika Bambaataa were members of a block party at South Bronx from 1973 onwards. Kool Herc played records such as James Brown's " Give It Up or Turnit a Loose ", Jimmy Castor's " It's Just Begun ", Booker T. & the M.G.'s' " Melting Pot ", Incredible Bongo Band's " Bongo Rock " and " Apache ", and UK rock band Babe Ruth's " The Mexican ". With Bronx clubs struggling with street gangs, uptown DJs catering to an older disco crowd with different aspirations, and commercial radio also catering to

6072-493: The motor would continue to spin at the correct RPM even if the DJ wiggled the record back and forth on the platter. In 1980, Japanese company Roland released the TR-808 , an analog rhythm/drum machine , which has unique artificial sounds, such as its booming bass and sharp snare , and a metronome -like rhythm . Yellow Magic Orchestra 's use of the instrument in 1980 influenced hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, after which

6160-633: The music of like Mandrill, like "Fencewalk", certain disco records that had funky percussion breaks like the Incredible Bongo Band when they came out with "Apache" and he just kept that beat going . It might be that certain part of the record that everybody waits for—they just let their inner self go and get wild. The next thing you know the singer comes back in and you'd be mad. Musicologist David Toop , based on interviews with DJ Grandmaster Flash , Kool DJ Herc , and others, has written: Break-beat music and hip-hop culture were happening at

6248-418: The place of turntables or be used together with turntables. Many CDJs can now play digital music files from USB flash drives or SD cards in addition to CDs. With the spread of portable laptops, tablets , and smartphone computers, DJs began using software together with specialized sound cards and DJ controller hardware. DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware DJ mixer or be used instead of

6336-491: The platter, as with scratching techniques. Hip hop DJs began using the Technics SL-1200s as musical instruments to manipulate records with turntablism techniques such as scratching and beat juggling rather than merely mixing records. These techniques were developed in the 1970s by DJ Kool Herc , Grand Wizard Theodore , and Afrika Bambaataa , as they experimented with Technics direct-drive decks, finding that

6424-400: The playback of digital files for beatmatching similar to how DJs manipulate vinyl records on turntables. CDJs often have features such as loops and waveform displays similar to DJ software. Originally designed to play music from compact discs, they now can play digital music files stored on USB flash drives and SD cards . Some CDJs can also connect to a computer running DJ software to act as

6512-434: The radio audience and promote or control which songs would be given airplay. Although radio personalities who specialized in news or talk programs such as Dorothy Kilgallen and Walter Winchell have existed since the early days of radio, exclusive talk radio formats emerged and multiplied in the 1960s, as telephone call in shows, interviews, news, and public affairs became more popular. In New York, WINS (AM) switched to

6600-420: The same break, or, as Bronx DJ Afrika Bambaataa describes, "that certain part of the record that everybody waits for—they just let their inner self go and get wild", extending its length through repetition. However, it is likely that there were a number of like-minded DJs developing the technique at the same time; for example, Walter Gibbons was noted in first-hand accounts by his peers for cutting two copies of

6688-433: The same features found on larger mixers (faders, equalization knobs, gain knobs, effects units , etc.), DJ mixers have a feature that is usually only found on DJ mixers: the crossfader . The crossfader is a type of fader that is mounted horizontally. DJs used the crossfader to mix two or more sound sources. The midpoint of the crossfader's travel is a 50/50 mix of the two channels (on a two-channel mixer). The far left side of

6776-513: The same record in his discothèque gigs of the mid-1970s. A particularly innovative style of street dance was created to accompany break beat-based music, and was hence referred to as "The Break", or breaking . In the 1980s, charismatic dancers like Crazy Legs , Frosty Freeze , and the Rock Steady Crew revived the breaking movement. More recently, electronic artists have created "break beats" from other electronic music, resulting in

6864-471: The same time as the emergence of disco (in 1974 known as party music ). Disco was also created by DJs in its initial phase, though these tended to be club jocks rather than mobile party jocks – records by Barry White, Eddie Kendricks and others became dancefloor hits in New York clubs like Tamberlane and Sanctuary and were crossed over onto radio by Frankie Crocker at station WBLS. There were many parallels in

6952-404: The sound cards built into consumer-grade computer motherboards. Special vinyl records (or CDs/digital files played with CDJs ) can be used with DJ software to play digital music files with DJ software as if they were pressed onto vinyl, allowing turntablism techniques to be used with digital files. These vinyl records do not have music recordings pressed onto them. Instead, they are pressed with

7040-487: The sounds of the headphones from the outside environment (hard shell headphones), flexible headbands and pivot joints to allow DJs to listen to one side of the headphones while turning the other headphone away (so they can monitor the mix in the club), and replaceable cables. Replaceable cables enable DJs to buy new cables if a cable becomes frayed, worn, or damaged, or if a cable is accidentally cut. Closed-back headphones are highly recommended for DJs to block outside noise as

7128-417: The techniques used by Kool DJ Herc and a pioneering disco DJ like Francis Grasso, who worked at Sanctuary, as they used similar mixtures and superimpositions of drumbeats, rock music, funk and African records For less creative disco DJs, however, the ideal was to slip-cute smoothly from the end of one record into the beginning of the next. They also created a context for breaks rather than foregrounding them, and

7216-659: The title "DJ" as part of their names (e.g., DJ Jazzy Jeff , DJ Qbert , DJ Shadow and DJ Yoda ). Professional DJs often specialize in a specific genre of music, such as techno , house or hip hop music. DJs typically have extensive knowledge about the music they specialize in. Many DJs are avid music collectors of vintage, rare or obscure tracks and records. Club DJs, commonly referred to as DJs in general, play music at musical events, such as parties at music venues or bars, clubs, music festivals, corporate and private events. Typically, club DJs mix music recordings from two or more sources using different mixing techniques to produce

7304-435: The track to the desired starting location, and align the two tracks' beats in traditional situations where auto-sync technology is not being used. This process ensures that the selected song will mix well with the currently playing music. DJs may align the beats of the music sources so their rhythms do not clash when they are played together to help create a smooth transition from one song to another. Other equipment may include

7392-420: The way through a song. According to Peter van der Merwe a break "occurs when the voice stops at the end of a phrase and is answered by a snatch of accompaniment", and originated from the bass runs of marches of the " Sousa school ". In this case it would be a "break" from the vocal part. In bluegrass and other old-time music , a break is "when an instrument plays the melody to a song idiomatically , i.e.

7480-425: The who was b-boys (otherwise known as break-boys or breakdancers) and what they wanted was an opportunity to move explosively, express themselves, and peacock to women (Brester and Broughton 167). A break may be described as when the song takes a "breather, drops down to some exciting percussion, and then comes storming back again" and compared to a false ending . Breaks usually occur two-thirds to three-quarters of

7568-564: The world's most exciting turntablists". Her stage name is a tribute to her mother's favorite Catholic saint, Black Madonna . In 2018, The Blessed Madonna played herself as an in-residence DJ for the video game Grand Theft Auto Online , as part of the After Hours DLC . There are various projects dedicated to the promotion and support of these practices such as Female DJs London. Some artists and collectives go beyond these practices to be more gender inclusive. For example, Discwoman ,

7656-643: Was ostensibly coined by radio gossip commentator Walter Winchell in 1935 to describe the radio work of Martin Block . The phrase first appeared in print in a 1941 Variety magazine. Originally, the word "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to phonograph or gramophone records and was used to describe radio personalities who introduced them on the air. "DJ" is used as an all-encompassing term to describe someone who mixes recorded music from any source, including vinyl records , cassettes , CDs, or digital audio files stored on USB stick or laptop. DJs typically perform for

7744-452: Was unplugged very briefly before being reattached and the band put a three-photo set of the incident on their MySpace page. After a 2013 Disclosure concert, the duo was criticized for pretending to live mix to a playback of a pre-recorded track. Disclosure's Guy Lawrence said they did not deliberately intend to mislead their audience, and cited miming by other DJs such as David Guetta . Playing recorded music for dancing and parties rose with

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