It’s amazing how much a song can change with a couple of pushes of a button. That mediocre song can immediately become your favorite by combining different melodies together. Take any of the remixes by Skrillex for example. Going along with the music theme, this week’s campus celebrity Adam Britt explains exactly what DJs do and how they can perfectly sync different sounds together and transition between songs to keep the audience entertained and pumped up at any event. It’s not quite like what you’ve seen on TV; DJs do a lot more than twist the turntables. Let me tell you from experience- it’s a lot harder than it looks!
How did you become interested in music?
My grandparents took me to the symphony a lot when I was little and when I turned five, I started piano lessons. Then at age 12, I learned to play guitar and trumpet, and my senior year in high school I played euphonium. Music has always been a huge part of my life.
Did you always want to be a DJ?
I never really thought about it until high school when I got into electronic music. I saw Basshunter and Steve Aoki perform in Milwaukee and I was curious about the process, so I got some turntables and practiced until I got the hang of it.
Who do you look up to most in the music industry?
Madeon, Big Gigantic, Pretty Lights, Dillon Francis, RL Grime, Minnesota, Flosstradamus, and Milkman are all up there.
Where have you performed?
My first few events were graduations and house parties back home last summer. In Madison, I’ve performed at several Witte Hall events, a fundraiser at Union South, and a bunch of parties at Sigma Chi fraternity. Also, this past summer, I played every weekend at Rookie’s Sports Bar & Grill in Okauchee, Wisconsin.
What are your goals for the future with music?
In the short term, I plan to spend more of my spare time producing and promoting my music. Beyond that, I want to find a consistent DJ job in Madison by the summer. I need an excuse to stay in town, and I would basically be getting paid to do what I love.
How about long-term goals?
I have no idea. If I ever have a big enough fan base I would love to just DJ for the rest of my life, but realistically I see it as more of a hobby.
What’s your DJ name? How did you come up with it?
DJ Britt. I wanted to keep it simple.
Explain the process of creating mixed versions of songs. How long does it take?
For mashups, I isolate parts of songs in the same key and I figure out which sounds combine well through trial and error. Then I match the tempos and record the sounds over each other in layers. The more layers I want to use, the more time it takes. For mixes, like the one I made for Halloween, I take a group of similar songs and try to transition between them smoothly. With mixes, the focus is more on song choice, transitions, and effects.
How do you make sure the songs flow together?
I adjust the tempo and sometimes the pitch of the upcoming song. That’s what DJs are doing when their headphones are on – they’re listening to the next song and adjusting it to match the song playing.
Where can people access your music?
http://soundcloud.com/dj_britt