Classical DJs

Classical DJs

Watching a room full of sweaty clubbers dancing in time to the pulsating beats you've skilfully interwoven is no longer the domain of a select few die-hard DJs. While a passion for dance music and the whole clubbing scene are important, a deeper understanding of music has helped some classically trained musicians to become some of today's most successful DJs.

San Francisco-based drum 'n' bass duo Bachelors of Science's producer Rene is one such example, having made the successful transition from classical pianist to master mixer. He graduated with an honours degree in music from Anglia University before moving to San Francisco, where he continued to work as a solo pianist in the bay area, using his spare time to pursue his interest in the city's thriving electronica scene.

'While I was at college in the UK, the dance music scene really exploded and that's how I got interested in DJ-ing,' says Rene. When he moved to San Francisco he met Chris Doe, a hardcore DJ in the UK during the early 1990s. In exchange for a few lessons on how to compose and produce tunes, Doe taught Rene everything he needed to know about beat matching and mixing.

DJ-ing is a skill that you get better with over time, according to Rene: 'Learning the music, artists and how the scene works takes the most time.' Technically, a classical background provides the perfect foundations for a successful DJ. 'Not only will you be familiar with song structure, so that you instinctively know how a song will progress, but one of the more advanced DJ-ing techniques we use is mixing by key,' says Rene. This technique involves combing through records to work out each track's basic key, and knowing that if a track is in E minor it's not going to work next to one in Bb major.

'a good feel of pitch can really help in the tune selection'

A good sense of pitch is something international headliner John B (pictured above and far right) values highly from his classical piano training. 'Especially when I'm playing very melodic stuff, trancey tunes with a definite key, a good feel of pitch can really help in the tune selection,' he says. Drum 'n' bass legend Goldie picked this one-time reticent science graduate to become one of the leading stars of his Metalheadz label. He became a major draw on the international club scene, pulling in the crowds across the world. Yet, whether he is playing liquid funk or Latin, John B still admits to drawing on his classical background when attempting to create the perfect set.

'I sometimes get strange eureka moments, probably some sort of DJ perfect pitch, where I can visualise the next track and the keys matching or clashing.' Working in the industry he has even come across some DJs who write down what key a track is in on the record sleeve to help build better sets.

Technical appreciation of the music and skill behind its creation was a driving factor in turning Leeds-based Piers Williamson into the DJ and producer Vivid Prophet. 'I am quite an intellectual musician and want to understand how things hang together,' says Williamson. 'When I heard drum 'n' bass for the first time I thought, "Wow, that is awesome, how do you do that?" For a musician who had written some really complex stuff it really stumped me.'

With a degree in contemporary classical composition under his belt, Williamson went from studying Stravinsky, Penderecki, Ligeti and Lutoslawski to being a drum 'n' bass producer. 'My classical training allows me, in the production areas, to essentially formulate how to do anything that I need to do,' says Piers. 'It gives me the nuts and bolts to do complex arrangements or standard harmonisation when required.'

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