THE ENVELOPE FILTER

May 1, 2003 12:00 PM

LETTER OF THE MONTH

WE ARE THE MUSIC-MAKERS

I have a gripe about all this focus on “making” music on computers. Where did we lose all of the musicians along the way? Yes, computers are powerful tools for recording audio, and, of course, it's wonderful to have every sound on the planet in your laptop, but will the next generation still learn to play? Will music theory and analog sound devices be forgotten? We have to learn to use all these new systems and modules, as well as the classics, for we are truly the pioneers of the new dawn of music creation. Let's not forget that audio may be treated and arranged in a computer and ultimately recorded, but that does not make music! A great song is made from the groove within us. Emotion and vibes mixed with knowledge of sound and the process of manipulating your equipment to replicate what your mind, body and soul are feeling cannot always reveal a pleasing song. But it sure beats staring at a computer monitor!
BassFreqModul8R
via e-mail

For sending in this month's winning letter, BassFreqModul8R won a pair of Stanton 890FS dual-styli cartridges ($189.99). If you would like to win a pair of cartridges, just send in the pithiest, silliest, bitchiest or smartest letter next month. Please address correspondence to “The Envelope Filter,” Remix, 6400 Hollis St., Ste. 12, Emeryville, CA 94608 or to remixeditorial@primediabusiness.com. Published letters may be edited for space and clarity.

SUPERNICE SUPERSTARS

I have been pressing records for various labels and producers for a few years and have had the opportunity to meet quite a few well-known DJs. So I was not surprised when I read Saeed Younan's letter, “Tide:Praise” (“The Envelope Filter,” February 2003), about Derrick Carter's good-natured attitude. Ninety percent of the DJs whom I have met are very nice people. But I have to say that Saeed & Palash are two of the nicest guys I've ever met. (Mark Farina is high on the list, too).

There's no better feeling than to see your favorite DJs and then be able to thank them for great sets. Try to do that at a rock concert and see what happens. That's what makes this industry so special: The fans know the DJ, the DJ knows the fans, and everybody can talk to each other on the same level.
Kyle Clarke, United Record Pressing
Nashville, Tenn.

FINAL ANSWER

I'm responding to “Vinyl Solution,” by Josh Adams (“The Envelope Filter,” January 2003). A common misconception of Final Scratch, demonstrated in Adams' letter, is that it takes all the work out of mixing for the DJ. This is wholly incorrect. Final Scratch does not beat-match for you in any way. The Scratch Disc on the turntable is just like any other piece of vinyl that requires prefade cueing and pitch adjustments: You still have to grab it and tweak it to find the cue point, and you can still do all the little tricks that scratch DJs do with normal vinyl.

Although I don't see vinyl going away in the near future, I do believe its time is limited. The advantages of a Final Scratch — type system are too great for it to not succeed vinyl as the standard. Currently, the only things holding it back are cost of the required technology, technical teething problems and ignorance of what it is and how it works. This form of technology is going to help shape the future of DJing.
Lee Henson
Liverpool, UK

WHEELS KEEP ON TURNIN'

I'm a basement DJ out of Cleveland. Until recently, I was using a pair of entry-level Gemini PT1000s. I came up on some 1200s, but I know I need to get a backup pair. I looked at the Gemini 2200 and 2400 and Numark TT200 and Pro-TT2. I want your opinion about some of these turntables and what you think would be some good purchases. The innovations in CD players have caused me to consider carefully these next few steps. I currently have two 1200s, a Numark 7026 mixer with 24-second sampling, a Numark bpm mixer, a BST tabletop CD player, a QSC 900 amp case, two Yamaha S15e speakers, two coffins and two Discman CD players. I'm looking to purchase a Numark CD Mix-1, a Roland CDX-1 and a powered subwoofer.
Djay Ejay
Cleveland

Ejay — In my opinion, there is no better turntable than the Technics SL-1200MK2/MK3. The design of the Technics 1200 is almost 30 years old, and it is still an excellently engineered and manufactured piece of equipment. It serves the needs of the turntablist DJ in that, when well-adjusted and set up with the right needles, it offers a good, skip-resistant sound in most environments. — Robin Smith, Remix columnist

O PIONEERS!

Certainly, Juan Atkins did not invent electronic music or electronic dance music, for that matter (“The Envelope Filter: No Respect,” January 2003). However, Atkins brought a deliberate fusion of urban desperation and Detroit funkiness to a medium still in its infancy. Atkins is no Johnny-come-lately; under his various guises, he has been releasing music since 1981. It angers me that so much music gets appropriated, and then after the fact, people completely forget to acknowledge its forebears. Atkins is assuredly on the list of electronic-music pioneers. Give respect where respect is due!
Kyle Melton
via e-mail

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

I've only been spinning for about four years. When I first started out, I played house records; then, I got turned on to trance. And then I started playing a few breaks records, some jungle and some techno. A lot of my peers frown on multigenre mixing. They think that DJs should stick to one style. This just doesn't make any sense to me. Why limit ourselves? Why narrow our tastes? Why be concerned with pleasing the purists? Why try to please the anyone?

Genres help to categorize different styles and sounds, but it seems like it all leads to elitism. Forget what's “underground.” Forget what's “pop music.” Forget the “scene.” Like what you like. Play what you love. Love to play.
DJ Elijah
via e-mail

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