Do you consider a DJ to be a musician?

Question

OneViewpoint · Accepted Answer

A DJ doesn't write music, doesn't play an instrument, and doesn't perform songs. A DJ queues up a playlist. No, that is not a musician.

FunkyMonkee · Accepted Answer

No, they just play records made by actual musicians.

Cinematic Lily · Accepted Answer

Yes, a DJ can absolutely be a musician 🎧🎶

If they’re just pressing play on pre-made playlists, that’s more like a music selector. But many DJs mix tracks, create new arrangements, play with tempo, add effects, sample, and even produce their own music. That creative manipulation of sound is musical performance and composition in real time.

MrOracle · Answer

Some are, many are not.

I'm separately a musician, but the kind of DJing I do as a mobile DJ (for private events, mostly) is "jukebox DJing", and I wouldn't consider that being a musician. I'm not even sure I would consider mixing/club DJs to be musicians - a lot of that isn't really live mixing, much is premixed (by themselves at home or far more often someone else's mixes) that they may add a little flavor to. Even when it is live mixing, they aren't usually making new songs, but rather just creatively blending existing songs and some additional samples.

There definitely ARE "producer DJs" who make whole songs from a combination of samples, original beats, and keyboards (typically) and I would consider them to be musicians, but they are definitely the exceptions.

As a mobile DJ, I do some beat-matching and other transitions when I can, but I often can't, because I'm dealing with a party planner who is reorganizing a schedule that is way behind and I've got to be the one to make sure key moments actually happen (even if lesser moments are skipped) or I have three different factions of drunk women fighting over the music, none of them wanting to hear anything but their own personal playlists that have no overlap with the other two factions, plus all the random requests.

A club DJ designs a whole music set at home - often pre-mixes significant portions of it, and doesn't take requests and often is completely isolated from the crowd. They play what they want, when they want it, and in most cases, they are playing only electronic music of a single genre with computer-consistent tempos that are easy to match and blend. It's a very different thing to mixing music played by live musicians, with varying tempos, and across very different genres.

Different types of DJs have very different priorities because they have different audiences with different expectations.

ohsheeT · Answer

A DJ disc jockey the spinning of disc making it sound putting out a frequency

For me I look at it a couple different ways

If you can keep Rhythm if you can keep a beat If you can do 10 things at one time If you are creating your own Out of something else And make it your own then you have a talent it's like playing an instrument

When you can mix and blend sound to create a vibration that we all hear that makes us tap our feet to makes us want to dance to makes us feel something I believe you're an artist your a creator and that's what we're all supposed to be is a creator no matter what it is

If you can create something to make me feel something beautiful then you can label it you can give yourself a title no matter what it is and I will believe it I will agree with it because you are unique and different not everybody can do that so it could be beautiful it could be greatness it could be anything you want to title it everything we do is made from sound everything we do is made from vibration make it Peak make it beautiful and I will believe

Taurus_Woman · Answer

Yes, a DJ can be considered a musician, but it depends on how you define “musician.”

A traditional musician creates or performs music using instruments like piano, guitar, or voice. A DJ, on the other hand, works with existing music, mixing, blending, and sometimes manipulating tracks live to create a new listening experience.

So:

In a strict sense, some people separate DJs from musicians because they don’t always create original compositions.

In a modern sense, many consider DJs musicians because they perform creatively, shape sound in real time, and influence how music is experienced by the audience.

In electronic music culture, especially, DJs are often seen as performers and music creators in their own right, not just people who play songs.

abc3643 · Answer

Well, that depends on what you mean by DJ.

If you mean like a DJ on radio, then not necessarily. (Some radio DJs were musicians. SiriusXM is filled with them.)

But, club DJs, certainly. Some of the best music in the past 40 years is from DJs.

For instance, here's "The Private Psychedelic Reel" by The Chemical Brothers who had been DJs.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/aqGzrjL3kys

Laurent Garnier was also a DJ. Here is "Dance 2 The Music (Oxydent Mix)".

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k9HfEp54jh8

Massageman · Answer

They may have learned a few things about matching beat speed, maybe rhythms and genres, but I wouldn't consider them "musicians" in the logical sense of the term. I played the piano and guitar when I was 12 and 18, respectively.

But I didn't believe myself to be a "musician" in any sense of the word until I took organ lessons from a studio organist who worked as the studio organist at WGN for a number of years. After 3 years of organ under him, he had me making my own arrangements, changing key in my mind when sight reading the music in a different key, ad-libbing some endings and intros, etc.

Lesbologist · Answer

Not really... I could teach you how to do it in 30 to 60 minutes. I throw it in the same pile as Rappers or shitty singers that can't even play an instrument. When it would come to pay in my band, you're looking at a paycheck that's half as much as anybody else.

Screenwriter · Answer

DJs are music editors. They aren't creating or writing their own music, in general. They're sampling other people's works.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

The comments:  Thank you, question, for teaching us that what defines a DJ isn't that clear after all. The dictionaries:  COME GET SOME!

indissoluble · Answer

Sure... A DJ pushes buttons... So does a pianist...

Nikki1989 · Answer

A DJ is nothing more than a record player, player.

exitseven · Answer

not really but the Late Great DJ Dick Summer is in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Most present 'musicians' aren't musicians either. I consider... to not give a shit 😁

Dargil · Answer

Not creatively but DJ is a performance artist.

NathanDavis · Answer

I consider a DJ to be a DJ...

KostasKouvalis · Answer

I would say NO. They're more sound techs

sage2021 · Answer

Nope.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Hell no!

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, of course.

Jmmmfi4 · Answer

Definitely  Excision

msc545 · Answer

no, sorry

In_Trance · Answer

Nope

Do you consider a DJ to be a musician?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

AI Opinion

What Girls & Guys Said

Do you ever feel like you could be a DJ?

Do you consider a DJ to be a musician?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

AI Opinion

What Girls & Guys Said

Do you ever feel like you could be a DJ?

We're glad to see you liked this post.