Disc Jockey Tip.

DJ's, Audio Downloads, and Bitratesby DJ Rob Wegner
Summer 2008

As the DJ profession goes digital, the increasing reliance on internet downloads necessitates an explanation of the importance of file bitrates -- particularly as it relates to audio quality and sounding professional.

The more bits per second, the more audio resolution. Hence, an audio file with a bitrate of 128 kbit/s will have less sound quality compared to an audio file of 320 kbit/s. Likewise, an audio file of 320 kbit/s will have less sound quality compared to a .wav file of 1411 kbit/s.

As a rule, you should avoid playing songs with a bitrate below 192 kbit/s.
This is because tracks played on a quality sound system with a bitrate below 192 kbit/s will sound like an "AM radio on steroids." It's harsh sounding to the ears and will potentially have an adverse effect on your dance floor response.

You can often determine the bitrate of a song by placing the mouse cursor/pointer over the song file icon, whereby a box depicting the bitrate should open.
Be aware that some internet downloads -- particularly free/unlicensed downloads -- are of low bitrate quality. For example, a downloaded track could have been originally recorded from a radio station signal (FM radio stations have a bitrate of 96 kbit/s), which means that those tracks will sound harsh when played on an amplified system.

Bitrate Chart
8 kbit/s - telephone quality (using speech codecs) 32 kbit/s - MW (AM) quality96 kbit/s - FM quality128­160 kbit/s - Standard Bitrate quality; difference can sometimes be obvious (i.e. bass quality)128 kbit/s - iTunes before "iTunes Plus"192 kbit/s - DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) quality. Quickly becoming the new 'standard' bitrate for MP3 music; difference can be heard by few people.224­320 kbit/s - Near CD quality. Sound is nearly indistinguishable from most CDs.256 kbit/s - iTunes Plus320 kbit/s - XM Satellite Radio (unconfirmed)1411 kbit/s - .wav files

Ideally, you want to play the best audio quality tracks available (i.e., original CD, .wav or .aiff files). However, because these files consume a great deal of space (i.e., audio CD files typically consume 10 MB of computer disk space for every minute of music), these files take a lot of time to upload/download (even with high-speed internet connections). For this reason, large files are reduced utilizing programs such as Cdex 1.30 -- which helps to reduce upload/download time. Even when reducing larger audio files, I recommend maintaining the 192 kbit/s rule.

Related Links
WAV by Audacity.org
Inside the MP3 Codec -- Bitrates
My Listening Tests
Industry News

* First Sounds -- which is an informal collaborative of audio historians, recording engineers, sound archivists, scientists, other individuals, and organizations who aim to make mankind's earliest sound recordings available to all people for all time -- has retrieved the oldest known sound recording. The 1860 recording entitled Au Clair de la Lune--French folk song is a Phonautogram. The song could be heard here.

* DJ Qbert has launched a YouTube page depicting many scratch/DJ related videos. See Thud Rumble.

* DJ Emile of the Bombshelter DJ's (i.e., DJ Radar, DJ Z-Trip) will launch a non-credit advanced live-performance disc jockey techniques class at Scottsdale Community College in the Fall 2008. In addition, DJ Ruthless Ramsey Higgins will launch an advanced (non-credit) turntablism class in the Fall 2008. Both classes are scheduled to become accredited within the next year. Additional information can be retrieved at the SCC DJ Classes MySpace page.

* The DJ Times sponsored 2008 International DJ Expo heads to the Trump Taj Mahal Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey this August 11-14. According to the International DJ Expo, "being a DJ in 2008 means much more than mixing two records together. Regardless of where you're spinning - Top-40 venues, glammed-out hyper-branded superclubs, or dark-and-dirty late-night underground hotspots - today's DJ's need to be able to know how to rock the crowd, work with club promoters and managers, create original and exclusive productions in the studio, adapt to new advances in technology AND stay on top of the ever-changing state of the music business! The 2008 International DJ Expo's all-new DJ Culture & Music 2.0 Track is what you need to give you the insights and knowledge to get yourself to the next stage. How? By connecting DJs and Producers, both veterans and upstarts alike, with some of the industry's most knowledgeable and successful talents and business executives to learn, network, and exchange ideas."

* According to Bloomberg.com, the island of Ibiza -- known for its clubbing/DJ culture -- is seeking "to discard its reputation as a magnet for drug-taking nightclubbers and attract wealthy vacationers." See Bloomberg.com

Disc Jockey Tip.

Ten Tips to Getting (and keeping) a Job as a Radio Mixshow DJ by Marcus McBride
Spring 2008
[Editor's Note: Marcus McBride is a resident DJ on XM Satellite's BPM Channel 81 and KNRJ Phoenix (Energy 92.7 & 101.1). He is the owner/operator of Full Tilt Remix (a remix service for professional DJ's). He also has a bachelor's degree in broadcasting engineering from the University Of Cincinnati.]
Radio mixshows are among the most prestigious residencies in the world of deejaying. A typical night on the air will likely have your mix reaching more people than your biggest and best night at any club that you'll ever spin for. It's a highly competitive sector of the industry with a finite number of available slots and an infinite number of candidates who are interested in filling them. Getting your foot in the door isn't the easiest of things to do, but it's not impossible. Here are a few suggestions for getting started. Getting In ...Give yourself some homeworkIf you have a local station in mind to submit a mixshow demo to, give yourself a leg up by doing a bit of research first. Make note of what the station plays, and more importantly, what the station doesn't play. Listen for new music and how frequently (or infrequently) such music is added to their rotation. Playlists are a valuable tool as well, many of which can easily be found online. These things will allow you to tailor a demo package that's best suited to the station's sound, image, and overall presentation. Be accessible... Anything that you submit to a radio station for consideration should have your contact information on it (phone numbers, website, email address, etc). That includes your demo CD, bio, submission letter "you name it." It doesn't hurt to spend a few bucks at the office supply store either. A clearly printed label for the CD itself and a professionally-made business card (neither of which are terribly expensive these days) both go a long way to making your submission look that much more professional. Keep things brief and to the point Write a full-page bio about yourself as DJ. That's great -- now cut it down to a few simple paragraphs. The station doesn't need your life story, just the most relevant points about who you are what you do. Likewise, your demo should showcase your mixing and programming talents without being overly zealous. Bells & whistles in the mix are nice but best kept to a minimum if you haven't truly mastered them. Use any custom ID's or drops that you may have sparingly as well (having them professionally produced doesn't hurt either).Think big but start small They're seldom glamorous and most are unpaid, but internships can offer you entrance into the radio world while teaching you a lot about the industry in the process. You'll see how the business works first-hand and cultivate a better idea as to how to pursue your own goals down the road. Many a successful mixshow deejay first got their start working as an assistant or an intern or in some other facet of the business. Be both persistent and patient in equal measures The time & attention of a station's program director and/or on-air staff is inevitably split among countless tasks at just about any given moment. Twice-daily calls or emails aren't likely to elicit a faster or more favorable response from them. Proper follow-up on your submission is a must but be mindful to do so in moderation; and take action accordingly on any suggestions or guidance that they offer you. Staying In ...Radio is a "team sport"Mixshows and the deejays that create them are a small (and important) part of a much larger whole, and that whole has its best chance for success when its individual parts are working together towards the same goals. Always remember that the station's agenda is your agenda -- not the other way around.Your listeners only chew when they have something to bite into first ...As a medium, radio is consistently at the mercy of the ever-shrinking attention spans of its listeners. Deejays by nature are creative people, many of which like to break new ground or set themselves apart with what they do. Just remember that your typical listener probably isn't as savvy as you are when it comes to music (after all, you're the deejay -- not them). Familiarity is a good thing to keep sight of when programming your sets, and sandwiching those newer tracks and remixes in-between staple hits is an easy and effective way to keep people tuned in to your show.... and you can trim the fat while you're at itWhat works in the club doesn't necessarily translate as well over the airwaves. That nine-minute anthem mix of your favorite track that often whips dance-floors into a peak-hour tizzy is very likely to have radio listeners reaching for another preset sooner than later. Keep in mind that the length of most songs played in regular rotation fall somewhere between 3:00 and 4:30 on average. Getting to the meat of the tracks you play in your mixshow is advisable, as is not letting individual tracks drag on for too long.Give your show a personal touchBreathing new life into records that you find yourself playing over & over again is an easy way to help keep your listeners interested. Remixes and edits of most popular tracks can be found in droves these days, but creating your own can really put a customized spin on what you do. Conjuring up your own remixes, edits, and mash-ups may take time to properly master, but it's an investment in your craft that could potentially pay off in more ways than one.Being a "mixshow person" is good, but being a "radio person" is greatRadio is a diverse and multi-faceted medium, a multi-million dollar industry that is as competitive and unpredictable as they come. Hands-on experience and proper networking will afford you the opportunity to expand your own skill sets time-and-time again. Countless mixshow deejays first got their start doing something else within the radio business, and many of them have gone to bigger and better things within the industry as well. The more you learn, the more likely you are to become one of them.
Related Links
Marcus McBride MySpace Page
Full Tilt Remix
XM Satellite BPM Channel 81
Industry News
* Stephen Webber of Berklee College of Music has created several free video clips showing how to crab, create drag scratches on a turntable, and more. See Berklee Shares.
* The 23rd annual Winter Music Conference (WMC) will be held in Miami Beach, Florida from March 25 through March 29, 2008. More information about this year's WMC can be found here.
* Beatport.com recently launched a sister site called Beatsource.com, which claims to be "the first legal online digital retailer specializing in the global sound of urban music. As a member of the Beatport family, Beatsource is designed to service the evolution of digital music culture - redefining how DJs and enthusiasts acquire their music. Beatsource.com allows users to access the world of urban music through secure, legal, hi-speed, high quality downloads in MP3, MP4 and WAV formats on a pay per download basis." See Beatsource.com.
* Remixmafia.com has closed. According to the website, "our site was hacked at some point today (3-3-08). All essential files have been deleted. We have come to the conclusion that rebuilding the site is too much of a task. We thank you for your support ..."