With Ableton Live entering so many DJ’s setups, or software matching the BPM’s for you with a quick flick of the ‘sync’ switch, and superstar DJ Richie Hawtin now setting a trend with Traktor using 4 decks all synchronised and others following him, the questions have to be asked – Do you as a digital DJ know how to beatmatch using your ears?, and even if you do, do you actually use this skill?

Read on to join the debate and complete our poll…

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Now we all have our own opinions with regards to this skill and a lot of people across many forums have their rant on how DJ’s should always use this skill and how hitting the ‘sync’ button is cheating. But tell that to Mr Hawtin, or Paul Van Dyk or even Sasha who are all at the top of their game and utilising synchronisation which in return is ignoring this beatmatch skill. I suppose the question we should be asking is, what makes a DJ a DJ?

After chatting to a fellow DJ & Label owner last week, we discussed what defines a DJ at this current time. We both started out on vinyl building up our collection of wax, our skills including beatmatching, reading a crowd and putting together a ‘set’ structure. Then obviously made the progression to CDJ’s and now digital systems. To quote a comment my friend made we came to the conclusion that – “it shouldn’t matter what system or technology a DJ uses as long as he can structure a set, read the crowd and provide great music and entertainment, it’s this skillset that keeps us in work and stops the venues simply playing a CD”.

What do you think?