Mo goes on the road to Athens Ohio to spend some time with fiend of the Show B Funk to talk about a very unique show he’s created called The Trust Me Dance Party.

B Funk shares the premise of the show, its origins, the impacts of the pandemic, and the future of The Trust Me Dance Party.

How to find The Funk!

DJ B Funk Home Page

DJ B Funk YouTube 

Episode Mentions:

Predators Dancing 

Double Dribble Dunk 

Homer Simpson Making Lean 

Trust Me Dance Party Poster Artist: Rocky Davies @ageofnerd 

First Appearance of B Funk on the Passionate DJ Podcast: Mixing Up Athens (Passionate DJ Podcast #174) 

2022: Year in Review

David did lot’s of gear reviews, Tony was back on the road again, Trip got a new neighbor, and Mo took over the wheel!  A lot went on during they year that was 2022. We get the crew together for the first time in a minute to talk about what we covered in 2022, and what are planning on 2023.

If you have not done so yet, don’t forget to join the Passionate DJ Community Facebook Page.  It’s a great place to meet other DJ’s from literally all over the planet, and see what’s going on in the DJ space.  It’s an amazing peer driven community with lots of voices and experience in the DJ space.  Join today!

Intro/Outro: Earth Stands by: Cryztal Grid

Bumper: Paradise by: Yestalgia

Today's episode has two purposes: making up for missing the 2021 "holiday" recap episode, and making a big announcement regarding the future of Passionate DJ and the podcast.

(Spoiler ahead:)

Mo Dingo is now the official host of The Passionate DJ Podcast. This comes as a result of expanding Passionate DJ into many different types of content. Between our online guides, our hardware reviews, industry updates, DJ mixes, live events and more... it became too difficult for David make due dates for the podcast.

Making Mo the host is both a logical progression, and an exciting proposition. We will all still be regulars on the show, but Mr. Dingo is the guy hosting and publishing the podcast, so that David can continue focusing on other Passionate DJ content.

As we do in our typical holiday episodes, we also reach out to some old friends. Today we're talking with Brian James (The Engineer), DJ AXCESS, B-Funk, and DJ Serrato (no relation). We also recap all of 2021, talking about all the great stuff we did as Passionate DJ.

Also, all video podcasts will now go to our new podcast YouTube channel!

See it here: https://passionatedj.com/crossroads

Thank you all for subbing to the new channel... and remember... KEEP ON SPINNING!

Episode 135 is all about playing well with others, social cues, and respect...in other words: Etiquette 101 for DJs!

We can all think of at least a handful of DJs we know or have seen that violate everything we consider to be good etiquette. But, do we know what it really means to practice "good etiquette", in and out of the booth?

• Approach the booth humbly, and with appreciation. You wouldn't be there if it weren't for a number of factors. Check the ego!
• Understand what is expected of you. Sometimes, the best way to make sure everyone is happy is to make sure everyone knows what is expected. Just going in to a situation blind can lead to some faux pas moments.
• Respectfully communicate issues. It's easy to get frustrated or let tempers fly in the heat of the moment. It's also easy to just play and leave. But, by properly communicating issues and letting the right people know what they are, respectfully, you save yourself a lot of headaches and potential arguments or bad PR.
• Crowd control is especially important...in that you balance the expectations of those who may not be in to what you're doing, or worse, properly handling overly intoxicated partiers.
• Make sure that if you're going to call yourself a DJ, that you have some mixes and promote them properly. Don't just SPAM.
• Always be managing your brand & proper PR -- Who you are, in public, is who you are as a DJ....for better or worse.
• Help and Encourage Others - By helping others, you're helping to carry on the craft and raising the bar for everyone. And, that helpful spirit often pays forward and usually comes back around.

*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

 

Also: MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ Passionate DJ's Store

Today we're proud to present our exclusive interview with KRANE!

KRANE is a Producer/DJ from Oakland, CA who is making huge waves in the EDM/Trap/festival scene. His latest album, Fallout, was released this past October. It's a powerful electronic album full of big synths, wonky drops, beautiful strings, and gritty bass.

With roots in jazz music, and a love of modern classical music... much of his time is spent creating powerful festival bangers, lightly dressed with pretty synth melodies.

We were very thankful that KRANE was willing to take time out of his busy schedule (as a touring headliner!) to hang out with us on today's show.

If you prefer to watch instead of listen, we recorded a video version of this interview for YouTube.

In the interview, we ask KRANE about his live setup, and how much his live shows influence the music that he creates in the studio. We ask about his history with music and his career (and the struggles of becoming a full-time musician).

We get insight from KRANE on what he aims for his audience to feel, and his approach to building a cohesive album. Overall, we got the impression that he truly cares about the overall experience for his fans. We greatly enjoyed our opportunity to gain his insight.

Just a reminder: later this week, we will be releasing the very first episode of our new show: Afterparty. This monthly bonus episode is available only to our Patreon subscribers. Stay tuned!

*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

 

Also: MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ Passionate DJ's Store

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Passionate DJ is now on Patreon, and will soon be releasing bonus shows and material for paid subscribers! Go to the Patreon page for Passionate DJ for more details!

We know how much you all have been digging the "genre deep dive" episodes, so here's another coming at ya for Episode 133, with some help from a close friend of Passionate DJ: Matt Freeman.

Matt has well over 20 years experience rocking crowds of varying scenes and genres with precision, skill, and all the fun one could hope for. From industrial and goth, to techno and house, and all kinds of other music, Matt has been a mainstay in the Dayton, Ohio music scene, and for good reason.

One of the things he is known for, is dropping acid house & techno music, and being quite the connoisseur of great music in general. When he drops acid in a set, he grabs hold of his crowds and uses it as not just a party moment, but a teaching moment. Matt takes the next hour to share some of his favorite Acid tracks (known by their iconic squelchy, resonant 303 leads), while chatting about his experiences as a DJ.

 

*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

 

Also: MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ www.PassionateDJ.com/merch

Today's episode is all about showing love for the HOUSE PARTY!

For Episode 132, we discuss what we like about house parties, while sharing some stories and tips for throwing and enjoying house parties.

What's not to love about a smaller, more intimate crowd? You can generally play what you want, with lower stress than a full scale event, in an environment that's typically a bit more lax and tolerant. This is a great place for new, up-and-coming, and veteran DJs alike, to practice in front of smaller crowds and try new things without "winging it" on a main stage.

There's some etiquette to follow, though. Remember, this is either YOUR house or you're entering SOMEONE ELSE's house. So, be courteous and respectful, and be mindful of your things, and theirs.

Do you have any great house party stories? What are some of the things that make for a memorable house party, for you?

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Passionate DJ is now on Patreon, and will soon be releasing bonus shows and material for paid subscribers! Go to the Passionate DJ Patreon page for more details!

*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ www.PassionateDJ.com/merch

Thanks for tuning in to Episode 131, where we bang out another installment of our popular Pick 3 series. The theme, this time? Dance Classics!

What makes a song, a classic? Totally depends on the context, time period, and the listener. What is classic for some, may not be for others. We left the term "dance classic" to be interpreted by the presenter, so it could have included anything from Funk to Disco, 80's New Wave to 90's Club, Warehouse Techno to UK DnB, and literally anything else in between.

We think as you listen to this episode's candidates, you'll agree they all fit the bill. Special thanks to Firecat 451 for joining us, again. If you missed his full introduction, make sure to check out the bad gigs episode from last week.

What are some tracks you would consider "classics" that no DJ should be without?!

*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ the PassionateDJ.com Online Store!

Episode 130 is one we've been wanting to do, for a long time. Way back when, in Episode 17, David did a show all about bad DJ gigs from the audience...and it's been a fan favorite, ever since. There was so much ground to cover this time, that we brought in extra-special guest Firecat 451 to guest host! He's an established rock in the Midwest music scene, with his roots in Cincinnati, Ohio. He's a DJ, MC, and Producer, and has an entire repertoire of gigs ranging from headlining act, to direct support, to host and MC. This episode is packed FULL of all kinds of stories of gigs gone wrong....from the irritating, to the painful, and the flat-out ridiculous. So strap in, because the next 90 minutes will have you laughing, cringing, and whispering "WTF?" to yourself a lot because YES....these things have actually happened to people during real DJ gigs. What's the worst thing that has happened to YOU at a DJ gig? Closing music credit: Trip Turlington & Firecat 451 - Push Back (Available on Base Industry Records)

 

*** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

 

MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ www.PassionateDJ.com/merch

 

 

Have you ever done a tag team or B2B set with a friend? It takes a little extra something to pull off a great set with someone else in the booth with you, so that's what Episode 129 is all about!

Between NAMM and some other industry news, there's plenty to cover from Ableton, Pioneer, Reloop, Native Instruments, and Phase!

As we're talking about sharing the booth, though, we cover everything from why you would want to, different approaches on how, and even some ways to make even more fun.

Purchase the new Pioneer DDJ-1000 on Amazon!

B2B Games To Play With Your DJ Friends (from DJ Tech Tools) *** This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION. ***

 

MERCH NOW AVAILABLE @ the PassionateDJ.com store!

For Episode 128, David & the whole crew are together and rummaging through a lot of interesting news that gives us some insight in to the state of the music industry, right now.

From Spotify offering up an unconventionally filed IPO, to cryptocurrencies and their role in protecting artists' rights, things are getting pretty exciting and charting some new territory. But that's not to say the tried and true markers of success, such as live ticket sales and [*gasp*] VINYL SALES aren't beaming as well...because they are.

Adding that DJ gear is an increasingly lucrative business, and an actual robot DJ is now DJing in a club in Prague, that leads to some interesting discussions about how the barriers of entry to DJing are dropping for newcomers to the craft, but the influence of AI and technology is becoming ever more influential for the future.

What does this mean for DJs today, and tomorrow? Sound off in the comments and let us know what YOU think!

This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Get 15% off your stunning new DJ website using the promo code PASSION.

Links mentioned in this episode: Episode 103: Will Robots Take Our Jobs? Sophia - Saudi Arabia's first robot/AI with Citizenship

 

For Episode 127, we present an exclusive interview with 2nd Nature: DJ, VJ, video editor, and sound designer with a repertoire and a reputation that is second to none.

Starting as a DJ at a young age, 2nd Nature (Brett) has honed the skills it takes to rock any party to a razor's edge, from scratch battles to corporate events, and he delivers with unmatched precision.

In this interview, Brett touches on everything from how he got started, to his work flow and how under pressure he performs as if it were "second nature", as well as what it takes to make it and maintain at his level of success. But, we also got an unprompted raw, uncensored look in to what kind of toll it can take on one's physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as a number of techniques Brett uses to combat those issues.

This interview is the kind of "real" that doesn't emerge, often, as many people don't put themselves out there, like Brett did during this episode. It serves as both an inspiration, and a warning, and it's our honor to share his insight with you.

If you are not familiar with 2nd Nature, or his body of work, we assure you, it's not hard to find. Simply Google "2nd Nature" and you get more than enough to keep your eyes, ears, and mind busy for HOURS. But, a great place to start, is the source, so we urge you to visit his website.

Googling things can be such a fun rabbit hole, and David & the PDJ crew are doing it again in the second installment of "The Google Episode"!!!!

We take a bunch of random questions related to music and DJing, and run it through Google to see what happens!

Find out the answers to the following questions, and more, in Episode 126!

• Who was the highest paid DJ in 2017?
• What was the world's first drum machine?
• What is the origin of the "hip hop air horn"?
• What was the first digital DJ software?
• What was the first mp3 file?
• What was the first DJ mixer?
• How many remixes of the "Electric Slide" currently exist?
• What was the first fully produced "electronic music album"?

Also, if you are following the podcast via iTunes, please do us a solid and go leave us a review! It helps us with iTunes algorithms, and helps us know what you do and don't like!

Resources from this episode:

• Video clips of the Chamberlain Rhythmate and the Wurlitzer Sideman, early drum machines.
• Old press videos from the early 2000s about PCDJ software.
• Clips from the soundtrack to Forbidden Planet and The Fascinating World of Electronic Music (early electronic albums)

Today, we present our most informative and actionable podcast episode of the entire year. Return guest Alex Pyatetsky, CEO of The DJ Hookup, brings insider industry knowledge... to help us understand the supply shortages plaguing us all. If you appreciate those old-school episodes of the Passionate DJ Podcast, with highly-researched bullet points and teachable moments, you'll love today's show.

We Talk About: ========================= ⓪① | 00:00:00 | Introduction ⓪② | 00:02:58 | Alex & The DJ Hookup ⓪③ | 00:05:08 | What's Been Happening (So Far) ⓪④ | 00:12:47 | Unavailability of Components ⓪⑤ | 00:17:25 | "Couldn't You See It Coming?" ⓪⑥ | 00:30:09 | Supply & Demand vs. Pandemic ⓪⑦ | 00:33:48 | How Society is Adapting ⓪⑧ | 00:38:20 | The Re-Opening ⓪⑨ | 00:42:30 | Freeze Austin, Fire in Taiwan ①⓪ | 00:44:36 | Industry Reactions ①① | 00:49:56 | https://PassionateDJ.com/merch 👕 ①② | 00:51:08 | What Should DJs Do Now? ①③ | 00:56:40 | How DJs Overvalue Discounts ①④ | 00:58:08 | "Should I Wait Forever?" ①⑤ | 01:00:44 | Buy "Up" or "Down"? (Listener Question) ①⑥ | 01:03:11 | The Importance of Preordering ①⑦ | 01:12:11 | The Second-Hand Market ①⑧ | 01:14:55 | Picking Alternate Gear (Strategies) ①⑨ | 01:22:52 | Tech Support? (Listener Question) ②⓪ | 01:26:50 | What Are The Positives?

Resources: ========================= Time Estimates: ➡️ https://TheDJHookup.com/eta

DJ Hardware Alternatives: ➡️ https://TheDJHookup.com/alternatives

Guide to Selling Used DJ Gear: ➡️ https://TheDJHookup.com/blog/dj-community/sell-used-dj-equipment-trade-in/

========================= The Passionate DJ Podcast is a talk show dedicated to the art & science of mixing music. Together, we're becoming better DJs through passion & purpose.

David & Company are BACK for 2018! And, for Episode 125, fresh back from our 2 week break, we want to start things off on a positive note and find out what inspires us!

Before we dig in to that, though, we have to address the big CPU vulnerability scare, as it relates to us digital DJs. If you're a Serato user on the Mac platform, you may have heard that Serato DJ is not yet compatible with High Sierra, so you can't update your OS, just yet. However, we did find a Serato Support Forum post that has some details for the upgrade (which patches the Spectre and Meltdown issues), and Serato is, indeed, now compatible with High Sierra. Go to this link for more information!

Also, another vulnerability was mentioned in the tech world, albeit not as widely advertised as the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, with Western Digital's MyCloud hardware and cloud software. It seems someone intentionally hard-coded a back door in to the MyCloud software. However, if you have one of the affected machines, as long as the firmware is up to date, you should be fine, according to WD.

So, back to the main topic: What inspires YOU? David, Trip, Tony, and Mo go through some of their main points of inspiration, which range from nature to emotionally charged situatiions, exposure to new genres to searching for new music for a gig, festivals and headliners to driving in the car. We can derive inspiration from just about anything we have around us, and it can come from both positive and negative experiences. It's what you DO with that inspiration that really matters.

Speaking of inspiration, the team here at Passionate DJ are inspired to keep making this show better and keep building on the foundation we have, and 2018 is going to be a big year of action, for us. We will be bringing you all the same content you love, but we're also working on a lot of ways to make it better and offer even more. We want you to be an active part of that growth, as the community we serve. One way you can help, is to leave us a review on iTunes! This helps us with visibility within iTunes, and lets us know what you like, and areas we may need to work on.

 

Other links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 97: Disaster Preparedness

Happy New Year, and all our best to you and yours for 2018, from the Passionate DJ Team!

Strap in, because we're going to go over the industry happenings of 2017, the gear no one could stop talking about, and the stuff our team did throughout the year. We'll also cover some of our favorite moments on the show over the last year, allude to what's on the horizon for us in 2018, and even take a crack at our clairvoyance skills and see if we can speculate what to expect in the next year.

Of course, the big buzz this year was all about the financial and structural integrity of Soundcloud, as a company. Between Chance the Rapper and some former executives from Vimeo getting involved, Soundcloud seems to be sticking around, but things seemed pretty grim, for a while.

Did Denon convince any of you to #ChangeYourRider? They've been the talk of the hardware circles, all year. Love it or hate it, they are coming out swinging against Pioneer, feature-wise...but it's hard to compete with the tenure and relationship Pioneer DJ has with DJs in booths all over the world.

This past year was no time to rest, for the PDJ team. We all attended the Dayton Record Fair, which we've all agreed is one of our new staple events. And, even though most of us didn't see quite as many gigs as we'd like in 2017, we all reflected back to what we were able to do and use that as fuel to push even harder in 2018.

For Tony, it's all about the next stage and the next adventure, but this year 3DMentional put on his birthday show titled "Another Trip Around The Sun", where they were able to bring the one & only Sasha to little ole Dayton, Ohio. Mo has been tearing up the highways traveling for his sons' football games. Trip tore his ACL and had to have surgery, but didn't let that slow him down (much). David reflects back on doing direct support for Sasha with great pride and excitement, but now yearns for more of that feeling behind the decks.

The team also goes over some of our favorite show moments of 2017, including the LIVE video stream of Episode 100, changing our intro theme music, our interviews with DJ Craze and Mixed in Key, as well as DJ Crazy (no relation) from Mo's visit to grandma's in Jamaica. From fan favorites like the Digging For Bedrock episode, or one of our favorites like Pet Peeves, we've got plenty of flashback clips to look back on.

And, let's not forget our good friend Kilma! David and Kilma got caught up on 2017 happenings and 2018 plans, with some fresh new Kilma kuts as the backdrop. Make sure to check out her Soundcloud, website, and YouTube channel  to stay up to date on her comings and goings, as well as plenty of tips to help DJs along in their aspirations!

Don't forget, we now have merch and an online store, an active Ambassador program that we will be looking to recruit for again in 2018, and TONS of more initiatives we are taking on in the coming year, and looking to involve our community. We're looking to also keep wading deeper in to the video world, and to start generating bonus content for you hardcore Passionate DJs.

Speaking of you, the Passionate DJ community, we can't thank you, enough, for being as supportive, awesome, and engaged as you have been. We are experiencing growth on a consistent basis, and picking up new listeners all the time. You guys are keeping us honest, and on our toes with your questions, comments, and voicemails. Don't stop now! Stay engaged with us, and let's continue to build this awesome community we have going. You truly are why we do what we do, here.

From the bottom of our hearts, here at Passionate DJ, we truly hope you have a safe, happy, and healthy 2018. And remember, we're becoming better DJs, through passion and purpose. Keep on spinning!

(PS -- The outro music for today's episode is an unsigned original from Trip Turlington called "Rise Up" -- Available as a free download from his Soundcloud here!)

Happy Holidays to you and yours! It may be cold outside, but David & Co are heating things up with our 2nd annual holiday record exchange!

Last year, we went shopping for a vinyl record exchange with each other, Pick 3 style. And it went over so well, we decided to do it again, this year!

Before we dive in, though, we address a couple of voicemails and emails. Thanks to all of you who keep us engaged, year round. We love getting your questions and comments, so keep them coming!

Among today's picks, we take a little detour from our typical electronic and hip hop roots, to explore a little more of our eclectic musical tastes. Though there's a couple of hip hop classics (it just wouldn't be us if there were none), we dive in to everything else from the 80's, to metal, blues, and even parody diss track, among others.

We truly hope that you all have a great holiday season with your family, friends, and beats! And, we look forward to seeing you back here for our big New Year's Episode, next week! From the bottom of our hearts here, at Passionate DJ, thanks for a great 2017 and an even bigger 2018 on the horizon!

The end of 2017 is fast approaching, and the whole gang got together to reflect back on a crazy year!

As we look back on ourselves, in terms of artist development, we discuss our gigs for the year, mixes we did (or didn't do), and what we wanted to do, but missed the mark on. Tony certainly takes the spotlight this year, in the mixes department, with his Mixcloud Top 100 Prog Chart heater, "Lost & Found".

Mo and Tony spent a lot of time on the road, this year, and 3DMentional had one of their biggest years, yet, which led to one of David's most memorable gigs, ever -- doing direct support for Sasha!

For Trip, the majority of the latter half of the year was spent either being injured by a torn ACL in his knee, or recovering from the surgery. And while that definitely presented some challenges and severely limited his ability to play gigs, he was still able to at least crank out one (unreleased) track, this year. Check it out at Trip Turlington – "Rise Up"!

Things have been busy at Passionate DJ, this year, and they're only going to get bigger and better for 2018!

Plus, PRODUCERS: make sure to check out Captain Plugins from our friends at Mixed in Key! This is a product that expands the functionality of Odesi, directly in to your DAW, so you have the power of Odesi to bang out chord progressions and music theory hacks quickly and effectively, integrated in to your workflow, rather than in an external application!

Also, if you've ever wanted to train to play piano and learn music theory, a new product called Melodics might be a great tool for you! Think Guitar Hero, but using your midi keyboard! And, Ableton Live owners get some extra freebies! 

In this week's episode, the crew is doing another deep dive in to a specific genre. This time, it's Glitch Hop! From its humble roots in the obscure Glitch movement of the 90's, to the bass music heavyweights of today like Bassnectar, Glitch Hop has certainly come in to its own.

To illustrate this, Trip guides us through his experience with the genre, and shares some of his favorite tracks from different time periods, and the crew gives their reactions and thoughts on each track.

If you're into artists like Tipper, Kraddy, Pretty Lights, and The Glitch Mob, this is the episode for you. If you have no idea who these people are, or what Glitch Hop is, we invite you to join us as we jump up and glitch out with Trip.

First, what IS Glitch Hop? -- Start here!

And, in case you weren't aware, Trip creates some Glitch Hop that has gotten some attention, in its own right. Our theme music is actually his remix of Evol Intent's "Middle of the Night", and he's had a remix he did for Krafty Kuts released on Funk and Filth's label when he was a runner up in a remix contest. One of his Glitch Hop studio mixes earned him a spot on a major show for Self Diploma in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Below are some links to check out:

The mix that started it all, for Trip - Special shout out to Jack Sheets (aka Mister Shifter)!

Some Trip Turlington Remixes: Krafty Kuts - "Work That Body" (Trip Turlington Remix) Evol Intent - "Middle of the Night" (Trip Turlington Remix) - aka the Passionate DJ Podcast Theme Song! Steve Aoki, Chris Lake, and Tumajo featuring Kid Ink - Delirious (Trip Turlington's "Bone-In" Remix)

A Glitch Hop mix by Trip Turlington!

More artists to check out, if you want to explore more, on your own!

Beats Antique Beat Fatigue Blunt Instrument Cheshire Disprove Freddy Todd Getter Griz ill-esha Joe Ford K Lab KOAN Sound K Theory Love & Light Mochipet Mr. Bill Opiuo Pretty Lights Samples Si Begg Subvert Tantric Decks 2 Fingers (Amon Tobin, especially) Xenflex

And there's SO MANY MORE. This is only intended to be a primer list. Get out there and explore!

Introducing, for Episode 120: Arguably, the driest, most nerdy, technical discussion we've had, yet! :-D

Today's episode consists of CABLES. Specifically, all of the cables you may, or may not, run in to as a DJ.

Here, we go through the differences between digital and analog signals, as well as balanced and unbalanced connections. We also get a little in to what it means to have a dirty power source, and what noise and interference are, as well as how to combat it.

The Cables!

• RCA
• XLR
• TRS/TS
• S/PDIF & ADAT
• MIDI
• USB
• Ethernet
• Power Cables
• Proprietary Cables

Some parting thoughts, to keep in mind as you use and look for cables:

• There's a lot of hype out there around what a cable is made with. Do your research and make sure the company's reputation and manufacturing standards are as high as their marketing strategy. Often, a cable with a basic shielding that was made well will actually perform better than others with colorful jackets and gold plated tips, and cost a fraction of the price.
• Length matters - The longer a signal has to travel, the more that it takes to get it to its destination, and the more opportunity it has to pick up unwanted noise. Keep those connections as short as possible!
• Remember that going from a low grade connection to a higher quality connection does not necessarily mean you've "upgraded" the connection. Mind the source and targets, and the required connection types. Ultimately, especially for a show, you have to make connections however you have to, but don't fool yourself in to thinking you've changed the quality of a connection with a connection adapter!

Ever wonder what you can do to set YOUR mix apart from everyone else's? If you answered YES, then pay attention to Episode 119!

David, Trip, Tony, and Mo touch on several ways to bring something unique to a set or studio mix:

• Create a diagram or story arc, while utilizing a design, such as a Ramp, Hill, Smile, or Waves to keep the listener interested.
• Mix harmonically! You don't have to be a music theory genius, but mixing within compatible harmonics is an easy way to pull off a lot of things that would be harder to do, otherwise. (Check out Mixed In Key for a leading example of key detection software).
• Use more subtle transitions for a more cohesive listening experience. (Great for mashups)
• Push and Pull: Use restraint and patience… but then deliver! Being able to control energy levels to convey a desired meaning, message, or feeling in a studio mix is just as crucial as reading a live crowd!
• Changing up your genres is a guaranteed way to get everyone's attention. Just BE CAREFUL when doing this, as it can also be a quick way to kill a vibe, if not done correctly.
• Spontaneity and Mixing Under Pressure (ie, throw yourself under the bus). Among the many ways to do this, tagging/B2B is one of the best ways to push your comfort zone, which then allows you to learn new techniques from someone else.
• Mix for yourself (without a plan). Record it, and examine for what you like and don't like, and pay that forward in to the next mix you put out for public consumption.
• Mind your technical details, such as EQing and gain staging (Check out Platinum Notes for another piece of great software by Mixed In Key that normalizes the gains of your audio library).
• Put some effort in to the packaging & attractive album art (Check out Canva to get started, if you're not super-handy with graphics and Photoshop)
• Give the listener some context to relate to the message you are trying to convey.
• Think of creative ways to share rather than add to the noise!

All of this, and MORE to listen to, as we bash on the last of our turkey leftovers, with eyes toward the upcoming holiday season!

In Episode 118, we started with a show outline, and had a plan.

But, sometimes you have to deviate from the plan. What started out as some solid advice from PDJ Ambassador DJ Brains, turned in us going deep in to a tangent on each of the points proposed in his voicemail message.

Some of the points we discuss:

- That feeling of being overwhelmed, or getting lost, or losing motivation. - Overcoming the frustration of what "being a DJ" means across different groups of DJs. - The difference between technology as an augmentation of skill, versus relying on it, exclusively, for your artistry.

Mo Dingo also rejoins us in the studio after being on the road for his sons' football season, and we chat about our Thanksgiving plans, and some things we are thankful for :)

Now that we are all back together for Episode 117, this seemed like a great time to do another "Ask Us Anything" episode...aka our take on #AMA. And, you guys came up with some great stuff!

Before we get started, Trip gets to drop a "toldjaso" on the crew upon learning about Pulselocker closing their doors very abruptly, leaving a lot of DJs hanging out to dry.

• Matt See is converting vinyl to digital, and cleaning up digital files, asking for the most efficient and least soul-sucking way to manage those files.
• DJ Big Block left us a voicemail about a crashing laptop situation, asking for the best road to recovery, as it is causing issues during his gigs.
• og10speed is struggling to keep his weekend residency fresh.
• Tom Reed, one of our Ambassadors, asks what our ideal bookings are, and what would be the worst?
• Andrea left us a voicemail, wondering where to start DJing, and find a mentor that will stay patient and help her harness her love for music.
• Brian James aka The Engineer, also an Ambassador, wants to know who was the first DJ we saw that influenced us to become DJs, ourselves?
• basssnakemusic is currently debating between gear and software he likes and the gear and software that is more "industry standard".

We wrap up the episode with some great advice for beginner DJs from a couple of our Ambassadors. Don't forget that we have merch available in the Passionate DJ Merch Store! ...and if you liked this episode's outro music (Trip Turlington's remix of Nicmor's "Resistance"), you can pick that up at Beatport, courtesy of Base Industry Records!

It's November! Time for us to get caught up on the seasonal updates with our Fall 2017 Bulletin!

• First, we respond to a voicemail from Avery looking for some clarity on DJ terminology.
• Thank a Veteran! (United States holiday - Veteran's Day)
• Pioneer DJS-1000: A totally different piece of gear from Pioneer, focusing on sample based performing, allowing a new way for DJs to create loops, textures, and songs on the fly, or create projects ahead of time and play them "live", while integrating with Pioneer's Pro DJ Link.
• XDJ-RX2: The next iteration of Pioneer's WILDLY popular completely standalone Rekordbox DJ controller.
• Reloop Touch - Touch screen controller for Virtual DJ, also includes video mixing at a very reasonable price.
• Pioneer & TC Supply developed a new protocol over Pro DJ Link to send relevant song and track information to integrate with VJ software, such as Show Control.
• MixCloud & Warner Music Group strike a deal, leaving many guessing what is to come, since the communication coming from MixCloud does NOT indicate any resemblance to the $9.99/month subscription services already on the market.
• Berlin nightclub Liquid Sky bans turntables and CDJs to promote alternative styles and technologies for DJ performances.
• Rusko announces he is cancer-free!
• Seth Troxler pledges $10k at UMF, which convinced other headliners and the festival organizers to raise money for hurricane relief.

In today’s episode, we’re primarily talking about Passionate DJ’s latest adventure: throwing live events! In our main segment, we feature an interview with Entel. He was the headliner for our launch event, where he played lovely progressive house and other forms of melodic dance music to a small outdoor crowd of around 150 people. 

We threw a secret warehouse pop-up party in Downtown Dayton, OH. This was the first event that PDJ has thrown under it’s own name since 2014, so we wanted it to be special. We asked ENTEL to headline the show for us, because his melodic and emotional style fits Passionate DJ well, but also because he’s been making moves in the industry. Many more events at this spot (which is called HQ|DYT) are to come.

We also talk about the upcoming launch of our new channel, Passionate DJ Performances. This is where we will be posting our DJ sets and mixes, going forward. You can check it out by going to PassionateDJ.com/music

Before diving into the main topic, we also talk quickly about some news in the DJ space, such as:

- The new Traktor beta, with Beatport integration - Serato support for the CDJ-3000 - “End of Life” RANE gear - Rekordbox and their new “Professional” plan

Also, David got a new doggo.

Episode 115 invites the evil spirits and psychotic demons in to the PDJ studios for a Halloween themed Pick 3!

Trip's 3 Picks:

• Gravediggaz - Diary of a Madman
• Spice 1 - Born II Die
• Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters

David's 3 Picks:

• DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Nightmare on My Street
• Rockwell - Somebody Watching Me
• Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

Mo's 3 Picks:

• Audio & Donny - Horribly Ribbed
• Dr Dre & Ice Cube - Natural Born Killaz
• Q-Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses

For Episode 114, we get real. We've dug up some clips of world-famous DJs and then dissected their own words to discuss how it applies to the rest of us. It's not all glitz and glam, despite these people being where they are, and they all have some very unique insight due to their experiences as mega-stars of the DJ community.  

• Carl Cox (Grammy.com 2014) talks about the legacy of EDM, and supporting up-and-comers.
• Richie Hawtin (Red Bull Music Academy 2013) discusses feeling “lost”.
• DJ Jazzy Jeff (DJCityTV 2013) talks about the evolution of the industry, and staying relevant.
• Z-Trip (Sway in the Morning 2013) on preservation of the craft of DJing.
• Sasha (The Edge Video Magazine 1992) speaks to the most important aspect of the club in an old-school clip.
• Seth Troxler (FACTmagazine 2014) talks about the idea of “the underground”.
• Nina Kraviz (K7 Records - DJ Kicks feature, 2015) talks about being “in the moment” of a DJ mix (and crate-digging).

 During the episode, we also review some feedback from Episode 112, the Ambassador Program, and provide some marketing insight to a listener in Nirobi, Kenya.

Also, if you liked the clip of Trip Turlington's track "Get Real", released on Base Industry Records, and want to support, you can purchase it at Beatport or any of your favorite online digital music distributors.

What we gonna do right here for Episode 113 is go back. WAY BACK. Back in to time... Ten years ago. Sounds like a long time, doesn't it? Well, David and Trip take a look back and see how much different everything was:

• 2007 marked the beginning of the mobile revolution. Apple announced the iPhone, and since then, mobile technology has drastically changed the definition of a phone. As DJs, there's so many apps and ways for our devices to help us DJ, now...all thanks to the advancement of smartphone technology.
• DJ Mag's Top 100 is saturated in trance and rife with voting controversy. 
• Beatport's Top 9 selling tracks in 2007 indicates the dominance of electro-house in the years before dubstep domination.
• Daft Punk releases Alive in 2007 (which went on to win a Grammy in 2009).
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• Pioneer launched the DJM-700 and the CDJ-400, Technics put out a super-limited run of 1000 SL-1200MK6, Vestax released the first serious DJ controller (VCI-100), and among several other hardware releases from Behringer, Xone, Korg, and others, the Innofader drops on to the market.
• Traktor Scratch comes in to being after splitting off from Final Scratch.
• Beyonce topped the charts in 2007, but the much of the top 20 was saturated by the likes of Akon, Timbaland, Fergie, while Rhianna and others were solidifying their superstar status, as well.

In today’s episode, we spend some time digging into the progressive house and trance sounds of the 1990s and early 2000s. A close friend joins David as a guest co-host, and together, they explore the dark, tribal, melodic, and hypnotic rave sounds of “the Bedrock era”. Predictably, we spend much of the episode talking about Sasha and Digweed, though a few other names come up along the way (Nick Muir, Nick Warren, Sandra Collins, Quivver…)

First, we skim through the Bedrock album… that is, the 1999 DJ mix album titled Bedrock, mixed by John Digweed. From track one, you’re getting a serious lesson in progressive house. Raff ’N’ Freddy’s “Listen” has the uplifting diva vocals and shuffling beat of a house tune, but the dark and hypnotic features of early trance music. The whole mix is put together in such a beautifully cohesive way, that we present it here as one of the greatest examples of its kind.

Next, we have a look at Global Underground 013 (Ibiza) by Sasha. We play through the transition of Space Manoevres - Stage One (Pariah Remix) to Sander Kleinenberg - Sacred, and discuss just how beautiful it is. Things get fairly trancey in the mix… back when “trance” really meant something.

Finally, we explore Global Underground 019 (Los Angeles) by Digweed, which starts out with the classic Apollo Vibes by Pole Folder. This mix gets really down into the nitty gritty, where the influence of the rave is undeniable. This percussive, driving mix demands that your feet move without stopping. We also note how modern techno has really begun to work its way towards the sounds of dark tribal progressive house from yesteryear.

Overall, the conversation between David and his friend Tommy centers around the progressive dance music sounds from the start of the millenium. Other topics covered are: what makes a good transition, trance as an idea (rather than a genre), the joys of mixing vinyl vs. digital DJing, and the tag sets they used to play together in Dayton, 10 years ago.

Sit back, and come along for the journey.

In Episode 111, we review 13 key points that we feel are good things for new DJs to know. While there are certainly more than 13 things that every DJ should know, these were key points we felt were especially important for newcomers to the art and craft. 

We broke these points down in to 3 categories: Technical, Social, and Philosophical...because believe it, or not, there's a lot more to DJing than your technical skill! 

Technical

• The Fundamentals Are Worth It
  • Today's hardware and software take care of a lot of the fundamental skill out of the hands of the modern DJ. But, technology can, and inevitably will, fail. How you respond is entirely dependent upon your skill and confidence in the fundamentals.
• Experience Leads to Confidence
  • While it's easy for most DJs to get used to their equipment, you may not always be able to play on your desired rig. Some gigs require you to use gear you've never seen before. Getting yourself exposed early on to different gear will make you even more versatile, as a DJ, thus increasing your confidence and flexibility to take more gigs.
• Pro Gear Isn’t Necessary
  • Just because we have well known "industry standards" and most of our favorite headlining acts appear playing on NXS2, TOUR1, and PRIME setups, doesn't mean you have to have that to be a successful and skilled DJ. There are many DJs out there who have vastly different riders and many are playing on very different setups. Just because you spend the money on a pro-level setup doesn't mean you become a pro-level DJ. Get what you will use, and can afford, and master it! That's what pros do!
• Protect Yourself: Always Use a Contract!
  • This is especially true for our friends in the mobile/wedding/corporate event circuits. This is often the only protection you have against a client who refuses to pay. For performance/club DJs, however, using a contract from day one might not be necessary. However, as your popularity (and your booking fee) increases, it will become more and more important, so do not skip looking in to putting this together sooner, rather than later, after you've already been burned!

Social

• Be Versatile, but Focused
  • It's ok to love multiple genres, but many genres have their own scenes, and each of them are filled with dedicated fans that can sniff out a laissez faire newcomer. If you spend all of your time spread too thin between multiple genres and scenes, you may find it hard to succeed or advance in any of them. And, it can be very confusing for people who see you playing techno at one show, then hip hop at another. Take the time to become proficient in a scene and develop real fans before dipping your toes in to the next one, because the fans, the music, and the scenes deserve it, and you owe it to yourself to really develop your music library, skills, and network properly.
• Nurture Your Network
  • This is probably one of the most important, behind technical skill. Without the proper networking skills, you'll never leave your bedroom. You have to not only impress people as a DJ, but you have to get their attention as a person. How you establish and work within those relationships will ultimately determine what opportunities are made available to you.
• We’re Not JustDJs, Anymore
  • We have to wear many hats, these days. While most of the headliners have multi-person teams of tour managers, audio engineers, booking agents, graphic designers, and marketing specialists, most of us are working on a much tighter budgets. That means we need to be able to do all of those things, or be able to network with others who can do those things for us while we barter something else, in return.
• You Catch More Flies with Honey than Vinegar
  • To be blunt: Don't be a dick. There's stories upon stories of people who act unprofessionally, at best, and petulant or violent, at worst. And it's not just a few bad headliners who "made it", this is a very common attitude within local scenes, as well. Ultimately, the best thing to always do, is take the high road. Don't let people take advantage of you, but handle conflict in a much more productive manner. And, especially when things go well, make sure to be gracious, thank the promoters and anyone who helped you throughout the night, and be the type of person people want to keep working with.

Philosophical

• Know Your “Why”
  • No one can tell you that your reason for wanting to be a DJ is the wrong reason. But, be honest with yourself and know what that reason is. This will allow you to take the steps necessary toward your goals, and will help you align with others that have the same philosophy and goals.
• Not Every Gig is a Good Gig
  • Early on, it's easy to take any gig just so you can take a gig. This is not always best, though, as it often leads to many problems, such as getting stuck with never-ending free gigs, run ins with more inexperienced or nefarious promoters, and poorly organized gigs. As you gain more experience, most DJs start seeing the value in being more selective in when and who they play for.
• Learn From Your “Elders”
  • Older DJs have been around a while. They've seen things, heard things, learned things. You can learn from their experience. Sure, you may have to endure a little "Back in my day..." conversations riddled with criticisms of all of today's new gear, software, and youth's mentality. And, maybe on some level they have a point. But, don't let that stop you from learning something from these veterans. Many would LOVE an opportunity to teach someone the things they know. And, you're not beholden to do things their way. It's ok to learn from them, and make it your own. Who knows, maybe you can teach THEM a thing, or two.
• Keep It Real
  • It's good to have a dream, and having stars in your eyes is a primary driver, for some. But, always keep in mind that the percentage of DJs who aspire to be at the Tiesto, Deadmau5, or Skrillex levels, and actually MAKE IT to that level are extremely low. The music business is a ruthless one, and for every star it makes, thousands of other dreams are crushed, day in, and day out. Even if you do "make it", it can take YEARS to do so. But, that shouldn't stop anyone. You can be successful, as a DJ, in your own right. You can still enjoy it, play for people, be very talented, and even get paid to do this. Have dreams, aim for the sky, but keep a realistic expectation and try to curb disappointment from not attaining superstardom by being thankful for the successes you do achieve.
• Never Stop Learning
  • Never relent on improving your game. Learning new things is what keeps you relevant. Whether it's new technology, new techniques, new genres, or new gear...there's always SOMETHING you can learn to make yourself a little better. The day you become complacent with the way things are, is the day you start becoming irrelevant...so push yourself!

 

For Episode 110, Tony is able to sneak home to talk all about his summer adventures with us.

From the grueling schedule, to the intricacies of preparing a stage for a major festival, to the different personalities, Tony doesn't pull any punches when describing his duties as a stage manager.

We also take a voicemail, where we unpack a controversial new app called Spinfire that aims to put DJs and producers together in a free marketplace. DJs offer to spin producers' tracks at live gigs for a given price, and then provide video proof of the play in order to get paid.

We explore how this is kind of similar to radio payola, and paying for inflated social media numbers. But, at its core, it really is a different, and more complicated animal, and we're not sure where we land on it.

This also prompts Tony to discuss artistic integrity with us, where he gives us some first hand accounts of the talent(less) hacking that happens with some of these huge festival headliners.

Where do YOU stand when it comes to artistic integrity, buying social media stats, and apps like Spinfire? We'd love to hear from you, so leave us a voicemail, or sound off in the comments!

Way back in the day...Trip had an idea for a blog: Feature songs he loved from WAY WAY WAY WAAAAAAAAY back in the day, telling stories and pointing out the features of these songs that he admired about them. 

Well intentioned as that idea was, he just couldn't stay on top of it. Trip's a pretty busy guy, typically, and writing blog posts is no easy feat, on top of being extremely time consuming. Not to mention, he just didn't have the traffic, which led to a loss in motivation to keep it going. 

Then, he brought the idea to Passionate DJ, thinking our established community might be just the motivation he needed, but at the end of the day...even with the motivation, he lacked the time.

So, now we are trying it out on the podcast! David and Trip take a trip down memory lane, talking about a handful of powerful tracks, full of yesteryear's glory, all while digging through the mail bag and answering more of your questions on the show!

We hope you enjoy these selections! Let us know what you think of this episode, and if you'd like to hear more like it!

Today's episode of the Podcast is a little different than normal. Every year, David gives a major update to The Controller Compendium: an ultimate buyer's guide for DJs who are trying to decide which DJ controller is right for them. 

This episode is an audio version of that guide, for those who prefer to listen on the go. If you'd like to follow along, just go to PassionateDJ.com/controllers. There, you'll be able to see reviews, check the pricing, and compare features.

Since the digital DJing revolution, the art of mixing music has become accessible to many people who would have otherwise been left out, due to a lack of options or money. The development of robust mixing software, along with the hardware to control it, has been one of the most significant things to ever happen in the industry. A DJ controller gives you tactile control over DJ software, allowing you to mix music on a device that’s specifically designed for the task.

The DJ hardware market has grown exponentially in recent years; people are now able to choose a controller which fits their budget, their workflow, and their choice of software. This is wonderful news for DJs, but it also makes the shopping process difficult.

That’s where the Controller Compendium comes in! This guide is meant to help you make an informed decision, so that you can feel confident when spending your hard-earned money.

The controllers are broken into three price points: Premium, Midgrade, and Budget. David provides his top 7 recommendations in each of those categories, as well as giving some general tips for making a smart buying decision. Happy shopping!

In this week’s episode, Mo Dingo travels to Jamaica and brings us an interview from a local DJ and seasoned industry worker. In his chat with DJ Crazy (not to be confused with DJ Craze–that was last week), we learn about the rich and varied DJ culture in Jamaica.

The beautiful island country has been influencing the art of DJing (and music in general) on a global scale for generations. In this very raw interview, DJ Crazy explains to us the difference between a DJ and Selector. He speaks about playing for tourists vs. playing for locals, popular hardware and software, and some of the different venues he’s had experience with. And, he explains what it means to go “dub-for-dub”.

Crazy also shares his thoughts on the future of DJing in Jamaica, and his advice for up-and-coming DJs in its smaller and more rural areas. (We found it to be pretty good advice, in genera!)

Huge thanks to Mo Dingo for arranging this interview, and to DJ Crazy for sharing his wisdom and experience with us!

In Episode 106, we have a really special treat for you!

Hailing from Miami, Florida, we landed an extra special interview with the ONE, THE ONLY, DJ CRAZE!

For those of you not hip to DJ Craze, he’s an award winning turntablist and record producer, known for his skillful mixing of genres like hip hop and Miami bass, trap, breaks, and drum & bass. To date, he is the only solo DJ in history to win the DMC World DJ Championships three times consecutively…so if ANYONE has anything to say about DJing, this guy is probably one to listen to.

 

* Note: we apologize for the audio quality, as our call recording app failed on us and we had to recover the audio from a background recording. Thanks to Trip's hours of hard work, the recording is much more listenable... but those who listen to the podcast in their car (or other noisy environments) may want to save this one for home listening.

First we get a little background on DJ Craze, but then we start to cut right to the chase. Back in July, Craze sent out the following tweet:

“The dj culture is a joke cause YALL have made it a joke. We've always been here repping the artform ... lame edm producers made it a joke”

Starting from there, we launch in to a discussion about the phenomenon of EDM blowing up in the US, and the effect it's had on DJ culture.

Then we try to get to the heart of #realdjs - how it became the "battle cry" for those trying to preserve the culture, but it has become misused over time. Craze’s answer to this might actually shock you! It was actually meant to educate people about the art of DJing, rather than those who use DJing as a chance to play some remixes or edits and put their hands in the air to cheerlead for an hour. With high profile DJs who do next to nothing and yet make insane amounts of money out there, Craze felt the need to show people “what real DJing is, TO ME.”

We also talk about a lot of different topics. Why he prefers Traktor, what music is on his iPhone, his current favorite hip-hop artists, thoughts on mumble rap and where hip-hop is headed.

All in all, this interview was an honor, and we had a blast talking with him and we are sure you will love it, too.

"DJing, and hip hop in general, was kinda my escape from the whole world. I come from nothing; you know, five of us in a one-bedroom apartment. Hip hop was a voice for those of us in the inner city who didn't have shit. And that's what I loved about it. So I surrounded myself in hip hop culture. And that's what attracted me to become a DJ and turntablist. I couldn't rap, I couldn't break, I couldn't graff.... but I wanted to be part of this culture that I loved so much. And that helped me to understand the world." — DJ Craze, Passionate DJ Epsiode 106

Today's episode features special guest Isicle, who joined us for an in-studio livestream on our Twitch channel. While he was here, he was gracious enough to give us an interview to tell us a little bit about what he does... which is create amazing music on the fly.

Isicle is a Dayton-based DJ, producer, and pianist. His full-time job is wedding gigs, but today he shares his more artistic side. We talk about how he jams on his many keyboards, improvising over beats. He played some incredible piano keys for us, while creating cool music that we described as "LoFi Soul and Electro". There's definitely a bit of hip-hop flavor in there, too.

Make sure to hit up our YouTube channel, where we've posted the full hour-long musical performance for your enjoyment. 

📹 That performance was originally broadcast on our Twitch channel, which you can find at Twitch.tv/passionatedj

We also talk about the many, many things that are coming in the near future for Passionate DJ. Stay tuned and enjoy!

For Episode 105, we landed an interview with James Araujo of the Mixed In Key marketing team. As the product that has been the leader of the key detection and harmonic mixing game in the digital DJ world, we are honored that they took some time to help explain not just what Mixed In Key is, but how their software is another tool we DJs can use to create better sets.

For those who are not familiar, Mixed In Key is the flagship product for the Mixed In Key company, started by Yakov Vorobyev. In short, the software analyzes your music library, and then properly tags the music with the key the track was written in.

This allows us, as DJs, to use a mixing technique called Harmonic Mixing, which is where you mix tracks together that fall in the same musical scale. Mixed in Key facilitates this by either tagging the track with the traditional key notation and the scale (C Maj, A# Min, etc) or with the numeric system (1A, 3B, etc). Both of these notations can then be used with the Camelot Wheel, which allows us to take advantage of a music theory concept called “The Circle of Fifths”, very easily.

Is this necessary? No, of course not. Thousands upon thousands of DJs have been very successful without ever learning a lick of music theory. However, if it’s a tool you can learn that would allow you to be more flexible and do some new things, then there’s certainly no harm in it!

Mixed In Key also has other features, such as batch ID3 tag processing, energy level detection, and it will even automatically place cue points to use with Traktor, Serato, and other digital DJ software.

Mixed In Key also provides other tools for DJs and producers to use, as well! Odesi Flow 8 Deck Platinum Notes Beyond Beatmatching Mashup Metabliss

Visit Mixed In Key to purchase!

For Episode 104, David and Trip do a run down of the year’s biggest gear announcements, before the Summer NAMM event. We have mentioned some of the gear, throughout the year as it came up, but now we can revisit the highlights and put the spotlight on some of the other gear that we overlooked.

Kicking things off, Pioneer introduced Rekordbox Interface 2, which is a 2 channel DVS audio interface for Rekordbox. These units will allow a Rekordbox user to connect two turntables or CDJ’s and a mixer, in order to use timecode vinyl or CDs with their Rekordbox DJ software.

Also from Pioneer, we see the MKII version of their stripped-down 2-channel DJM250 mixer. It comes Rekordbox DVS ready, which is really nice if you’re looking for a budget-friendly 2-channel mixer with DVS functionality.

However, if Rekordbox isn’t your thing, or you’re just not into Pioneer, Mixars UNO has a very similar 2-channel stripped down battle style mixer, as well. Instead of Rekordbox, it comes loaded with Serato DVS functionality, and comes in about $50 cheaper than the Pioneer DJM250 MKII.

If you need something with more bounce to the ounce, however, Reloop has dropped the new RMX-90 on the market, this year, and man...is it sexy! In the same vein as the DJM (but definitely not a knock-off), this is a 4 channel, Serato DVS ready mixer with a separate AUX channel, and is Innofader compatible. Even cooler, though... is that it has a powered active USB hub BUILT IN to the mixer, so if you’re running low on USB ports on your laptop *coughMacUserscough*, this could help to alleviate that problem.

 

Gemini is also coming out swinging this year with the SDJ-4000 and the MAS-1. The SDJ-4000 is an all-in-one, standalone controller. While the aesthetics leave David and Trip with a 1950’s Star Trek computer kind of vibe, the feature set is full and Gemini is looking to compete. With dual decks, full color 7” high-res display, routable effects, and two USB ports, this unit is a likely contender for those who are looking for features on a budget.

The Gemini MAS-1, however, is a different type of controller, as it is geared for the Ableton Live user experience. With the layout of the sliders, pads, and knobs, it looks to make the DJ experience a little more intuitive with Ableton, which is not necessarily an intuitive DJ experience.

DJ Tech Tools has made 1,000 of the HUGE Midi Fighter 64, and they are now for sale. The big brother to the original Midi Fighter controller, this one has 64 arcade style buttons, laid out in an 8x8 grid. Finger drummers will love this one, as well as DJs/producers who want to add the ability to trigger sounds from a LARGE, brightly lit unit. Gorgeous, and very fairly priced for a limited run unit.

Akai, following their tried and true path, have released the MPC Live & MPC X. Both have multitouch displays, touting 16gb of onboard storage, and are BATTERY POWERED. However, even better than a lot of the sampler workstations out there, MPC has made these units STANDALONE, meaning you do NOT have to have a computer to make music on these units. They’re both expandable using SD cards or Sata connections, and they’re even Ableton Link compatible. The only decision you have to make, is which one is the right size for you, and fits your budget. Go MPC Live for more mobile friendly and budget conscious, go MPC X for the big, bad boy, studio version.

Now, we realize that the Toraiz AS-1 is a monophonic analog synth, which doesn’t actually classify as “DJ Gear”, but it’s made by Pioneer DJ, so we made an exception. It’s another synth in the Dave Smith line of incredibly amazing gear, so we felt it was worth the honorable mention.

Finally, we know everyone is talking about Denon, and their new Prime line, and trust us… we are, too! But, we also talked about it so much, this year, that we intentionally didn’t go too deep on it, but it’s hard to have a conversation about the hot new gear in 2017 without talking about the top contenders. With the rich and impressive feature sets and aggressive marketing campaigns, we’re duly impressed with Denon and wish them the best of luck on the uphill Battle to replace Pioneer in the booth, even from the most die-hard Pioneer fanbois amongst us.

In Episode 103, David, @TripTurlington, and @MoDingo open the show with some banter about recent gigs and life happenings, and address a recent email where a listener gets shafted the day of a gig. Always remember: "Practice safe DJing - Always wear a contract!" For the meat of the episode, we discuss trends that aren't necessarily directly related to DJing, YET, but that technology is definitely moving us in that direction. The trends? Automation. Artificial Intelligence. Big Data Analytics. We touched on some of these topics back in Episode 33 (https://soundcloud.com/passionatedj/episode-33-pyro-mania) when Serato dropped their new mp3 beat matching iOS app, Pyro. But for this episode, we dig a little deeper in to the possibilities and implications of the future of technology and its possible effects on "the human element" of DJing.

For Episode 102, we take a dive in to Mo's digital crates for the next iteration of our "Crate Invasion" series. Knowing he's likely holding on to the most eclectic collection of all of us, we hold his feet to the fire, while also learning a little more about how he organizes his music. Donna Summer - Hot Stuff Crystal Waters - 100% Pure Love Daft Punk - Da Funk (E- Rock Cover) PM Dawn - Set Adrift on Memory Bliss M.O.P. - Ante Up! As an added bonus, Mo Dingo does a phone interview with Rob Holtzman, who is also a Passionate DJ that provides the soundtrack for women's body building shows, where his wife is a competitor!

In today's episode of the podcast, we wanted to explore some of the biggest headlines in the DJ and dance music world this summer. Of course, the hot topic right now is SoundCloud and their latest woes, so much of our time is spent speculating about the struggling streaming giant. SoundCloud - July 12: TechCrunch reports that “SoundCloud sinks as leaks say layoffs buy little time.” - July 13: SoundCloud responds with confidence via Resident Advisor - July 14: Do they have a Chance (the Rapper)? Spotify - Is Spotify creating fake artists? - Profiles with no external presence that have millions/listens Piracy - Stream-ripping is now the piracy method of choice - Research finds stream-ripping now overshadows all other methods of illegal music piracy TomorrowLand protection methods - Screens 400k ticket-holders; rejects 38 - Increased security as a defensive reaction to terrorism, according to Dancing Astronaut - 38 people were refused entry; other security measures were taken. (Your EDM) - Those 38 may have been rejected due to potential for “radical behavior” Sony returns to pressing vinyl - Sony resumes pressing records for first time in almost 3 decades - Japanese sales of vinyl records have roughly octupled from 2010 levels to 799,000 units in 2016. - Vinyl sales outpaced digital music sales at one point last year in the U.K. In the U.S., 17.2 million units were shipped last year, with consumers 35 and younger accounting for 70%. Dubspot accused of scamming students - In an article by THUMP, it is stated that Dubspot have accused its CEO Dan Giove of fraudulent activities and erratic behavior. - Teachers aren’t even showing up - Physical locations have closed Age 37 is “too old” for clubbing - Why is this going viral? This “research” was done by some electronics distro in the UK - Magnetic Mag has a few suggestions for raving past 37

We finally hit the triple digits! In this special episode of the Passionate DJ Podcast, you’ll hear the replay of our exclusive livestream from July 08, 2017. We were joined by previous guests Mike Donovan, Mister Shifter, and John Chapel. Not only did we have some great conversation about our struggles and successes in the realm of DJing and promoting, but we made several big announcements: • We’re launching our online shop! Get Passionate DJ logo merch, exclusive t-shirt designs, and even shop for all your DJ hardware needs. • We’re launching the Passionate DJ Ambassador Program! Are you down for the cause? Give us feedback and help us spread the word about Passionate DJ. Earn points for some friendly competition, and win rewards! Apply here for this limited-access program: http://www.passionatedj.com/survey • We have new theme music for The Passionate DJ Podcast! Produced by our own Trip Turlington. A full new intro will be coming soon! We also collected several polls from all you dedicated listeners who were hanging out with us in the chat room, and had a terrific live Q&A session to wrap things up. P.S. – big apologies to Kilma and Joe Pardo, who were supposed to join us, but couldn’t due to technical problems on our end! Special thanks from David: Stacey, Tracea, Kate, Mel Dingo, Marin, and The Ginas ™. Thanks to Nick Gwozdz for the awesome decals, and Noel Serrato for his thoughtful voice message. Huge props to my team. Through their hard work, The Passionate DJ Podcast is becoming something truly special. Love you guys. Finally, thanks so much to you – our listeners. You are the reason we do this. Keep on spinning, and here’s to the next hundred!

It's the last of the double-digits! In Episode 99, I (David) bring in five different mixes which I thinks that DJs should listen to. These mixes have a lot to offer, especially to DJs, because of their mixing style and programming. (full mix) > http://passionatedj.com/5mixes/danny The first mix is Danny Howells' Essential Mix from 2007. This mix covers a lot of ground, representing loads of different styles while somehow making it all work together. From start to finish, it's loaded full of interesting dance music. After you're done listening, you get the feeling that you've just listened to a "house mix"... yet, I would categorize few of the songs as simply "house". The standout track, for me, is right at the beginning: "Shinkansen" by Tom Middleton (though, it's pitched down in this example). (full mix) > http://passionatedj.com/5mixes/holden For the second mix, we explore Balance 005, mixed by James Holden. Back in 2003, this mix (especially disc one, which we will hear clips from) almost helped wrap up an era of beautiful and dark progressive house. There are a few "light and fluffy" moments, but overall, the mix has a somber tone. "You are Sleeping", Luke Chable's remix of the PQM track, is the highlight here: an entertaining (yet somewhat depressing) tale of a lonely man and a young woman in need of saving. (full mix) > http://passionatedj.com/5mixes/irish Then, I take you way back into my past, with a 140 - 145 BPM example of what got me into this whole dance music thing. This hour of ravey, trancey goodness is called "Essential Trance 4" by DJ Irish. It represents all the aggressive, synthy, melodic music that I was looking for as a teenager. It's a vinyl mix (which can be detected by the scratches and pops), with excellent transitions and harmonic mixing. Buckle up, and be ready for some cheesy 90s goodness. (full mix) > http://passionatedj.com/5mixes/nintendub The fourth mix is entirely different than anything else in the list. "Nintendub", by Squincy Jones, was a weirdly awesome mixture of dubstep, 90s hip-hop, and 8-bit Nintendo sounds. There are a few other nods to the 80s and 90s as well, such as music from The Lost Boys, and the Unsolved Mysteries theme (aka, the stuff of nightmares). Overall, this 2008 shows extreme creativity through its use of heavy beats, rap acapellas, video game music mashups, sound effects, and more. (full mix) > http://www.passionatedj.com/5mixes/northern Finally, I wrap up the show with one of the best recorded DJ mix albums of all time: Northern Exposure, by Sasha and John Digweed. If you listen to only one of these mixes in full, make sure this is the one. The whole thing is just chock full of beautiful music, ethereal soundscapes, and dance music that originates from a time before most people had heard of a "rave". This 1996 mix album will be very revealing about where electronic DJs come from, as well as where it can go. Cheers, take care, and we'll see you next week with the recording of Episode 100 Live!

In Episode 98, we wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate the United States Independence Day holiday to honor the American contributions to DJing. Find out more about the following advancements in DJ technology and culture from American innovators: - Beatmatching and Slip-cueing - Beat juggling (aka 'the funk') - Scratching - The invention of the phonograph, itself! - The term “DJing” - The classic American radio DJ/American radio And, of course, some of the quintessential genres in dance music: - Hip-Hop - Disco - Chicago House - Detroit Techno - Florida Breaks - Miami Bass - Funk Music (with some focus on our hometown: http://passionatedj.com/daytonfunk) Don't forget, we are just 2 episodes from Episode 100! There's still a few spots on our interactive live webinar, so go to www.passionateDJ.com/100 to get signed up!

In Episode 97, we investigate the worst of the worst: What can go wrong? What do you do if your computer becomes damaged, unbootable, or is stolen? What about when USB media or hard drive can become corrupt or lost? How about when you encounter user errors like accidental deletion, occupational hazards like beer being dumped in mixer, software and firmware updates that cause unforeseen problems, or getting screwed by a promoter, employer, wedding planner, etc. We don’t always know what will go wrong! But, with a little preparation and a proactive attitude, there are some steps we can take to mitigate some of the most devastating of issues: * Computer and music backups * Redundancy planning for the gig * Make a checklist to reference on day of show * Prep your DJ bag (or make a “first aid kit”) * Comprehensive set of RCA/quarter/XLR adapters & cables * Have a second method to DJ (CD wallet, extra USB key, etc.) * An “in case of emergency” mix * Arrive early for extra reaction time * Contracts can keep you from legal or financial trouble * Insurance: For events and for your gear * Protecting against theft * Know how to play on anything Episode 100 is coming up SOON, so consider leaving us a voicemail to give us your comments and congratulations, or tell us why PDJ Podcast is important to you! What are some disasters you've encountered, and what can you (and others) do to avoid it?

Before we let loose about all of the things that aggravate us in Episode 96, first we have to let everyone know that Episode 100 is coming upon us, FAST! We will be live streaming, with guests, and interaction from YOU! So, if you'd like to be in on the fun, go to www.passionateDJ.com/100 and sign up! For the next 80-something minutes, though, we're going to go through a list of things that just plain gets our goats. Maybe you'll connect with some of these, maybe you're guilty of some of these. Either way, we're getting it off our chest! Maybe you've got some things that irritate YOU that we didn't mention? If so, SOUND OFF! Hit us up in the comments, or shoot us an email or voicemail!

Episode 221 is focused on the sounds of Drum N Bass and the surrounding genres, and features our very good friend Mister Shifter. He joined us recently for a DJ performance on Twitch, and we've posted a teaser of that set on our YouTube channel which you should definitely watch! We'll be posting his full DnB set later in the summer.

While he was here, we recorded this interview where we talk about Drum N Bass and the surrounding genres. We also discuss the struggles of forging an identity while playing and making multiple styles of music, working in duos/trios/collabs, DAW software and music production, piano lessons, DJ gear, mixing "DJ unfriendly" music and 45s... and of course, our guest's obsessive collecting and organizational habits.

Columbus-based DJ/producer Mister Shifter is a purveyor of fine bass-minded music, and former founding half of Random Movement. He's seen releases on Dispatch Recordings | Bassbin | Innerground Records | Skeleton Recordings | Flexout Audio | Foxy Jangle | Aufect | Lightless Recordings | Flight Pattern.

In Episode 95, we tackle the subject of creating mixes. Why do we do it? -- Promote ourselves, obviously. If you're a DJ, but don't have a mix, how do you promote yourself as a DJ? Having a mix is part of the foundation of your brand. -- Self reflection. To listen back and find our own weak points, as well as take pride in our strengths. Continue to accentuate the areas in which we do well, and work on the things we don't, that way we are better prepared for the live gigs. How do we do it? -- Digital DJ's have it easy...just press the record button on your digital DJ software. -- Could always go old school (might have to if you're a vinyl junkie) and record to outboard gear or another computer. Why DON'T we do it? -- APATHY. Aren't we just adding to NOISE? -- Not enough feedback, people ignore mixes. -- We are our own worst critics. What are your reasons for recording mixes? How do you record? What are your tried and true methods for promoting those mixes and getting listeners engaged? Send us a voicemail, email, or leave a comment!

In Episode 94, we take a detailed look at the EQ, starting with some basics, then getting in to some more complex concepts, all while giving some tips and tricks, as well as audio examples along the way. Learn how the guys approach all manner of EQing, from how to correct audio inconsistencies and adjusting for desired audio mixing effects. Gain an understanding of the audio spectrum and how to avoid clashing frequencies and phase cancellation. Learn the difference between quickly swapping out bands for a dramatic mix, or longer, surgical blending for a seamless mix. Understand the difference between filter and EQ, and how to use a filter as a mixing tool, rather than an effect. All of this, and more, in Episode 94!

In Episode 93, we tackle a bunch of your questions in our very first AMA! Some questions include: - The gear / software needed for a home studio set up? (warning - this conversation starts going down the "production" discussion) - How to broaden your popularity when you are in a particular niche. - What headphones do we all like and use? - When to make a playlist / setlist? - What to do when the universe seems to be pointing all signs to quitting and selling your gear?