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VIDEO: Pan-Pot on NI’s #futureofdjing — it’s live remixing?

Following on from our open discussion yesterday, Native Instruments has readied the next instalment of their #futureofdjing series. This time Techno DJs Pan-Pot have their say on how they work with technology. But it’s the additional material that comes with this video that I find most interesting.

Obviously, here are the official words to accompany the Pan-Pot video:

Native Instruments releases the second installment in THE FUTURE OF DJING video series

Techno duo Pan-Pot join the discussion about THE FUTURE OF DJING and share their thoughts on live remixing

Berlin, July 29, 2014 – Native Instruments today continues the #futureofdjing discussion started in the first video with house legend MK, aimed at exploring how technological innovation plays a role in shaping the future of DJ culture. The second in THE FUTURE OF DJING video series features Berlin techno giants Pan-Pot describing how live remixing has transformed their sound and the importance of using technology to develop a personal style.

Since 2005, Tassilo Ippenberger and Thomas Benedix aka Pan-Pot have been steadily electrifying dancefloors with their minimalistic sound design, throbbing basslines, and murky off-kilter melodies. Shot on location in Berlin, the new video shows the duo sharing their thoughts on how important live remixing will become and how tools like TRAKTOR Remix Decks and TRAKTOR KONTROL F1 are now central to their DJing. Tassilo and Thomas provide a first-hand look at the changing art of DJing mentioning that “In the past you would play two records and you mixed it… but now you can put in extra hi-hat, you can rearrange your track and do it however you like.”

Complementing the video and going deeper into the ongoing discussion on THE FUTURE OF DJING, many more renowned artists like Dubfire, Carl Cox, and tINI are also sharing their own views on the influence live remixing will have on DJing. UK bass music mogul DJ Fresh says “Remixing our tracks live and reacting to an audience with the tools we previously only had in the studio is one of the most exciting things to happen to music for a long time” while techno icon and former Deep Dish member Dubfire explains that “in the past we were only restricted by our creativity and the limits of technology; but now more than ever technology is stimulating our creative impulses.”

The #futureofdjing discussion continues in the coming weeks over social media with more thought-provoking opinions and engaging topics. Pan-Pot are just part of a growing list of high-profile artists responding to questions about THE FUTURE OF DJING. For extra detail on what Pan-Pot thinks, the full exclusive interview is included with the available press kit along with more exclusive quotes from artists like Carl Craig, Francois K, and SBTRKT.

This next missive from NI is however considerably more interesting. They posit the notion that live remixing is the way forward to some VIP DJs, and here are their responses:

Artists respond to the question: Is live remixing  THE FUTURE OF DJING?

Alle Farben

“DJing and Live Remixing are not contradictory in my opinion. In fact I consider a “Live Remix“ as a hybrid between a Live Act and a DJ Act. A good DJ set needs ups and downs, and I am controlling them with my mixing skills and my choice of music. One of the most important things as a DJ actually is the choice of music, that you are presenting to your audience. As a live act on the other hand, the music that you are creating in the studio is the most important thing. When I go on stage, I have a digital vinyl case on my computer that I control with Traktor Scratch Timecode Vinyls, also I am using Traktor for setting loops etc. I play my computer like an instrument – with scratching etc, so it enables me to „remix“ the tracks live on stage. And with the current state of technology the borders between DJing and playing live blur and merge into Live Remixing more and more.”

Blond:ish

“I think that live remixing is just another tool to keep your crowd’s energy up and keep your sets less linear from song to song. It will keep the crowd on their toes for sure with the different drops and elements from remixing elements of other tracks

We still prefer the traditional track to track mixing, but one huge thing for us that keeps our crowd going nuts on the dancefloor is using short loops in Traktor (mainly 2 beat loops) sometimes when mixing that make the crowd go into a frenzy when mixing in the next track! Hearing a song you know in a different way gets you tingling all over.”

Camo & Krooked

“The remix decks on the Traktor software open up a whole new dimension to mixing stems and include quick loop mashups without the use of an external sequencer. It gives producers new possibilities to present their own productions when they DJ, breaking up the tunes into stems, rearrange and remix it on the fly, keeping the mix unique and lively.”

Carl Cox

“In my opinion live remixing already is an essential part of nowadays Djs work and performance. The modern technique such as from NI gives the DJ the easy chance to create his own mixes on the fly and obviously this is the best way to make your set stand out of others and sound different / unique. With the massive amount of new talents around every year this development is very welcome and will get even more important. Also this is somehow replacing the old record shop days as by doing live remixes this ends up that you have that one particular unique song for which in the old days you needed to look and partly wait for a long time at your local record shop.”

DJ Fresh

“The days of trying to balance the speeds of two mechanically played records are over. The digital age is a time of progress and opportunity for the art of electronic music performance and Native instruments are at the forefront of this evolution. From their plugins which have a massive influence on the production of electronic music and their live tools which allow a virtually transparent showcase of what, happens in the studio. As we no longer have to worry about mixing physical media the power of modern artillery like the Traktor s4 and controllers is the new turntablism. Remixing our tracks live and reacting to an audience with the tools we previously only had in the studio is one of the most exciting things to happen to music for a long time. It gives me a lot of confidence knowing the guys who make some of the best plugins we make our music with are there to help us realize this potential in a live environment. Long live NI : ) “

Dubfire

“More and more creative and forward-thinking DJs are using technology to rethink the age-old approach to performance. Traktor’s Remix Decks along with the F1 and X1 controllers, Ableton Live, Maschine, Push controllers, iPad’s, and a seemingly vast, ever-changing array of software and hardware are enabling us to dissect, reshape, and program our sets in new and exciting ways. In the past we were only restricted by our creativity and the limits of technology; but now more than ever technology is stimulating our creative impulses.”

Joseph Capriati:

“Live remixing has always been an important part of my DJ style ever since I started using Traktor over 6 years ago. Being able to change and remix a track in the moment that you are playing it has revolutionised how I am able to program my sets as it allows me complete control over the music and therefore the vibe in the club. For example, if I notice a certain part of a track works really well then I can make more use of it or if I feel the crowd wants more tension and drama I can create a breakdown out of nowhere or if I want to avoid playing a certain element, like maybe there are too many effects in a breakdown, then I can make a loop of 32 bars and then fast forward through the track by 32 bars to the part I want to play. This is a really fast way for me to edit tracks on the fly without it sounding like anything has changed with the original track. Having this ability to experiment via Traktor allows me to fully express my ideas and feelings with the music without any boundaries and this has meant I can make my own DJ style and make each of my sets unique and special to that event. For me this is the real future of DJing. I have a lot of respect for the traditional DJ styles using vinyl or CDs, as that is the world that I came from, but with Traktor I can do many things that are not possible with physical formats and so this technology is making a revolution from the old style to the new style of DJing and I think this is good for the fans and the DJs because being creative is all about having freedom to express yourself and this is exactly what live remixing allows me to do.“

Tom Flynn

“I think live remixing can bring something new and exciting to the table, if done right, especially in certain genres. That being said, if you go to a club and you want to hear your favourite records and the DJ starts remixing it his way live, chances are you’ll be pretty annoyed. Sometimes a song should be left as the creators of it intended.”

Uner

“I think the future of DJing is what I call the “deconstruction”. I mean, with the actual software (Traktor with remix decks) you can work on a special “live remixes” with different parts from different tracks, and also using your own samplers and creations. That’s my way and what I’m doing at the moment. Is the way to construct a new track, live, from the deconstruction of others.   At the end is the way between the Djset and the live set. Work on your own style and put your own soul in every track, during your sets. Harmonic mixes and different feelings can fit perfect to create a new step of your vision and your musician side.”

#futureofdjing to follow the story online

pan-pot-ni-futureofdjing

Obviously, NI aren’t going to put out a bunch of soundbites saying that controllers are toys and simple A to B mixing is where it’s at. But even in this pro-remix copy, there is still a lot of love for what can be classed as conventional DJing, and using new technology as a supplement.

Here’s the thing, and I’ve witnessed in in some many industries where technology has taken hold — after the initial new tech juggernaut ploughs through the industry laying waste to what has gone before it, balance begins to be restored, and you find old and new happily coexisting. Synths did not kill real instruments, drum machines did not kill off real drummers, and remix decks and their ilk will not kill off turntables or make plain simple mixing any less valid.

You only have to look at the resurgence of turntables to see that while controllers have perma-changed the DJ game beyond all recognition, there is still a lot of love for the foundations. ‘Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose’ as the saying goes.

Nonetheless, it shouldn’t stop us embracing the continuing torrent of new stuff coming our way. Some will come and go, others will stick and become firm favourites. There will be constant evolution, with the occasional revolution too. Whether the revolutions are marketing hype or real game changers remains to be seen.

NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Having watched the video, and got some insight from those DJs filling clubs all over the world, what do you think of NI’s question of live remixing being the way forward? 

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Mark Settle
The Old Owner
I was the editor around these parts for the first two decades of the DJWORX journey. I’m on a creative journey at The Worxlab, and drop in occasionally here. Expect the odd article from me every now and again.
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21 Comments

    1. Ableton is not a deck, only a sampler. When you could scratch and keep warpers then it will be like “remix decks”.
      Meanwhile the Bridge (no clip scratching) and Ms. pinky (no warp makers) were middle steps. Scratch track plugin do it better (with some nice features such scratch notation/automation) but it is not Ableton itself again…

    2. Nope. But what they are doing is making Traktor able to do everything someone playing in Ableton Live might want to do while playing live, but in a more DJ-friendly way.

  4. Is this NI’s answer Mark? This isn’t the future, it is what most of us do now. Even in vinyl sets I have the F1 running as a drum machine to ease transitions. I’d like them to catch up to what DJTT and Tomas Ghtz are already doing with sequencers, but i guess thats in the next build for this year. Perhaps the articles should have been called “redefining the DJ” …. these days I have to be a musician, producer, remixer and finally DJ is I want to get bigger event bookings …. I never wanted to be anything other than a DJ….. so this dinosaur will be extinct soon.

    1. I feel that live remixing will become all that some DJs do. For some it will be part, and for a great many others it won’t be part of what they do at all. Unless tastes change, I cannot help but think that as long as the music is hot, a good mix will suffice for a lot of punters.

      Let’s not get carried away with the notion that you have to be using technology to the fullest to be a good DJ. Case in point — last week I played host to a 17 year old who wants to be a DJ. I put him in front of the NS7II, loaded in some music he liked and gave him a crash course in the controls. He’d never played before, was overdoing the filters and loop rolling, but because the music he played was good, I was vibing.

      I keep coming back to the plain and simple fact that it’s always about the music.

  7. Tom Flynn “if you go to a club and you want to hear your favourite records and the DJ starts remixing it his way live, chances are you’ll be pretty annoyed”.
    This. The vast majority of crowds don’t want to hear your remix of a song – they just want to hear the song they know and love. Simple as that usually.

    1. Yes, and no. Incorporating familiar elements in a new musical context can be very effective, but it absolutely has to be done right. And judging from what I’ve heard from “regular” remix deck users so far, they’re better off leaving this stuff alone (especially when I’m in the room). Seriously.

      The handful that know how to do it, however? They create *awesome* stuff. So I wouldn’t dismiss this technology right off the bat, it’s certainly an enhancement – but as with everything, it has a learning curve which people underestimate because of the nature of advertising.

      One: all those guys that get paid to write good-sounding testimonials should be getting paid more to do *proper* masterclasses, and NI should push those out for free. Two: beginners should stick to basics. Learn to pick the right music for the right time first, and if you still think messing with the material will improve the experience for the audience… please, please PRACTICE.

      1. Yep! The vast majority of people I see/hear trying this stuff are bad at it (including a few of the people known to be very good at it). For whatever reason some people just don’t seem to care what it sounds like so long as they see someone up there pushing a bunch of buttons. It almost never adds to the party and often takes away.

        The people that are really good at it though (through the ears of someone not impressed by the mere fact that someone is pushing a bunch of buttons), that is dope. They are just so few and far between they are almost mythological.

        And when you really think about it compared to the things someone like lets say Trentino can do with just Serato Scratch Live and some cheap-o Dicers it is not a matter of more or more advanced gear, it is a matter of just getting really good at this shit with what is already out there.

        All that being said I’m always excited when NI has something secret on the table. I’m just not getting my hopes up after the direction they have been going the last couple years (not the least of which was the F1 falling FLAT on its face and being no more than a novelty/afterthought when it comes to people at actually get paid to perform music to large groups of people).

    2. I remember seeing Benny Benassi playing in Sankeys, Manchester. He teased ‘Satisfaction’ throughout his set, with the crowd losing their shit each time, but he never actually played the track. The crowd didn’t care, they loved the tease. He was effectively using crude remixing to do it.

  8. I completely disagree with NI here.
    Live remixing is a good way to sell new hardware every year, sure enough.
    But it’s something that only a small number of skilled musicians can handle properly. This niche is already well served by Ableton’s ecosystem.
    For everybody else, the vast majority of DJs, live remixing easily turns into a vibe breaker that distracts from the real focus (checking the dancefloor reactions and adapt to it in the best way possible, music selection, etc). After some emptied dancefloors, those people would leave the gadgets at home.
    Live remixing is the PAST (I used to do it in 1993), or maybe the present (check deadmau5) not the future.

    1. No one is saying that every DJ should use live remixing, but the learning curve is nowhere near impossible. I literally picked up the F1, tried a free remix set and off I went. The concept doesn’t introduce anything that DJs shouldn’t already understand (phrasing, loops etc). The real issue here, in my opinion, is that Native Instruments did a bad job of explaining their use case when they came out. It really needs a goo demo to show you. The biggest hurdle to any DJ with remix decks is that it’s more prep time if you want to build your own sets.

      It’s obvious that someone who plays classic Funk or 50s Rock might struggle with using this, but having more options for DJs to try something different is a good thing.

      1. I don’t play 50’s rock. My sets are made 95% of my remixes/mashups, done in the studio, then fine-tuned based on crowd reaction (so I end up with a final, say, V3 or V4 of the remix).
        This approach trumps anything live.
        It would take at least 3 persons on stage to replicate this kind of set entirely live, with poorer results and without a clear advantage.
        Future of DJing is in assistant artificial intelligence, not in a AKAI S1000 remix set on steroids ;)