DJ Fundamentals: What is Vinyl?
For the DJ that uses turntables, vinyl records will be the media of their choice.
Although vinyl is beginning to be faded out by newer systems such as Ableton Live and time coded systems, the authentic feel of pulling a piece of vinyl from its sleeve, setting it on the platter and spinning the song has a truly unexplainable feeling.
Like any other interest or hobby, it’s always a good idea to understand the fundamentals. Knowing the creation and use of vinyl in DJing will help give you a better appreciation of the music.
With that being said, let’s take a look at what vinyl is.
What is Vinyl?
Vinyl records are an analog media format invented back in Polyvinyl Chloride, the same materials used to make PVC pipes.
Vinyl records have a very long history, dating back to the late 1800’s, but this isn’t going to be a boring history lesson here, so let’s get on with it.
Vinyl, if you’ve never seen a record before, are the large circular discs with grooves which allow it to play back recorded audio. Yes, before MP3s, there were other musical formats.
Vinyl music is pressed onto each blank using a master mold or through a cutting machine. Many artists still press their singles on vinyl specifically for DJ play.
Because music that is pressed on vinyl is analog, there is much debate on the “warmth” of the sound in comparison to digital formats like CDs and MP3s.
All in all, it’s a matter of choice for the DJ to choose which format they will play. Some singles only seem to be released on vinyl while others are digital distributions, before you make an investment – see how your favorite genre distributes music before spending money on DJ equipment.
Know before you buy
Why choose vinyl?
As previously mentioned, vinyl is a choice amongst DJs today.
In the early days of DJing, there wasn’t a choice – you had to use vinyl. Now, it’s a mix between tradition and life style.
Although many vinyl shops are going out of business these days, there’s still a great thrill of digging through crates to find a really great song for your mix.
Because of the nostalgia, vinyl has seen a comeback as many indie labels have used vinyl pressing as their main distribution.
Vinyl has a whole different feel when compared to buttons and jog wheels on CDJs or MP3 controllers. It’s a bit more involved as you have to dig through your bag to find the next song, cue up the song yourself and play around with it a bit more if you’re doing some effects.
Be ready to dig through some nasty crates while searching
Common vinyl facts
There are a few things to address when choosing vinyl as your main format.
Vinyl generally costs more than digital
Some of the songs you want to mix won’t be on vinyl
You will need to properly take care of them (cleaning, storing, etc.)
Knowledge is power!
Is vinyl right for you?
This, again, is a personal question you need to ask yourself.
If you’ve already enjoyed the allure of vinyl records, you know that it is the format for you. Besides the physical interaction with your vinyl, you’ll also be able to build quite a nice collection you could show off.
If you’re strapped for cash, you may want to look into such programs as Ableton Live or a time coded vinyl system. These systems will allow you to use MP3s as your main format – much cheaper and easier to find compared to some vinyl.
If you want some of the latest released songs, you may not find them on digital formats. Many labels do “white label” releases of their songs which are distributed to DJs. If you’re using a digital system, you may be left out on some of the hottest new tracks.
Choose wisely
Vinyl may not be for everyone but hopefully this should clear things up.
