Disc Jockey (DJ)
The tradition of the DJ is much older than one might think. Originally the term designated a person who selected and played music for an audience in a specific context, such as a radio show, discothèque, nightclub, etc. Later the DJ would be found serving techno music parties and raves.

The role of the DJ has changed dramatically in the past 20 years or so, DJs now being recognized as musicians or artists. Some DJs produce original works using existing musical materials. It might be said that the DJ appropriates the work of other musicians to exploit (in a positive sense) the sound materials in a manner the original artist would be incapable of doing.

In hip hop music the DJ is often accompanied by an MC (Master of Ceremony), the “rapper”. The DJ “scratches” vinyl discs, i.e. modifies the speed and playing direction of the disc, simultaneously using the stylus to “play” the disc. Using these techniques in conjunction with a mixing board, the DJ alters the sound and creates new rhythms using the recorded material found on the discs. The board has faders and cross-faders, allowing the DJ to cut or cross-fade between two separate turntables. A number of diverse scratching techniques have evolved, including cutting, transforming, or the flare, which can be combined or alternated.

Technically speaking, traditional DJing — that which uses the contents of a vinyl disc as a sonic and rhythmic source — is in a terminal phase. On the one hand, vinyl discs are increasingly rare and expensive, and on the other, recent changes in technology allow the DJ to create their music with much more flexibility and simplicity. Vinyl discs containing MP3 recordings have recently appeared on the market which, when used in combination with a computer to decode them, offer the DJ the possibility of much more subtle transformations. The tactile aspect of the tradition has been retained, but the DJ has gained the possibility of much more precise rhythmic synchronization and can now store a great amount of music on only a few discs.