Age of the Digital DJ

CDJ, Laptops, Traktor, Serato, MP3.... All vices of the digital era. The world of the DJ has evolved quite a bit, and even still, we are constantly pressing forward to expand, to create new mediums to deliver a slamming dance experience. At first, it was almost as if you needed to be classified as an Audiophile, strictly based off the equipment necessary to make get the job done. Let's face it; even today's turntables are not your Parents old Vinyl player you found in the attic when you were 8 years old. I know I'm not the first, and I definitely wont be the last... but THANK YOU. Imagine being stuck in the age of belt driven tables.

Got it?

Scary...

The change from audiophile to tech guru/mastermind did not come overnight mind you. This was a highly involved process, and it realistically had nothing to with the evolution of DJing. However, that is not to say that our passion did not help fuel an already raging fire.

I started out on vinyl. Why? Because I wanted to. I wanted to know how big of a pain it really is to line up a track, screw it up, wind it back, and ultimately try it 50000 times until you drop it just right.... And what did I choose to try this with? Drum N Bass. Smooth move on my part. Let's just say I got frustrated enough to go buy more records that week! If you find yourself frustrated while learning the fine art of Vinyl, you are not alone. And by no means should you throw in the towel unless you practice everyday, and just can't get it down. Some people learn faster than others, and you should NOT let it discourage you. The first time you place a track perfectly, you will thank yourself for all the hard work you put into making that happen.

Fast Forward to today. I migrated to a more modern approach. For me, being able to utilize CDs (which if you want to argue with me, isn't so modern anymore, but hey, I didn't ask you!) and flash drives is far more convenient than importing records from overseas. Add in a hard drive filled with great music, a great friend who scours the web for new tunes, and a passion for the art that is DJing, and it all makes quite a bit of sense.

Even with my upgrades, I am still somewhat behind the times. Who needs decks at all? We have Laptops and programs that will accomplish the exact same thing. And thus begins the controversy of whether the guy with a Laptop is "better" than a guy behind the decks. Hold that thought for one moment....

I was once asked if I thought I was a better drummer than a person who was in the band before me. My response was this: "We are different." I measure my success against my own success. Might I follow the path of another at times? Absolutely. Play the same rhythm as a well known artist? You know it. But at that point, I have made it my own. Regardless of what type of art we are talking about, the bottom line is you make it what you want it to be.

Back to the two different DJ's with their setups. They are different. They are delivering what we are looking for in a different medium. Would you be able to tell the difference? Likely not. If they played identical sets (which in itself is highly unlikely), we would probably be just as excited. Granted I find the art of manipulating a platter (digital or not) flashy and quite a bit of fun, but that is my opinion. Next time you are at a club, or at a rave, see if you can tell what they are doing without looking. Then look and see if you are right. You'll be surprised, I promise!

There will always be new toys to play with. For both Audiophiles and techies alike, we will find new ways to enhance the listening experience, tweak the output, bend the pitch, phase shift, stutter, distort, etc. What is important, is that we can walk away leaving the audience baffled by what just happened. I look forward to looking down upon a crowd and seeing jaws hitting the floor, only to see them snap back into their dance groove once again.

I don't know what the future holds. But I'm excited. And you should be too.


Here is a new Track from Tritonal, remixed by Stoneface & Terminal! They are playing in San Fransisco this Thursday, February 4th @ Ruby Skye. If you are able to make it out, I HIGHLY suggest going! It will be one wicked night! This is "Suede"!



Make sure to add this to your collection, as well as other tracks by Tritonal on

Start the year out right!

Welcome to 2010! Funny enough, yesterday, 01/02/2010, is the same whether you read it backwards or forwards... Fun! New years was quite a fun evening for me personally, I hope everyone had a great time themselves.

As the year summed up, we had the privilege of hearing some amazing mixes and compilations constantly throughout the day. Digitally Imported Radio really delivered it all through the holidays, bringing the best of your favorite Artists to your ears, directly, for free. On the Trance Channel, listeners were presented with some great material night and day! Markus Schulz (www.markusschulz.com) Global DJ Broadcast Top 40 was a hit for me! Grab all the tracks on

New Years Day has long been reserved for nursing hangovers and recovering from the previous nights activities. This year, the usual was accompanied by 9 hours of Trance Around with World with Above and Beyond! Guest Spots included Daniel Kandi, Kyau & Albert, and Super8 & Tab. ID's on the tracks are incoming, stay tuned for a full playlist!

We have a lot to look forward to this year. With new artists on the rise, albums being drafted in the studio, events being planned, and tickets booked, 2010 brings a wave of new life to the music scene. We often look back over the years and define a year of music by its sound. This leaves room for argument as we are all personally tuned to our own frequency. Our tastes are unique. But generally speaking, we have been able to communicate with our universal language of music, and globally through Trance and various types of Electronic Dance Music (EDM).

I look forward to finding out what the industry has in store for us on every level. I am sure we will see innovations in software and hardware alike for aspiring producers to sink their teeth into. New Decks for your favorite DJ's? You bet. Increased range of frequency on those monitor for all you audiophiles? Guaranteed. Maybe a new audio format? Who knows! What I do know is that we will be blown away but what is coming.

Want to stay up to date on what is going on in the endless world of the Dance Music Industry? Stay tuned, there is a lot planned for the blog this year! I leave you today with my pick to bring in the New Year. Enjoy!



Grab this tune and its remixes on

Holiday Trance Spell

What better way to experience the holidays than with the gift of uplifting trance mixes!? With the holiday season in full force and only a few days left until the start of next year, long awaited year mixes are hitting the scene, leaving your ears tingling, your mind boggled, and a general uplifted sense of well being. For some, the holidays are a time to get that years worth of visits with the family crammed into one short period.... Well I love my family so I get to spend time with them year 'round :)

For music fanatics, ravers, clubbers, DJ's and producers alike, this is the last chance to push the limit for 2009. With a full year of tunes at the disposal of our favorite DJ's, the possibilities are quite endless, from a moving uplifting set, to an extremely forward and slapping Hard Dance set. For those who need a good dose of Electronic Dance Music for the holidays, slide on over to Digitally Imported Radio (di.fm) and get loaded in with your choice of over 20 different stations.... FREE. You can also catch most of your favorite weekly shows on the Trance Channel from your Major Label artists such as Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Above & Beyond, and Markus Schulz just to name a few!


Trance Around the World with Above and Beyond aired their 300th Episode today! Hats off to those guys for continually stepping up their sets and blowing us away with a finely tuned balance of uplifting melody, heavenly voices, and a thunderous four to the floor beat. Seeing Above and Beyond live in any venue, be it a massive arena or a club setting is nothing short of a true Experience, not just a normal night out! I personally left feeling quite touched by the music.

A nice treat for the holidays, this Episode was comprised of Fan Favorites of the first 299 episodes of the radio show, which broadcasts on a weekly basis over various networks online, including Digitally Imported Radio. It is also available as a Free Podcast via ! Episode 300 should be up soon if you did miss it today. I highly suggest you check it out! Artists in the mix included Gareth Emery, Oceanlab, Armin Van Buuren, Signalrunners, Daniel Kandi, and of course, Above and Beyond.

Wishing everyone out there a Happy Holiday Season! Be safe, enjoy the foods, and most importantly, crank up the music!

Update:

Here is the Full Tracklist for Trance Around the World Episode 300!

01. Armin van Buuren "Control Freak" [Sander van Doorn Remix] (Armind)
02. Gabriel & Dresden "Tracking Treasure Down" (Organized Nature)
03. Above & Beyond Presents OceanLab "On a Good Day" [Above & Beyond Club Mix] (Anjunabeats)
04. Gareth Emery "Metropolis" (Garuda)
05. Above & Beyond "No One On Earth" [Gabriel & Dresden Remix] (Anjunabeats)
06. Maor Levi "Reflect" (Anjunadeep)
07. Smith & Pledger "White" (Anjunabeats)
08. The Signalrunners "Meet Me In Montauk" (Anjunabeats)
09. Solarity "Terminal 6" (Anjunadeep)
10. Super8 & Tab "Suru" (Anjunabeats)
11. Above & Beyond Presents OceanLab "Lonely Girl" [Gareth Emery Remix] (Anjunabeats)
12. The Signalrunners "These Shoulders" [Oliver Smith Remix] (Anjunabeats)
13. Super8 & Tab "Irufushi" (Anjunabeats)
14. Daniel Kandi "Child" (Anjunabeats)
15. Above & Beyond Presents OceanLab "Satellite" [Original Above & Beyond Mix] (Anjunabeats)
16. Boom Jinx "Eternal Reminiscence" (Anjunabeats)
17. The Thrillseekers "Waiting Here For You" [Breakfast Remix] (Adjusted)
18. Luminary "Amsterdam" [Smith & Pledger Remix] (Anjunabeats)
19. Above & Beyond "Home" [Above & Beyond Club Mix] (Anjunabeats)

Something New...

Music. Genuine creations, sometimes simple, often complex.... Over the ages it has become a language all its own, expressing emotions and thought in ways we never knew possible. Individuals associate themselves with genres, defining themselves by a riff, a set of lyrics, or even the underlying message in a song. To this day, I have yet to meet someone who has not been moved by a composition in some fashion. I would argue that music is possibly one of the most powerful forces we have discovered, but that is not why I have arrived here writing.


During my recent vacation, the idea came to my mind that writing is an excellent tool. Sure we can use it to vent, but it can also begin quite the exploration. Everyday new creations are unleashed at our ears, spreading quickly to the masses, tantalizing our brain with hypnotic melodies, aggressive motifs, and mind boggling production, all compressed to our favorite medium to enjoy and share.


I love music. In every sense of the word. Over my life, I have been given amazing opportunity to hone my skills, practice, perfect and execute in the expanding world of music and composition. I owe the beginning of this journey to my family, as they provided a Piano to fuel my curiosity. My sister started playing piano at a young age. Hearing her play eventually drove me to start playing as well. I continued on, learning to play other instruments, including the drums and various types of percussion, guitar, and bass. Growing up with an extreme fascination with computers eventually led me to digital production. The music world I had known and loved for my life until that point was only a portion, albeit quite a large one. Electronic music quickly began to be more than just music, it became an obsession. I could not get enough of it.


So today, something new begins. I knew that there would be no better time to start than right away.

Coming up, as I get settled back here at home after my nice vacation, we will start exploring some tunes! But for now, I'll leave it here.

Enjoy this track, it has been on my play list quite a bit lately!