DJ

From ArticleWorld

A disc jockey (DJ) is a person who announces and plays popular music for a target audience. The audience could be radio listeners or people at a gathering. The term originated in the early days of the growing popularity of radio entertainment during the twentieth century. Announcers on popular radio stations would introduce songs present on "disc" records and play or "jockey" them to tuned-in listeners.

Present day DJs can be of several types, depending on the kind of music they prefer, the intended listeners, the general setting and the manipulation of the music as carried out by the DJs themselves. Their act of selecting particular recordings and then playing them is often referred to as "DJing" and can take various forms depending on the theme or occasion. It may be a simple operation involving the playing of pre-recorded songs or the more sophisticated audio-mixing and phrasing.

Basic paraphernalia

The most essential of all equipment that a DJ carries along include the following:

1. Sound recordings: These may include vinyl records (as used in the past), recorded compact discs or MP3s.
2. Players: Devices for playback of recordings, which could include record players, compact disc or MP3 players.
3. Amplification and sound system: Arrangements like a portable audio system or a radio wave broadcaster have to be made.
4. Computerised players and performance enhancement equipment.
5. Mixers, to mix sound being played from different players, and microphones to make announcements.

Types of disc jockeys

DJs can be of the following types, listed in chronological order of their introduction:

• Radio DJs:

These select and play music to be broadcast via radio stations.

• Club/Rave DJs:

These work under club environments.

• Mobile or travelling DJs:

These DJs tour within or between cities carrying along their own equipment.