Bio
The Beginnings
Challenge Accepted!
As my 13th birthday approached, my mother asked what I wanted. As I was walking out the door to catch the school bus, I half-heartedly told her I wanted an electric guitar, pulling off a lame air-guitar routine.
When I got home, I was asked to sit at the kitchen table. I was told that if I really wanted an electric guitar, I would first have to learn to play classical guitar. I would also be expected to practice for 1 hour a day, and attend weekly lessons.
I attended lessons, when I didn't forget it was lesson day. My hard work paid off! I was gifted an Ibanez 6 string electric guitar, and a small practice amp! I can still bang stuff out on a Bass guitar, but my chops as a guitarist have faded...
Computers
DAWS in 2000
Having discovered Electronic and House music, despite all my Pantera and Metallica loving friends, the CDROM pictured left was also discovered. It was found in the $5.99 tub of CD's at the local Egghead Software. I happily purchased it.
I took it home, and had a blast. This was also the time EVERYONE had the name Pro Tools was on their lips. I created 2 tracks; one called 7 Days, and another I can't recall. They were around the 4 minute mark in length, and I was told they were good, but needed to be longer. I should have listened.
Life decided I needed to go in a different direction. Become a fan of music, not a creator of it, Dad!
Pandemic
Empty Nesting
As the Living Separately Together phase took over the world, many took to music for comfort, and release. Stressors were high for all; everyone was affected. Worldwide. Music has always been worldwide. It is a universal language.
While we all hunkered in our domestic locales, online presences were blowing up. Mixr was being shut down, and many migrated to YouTube and Twitch. I followed a streamer to Twitch. Having used Mixr for music, I figured why not Twitch? Let's see what's out there.
I saw my first B2B on a Friday night, and my life changed forever. DJs were a thing on Twitch. I immediately thought I can do that. I want to do that.
Let's DJ
It's a beat thing
After following many DJ's on Twitch, I realized that I had followed Serato, thinking that was the DJ that had been playing the great set I had watched. I had no idea they made DJ software. After researching an affordable DJ controller, I decided on the Pioneer DDJ-SB3.
The first two tracks I looped and played together did so amazingly well, even though I had no idea what I was doing. I was pushing buttons and turning nobs. I was in.
As I tinkered with the new equipment and software, I realized I was making beats, and trying to record things to play over other things. Aww crud, I'm producing.
Let's Produce
It's a DJ Thing
Massive investments in physical equipment, dusting off the old Casio Workstation I've had for years, refreshing my music theory knowledge from years prior (see first section!) are all on the menu.
While all this is going on I'm finding new DJ's and music on Twitch. I stumble across a DJ who is sharing that she quit being a Sound Engineer for a major company, to follow her love of music. I could relate.
I realized I didn't have the foundation to be able to create music on a successful level. I believed a good path would be to learn to play the keyboard. Magical things happen around pianos. Why not DJ while learning the keys? Song structure, timing, yeah ok.
let's dj part deux
full circle
After making the decision to apply myself to learning the craft of Disk Jockeying, I have found I have fallen in love with it.
Music has the power to heal, and to help. I believe putting positivity into the world is needed, and might be a bit more-so now. Love and support can help those who may not believe it would, regardless the form it may arrive in.
Let's make this world a better place and use music to do it! 💜 The future is waiting!