Post #1 Background, Motivation, and Goals

Firstly I'd like to simply talk about my thoughts on the project itself.

I like it. The fact that the whole point behind it is that the topic you choose should be something you are genuinely interested in and even better if it's something you've always wanted to learn or know how to do, but have never necessarily had the time or just needed a push to finally get started. This inherently gives the project a highly self-driven and self-motivated feel, which, as I understand it, was the desired effect. I'm rather excited for this project actually given the wide array of possibilites on the table which could be almost anything, however, personally I have had a bit of difficulty deciding on an actual topic due to the gates being so open. That's what I'd like to talk about next, the brainstorming and decision making process.

As soon as I heard about the project from a friend, was a bit worried I wouldn't find something to do. I looked at the assignment sheet on the moodle and struggled for a while thinking of a passion I have that I'm not already pursing. I already had done song creation and rapping for an earlier project and didn't want to be repetitive, and I already know how to film and edit sufficiently to create videos. I wanted to do something almost entirely new to me. A skill I had just begun, if not at all, to learn. So I stopped worrying and began brainstorming with myself, kicking ideas relative to what I'm passionate about around for days and along the way was contacted by a few friends about possible collaborations. One particular method I used was throughout the day simply recording the activities I did that pertained to my interest. If I sat down and began writing lyrics, scoured the internet looking for an instrumental, or found myself hungry and decided to look up a recipe for a meal that looks delicious in the given picture but never quite turns out the same way, I would write it down. As the days progressed, I would see which interests came up most often and which ones would rarely be mentioned at all. Given that I am very much into music, I would also write down the different types I would listen to and how often.

As you are well aware, my musical interests have always played a major role in my life. Whether it be simply listening and enjoying the soft harmonious music I was played as a young child by my parents, the Hip-Hop music that I create now under my alias “Minor Problem” as a means of self expression, or even my dedication to playing guitar since the age of 10. Music, to me, has always been much more than something to idly pass the time with on a long car trip or used solely to drown out the unwanted noise of others, but instead something to be shared, explored, and experienced on a personal and communal level as well. As I have grown, so have my musical interests and likings and I have since expanded my curiosity onto two more modern musical genres, Dubstep and Trap. I have had the privilege of going to multiple live shows featuring the experts in both genres which sparked an immediate interest in the art of DJing. It is for the reasons of my passionate love for music and my eagerness to share it, that learning how to and becoming a DJ is something I no doubt have exceptionally enthusiasm and interest towards.


But again, all of this is very much easier said than done, and so I have broken up this process into six distinct phases:

1. Obtaining and understanding all necessary equipment

2. Fading In/Out (Volume Control)

3. Successfully transitioning from one song to the next

4. Learn to cut transition seamlessly

5. Understand when to use effects

6. Understand the audience

In our first phase we will simply need to gather all of our resources and materials including a controller, speakers, a laptop, tables, music, a reciever, a microphone, headphones, Virtual DJ Pro Software, and the various cords and cables necessary.

Next, we will master the basic, but nonetheless essential step, of volume control and fading in and out. Afterwards, we will study the skill of mixing two songs together. This deals, more specifically, with being able to match the bpm, or beats per minute, from song A to song B as well as the ability to recognize when a song is rising or falling. Proceeding mixing, is a form of transitioning called “cutting” in which you must be able to seamlessly jump from one song to another, without fading and staying on beat, and is considered an almost expert technique to pull off correctly. Then, we will move onto understanding the proper usage of effects. Last, but not least, we must become experts at reading a crowd and knowing how to respond appropriately. This includes knowing what music to play and when, when to give our audience a break, and the ability to understand their body language. 

If this all goes as planned, then by the end of the 7 weeks, I hope to be able to perform an original 2 minute live mix in front of the entire class that shows my mastery of the equipment, volume control, transitioning, effects, cutting, and overall mixing. To show improvement and progression from where I am starting and how I progress over the coming weeks, I will record a mix using the same songs before I begin any practicing, this weekend. Additionally, every week I will present to my partner Aayush who will rate me in the categories I previously mentioned (mastery of the equipment, volume control, transitioning, effects, cutting, and overall mixing) to show much more gradual progression, aside from the more drastic before and after. Lastly, my goal after the 7 weeks will be to display my mastery of the equipment, volume control, transitioning, effects, cutting, and overall mixing through an original live mix presented to the class.

Below I've linked a few different songs under the two main genres of music my partner and I plan on playing as DJs, Dubstep* and Trap*.

*Best played loudly and with bass up.

Dubstep:

Alive/Krewella (Lyric Based)
Shot Yourself In The Foot Again/Skream (Lyric Based)
Breathe/Zeds Dead (Instrumental Based Remix)
I Can't Stop/Flux Pavillion (Original)

Trap:

Ball So Hard/Hucci (Original Instrumental Based)
Satisfaction/RL Grime (Remix)
Bugg'n/Hudson Mohawke (Original Instrumental Based)
Move to the Ocean/Baauer (Lyric Based Remix)

And of course, the #1 chart topping hit and viral internet trend, Harlem Shake by Baauer