Reciprocity

Def: mutual dependence, action, or influence

I put a high emphasis on being a student, and I’m not necessarily talking about school. If you want to become exceptional at anything, you need to study every aspect of it, understand where it’s come from and where it’s going. For me, being a DJ is no different, and as such I’ve read books, and watched documentaries about its history, and I keep up-to-date on the latest technology. More importantly though, I’ve listened very closely to any DJ who has insight into how he/she views their craft.

One thing I’ve noticed DJ’s love to do is debate – whether its turntables vs. consoles, to whether scratching or beat-matching or cutting is better. Everyone has his or her opinion on what makes a great DJ.

I’ve realized though, that a lot of DJ’s don’t talk about the crowd, the consumers of their art. This element of DJ’ing can’t be ignored and more and more I rely on the crowd to not only enhance my skills but also gage my effectiveness. The crowd and the DJ are tied to each other, there’s certain reciprocity between the two – a mutual dependence, action and influence.