I’ve been wanting to voice my opinion about some popular industry topics and I thought this was a great hot topic to discuss. Actually, I don’t even want to talk about it (shhhhh), but Gene wanted to make a point here, so let’s get into it.
My two cents on PROFESSIONAL DJ syncing.. Your Supposed to be a professional, don’t sync my 5 year old syncs I’m his dad a PROFESSIONAL dj I don’t sync. Simple
Gene FarrisOr Sync away but don’t wonder why the real ones looking at you side ways
I have so many feels after reading this post from Gene Farris, one of my all-time favorite DJs and producers. I’ve been playing his tunes in my sets consistently over the years, and have massive respect for him as an artist.
I’m sure this post was directed to someone specific, but it’s written super vague. Gene Farris, to me, has become one of the many “soapbox DJs” that have been influenced by social media to make these kinds of posts because they get the most views, comments, shares, reactions, etc. All other posts about DJ gigs and music releases don’t get nearly enough visibility. DJs and artists are encouraged to post memes and viral opinion posts like these, in order to give the illusion of social media “popularity”. (It’s one of the many reasons I don’t fuck around with Social Media anymore.) Look, this post did so well, he made another one just like it the next day!
Chicago just got a lil doper I’m realizing we’re the city with the least amount of sync Djs per square foot
Gene Farris
These posts made me change course when thinking about the my future of my DJing career. It would be a dream to play with Gene Farris in Chicago. Imagine the horror and embarrassment I would feel, if I actually got booked with him, to have someone I look up to side-eye me because I’m embracing (sync) technology and actually figured out how to use it.
What is the matter with y’all trying to justify cheating! What is going on? Sync is a cheat button if your a bedroom dj sync away! If you call yourself a professional then what’s the fuckin problem? You consider yourselves amongst the best Djs in the world then what’s the fuckin problem? You wanna be remembered as one best Djs to ever have done it? Then what’s the problem? Don’t sync period! In the history of djing there has never been a beat match button until now! That so normal people who are trying to learn how to dj can figure it out quickly. But if your a professional the best of the best or call your that then stop using a beat match button if you want the real ones to take you seriously period. You want your dj to have skills or just really good playlist?
Gene Farris
My 2 cents: From my experience, you can’t push a button and have it mix for you. The sync button almost never works unless you do the work in Rekordbox to get your files on the grid first. Tracks I download from Beatport are almost NEVER ready to be “synced”. So, IMO, If artist wants to do the work to make sure their sets sound flawless, that’s their business. As a “girl DJ”, I have to sound as good as possible because I’m always held by different standards than my male peers. If I decide to push a forbidden button and know how to use a feature that most DJs refuse to learn, I will not allow myself to be shamed for it. Just saying.
To see a “professional” DJ go on facebook and talk shit about how they think they are better than others, it’s just sad. Fuck that, Mr. Farris. You are being rude and unfair to your peers, and hurting the newer generation of DJs that look up to you. There’s so much more to DJing than pushing buttons. To pick on people because of technology that is available is just silly. I know you know how to DJ. I get it, I used to spin vinyl. Beat matching is a skill. But, Gene, you just end up looking like a jaded hater to me. What happened to P.L.U.R.? /endrant
On that note…If anyone wants a Rekordbox lesson, check out this tutorial video from Alien Tom.
Thanks for the shout out. As a DJ that plays Techno, I agree embracing technology is fundamental. Hating like this sounds like a grumpy grandpa, not a good look. Wonder how much of this industry hate is holding back other artists. Play and lug your records around if you don’t want to sync. My not even remotely popular opinion is this: if you play digital and don’t sync, you are a novice. You sound rubbish, get it, pun intended. The whole ‘it sounds better when the hi hats are off is a lie. We don’t say that in the studio, keep that off the stage
Well said fam! Agree totally ?! I remember along time ago Alien Tom telling me about ‘fixing’ the tracks and putting in that grid work to have a solid foundation as a digital era DJ.