Disc Jockey (DJ); one of the most mistreated word on the internet!
Believe it or not, what is a Disc Jockey (DJ) is one of the word that many seams not to understand the meaning on and off the internet, despite the availability of online dictionary!
Historically speaking, the term “Disc Jockey (DJ)” is used to describe the person who used vinyl records to play music usually on the radio. This term was born in the 1940’s. Often, on the radio, the Disc Jockey was the one speaking on the radio too!
Later, when night clubs started to use vinyl records to play music for their clientele (to make them dance or simply for listening pleasure), the term Disc Jockey was adapted to describe the person who manipulated the vinyl record to played the music.
With the technical changes and the birth of different support medium for the music (magnetic tape, cassettes, compact disc), the word Disc Jockey is still used.
Now with the usage of computers to broadcast (paly) music, there are no need for physical supports for the music, everything is on hard discs or even on the internet itself (streaming services). The music is played through software (specialized computer programme). So, there are no deed for manipulating any medium of music anymore like Disc Jockey used to do, yet, we still describe the person who choose and play music from a computer using or not a controller, as a “Disc Jockey”.
Purist want to change the meaning of the term Disc Jockey for “ Digital Jockey” because of the usage of computer to play music or, some wants to apply the term Disc Jockey just when certain type of equipment is used, or certain technics to play the music to be called “Disc Jockey” (For the example; the usage of the “sync” button on controller is making some DJ’s discussion groups explode!).
To be clear!
If you used your own sound system to play music for yourself; you are an audiophile or a music amateur.
If to play music (using any type of physical support for the music, or using a computer) to make people dance or for their listening pleasure; you are a Disc Jockey (DJ)
Just for the discussion; DJs like Tiesto or David Guetta are called DJs. In reality, these people are musi producer (who create their own music) or musicians but, because they play their music in front of people using DJ equipment, they are called DJs!
Pierre
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