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Help, I am getting bored with my music, what should I do?

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:55 pm
by sdswingr
Seriously, I haven't gone on a total music geek out in at least two years. I am getting burnt out with the stuff I have, any suggestions before I burn up in the atmosphere?

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:46 pm
by fredo
Buy more music.

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:58 pm
by sdswingr
wow, so helpful

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:10 pm
by Eyeball
Tim - what do you have now?

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:41 pm
by Matthew
Give your collection to me, and then buy different stuff.

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:54 pm
by fredo
oKey doKey,

I like to listen to songs where I really dig a particular sound or solo, and then look up in the liner notes who the members of that band were(are). Then I note which names ring a bell from other recordings I have, and start researching who else they played with. Often times you will find that your favorite musician played with a lot of other cool people, and then viola, you're on your way to more magical music moments.

hope this is helpful.

Re: Help, I am getting bored with my music, what should I do

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:57 am
by Haydn
sdswingr wrote:Seriously, I haven't gone on a total music geek out in at least two years. I am getting burnt out with the stuff I have, any suggestions before I burn up in the atmosphere?
I've found there are so many online samples these days, at sites like these ...

http://wm03.allmusic.com/
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.cduniverse.com/

There's a lot of cross-referencing to do (e.g. by listing all recordings of a particular track). After doing this, if you still feel 'burnt out' then what about taking a break?

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:39 pm
by djstarr
Listen to the radio. My favorite, "The Art Of Jazz", is broadcast 3 to 6 PM Pacific Time on Sundays, available on kplu.org for Internet listening.

And when traveling, I've found really good stations on the left hand of the dial (FM), try looking at your local radio stations for specialty jazz broadcasts.

The mainstream jazz shows are ok, especially if you like Diana Krall and Jamie Cullum :P but I've found the specialty shows, like "The Art of Jazz", or "Swing Years and Beyond" which runs Saturday nights on KUOW are great for finding more music you want to DJ.

I also find great tracks listening to my fellow DJs in Seattle, I'm lucky that they all have really good stuff.

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:21 pm
by alainw
what Freddie said.

One of the best advice I got came from Ryan Swift from NY. At some point, I asked him about how to find good music (or find a similar sounding song) and he told me to pay attention to the musicians in my favorite recordings.

By looking up the musicians in the liner notes, and using allmusic, you've got the tools to go on an almost endless path of discovery and treasure hunting.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:30 am
by Cyrano de Maniac
djstarr wrote:Listen to the radio. My favorite, "The Art Of Jazz", is broadcast 3 to 6 PM Pacific Time on Sundays, available on kplu.org for Internet listening.
Well, as long as we're plugging stations, I'll mention KBEM (Minneapolis), at jazz88fm.com (live streaming available). This independent public radio station is run by the Minneapolis school system, and I've been exposed to more good jazz and blues there than anywhere except dances.

Exactly what type of jazz you'll hear depends on the particular program. The bulk of it, particularly during the daytime, is locally programmed, though they do carry a few national shows (e.g. Jazz at Lincoln Center). The daytime programs on the weekend leave something to be desired (unless you're into bluegrass or Latin jazz), though I do highly recommand A Little Taste of Heaven on Sunday mornings.

When Solomon was riding in my car a few years ago he really liked what he heard there, and said he wished he had this station at home, if that's any indication of what to expect. :)

Brent

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:16 am
by Lawrence
I also listen to stuff I have put away for years.

I have tried Fredo's tactic, as well, of researching the back-up band and finding other stuff they are in. But your problem is that you are sick of that stuff, so it probably would just lead you to more of the same.

Instead, try going the other direction and think completely outside the box of what you consider "Swing" music to be. That's how the whole expansion into small-group mainstream jazz (Oscar Peterson stuff) and Groove-Swing happened in the late-90s; people got burned out on the obvious Vintage Swing Era and Modern Neo Swing stuff and tried looking outside that box. We dance to rhythm, not eras, so anything backed by a decent, solid Swing Rhythm should suffice.

I was a BIG Chicago Blues fan before I ever learned to dance. But when I started dancing (to Vintage Swing and Neo Swing), I tried dancing to Chicago Blues and remember thinking (in dismay) that it just didn't work. I then became a rather adament Vintage-Swing advocate, until I got bored, thought outside the box, and tried expanding my ken. Turned out I just wasn't that good a dancer when I thought Lindy Hop wouldn't fit Chicago Blues. A whole new pool of music opened up: one that I already knew I loved but had ignored for a long time. Now Chicago Blues is a staple in my DJing that I can pull out when other stuff is not working.

Re: Help, I am getting bored with my music, what should I do

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:04 am
by remysun
sdswingr wrote:Seriously, I haven't gone on a total music geek out in at least two years. I am getting burnt out with the stuff I have, any suggestions before I burn up in the atmosphere?
So glad to hear you say that. Self contentment with your collection is the worst thing that can happen to a DJ. Like that saying that a truly wise man knows that he knows nothing, a DJ should know that they can never truly capture the entire spectrum of awesome music. It is and should be a quest for the Holy Grail.

That said, your method of musical association does have its drawbacks. If that is your entire strategy, then you can never be exposed to music outside of that circle. At some point, that becomes a creative rut.

I'm always trying to find new sources for music, and often find commercials to be a great lead. Verizon has been an effective argument in getting "Candyman" played, although Christina Aguilera's probably another one, depending, but what I'm trying to say is that commercials are already trying to tap into that Jungian consciousness. So it makes no sense to use music that has reached the point of repulsion, and have those feelings transferred upon the product that is being promoted.

I came across Mocean Worker from three sources: the end credits of CEO Exchange, a Fresh Air with Terry Gross segue, and the Macy's commercial where all the celebs are prepping their displays. Three different songs on two different albums! I've got a new fave, perfect for moments when the mix starts to seem too archaic.

Currently, I'm trying to discover the background music in Desperate Housewives promos. And I'm also asking about live acts in another thread. If you apply your association algorhythm on top of that, you quickly find more things that could interest you, in a way that hopefully doesn't leave you weary.

Good luck!

Re: Help, I am getting bored with my music, what should I do

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:08 am
by JesseMiner
sdswingr wrote:Seriously, I haven't gone on a total music geek out in at least two years. I am getting burnt out with the stuff I have, any suggestions before I burn up in the atmosphere?
I recommend you start exploring eMusic.com (and read the eMusic recommendations thread). A basic $9.99/month subscription is not too pricy to get you started. You can explore artists/songs/albums in a similar to allmusic.com and then easily buy anything you find you like! eMusic's selection of swinging jazz and blues just keeps getting better and better. I bet it will really help to freshen up your collection and inspire you with some unfamiliar tracks.

And if you have a current member of eMusic recommend you, both you and the member get 50 free downloads! :)

Jesse

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:46 am
by Nate Dogg
If you follow Jesse's suggestions, this might be helpful to you. Album lists I saved on eMusic, I have been updating it a lot recently with all the recent label additions.

Nathan

Nathan's Albums For Lindy Hoppers

Nathan's Albums For Lindy Hopper's 2


Nathan's Albums For Lindy Hopper's 3

I have been digging around, a lot of cool CDs were added to eMusic over the past year that slipped past my attention. A lot of CDs that I either bought a record store or through half.com over the past seven years. A DJ starting out today can build their collection pretty fast if he or she uses eMusic and iTunes efficiently. Case in point, CDs that were rare and hard to find are showing up on eMusic at dirt cheap prices (Definitive Black and Blue).

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 5:42 am
by remysun
TV shows are another great source. My whole concept of my music collection was influenced by the endless jukebox and KBHR on "Northern Exposure". The update, "Men In Trees", similarly has poignant lyrics attached to cool grooves. Fans of many shows go wild updating the info on Wikipedia, which makes digging up the song all the easier.

That has helped my cool factor in downloading tunes from an Internet jukebox at my favorite watering hole, and with the hit and miss that comes from trying new stuff out all the time, I could use all the help I can get.