Artists make music. We want that music to be heard ideally worldwide. A part of that process is the deejay, the person who chooses what music is played at various venues. Thanks to Arienda Caron for arranging the following interview with DJ K.I. from Canada. His work is an integral part of the music process.
TIC: DJ-ing is an art, yes?
DJ K.I.: Yes, in it’s own form deejaying is an art. Like painters, composers or photographers, deejays use their skills to capture a moment in time with music.
TIC: How does one develop themselves as a dj?
DJ K.I.: A good deejay starts off developing a love for, and a desire to know the different aspects of, different genres of music. This in combination with developed technical skills will bring out the true beauty of individual pieces of music.
TIC: What does your homework or preparation consist of? How do you work at your craft and improve?
DJ K.I.: The most important aspect of deejaying is song selection, that is why it is critical to know many types of music. As with any form of art, a deejay can improve his/herself with practice, and by having the opportunity to play in front of different types of audiences.
TIC: Is this something that you feel anyone can develop the ability to do or is a certain innate something required?
DJ K.I.: I believe that anyone can develop the technical aspect of 
deejaying, but a good deejay has the ability to work a crowd, this is what separates the bedroom deejay from a professional club deejay.
TIC: In the pursuit of any art and creation, most of us spend far more than we make. What kind of expenses are involved to become a professional DJ? People think that you need turntables, records and headphones – is there much more involved?
DJ K.I.: Those items are just the tip of the iceberg for a deejay in this age. With the advent of digital mixing, deejays are required to have laptops, hard drives, software, soundcards and tools for music production. Professional deejays are affiliated with record pools, music associations, and attend conferences to keep up with the latest developments in the field.
TIC: You play other people’s music. By mixing the music do you feel that you are enhancing it – or what is your goal?
DJ K.I.: The club deejay does something that is musically creative by carefully choosing songs and stringing them together to make a continuous flowing set. Whether the deejay chooses dramatically juxtapose songs or unnoticeably overlay and mix them together, he/she creates something new and unique which ultimately enhances the original product. The goal of a good deejay is to take something great and make it even greater by way of his/her craft.
TIC: What are your tools to create when you are performing live? (Is vinyl still available, or are you using cds, MP3s – what?)
DJ K.I.: I use turntables, CD players, mixers, samplers, production software, effects units and keyboards. The formats are CDs, vinyl, MP3s and digital vinyl which are used to manipulate and trigger video. I use digital vinyl, “Serato” records 80% of the time when performing live. Vinyl is still available, there are still quite a number of deejays who use solely vinyl. Vinyl is on the comeback in Europe, Japan and in the UK.
TIC: How do you know when you’ve come up with a successful mix?
DJ K.I.: The set/mix will start in a certain place and take the crowd through highs and lows, light and shade, through major and minor keys. Their reaction is the final test of a successful mix, only then will you know if it works or not.
TIC: When you find a certain sequence or flow that works, do you repeat it or is every performance different?
DJ K.I.: Deejay mixes/sets can start off subtle and continue to build people up, increasing the energy and excitement to a crescendo before rapidly dropping back down. Sometime a deejay will end his set at this crescendo. The important feature of the deejay mix/set is the journey that it takes its audience on is never repeated twice.
TIC: What is the process in deciding whether or not to play someone’s music during a show?
DJ K.I.: You need to decide if the track has the sound that you want to convey for your set. The standards sound quality, mastering, extended intro, outro, 12 inch acapellas, instrumentals, over dub mixes are all important in deciding to play a record or not during a show.
TIC: What determines when a DJ becomes a pro?
DJ K.I.: There are a number of factors; consistent audience draw in large venues, promoters/booking agents and labels start calling you instead of you calling them, having a residency at a popular venue, and of course, the ability to command a large amount of compensation to appear.
TIC: Do you work with other artists or musicians with what you do?
DJ K.I.: Yes I do. Musicians and artists usually consult with deejays like myself when looking at creating mixes and remixes for a different genre or market. For example; taking a commercial radio friendly track and re-creating it into a club oriented recording.
TIC: Do you know what some of the artists who make the music think of what you do?
DJ K.I.: Indie artists send out promo records to me all the time to be used during shows. They care a great deal and ask for feedback as to how their music was received. They are also concerned with whether or not their record will go into regular rotation during sets and whether or not it will be played during prime time or late night.
Visit DJ KI on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/djkimusic
