AV sampling on the next level
Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 13:26
One of the great achievements of hip hop music is that it helped the art of sampling evolve into a legitimate musical genre. Ever since the Sugar Hill Gang topped the charts with the epic bass line from Chic's 'Good Times', the game was on.
Now we've arrived in the next millennium, and DJ Jay-E is taking it to the next level. Sampling and remixing classic video clips, cartoons, tv shows, movies and fresh material into one big pop culture mash up, our feet are a-rocking, and our eyes are a-popping. When the member of the ScreenWerks crew then mentions using Resolume to make all this happen, we figure it was time to let you in on the fun.
You're first and foremost a DJ/producer, and Resolume Avenue is first and foremost a VJ app. What gives?
I was always into film and movies and I always wanted to do something with visuals to my music, so I decided I was going to stop my audio DJ shows and get into VJing. I felt there were more creative avenues then just being a audio DJ. Almost like looking at familiar songs in a whole different way.
Can you explain a bit more about ScreenWerks? Who are the members?
Screenwerks is a crew of VJs Steve1der, Jordan Laws, 2nd Nature, and myself, with the backbone and brains of the operation Shecky Green. 2nd Nature and I were just talking one day about getting a crew together of VJs. So we called up friends of ours that are VJs, Steve1der and Jordan Laws. They were down for the movement, and we agreed that we needed someone to make sense of it all. So we called Shecky Green and so we got started.
What inspired you to start adding video content to your DJ sets?
2nd Nature was a big inspiration, all his sets and video content was always amazing to me. From effects and content to turntable skills, he just made me wanna be a part of the VJ world and perfect my style of VJing.
Is incorporating video just a matter of finding the video that comes with the audio samples, or is there more to it?
I think it's more. I think finding video or content is just the first step, but adding layers, effects and other visual candy really makes it YOUR video.
Can you explain the process of creating a VDJ set?
It's different visuals for every gig. If it's a house set it's more ambient and and visual fxs. If it's a top 40 type gig I use a lot of pop culture visuals and movies, stuff people are familiar with.
Is a typical VDJ set a pre-programmed play list, or do you select different tracks depending on the night? How do you work things live?
I keep a 'run-to' crate if I need to push it up to the next level, but most of the time I rely on the crowd and go which way the crowd takes me.
What is your live setup like? What gear and apps do you use, and how is everything connected?
Haha I always run into new stuff, but my current set up is a Macbook Pro laptop with Serato and Mix Emergency. I use this with two Technics 1200s that control Serato and a Pioneer DJM 800. I'm a fan of how the DJM 800 performs on the sound quality and the audio effects, and the fact that it sends out midi. I also use another Macbook Pro with Avenue on it. I use this for added visual effects, ambient, and sound effects with visuals. Like for example if I wanted to drop a sweep noise on a big build up it would have some kind of visual effect with it also. I also use it for the text, and I show the Macbook's iSight with Avenue as well.
Both MacBooks go into a DVI mixer called TV One Task 1T-C2-750 "love this box" that's how both Macbook visuals are combined. The key feature on this is amazing. To trigger both laptops I use an iPad with TouchOSC. It talks to both laptops. So for Mix Emergency I have a template that controls certain mix transitions and effects. On another page I have it triggering Avenue clips and effects.
Have you ever worked with Pioneer DVJ's? What do you think about them?
Never have, I'm a turntable guy.
Sometimes your visual content is the actual video clip, sometimes it's all fresh material, but always there is some additional work done on the video. Do you do all this yourself?
Most I do myself but i have guys/friends that give me new stuff from time to time.
How do you deal with copyright issues?
Knock on wood but no one has said anything. I understand how they could say something but I come from a hip hop background and with that being said I used to chop and loop old records and make a new piece of music out of that. I look at this the same way.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I'm currently finishing up a new mix that's called "Roswell's Chicken N Waffles", a sci fi video mix. It will be on screenwerks.tv and JayEBeats.com soon!
Now we've arrived in the next millennium, and DJ Jay-E is taking it to the next level. Sampling and remixing classic video clips, cartoons, tv shows, movies and fresh material into one big pop culture mash up, our feet are a-rocking, and our eyes are a-popping. When the member of the ScreenWerks crew then mentions using Resolume to make all this happen, we figure it was time to let you in on the fun.
You're first and foremost a DJ/producer, and Resolume Avenue is first and foremost a VJ app. What gives?
I was always into film and movies and I always wanted to do something with visuals to my music, so I decided I was going to stop my audio DJ shows and get into VJing. I felt there were more creative avenues then just being a audio DJ. Almost like looking at familiar songs in a whole different way.
Can you explain a bit more about ScreenWerks? Who are the members?
Screenwerks is a crew of VJs Steve1der, Jordan Laws, 2nd Nature, and myself, with the backbone and brains of the operation Shecky Green. 2nd Nature and I were just talking one day about getting a crew together of VJs. So we called up friends of ours that are VJs, Steve1der and Jordan Laws. They were down for the movement, and we agreed that we needed someone to make sense of it all. So we called Shecky Green and so we got started.
What inspired you to start adding video content to your DJ sets?
2nd Nature was a big inspiration, all his sets and video content was always amazing to me. From effects and content to turntable skills, he just made me wanna be a part of the VJ world and perfect my style of VJing.
Is incorporating video just a matter of finding the video that comes with the audio samples, or is there more to it?
I think it's more. I think finding video or content is just the first step, but adding layers, effects and other visual candy really makes it YOUR video.
Can you explain the process of creating a VDJ set?
It's different visuals for every gig. If it's a house set it's more ambient and and visual fxs. If it's a top 40 type gig I use a lot of pop culture visuals and movies, stuff people are familiar with.
Is a typical VDJ set a pre-programmed play list, or do you select different tracks depending on the night? How do you work things live?
I keep a 'run-to' crate if I need to push it up to the next level, but most of the time I rely on the crowd and go which way the crowd takes me.
What is your live setup like? What gear and apps do you use, and how is everything connected?
Haha I always run into new stuff, but my current set up is a Macbook Pro laptop with Serato and Mix Emergency. I use this with two Technics 1200s that control Serato and a Pioneer DJM 800. I'm a fan of how the DJM 800 performs on the sound quality and the audio effects, and the fact that it sends out midi. I also use another Macbook Pro with Avenue on it. I use this for added visual effects, ambient, and sound effects with visuals. Like for example if I wanted to drop a sweep noise on a big build up it would have some kind of visual effect with it also. I also use it for the text, and I show the Macbook's iSight with Avenue as well.
Both MacBooks go into a DVI mixer called TV One Task 1T-C2-750 "love this box" that's how both Macbook visuals are combined. The key feature on this is amazing. To trigger both laptops I use an iPad with TouchOSC. It talks to both laptops. So for Mix Emergency I have a template that controls certain mix transitions and effects. On another page I have it triggering Avenue clips and effects.
Have you ever worked with Pioneer DVJ's? What do you think about them?
Never have, I'm a turntable guy.
Sometimes your visual content is the actual video clip, sometimes it's all fresh material, but always there is some additional work done on the video. Do you do all this yourself?
Most I do myself but i have guys/friends that give me new stuff from time to time.
How do you deal with copyright issues?
Knock on wood but no one has said anything. I understand how they could say something but I come from a hip hop background and with that being said I used to chop and loop old records and make a new piece of music out of that. I look at this the same way.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I'm currently finishing up a new mix that's called "Roswell's Chicken N Waffles", a sci fi video mix. It will be on screenwerks.tv and JayEBeats.com soon!