Original Desmond

They mix other people's songs but the best ones in the world are treated like music artist

what do u think ?

mllefoo

I don't consider them music artists. Some of them are simply very good at mixing music, but anyone with a board, a couple of cd players, and a computer can mix music though probably not as well as the professional DJs mix the music.

I have a friend who is mixing Madonna music for some contest or other. What he's doing sounds okay, and he seems to understand what he's doing, but I don't consider him a music artist either.

ravan

Actual DJ'ing (changing records) - probably not.

Lots of them remix songs etc, and I count that - its often a completely new sont with just a few elements of the old songs.

Some DJ's can DJ the same way - play songs in a way that they take completely new form - that comes close I think.

But just beatmatching and swithing lp's? no

ziggy

No. I don't think it is artistic to change albums, or to combine two different tracks together - the guys who mix albums are very important - but the aren't artists

Giles

As artists "create" art I think that DJ's create mood, tempo, atmosphere. To say that all DJ's do is change records is a really broad unfair statement, this can be done in many ways. Their knowledge of music and ability to mix pre-existing records and to sample and incorporate new beats and soundclips could be termed as modern analogy of soundweaving.

MJKTool

yes

TheMadMonk

I can consider them to be "sonic artists", but I definately don't consider them to be "musicians".

grunter

*snicker*

Um, no.

Aghama

They manipulate music, sometimes to great effect. Is that "musical artistry", I dunno. But it can be a lot more interesting than the "original" music that pollutes the Billboard charts.

*I'm assuming we're not just talking about a guy who switches songs at a club.

Jackskeleton

Yes. you try mixing songs and creating sounds like they do. sampling, etc. sure a majority is not there stuff, but they are using music as a form to express themselves. I consider them artist.

Toad

No, I don't. I consider people who write/sing/play to be music artists. No offense to you awesome DJs out there.

Brian Shannon

No.

If I take paragraphs out of a book am I an author? No I am an editor.

RoQuEr

Yes.

You want proof?

Listen to cirillo - cristallo

then listen to what Paul Van Dyk to it in

cirillo - Cristallo (Vandit Dub Mix by PvD)

Also why do DJ get paid to make remixes at roughly the price of:

David Morales and Paul Oakenfold - 50K USD
Jonathon Peters - 30 K
Timo Maas - 20 to 25K

And this isn't their real job. They get paid for more to DJ than they do to produce remixes.

MJKTool

How anyone could call someone like Orbital not music artists is beyond me.

JHosk

Alot of the underground hip-hop community has turned to djs and the movement is turntablism. Its basically a bunch of real talented dj's taking sh*t to another level. Guys like Invisible Scratch Picklez, DJ Q-Bert, DJ Z-Trip, etc. If you checked some of these guys out you would definitely consider them artists.

Of course there are always the dudes who spin music at clubs and stuff. I also consider them ot be artists too. Ever notice how some dj's are hot and can really get the crowd bumpin, while others simply can not get the crowd moving. Although it looks easy it takes alot of practice and experience to be able to make a seamless mix.

Just my thoughts.
Hosk

RoQuEr

and turntablists, aka scratch gods, are most definately Artists. The stuff they do is incredible

raithen

Totally spot on!

Toad

I think the only this guy's gonna have is a DJ Lawsuit.

RoQuEr

this guy isn't an artist though.
http://www.rft.org.uk/masteryois.ram

SnoopDogg

I do believe they are artists, some are very good artists too.