HA... man even when my back is killing I still stand. I'm really thinking about getting that rubber flooring to carry around to help my lower back out.

I can make it a part of my mobile list.

I've been known to put on a longer song and lean against the wall to 'take a break' but that's after 4-5 hours of being on my feet after putting in an 8 hour shift bartending at another club before starting my DJ'ing shift. I usually just step out of the booth (out of sight) and twist a little to loosen up my back and ease the tension before stepping back into the booth. I usually pound a red bull when I do this as a kicker!

BTW, the worst DJ I've ever seen put on a pre-made mix cd, left the DJ booth and sat down with his GF in a booth! Now THAT'S over the top!

red bull helps me so much sometimes when spinning, but i tend to not notice back pain or anything else, then it all hits me right when i get home

have you guys really seen somebody sitting while djing? sounds crazy!

yes I did. tonight.

What if the dj is in a wheelchair?

that is, they are disabled and cannot physically stand?

I thought you said no stories or calling anyone out! Uhh, wait...

/me goes back to the corner.

Aww...busted!

anewsome is watching you man... you gotta be on top of your game or your going to hear him talk about how you slack off in the club.

;-)

...from his own stool. It's sweet--it's a bar stool that spins all around so he can spin while he spins.

hate to say it, but i always sit while playing. especially if the gig is some top 40 crap with 1000 people who go crazy for My Humps, im bored out of my mind and tired and take breaks when needed. to rock crowds while sitting is an art????? probably not, but feet do hurt, that's for sure

i agree

dang. i guess i am in the minority then. when i walk into a spot and the place is packed and people are dancing,.. it just doesn't seem right that the djing is sitting down. i always go back to how i was *taught* to dj back in the day. certain things that you never do, etc.

hey guys, i'm not gonna go "barry mccockner" on you guys and tell you what you should and shouldnt do, but i just always thought the dj should be standing, looking around and making sure the party is being rocked properly.

i guess everyone has their own way ...

That was the first thing I wondered about.

Paul Johnson ("Get Get Down") would be one fairly well-known example.

I agree 100%, stand up... If the dj is bored EVERYONE will be bored!

Squishy 'anti-fatigue' mats really do make a difference...

I used to co-host a morning talk radio show and we ALLWAYS stood- guests were so surprised... But it keeps you alert...

If you are in the club as a patron then you have no credibility to comment

Have you guys seen those DJ Stools that are high enough and kind of angled that even when you are sitting you appear to be standing.


Yes, anti-fatigue mats are the way to go...but make sure you are also wearing comfortable shoes, these really make the whole difference......are you gelling.......lol

If I am working it the way I need to, I have to stand. Too much energy not to stand. If it is a 'human jukebox' kinda night with that sheep crowd, I'll sit, pick my nose, do crosswords, whatever. You know, the nights that are bananas when you basically just play the Billboard top 100 all night. Collectin' checks behind the decks...

Yup, you gotta wear comfortable shoes... my choice?

Birkenstock Londons: birkenstocks.sandals4less.com

i can see i'm going to have to start a "if you are wearing sandals, you're not a dj" thread....

jk

LMAO!!!

internal mode all night?

When I'm in a zone there's no way I can sit. However, when things are slow early on or late I will catch a chair get off my feet. That's not very often these days but during the winter months, more so.

Nah. I still mix. But the physical act of mixing is like blinking or breathing; an almost involuntary action that takes no thought or effort. Radio playlist crate, sort by BPM, flip the BPM/genre to cycle the bar, continue. Collectin' checks behind the decks.

Don't get me wrong, I wish I never had to spin like that. Maybe I'm just jaded by today's club crowd (see thread: scratchlive.net ).

i can't imagine ever sitting during a gig. unless i'm spinning with someone else and they just took over and i'm sitting at the bar getting my drink on....

can you mix 50 cent into beyonce into kanye into ying yang into ciarra while sitting???? im sure you can!!!! will the crowd go absolutely crazy!!! if it is "that" crowd im sure they will!!!

now, as for the paying dues thread (some of you might know). check it. when we used to dj records to mix these 5 songs after one verse and bang the hell out of them so the people were in a frenzy would be impossible with pulling records and digging through crates like the old days so there would be no sitting, but with SERATO!!!!!! i a can do this just fine sitting and sipping on a martini with some fake boobied girl grinding on my lap.

I LOVE SERATO. this should end this thread ;)

Sometimes I pull out the futon........lol

Back in the day, when MTV had this show called "The Grind", they featured DJ Little Louie Vega in the mix. He was in the DJ booth, sittin on a stool, tearin the heck outta the turntables... and the floor was straight ROCK-TA-CON-ing!!! ;-)

With that said, I still agree completely with Melissa:

How can you expect everyone else to stand up and dance if you are sitting down and not dancing??

$0.03

Never ever shit while you spin - this can make your set stink :-P

LOL, I know one thing though, come 3AM when I'm done, my feet is not hurting, and I can get some sleep.

I got the info about them shoes by Chefs who are on their feet all day.

True that anewsome, I see so many of my mobile "competitors" sitting down while they "work" and it looks like shit. Been standing for 20 yrs and my back kills me after gigs! - I should add that using Serato has really kind of saved my back and neck lately- I find that while using it, I'm usually looking UP at the screen as opposed to down at the decks - this has made a huge difference in the condition of my spine!

I pulled a DOUBLE on Saturday. First was noon to 5pm. The a night gig from 9pm to close. ALL standing. My back and feet were killing me. That was one of those days I wondered if I really need to be DJing as much!

dang! anewsome, did u set up and breakdown your equip as well?

Best remedy for that: drop a HOTT booty-shake song in the middle of your mix, invite some yummies to dance with you in the DJ booth, and then "bend over and touch your toes!" Not only does this give you a good stretch, but the crowd is fooled into believing that you're gettin your booty-shake on!

No... no... don't thank me for the tip... first one's free... ;-)

yeah man saturday i pulled 1 to 9 (with a dinner break) then the club from 11 to 3

oh yeah, and what kills me more than my back is my feet

I try to make sure there is no place to sit except for when I'm doing parties with a portion of set music. Like weddings or the one I did friday. I sat down while the dinner music was playing. I have to start another thread about having to play achy breaky heart though.

i think i dance more when i'm spinning than the people who paid to get into the club.

then maybe you're not spinning right


j/k everyone and their mom at the club notices my head bob

i usually bust a slo-motion robot mime... it's easier on the backbone than the running man...plus the needles don't jump as much too :)

if the booth is clean, I usually play barefoot.

SolKim usually busts the ring/pinky finger crab with a cigarette in the other two fingers

you know it.

I Remember when we used to rave back in the day and We always ended up getting naked while spinning??? I never figured out what that was all about LOL!!!

what do you mean used to

...cuz the Raves were soooo friggin hot and steamy. It was like that when I used to go.

damn man i miss the rave days! The scene in Cincy and Dayton is almost gone, but you can find them if you look hard enough here

i've noticed that some dj's don't make any movements at all when they are beat matching and mixing. sometimes i wish i could do that because it's a little embarassing but i gotta do what i gotta do.

In the start of my set I dont bop my head... but when I feel my mixes get tighter and the energy get higher I start to.

I've heard time and time again that a good DJ has one foot on the dance floor.

i could n't sit, i get all hyped up, maybe sit for a min or 2 but you can't sit.. it makes you look lazy and a lazy dj is no one's dj

what about having to drop a duece when djing solo? Thatz the shitssssss.

I pick a long song and play it... I get another track ready and give it to my lady to take care of in case the other song ends and i'm not back.

You can't say that a dj sitting isn't a dj.
www.kindredgroove.com
That's a pic of Paul Johnson Rocking the house from his wheelchair!
Down-Down-Dow-D-Down
Get Get
Down-Down-Dow-D-Down

It's like saying you can't be a breakdancer without legs... You ever see that vid of dude breakdancing with no legs! Click below:

gorillamask.net

i already said, "if you're in a wheelchair, this doesn't apply to you". of course i'm not so non-pc that i declare everyone with no legs a non-dj. that would be just stupid.

what i meant was, if your legs work and you are playing music in the club and you are sitting, then you are not djing. but all that didnt fit in the subject line.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(I'd use LOL but it's sooooooooooo 5 years ago)

Damn, just did some Googling...I didn't know Paul Johnson lost a leg!

i read somewhere (on tha net) that qBert got in a (i think....can't remember) car accident and had to stay home for a while, that's when he got a lot of time to practice... (not sure if it's true or not)

djing is playing music. is doesn't matter if you're in a hammock

great redefinition of a DJ awesome!

Well As Far I as i know Sitting or Standing as nothing to do with djing aslong your behind a Set of turntables or cd players and your playing music for a audance it is consider djing!

as long as it's not on one of these ;) --> foryournymphomation.com

I have watched many a DJ, and some are entertainers almost demanding that you watch them spin and then you have others that take a very dull approach. Different strokes for different folks.
However, I must say I did judge a book by its cover prematurely one night - a dj popped himself on a stool and just lazily flopped the record on. Did so in a way like it was such old hat it didn't matter if it was 5 or 5000 peeps in the place. He spun so smoothly - put stuff together that I'd never thought would go together in a million years, I stood there bewildered. I stopped moving and was refocusing my eyes trying to see if he was alive!! Needless to say, he left an impression on me, I'd give my left nut to spin that craziness and just SIT there almost motionless. A damn jumbo jet could have landed on the dance floor - it wouldn't have mattered! It takes a very weathered person to be able to just sit, listen, and PERFECT the mixing to such a rock solid state. I then got the opportunity to see him again, he wasn't sitting this time, but he was again very confident playing hyped up music, yet never pounded a fist in the air to hype the crowd, there just wasn't the need, the crowd was out of fuggin control already. He smirked a half smile near the end and waved goodnight to massive cheers. So if you happen to form an opinion based on a dj's stance be it upright or seated, remember, it is SIMPLY ABOUT THE MUSIC.

what if your sitting, spinning, drinking, smoking, watching some chicks take off their clothes on the dance floor, getting head, and holding a fart at the same time?

i guess i've been proven wrong. DJs sit away. It's ok now !

Man, not only will I sit, I will EAT TOO ....stop playin...

But that's only if I'm at my regular gig (in a sorta SoulFood/Club Kitchen spot)...lol.

The wings are off the chain....shoot me.

But a normal gig, I'm standing up, and I've got that one good foot going to the beat..

Qbert sits on a stool while using the QFO...

people play guitars while sitting, so do pianists, drummers and chelloists...

clarks wallabee's

--thank you Wu-Tang!!!

I sit when i dj at the strip club........ but thats not realy djing.. more like a radio mc... but dance clubs..... hellz no.. stand the whole time im mixing..... even if my back is illing me... i dont feel that pain when im mixing b/c i get into the "zone". I played with a temp of 101 the other night felt like shiat... but behind the decks i forgot how bad i felt.

the thread was not titled "if you're sitting, then you're not quitaring"

just to challenge myself, i like to dj on a treadmill or a stairmaster.

sadly, in my residency, they dont even have turntables. to make matters worse, the owner personally told me not to mix songs because it keeps people dancing, which means they spend less time at the bar, so im sitting for most of my time there.

at my house, i have my turntables in a coffin at about belly button level. after a couple hours of mixing, my back is killing me from bending over, then i had the brilliant idea of raising the table a few inches and, just like that, less back pain. at 6'1'', the dj booth usually has me bending over most of the night. wears out my back in a few hours. on a mobile gig, im sure to get the height right before the night gets going, especially if im carying all the stuff back to my car alone.

I saw something like this...'cept he was getting shot down by a not alltogether gorgeous girl at the bar instead of sitting...and he was playing tiesto in concert 2004 instead of a normal mix cd...it was funny when the mc came on. no one appeared to notice.

dont think you really understand what the term DJ means mate... :)

thats whack.

i just bought one of those mechanical bulls. wish me luck!

what do you think about Qbert on one of his instructional videos sitting down, and are you better than him standing while he's still sitting!!!!! Show me your titles!!!!!

I'l sit whenever there is an available chair the crowd could'nt care less for our aching feet and back

It's called Tylenol, advil or VICODIN.....

If that don't help, go ask the bartender to give you some PATRON

I'm a Goose/Belve/FERNET man myself and after a few(6-7) chilled shots of those three liquors, I AIN'T FEELING NOTHING BUT THE CROWD AND THE VIBE BABY!

Crockweiler, i think you read into it a little too much. The post stated an opinion on sitting while DJing. No where did it say non-sitters are better than sitters or anything near that. It was a personal opnion on sitting that's all. Some people agree, some don't. That's the nature of opinions. The next opinion that everyone agrees with will be the first.

To read into it that I think I'm better than someone who sits while DJing is quite a stretch though.

You're absolutely right I will admit after reading the original post, but that argument was for some of the other touchy responses that were wore than mine. that's all

people with 'opinions' shouldnt be bothered when people with opinions reply. thats the whole 'freedom of speech means i can say anything i like, but you cant criticise me for it' - and its dumb.

as long as the job gets done, what does it matter?

there could be any number of reasons why hes sat down...

I've actually started sitting down when I dj now. Damn my feet hurt.

I just see it a lot on this (and all) forum. One guy says, I hate scratching. The other guys says, "what, you think you're better than me because you don't scratch" or the other way around. I just think it's comical when you look at both posts and it was not about thinking that you're better than someone, the post was about hating scratching or whatever the topic...

I hate your name and everything it stands for... lol

:P

See you after school!

FIGHT !! FIGHT !!!

Ok Children out of the sandbox.....

Now Sixxx play nice with the other forum members....

If you are sitting you are not ...... WAIT

Check dude out www.totallycrap.com

smokin - lighting it - puffin on the cig - pick out the next cd - spinnin - EQing - slammin in the next - pumpin the crowd with a foot in the air (creepy) and I think I even say him adjust the pitch... wow.

i'll sit off to the side after a while and when iam feeling overaly sure nothing will go wrong
lol

DJ premier is sitting in the DWYCK video

I only sat down at 1 gig ...... I had the FLU !!!!! I sat in a chair, with a puke bucket near me & drinking gingerale !!!!

It was Horrable ...... but I still smashed that club !!!

That was excellent! Man!

PS: its funny juat a couple of days I took some video and a photo of a local guy who claims to be "the shit" in my town. His ass has got to weight over 300Lbs and his claim to fame is to play 80's music for inebriated college people while sitting down with 2 CD players from 1989 and a rack of CD's still in their jewel cases.

I found it to be hilarious in some ways, but also a disgrace to the trade. Bleh.

Pictures coming soon! :)

Do you happen to live in Orlando FL? Because that totally describes someone around here that a buddy of mine got stuck doing a night with...

He's finishing his set doing this crazy juggle routine, and chunky just decides to hit play on something that looks like this: www.storedj.com.au

...with the same mopey Cure song I could swear I've heard 14 times already that night RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS SET. My friend just cuts off his 1200's, stops, and looks at the dude with a huge "WTF?" face, which is odd for him, because he usually never loses his temper in the face of such BS. Land Whale then proceeds to let out a deep sigh saying he was "just mixing, bro" and lumps his comic book guy self back down on to a chair behind the table his "rig" is on like he's sitting down to a 5 course Sizzler meal, and proceeds to play MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, and every other song that rocked my 6th grade dance in 1991 RIGHT IN A ROW (I was personally holding out for some motownphilly or BBD), complete with dead air in-between. No radio fades, nothing. DEAD AIR.

Now it doesn't bug me that this guy sucked. Or that he was lazy. Or that knowing this club, he probably walked with $300 EASY even on a dead night. It was because he INTERRUPTED someone clearly more skilled than him, who wasn't running over his time slot or anything, with his piss poor excuse for DJ'ing.

Oh yeah, anyways...back to the topic:

I might put on an 8 minute song, hustle it to the bar for a refill, chat up the staff/owners for a second to make sure everyone's happy and the sound isn't taking anyone's scalp off, and maaaaaaaybe, maaaaaaaayyyybe gently park myself on a stool for a minute like I'm about to get up anyways to rest my knees, but no...I've never sat down during even the most boring of long nights.

aint read the whole thread cant be arsed but who ever posted this originally tell that to q-bert who sits regularly at his gigs!

i sit at my thursday night spot, mostly cuz im over 6ft and the turntable are low as hell

i sit when i don't give a shit.

i sit when i shit.

i sit at my residency because the "stage" is made out of cement... bad for ur feet.

Frankie Wilde has to sit during his gigs now.

I never sit at gigs...

sitting = wack juice

i dont really get why it matters though, you think if someone like am, vice, ztrip etc... sat all night it would make a difference

assmung "wack juice" is the same as "weak sauce"

I thought "wack juice" was the same as "lotion"

or is that "whack juice?"

lol at OJ...and yes, wack juice = weak sauce

i've changed my mind since i created this thread. sitting is not only ok. it's kind of cool. forget everything i said earlier.

and who keeps digging up these relic threads!

LMAO

me in the itch thread

My gigs are usually 4 - 5 hours long (sometimes longer) so I lean, but no sitting.

i better there are dj's out there that could "wax" u sittin down..

I bought a foldable bar stool from walmart and I take that to all my gigs.

Ok here we go, a new LOW POINT in DJ history.

www.djbis.com

www.djbis.com

And here's the video clip...

www.zshare.net

What a lamo. lol

i'll bet there are djs out there that could wax u sitting down, standing up or on one leg

Excellent work DJ BIS. That was pretty damn funny.

that's rediculous...

I always stand while I DJ. Even when I'm home practicing I never sit down. That's just me though. IMO, if you are getting paid to DJ, you should stand up. Perception is everything. If I was a paying customer and I saw the DJ sitting down all night long(unless he/she is disabled), I would view that as slacking or not taking the job very seriously. Just think about the term everyone has heard "sitting down on the job". If you have a job where you are on your feet all day and your boss walks by and see's you sitting down, what is your natural instinct? To......STAND UP!!! While DJing is a hobby/passion to me, if someone hires me for a gig, I view it as work/fun. I go to the gig with a proffesional attitude and take care of business while having fun at the same time. Just remember the word PERCEPTION!!! It's everything.

NEVER SIT!

I usually am dancing behind the console, nobody wants to see a statue standing there.
Did a couple of 11 hr gigs that nearly killed me though.
My rhythm rock has taken a toll on my right knee though.
I had damage from rocking and locking out my knee to the beat over time, took me a while to figure out how I did it too.

If I get fatigued, I will pull up a chair to put a knee on occasionally just to get the weight off, and its totally hidden from view.

Also have been dealing with heel spurs which totally SUCK after a couple of hours. Had orthopedic inserts made @ $250 a pop to relieve it and it worked.

I know that sitting sends the wrong message, but standing for hours on end comes at a price to your legs.
Get and wear good footwear if you do long gigs, don't buy cheap shit sneakers.
Even my dress shoes have heel support built in for this and its worth every penny.

That flick with the guy mixing with his feet is incredible.
Amazing what we take for granted...

Here's the Youtube of it...

Watchyoutube.com

And while he has a gig, you were... ummm.... there hating on him. Makes him the man in my book. So, it looks like he "waxed" you while sitting down.

LOL

Also, it looks like the crowd was loving it. Who cares if he's standing up, laying down, laying in a hammock or sitting in a chair. He was doing a job that you weren't.

Don't hate the player... LOL

My question is...

Looks like he has a shit load of CD's on the table.

Does his chair at least roll so he can crab from one end of the table to the other to get a disk or does he get up or just lean and reach?

www.djbis.com

Ah, I see the wheels in this pic, nevermind.

www.djbis.com

BTW, the chick dancing in front of him looks sleezy and hot - looks like a 80's queen. LOL.

LOL, he soooo waxed me.

But no, this cat apparently has a bad attitude, that's why I am hating. :)




Yep, college kids. You can get away with anything, you can play an iPod 'round this parts and call yerself a "DJ"... lol s'long as they drunk, you play tunes that you think they know and you got' er dun. hah.

Bump :D

You should change your name to d:bump. LoL

Ive sat in those tall stools where it just looks like you're slouching a little to peoplle in the crowd. I agree that if im spinning that top 40ish, if im a litle bored Ill be more apt to sit. If im really feelin it personally I'll have to get up lol. As for the crowd...They're hype either way (hopefully), Im getting paid to play for them...So my taste in music may determine how into the mix I am, but the crowd should be jumping regardless

I like sitting on a dildo I jump around people think I am dancing but reality I am just fucking myself :-)