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Bob Marley & The Wailers (Full Concert) Live at Santa Barbara 1979

Los Angeles-based producers and remixers Salva and Shlohmo recently stopped by Dubspot NYC for a music production workshop and interview. The two Friends of Friends recording artists were on the east coast trek of their tour. Salva is heavily influenced by Chicago house, freestyle, hip hop and electro. He has been producing genre-defying electronic music for quite some time and heads Frite Nite, an independent record label and crew based in San Francisco. Salva’s latest release is an EP titled Yellobone and it’s out now on FoF Music. Shlohmo, a member of the WEDIDIT Collective popped up on our radar just over two years ago with the fantastic Shlomoshun Deluxe compilation. His debut album Bad Vibes came out last year and his new Vacation EP is currently receiving excellent reviews.

The two electronic music artists talk about their influences, inspirations, LA underground music community, Low End Theory, music education, and much more. Salva also talked about his production workflow and demonstrated Logic Pro’s ESX24 Sampler and Pitch Correction plug-in, explained how he utilizes the sampler to manipulate vocal samples, slices and converts them into playable sampler instruments.

Shlohmo – wen uuu by FoFMusic

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Start dates and information about payment plans can be found here.

Or if you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

Logic Pro Producer Certificate Program

Classes start in NYC January 18th!
ONLINE Class just started; Sign up today!

See more dates NYC and ONLINE classes!

Master Logic with our complete program of courses culminating in a four track EP ready for release. In addition to achieving a complete overview of the composition process in Logic you’ll also earn the Dubspot Producer’s Certificate in Logic Pro. After completing this program, you will leave with a new EP, a remix entered in an active remix contest, and a scored commercial to widen your scope.

For more start dates and information about payment plans, please call 212.242.2100 or 1.877.DUBSPOT (1.877.382.7768) or send us a message.

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By Mike Steyels

It’s about the sound. It’s about the feel. It’s a passion born of tradition, comfort, and necessity.

The culture surrounding 7″ vinyl in New York City is a scene driven by DJs, where casual listeners are rare. While weekend collectors and club DJs generally gravitate towards the 12″, which is named after its diameter, 7″s are the tool of a select few here. The reggae selector is the primary culprit in this corner of the world. But those with global interests are frequently involved too. Whether it be Latin sounds or the music of Africa, it often finds its way onto these nimble discs. And it’s not uncommon to see the funk and soul side of things represented either. (Punk and hardcore are devoted to the format as well, but that’s another story.)

As is the case with vinyl purists in general, 7″ record collectors firmly believe the sound of a record is simply unmatchable by any newer technology. They are also called “45s” because of the speed at which they are played on a turntable. 45s first appeared in America 1949, produced by the company RCA Victor.

“A 7″ has a wide groove and a warm, loud sound,” explains Bobbito Garcia, a longtime DJ and owner of Álala. “I’m a firm believer in beautiful, uncompromised sound and digital still hasn’t caught up. It just doesn’t hit as many points on the sound wave.”

Liondub, who has an imprint dedicated to the format called Liondub45, agrees: “7s are small, simple, they sound incredible and are so much louder than other records. Juggling mid 90’s dancehall and reggae on 7″ is by far the best experience for me as a dj…tactile, light, fast, loud and mad fun!”

“Their compact size makes for easy travel,” adds Dubspot instructor DJ OBaH. “I buy more 7s these days than 12s”

[Nickodemus - "Gimme the Music" | Wonderwheel 2011. Photo of Scratch Famous from Dealy Dragon by Gozilah.]

Many vinyl enthusiasts don’t check for digital releases at all. And a number of reggae DJs don’t even use computers. So the only way to reach certain crowds is by pressing vinyl.

Some people, like Emch from Subatomic Sound, who take full advantage of what technology has to offer, recognize this and make sure to have wax ready for them. “We typically press 45s of our most reggae and dub leaning releases because we know reggae DJs more than almost any other still play vinyl and want the songs in that format,” he tells us. In fact, the B-sides of the 45s prevalent in early reggae culture spawned the genre known as dub.

The world of 7s can be as small as the discs themselves, and many of the stores that sell them also have them pressed. “We’re a tight, small community. We all know each other,” says Mari Ayabe from Concent Productions. He sells those records in his Williamsburg shop MeMe Antenna. Alongside Concent releases are those by other local labels like the global sounds of Electric Cowbell and the beats and breaks of Bastard Jazz. “A 7″ is cheaper to produce and more affordable to purchase than a 12″,” he adds. Academy Records in the East Village has also started pressing their own rare African funk with the help of Voodoo Frank. But of course Deadly Dragon Sound is the largest purveyor of 45s. The walls of their tiny Lower East Side reggae shop are stacked high with them, including a few dozen singles they released themselves.

If there’s any indicator that 7″ culture has solid momentum in New York, it’s the brisk pace of business done at the Brooklyn Phono pressing plant. “This year we have had around 40 new labels produce 7s – not including pre-existing clients,” says Fern Vernon Bernich, who runs the plant along with her husband. And while they have four machines for 12s, their lone 7″ machine is in constant use. As is the case with many of those involved, Phono plays an active role in the community. They don’t require a minimum, allowing labels and artists to press only what they need. They also let them use their space for silk screening, make rubber stamps, and offer breaks wherever they can.

In the end, it’s just about the love. It’s the one point everybody stressed. Whether it’s the ease of use, the quality of sound, or the bond it creates, they all just enjoy it. Bobbito summarizes it like this: “I’m devoted to vinyl. I play vinyl at home and do 100 percent vinyl sets. So it just makes sense to provide for others like me.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Loco Dice has been tearing up clubs and DJ playlists over the past 7 years with a blend of house and techno that has appeared on labels such as Ovum, Desolat, Coccoon, and M_nus. With a sound that straddles minimal techno and funky house, Yassine Ben Achour has quickly become a star of the DJ circuit. Dubspot’s Alex Burkat caught up with Loco Dice for a chat this past December while he was getting ready to hit the decks at Pacha in NYC.

Alex Burkat edits videos at Dubspot, DJs/produces bass music as Rx, and is part of a Philadelphia based DJ / art collective called DUSK

.

Related Dubspot Courses Starting Online & in New York City:

Digital DJing w/ Traktor Pro 2 Program starts February 5th Online.

DJ Extensive Program

Immerse yourself in the complete art of DJing from beatmatching to stage presence. Whether you’re a beginner in search of the fundamentals or a seasoned pro looking to take your talent to the next level, our curriculum is designed to accommodate all skill levels and styles of music. This comprehensive DJ program covers everything from basic mixing to advanced digital DJing. Learn more about our DJ courses and programs.

What’s Included:

• DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
• DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
• DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
• DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
• DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
• DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II

“I love the class, and the content! Shiftee and Endo are very funny, and very clear, so the material is easy and fun to follow! I wish my college   teachers  were more like these two!” – Leandro Martinez, Chicago IL

Start dates and information about payment plans can be found here.

Or if you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

In the latest episode of Dubspot’s Wireless interview series, instructor, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Raz Mesinai (also formerly known as Badawi) catches up with a long time friend, Max Glazer of the New York City-based dancehall sound system Federation Sound. Max founded Federation Sound with Kenny Meez and Hot97’s Cipha Sounds in 1999. Max grew up listening to a great deal of Jamaican reggae and dub; at home, his father played artists such as Trinity, Dillinger, U-Roy, Peter Tosh. He fell in love with hip hop and house listening to influential radio DJs like Red Alert, but his appreciation for Jamaican music culture endured over the years. Today, Max Glazer is an international dancehall DJ; he spent years as music director and tour DJ for music superstar Rihanna. There was a lot to discuss between these two old friends; Raz and Max talk about a wide range of topics, from their early days as DJs in New York City (the lineup for one of their first gigs was Badawi, Max Glazer and DJ Spooky) to dubplate culture to maintaining a unique voice and staying true to yourself.

Related Dubspot Courses Starting Online & in New York City:

Digital DJing w/ Traktor Pro 2 Program starts February 5th Online.

DJ Extensive Program

Immerse yourself in the complete art of DJing from beatmatching to stage presence. Whether you’re a beginner in search of the fundamentals or a seasoned pro looking to take your talent to the next level, our curriculum is designed to accommodate all skill levels and styles of music. This comprehensive DJ program covers everything from basic mixing to advanced digital DJing. Learn more about our DJ courses and programs.

What’s Included:

• DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
• DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
• DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
• DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
• DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
• DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II

“I love the class, and the content! Shiftee and Endo are very funny, and very clear, so the material is easy and fun to follow! I wish my college   teachers  were more like these two!” – Leandro Martinez, Chicago IL

Start dates and information about payment plans can be found here.

Or if you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

The very first Dubspot Podcast of 2012 is here! This one is a ridiculously good live mix from record collector/vinyl archivist, writer, artist, one of the original kings of diggin’ Amir Abdullah. As part of the legendary crate digging duo Kon & Amir, he’s spent the better half of the last two decades salvaging some of the greatest music you’ve never heard, and presenting them on critically acclaimed mixes, compilation albums, and 12 inches. Originally from Boston, when he relocated to New York, he joined fellow record collectors and DJs including Ge-Ology, The Twilite Tone, OP!, Jon Oliver, and I Love Vinyl founder Scribe to form the all star, dynamic sound system behind the beloved I Love Vinyl parties. Bringing the music directly to the people. Listen to the podcast and check out our interview, in which Amir talked about everything from growing up in a musical household in Boston (he’s the son of a jazz record collector; his also mother played gospel and soul music, while his siblings listened to disco and boogie) to moving to to New York and joining the I Love Vinyl collective, touring Europe and Asia with his music partner Kon, appearing on the Gilles Peterson radio show, and much more.

Title – Dubspot Podcast 027: Amir (I Love Vinyl / Wax Poetics) – Live Boogie Mix by Dubspot

DUBSPOT INTERVIEWS DJ AMIR

Dubspot: Please introduce yourself.

Amir: My name is Amir Abdullah a.k.a. DJ Amir, originally from Boston, but I’ve been in New York for seventeen years. I grew up in a musical household. My father was a Jazz record collector, and my mother listened to gospel and soul. My siblings listened to jazz and disco. These are some of the things that influenced me to do what I do today, which is collecting records and DJing.

Dubspot: How long have you been collecting records, DJing, and working in the music industry?

Amir: I have been collecting records for for 30 years and DJing for 10. I worked in music industry as an executive for fifteen years. I’ve been able to see both sides of the music. So music is my life.

Dubspot: Let’s talk about the mix. You recorded this live, right?

Amir: Yeah, I did it live. I was at this party called I Love Vinyl. We have it in Brooklyn at Southpaw but we also sometimes have it in Manhattan Le Poisson Rouge. It was during CMJ yeah.

Dubspot: What made you focus on that specific sound?

Amir: I chose that particular mix of songs because, well, at every I Love Vinyl, I try to play different stuff. I try not to play the same stuff. So at that time, in October I believe, it was still warm in New York, so I was playing warm type of music. Since I was going first, I wanted to warm up the party with some soulful music and get people dancing. I played a lot of soulful boogie music. It still felt like summertime just the tail end of summer.

Dubspot: Tell us about I Love Vinyl.

Amir: It’s been going on for two and a half years. It’ll be three years in May this year. The concept was created by this guy DJ Scribe, He came to me and the other four DJs and said “Hey, I have the idea of doing this all vinyl party” and it just worked. I was a little hesitant at first because there are six of us, and I wondered how we were going to pull off a party with six people. Also, having to drag vinyl crates along was crazy since it’s heavy and can be worn down. But it just worked.

Dubspot: Before I Love Vinyl, what other parties were you playing?

Amir: I’ve played all kinds of parties. I’ve traveled overseas a lot. I’ve been to Asia four times to DJ, and I’ve been to Europe almost 30 times to DJ. I’ve DJed everything from festivals to small club venues, to big club venues. I play really deep disco and funk and soul and latin- music that is just timeless and it feels good even if you don’t know who it is.

Dubspot: How do you balance the push and pull of what the crowd wants when you play out versus what you want to play?

Amir: Well, I’ve been fortunate enough that I’ve not been in too many situations where I have to play something that I don’t want to play. For the most part, when I’m playing in a club I’m playing what I want to hear. I feel like I have a good feeling or a good intuition of what people like or what will make people move. Even if you don’t realize it, it gets you into a mood to dance and to have a good time. I’ve never really had to deal with people coming up to me like “Hey, can you play Lady Gaga?” I’ve had that happen to me before and I just politely say it’s not that type of party and I show them the flyer. It’s just soulful disco or whatever, usually people will understand but you know obviously sometimes you have people that just are not hearing that and they just want to hear what they hear on the radio and I have to say go home because you can hear that stuff for free on the radio. But I’ve been fortunate enough to not have to deal with that too much.

Dubspot: How do you introduce crowds to new types of music?

Amir: You try to mix it in with well-known records. You can’t just play a party with stuff the audience have never heard. You start with something familiar and then you slip in a song they’ve never heard, but it’s in the same kind of mood, the same kind of key, and it’s still danceable. Most people will respond to that. They’re going to respond to like the music that’s moving them. You see it in peoples faces like “I don’t know what this is” but their body is still moving. You when it’s bad when they’re looking up like what is this and they’ve stopped dancing.

Dubspot: Besides your traditional DJ setup, do you use anything else when playing out?

Amir: I use two turntables and a mixer. And if it’s not vinyl, then I’m using Serato. I’ve only recently started using Serato, and that’s pretty much it.

Dubspot: How do you think the concept of DJing has changed over the past 10 years?

Amir: Definitely with the introduction of Serato and the greater influence of CDJs, DJing has changed a great deal in the sense that technology provides you with more access to your collection of music to play out. You can be more well rounded without having to carry tons of crates of records to gigs. And you can play a lot of stuff that were never on vinyl at all. You can play a lot of remixes and edits that you can do yourself or that someone else has done that you know so that opens up a lot of things. But on the flip side of that, I think that because of the technology and it giving you a lot of easier access to music, you definitely a segment of the population who think it’s easy to DJ and a lot of us make it look easy but there’s a lot of hard work to it. It’s not an easy thing to do. It’s an actual job. And if you’re a serious DJ you take it seriously as a job that you go to 9 to 5 and you try to do the best that you can. I think with the advent of technology everybody and their mother think they can DJ now. And it wasn’t like that always. Ten years ago, there were still people that wanted to DJ but you had to have a lot of character to do the hard work of learning how to DJ because it wasn’t easy. There was at the least CDJs but when people were rocking CDJs, it still was something that only house DJs used and very few people were using it. Most people were still dragging their vinyl to gigs. It’s definitely changed. Sometimes technology can make things better but sometimes it can make things a little worse.

Dubspot: Where do you go to find records and what do you look for?

Amir: I look for it all. I look for new and old records, but at this point since I’ve been collecting for thirty years, and I definitely look for records for specific reasons, either records to DJ out or records to put on the next compilation. I look for jazz records that I don’t have that I can listen to at home to add to the collection. A lot of times I’m looking for records that I’ve never seen before and I’ve never heard of the artist or the label. It could be a genre of music I know nothing about, or could be music from Indonesia – funk beats from Indonesia or something like that. I always wanted to keep an open mind with music, and I don’t want to have a prejudice to any type of music.

Dubspot: What are some of your most treasured finds, recent records that you can’t get out of your head or can’t stop playing?

Well, there are a lot of those but I used to work at a record store called A1 Records, and there are just massive amounts of records in that store. Sometimes, I just can’t keep up. One day I was working there and there was a record just laying on the ground. It was not in a sleeve or in a jacket and a few people that were working there were so busy doing what they were doing that they were stepping on the record and I happened to pick the record up and it was one of the rarest disco 12” records out there! I cleaned it off, and it wasn’t too badly scratched so I bought it from the store for like a dollar because nobody there knew it so they were like you can have it. That was a gold find. I love that song and I always will. I wont play it out too much because I don’t want to ruin it or lose it so I have it as a file on my computer so I can play it out of Serato, but I’ll definitely have the original. But there’s so many records like that that I’ve gotten for free or close to being free just because not everyone is going to know everything about records. As much as you think you know about records, the more you learn about records the more you learn to know nothing. And that it’s just a continuous process- that you continue to learn.

Dubspot: Tell us about a record that you heard and didn’t like it the first time you heard it, something that grew on you?

Amir: Yeah, I go through that a lot. I might have bought a record like ten years ago and you listen to that record and you’re like “eh, I don’t like that record.” Then you listen to it now, and you’re like “wow, what was I thinking this track is incredible!” It’s all because what happens is your musical tastes mature. Like how you grow as an adult in life, and how some things that you didn’t like ten years ago “oh you know what it’s actually not that bad.” It’s the same thing in music, your music tastes change. You may have never been into disco, and you might be into disco now or vice versa. It’s all about your musical tastes changing and you evolving as a person, your music taste changes and evolves as well.

Dubspot: Are you surprised by any particular sound you’re into right now?

Amir: Yes, ten years ago I wasn’t really into Brazilian music, and I didn’t really care for it but over the past couple of years, I’ve really gotten into Brazilian music. I feel kind of bad because I got into it a little later than I should have been. I probably could have been playing Brazilian records back then but I didn’t really care because I was all into disco or breaks or hip hop or something else. That’s why you gotta be able to keep an open mind because you could be missing out on something really precious in music.

Dubspot: Any advice for up and coming DJs?

Amir: My partner Khan and I have been very blessed for the last fifteen years to do what we love and that’s to put out music whether it’s from a mixtape or an album or a compilation album, 12” edit or a remix 12”, touring the world, going on Giles Peterson’s radio show and touring with Giles Peterson. Things are great to me. It’s a blessing that I get to travel the world free, that’s an amazing thing and I would encourage people that are really into music whether it be production wise or DJing to really follow your passion because it can pay off in the long run. You just got to have the strength and the passion to follow through on them.

Like I said you have to look at it in the long term when you practice your craft and really take it seriously and try not to follow everybody else. Try to blaze your own trail so that you can find that niche for yourself or find a way for yourself to be successful. Being successful sometimes equals a lot of heartbreak. They’re a lot of times where you’re going to be tested and you might want to give up but you cant, you have to keep with it if it’s something you truly love. You got to have the strength and the character to get through these hard times. It is hard for everybody right now, but hard times bring out the most creative people and the creative juices in a lot of people to make great things that are culturally significant or add on to culture in a significant and positive way

Click here to view the embedded video.

Did you know that there are three distinct types of musicians in today’s global music scene? These types of musicians direct their attention to different aspects of the compositional process: one is focused primarily on pitch/melody, another on rhythm/beats, and the last on timbre/sound design. Today, the well-rounded musician will be well versed in all three of these areas and that is the main idea behind Dubspot’s Music Foundations program.

Using material from Music Foundations Level 2: Keys and Melodic Theory, Mark de Clive-Lowe focuses on pitch and melody with the goal of using a set of pitches to improvise over a two chord progression, namely the Pentatonic scale (a common five note scale). The said progression goes from a C Minor chord to an F Minor chord, and that fits nicely underneath the C Minor Pentatonic scale. WIth the addition of some tension filled note choices, such as the #4/b5 “blue note”, more melodic variations can quickly be created. By the end of this video we see all of the elements put together in two musical examples in different genres and at different tempi. This is a small taste of what you will learn in the Music Foundations program at Dubspot. Be sure to check out other music theory related articles here in the Dubspot Blog.

Written by Patrick Cupo, Director of Curriculum Development

Start dates and information about payment plans can be found here.

Or if you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

Unravel electronic music’s origins, build your chops, learn the language and theory, and make and play music the way you want. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the roots and lineage of a variety of electronic and dance music, strengthen their keyboard skills, and learn valuable music theory skills, deepening their creative practice and facilitating effective collaborations with musical partners.

What’s Included:

• Essential Music Foundations Level 1: Electronic Music Appreciation
• Essential Music Foundations Level 2: Keys & Melodic Theory
• Essential Music Foundations Level 3: Pads & Rhythmic Theory

This course exceeded my expectations. I went through everything I needed to have a solid knowledge of basic music theory.
- Jonathan Crespo, Miami

EMF (Music Foundations) has been an amazing experience! I didn’t realize I was going to learn so much about electronic music history, something my generation missed.
- Yianno Koumi, United Kingdom

Click here to view the embedded video.

As footwork and juke continue to inspire more and more people around the world, DJ Rashad is arguably the genre’s most well known face. Coming from Chicago’s South Side, he’s made a name for himself with big beat switch ups, intricate drum patterns, open minded synth work and more. He’s part of the Ghettotekz crew that’s got footwork music and dance on lock; has had a number of releases on Planet Mu, and has been touring Europe while making mixes for the biggest magazines. The producer and DJ sat down with Dubspot and talked about how he makes beats, the differences between footwork and juke, the presence of girl dancers, and producers from other countries. Rashad, Traxman, DJ Manny, and Lit City Trax CEO Aziza Man are opening up for Memphis rap veteran La Chat at Cubana Social on Saturday, January 7th. They also recently stopped by DJ /rupture’s Mudd Up radio show on WFMU for a live session full of exclusives. Watch for a new Rashad album coming soon on Lit City Trax, which Rashad cofounded. - Mike Steyels

Click here to view the embedded video.

What do you use to produce?

MPC 2500, Reason, Abelton, and a Triton. Also Logic, Pro Tools. When Abelton came out, I started using that. But I use my MPC as the main element, so I still do it manually, versus pacing it to make beats. Most of my drums come from 808 and 909 kits. There’s a drum machine called the Roland R70 that I sampled the kits from. But you can get the 808 online and just tweak it out the way you want.

How has collaborating with people from other genres affected your sound?

Collaborating opened the door to other types of music. That’s influenced me to add different stuff to my footwork. Like more the more half time stuff from London. I’m doing things at 130 BPM now with lots of half time. It’s still footwork, but we’ve slowed it down. We just started doing this, my first track was when I was on tour with Addison Groove in April.

Do Chicago crowds like it?

The footworkers don’t want it like that. But the more casual party crowd, they love that sort of vibe anyway.

There’s a big difference between the footwork crowds and juke crowds?

The difference is the music. The juke thing is more commercial, more dancing on girls type music. The footwork is the grimier battle tracks.

What makes a good battle track?

A lot of bass. Claps. Depending on what sample you use, the way you trigger it up. A lot of synths. Arpeggiators. A lot of weird sounds. As long as it’s banging hard bass-wise, and the hits, then you got a hit.

What makes a good club track?

Party friendly, something that you would know, like top 40. Like a song from the radio with a juke beat behind it. What I do stuff like that for is to grab somebody who’s not familiar with the juke scene. So like I’ll take say Lil Wayne, then somebody will be like, ‘Oh, that’s my song.’ It might be a little bit fast, but they’ll deal with it. Versus hard footwork shit they never heard before, they’ll be like, ‘What the fuck is this?’ We have another night where we also play house and R&B at a nightclub called Nitros near Wicker Park. On Sunday and Friday nights we do TUFF and Battlegroundz strictly for the footworkers.

Are there girls at the footwork parties?

There are, but not like there used to be. I guess the girls want attention, but it’s all about the guys dancing. But there’s girls dancing too now. So it’s getting better. There’s about 45 dancers and some different groups. Queen Crystal is about the best right now. She’s with Terror Squad and Leaders of the New School.

How different are juke and footwork beats?

The same. 160 beats to 150. But there’s more half time in footwork. Juke is more like a 1,2,4, steady clap. Footwork is more of an off clap. Snares. A lot of stutters.

[DJ Rashad - Reverb | Ghettophiles, 2011. Photo by Ashes 57.]

Do you dance?

I used to, but I hung my shoes up a couple years back. People didn’t take me seriously as DJing and dancing.

Did being a dancer help inform your production?

Definitely. I knew the sound I was looking for when I was dancing. The bass, weird energetic stuff.

France seems to have a lot of footwork.

Yea, they’ve been doing it for about 6 years. I think now finally they’re starting to get a tick and some attention. They’ve definitely been in the game for a while. Like Marvy Da Pimp, Kaptain Cadillac, they’re from Booty Call Records. There’s Dope P too. Kill Frenzy is from Belgium. I definitely give them props, and think it’s an honor for them to carry on the music out there and make it their own style. Outside of Chicago, Addison Groove from London is probably the biggest. But beyond London and Paris, that’s it really. But who knows. I didn’t think it’d get past Chicago, let alone London and Japan and all these crazy places.

Were you surprised that it was the footwork that blew up and not the more commercial juke?

Yea. A lot of record labels were telling us the footwork stuff will never work. But now they like that more than the commercial.

You’re happy about that?

Yea! Because we’ve always been doing the juke more to bring people into the footwork.

Do outsiders get play in Chicago?

Yea. Most DJs in Chicago might not, but I like to play a lot of stuff besides my own stuff to show support. And if it’s a hot track, I’ll play it. Most of the other guys that are just starting or are trying to be DJs, they don’t know the half of it and wouldn’t play that stuff on the fact of pride or like, ‘Oh, I play my own stuff.’ People from Chicago are real snotty. Good music is good music, you gotta play whatever makes the crowd happy. That’s how I was taught to be a DJ.

Where do you get most of the tracks you play?

Usually the artists will give it to me, or I’ll ask for it. Sometimes I’ll buy it if I don’t know the person. But most of the time I play stuff from people in my crew or people that I’m in tune with. Or just good music.

How important are unreleased and unheard tracks in these scenes?

People want to hear something new every time they come out. I think we kinda spoiled them. This isn’t a hobby for me and this is something I love to do anyway, so I make tracks all day everyday. So when I come out to the footwork shit, I’ve got something new every time. All of us will. The footworkers don’t like the same stuff every week, they like to switch it up. The juke shit? You can play the same stuff all the time and people will still go off to it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What’s inspiring your new tracks?

I use a lot of my own writing along with the sample based stuff. It just depends on the mode I’m in. I just go in the studio and work, I don’t plan it out. Unless I’ve got a remix and somebody asks me to do something. If the people like it, they like it. If they don’t I won’t play it again. I’m cool with a lot of the footworkers, so they just chill at the studio with us. So they’ll tell us, ‘Put a little more of this in there,’ or whatever. So I’m blessed to have those guys around too.

How important is creating new sounds?

Definitely important. The sounds go with the dance. So when we create new shit, they can create new moves as well. It plays an important part in footwork. So when you put something new in there, people will go back and practice. The first night I played “Reverb” at Battlegroundz, King AG was the only one who knew about it and came up with a new move for it. After that, everyone started doing it.

Does knowing footworkers give an advantage to those crews because they get to know about tracks early?

Well, we’re cool with all the crews. One night we might have AG and Terror Squad over and the next might be Manny and Taliban. The Ghetto Tekz footwork crews are Terror Squad, Wolf Pack, Real Legends, Take Over Game, and Taliban. So they get first dibs on the tracks. The main leaders of the groups, they get all the shit to practice to.

How do you find new producers to put on?

People come to me and ask how to get into Ghettotekz. I’m willing to put anyone on. But only as long as your serious and you’re not going to waste my time and it’s just a fad. We’ll give them a shot. Even if they’re garbage, we’re still willing to work with them until they get it right, as long as they’re serious.

Dubspot Podcast 026: DJ OBaH (Oldskool Beats and Harmonies) – Cajun Style by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 025: Mungo’s Hi Fi Sound System by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 024: Nihal Ramchandani (Hotflush, Halcyon) – Innigkeit Mix by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 021: DJ Chicken George – Peddlin’ 45s for Dubspot (Ode To NYC) by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 020: Exclusive Mix from Spatial (Infrasonics) by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 019: DJ Shiftee Live @ Public Assembly by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 018 – DJ OP! by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 017: DJ Excess – Our Way Disco Mix by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 016: Wiseacre – Emerald Isle Dream Bump by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 014: Sabo – Exclusive Moombahton Mix by Dubspot

Dubspot Podcast 013: Liondub – Exclusive All Vinyl Mix by Dubspot

Digital DJing with Traktor Pro 2 Program

The definition of DJing has changed dramatically in the last decade. Laptops, controllers, and software have emerged alongside more traditional turntables and CDJ’s, smashing the barrier to entry. In today’s digital age, anyone can become a DJ. To reflect this renaissance, Dubspot has created the Digital DJing with Traktor program. In both our physical and online schools, students will learn how to DJ entirely with Traktor’s cutting-edge technology. An emphasis will be placed on the concepts of DJing rather than simply learning how to use the software.

What’s Included:

• Digital DJing w/ Traktor Pro 2 Level 1: Introduction to DJing
• Digital DJing w/ Traktor Pro 2 Level 2: Phrase Mixing
• Digital DJing w/ Traktor Pro 2 Level 3: Beyond The Beatmatch

Starting with a historical overview, students will learn the fundamental concepts of the DJ via Traktor’s intuitive interface. They will then begin to delve into the vast array of new possibilities offered by this groundbreaking software, presenting their work along the way. Students will leave with finished DJ mixes, a thorough exploration of DJing with Traktor, and a skill set and knowledge base perfect for further development.

DJ Extensive Program

Immerse yourself in the complete art of DJing from beatmatching to stage presence. Whether you’re a beginner in search of the fundamentals or a seasoned pro looking to take your talent to the next level, our curriculum is designed to accommodate all skill levels and styles of music. This comprehensive DJ program covers everything from basic mixing to advanced digital DJing. Learn more about our DJ courses and programs.

What’s Included:

• DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
• DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
• DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
• DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
• DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
• DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II

“I love the class, and the content! Shiftee and Endo are very funny, and very clear, so the material is easy and fun to follow! I wish my college   teachers  were more like these two!” – Leandro Martinez, Chicago IL

Start dates and information about payment plans can be found here.

Or if you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

Rising UK-based electronic music producer and DJ Krystal Klear took a break from a recent US tour to visit Dubspot NYC and talk to us about his early influences, music technology, retro-synths, Manchester’s Hoya:Hoya collective, and much more. The Hoya:Hoya resident is one of the most refreshing and exciting producers and DJ’s coming up. Heavily influenced by late ’80s and early ’90s electro funk and disco boogie and hip hop beats, he’s now crafting his own unique jams like “Tried For Your Love” and “Greensilver” which are absolutely undeniable on the dancefloor. In our interview, he also offered invaluable advice for other up and coming producers.

Krystal Klear – Tried For Your Love (ACKK12×1) by allcitydublin

Krystal Klear was also a participant at the 2011 Red Bull Music Academy event which took place this fall in the Spanish capital Madrid, where he had the opportunity to listen and learn from industry legends and heavyweights like Frankie Knuckles, Erykah Badu, and DOOM. And also collaborate with other rising artists using the latest music production and performance technology.

Pistol Chauffeur – without Talkbox by KrystalKlear