For those of you who don't know, Native Instruments 'Traktor' is a Professional DJ software program enabling control over digital music; whether it be mp3, aac, wav or aif. The program has a plethora of features from looping, cue points, effects units, to tempo control and synchronisation. It's this 'sync' function that has many thinking that just because there is now a program which people can buy for €300 including a high-quality sound card for the audio to be passed through your mixer, they think the program is going to do everything for you; that somehow the job has become easy and that anyone can jump behind a PC and start rocking a party like nobody has ever done before or at least just as good.
I'm not quite sure where this ideology has come from; maybe it comes from being around a mate's house who's got a bit of DJ equipment in their bedroom and enjoy's spending hours mixing tracks instead of watching the deluge of diarrhoea that gets splattered through the airwaves every night. They play what they want, when they want and to help them along they hit the 'sync' button so it sounds a bit more pleasing to the ear. We also have the Old school crowd who spent years perfecting their sense of rhythm in order to beat match two tracks in a blink of an eye. For some apparently; this new form of media is sub-standard to the traditional two decks and a mixer in many ways, from quotes such as "you're not spinning anything anymore". To "The audio isn't as Hi-Fi as vinyl". We have the new school CDJ Disc-Jockey's who also jump on the audio quality band wagon but also have the audacity to say "These new laptop DJs are just pushing buttons". Which is exactly what the same DJ does with their CD player. The problem with DJ software is that public perception combined with the lack of knowledge and a new wave of lazy hobbyist DJs has created a poor impression of a DJ turning up to an event and opening up a laptop. Don't get me wrong I personally think that if you've booked a DJ for your event and they turn up with just an iPod in one hand and a Laptop in the other then that person shouldn't be charging anything for playing music at your party. Using DJ software so you're not breaking your back lugging CD's and Vinyl everywhere is one thing. Not using the right tools for the job is a completely different ball game and it is this principle that has generated such mixed views.
Twenty years ago it was easy; vinyl, turntables, mixer. Then some guy got flashy and started to mix the records together so there was seamless music all night. Another DJ started to manually loop Two pieces of vinyl, then another DJ recreated a tape-echo effect by juggling those Two records. These were the pioneers of what the DJ is today, someone who pushed the envelope and set a new standard. Those who couldn't keep up fell by the wayside and their bookings dried up. Today we now have a program that will 'sync' Two or Four tracks together but won't do it for every single record. Anything produced using a drum machine has a constant tempo and providing you've done your homework and set your 'beat grids' correctly will 'sync'. Any music produced before 1985 has a strong chance of a real drummer and that means the tempo will waver. So unless you want to set about 20 beat grids throughout a song you can't sync it. You have to manually keep your mix in beat. So all those classic soul, funk and rock songs require the same amount of dexterity from the Digital DJ as a vinyl DJ if they want a seamless mix. DJ software can't tell you when to bring the next track in, it won't tell what track should be played next. Apparently Apple think they've got it in the bag with iTunes Genius but let me just tell you that ABBA's 'take a chance on me' does not follow Kid Rock's 'All summer long'. The top DJs of the 70's and 80's weren't just ahead of the game just because of the new found skills they had. It was because they had those skills, knew what tracks to play when to play them in what order. Just because we have DJ programs, it doesn't mean anyone can be a DJ. It still boils down to the essentials of good quality music, reliable equipment, great songs and feeling what the crowd wants. No program will ever be able to feel the vibe; ever.
