Many people who are aspiring DJs are making the difficult decision of whether to use vinyl records on a turntable or to DJ with CDs on a CDJ-type CD players. Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. Most good clubs that you might DJ at have the ability to play both CDs and vinyl and you can bring whichever you prefer.

Playing vinyl is considered the most authentic approach to DJing. The art of DJing was born on turntables and most old school DJs would never consider doing anything else. The downsides are the turntables are delicate and expensive mechanical objects. Records themselves are also rather fragile and expensive to buy.

DJing with CDs is probably the most common approach these days. They are most commonly played with CDJ decks made by Pioneer or similar products sold by competing companies. These are special CD players that are designed to emulate the ability of a turntable to adjust the speed of a track and to move within a track as easily as possible in order to queue up your songs and match the beat of two overlapping songs.

One of the main benefits of playing off of CDs is the ability to download music from the Internet. This gives you easy access to a much broader selection of music than you would be able to easily get on vinyl, even if you live in a large city with a lot of record stores. Most CD DJs burn their own CDs with all of their favorite tracks. If a CD gets scratched, broken or lost, they can simply burn a new copy very quickly and cheaply.

Jim Tonkins writes about metal outdoor furniture on http://metaloutdoorfurniture.net.

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Electro house music has quickly become one of the most popular forms of house not only in dance clubs around the world but also in soundtracks to video games, TV programs and movies. Its uncanny ability to combine harsh, gritty funk with the four to the floor rhythms typically associated with house have created a hybrid form of music that is oozing with down and dirty grooves.

As a genre on its own, electro can be traced back to the 1980’s and the formation of the b-boy sound. This style of music used beats that were similar to that which were found in contemporary rap tracks, but instead of lyrics the focus was primarily on the break, in order to give break dancers a chance to flaunt their stuff. Gradually this music drifted into the mainstream where it was infused with poppier vocals and appeared sporadically on the charts. Electro music didn’t exactly break through with the same crossover appeal as hip hop, but it has served as an important influence to an entire generation of electronic music producers.

Electro house uses some elements of traditional electro music but it has evolved from a somewhat different perspective. In the 1990’s, some artists began to experiment with reducing the bit rate on their samples and creating more lo-fi vocals and percussion while maintaining smooth, very electronic sounding basslines. This ‘dirtier’ house sound was sometimes accompanied by vocals which had been heavily filtered to drop out the lower frequencies. Gradually, this type of music began to add course synth sweeps and an even fatter bassline until a thick bottom end came to define the genre. Vocals remained spooky and distant for the most part, sometimes being heavily slathered in reverb and delay to make them a part of the foundation of the track rather than the focus.

While the foundation of a heavy, almost sleazy-sounding beat is the primary marker of electro house music, some artists have chosen to play around with some more creative interpretations of the genre. ‘Exceeder’ by Mason, for example, gradually introduces a heavier and heavier rhythm track over an initially light synth lead that itself chunks up until it erupts into an abrasive glory. The use of strings to highlight certain sections of a track is also a noteworthy characteristic of this type of house music. An almost piercing string accent can be heard as a repetitive element in the D. Ramirez remix of ‘Electric Disco’ by Plump DJ’s, an electro house anthem released in 1999.

For more articles on house music visit http://www.onlinehousemusic.com/

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By the time that house music began to make its way out of Chicago and filter into the dance scenes of other major cities like New York and London, there were already several names that were associated with what would come to be known as classic house music. To be sure, Frankie Knuckles, the DJ and producer who was most directly responsible for creating the house genre had more than a few titles under his belt. However, there are some other artists whose names are inextricably linked with the commercial growth of house. Let’s take a look at some of the classic house tracks that helped define a generation of club goers.

1. Frankie Knuckles – The Whistle Song. Released in 1991, and helping to lead the surge of house music that was knocking on the door of mainstream chart success, this flute-based track was mellow, had a deep groove and was eminently danceable. All of the ingredients that would come to define house in the 90’s were there – the bass line, the simple drum beat – providing the foundation for hundreds of house tracks to follow.

2. Mr. Fingers – Washing Machine. In 1986, Washing Machine was a revolutionary track that was one of the first to explore the possibilities of the ‘acid’ baseline, a twisting sound that would worm its way into the brains of partiers. The rhythm track was based off of an 808 drum machine, providing the groundwork for a lot of the experimental acid house that would become more prominent as time went on.

3. M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume. A list of classic house music wouldn’t be complete without this entry from the production team of A R Kane and Colourbox. ‘Pump Up The Volume’ is most notable for its heavy use of sampling, and it was a pioneer in this respect. Cut onto vinyl in 1987, the track crossed over onto the mainstream charts and became one of the most recognizable classic house music tunes. It was also the only release from this one-off collaboration.

4. Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam. Completely unrelated to its namesake above, ‘Pump Up The Jam’ smashed through barriers in 1989 to become a huge pop hit. Combining a searing vocal with hard-hitting synth lines and an unbeatable bass track, Technotronic scored a number two spot on British charts and a Platinum record for the accompanying album in the United States. This was a huge accomplishment for house music and helped to legitimize the genre heading into the 1990’s.

5. Madonna – Vogue. Ever the chameleon, pop star Madonna hitched her wagon to the rising house star and secured an enormous hit that further mainstreamed dance music. The song contained many of the drum and rhythm elements found in early classic house music, but it combined them with a more pop-oriented song structure and a dynamic, changing vocal. Interestingly, ‘Vogue’ was a soundtrack release meant to accompany the film ‘Dick Tracy’ in 1990.

For more articles on house music visit http://www.onlinehousemusic.com/

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House Music in it’s first form was Disco. So for the true History of House Music we need to start back in 1977 when Saturday Night Fever came out. Yes that cheesy movie with John Travolta is one of the main reasons that you and I can enjoy house music today, and should be written in the History Books as so.. It’s strange how things work out sometimes.

Saturday Night Fever was an instant hit and because of it people started hitting the disco clubs. Disco at this time as a blend of 70’s Funk, Soul Music, and Rock. Most of the Disco scene was in New York, and the venues where making a killing. A little later around 1979 or 80 it spread to the underground warehouses of the chicago and detroit.

Chicago & Detroit Created House Music

There was immense innovation and competition between the current DJ’s. As you know “Necessity is the mother of invention”, and the DJs in attempt to get the listeners hooked introduced new techniques to the way the music was being presented. This combined with its separation from New York disco helped it evolve into its own genre. House music was more raw, edgier, and incorporated more diverse sounds. Electric keyboards, Beat Boxers, as well as Beat Machines like the TR-808, TR-909, TB-303 helped refine it into what it is today.

This is why if you travel out to the Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa there is such a huge House Scene to this day. That was the birthplace and they still 20+ years later love that House Music Vibe.

Sub Genres of House Music

* Acid House Music

* Latin House Music

* Disco House Music

* Hard House Music

* Progressive House Music

* Deep House Music

* Hard House Music

* Funky House Music

* Chicago House Music

* NRG House Music

* Tech House Music

* Electro House Music

* New York House Music

I’m sure I’ve missed a few items on the list but that is most of the sub genres.

I hope this article has informed and possibly motivated some of you House heads out there.

Mike Koenig
http://free-loops.com/history-of-house-music.php

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Discovering your life’s purpose is probably the easiest part when it
comes to making the changes in your life so that you can start creating
the type of life you desire to live. It’s really simply a matter of
asking yourself a few questions, being honest with yourself, and
thinking of things that you enjoy doing. When I am working with a
client, after I ask a few questions and the mind starts to think, they
generally come up with a few things that they enjoy doing, things they
are actually good at doing. And before you know it, they know exactly
what their special talents and abilities are and how they would like to
apply them to their life. It’s really simple and you can easily do the
same thing too.

The hardest part comes when we have to change the programming that we
have been taught or learned over the course of our lives.

I am sure this is not the first time you have heard this said before,
“You can do, be, and have anything that you desire.”

It’s a true statement. However, most people find it hard to believe. And
because they find it hard to believe, they can never do, be and have
whatever they desire.

See, the power is in the believing. Whatever you believe is what you
get.

If you can understand that statement, than you can understand the Secret
to Success.

It’s a simple statement. But it’s a hard concept to truly accept. Why is
it hard? Because most of us have the belief that we can’t have
everything that we want. We were taught that from birth. Remember being
a kid in the mall or the supermarket with your parents and seeing tons
of things that you wanted? “Oooo, Mommy, can I have this?” “Oooo, Mommy,
can I have that?” And your mother would say, “Girl, you can’t have
everything that you want.” And we accepted that because they didn’t buy
us everything that we wanted. (Or at least my parents didn’t.)

So, we grew up with the belief that even though we wanted some things,
we couldn’t get all of the things that we wanted.

The truth of the matter is that statement is incorrect. You CAN get
everything that you desire. The only problem is, at the time when we
were learning that we couldn’t get everything that we desired we didn’t
understand the principles on HOW to get everything we desired. We
depended on our parents to get us everything and they couldn’t-unless
your last name is Kennedy or Rockerfeller–most parents simply couldn’t
afford to get all the things that we wanted.

If you are honest with yourself, most of the things you were asking for,
you really didn’t want anyway. It was just something that caught your
eye for the moment or you saw a commercial about it and thought it would
be cool to have.

But if there is something you REALLY desire, and truly wanted, chances
are, eventually you got it.

Let me give you an example. Last year for his birthday, my son Eli
wanted professional DJ equipment. He was turning six years old and I
didn’t think he was ready to have professional DJ equipment. Judging by
the way he took care of his toys and the way he broke everything he
owned, I felt that if we purchased professional DJ equipment, I would
end up angry at him for breaking it the first day, after spending
hundreds of dollars to purchase it. Besides, kids always ask for things
and than the next day their interest change and they throw it to the
side and never use it again.

I started to realize that he truly had an interest in owning DJ
equipment. He talked about it all the time. He even cleared out an area
in his room so he could put it there when he received it. (Now mind you,
I never told him that he was going to get it. But, for some reason, he
didn’t listen and kept wanting it any way). He also started drawing
pictures of him DJing with his equipment. He posted these pictures up on
the walls in his room. One, he placed right over his bed. He wanted the
equipment for his birthday, which is in June. His birthday came and
went, with no DJ equipment. But it didn’t discourage him. He started
cutting out pictures in magazines of DJ equipment and downloading
pictures he found on the web and pasting them onto construction paper
and posting them on his walls.

One day, around Christmas time when he and his sister were at my
parents’ house for the week, my husband needed to stop at an audio store
to get a light bulb that was hard to find. So, we jumped in the car and
went to the store. While in the store, I saw the cutest little DJ set up
AND IT WAS ON SALE. For less than $200 we could buy Eli this DJ
equipment he wanted so much. So, we got it. The only thing additional
that he needed was a speaker which we also picked up on sale for $150.
So, for $350 he could have all that he desired. I wasn’t too concerned
about him breaking it because it was relatively what I would have spent
on him for a present any way.

Now, let me explain to you how a six year old, unknowingly, brought
about the thing that he desired. Read this carefully because what he did
is exactly what you need to do to get the things that YOU desire.

Eli wanted DJ equipment. Even though I, the parent, said NO, that didn’t
stop his desire to have what he wanted. Instead, he kept right on
believing that he was going to get his DJ equipment. He showed his faith
by clearing out an area in his room to make room for when his equipment
arrived. He started visualizing himself DJing on his equipment. He
showed this by drawing pictures of himself DJing and hanging them around
his room so he could always be mindful of the thing he desired the most.
He talked about it all the time. “When I get my DJ equipment, I’m going
to do this…” He put together collages of equipment, pictures he
downloaded off the computer or cut out of magazines. He was very clear
on what he wanted. At night he prayed and would ask God to make sure we
got him that DJ equipment. He simply trusted and believed that it would
be his.

Now, he wanted it for his birthday. But he didn’t get it then. Oh, well.
Somehow he understood that it wasn’t always his way, but God’s way. That
didn’t discourage him in the least. He just kept right on doing what he
was doing-praying and believing that he would get it.

One day, out of the blue, his father and I go to an audio store to get
light bulbs. Light bulbs. Not DJ equipment. DJ equipment was the
furthest thing from our minds. But it was God’s plan that we ended up in
that store that day-the day they were having a sale on DJ equipment.
While my husband was looking for the bulb he needed, I wandered around
and ended up in a room that had DJ equipment. Actually, I wasn’t
thinking of buying anything and if the truth be told, I wasn’t thinking
of Eli wanting DJ equipment. I was just playing with the turntables they
had out and all of a sudden, a little suitcase looking thing caught my
eye. I opened it and inside was two CD players and a mixer. I thought it
was the cutest little thing and I showed it to my husband. My husband
said, “that is exactly what Eli needs. That would be cute for him.” So I
had my husband ask, just out of curiosity, how much for the package. And
the rest is history.

We brought it home and set it up in the exact location that Eli had
cleared out in his room. When he arrived back home from visiting his
grandparents, he was the happiest little boy in the world. He kept
saying, “I knew I was getting it. I knew I was getting it.” He smiled
for days. Five months later, he had his first gig. And now his calendar
is quickly filling up for summer gigs. He will be seven years old on the
28th of this month, and is already a “professional” DJ. (Shameless
plug-if you live in the New Jersey, Pocono area and want a DJ, Eli’s
available. Drop me an email.)

Here are the steps that Eli applied to get what he wanted. Take these
steps and apply them to your life so you can get the thing that you
desire.

1. He knew EXACTLY what it was that he wanted. You must know exactly
what you want and not be wishy washy about it.
2. He believed, without a doubt, that he was going to get it. He didn’t
let others, his parents in this case, persuade him to think otherwise.
You have to believe that what you want is already yours and know that it
is coming to you. Don’t listen to naysayers who will try and tell you
that you are crazy or a dreamer.
3. He had such faith, that he made way in his room for a place to put
his DJ equipment for the day it would arrive. Have faith and believe
that you will get what you want too. Make room for it in your life. If
you want a new living room set, throw the old one out. This shows how
much faith you have in KNOWING that the new set will arrive.
4. He spent all of his free time drawing pictures and posting them
around his room-keeping his mind focused on the thing he desired the
most. Keep your mind on your desires. Spend time visualizing yourself
having the thing that you want. Draw pictures or cut out pictures and
post them around to keep you mindful of your desires.
5. He prayed to God, thanking him for his DJ equipment, even before he
had it. This showed gratitude that he knew that God was working on it
for him. Thank God in advance, for answering your prayers-showing faith
that you believe He is working to bring about the things you desire.

These are the only things you will have to do. But you will have to
understand that God’s time is not always YOUR time. Eli didn’t get his
equipment for his birthday, the time he set for it. But that didn’t
discourage him. He kept doing what he was doing and in six months time,
he had the thing he desired the most.

It works this way ALL the time. If you don’t believe me, so what, do it
anyway. When the results start to happen, drop me a note at
mailto:da-@dawnfields.com and let me know all about it. I would like to
celebrate with you.

ACTION POINT: Take this week to figure out exactly what it is that you
desire. Write it down. Then ask God to bring it to you. Draw pictures or
cut out pictures of what it is you desire. If you desire to lose
weight-find pictures of people who look the way you desire to look and
hang the pictures somewhere you can see it. If there is a particular car
you desire, find pictures of that car and post it around. Then think
about it, talk about it, and dream about it. This is how the Law of
Attraction comes into play-the energy you put out will come back to you.
If you do these things, you will quickly receive the things that you
desire. You will be amazed.

Do you believe Jesus when He said that all we need is a little faith to move mountains out of your life? I do too. The problem is, we don’t really know what “faith” truly is. Want to develop your faith? Motivational speaker, author and Life Coach, Dawn Fields, has a passion for helping others develop that God kind of Faith. Sign up for her ezine Mustard Seed Faith and receive helpful information that will help you develop your faith. Send a blank email to MustardSeedFaith-subscribe@topica.com. Be sure to stop by the web site at http://www.dawnfields.com for additonal information. What to develop YOUR Faith? Visit http://www.dawnfields.com/How_To_Develop_Faith.htm

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By Nick Lambert

The DJ pair of Sasha and Digweed is synonymous with dance music the world over. Together they have engineered the evolution of house music, trance music and even basic techno styles. How they joined forces is one story, but their individual tales and accomplishments are just as significant.

A Little about Sasha
Sasha was born as Alexander Coe in Bangor, Wales England in 1969. He spent most of his youth in a town called Penarlag. At 17, Sasha began classes at Epsom College, but left early and moved back to Bangor with his dad and stepmom. While living there, his stepmother forced him to take piano lessons, which he hated. Later, however, this would prove extremely relevant to his music career.

Through his early years, his main musical influence was surprisingly top forty and pop music. In 1988 at the age of 19, he discovered a genre known as acid house music and fell in love with it. He purchased dozens of acid house records and began to teach himself to mix. He ran close to broke and started working raves.

Sasha then began learning new techniques like beat matching and key mixing. He mastered these in short order.

A Little about Digweed
The fellow we all know as Digweed was born Thomas John Digweed on New Year’s Day 1967 in Hastings England.

Not a whole lot is recorded on Digweed’s history, but we do know that he began DJing at the young age of thirteen. After many years of mixing, DJing and playing at raves and parties, he took a gig at the Renaissance Club in 1993. Sasha heard his demo and the duo was born.

Sasha & Digweed
Now that these two powerhouses were together, what would they do? Each had a select set of skills to add to their music. They focused on developing their selection of tracks and mixing techniques that whole first year. Then, in 1994, the duo released their first mix CD called Renaissance: the Mix Collection. They had gotten themselves signed to Renaissance Records, an all trance label.

Two years later, in 1996, the release of Northern Exposure skyrocketed the dynamic DJ duo to super stardom. This album was produced by the world renowned record label, Ministry of Lights. The following year was a big one for Sasha & Digweed as their ‘96 album Northern Exposure was released in the United States AND they released Northern Exposure 2 in the UK and Europe.

The international tour that ensued was amazing. Throughout the middle and late 90’s, Sasha & Digweed’s powerful mix style and DJ techniques helped to shape the techno, trance and progressive house genres. In essence, this movement brought the rave music of Europe to North America for the first time ever and it was received with welcome, open arms.

In 1998, both DJs released solo works on the Boxed label’s notorious Global Underground series. Around this same time, Sasha & Digweed began a regular stint at the Twilo club in New York City. They also toured the United States heavily and released another mix album, Communicate, in 2000.

The Delta Heavy tour in 2002 was the last collaborative effort as a pair for six years. They have appeared together on occasion, but no new releases have been in the works. In 2008, Sasha & Digweed announced a second North American tour as a duo. The remastered version of their original Renaissance: The Mix Collection was released in 2004, though.

As a pair, Sasha and John Digweed have been as instrumental to the development of their genre(s) as Metallica has been to heavy metal or Cat Stevens was to folk music. Their complete devotion to trance music, techno, and progressive house has been unflinching. The pair continues to wow crowds everywhere they go and fans of their style of mixing and beat matching and beat management clamber to see these two perform live.

So when you hear anything about trance or rave music, you can bet that these two blokes from England had a hand in it somewhere. Sasha and Digweed’s influence is widespread and has been seen in bands like Linkin Park who blended mix style, DJ beat management and rock music very successfully. Also, a few years back, Christian band DC Talk did the same in their genre with Sasha & Digweed to thank for the idea.

Check out ChinaShop magazine – the written word on music, culture, interviews, bars, clubs and bands. You’ll see pics and video of exclusive events and interviews from the music scene, including free music by Sasha and Digweed

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