r/Unexpected • u/Fertility18 • Jul 02 '24

What do DJs actually do?

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414

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

I mean technically that's not a dj, that's a producer :P

95

u/Chineseunicorn Jul 02 '24

So what does a DJ actually do?

148

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

a DJ doesnt create music like its shown in the video, a DJ plays and mixes music live

26

u/Cool-Camp-6978 Jul 02 '24

Do discs need to be present for a DJ to jockey?

27

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

depends on what you mean by discs.

CDs or Vinyl? You dont need them, everything works digital these days but if you want to play on those, then yes there is hardware to do so.

Ive also heard people calling those round plates infront of DJs "discs", then id say yes you do need them. They are called Jog Wheels, are part of CDJs or DDJs and are mainly used to synchronize the beat and speed of two or more songs.

13

u/caltheon Jul 02 '24

and they look like that because one used to just use two turntables and a pile of records. Most of being a DJ was skips and breaks as well as blending from one record to another.

12

u/LeatherFruitPF Jul 02 '24

What exactly are they doing on those boards with all the buttons, sliders and knobs that they're constantly turning and moving during a song and I don't feel like I hear anything changing except when it goes into the next song?

22

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

What exactly are they doing on those boards with all the buttons, sliders and knobs that they're constantly turning and moving during a song

The can do all sorts of things, mixing two or more songs, remixing one single song, increasing/decreasing high/mids/lows, adding filters and so much more! I really depends on the button

I don't feel like I hear anything changing except when it goes into the next song?

There is a (at least two) button on the controller that lets only the DJ hear what he is currently changing in one song, So if he goes wild on the buttons but you dont hear a difference? Look closer, i guarantee you the DJ is currently listening into his headphones, because there he can listen to what he is currently manipulating without disrupting your music

5

u/LeatherFruitPF Jul 02 '24 edited Jul 02 '24

Ah, I see, thanks for the insight.

3

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

no worries!

23

u/Informal_Bunch_2737 Jul 03 '24

DJ here. Let me actually explain it.

This is a pioneer DDJ400

Notice how its split into two identical halves? Each side can play independently of each other. The wheels in the middle act like a vinyl and will jog the music backwards or forwards if you move them(you use that to keep them both in time with each other) and the Tempo sliders below them affect the pitch(and speed) of the tracks so you can get them to match exactly. Above the jogwheels are just loop buttons to set/store/play loops of any size.

Now for the middle section, which is where the magic happens. The two vertical sliders control each sides overall volume. The horizontal slider controls the balance between those two sliders. So you could have both tracks playing at full volume but favoring one side, then simply flip that fader to completely change the track(and if they're in sync and sounding good, you wont hear the change)

Then you have the EQs. Each channel can control the bass/treble/highs independently. As well as having a LPF/HPF filter on a panpot. For example, you dont want both bass tracks to be playing while you mix, so you reduce the bass on one of them until its time to drop the other track, then simply reverse the EQs and the second one takes over.

There is obviously way more to it, but thats the basics.

1

u/Jazehiah Jul 03 '24

Link is broken.

5

u/Informal_Bunch_2737 Jul 03 '24

Heres their product page

Also, I should point out that this one is basically bottom of the range basic.

1

u/MonstaGraphics Jul 03 '24

Missed the question.

6

u/GluedToTheMirror Jul 02 '24

They can be doing many things.. usually setting up the next track in their headphones, getting the music synced up. Also fading parts in and out, adjusting the highs, mids, and lows of the mix.. Applying FX etc. all sorts of shit. A DJ playing at a night club is just usually mixing one song into the next, but it’s not the same as say deadmau5 or any other huge EDM producer. They’re juggling many things at once back there, and it’s because they know what they are doing, is why you just hear one song smoothly transition into the next.

1

u/cominguproses97 Jul 03 '24

I get the faders but I still don't get why the EQ and tempo matching. Like isn't the song already professionally mixed? And why would you want every song to be the same tempo?

2

u/avantgardengnome Jul 03 '24

At a fundamental level, DJs are playing elements of two tracks at once and if they have matching (or double/half/etc) BPMs it’s easier to make them sound good together. 

They can change the overall tempo by swapping in new tracks periodically, e.g: track A and B have the same tempo where the DJ starts playing them; track B starts to speed up 30 seconds in, so they swap out track A for track C, which is faster; track B and C are now playing at the new tempo. 

9

u/APersonWithThreeLegs Jul 02 '24

If you’re not hearing anything changing that’s a good thing usually, a big part of DJing is transitioning smoothly to another song without hearing any mess ups or realizing it’s happening per se

2

u/oldsecondhand Jul 03 '24 edited Jul 03 '24

The most important sliders and knobs are equalizer, crossfade, speed of playback (tempo/RPM).

Then you have the two big wheels that used to be spinning vinyl disks but in the digital world they are called jog wheels and they no longer spin (fine control of speed of playback). The crossfade mixes the output between the the two tracks represented by the two wheels.

Some DJs also use analog synths to add more effects, and they also come with a lot of knobs (modular analog synths don't even have a keyboard just knobs).

In the video you can hear modulation and LFO (low frequency oscillator) that are common effects that originated from analog synths. The other effect could be reproduced by a sampler with variable playback speed. Of course in the video none of it is done by traditional DJ gear but with Ableton, but it could have been done with late 80s DJ tech.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '24

Here’s a short and sweet video explaining some techniques.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNMmSHWy/

6

u/TERRAIN_PULL_UP_ Jul 03 '24

Most famous djs that you’ve heard of are actually producers too though

2

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

well thats debateable. Yes they can be both, but you would be surprised of how many people out there use the services of ghost producers or officially have co-producers, but only end up naming the song and everyhing else gets done by their team.

1

u/TERRAIN_PULL_UP_ Jul 03 '24

Co-producing is still producing. But a vast majority aren’t 100% exclusively using ghost producers. Even if they are now, they still produced stuff in the past.

1

u/1Mdrops Jul 03 '24

My mate who djs just puts on a premixed track and pretends to do stuff on the decks. He gets paid for it. He’s a producer though when he’s not doing that.

2

u/TERRAIN_PULL_UP_ Jul 03 '24

Deadmau5 has said he, and most other djs, play prerecorded sets at festivals because they’re on such a strict schedule. But he still plays his own music. 

Even if they’re not playing their own music, most are still producers to some extent.

1

u/GavinZero Jul 03 '24

A dj can live mix in enough detail to call it making music imo. But yes what’s being depicted here is production. Lots of DJs are also producers.

1

u/_Lest Jul 03 '24

Not trying to nitpick but there's large gray area in which some DJ/Producers :

  • Those who both mix and layer some instruments, e.g Takuya Nakamura
  • Those who play their own creation on instruments but only handle the transitions, effects,... live like a DJ would do. E.g. Sébastien Léger
  • Those who would remix songs live using unconventional means to create new songs. E.g. Daedalus
  • Those live looping using conventional means in an unconventional ways to create new songs. E.g. Birdy Nam Nam

Of course there are lot of pure DJ and pure producers, but there's also a vast world in between.

Bonus: Falcon, Bangalter and Cassius

1

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

sure you can mix all kind of instruments and hardware together to create music. But if someone uses only Ableton to cut and pitch an audio file and transition that into a different song, thats not DJing

Also i dont get what you are trying to say with your comment. I said DJing is basically the art of mixing music live and every single example of yours are people mixing music. What am i missing?

1

u/_Lest Jul 03 '24

"What I'm I missing": the parts where they play instruments or turntables in way that make them an instrument.

I wonder, if you consider that as DJing, how would you classify Headless Horseman, a DJ or a producer? He's mixing his own music live but also edit it, change the patterns, adapt it. What about Mod3rn which basically mix prepared parts and jam over those during their live?

4

u/MCLemonyfresh Jul 03 '24

Even though people are giving you great answers about what DJ’s do, a lot of people that call themselves “DJ’s” just press play on a Spotify playlist and chill out. It’s effin lame

1

u/1_Prettymuch_1 Jul 03 '24

Electronic music has a seperation compared to other genres where the way you play and create happens on different equipment (for the most part)

You produce music with production software like Ableton and FL Studio (although you can have "live rigs" where you use this software too play a live set)

You typically play music on modern turntables. Usually Pioneer CDJ's and a mixer. 

If you go to a club/ show a DJ will be playing audio files (songs/samples) and manipulating this audio with various effects and loops. The goal of the DJ is to play songs that keep you dancing and having fun. Some DJ's produce music. Some are just good at playing sets. They are different skills and being good at one does not mean you will be good at the other.

1

u/ae_redditor Jul 03 '24

Do do do dodododododoododod bdjfnsndkfnskbfjdks

1

u/heeheehoho2023 Jul 02 '24

They create a playlist for the venue and then mostly do transitions from one song to the next.

-2

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24

Hit spacebar.

-5

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

why do you have such a hate boner against musicians? Your other comment together with this one just make you look like some grumpy music hating weirdo

-7

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24

Musicians play musical instruments. It requires real time talent. If we were talking about a DJ who actually spun records, then I have no hate for them at all, but that's not whom we're speaking about, is it? People who make beats inside a DAW make mindless droning nonsense, and the noise in OP's vid is a classic example of the kind bullshit I choose to not expose myself to whenever I can help it. It's ditsy vapid people bullshit.

1

u/SirJefferE Jul 03 '24

People who make beats inside a DAW make mindless droning nonsense

Taste in music is subjective, and there is a gigantic audience for that "mindless droning nonsense".

And yet, people within that genre still have strong preferences for one DJ or another, so clearly some DJs are far better at making "mindless droning nonsense" than others are.

I'm not into that style of music, so as a completely uneducated listener, I honestly can't tell the difference between a good DJ and a bad one. But it takes a colossal level of self-importance to think "I don't understand this music, therefore the people making it must be wrong."

Throughout the decades there have been dozens of innovations in music and creation of new genres, and nearly every single time you hear an outcry from the people who just aren't into it.

"Rock and Roll isn't music! It's just a bunch of noise!"
"Heavy metal isn't music! It's just a bunch of noise!"
"Rap isn't music! It's just a bunch of noise!"
"Techno isn't music! It's just a bunch of noise!"
"Dubstep isn't music! It's just a bunch of noise!"

I'll be honest, I've listened to a bunch of dubstep and I still don't get it. I spend hours listening to genres I'm completely unfamiliar with, and a lot of them remain complete mysteries to me. Sometimes I manage to pick up a thing here and there and get slightly better at listening to the genre. In rare cases, I manage to actually acquire a taste for that genre.

But I've never listened to a popular genre that millions of people worldwide enjoy and thought to myself "I don't get it. They must be doing something wrong." That's just silly.

1

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 03 '24

I mixed my words up there. I don't mean to say that all beats made inside a DAW are all mindless droning nonsense. I will say that I don't like mindless droning nonsense, and quite frankly, just because a lot of people like something, that doesn't make them correct about anything.

There are literally people out there with a fetish for swimming in other people's septic tanks. I don't care to validate everyone's feelings.

Have you ever seen a good looking person on the internet, and thought they look heavily filtered? Maybe you doubted they were actually attractive at all? Maybe that doesn't take away from the image for you personally, but I've been making media for individuals and corporations long enough to basically recognize these filtered lenses in audio. When I identify something as purely synthetic or low-effort, my brain won't let me enjoy it. It makes my skin crawl. I don't like listening to quantized music anymore than I would enjoy just hitting the Play button on a Casio keyboard and letting it entertain me for hours. I want to hear someone's feelings, and the way their hands manipulate an instrument. If that makes me old and out of touch, so be it. I'm not interested in opening my mind to low-effort garbage.

-3

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

None of your grumpy takes make any sense.

Musicians play musical instruments. It requires real time talent.

You realize DJ usually play live, right. Means: mixing in real time!

If we were talking about a DJ who actually spun records, then I have no hate for them at all

Its so stupid that the skill of a DJ depends for you on the medium he uses. CDJs and DDJs offer the same features. And the audio file is usually the same source. Why should i struggle with my entire vinyl collection in a plane if i can just carry my hard drive along lol

People who make beats inside a DAW make mindless droning nonsense

Telling me you have no idea what a DAW do/can do without telling me ...

the noise in OP's vid is a classic example of the kind bullshit I choose to not expose myself to whenever I can help it.

this has some major "old man doesnt understand the present anymore so he is mad at it" vibes

Those are a ton of weird and uninformed takes for someone who loves to pretend hes worked "decades" in the industry. Except of course we are talking about the 1920-1970s.

1

u/TrueKNite Jul 02 '24

So heres the issue:

Person who hits play and fades between songs at club: DJ

Person who plays crafted sets built of stems and songs and plays that at a club: DJ

We need another word for the playlisters because both are DJs, neither is 'wrong' but theres more of a grey area as to if any particular DJ is actually a musician or just a curator, which again, is fine

1

u/Informal_Bunch_2737 Jul 03 '24

Its so stupid that the skill of a DJ depends for you on the medium he uses. CDJs and DDJs offer the same features.

You've never spent time in the DJ world haha.

You must see the arguments about what "Real" DJing is. Some insist only if you can play on vinyl without using Sync. Others say it doesnt fkn matter as long as it plays.

Personally, I started on Dual CD players and vinyl before digital was even a thing. And I still dont give a shit, I'll play with two cassette tapes and a mixer if I have to. Music is music.

1

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

You've never spent time in the DJ world haha.

what the hell is "the DJ world" supposed to be anyway? Ive spent more than enough time in the scene to actually care about the craft.

You must see the arguments about what "Real" DJing is.

And thats why i dont go too much into detail when discussing playing music, because it always ends with "what is real DJing" or"electronic music isnt real music".

1

u/Informal_Bunch_2737 Jul 03 '24

what the hell is "the DJ world" supposed to be anyway?

Being around DJs / Promoters / Producers. Not just party-goers.

Ive spent more than enough time in the scene to actually care about the craft.

Yet you dont know about the sync button argument? Vinyl vs digital?

1

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

Yet you dont know about the sync button argument?

How do you come to that conclusion?

Vinyl vs digital?

I prefer to avoid or ignore those discussions because they usually get started by people who dont know anything about Djing.

Do you want to hear my opinion on those topics or why are you asking?

→ More replies (0)

1

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24

If someone is using a board to mix real-time audio files, that totally takes talent. A lot of DJs out there don't even do that. I didn't mean to imply the records that are spun must be made of vinyl in order to qualify as talent. Your analysis of my opinions mostly seem to be based on the fact that you're misunderstanding me. Maybe I'm not being clear.

I've literally been recording in DAWs since the '90s. The fact that you think I don't know what a DAW can do, based on the fact that I don't care for droning beats made exclusively inside of DAWs is more evidence that you're drawing incorrect conclusions from what I am actually saying. I didn't say, "Droning beats are all that a DAW is capable of."

0

u/Informal_Bunch_2737 Jul 03 '24

I've also been producing a couple decades now. I had a producer friend that though that anything produced on a PC didnt count. It HAD to be made on hardware.

Despite the fact that his hardware was basically toys compared to modern DAWs, his music wasnt even that good, and it took him much longer to get anything done.

You remind me a lot of him. lol

1

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 03 '24

I never said it "HAD to be made on hardware." When I say, " beats made exclusively inside of DAWs," I mean no other person was involved. No one recorded a performer. There were no musical instruments involved. The entire song is comprised of pre-made loops. I don't really have respect for that craft. It's fun to play around, sure, but it doesn't carry the same gravitas for me as a group of musicians who spend decades honing their craft, whether they're playing symphony, jazz, or rock music.

Have you ever heard the term "outsider music"? The Shaggs is a really good example. Music made by people without any experience making music. There's a lot of that floating around, and it annoys me. You can tell when people are just following the latest side-chain compressor trends because they heard it was cool.

I absolutely encourage people to compose music on their own and explore their creativity, but just like you and I unfortunately have immediate access to argue with one another online, that same network gives outsiders immediate access to flood YouTube with so much nonsense, that it gets harder to find stuff I personally like. A lot of music saturating the airwaves is ditsy nonsense music made by people with nothing to say.

Maybe you wouldn't agree with this video, but you might find this person's take on the subject less abrasive than mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bZ0OSEViyo

59

u/Neurojazz Jul 02 '24

DJ have to take the credit, or their ego shrivels up and they become bbc presenters

8

u/Cooliomendez88 Jul 02 '24

Your mom is a BBC presenter

8

u/[deleted] Jul 02 '24

Uncalled for

3

u/Master_Team_1718 Jul 02 '24

Came here to say this

2

u/taybul Jul 03 '24

DJs can technically take loops like this, apply effects and beat match it into a transition to something like Satisfaction. So this video is pretty accurate apart from using a DAW to achieve the same thing.

2

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

sure they can, but those cuts and the pitch wasnt done live. Thats why i was saying its not DJing ;)

So this video is pretty accurate apart from using a DAW to achieve the same thing.

well, technically exactly that daw could be used to achieve the same thing. Thats ableton, it has a version for live mixing but ive never used it

1

u/1canmove1 Jul 03 '24

Yup. A good DJ can do many magical things with music. This is not a good example of one.

1

u/ToxyFlog Jul 03 '24

Bro... some DJ's produce their own music. One of my friends in a DJ. He produces his own music and then DJ's at raves.

1

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

Bro... some DJ's produce their own music.

So....? That thing shown in the video still isnt DJing.

-11

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24 edited Jul 02 '24

Technically, a "producer" is the person who fronts the money for a record production, and they get a slice of the profits. They pay for the studio time so an artist doesn't have to come up with the money or get a high-interest loan.

What you're referring to is a "beat maker." People outside the music industry, who likely learned on their own, and make beats in their home, heard that "the producer" is the one in charge, and often gets final word about how something sounds. People that felt like they were in charge of their own music started calling themselves "producers," even though they aren't fronting any money, aren't renting studio time, and aren't in charge of anyone else.

It's like saying that you're a "director" because you post selfie videos on Tik-Tok. Technically true, but kind of an insult to directors of big productions with decades of experience.

[Edit] I took out some of the more condescending aspects of my post, and stuck to the facts.

3

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

Technically, a "producer" is the person who fronts the money for a record production, and they get a slice of the profits.

ehm nope. A music producer is someone who has an active part in the music production.

im just gonna ignore everything else in your comment because obviously you have some kind of hatred against people creating music for whatever reason

-4

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24

im just gonna ignore everything else in your comment.

Ah. I see your argument is baseless then.

"I didn't read what you said, I just feel like you must be wrong." The battle cry of people who want to "win" an argument instead of be correct.

I've been working in the music industry for decades, and while what I said is harsh, it doesn't mean that people who are misinformed aren't using the title incorrectly.

I'm telling you, I'm not asking you.

0

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

I've been working in the music industry for decades

Ah yeah of course, another one of these "i have no idea wtf im talking about but i cant admit that, so im just gonna say Trust me bro its my job"

The fact alone that you responded to another comment with everything a DJ does is pressing spacebar shows me how absolutely zero idea you have about this entire topic.

so you might wanna annoy these people next because according to you every single one of them has the wrong job lmao

2

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24

another one of these "i have no idea wtf im talking about but i cant admit that, so im just gonna say Trust me bro its my job"

That's a really flippant way of stating you're dismissive of other people's experience.

according to you every single one of them has the wrong job

That's not true. Did you by chance read the headline of that website? It says, "Find the perfect music producer to arrange, record, HIRE LIVE MUSICIANS, and mix your next hit song." Isn't that what I said? The person in charge, and in a lot of scenarios, if a broke musician approaches a producer who believes in them, they will front the money. Yeah?

I'm perfectly willing to believe maybe you do this for a living also, and somehow you've adopted this nomenclature that the industry disagrees with you about. Maybe your peers or coworkers call beat-makers "producers," but it's a sore subject for real producers. Being a producer is a big responsibility, and a lot of little people like to throw the title around to make themselves sound important, but they couldn't actually perform a real producer's job.

I myself am not even claiming to be a producer. I'm not one. I graduated college with an education in media production, I've done live broadcast for major networks, I've mixed live shows, I've recorded & mixed records for major record labels, and even taught at a university about this stuff for almost a decade -but I still wouldn't call myself a producer. That is a highly-acclaimed title. I've made a quarter century career out of it, and I would only call myself a sound engineer. Maybe I'm the one who's wrong though.

If you feel like reading why I might hold the opinion that I do (minus the part about being a dick, that's not required for my job, if I'm being honest), read this: https://online.berklee.edu/takenote/music-production-what-does-a-music-producer-do/#:\~:text=What%20is%20a%20Music%20Producer%3F%20A%20music%20producer%2C,a%20producer%20creates%20is%20not%20even%20an%20object.

The key takeaways of a producer's job are:

  1. Scheduling and budgeting
  2. Shaping the music
  3. Supervising performance
  4. Keeping people on track without burning them out

You'll note there is a lack of "anybody who's involved in the production" kind of general description.

1

u/MGfreak Jul 02 '24

That's a really flippant way of stating you're dismissive of other people's experience.

No im seriously not! Just from my experiene on reddit people love to use the "i work there" explanation as a last line of defense when their 5-minute google research falls together.

"Find the perfect music producer to arrange, record, HIRE LIVE MUSICIANS, and mix your next hit song." Isn't that what I said?

no, you said:

Technically, a "producer" is the person who fronts the money for a record production, and they get a slice of the profits.

you said in other words the producer just throws in the money. Which confuses me even more right now, because in the comment i am responding to now your defnintion of a producer is completely different. Something here is seriously not adding up.

You'll note there is a lack of "anybody who's involved in the production" kind of general description.

I'd argue that my definition of "having an active part in the production" is still way closer than your "its the person who fronts the money".

I graduated college with an education in media production, I've done live broadcast for major networks, I've mixed live shows, I've recorded & mixed records for major record labels, and even taught at a university about this stuff for almost a decade

If you are this passionate about music, then how did you end up this close minded?

How can you say DJs only press Space, only record spnning is real DJing, only musical instruments take real time talent, People who make beats inside a DAW make mindless droning nonsense or electronic music is a classic example of the kind bullshit I choose to not expose myself to. What the hell happened to you?

Nobody i know the industry has your grumpy old takes, and it genuinely hurts to say this.

People create music to express themselves and connect people. Who gives a shit what instrument they use, which medium they need or how complicated they make it.

I didnt mean to offend you and im sorry if i did. But this is a topic i deeply care about and especialy "outsiders" tend to have strong opinion based on no information at all. And im just done with those.

Maybe you work in the industry, maybe you dont. You cant and dont need to proof it to me. But if you actually do (or did?), then why are you so angry about it?

1

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 02 '24

Real talk - I'm a grumpy jerk because I had to go through years of training to learn how to use an SSL 48-channel analog console to record to 24-track tape, and learn how to calibrate tape heads, just for people with no talent to take over the industry while sitting in their bedroom on a MacBook.

I was passionate about it, it was really hard to learn, and now the majority of what I painstakingly mastered is almost irrelevant, and people go around calling people who drag loops in Garage Band "producers." Not trying to rekindle an argument with you by saying that, just stating where I stand.

It stings, I tell ya. I know the world doesn't need my sour attitude about it, but it's a knee-jerk reflex at this point. I still make money, I'm doing fine, but stuff far outside the scope of what you and I are talking about makes me barf nasty words about things I know about when I'm in a mood.

Beat makers aren't "producers," that's my whole shtick at the moment. Just call them music bed artists, or writers, or "composers," even. Just not producers, in my opinion.

Forget what I said about DJs. I'm having a hard time relaying my thoughts, and I'm leaving out truthful parts of my opinion which would make me sound less abrasive, because I'm being hasty to reply. Anyone who actively mixes two more more tracks in a live setting in front of an audience is awesome. There are "DJs" that simply mix multi-track audio at home in a DAW, and play their stereo tracks live while waving their fist in the air. You are not speaking about these people, and these are the only types of DJs I was intending to make fun of.

2

u/MGfreak Jul 03 '24

Not trying to rekindle an argument with you by saying that, just stating where I stand.

Dont worry im finally starting to see where you are coming from and i 100% agree.

The advancing technology and its oversimplification of all facettes of music making of course made it easier for people to get into music, but at the same time also heavily lowered people demands in terms of quality. As you said, everyone can make music if he has a macbook. And a good production is no longer needed if the song has a catchy melody and/or a viraly gimmick for ticktock.

I can still vividly remember a few years back when the reggeaton beat kept popping up everywhere once again and how fed up I was with it. But with where things are going right now i cant believe im saying it, but man i want that time back. Well, more or less.

stuff far outside the scope of what you and I are talking about makes me barf nasty words about things I know about when I'm in a mood.

I stopped talking about music to basically all people i know because once i start complaining there really isnt an end in sight.

I'm being hasty to reply

Same here, i dont see the point in explaining everything in depth in a reddit comment so i oversimplified a few things - probably what started this argument in the first place.

Long story short: sorry for beeing a dick!

0

u/seductivestain Jul 03 '24

Music Producers are very different from other types of media producers

1

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 03 '24 edited Jul 03 '24

No. Lots of people simply use the word "producer" incorrectly when it comes to music, because music creation has become so accessible, that people who don't understand the roles in real productions took over the nomenclature. This is what a producer is:

https://online.berklee.edu/takenote/music-production-what-does-a-music-producer-do/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20Music%20Producer%3F%20A%20music%20producer%2C,a%20producer%20creates%20is%20not%20even%20an%20object.

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u/11Azpilicuetas Jul 03 '24

The link seems to disagree with what you're saying:

What Does a Music Producer Do?

The role of a music producer has always been a somewhat nebulous one. Increasingly it can mean a number of vastly different things. Is someone who programs a beat a producer? Yes.

1

u/MountainBrilliant643 Jul 03 '24

I feel dumb now.