From 7" to sub-ing! How it has changed!

Catchy headline huh, if you came thinking great, rubber suits and quiet nights in, I apologise, the only technical angle I can think of is that rubber is a good vibration dampener...

Right, less digression into the meat!

I have just completed a set-up for 2 Halloween children's discos this weekend and that got me thinking about how the mobile music entertainment space has changed over the years. I started way back in 1988, to my children as I am too old it was 'black and white' then but it was called SKA!

From a kit perspective, when I started DJing I had 2 record players, a mixer (I was lucky) and a reasonable collection of 7" and 12" records - if you needed a song you did not have you waited until next time at the venue to play it... after a visit to the Record House in town!

CDs made it possible to carry more music... but meant you had to have one format or the other as the space you set up in was often limited if you choose CDs effectively you made your vinyl record collection redundant overnight and cursed the fact you could not get all those great 70s disco records on CD yet...

Towards the end of the 90s and into the 00s, the beginning of the digital revolution arrived - CD-Rs allowed you to make your own compilations, emulating the NOW range but with fewer fillers! Joined by the ability to download music off the internet came; legality aside it had arrived meant if you wanted something you could usually get it. Straight to CD-R, played that night in whatever venue you were booked at! No waiting for the record companies to get it to you in the post.

Come the middle of the 00s the digital revolution is now in full swing, you had HDD equipped decks that now no longer needed CD players just the audio tracks stored on an onboard HDD you synced with your PC. A huge record collection could be carried about and instant access thanks to some clever tricks by Denon and Numark.

And of course, DJ subscription services could be accessed online and the entire back catalogue downloaded locally, synced to the standalone controller HDD or more commonly in more recent years synced directly to the controlling laptop HDD where you both stored and played the music from.

USB midi controllers meant gave you all the familiar controls you needed to manage the music, however, the music was now playing from software 'decks', not standalone hardware used for so many years. Yes, you could still use standalone hardware but it was now most definitely not as convenient as the laptop...

Coming up to date where the subscription model has moved firmly into the 'mobile' entertainment world comes DJ software & music you never buy, you subscribe to. Just like Spotify, Youtube Music and 100s of other online streaming services DJs get the same goodies, search and download tracks within an of being released to air - never worry about not having a track on the night, never worry you've damaged the only copy of the first dance song CD you had...

Just like Office 365 you could pick and choose a subscription that fitted your DJ style, you could choose to include karaoke or video support, online streaming was available allowing you to broadcast sets live to the 'net for those who could not attend the venue ( this was massive during lockdown where many DJs put on live Facebook sets for people to enjoy ) all by adjusting your monthly subscription. How very modern is that?!

So, for me, I wrote out the playlists earlier this week, synced them to my online account, today I logged into my laptop loaded the software let it sync the playlists, download all the music it needs and that is it done! Leaving me free to hand out spooky prizes, enjoy the night all along knowing the software is taking care of the musical entertainment.

No heavy record cases, no CD wallets not even a USB hard drive.

So, tonight when you are settling down to a take out or quiet drink think of me playing Ghosebusters to 100+ KS1 and KS2 children hyped up on sugar and pop!

I would not change it for the world!

#streaming #music #entertainment #DJ