GridStream Productions

All right, just curious on some opinions. Some of you may know that I am tring to convince GSP to take me in as a DJ, and others of you may not know that. It's not realy the point though, but I didn't feel I could realy ask my question without making sure that people understood that is one of my goals.

So my question is this... What do you expect out of a GSP DJ? It could be anything (Do you expect them to drink on air and consider it odd when one does a show sober? Do you expect a certain type of voice? A certain personality?) Whatever you can think of, I'm just curious what the listeners expect out of GSP DJs. If a GSP DJ would like to reply to this and say what they expect of of themselfs or there fellow DJs, I would be thankful if they would not comment as what I have or don't have toward being a DJ but instead just what you feel people that are GSP DJ's need in general. (IE: So no saying Well Mumon when I saw your app I said X to it because I saw Y about it please)

Someone havin a good time...
No matter how they're doin it, if they're having a laugh, odds are, so will we.

Take Trist' for instance... I'm not a big fan of the music (sowy Trist') yet I still tune in on occassion cus she likes what she's doin, and often enough, that's enough to make it better than my play list... And my play list includes all the Goldfinger I could possibly wish for, so that's sayin som'n.

No set personality is expected... Just that they have fun. It shows if they are or not!






Tm

Love what you're doing is the #1 factor. I mean anyone can toss tunes up and say "hey.. this is that song, by that one group, you know with the hair?" but to come across as you like it?.. that's genuine. I always have a blast when I'm doing a show mainly because music is my #1 addiction. Being able to spread it to the masses is just awesome, whether they like the music or not, just knowing.. what you hear is what they're hearing so it just comes across as a kick ass feeling

Type of Music?, man that's your own thing. Don't let anyone convince you to play one certain music over another. When I joined no one said "YOU PLAY THIS AND ONLY THIS" everyone was cool and said you're the dj, play what you feel like playing. Therefore I took the role of tossing up oldskool tracks on my normal show. But even then you don't have to stick to it or get in trouble for not doing so hehe, I mean hell when I'm dj'ng TUESDAYS 11PMEST *PLUG* lol I usually stick to my oldskool cause that's what people have come to expect to hear on my normal show and that's why most tune in, for nostalgia and good laughs at the old cheesy thing we thought were so cool "back in the day". "Nintendo Powerglove, everything else... is childs play." <-- Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.

Any other day though? Hell I'll play whatever comes to mind.

All in the end, it comes down to "do you love what you do" If so, that's what matters

Oh yeah and equal sharing of the bagels too! Now the blueberry ones, they go in order of seniority, so we can't guarentee blueberry bagels to the newbies just yet *me included* lol One day.. yes one day.. I WILL get a blueberry one yummmmm

On another note, the audience likes *yes I can say what the audience tends to like, cause I used to be one for years* someone who can generally get along with anyone and be cool about it. I mean like, when I tuned in, I heard all the DJ's say like "HEY WE got so and so and switchfront just walked in, and oh yeah so and so is here too, we've got a good crowd goin" I mean just that simple little recognition that you were there and you were noticed, I loved it and therefore I kept coming back over and over.

Drunk or Sober? Hell we don't care.. well I know I DIDN'T.. but who knows, to each their own. Like me for example? I am soooo talkative when I'm a lil drunk, and a lot of people tend to like that side of me better cause I'm usually the quiet one. It's like it opens me up and lets me be who I exactly try to be but sometimes don't always accomplish that. So usually every show I'll take a few drinks just to loosen up and give you all a decent show. I won't drink til I can't even read the letters of the songs lol.. that's just too far. I keep it within "responsible" limits. So again, it all comes down to "your call, whatever you want". just like Coming to America. "What is it you like to do?... " Girl replies "Whatever it is that you like?.." Eddie - "I know what IIII Like.. but I want to know what YOU like..." Girl replies again "Whatever it is that you like?..."

Obviously this goes nowhere lol.. When I open request I usually tend to play the songs requested but not always. If I really don't like the song, I'm not going to play it. If I did, I'd be like that girl *only a lil more hair and a bit more of an extension haha* and I'd not enjoy myself at all. So I'd be setting there for 5 min or so waiting for what I would consider a "dull / overplayed / no talent" song, just depending on the song

It's not that I have anything against the people who request them, it's just my personal preference and that's what you need to realize, it's your call

I hope this opens a few shades and lets a little light in, especially coming from me, one of the newest DJ's. I just hope that I'm doing a good enough job to keep you all entertained Who knows, everyone could be talking behind my back saying... "geezus.. here comes oldskool kentucky hick man again* haha None the less, I don't let personal attacks get me, I get a good ol /ignore goin and life is fine and dandy

I personally think you have an awesome personality, I chatted with you on Skype and had a blast just cutting up. That tells me j00 got po-ten-chul So don't give up, you've got my vote!!!

-Switcheh

Mumon I got only one advice which can both apply to a GSP DJ or any Dj or any person really!

Be yourself!

Be yourself!

Amen to that!

One of the things I've always liked about GSP djs is their willingness to be themselves on air. I've heard a lot of people on regular radio that couldn't dj to save their lives (how they got jobs in the industry baffles me to this day), the problem almost always comes from their trying to be what they arn't. Don't just play act at it, love what you do and show it.
I don't look for any particular music with GSP, everybody plays something different and I can usually tell who's djing by whats on air. I have somewhat frighteningly eclectic tastes, so I'll listen to whoever is on air. It's the dj far more then the type of music, that will hold my attention. Are they funny? Are they having fun? Am I going to laugh, sympathize, be amused? Almost invariably when it comes to GSP djs, the answer is yes. Which, as Oddysee said, makes them better then any playlist I could come up with.
I love listening to both the ingame chatter, or the RL stuff. Whether it's Veld's running commentary on who's wearing what underwear in the club, or Decavolt doing an entire show while he beats his system into a bloody heap for not working right. They share their thoughts, they have fun doing it, and thats what holds my attention.

--Kayten

My little sister is freakin' smart.

What I love in a DJ.... *slaps up "your Mileage May Vary" disclaimer sticker*

There are certain things that make a DJ stand out as excellent in my eyes:

1) PERSONALITY! Not the look, not the voice, not the genre and not the groupies (or lack thereof), but the simple essence of personality. Some people have it, more people don't. It's the biggest simple factor in making someone engaging, entertaining and listenable. And it CAN'T be faked.

2) Integrity. Nothing is more capable of earning my respect as a listener than a DJ with integrity. That person who will remain true to his or her musical mission, despite pressure to play the Same Old Tired Thing that the listening audience keeps asking for regardless of format or genre. It's one of the single hardest things to do as a DJ and one of the most defining for that DJ's show. It's all that stands between Grid Stream Productions and Generic Stream Productions.

3) Balance. The ability to walk the line between what the people want and what you enjoy is a big happy mark of the good DJ. To give the audience a good variety of the old and the new, balancing between the old standard anthems and the fresh hot tracks, keeps a show from becoming a live playlist.

4) Dedication. Not dedications, but dedication. DJs who stream to feed their own egoes and then wander off to bathe in the popularity, leaving an organization's other DJs holding more than their share of the time aren't at all cool. DJs that stream just to get a little notoriety and a personal fanclub tend to suck, because that attitude of "It's all about me, I'm so sexay coz I'm Rick James biyatch!!" really shows. It's not hard to tell who's streaming to share their fun with the audience and who's just looking for some free pop. In an org like GSP, there's no room for the weak, ego-tripping, lazy-mon DJs because there's a huge demand to be met and only so many DJs to go around.

5) Attitude. OMGz, the A-Word. You have to have a good attitude or you're going to bring your audience down. I'm not saying be "flowers and sunshine" good. I'm talking "act like you actually like being here, doing what you're doing". You're not getting paid, so if you're not having fun, maybe you should get off the stream and find something you like doing better.

Now as for the "to drink or not to drink" question... if getting sauced up and hanging loose is your thing while streaming, knock yourself out. Go wild. Have some fun. I've heard a lot of entertaining streams that were powered on ethyl. Booze can bring out the sassy, the silly and the charming in some people, and that's okay by me. But one little caveat on that: If you're a mean drunk, Ixnay on the Aucesay. Not many people want to hear a mean drunk on a stream, just like not many people want to be around a mean drunk in person. It's just ugly.

Swearing? Yeah whatever. I have a mouth like a sailor IRL and I'm not about to start lobbing rocks in the glass house. Hell, I find profanity to be kind of amusing if it's used in the right way and in the right situations. Sure, I don't think anyone wants to hear a stream where every other word is profane... but the occasional well-placed shit, fuck or damn is fine for an adult stream.

Vulgarity? Heh... sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. The problem with vulgarity is that some people really seem to have a hard time figuring out how much is a good thing and when it's going to be entertaining vs when it's going to be just plain disgusting, boring or trite.

And there you have it. As I said, your mileage may vary. My taste isn't neccesarily your taste. And there's only so much you can take seriously on the topic of taste from a chick who thinks chopping up those little yellow pickled cocktail onions into her tunafish is yummy.

Oddysee wrote:Someone havin a good time...
No matter how they're doin it, if they're having a laugh, odds are, so will we.

Take Trist' for instance... I'm not a big fan of the music (sowy Trist') yet I still tune in on occassion cus she likes what she's doin, and often enough, that's enough to make it better than my play list... And my play list includes all the Goldfinger I could possibly wish for, so that's sayin som'n.

No set personality is expected... Just that they have fun. It shows if they are or not!

lol no worries, Oddy Thanks for the compliments!

As far as what I personally expect? Like Gridfan said.. Be yourself! I like when a DJ is true to themselves ano who they are. I also like variety. As long as the DJ is comfortable with what they are doing, I enjoy listening.. Even if I do have to take my headphones off on the occasional metal song.
I can't say I like any one DJ more than another to be honest. I love them all and listen to them all. I like certain things about each DJ. Their personality's really shine through and to me.. That's the best part.
It's funny how music has little to do with what makes a show enjoyable. But to me, I really don't care what's playing.