Are DJs Considered To Be Musicians?

The question of whether DJs are musicians sparks debate, with opinions often divided. As DJs play a bigger role in the music industry, some people believe their technical skills make them musicians. Others argue that true musicianship requires playing traditional instruments or composing original music.

To understand this topic better, it's essential to define what makes someone a musician. This means looking at the different roles DJs have, such as live performances, mixing, and production. It also involves distinguishing between creating new music and remixing existing tracks.

Defining a Musician

A musician traditionally creates, performs, or composes music. This includes:

Composing

Writing original music, creating melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. This process often involves playing instruments or using digital tools.

Performing

Playing an instrument or singing, often interpreting the works of composers in live or recorded settings. This requires technical skill, practice, and the ability to convey emotion.

Producing

In electronic music, producing involves creating original tracks from scratch using digital audio workstations (DAWs), synthesizers, and other electronic equipment. Producers design sounds, arrange musical elements, and mix them to create a finished piece.

What Constitutes Making Music?

Several activities clearly fall under the umbrella of making music:

Original Composition

Crafting new pieces of music from the ground up, through traditional instruments or electronic means. This involves innovation and artistic expression.

Creating New Tracks

DJs who compose and produce entirely new tracks from scratch are musicians. They create original melodies, harmonies, and rhythms using digital tools and synthesizers, contributing original content to the musical landscape.

Performing Live

Playing instruments or singing live involves the artist creating music in real-time. This dynamic process allows for spontaneous creativity and emotional expression.

What Does Not Constitute Making Music?

Some activities do not qualify as making music:

Copying and Pasting

Replicating existing music without modification or creative input lacks the creative and technical engagement required to produce something original. Copying and pasting elements of existing tracks and adding a different beat isn't enough to qualify as creating a new song.

Technical Adjustments

Adjusting the equalizer (EQ), balancing frequencies, or setting levels are technical tasks essential for sound quality but do not involve creating new music. Merely adjusting knobs on a DJ console without significant creative manipulation is akin to pressing the play button.

Remixing

Remixing involves altering an existing track but does not equate to making new music. Adding a different beat or changing the arrangement of a pre-existing song involves some creativity but lacks the originality of composing a new piece from scratch. It's similar to taking a photograph and changing its color – it may look different, but it's fundamentally the same image.

Playback

Playing pre-recorded music without any form of manipulation or creative input is essentially playback, not performance or creation. Pressing the play button and waving hands to the beat is not performing; it’s simply operating a music playback device.

The Role of DJs

DJs occupy a unique space in the music world, but not all activities they perform qualify them as musicians:

Live Mixing

Blending tracks, adjusting tempos, adding effects, and creating a continuous flow of music. While this requires skill and creativity, it does not constitute creating new music. Merely pushing buttons or adjusting knobs without significant creative input does not make someone a musician.

Creative Manipulation

Techniques like looping, sampling, and dynamic filtering can contribute to a dynamic performance but do not involve creating entirely new tracks from scratch.

Creating New Tracks

DJs who compose and produce entirely new tracks from scratch are musicians. This involves creating original melodies, harmonies, and rhythms using digital tools and synthesizers.

Conclusion

So, are DJs considered musicians? Only DJs who create entirely new tracks from scratch can be considered musicians. This involves composing original melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, and contributing new content to the musical landscape. Remixing existing tracks, pressing play, or adjusting knobs does not qualify one as a musician. The distinction lies in the creation of original content versus the manipulation of existing material. The ability to transform and elevate music through original compositions showcases a DJ's unique artistry and significant contribution to the musical landscape. Simply adjusting knobs, pushing buttons, or pressing play does not equate to creating new music, just as repainting a picture does not result in a new piece of art. Only if a DJ creates a unique piece from scratch can they be truly called a musician.