Although some people may argue with this title’s thesis, the definition of a musician is someone who creates music. You can be a performer, conductor, or composer to qualify in this area.
If you are a DJ, you are playing music. Even if you play a different mix for an audience, it’s still a playback job instead of a creative endeavor.
You might say that a DJ creates something new by playing different loops or songs to build unique creations or mixes, but that makes it more of a performance than a creative endeavor. Would you call someone playing songs on the radio a musician?
Does that perspective change if that person plays music for people at a social event, party, or club?
Are DJs Musicians?
DJs can be musicians, but it is not a position that inherently demands composition or conducting skills. There is a performance element to the work. What matters is the reasoning behind what they do instead of merely “doing” something within the musical realm.
When you look at the primary function of a DJ, their job is to play pre-recorded music to an audience. From that view, it’s a job function.
It’s like a photographer who takes portraits for people. Although there is an artistic element to taking a picture, one must look at the endeavor’s purpose to determine the eventual expression.
When a photographer takes a picture of a sunset with the expectation that they’ll turn it into artwork, that perspective makes the individual an artist.
Suppose a DJ creates a distinct composition from loops, pre-recorded songs, or unique sounds from their creation to produce something specific and new. In that case, that can qualify the individual as a musician.
Another example would be driving a vehicle. If you hop into the car to take a road trip with the family, you’re a driver.
When you get behind the wheel of an F1 racecar, you’re still a driver. When you take on an artistic driving style like drifting, you become a drifter.
If you put a DJ into a studio to make music, that makes them a musician. When they stand on a stage to hit the “Return” button on their MacBook to play a mix, they are not.
What about Musicians Who Perform on Stage?
The question that comes up from those who support the idea that DJs are musicians involves the performance. If singers are still musicians when they are on stage, why isn’t that definition extended to DJs?
That argument could apply to anyone who plays an instrument: drummers, guitarists, pianists, etc.
The difference is simple. Singers and instrumentalists are still producing music from their skillset while performing.
If the individual doesn’t take action, there will not be anything made for the audience to hear. A DJ doesn’t need to do anything but pushing a button to start playing something in the simplest definition of this job.
If a DJ works on a unique beat during a live performance while using technology to develop a sound, one could make an argument that they’re a musician at that moment.
Why? Because without that activity, there wouldn’t be specific modifications made to the performance that qualifies it as unique.
To eliminate the distinction between the two issues, some people say that DJs are individuals who only play music in front of a crowd. Producers become the people who make music in a studio, on the stage, or somewhere else.
In that view, a producer is a musician while a DJ is not.
■ Where to Draw the Line on DJs and Musicians
I think we can all agree that a DJ who uses decks to manipulate sounds is a musician. Their beat juggles, scratches, and audio alterations can produce new music by creating new sounds.
The turntable becomes an instrument, much like a trumpet, saxophone, or bongos.
Although classically trained musicians might balk at this concept, a person doesn’t need to have formal music theory training to produce something new.
It takes as much time to learn how to play the euphonium or the piano as it does to operate a turntable with current software loops, commands, and recording techniques.
When examining this event, it is essential to review the performance’s purpose to determine if musicianship exists.
If someone is scratching over existing music by mimicking a beat that already exists, it disqualifies them from being musicians.
When they use their skills to make something new, it is much easier to reach that definition.
■ The Avicii Problem with the Musician Definition
Tim Bergling, who is also known by the stage name Avicii, still influences modern music today, although none of us have had access to his talents since 2018.
Although no official cause of death was reported in the days after his death, the family eventually released a statement that talked about how he hated the spotlight and struggled with modern music’s “business machine.”
When you watch the single “Wake Me Up,” it’s apparent to the average person listening to the song or watching the video that Avicii is a musician.
The title peaked No. 4 in the United States and reached the top of the charts in Europe.
Bergling posted remixes on music forums at 16, which eventually took him to his first record deal.
He released a single called “Levels” in 2011, while a debut studio album came out in 2013 that blended multiple music genres.
Levels earned a Grammy Award nomination in 2013, and Avicii got another for his work with David Guetta on a piece called “Sunshine.”
When Bergling was asked about his music knowledge, he was always upfront about the fact that he didn’t know much music theory.
His creative process involved clicking around a MIDI roll, an onscreen piano, until he found the different notes, tones, and sounds he liked.
It’s a place where experimentation and discovery are encouraged because the same performance rules don’t apply. That brings a DJ on a similar path toward the world of musicianship instead of entertainment alone.
FAQ about DJs Working as Musicians (or Not)
Most of the discussion points that involve being musicians or not invite the following questions when reviewing this subject.
Although the answers are relatively straightforward, you’ll still find some debating the merits of the crucial points in each section.
How do you feel about the subject?
■ Does a DJ Offer Live Music Services?
Although you’re listening to music when you attend a show hosted by a DJ, you’re not getting live music.
You can listen to “Do I Wanna Know?” by the Arctic Monkeys on YouTube as easily at home as you do at a club.
It might be a different atmosphere when you can dance with friends or have a few drinks, but the social element isn’t part of the musical performance.
There’s nothing live about a DJ who plays a record for an audience. You could play the same song with your YouTube app and a couple of speakers in a park to get a similar result.
If you see a DJ using a MIDI controller to trigger sounds, a keyboard, or turntables to manipulate sounds, you could make the argument that those actions qualify as live music.
That’s why some people see a difference between DJs and Producers in this industry.
■ Does a DJ Play an Instrument?
For the most part, a DJ doesn’t play a musical instrument. Their decks are closer to a media player or a soundboard that provides volume or tempo adjustments.
It depends on the equipment quality that the DJ uses to create music. If the deck isn’t capable of anything except sound playback, it doesn’t typically qualify as an instrument.
When you can make new sounds, add loops, or create notes in other ways, the uniqueness could qualify as music.
If it is a one-time performance that won’t be duplicated, it might be tougher to call the equipment an instrument.
Although you don’t need sheet music to create something, there should be some record of the DJs work to help it stand out from other works.
■ Who Is a Musician?
Musicians are people that create music from scratch. It can include rapping, singing, playing instruments, or making a beat.
If a DJ takes the time to record a new beat to play during a performance, that action qualifies as music because the purpose is creative.
When different songs get played in unique ways, those mixes become a gray area where some see the work as a musician and others see something else.
When the only thing you do as a DJ is play songs that others have created, that removes the idea of being a musician.
■ Can a DJ Be Considered an Artist?
Are DJs artists? The answer depends on a person’s definition of what it means to be an artist. If you see it as an effort to evoke emotions from an audience or create a specific reaction, you’ll see a DJ as an artist.
When your definition says that artists are people who create something new to produce a particular reaction, some DJs won’t meet that qualifier.
That’s why you can see separate definitions for “DJ” and “Producer” in some circles.
If you define an artist as someone who uses a specific musical instrument, a DJ deck doesn’t always qualify. In that situation, most would not meet the definition of being an artist.
What Is It like to Be a DJ?
Since being a DJ is well outside of the realm of a “normal” job, a lot of people wonder what it is like to be one.
Although it is seen as a fun career, there’s a lot of hard work that happens behind the scenes of every set. You’re working when other people are having fun.
You also have a brand to establish and maintain as a DJ to get people to come to see your shows.
Even with all of the hard work, you’re potentially touring the world while listening, playing, and finding musical influences.
Once you can start performing on different stages, it’s much easier to make and sell your own compositions.
Recordings are not where the money is in the music world. You get paid when you play the gigs, just like any other artist.
That’s why there can be some confusion in defining a DJ being a musician or something else.
It’s not unusual to have people think that being a DJ means you push a button on your computer and dance for an hour.
It’s not that way most of the time, but there can be moments when it feels like you’re at a radio station instead of a party.
■ It Can Be Expensive to Be a DJ
When you decide to pursue the dream of becoming a DJ, you’ll need enough capital to have some equipment to use.
There are also ways to practice the theories and basics of being a DJ at home for free. As your skills increase, you’ll start to get more gigs.
That’s when you’ll need professional equipment to make your brand stand out from the rest of the competition.
You’ll also need to purchase high-quality music files to play during your shows. When you play music or create it, you’ll find that you get what you pay for with your performances.
If your work rises above what others are doing, you’ll get noticed eventually.
What Does It Take to Get Noticed as a DJ?
You’ll need to work longer hours, put in more effort, and have more dedication than the people who “think” they can be a DJ. This opportunity is something you must earn.
At some point, the gigs you play can pay for the equipment used for other shows. If you stay dedicated to the art and music, you’ll eventually reach a place where you can start calling the shots.
What Do You Think about DJs Being Musicians?
When you live the DJ life, it can seem a lot of fun at first. If it creates a lifestyle that sits outside of what you usually do, the work feels like an adventure.
Once you see how much travel is involved in DJing, it’s not unusual for many beginners to drop out. You’re on the road a lot in this career, especially in the early days when you want to establish yourself.
Unless you have money to put up for overnight stays out of your own pocket, most DJing events are whistlestop events. You’ll drive or fly to the show, run the gig, and return home after.
When everyone is drinking and having fun, you need to stay sober and be a professional.
Some DJs appreciate the extra attention that comes from the opposite sex, but even then, many people have their own agenda that they follow with those relationships.
You can certainly find enough trials and tribulations in the DJ world to compare it to the life of a musician.
There are also some specific definitions of being a musician that not every DJ follows.
Can a DJ be a musician? Yes, but not all of them are.