Here it is, this might be the last Early Hardcore video I do for YouTube.

The story of the oldschool period of Hardcore House during 1992-1996 has been told. After making 8 videos, many of them turned out to be quite hard and agressive. Although this was my main style during the mid-nineties, I also play a lot of other genres. During the last 15 years  I switched my style many, many times. So it’s almost time now for the next era (1995-2000) bringing some Club-Trance and Happy sounds.
The next series of videos will be more about the trancy club feel with less underground noises but crazy tunes and popular melodies.

But, I still have some  mixes that still need to be recorded, like happy hardcore 95, Bonzai tribute etc.. Those will come soon.
Stay tuned  more mixvideos..

Tracklist:

This time I wanna show you where Live Acts and DJ’s meet on stage, because there seems to be no real difference between them anymore today. DJ’s and producers are all using the same gear and software and are making equal music in order to create a non-stop mix. Live acts used to be stripped down live bands, using studio gear as instruments, but nowadays much instruments (and band members) are replaced by virtual software instruments within a laptop. A performer can now control many instruments at the same time and bring them down to a whole new mix. Many modern DJ’s are using the same software and methods too to get their mix right. They manipulate their tracks after loading them in a software program, and by controlling them with a mixer and using all kinds of effects, they get a well done remix. Because a DJ and a live act all look and sound the same, it’s time to do some research.

First, let’s get some terms straight:

• A Record (short for recording) is any kind of recorded music on any kind of medium.
• A DJ(also known as disk jockey or deejay) is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience.
• A Mix or DJ mixset is a sequence of musical tracks typically mixed together to appear as one continuous track.
• A Band is a musical ensemble of musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music.

While a DJ basically used to make uplifting mixes by combining records, DJing without turntables or CD-players is a revolution that is more and more seen on stage today. DJ’s are playing with various techniques and software, making more music than ever. The smart DJ has embraced the technology as it has changed. Laptops, midi controllers and feature packed mixers are what is called the new wave. Many people think that this way of performing is only suitable for loop based music like club and techno and has too much similarities with a live performance and some say this isn’t really mixing at all… This is not true, it’s just another way to DJ but with much more advantages and possibilities. Using two decks you can only play two records, but by using software you can mix and control basslines, drumbeats, effects, vocals AND your records at the same time. More control, More Power, More music! Boring?? Well, It’s all up to the DJ..

The big difference between the traditional DJ and a digital DJ is the way they build up a mix. A traditional DJ builds his set using records as bricks, bridging from one record to another, building up to wherever they wanna go. They build up a mix by the end of the song by bringing a new one in. Now the digital way differs from it because a DJ now uses parts of records, samples and loops to mix it up with other sounds on the fly. They bring in the drums, vocals or loops when and how they like it. Every sound and sample can be manipulated in many kinds of ways. A sound, a mix and even entire songs are made by the DJ himself, not by the records. A traditional DJ tries to build up a huge record collection, while the digital one is building up a big sound selection. It takes some preparation before a gig, but every DJ has to sort or categorize there records in some kind of way.

An old record case limits a DJ’s creativity to the records he carries, but a good digital DJ that knows his sound base and gear well, can come up with new ideas any time during a show, having endless ways to be creative.

The first video shows DJ James Zabiela doing mad tricks using a laptop with DAW software, and using his mixer’s and CD-player’s built in effects. He mashes up the beats, makes loops, adds tons of effects to them and then creates new ideas outta this. The outcome is a unique creative remix full of variety and lots of tricks. The way James uses features and effects makes it all look and sound very original. This is the point where DJ’s don’t play songs anymore, but make (remix) them. Is this still DJing? Yes it sure is.. James is still mixing recorded music on CD-players!

The fact that James is still using CD-players and a mixer makes it look very “DJ“. He controls his music like a traditional one and he really does some mixing, so he sounds like a DJ too! So no doubt, this really is a DJ.

Now watch the video below and tell me if this still is DJing or not. DJ/Producer Richie Hawtin ditched his turntables and trade them for DJ software (Traktor Pro) with 4 virtual decks, so he can manipulate 4 tracks at a time during mixing. Like a traditional DJ, he still mixes recorded sounds to make non-stop music.

Is Richie still a DJ to you? To me definitely! It don’t matter if he uses turntables or not, he’s still mixing tracks to make a mix! Losing his turntables did not make him worse, it made him better. He controls parts of songs and other samples which he can edit endlessly during a performance. This way a mix is much more versatile and by remixing parts of songs he can really make his music stand out from others.

The next video shows producer/musician Junkie XL with his Ableton Live setup. Here is where the thin line between a DJ and a live act becomes more (or less) visible. He’s got the same mixer as Richie Hawtin in the last video, but uses other software with it. The software program Ableton Live replaces many studio gear that Junkie XL would have brought to the stage a few years ago. The software uses VST plugins, those are virtual instruments like synthesizers, guitars, drums and samplers that can be controlled by his mixer and keyboard. So besides mixing sounds, he manipulates other instruments along with them.

While the outcome is the same music, there’s a tiny difference between this way of performing and Richie Hawtin’s way:
Junkie XL brought instruments to the stage….

I don’t mean the USB keyboard you see on the table, but those virtual instruments in his computer. That makes him a band!

So the small difference is: Junkie XL is a one man band, playing instruments, while Richie with his four deck setup is “just” mixing 4 tracks!

There’s also a difference in software: Richie uses DJ software (Traktor) while Junkie XL uses DAW (digital audio workstation) software that is also used for studio recording.

BUT: Although Junkie XL is a live act, there’s NO WAY you can say that he isn’t a DJ!

Essentially he still does the same mixing of recorded songs the way a DJ does, making a continuous (re-)mix, but the added instruments made him a band!

Now let’s get back to the terms DJ and Live Act again:

• Virtual DJ’s are real DJs!

• Live acts are virtual bands with a lot of DJ comparison!

• The art of a DJ is to get non-stop music in a mind blowing mix!

Peace, Beau

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While I play and mix almost everyday at a seriously loud volume, it was just a matter of time before people started complaining. I know my beloved music (Techno, Hardhouse and Oldschool House) sounds pretty annoying when you’re not in the same room freaking, like my neighbours for example. When I’m doing some DJ  mixing the music changes a lot, making it less uncomfortable for any listeners next door. But making loops or samples during producing can be quite repetitive and sound very irritating. Especially when I work with loud bassdrums, overdriven hardcore sounds and distorted synths.

My girlfriend complained about those scary and terrifying noises coming from my studio, while she’s downstairs reading or whatever. So she asked me to make her a happy remix.. That’s what I did, for once….
I took a well known song from a famous musical she likes, restyled it and put a big boom on it. Then I added some happy lead synths and changed the speed to an acceptable tempo.
After finishing the song, I found 2 old videoclips from the original soundtrack and cut them in a way the vocals and singers are in sync. I placed the scenes in a different order and I also added some video effects.

The video above shows my song arrangement and my edited video mash-up.

Hope you like it, she did!

Peace, Beau.

• Dushixo
  • Haha, ik hoop dat ze nu voor de komende 20 jaar tevreden is.
• Miesah
  • 5 stars +1

• faabvip

  • ik vind persoonlijk (!!) dit nummer niks aan, maar (!!) wel ontzettend leuk en knap gemaakt
• beff17
  • haha funny girl u got xD, but i prefer not to hear this at a party gehe, 5/5 for the idea

The gear I use for recording a mix video are:
-pc for recording and editing
-2 or 3 digital photocameras with video option
-recording software, like Soundforge or Windows sound recorder
-video software for mixing audio and video to a movie, like Ulead Video or windows moviemaker
-some DJ gear for mixing tracks

1) Make a playlist
YouTube limits the lenght of their videos to 10 minutes each, so if you’re a regular DJ, like in a club, you’ll play 2-3 records in 10 minutes. That’s not much and I find it pretty boring for online viewers to hear only 3 songs in a single video. So what I like to do is making minimixes with lots of crazy tracks that match a certain genre or style. The first thing to start with is looking for music that matches a groove, speed or style. Just trying to find some records that go really well with each other. This can take ages sometimes. I keep on collecting until I have enough records for my minimix.
Then it’s organizing time..

2) Organizing
An average track has a duration of a few minutes each, so putting a lot of songs in a 10 minute video is gonna be tricky.
Well, the key to this is to leave out the unnecessary and boring parts of the song, usually the very beginning and the outro. I Just strip it down to the songs main part. The way I do this is by placing cue points in my tracks. Most Cd-players and DJ systems have this option.
I cut out the unwanted sections of the song by putting a cue marker at the point were I want to start the record, let’s say after 2.10 min..
After another minute from there, say 3.01 min, the structure of this song starts to change and that’s exactly the right spot for me to put the next record in. I put another cue marker to highlight this position so I can see when this moment comes along during a mix.

So for every track in my mix I set up the crucial positions. This is a very handy visual tool while mixing fast.

3) Be Quick
Yeah about speed, I try to save a lot of time during a mix, like searching for records or parts within a song. Nowadays much time is saved by the software I use along with my turntables. My music is stored on my notebook, which is connected to my turntables. When I spin the record the music in my notebook will do exactly the same. Traktor scratch is developed for turntable DJ’s and has tons of good features except for one..
There’s no automatic syncing !
Master Tempo, pitchlock, autosync or whatever bull shit is NOT to be found within the scratch edition of Traktor, remember that shit.. no sync button..

But, there are quite a few features and options that made my DJ life better..
A very helpful feature for example is the load next track on record flip option: I flip over the record and start playing the other side, the program loads the next song from my playlist and makes it playable right away. And, this is a real timesaver, Traktor also automatically goes to the first marker in the song, meaning it will go to to main part I selected earlier. This way, when I turn over the record, the next song is instantly playing at my selected part!
The biggest benefit are my digital pitch displays on my turntables, telling me the exact speed. Yes, I know the right setting for each track, but were does preparation in this mission stops?
You see I get a lot of benefit from the tools I use without cheating or syncing. I still have to mix, sync, cue and move as a DJ would with regular turntables or cd-players.

4) Rehearsal
After I’m done with collecting and marking, it’s time to practice my mix.
I like to practice a lot untill I get it right, at least a few times.
I also make some recording shots to make sure everything sounds and looks just right. Making sure I’m really down with the playlist and the mix, because once recorded it can’t be undone..

5) Tune my gear
I connect my DJ gear to my PC’ s soundcard and start up a recording program. Checking the input en output levels firmly is an important job here.Then, after positioning my cams and have them recording, it’s time to play!

6) Record!
Well, I just push a few buttons on my cameras and PC and we’re live! Time to start mixing at my best abillity…
After capturing, I save my audio and video to my computer.  Then I use the video editor to import the music recording and the video caption and put them in a storyboard.
I cut out the blank scenes at the beginning and ending, maybe add some effects here and there. When I use 2 or more cams I make a selection from the scenes and have them changed in a way.
Then when I save the whole project to a .mpg file, I’m having my own mixvideo!

Peace, Beau

Today, DJ’s are more and more using other kinds of tools to get a mix done.
Some use laptops and midi controllers, others use a laptop controlled with regular CD-players and turntables. Not every dj wants to spend a lot of money buying turntables, records and CD’s. So when you just use a computer for playing music, there’s no need for another turntable or CD-player anymore. To get hands-on control over your computer, there are small all-in-one DJ controllers with the same functions found on regular mixers and CD-players. This way mixes can be done the traditional “turntable” way. Now you’re not playing CD’s anymore, you control your software in your laptop and mix mp3′s. A big advantage for starter DJ’s and cheapo’s because less gear is needed, saving space and money. This way of DJing is not yet accepted  by the main scene, because of the micro looks of the controller and the overall feel of it during mixing.

It’s a big step for DJ’s to use other controllers than the traditional ones. DJ’s are very conservative about new gear. They just want to catch up with the leading industry standard to make sure the art of mixing is done like the pros.  They also have to be prepared for the gear they gonna use on stage. Practicing for performances is useless if the gear you’re using on stage is differs.

Besides the various different ways mixing is done today, the art itself is changing too. Some DJ’s use programs like “Ableton Live” to trigger samples and loops, sometimes with added external effects, keyboards and pads. No more blending records or songs, the DJ is remixing music right before your eyes on stage.  This way of performing brings the DJ act to a whole new level. The concept is not new; There always have been sorts of Live acts in dance music. While a DJ mixes records, a live act is “producing”  on stage, using drum computers, synthesizers and samplers. There are many acts performing live bringing lots of studio gear to the stage. Nowadays a laptop with the right software can replace much of the extra gear, so all you need is a controller to get easy access to the program. With virtually any kind of sound, song, sample or loop at your fingertips, possibilities are never ending. Add the art of mixing with it and there it is: a new kind of performer. The DJ becomes an artist who not
only plays music, he’s creating it, live!

To Me
I like the way DJ’s keep evolving,  especially for the music. it’s a big plus for an artists if he finds his own way to create a massive performance that crazes the crowd. I like big creativity and unique sounds.
Don’t know yet wich way I’m gonna take it, just doing some experimental try outs in my studio. But, I really think there always has to be some kind of skill or talent to it, otherwise there’s no challenge in it for me. I’m not just a plain button pusher working with click-track and auto quantize, that’s not art! At least make a surprising mix filled with effects and gimmicks.
I realized not every DJ Booth has room for an advanced setup or possibilities to connect your gear to the club’s sound system. Sometimes there’s no room for anything at all! That really sucks, making a dj limited to the club’s gear only! Today’s DJ’s use much more! Since there’s always a chance my next stage isn’t ready for my multi gear setup performance, I only use a laptop controlled by the club’s turntables.
Beau.

[Vinyl emulation software allows the user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on 'feel' of deejaying with vinyl while allowing playback of audio recordings not available in phonograph form. This allows DJs to scratch, beatmatch, and perform other turntablism that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface. source: TraktorWiki ]

Digital vinyl systems consist of a soundcard (connected to a computer and a mixer) and special records that can be used in order to spin digital music files by using normal turntables. The records are supplied with a timecode signal and can be played via traditional turntables. The signal is routed from the interface to the computer where it gets decoded and rerouted to the mixer. This way it is possible to spin MP3 files without losing the typical vinyl feeling. These systems can be described as one of the DJ sector’s most important and innovative developments in recent years. The result is digital audio playback that feels like it can be manipulated like a vinyl record. With almost endless storage on harddisks, DJ’s can carry their whole music collection with just one laptop.  This makes it almost impossible for a DJ to bring the wrong records! Another big advantage is that a DJ can use the softwares effects and other tools while he’s still using real turntables and a real mixer. It looks, feels and really is  “DJ” but with the addition of digital possibilities. A DJ can now play his own produced songs, downloaded mp3′s, recordings, samples and loops, and use many effects along with them. The really cool thing is that there’s no need for new equipment and playing regular records and cd’s is also still possible.

How it works

The software shows 2 players on the laptop monitor and every deck responds to a turntable or cd-player. The DJ selects a song he wants to play and adds it to the player. Spinning the left turntable makes the left player on the computer do exactly the same at equal speed while the timecode noise on the vinyl tells the computer it’s place in the song. So when you drop a needle one minute after the beginning, the computer will play the song also at one minute. If you make the turntable run faster or brake it down, the computer will also do this at same time. It really feels like playing real records on a turntable, but it actually is mp3 you’re playing from your laptop. It’s realisitic, a blind folded DJ can’t tell if it’s true vinyl records or digital.  There’s no need to search for a record no more, songs can be found on your harddrive real quick using the database, making playlists easier then it ever was before. Because the mp3 waveform is displayed big on the monitor, the musical information becomes visual. This makes it very easy to overview a track because every change, like an intro or break, can be spotted instantly. With thousands of records in a laptop and the quick way they can be loaded, much time is saved for putting more personality into the mix. The software’s effects section gives many possibilities like looping, delay or mash up sounds to make a live remix to put your creativity to the test.

To Me

I’ve been using digital vinyl since the early beginning of it.  I did some feedback and bugreporting to Stanton and Native Instruments during development of new releases and helped many people on user forums.  All gigs during the last 6 year were done with digital vinyl systems, so I guess you can say I’m really into it. Digital vinyl is the best of two worlds: the traditional way and the new digital way. I think it’s the only solution for anybody who want’s to DJ regular but also wants to use modern effects and tools found on the most modern cd-players and mixers. DJ’s can still use turntables, but with the added digital features it brings DJing to a whole other level with so much more control and fantastic extras.  It saves me so much time and money finding records and with my music collection always at my disposal, I’m always prepared for any crowd! Although digital systems are very often seen in booths worldwide, here in Holland I still get some strange faces when I use these.
Beau.

In the previous post I wrote an article about the format war between mixing vinyl and cd’s. Which one to go for? While it’s a personal choice (or dilemma) for every DJ on its own,  this revolution started when stages and clubs changed their booths. This effected DJ’s directly because they have to be prepared for the gear they gonna meet outdoors.

The mix standard
During the 90’s , the average DJ booth had two turntables for mixing, and some cd-players in case of emergency. Most of the time the CD-players weren’t used at all. As said before, the Technics SL1200 is the no.1 turntable to be found on stage. So for many seriously ambitious DJ’s this is the most important thing to get your hands on. Since “ SL’s “ showed up worldwide at stages and bedrooms, it became a must for every gig. Every DJ is following this industry standard ever since then and this is what keeps Technics being a legend. Even though other manufactures already invented better and cheaper turntables, Technics remained king on stage. It became the most common (and most of the time the only) thing on a DJ rider list.

Vinyl got less popular during the rise of the internet and downloadable music. And since we’re all living in the digital age, CD’s couldn’t be ignored by DJ’s anymore. But there still was a need for mixing the old fashion way, by pitching a record to another while having full control. Mixing is a delicate task which needs the right tools to get it done. DJ’s were waiting for a new standard to come. DJ’s just want the most common used stuff to match the standard. This way they can play at any “serious” DJ booth. So there was a need for a reliable, rock solid player with worldwide potential. When Technics announced the CD-version of the SL1200, DJ’s were very thrilled. But  it proved to be a shitty product, so it died as quickly as it came.

Before Pioneer started with their CDJ-1000’s, much research was done. (But in my opinion, they asked the wrong kind of dj’s). Nevertheless, it has its pros and its cons. It looks very “DJ” but the biggest complaint about the ”pioneers “ is the lack of a physically spinning platter. When you touch a record on a turntable, you’re really touching time. Pioneers do not have a spinning platter and this makes movements by hand relative. You’re not touching time but can only stop or adjust it. Turntablists refuse to use CD-players because of this, because traditional scratching can’t be done without a moving platter. To me, CDJ’s are not the best CD-players, there are better ones like the Numark CDX, that’s true vinyl feel and control.
However, Good marketing made Pioneer’s CDJ’s the new CD-player standard. They popped up at every main stage and club in a short time. While SL’s are aging, Pioneer is still growing and about to take over the DJ booth. True vinyl lovers deal with this every time they visit a new booth.. Will there still be turntables this week?? Soon there will be Pioneers only and you’ll find dusty SL’s somewhere left back.

Today, the battle between vinyl and turntables is still not over. Gear manufacturers try to make profit out of this by introducing tons of various new inventions. All in one solutions like hybrid CD/turntables, Harddisk-players with a fake vinyl platter. These things will never get mainstream because many dj’s will only buy stuff that already meets the DJ standard.

To me
I don’t think the battle between turntables and CD-players will last long. There’s a new enemy coming up fast, called the laptop. And it’s power will be bigger than man could imagine. I already knew this time would come, so I started to find a workaround for this problem 6 years ago.
Today I’m using turntables or cd-players AND a laptop at the same time. This way I always meet the industry standard, now and forever, no matter what gear they use!
Ciao! Beau.

This is probably the biggest topic in DJ world since the DJ started out. Although a disc jockey refers to someone playing (and maybe jocking) discs, today a DJ is also someone creating a musical atmosphere in order for people to dance and to keep on dancing.

During the 70’s and 80’s there were many kinds of disc jockey’s. You got your radio jockey, mix tape makers, wedding DJ’s, disco DJ’s.. All with their own kind of tools and methods to get the music done. During those day’s, new songs where only released on vinyl records. So if anyone wanted to play fresh tunes, vinyl was the way to go. Most people had massive collections of heavy weight, carton sleeved plastic in their living room. Because vinyl was the only game in town for many years, the term record got referred to its vinyl incarnation.

Art of mixing
During the vinyl era DJ’s developed their own ways in playing and mixing vinyl records with their turntables. This skill evolved into an art named mixing and is basically unchanged since then.
There are two kinds of DJ’s. Those that do mix, and the ones that don’t. To most DJ’s, mixing makes the difference between a real DJ and a plain disc jockey. A “cheap” disc jockey will stop somewhere at the end of a song and then starts another one, while a mix DJ tries to create a special mix combining two records at the same time.
The main aspect of mixing is to get from one record to another by blending them together to get a non-stop mix. Repeat this sequence a few times and you got non-stop music. This way it’s possible for DJ’s to create a long mix, so people can keep on dancing. Besides the skill of mixing, there is also the importance of style, what records to choose and when to play them.

Full control and the right records
In order for a DJ to have full control of his mix, he needs two special turntables with pitch control. Pitch control is a knob that changes the turntable’s playing speed so two records can be matched. A DJ also needs his hands directly on the music, so adjustments can be made in real time. Those “hands-on-controls” movements requires a very steady and reliable turntable.
For over 30 years, only the Technics SL1200 turntables got the job well done. Millions where sold world wide and for a long time it was the only kind of turntable found at clubs and DJ booths. It became the world wide standard. It was the only turntable used by serious DJ’s and a set of “SL’s” and a big vinyl collection were all a DJ could wish for. DJ’s got very emotional about their turntables and record collection, talking about their baby’s… Well, DJ’s spent lot’s of money, energy and effort into it! Getting my wanted records was a long mission, some records were hard to find or rare. But I had to find them, ’cause those discs could expand my style with new flavours for a longer and better mix. Owning them and adding them to my collection would increase my emotional value of it too.

The digital age
Turntables were banned from the living room by CD-players during the mid 80’s but DJ’s held on to vinyl until way after this millennium. With vinyl shops in every town and DJ’s still mixing on turntables, Dance songs were only released on vinyl. Cd-players had no pitch control, no moving platter, less control, so less mixing.
It lacked everything the art of DJing stands for, and don’t forget the DJ’s big record collection he wanted to use. Mixing on CD-players never took off until Pioneer came with their CDJ-1000 CD-players. It had the look and controls of a turntable with a dozen added features. Today, many clubs own a set of Technics and a pair of Pioneers. If not, only Pioneers..It took some time to get CD-players accepted by the hardcore vinyl DJ. But the young starter DJ’s never grew up with vinyl so they grabbed CD-players more easily. A sad revolution for the “true” dedicated DJ.
But there was no other way. Internet and MP3 made it very hard for the entire music industry to overcome. Small record labels that released their songs only on vinyl closed down or had to change their strategy. Many record shops closed down too, because less to none records were sold anymore. Another downside for the DJ. No more digging for records because any tune is spread worldwide. This makes it hard to stand out and be exclusive..

Record Kult
With less new stuff on vinyl, the ease of mp3 and the invention of DJ CD-players, vinyl will slowly die. (Sorry to all DJ’s with10k+ records who spent a life time collecting).
Vinyl lovers claimed CD-players didn’t have the feel of a turntable. I personally think that’s true, but that’s just what I’m used to. They also claim that the art of a DJ is only be done by turntables. If they mean mixing, that’s not true. The same can be done with Pioneer CD-players. It takes more skill to play on turntables, but with the added features on CD-decks there are more options.
I understand the vinyl world will try to remain the value of their record collection.
But the vinyl days are about to be over, really.

To me
The ” format-war” didn’t mean much to me. I personally think turntables are the best and I still use them every day. I stopped buying records and CD’s in 2003, so when the discussion started I was already a few steps forward. I don’t think turntables or CD-players will be future proof  as musicplayers anyhow.  I use Traktor Scratch nowadays, a box that connects my turntables to my laptop. Now I’m using my turntables to control the music that’s on a computer. This digital system can play digital music such CD and mp3, but also vinyl, all controlled by turntables or cd-players. Never have to buy a record or CD again. It gives me the same controls and it’s exactly the same as mixing normal. Maybe even better! But the actual player within this digital dj setup is actually my laptop. The turntables are only to control my laptop by mixing, but are not playing any music. So I don’t invest in expensive cd-players, because they are made to be good players. Hifi quality players with excellent sound and hi-tech circuitry; while I use my laptop for the outcoming sound. So it’s way too much money for a controller that produces
no sound while I use my digital system.
I don’t mind playing on CD-players on gigs, but I prefer turntables.
For me, CD-players are just another mixing skill that can be mastered.

Beau.

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A few Tips for you:

source: Wikihow
1. Consider what your interests are. If you like dogs, you might consider things like, “k9″, or if you are really into early American history try something like “Revolution”. You can also use somthing to remember a loss in your family, or a birth date e.g “DJ95″ if you were born in 1995.
2. Think about using words that aren’t very common, such as “quadrilateral”, in your name.
3. Start a list of ideas. It can take weeks, months, or even years to come up with a name you like, and even more importantly, that others like.
4. Consider using sites like fakenamegenerator.com to come up with random names you can use.
5. You may wish to simply use your own name (like Paul Oakenfold) or elements of your own name (like Paul van Dyk).
6. Make sure that your name can be said out loud, and is easy to pronounce. Your name should also be short and memorable, since people may very well want to look you up after they hear you.
7. Absolutely make sure your name isn’t taken! Search for your name on Dogpile (since it uses several search engines at once), and check around on major DJing communities to see if it hasn’t been taken by someone who isn’t on the web, since you don’t want to get in trouble for using someone else’s name.
8. Finally, make sure that people like your name. Ask your friends, family, neighbors, etc. to see if your pick was a good choice. After all, there’s nothing worse than being a great DJ but getting booed off the stage because your name sucks.

9. Use alliteration and other writing techniques to make your name more interesting.
10.Use words that are rarely used in common speech. Sometimes another language will sound cool.
11. Don’t make your name really complex or hard to pronounce.
12. Don’t get too crazy with the names. If your name was something like ,”DJ Commander Transverse Pyjama Anthro-Hippopotamus”, people will never take you seriously and it is not at all catchy.
13. Again, search for your selected name on all the major search engines (or through something like Dogpile) and ask around on a few popular DJing forums to see if your name has already been taken by someone who isn’t on the internet.

Well, go on and VOTE!
Have fun, Beau.

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