So You Want to Be a DJ?

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 12 April 2024

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

There was a time when being a DJ meant hauling heavy crates of vinyl LPs, sound equipment and lights from one gig to the next. Now with a computer and a portable speaker, you can make any gathering a party. But just because you can make a playlist doesn’t mean you are a real DJ. To actually spin records and put together memorable sets requires skill, practice and talent. We’ll talk to the founder of a DJ school and DJs from around the Bay about what it takes to be a DJ, who in the words of Rihanna, can “pon de replay.” Guests: Nastia Voynovskaya, editor and reporter, KQED Arts Juan "Wonway Posibul" Amador, DJ and MC - Grammy-nominated DJ Wonway Posibul hosts a daily music show on KALW 91.7 FM that airs from 8-9 PM. Lamont Bransford-Young, DJ and founder of Fingersnaps Media Arts, a DJ school - Bransford-Young hosts "The Fingersnaps Salon" on KPOO. Victoria "Kiki" Fajardo, DJ - DJ Xulaquiles grew up in the East Bay and began her DJ career at 14. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for Forum comes from Rancho La Puerta, boated the number one wellness resort and spa by readers of travel and leisure magazine in 2024.
0:09.7	In August, three or four people sharing a cassita enjoy special vacation packages that include hiking, mindfulness, and fitness classes, in a garden setting on 4,000 verdant acres of nature preserve.
0:22.4	Check in to summer at Rancho LaPorta, Rancho LaPorta.com.
0:26.8	Switch to Comcast Business Mobile and save hundreds a year in your wireless bill.
0:30.9	Comcast Business, powering possibilities.
0:33.4	Restrictions apply. Comcast Business Internet required.
0:35.5	Compar as two unlimited intro lines and lowest price 5D plans of top three carriers.
0:38.4	Tax on fees extra, reduce speeds after 30 gigabytes of usage.
0:40.8	Data thresholds may vary.
0:43.1	From KQED.
0:46.2	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal. What is it to be a DJ in this day and age?
0:58.0	Hip-hop music is everywhere and electronic DJs are some of the biggest stars in the world.
1:04.0	They don't have to haul crates of records from show to show anymore, and they can learn the tricks of the trade at a DJ school or on YouTube
1:12.4	University.
1:13.3	So, we're bringing in some DJs this morning to teach us a bit about the theory and practice
1:19.1	of moving the crowd, and to talk about the Bay Area scene, Friday, music, DJs.
1:25.7	That's all coming up next after this news.
1:28.3	Get a yourself, because long.
1:49.0	Welcome to the Forum. I'm Alexis Madrigal. Listen, I'm a skilled playlist maker. My old mixtapes, my current Spotify,
1:54.0	playlists are interesting and filled with all kinds of music. But sadly, I'm not actually a DJ.
2:00.0	Because there's more to it than simply selecting music.
2:02.6	There are skills, matching the beats and phrases of music, so everything comes together into a totally new thing.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.