pouët.net

Sorry for the maybe silly question, but I was always wondering what exactly does a DJ when turning buttons during liveshows. In which way does it affect what we can listen to?

looking interesting and sometimes making funny dances (i always suspect daft punk to just hire random students to stand on stage while enjoying their own liveshow from home)

I think there is more than that :D

No?

Mostly drinking beer and fending off people requesting shitty music

Your job as DJ:
- Act like you're actually making the music you're just playing back
- Don't fuck up the transitions (actually hard when drunk)
- Cater to the crowd's idea of the party; play the songs that make them dance (here is what makes you a good DJ if you do it)
- Send away the girls with song requests
- Be sure to insist that you're an artist and need to smoke on stage because of artistic freedom
- Turn up the low frequencies until everything clips
:D

just don't watch "DJs" like Paris Hilton who just queue up a bunch of MP3s and just crossfade regardless the tempo :P

(this answer is based on my interview with Ultrasyd, see his own lengthy answer in French here: https://pastebin.com/raw/2PNKuKLc )

Some people indeed don't do anything, but just press "play" and start dancing in the front of audience. Some may stare at their screens as they were doing something while they actually don't do much. Others do all kind of mixing, synchronizing or they may add effects with software like Nanoloop or with devices like Kaoss Pad.

So it seems to be true: DJ don't necessarily need to do almost anything and it's pretty much up to him/her what to do, there are many different approaches.

@ ntsc_ thanks. that video says it all. it is actually so hilarious and cringy that i felt actual nausea up to a very uncomfortable near-to-vomiting level. as a person who as always struggled to make things on stage really live and really perfect (and actually gave up), i sometimes wonder how a person that has absolutely *zero* talent in anything except makebelief can be happily standing on a stage and being cheered on or even admired by people. what goes on in the heads of such people? absolutely nothing, i guess. uuh, i feel so grumpy right now, need something real.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5X1q2VfS3A

Well, that's what they do for most of the time.

better than snorting coke under the table like Gesaffelstein!

@jazzcat: That one really knows! :D

Yes, a lot of the big mainstage pop/edm acts will just press play, throw cakes at the audience, and call it a show.
But then you also have this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEcaqQBEe58
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeXPZuS4roU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtw2-kL32YM

And of course there's everything in between. Depends on what you want to focus on and who you're playing for I guess.

Select tracks and mix music -> Party :)

As a DJ I can assure you that most of the time I just wish that most of the fucksticks on the dance floor would finally get tired and go home so I can go home too and get some sleep!

dude, if you're not snorting coke under the table you're doing it wrong.

And a DJ just plays awesome records and drinks beers and fiddles with buttons to make the awesome records even more awesome and they are awesome and my friends!

Also, the best DJ currently is obviously Salvatore Ganacci

if your name is jeroen tel you start your SET.MP3, put on a light glove and tickle the air with your fingers.

obviously your task is turning tables

and jockeying discs

there a loads of dj still doing great work on stage not mimic playback... but yeah.... so many posarssss

apparently, they use screwdrivers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC7Mw8RjlXM&feature=youtu.be&t=1795

Kimi: Thats great!

;)
check this classic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xuy0GAsnNQ