Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: Improving music discovery for DJs, finding a way to manage the amount of releases

  1. #1

    Question Improving music discovery for DJs, finding a way to manage the amount of releases

    I got back into DJing a few years ago after having been a vinyl DJ in the early 90s, obviously I still love vinyl especially the rawness of DJing with it. I do also love the extra creativity that the digital format brings. One of the things that surprised me the most was how much music gets released every week compared to back when I started. At best I used to listen through a pile of maybe 100 records a week at Eastern Bloc in Manchester. These days I'm trying to get through something like 10k a week if I want to try and stay up to date with what's out there.

    I wrote an app to help me do it and it's kind of getting there, really helps me but I think there's still some work to do so I'm doing some research to understand how other DJs discover their music. I'm looking for enthusiastic DJs to complete a short questionnaire, and maybe follow up with a diary study. I'd be happy to offer to publish a promoted interview on our blog for people who complete the study and will share a private and anonymised summary of the results with you.

    If you're an enthusiatic DJ please get involved..
    https://www.trackhunter.co.uk/music-...research-study


    Keith
    Digital Music Discovery for DJs
    https://www.trackhunter.co.uk

  2. #2
    BanHammer™⚒️ Manu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Behind you
    Posts
    9,519
    Just a quick note for anyone else who clicked like I did:

    If you're interested and are NOT male between 41 and 55 years old (we've got enough of those)
    Is your app not for over 40s then?

    At best I used to listen through a pile of maybe 100 records a week at Eastern Bloc in Manchester. These days I'm trying to get through something like 10k a week if I want to try and stay up to date with what's out there.
    This puzzled me on the spot just a little bit, purely because I'm a maths buff. There are only 10080 minutes per week.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    Is your app not for over 40s then?
    It absolutely is, it does say "We've got enough of those" because we have lots of feedback from male djs between 41 and 55. We need some insights from people outside that group. Much harder because sadly it does still seem to still be a largely male dominated industry and older folks seem more enthusiastic about getting involved in something like this.


    Quote Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    This puzzled me on the spot just a little bit, purely because I'm a maths buff. There are only 10080 minutes per week.
    What about that is puzzling you?


    Keith
    Digital Music Discovery for DJs
    https://www.trackhunter.co.uk

  4. #4
    Moderator pete's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    old orléans
    Posts
    2,527
    All the best with your research.
    Its true that today, with all the access to music, it does suffer from information overload.

    Oh ... and I used to love annoying record store owners with a pile of records.
    Only needed to listen to a few seconds of each to know if it wasn't something i wanted to buy.
    Have some stuff on Eastern Bloc too, happy days.
    bored, curious, deaf or just bad taste in music?
    finally a mix by me
    and what's this, another shoddy mix...another dull mix

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by pete View Post
    All the best with your research.
    Thank you, I'm finding people are really helpful and I'm enjoying the things people are sharing about how they discover their music.

    Quote Originally Posted by pete View Post
    Its true that today, with all the access to music, it does suffer from information overload.
    It's proving to be both a blessing and a curse, much easier for people to make and release music which means there's so much great music getting released every week but sadly so much chaff to get through too!

    Quote Originally Posted by pete View Post
    Only needed to listen to a few seconds of each to know if it wasn't something i wanted to buy.
    Nail on the head there mate, build up a shortlist of tracks and then have a closer listen. The number of times I had a track that sounded mega until a hideous vocal came in


    Keith
    Digital Music Discovery for DJs
    https://www.trackhunter.co.uk

  6. #6
    BanHammer™⚒️ Manu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Behind you
    Posts
    9,519
    Quote Originally Posted by KeithBoynton View Post

    What about that is puzzling you?
    That's a lot of records. I didn't know there were still that many vinyl releases per week in the UK...

  7. #7
    BanHammer™⚒️ Manu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Behind you
    Posts
    9,519
    That reminds me, it's record store day next week...


  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by KeithBoynton View Post
    much easier for people to make and release music which means there's so much great music getting released every week but sadly so much chaff to get through too!

    I keep waiting for peeps to realize it's easier to perform live triggering stems (both yours and others) than it is to dig through other people's tracks and play them on a DJ set up. Been waiting 20+ years and sometimes it seems like being a DJ (of electronic music at least) is going to evolve into something else. But then I see the ENDLESS streams of peeps playing tracks on a DJ set up, some while being surrounded by blinking lights of keyboards, drum machines and other do-dads, and I wonder why? Why? WHY?!?!?!?

    You could be more creative, have a more distinct sound, etc if you put as much attn into making beats and sounds as you do listening to everyone else's. And when you hear an element that is incredible somewhere else, just grab that stem and make it part of your set. my .02
    Last edited by Dizzle; 06-05-2021 at 09:30 PM.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    That's a lot of records. I didn't know there were still that many vinyl releases per week in the UK...
    Not vinyl, since it's gone digital it's so much easier to release music hence the output has gone up hence the work to find the quality stuff has gone up!


    Keith
    Digital Music Discovery for DJs
    https://www.trackhunter.co.uk

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Dizzle View Post
    I keep waiting for peeps to realize it's easier to perform live triggering stems (both yours and others) than it is to dig through other people's tracks and play them on a DJ set up. Been waiting 20+ years and sometimes it seems like being a DJ (of electronic music at least) is going to evolve into something else. But then I see the ENDLESS streams of peeps playing tracks on a DJ set up, some while being surrounded by blinking lights of keyboards, drum machines and other do-dads, and I wonder why? Why? WHY?!?!?!?

    You could be more creative, have a more distinct sound, etc if you put as much attn into making beats and sounds as you do listening to everyone else's. And when you hear an element that is incredible somewhere else, just grab that stem and make it part of your set. my .02
    It's a balance I think, I agree being a producer too certainly helps you be unique and there's something in the middle ground where you "re-edit/re-mix" other people's stuff on the fly but personally I also love being blown away by someone else's music. That's where we get our inspiration and influence from at times, we get pushed in directions we never would have imagined ourselves.


    Keith
    Digital Music Discovery for DJs
    https://www.trackhunter.co.uk

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
a