Festival Fever and International DJs: The Changing Shape of DJ Culture in Sydney’s Commercial Electronic Dance Music Scene

Montano, Ed

doi:10.12801/1947-5403.2011.02.01.04

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Existing literature is very limited in studying music pedagogy, related to turntablism, in countries where DJing culture is still at its infancy and early development. The mainstreaming of hip-hop and electronic music has had a cultural and economic global impact (Montano, 2011). In China, DJing has become an in-vogue musical performance trend to the extent that over 175 million of its population have expressed an interest in learning how to DJ (Shen, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

East meets West: Investigating the state of DJing culture and turntablism pedagogy in China

Quin

2021

International Journal of Music Education

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In the West, the music practice of turntablism continues to gain traction and awareness both inside and outside of the music classroom, as DJing becomes more prevalent in mainstream music culture. This qualitative study investigates the extent and type of turntablism pedagogy in China, a country with different cultural and political values where traditional Chinese music remains the centre of Chinese music education. Twelve DJs from cities across China took part in a series of in-depth interviews. They were asked to recall their experiences learning how to DJ in China, as well as their opinions of turntablism’s inclusion in music education. Findings showed that participants preferred independent learning methods. In particular, participants significantly depended on Chinese social media applications to learn about turntablism and develop a national DJing culture. An absence of turntablism and popular music pedagogy in Chinese music education was the main reason for participants’ self-discovery and learning of turntablism. Findings also revealed a cultural disconnect between the younger generation engrossed in DJing versus the older generation’s fixation on traditional Chinese music to uphold nationalism and patriotism in society. This study examines an ongoing struggle regarding the extent to which popular music performance practices can be accommodated to work with the political aims of Chinese music education.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

East meets West: Investigating the state of DJing culture and turntablism pedagogy in China

Quin

2021

International Journal of Music Education

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“…The 1990's saw the rise of DJs to celebrity figures and whilst genres, events, media and technology have evolved to create a range of underground and mainstream elements, DJs remain a central element of contemporary (electronic) dance music culture. This paper focuses specifically on DJs, revered by participants and the media and endowed with various qualities associated with authenticity, uniqueness, artistic credibility, creativity and performance (see Brewster & Broughton, 2000;Farrugia & Swiss, 2005;Girard, 2011;Haslam, 2001;Jackson, 2004;Langlois, 1992;Montano, 2010;Montano, 2011;Phillips, 2009;Reynolds, 1998). Whilst there is a wealth of literature relating to DJs, analysis of the media discourses surrounding them is limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysing the media discourses surrounding DJs as authentic performers and artists within electronic dance music culture magazines

Jaimangal-Jones

2017

Leisure Studies

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This paper critically analyses how the media construct, consolidate and perpetuate discourses surrounding DJs as artists. It explores representations of their status and roles in a selection of dance music magazines (Mixmag and DJ Mag) and the links to wider ideologies concerning music and dance culture such as authenticity, originality, innovation, cultural progression and performance. It considers how the media bestow DJs with artistic credibility and authenticity in addition to the range and type of references used to position DJs within the cultural landscape and hierarchy of electronic dance music culture (EDMC). Furthermore, it discusses their sensationalist construction as powerful performers and the links between DJ performances and wider discourses surrounding event experiences. This paper concludes that not only do the discourses perpetuated serve to elevate and sustain the cultural status of DJs, they also validate and perpetuate a wider range of ideological notions within dance music culture. It also highlights the power relations between authors, audiences, DJs and promoters and the medias role in sustaining the social capital of different players, through projecting a vibrant and dynamic culture.

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“…The journey one can be taken on over the course of a three-or four-hour set would differ considerably from the journey delivered by a shorter set of sixty minutes. This is a significant issue due to the explosion in the number of dance music festivals in recent years (Montano, 2011). Sets at these festivals are typically of a far shorter duration than the time a DJ gets to play in a club, with shorter sets allowing for a more extensive festival line-up.…”

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confidence: 99%

Response to Alinka E. Greasley & Helen M. Prior: Mixtapes and Turntablism: DJs’ Perspectives on Musical Shape

Montano¹

2013

EMR

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This commentary responds to some of the debates and issues raised by Alinka Greasley and Helen Prior's paper on DJing and musical shape. In particular, I focus on the use of technology by DJs, and how shifts within this domain are redefining the concept and associated skills of DJing. Technological change is having a significant impact on music production and distribution within contemporary electronic dance music culture. Tangible formats and their playback platforms are increasingly fading into the history of DJ culture, and have been replaced with computers and software. In the process, the physicality of DJing, and the values of authenticity this physicality informs, have been reframed and renegotiated in the discourse that circulates within dance music culture. I suggest that Greasley and Prior's work provides a solid foundation for further investigations into not only the specifics of DJing and shape, but also the broader technological, social and cultural contexts of DJing as a contemporary artistic practice.

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Festival Fever and International DJs: The Changing Shape of DJ Culture in Sydney’s Commercial Electronic Dance Music Scene

Cited by 10 publications

References 6 publications

East meets West: Investigating the state of DJing culture and turntablism pedagogy in China

East meets West: Investigating the state of DJing culture and turntablism pedagogy in China

Analysing the media discourses surrounding DJs as authentic performers and artists within electronic dance music culture magazines

Response to Alinka E. Greasley & Helen M. Prior: Mixtapes and Turntablism: DJs’ Perspectives on Musical Shape

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