DVD MIXING (article on DJmag.com) Â

[Guest JMT]

http://www.djmag.com/news_detail.asp?id=49

SANDER KLIENENBERG ON DVD MIXING

Words: Tom Kihl

Sander Klienenberg played a showcase set in Miami this year using Pioneer’s groundbreaking DVJ-X1 DVD/CD players. We talk to him about the future of mixing visuals and music.

“It’s like the second dimension for DJsâ€, says Sander Klienenberg, fresh from the world premiere of his latest project.

He’s been taken on board by Pioneer to showcase the latest version on their wildly successful CDJ-1000 CD turntable, the one that plays DVDs too.

“Essentially it’s the CDJ-1000 with a video out,†he says. But the possibilities this creates have been exciting DJs who wish to bring a new visual mixing element to their sets.

Sander worked for three months preparing his DVD set. Making the visuals, setting them to music and working out the whole performance. It was a daring project, as it was treading new ground for both him, and for the clubbers on the night.

“The thing I was most afraid of was; would people actually realise what was happening? Would they see how the beats work and realise that it was all in key? But people really got it.â€

The visual side of clubbing and mixing is something Sander has always been interested in. Around 12 years ago, when he DJed in a small local club in Holland, he used to play video clips off VHS tapes and if he was lucky, actually mix the visuals in time with the tunes. Fast forward to Miami 2004 and he’s leading the way for others to follow with this experimental new technology.

“I hope its going to make house music more visual,†he says. “Instead of doing a mix for a radio station, DJs can go to straight to MTV with a complete hour of programming. They all want that, so it’s very, very exciting. I feel the whole scene could benefit from this.â€

He’s not wrong. Imagine the effect that such TV exposure could give to dance music, particularly in the USA, where the traditional TV format of rock star/big money video just hasn’t accommodated the often faceless, non-vocal world of dance music.

But what about the growing number of dedicated VJs out there too. Isn’t this letting the DJ step on their visual territory somewhat? Sander sees the two as infinitely compatible. “The reality is that no mixers control audio and visuals at the same time, and even if they did, it would be impossible to get content to each and every track you play out. So I hope more DJs will team up with a group of VJs who can give them that content and be with them on the tours. Then, when you play a track from the DVD you sort of blend it into the visuals that are already there. It needs to be done.â€

With DJs everywhere increasingly using new technology to add to their sets via creating live samples and loops and using computers, efx units and such like, it’s only a matter of time before a visual element become another part of their growing arsenal of digital tricks. And then, with the similar advances in VJ technology, who knows what clubbing may look like in a few years time…

Sander will be DVDJ-ing (or whatever you want to call it) at 10 special gigs in Ibiza this summer, so make sure you keep your eyes and ears open for those.

Go to www.djsounds.com for full info on the DVJ-X1

And also visit www.sanderkleinenberg.com

[ryan2772]

pretty cool. reminds me of geiss, and other visualization plug-ins. i think this will provide more opportunities for dj's.

[Guest JMT]

i wish i would have seen it

[Guest pod]

A friend of mine has a demo unit for a review...it's quite amazing. ;D

[tgibson]

A friend of mine has a demo unit for a review...it's quite amazing.  ;D

Interesting...what's so cool about it?

What kind of video stuff would you add to the mix - like animations I guess?

I've actually often wondered...what do DJs sometimes have Apple ibooks or ipods up there with them? Do they play music or beats off of them?

[Guest JMT]

Interesting...what's so cool about it?

What kind of video stuff would you add to the mix - like animations I guess?

I've actually often wondered...what do DJs sometimes have Apple ibooks or ipods up there with them?  Do they play music or beats off of them?

PVD has music on it.

what if the damn thing locked up or crashed? thats would blow.

[tgibson]

PVD has music on it.

what if the damn thing locked up or crashed?  thats would blow.

Really? I could be a DJ then!!! Hahahaha!

[AndrewChibale]

i wonder how much they paid him for this show

[Guest LeVeL]

Interesting...what's so cool about it?

What kind of video stuff would you add to the mix - like animations I guess?

I've actually often wondered...what do DJs sometimes have Apple ibooks or ipods up there with them?  Do they play music or beats off of them?

You know I always thought DJ's used their Apple Laptops to know what songs to Mix during their 6 hour or 8 hour sets. There is only so much the human brain can remember when it comes to blending one song after the other.

[Guest endymion]

I've actually often wondered...what do DJs sometimes have Apple ibooks or ipods up there with them?  Do they play music or beats off of them?

Most of the time the DJ is using Final Scratch, where all of his music is in MP3 format on the Mac and he's using turntables and a mixer as input devices to control the mix. The vinyl that he's using just contains time codes that Final Scratch uses, not music.

You can plug an iPod into a Mac and it looks just like an external Firewire drive. Final Scratch can use the music on the iPod. Lots of DJ's who use Final Scratch use iPods as little portable hard drives with handy built-in audio output.

In some rare cases the Macs are running Logic or some other sequencer when somebody like Orbital or Thievery Corporation or somebody is doing a live show. The Mac is orchestrating the sequencing of the music like a conductor.

Finally, in some cases the DJ is just playing with IM and reading his email while he's working, and the Mac has nothing to do with the music. I have been surprised lately at how much of this goes on.

[Guest JMT]

Finally, in some cases the DJ is just playing with IM and reading his email while he's working, and the Mac has nothing to do with the music.  I have been surprised lately at how much of this goes on.

LMAO  ;D

but seriously, isnt there always the chance the PC could freeze or crash?  it is a pretty common occurence.

[Guest pod]

What Ryan said.

PvD uses Final Scratch almost exclusively, though he carries CDs to get him through the night if the big bang happens. He'll maybe have a few pieces of vinyl, usually because they're so new that he hasn't had a chance to encode them yet...it's fun to see PvD's FS Mac, it's all in German.

Josh Wink uses, and is the "grandfather" DJ of Final Scratch...him, and our boy Stryke, and B-Side (for obvious reasons), got FS first off...FS at that time was a turnkey solution, now it's just the interface and software, you provide the PC or Mac.

As for packages like Logic, Reason, Abelton, and so forth, that's what people like Junkie XL, Richie Hawtin, Way Out West, Underworld, Greyarea, Infusion, and so forth like to use, either on PCs or Macs, depending on their personal preference. Greyarea swear by their VAIOs, surprisingly. Infusion uses software, but in a limited fashion, most of their stuff is done and stored on samplers and synthesizers...not much can go wrong there...

Crashes do happen though. You will notice. A good DJ will have something on standby, perhaps on the third deck or on a spare CDJ, ready to rock if it happens. It'll be a shitty mix, but those are the breaks.

As for the DVJ units, this will create extensive opportunities for visual and video artists, as more and more producers will want visual elements added to their tracks for DVJ playback...

For now, only the audio stream is mixable off of the DVJ...Pioneer has a mixer in the works which will be a "DVJ Mixer", allowing the video and audio to mix concurrently within one unit rather than having a seperate video mixer.

[Guest endymion]

but seriously, isnt there always the chance the PC could freeze or crash?  it is a pretty common occurence.

It's a common occurance with PC's. You just uncovered the reason why you're always seeing Macs up there in the DJ booth and not a Windows machine. Stanton originally supported Linux only with Final Scratch because it was the only thing reliable enough. Mac OSX came last year at WMC. Windows XP support is new recently but only an idiot would depend on Windows at a live set.

The debate at Stanton over whether to support XP went like this: 'We really shouldn't do this, but it will generate sales because lots of people have Windows laptops.'

[Guest saintjohn]

A friend of mine has a demo unit for a review...

that would be me. the dvj-x1 itself is very, very similar to the cdj-1000, but with a few important additional features (besides the video out). the looping, pitch, cue, and vinyl emulation (scratching) controls work just like the cd deck, which is good. so far, the video processing seems to be of more than adequate quality, and the processing seems rather robust (though i've detected some minor latency during rapid-fire hot cueing). although this is officially a beta unit, it hasn't crashed or locked up once, so expect the production models to be just as good, if not better.

so, what's all the fuss really about? dvd mixing is here, if you want it. it remains to seen whether the marketplace will embrace this technology. obviously, pioneer expects dvd to become the next big thing, while technics is still perfecting its cd deck (welcome to the nineties). and isn't vestax still perfecting that vinyl cutter that was announced five years ago?

basically, it's anybody's guess whether or not djs will want the added power/responsibility of mixing visuals, whether or club owners will want to spend about $3,200 per dvd deck (plus a video mixer), and/or whether or not club goers will demand (in other words, be willing to pay for) this added dimension to the dance music experience.

right now, promo only and a few other companies are creating dj-friendly dvds. in order for this medium to grow, dvdjs (dvjs?) will need content, which means creating their own, or turning to existing vjs and/or the companies that supply them. it's going to be interesting to see if/how this all works out.

[Guest pod]

I'm of the school that a PC or Mac is reliable as you make it. Even under a reasonably intense load (DVD±R burning, video rendering), my PC doesn't crash, and I'd trust it to get me through a DJ set. Streaming reasonably compressed MP3s or full-on WAV files isn't a big issue really, provided you don't have your PC laden down with a lot of junk. Even Mac users of FS keep it simple, and turn off a lot of unneeded crap. I keep my XP Pro install clean. Nothing runs without my OK.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the Windows OS is the accepted OS of the masses. The masses generally don't know or honestly don't care to take care of their PCs, and thus, they get laden with various viruses (written because Windows is the popular OS...a Mac virus wouldn't be enough of a statement, as such), and are subject to security holes and such...

One current plan is to have automated unannounced security patches, though that brings up a whole host of privacy issues.

To put it simple, your PC or your Mac is like a car. You gotta take care of it so it works the way you want it to.

Back to the DVJ thing though, it remains to be seen whether video performance will take off in a major way.

I'll be honest. No one except for a few people really notices the visual elements of a club. Most people don't know, or don't care about the difference between good and bad visuals. Confronted, they're usually all like "well I'm all about the music" or "I'm there to bang girls"...but subconsciously, a good visual production adds to your night. I don't know about you, but I get bored out of my mind if the lights suck or are non existent. A lot of the high-class lounges typically have their lighting on autopilot the whole night, and have a looped DVD playing for visuals...it bores me to tears. I'm at Space, Privilege, and Nerve, since they have full time visual artists and lighting directors, whose material and creations add to the experience.

Some of y'all may be content with a dark room with a stack of cheap speakers and a DJ coffin, but I'm out for the visuals...it's my profession...Frankly, I regard a lot of my images shot in less visual venues as boring. I just don't send 'em up, usually. The music is a major element, but visuals are strongly needed, especially for dance music. Not for certain people who feel the need to enhance the visuals..believe me, a good LD teamed with a killer visual artist can obviate the need for psychedelics. Give me six technobeams, six Studio Spot 575s, lasers, and a VJ setup, and just sit back and watch.

The DVJ-X1 enables visuals to be easily played and synced to the overall set. Soon tracks will be issued with a visual stream to accompany it as a matter of course. Most of you DJs will eventually have to learn to mix a full A/V stream, or at least have a competent visual guy on hand to help out.

For anyone into video creation and editing...get to work...the producers are gonna need visuals, and they'll need them like now.

Not to sound crass, but in the end, DJs are really gonna have to earn their $20,000 a night with this.

[tgibson]

Finally, in some cases the DJ is just playing with IM and reading his email while he's working, and the Mac has nothing to do with the music.  I have been surprised lately at how much of this goes on.

This is hysterical to think about...imagine PVD in a chat room during a live set...or sending a birthday e-card to his mom...hahaha

[Guest endymion]

This is hysterical to think about...imagine PVD in a chat room during a live set...or sending a birthday e-card to his mom...hahaha

That's the obvious use.

Here's a less-obvious use: Imagine PVD in a chat room that was projected onto the screens in the club, where the chat room has an SMS gateway. Anybody in the crowd can send him some love by sending a text message to a phone number that gets advertised on the screens the whole time. He can talk back. I personally think that open channels of communication would be way more interesting than watching canned DVDs on those screens during a set.

[Guest pod]

There's a potential for misuse. Can you imagine Saleen SMSing PvD? ;D

[Guest endymion]

That's why you have a tech guy sitting in the booth managing a ban list. Lots of DJ's won't have the nuts to open up the lines of communication. Some will, and they will benefit from being more in tune with their audience.

[tgibson]

That's the obvious use.

Here's a less-obvious use: Imagine PVD in a chat room that was projected onto the screens in the club, where the chat room has an SMS gateway.  Anybody in the crowd can send him some love by sending a text message to a phone number that gets advertised on the screens the whole time.  He can talk back.  I personally think that open channels of communication would be way more interesting than watching canned DVDs on those screens during a set.

Sounds awesome.

[Guest pod]

That's why you have a tech guy sitting in the booth managing a ban list.  Lots of DJ's won't have the nuts to open up the lines of communication.  Some will, and they will benefit from being more in tune with their audience.

Again, with all this, DJs will be earning their paychecks ;D

[Guest endymion]

Quick poll just over the people who are interested in this thread:

Do you feel that you would benefit more from a set that had MTV TRL style feedback going on, or would you rather be passively fed audio-synchronized video?

I know that I would really enjoy the sense of connection to the people around from the communication thing, but I'm not sure that miscellaneous clubbers feel the same way? Lots of people would be too whacked out and into whatever else is going on to even notice. Seems like there are an awful lot of people with text-capable phones at clubs lately who are all over using them to talk to each other though. I'm one of them. Being able to send a shout-out to the DJ that the whole club can see just seems like it would create a special emotional experience.

Is this just tech nerd masturbation or do you guys think that people in general would see it as a neat feature?

[Guest pod]

Neat feature, but most would be too whacked out to use it.

[Guest LeVeL]

Hell yeah that would be an awesome feature Techjunkie, imagine if you request a song and the DJ plays it. That would be even more awesome. But great idea Techjunkie.

[Guest endymion]

Nick pointed out that some DJ's would be insulted by people making requests. I see his point with true party leaders like Tiesto or somebody like Sander Kleinenburg who picks his track lists months in advance. It's still feedback though, and even a party leader should be interested in feedback. "Gee, these people sure do like that new Ferry Corsten track apparently, I keep seeing requests for that, maybe I'll do a remix of my own for next month's show here..."

For DJ's on a lower level who are not true party leaders, I think that tech assistance could be helpful. Some DJs are real good at feeling out their audience. Some are not. This could help local DJs who aren't so intuitive about their crowd to do a better job. It won't make a clueless DJ into a great DJ but it could at least smooth over some of those bad nights where the DJ keeps clearing the floor because he just can't seem to get a feel for the crowd's vibe.

If any DJs who read this are interested in trying this concept for real at a local club then just let me know. I can make this happen and I would like to try it with a DJ who would have fun trying it out. A Final Scratch DJ would be kind of an obvious choice for me to work with on this.