Musical ADD?

Posted By: Shagz
Date:

This Maclean's article was rather interesting. It talks about how a new generation of clubbers and djs are preferring a faster mixing style, playing songs no longer than a chorus-verse-chorus sequence before getting on to the next thing.

While not necessarily a new trend or technique (hip hop-style djing has a tradition of fast cuts & mixing for a long time), I believe it's something that's been made worse by technology.

On one hand iPods have made the search for "musical highs" instant thanks to massive playlists and instant skipping to your track of choice, reducing attention spans. On the other, tools like Abelton Live have made it easier for djs to play 10 tracks in 5 mins.

As a dancer, I hate the trend. Just when you're getting into the groove of your fave track, the dj yanks you hard back in another direction or drops in a song that you hate.

But as a dj, I understand it. It's a showy skill, one that impresses and keeps people kind of engaged, but I believe it's one that needs to be balanced. Sometimes you just gotta sit on a track and let it breath, insert a valley in your set instead of constantly hitting people with peaks.

What are your thoughts?

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