DJs and Musicians Performing Together: Why It’s a Great Idea

One trend that has been picking up speed is gigs where a DJ and one or more musicians team up to make music. What’s the driving force behind this? And what does it entail? Read on, learn and get inspired!

The Basics: Scratching

Grand Wizzard Theodore was the first DJ who ever used a vinyl record as an instrument instead of a sound storage medium. As a kid, he would ‘pause’ the living room record player by placing his hand on the record whenever he didn’t catch what his mum was telling him. The moment he noticed that pushing the record back and forth created a very specific sound, the art of scratching was basically born — and it didn’t take before now-legendary DJs like Grandmaster Flash and Jam Master Jay learned about this newfound phenomenon and developed it further, turning the turntable into a musical instrument. The speed at which the record is spun determines the timbre and pitch of the sound you get when you scratch and, using your other hand to control the crossfader, you decide the intervals of the scratching. One channel handles the record, so the song, while a second channel handles the sound of the scratching, which can be mixed and mashed up to create rhythm. To scratch, you do need the right kind of crossfader, since crossfaders with a slow response are pretty much useless. This is why adjustable crossfaders like the Pro X Fade from Eclectic Beaks are a thing now, and feature a tension torque control so you can adjust the sensitivity as needed.

Samples

When DJs scratch as part of a band, they basically do nothing but tweak samples and blend them into the band’s sound. As you can imagine, these injected bits of sound need to serve the music, so it’s important that everyone, including the DJ, purposely looks for fitting additions. Back when the only way to scratch was using physical vinyl, artists were limited to existing samples, which they would mash up to the point where you could no longer recognise the original sound. Back then, using your own samples came at a cost as every ‘experiment’ required a freshly pressed vinyl record. Since the arrival of modern CD players and MIDI controllers, things have gotten much simpler and less costly. Pioneer DJ’s CDJ Series were standard DJ kit for years, and introduced the concept of a highly accurate jogwheel with adjustable mass, allowing DJs to treat CDs as if they were vinyl records. This opened up the option to burn a bunch of samples onto a single CD and fire them up during a set as needed. While it does take away from that analogue charm, doing it this way not only gives you way more options, but saves you a ton of money whenever you want to take some vocal lines to scratch, loop or mix in. Another advantage of professional CD players is that they’re equipped with a buffer, making them less vibrationally sensitive than turntables. After all, the last thing you want is for your needle to start skipping and doing its own thing. Purpose-designed anti-resonance cushions and pads can also help mitigate this issue.

Going Digital

If CD players can’t stimulate your creativity, then you’ll want to look into DJ controllers, which are usually a combination of a MIDI controller and an audio interface, meaning they can be used to route audio signals and control audio software. Modern, purpose-designed DJ controllers also feature sensitive, highly accurate jogwheels with a satisfying scratch response, alongside a variety of programmable controls so you can individually assign and trigger samples. A controller like the Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV5 is an affordable all-in-one solution that’s designed to work seamlessly with compatible DJ software, and enables you to scratch, trigger samples and use effects — all while doubling as an audio interface. Depending on what you need, you can go for even higher-end units, or something more basic. If you’re mainly focussed on triggering samples, then a controller like the Akai APC Mini combined with Ableton software will be a better option. Or, if you primarily play with effects to enhance existing tracks, then a dedicated sampler like the Korg KAOSS Replay is your best bet.

Interview with Money P

As many DJs as there may be, only a handful will dare to step onto the stage as part of a band. One of these daredevils is Steve Pittoors aka Money P, who’s busied himself with high-level live-scratching, beat triggering and effects. “The best difference between a band-DJ and a ‘beat-dropper’ is that you’re partly responsible for each song. A classic DJ may be able to put a personal spin on existing songs, but they have less influence when it comes to the essence of songs. Sure, there are plenty of DJs who remix existing tracks to the point where you can no longer recognise the original, but they’re more like a producer or musician if you ask me. A band-DJ is obligated to focus on sounds and fragments. As such, you don’t necessarily depend on any musical background in order to be successful, but at the same time, since you’re also a musician, you do have to keep up with what’s happening in the charts and on dance floors across the country. If you’re a DJ who’s thinking about joining a band, you’d best get an idea of what live performances will look like, so you can prepare things at home. Some aspects are simply very time-consuming and you can’t get away with making your fellow band members wait for you to do your thing between songs. If improvising on the spot is unavoidable, then at least make sure to stick to a limited number of samples. “

“While losing yourself in that analogue flow can be great, it usually just eats up too much time and money so I wouldn’t recommend it. Since nothing really beats the feel of real vinyl, my go-to live set-up is a straightforward Serato set-up combined with two Technics SL-1200 turntables and, if I think I’ll need it, a Launchpad on the side. The most difficult thing about live sets is the signal chain, which can get really complex really fast when you also incorporate the band’s sound. The biggest issue here is that you need both a stage mix and a room mix, as well as a sound tech who’s fully in charge of the mix instead of splitting responsibilities with the DJ. You also want to work with in-ears to counter interference, especially when acoustic instruments are part of the mix. When James Blake performs live and loops his vocals, you can often hear the crowd cheering in the signal which, admittedly, does have a certain charm. Lastly, just remember to abide by the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Stupid.”

Picking Out a Turntable

Every turntable can play vinyl records, but not every model is equally fit for the art of turntablism. First of all, direct-drive turntables are better equipped for the job than belt-drive turntables because the latter take drastically longer to get up to speed, which is disadvantageous for scratching. The needle, or stylus is another point of consideration. Straight tone wear out records faster, but do offer better grip. The most well-known DJ turntable is the Technics SL-1200. Pioneer DJ has their own range of similar models.

Optimum Volume Levels

Needless to say, bands that have their own sound tech on the payroll have a higher chance of achieving perfectly balanced live sound. Either way, the inter-musician balance remains important, especially when you’re using a diverse set of samples at different volume levels. If you deejay the digital way, you can tackle this issue by equalising the volume of your samples ahead of the show. If you deejay the old-school way, things aren’t as straightforward, so it’s important that you can fully trust the monitor mix and have a point of reference. The unwritten rule is that the vocals are usually mixed as loud as the guitar solos, which should allow you to use the volume of the vocals or the snare as your point of reference.

Interview with Saxophonist Carlo and DJ Niels

“I’ve done all kinds of gigs,” says Carlo. “I’ve even played the saxophone while dressed up as a sultan at a themepark. I play in various bands, in various different settings. What I like about performing side by side with a DJ is that all of those different aspects come together.” Something Carlo dreamt up from more or less a commercial point of view, has resulted in something that he, as a saxophone player, can put all of his creativity into — and to his own surprise. Of course, there’s a backstory here. Carlo and Niels had both been travelling down their own career paths when they met and decided to start working together. Niels, who operates under the moniker DJ O’Niels, started his music career as a drummer, but took a different path after he heard a DJ scratch records on the radio. “The sound fascinated me and made me want to do the same thing, so I saved up some cash, picked up a pair of turntables and got started, without any ambitions at all initially. At one point, I was asked to play at a local pub. That moment marked the beginning of my DJ career. The band I was drumming with at the time called it quits and I’ve been focussing on deejaying ever since. It’s still a hobby though (I work at a bank), but definitely a hobby that helps me unwind and lets my creative juices flow.”

Dancing to the DJ

Saxophone player Carlo is a professional musician who’s studied at the Amsterdam conservatory. “I played in various scenes after my studies, something I still do to this day. I’ve been part of a theatre band, a nineties cover-band, a jazz formation called Wicked Jazz Sounds composed of DJs and musicians operating in the club circuit, and more. During his spell with the cover band, Carlo started noticing something. “Every time we finished playing a gig and were followed up by a DJ, I’d notice that the crowd wouldn’t really start dancing until the DJ started playing.” That got Carlo thinking, and in 2006, he came up with a concept that brought everything he had learned up to that point together. “Playing theatres taught me that everything needs to have a clear beginning and ending that are properly thought through. What I wanted to do was to combine DJs and musicians, just like during my time with Wicked Jazz Sounds. But this time, I didn’t want to play clubs — I wanted to play at parties and events.” Carlo teamed up with the keyboard player from his old cover band, who took on the role of the DJ, plus a female singer and a percussionist, forming a group called Beatsclassics. “We would loop instrumental bits from well-known tunes and play over them, basically creating live remixes of popular songs. We would even set up a screen that we used to project edited footage of the original video clips as a backdrop. As it turned out, this was some as-yet untapped potential at the time. When people throw a big party, they often can’t decide between hiring a DJ or a band. Our concept gave them both, and we were pretty much the first to do this and did it intensively for close to seven years.”

Musical Freedom

“At some point, the concept became a little dated,” says Carlo. “It no longer excited me, so I decided to flip it around. The initial concept involved a band-style formula where we played three 45-minute sets, which worked because the crowds grew up with bands doing things that way. That changed over time. Today’s audience is part of the DJ generation, which is why I flipped the concept so that the DJ has the lead role, with musicians supporting them. This creates a different perspective.” About five years ago, Carlo started a search for a DJ he could team up with and found Niels through mutual friends. “Us working together has been a success and we both love it.” Above all, Carlo loves the freedom the collaboration brings. “When you play in cover bands and in the theatre, you’re always playing the same songs. When I perform with Niels, I might play the foundation of a song that everyone knows, but I also have the freedom to play solos as I see fit. That sets it apart from simply covering a song and gives me a real rush.” That’s how performing with a DJ brings everything for Carlo. “It’s a concept with huge potential that at the same time allows you to express yourself artistically.”

Constant Stimuli

Coming up with a solid concept is one thing, executing it well is another, especially since the current ‘DJ-generation’ audience makes it quite a challenge if you ask Niels. “People are quickly bored these days — something that’s even more common in the EDM scene. Before, DJs could spend all night building up the tension. Nowadays, dance music is all about one climax after the other, going from build-up to drop, from drop to build-up, from build-up to drop again, and so on. People demand constant stimuli. If you don’t give them what they want, they’ll just pull out their phones. Youth especially. DJs have to adapt to that.” When Carlo and Niels perform together, they do things differently and try to change things up in a different way. “We meet the crowd in the middle. Instead of the standard three 45-minute sets, we opt for shorter sets with peak moments. Carlo’s saxophone plays a big role in this.”

Musical MC

Both artists notice the effect that their approach has. “You can tell that the crowd responds differently as soon as Carlo steps onto the stage,” says Niels. But according to Carlo, captivating the audience can’t be credited to him alone. “Niels has his own way with the audience. He switches betweens styles at the right moments and knows when and where he should create some room for me to chime in. Our approach wouldn’t work if I were to play all evening because it’s the diversity that makes it work so well. Niels is on point and has a great feel for it.” Niels can be seen as the musical emcee, with Carlo as musical moodsetter. This places Carlo more in the spotlight than Niels, who’s always behind his turntables. “That doesn’t bother me at all,” says Niels. “I know how people experience our gigs and I fully accept my role. If I perform badly, Carlo can’t make the most of his saxophone performance. We both acknowledge that, so we leave our egos at home and try to make every gig as fun as possible — for the audience and ourselves.”

Enrichment

Niels and Carlo’s concept isn’t exclusive to them. There are many more DJs and musicians that gig together, and the numbers are still growing. “There are DJs who work with guitarists, percussionists, vocalists…the options are endless, but the DJ-saxophonist combo is the most common. The saxophone is a great example of a moodsetting instrument that goes together well with the digital sound of a DJ. And you can actually make a sax sound like vocals.” So how do fellow DJs and musicians look at the concept? Carlo: “When I was just starting out, it was actually frequently frowned upon. ‘Are you seriously going to growl over the sound of a DJ?’ is a reaction I got a lot. I noticed that a lot of musicians kind of scorned me for it. I happen to know several purist jazz musicians who absolutely refuse to team up with a DJ.” How about fellow DJs? “I know that a lot of DJs find working with a musician really enriching, and I share that opinion,” says Niels. “What’s more, I think Carlo is a superb musician. I’m proud to share the stage with him.”