Monthly Archives: July 2019

Remixes or Nah?

By Tony Fernandez

Alright Chil’dren, gather round now. It’s time for a dose of straight talk. This time ‘round, let’s talk about remixes.

It occurs to me that remixes in the DJ community live in this weird universe. DJs love ‘em. DJ’s hate them. DJ’s live by them or die by them. Some DJ’s are all about them, some DJ’s have no use for them.

Guess where we’re going with this….

For those who know me or for those who have seen my play logs, it’s no mystery I’m a fan of the remix. But the “secret” to the remix game (if you will) is playing the RIGHT remix.

Keep up with me…

Let’s back up for a second here, I do realize that not EVERY event or EVERY song calls for a remix to be played or a remix to be made. There are songs that are fantastic on their own merit. There are events that do not warrant the programming of remixes. I get it. However… instead of looking at things you can’t do, let’s take the approach of what you CAN do.

Remixes are your friends. When you pick the right remix and program it accordingly, you can really create a magical moment. Picking the right remix is like choosing the right wine with your meal. It can make or break the moment. Remixes should not be played just because there is a remix. Trust me, there are just as many BAD remixes as there are good remixes. Probably more bad ones than good ones. While good is subjective, there is the right remix of the right song, for the right moment.

Think about this… As DJs, we all pretty much have access to the same music. It doesn’t matter what record pool or subscription service you’re enrolled in. And this isn’t being said to be disparaging to pools and services. The reality is we ALL have access to the same content. As such, we need to be able to stand out and be different; that’s where the remix comes in.

Now I’m not going to tell you what remixes to play, nor the how or the when to play them. I have my hands full taking care of my dance floor. But I will suggest that you stretch out your pallet. Increase the toys in your sand box. On one hand you don’t need to figure out how to play the future progressive gabber trap remix of that 90’s track. On the other hand, having a fun new remix that holds true to the original, can breathe some new life into a track, into a set. And that’s a win for everyone.

Now I gotta go digging for my unreleased, bootleg ,white label, limited release, can only get from the producer remixes. Go get your own.

Keep ‘em spinning.

Based out of Richmond, VA, DJ Tony Fernandez has been a DJ, Remixer, Producer, Musical Soothsayer and Audio Gear Oracle since 1980. Find him on Facebook. Email djtonytf@gmail.com

Serato DJ Pro 2.2 is Here With Play Count and Day Mode

Serato has launched one of its most hotly anticipated updates of late, adding Play Count and Day Mode to its DJ software among a raft of performance improvements.

Speaking on these highly-requested features, Chief Strategy Officer Nick Maclaren says, “After just one week, the Serato DJ Pro 2.2 beta set a record for the most downloads in history, which just shows how excited our users are about this release,” says Maclaren.

In addition to some big-name features, today’s update delivers a suite of performance enhancements making Serato’s software even more reliable. This includes improvements to Waveform performance, HID Mode, streaming in Serato DJ, as well as 64-bit Serato Video for Mac.

Play Count –

DJs can now easily count the number of times a track has been played via the new ‘Plays’ column in Serato DJ. Play count will update when tracks are played, but is also editable, and can be used as a Smart Crate field to prepare handy playlists for any occasion.

“Play Count will help DJs quickly find their go-to favorites to maintain a packed dance floor or prepare for sets,” says Maclaren. “It’s also great for file management as over time you can remove tracks that get little airplay.”

Day Mode –

Serato DJ Pro is now even more user friendly in bright conditions with Day Mode. This feature changes the colors of the Serato DJ Pro interface so it’s more visible in bright light, and can easily be turned on and off via the Day Mode icon on the bottom left of the screen.

“Day Mode is designed to help DJs see the interface in light conditions, which is ideal for day parties, brightly-lit venues, and the festival season,” adds Maclaren.

Serato Video improvements –

Serato Video is now a 64-bit application for Mac, making it even faster and more stable. Both Mac and Windows users can also enjoy a raft of Serato Video improvements, including increased frame rate and multiple bug fixes.

Waveform improvements –

DJs should notice an immediate improvement to waveforms with this release, bringing an increase in smoothness and performance for most setups.

Free trials are reset

All free trials in Serato DJ Pro have been reset so everyone can try these exciting new features, free for 14 days.

Learn more and download Serato DJ Pro 2.2

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About Serato

Serato makes the most creative music software on the planet by being super focused on the user, authentic, inclusive and inspiring. The company does this because they believe in giving people the ability to express themselves and move others through the power of music.

In 1999 Serato launched with Pitch ‘n Time, still the world’s foremost studio plugin for time-stretching and pitch-shifting technology. On the strength of Pitch ‘n Time, Serato moved into the DJ industry, changing the game with the release of Serato Scratch Live, and later Serato DJ Pro and Serato DJ Lite.

Serato has also recently returned to the diverse world of music production with the release of Serato Sample, a high-quality sampling plugin for producers. And most recently, Serato Studio, a fully fledged, intuitive beat making application for DJs.

For all press enquiries please contact press@serato.com

Signs that you’re a DJ

By Tony Fernandez

People (and when I say people I mean some DJs) say that being a DJ is easy. Anyone can do it. All you need is blah, blah, blah. Well, it’s not that easy. Here are a few indicators of if you really have DJing in your DNA.

You’re at dinner, or you’re watching a TV show or a movie, or a commercial comes on (this happens to me ALL the time), or the BEST is when you’re with friends exchanging witty banter, and a song come on and…. you stop what you’re doing, mid-sentence, to register the song. Why is the restaurant playing THIS song? Is this new? What is this? This is dope! Where’s my phone so I can Shazam this! The music feed for DJs NEVER stops. Never. We’re not trying to be crude or impolite. It’s just the way we’re wired.

You are constantly listening to new music and noticing this track sampled such n’ such! Or this thing sounds like that thing! DJs are a walking vessel of beats and melodies, or at least you should be. DJs, like normal people, are inundated with music. The thing is, DJs process music differently: Once new music, or even a throwback is heard and processed by a DJ, the next step is to figure out how we can incorporate it into our repertoire. I need to find this record!!! Where can I play it? How can I play this for the next gig I have? Is this a peak-hour record or a warm up / cool down rack? Are there remixes that I can find that will make this song better for me to play? Can I even play this record? Will I play this record? So many decisions…

While most DJs enjoy a night of debauchery as much as the next guy gal, we LIVE this stuff, like ALL the time. If you eat steak EVERY day, you kind of lose the exclusiveness of having a good steak. Same thing with DJs and clubs. DJs know how it all works: the lights, the sound, the cryo jets, the booze, the tunes. Not only do DJs know what’s behind the curtain, we expect a certain level of service when we get to the club. And if we don’t get it, it’s going to be a woeful evening. We probably know someone at the venue; we get on the guest list, we get in for free, and at minimum, we have our own little area for us and our friends. But the reality is, DJs want to be in the booth. Yes, even on our nights off. We don’t necessarily want to be working, but we want to be where the action is, and we know that’s the booth. Not being in the booth is just weird anyway.

Finally, the most important sign you just might be a DJ is… knowing the right song for pretty much ANY occasion. I’m not talking about knowing the next song to play at a wedding, your friend’s backyard BBQ, or at the nightclub. Yeah, you should know that. I’m talking about picking the right tunes for the soundtrack of people’s lives. There is a song for pretty much ANYTHING. You met your significant other, there’s a song for that. You broke up with your significant other, there’s a song for that. You get a new job, you lost your job, there’s a song for that. Your favorite team won or lost, there’s as song for that. Your iguana died, there’s a…, well, you get it. As you should, because you’re a DJ (or you wouldn’t be reading this!). You deal in harmonies and musical refrains like the Pillsbury Doughboy deals with cookies. It’s what you do.

I know what my DNA is comprised of. I have a clean bill of DJ health. Hope your checkup is fabulous.