Should We Change the Word DJ to Fit in to Today's Way of Being a DJ?

0:00 My name's Jonathan Ellaskins, The DJ Tutor

Alright guys, my name's Jonathan Ellaskins, The DJ Tutor. I have a pair of cycling shorts on my head and I'm holding a bottle of San Miguel. To be precise, it's an empty bottle of San Miguel. That's because I've drunk it. Is it about time we redefine the term DJ? Are you a DJ or maybe you're actually not a DJ?

DJ, disc jockey. Disc jockey. So the term disc is from back in the day and still now because people use them, a piece of vinyl. So the idea was very simply that you played, you were on top of, you used that piece of vinyl and another one and you played it and you became a DJ because a disc jockey.

But you'll see where I'm coming, hopefully, or going. Maybe I should have gone a long time ago, I don't know. But nowadays, a lot of people use a controller. So should we start to call people CJs?

1:29 CJs, controller jockeys, CJ

CJs, controller jockeys, CJ. You see, should you call someone who just uses a controller a DJ because they're not actually using any discs. Now some of you may be going, well that's a load of absolute crap and rubbish. But then if you really think about it, if you truly think about it, you're not using a disc. I mean even me for example, I have the RX2 there and I use a thumb drive so maybe I should be a TJ, a thumb drive jockey. Do you see where this is going? Well, you're using a compact disc so you're a CJ. Which is C controller J anyway. So yeah, do you get me? Now also something that is quite close to my heart and it does annoy me. Let's imagine you are a producer and which hopefully producers will watch this.

And please bear with me here. You've spent hours upon hours mastering this wonderful track. You've taken ages. You've had a singer, you've songwriter, you've had percussionist, goodness knows what to make a wonderful track. And all of a sudden you hear some DJ, CJ out there say, oh what do you think of this new tune? Well define the word tune. What is a tune? It's

3:11 It's a tune, it's just some kind of melody that sticks in your mind

It's a tune, it's just some kind of melody that sticks in your mind. Yet a track with an art, with a singer, with a drummer, with you know a vocalist, guitarist, bass player and so on. You know there is a lot of people involved there or even just the person who has made that track on a laptop. It's not just a tune. It's a collaboration of music put together. Tunes. So should you be saying, have you heard this new tunes? Because it is. It's a selection of music that has been put together. So you see think about it. DJ. Today how many DJs actually are there now? A percentage. I would hazard a guess to say there's probably less than 10. Then 10% of the people out there who call themselves DJs. Who are actual, original, proper DJs.

Now again we get to virtual vinyl. I don't agree. I don't disagree with it. But I'll be honest with you if you're going to spend a lot of money on some turntables and then just use music from your laptop. In my mind you might as well just use music. From your laptop. On the other hand if you're going to use turntables and a computer program and use virtual vinyl with the intention of using real vinyl as well then you are indeed a DJ. A disc jockey. On the other hand if you use a controller like this should you be called a DJ? Please what are your thoughts? Stick them in a comment right down there. And do you think I'm nuts? Thank you very much. Practice and enjoy. Thank you.

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