The Evolution Of Dj
Published on Nov 18, 2015
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EVOLUTION OF DJ
By Obrian Ellis
In 1935 the term “disc jockey” was used to describe the first radio announcer to become a star, Martin Block. Since then the disc jockey or “DJ” has been defined in many different ways as there are now styles of music, technique, performance, and technology. The culture of Dj has change and evolve in many ways and so has the technology. In 1975, hip-hop DJ Grand Wizard Theodore invented the scratching technique by accident.
He was playing loudly in his room while his mother was trying to talk to him downstairs. He placed his hand on the record to slip-cue it so he could hear his mother speaking. As she spoke to him he moved the record back and forth to the rhythm of his mother’s words and “scratching” was born. This technique defined a whole generation of DJs to follow and spawned a subculture of DJs known as turntablists who create music and performance routines using variations of the original scratch sound.
Along with the rise of hip hop in the eighties, the world began to recognize fashion trends associated with DJing and street culture. The Adidas track suit, tennis shoes with fat multi-colored laces, headphones, and the Kangol hat became the uniform of the DJ. Extravagant gold chains were also a symbol of success or wealth that DJs often used to display their status.
Evolution Of DJ Technology
1960s – Bozak Mixers
Though the term ‘Disc Jockey’ had been used as early as the 1940s, it wasn’t until the ‘60s that gear designed specifically for the purpose began to appear, and DJ Technology was effectively born. Most famously, the Bosak DJ mixers were among the first devices to provide DJs with the means to easily mix from one audio source to another.
The standard of the day was held to be the stereo, Bozak CMA-10-2DL.
Today, we may be seeing an emerging trend in djing that is gently moving away from the iconic phonographic circle that has been with us for so long. Many performers seem to be leaving traditional interfaces like turntables and CDJs behind in favor of high performance controllers that can be manipulated and controlled like musical instruments. Software now enables almost unlimited creative control over music allowing djs today to completely deconstruct and re-image songs live.
In the 90s djs would only go and play with the turntable and vinyl that they had because that was the most advanced way to dj in those day. But now a dj can go with just a laptop and still can rack the house.
Photo by David Gallard (Mr Guep)
Because of all the new software and programs that we now have that was not available in the early days that allows us to explore and do many different things. Some of this program are:
Photo by Sergiu Bacioiu
