LETTER OF THE MONTH
Aug 1, 2006 12:00 PM
KICKIN' IT OLD SCHOOL
When I started DJing three years ago, I had no idea where it was going to take me. The art of DJing has changed so dramatically over the past three to five years that it's hard to find someone who even remembers what a classic SL-1200 Technics turntable looks like anymore. (It's no fun to sit around with all the guys who still use vinyl and bitch about how digital is taking over, but sometimes it needs to be done.) No one said it better than Bob Dylan when he said, “The times, they are a changing” — it's the truth.
I realize that it's a lot more convenient to be able to carry around all of your music on an iPod that weighs less than the sandwich that you eat for lunch. Anyone who has ever spun with vinyl before knows that it may be a pain in the ass to carry around your crate, but it's not the same as spinning digital music — it's a different feeling when you actually control the record and not just manipulate digital files. I'm not going to lie, I've looked into it and considered a lot of different ways to try and fit into this whole new digital DJ scene, but to me, most of the digital stuff just feels fake. All you old-timers out there — go ahead and get into the digital scene, but please don't ever just let your old tables sit in the corner and collect dust. They are classics; it's not just a mix when you use old turntables, it's an experience.
I completely agree with Matthew Ihrig's letter in the July issue of Remix (“Let's Stay Together”). You've got to pick your battles, and as cheesy as it may sound: Never give up, life is too short, manage your time well, don't have any regrets, and most important of all, make some good music.
DJ J-Dubs
St. Paul, Minn.
For sending in this month's winning letter, DJ J-Dubs wins his own Røde NT2-A ($699) and Event Studio Precision 6 ($649.50) biamplified studio monitors! If you send in the most inspired correspondence next month — or simply the letter we like best — you will win the Røde NT2-A mic and the Event Studio Precision 6 monitors. All you have to do is send an e-mail to remixeditorial@remixmag.com. Please include your full mailing address. Published letters may be edited for space and clarity.
WHERE IT'S AT
Thank you for your recent article on VJing (“Sights and Sounds,” June 2006). The industry in general is moving in that direction as fast as bandwidth is expanding on computers. Articles like yours help raise awareness of this growing phenomena. However, you did miss one key reference. For anyone who wants to look deeper into this field, I recommend checking out The VJ Book by Paul Spinrad (www.thevjbook.com), which covers the current state of VJing very well (and also includes a DVD with samples and software). This book shows that there are as many approaches to live multimedia performance as there are to making music.
Stefan
Via e-mail
A LITTLE PIRATE HUMOR
I really dug your recent “Editor's Note” (“$$ for Nothin', Chicks for Free,” June 2006). I work outside in the heat of the south Florida sun. That alone is enough to make me ornery. So after having to work all day for the man, I got a chance to come home and start laying wood flooring in my house (from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m). But I finished! So now, after spending Sunday setting the insulation in my friend's roof on fire (obligated myself into changing his ceiling fan), here I am on Monday (Memorial Day) finally getting some “me” time. Here's today's agenda:
Wake up — check!
Start by doing nothing in particular — check!
Read Kylee's “Editor's Note” — check!
Seriously, I really got something out of that “Editor's Note.” I guess we all worry about other people's bling, and then jealousy ensues. I never think of myself as very successful, but from time to time, I get a quick refresher course in just how much I truly have. So here's to having your friends outweigh your treasure chest. Arrrr! (A little pirate humor for you.) Anyway, thanks for the inspiration.
David Tanner
Miami, Fla.
TECHNOLOGY = SALT
I love to spend most of the day in front of my 15-inch monitor, but that doesn't mean that I'm a nerd. Making music right now is a mixture of art and technology, an intersection of music ideas and technology. So, is there a magic formula for getting the right proportions of music and technology in order to make the perfect groovy song? Technology is like salt; it goes with everything and in everything. You guys at Remix gave me the chance to discover a great world of technology with your brilliant articles and news about releases, people, events and more.
So music is great, but you need the basic tools to make a professional record and cool gear to make a groove. Thanks for doing a good job, Remix.
Evert Fernández V.
Cochabamba, Bolivia
GIVE IT UP FOR THE LADIES
Since I started subscribing to your magazine, I have attained a better focus and idea about where I want and need my music to go as a working DJ and producer. I have learned more in the four official issues that I received in the mail than I have in the past two years without it. Man, I'm dumb for not finding you sooner. But I guess good things come to those who wait. Now I'm able to navigate around Reason, learn about the hottest new DJs and the killer veterans and scope out my competition in the field. Also, to see that you profile more women DJs out there on the scene than most other magazines is phenomenal! I don't feel so lonely in a man's world anymore. Thank you!
DJ Moxy Martinez
Columbus, Ohio
A SWIFT KICK IN THE …
For the past eight months I've been reading Remix. For the past 10 years I've been following my dreams, but I had given up hope. I started DJing at the age of 15 and had always wanted to do more in the music scene, such as produce music. Then one day someone handed me an issue of Remix and told me to look through it and read it. Much to my surprise, the magazine was full of insight and help, which brought my motivation to a whole new level. I got off my butt and started to read more and gain more insight about the hardware and software I want to get for my production setup. All the product reviews inside the “Tech Sector” section have helped me out a lot. Thanks for the reviews and for helping me make my dreams come true.
Ian Jones
Houston, Texas
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