by Dave Austin I overheard a veteran DJ ask for a definition of dubstep, and like many of us who are predominately wedding DJs, he’s heard the term but doesn’t really know what actually defines a dubstep music track. As with many musical genres, it’s sometimes difficult to clearly identify an evolving, moving target, but…
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Category Archives: Music Professor - Dave Austin
Are You “Classified?”
by Dave Austin When it comes to weddings, nothing establishes an elegant and sophisticated mood quite like classical music. It can be restrained and soothing, grandiose and inspiring, or joyous and celebratory. Any DJ who does weddings should have a library of both traditional and contemporary classical selections. Most of these works have been around…
The Sound & Soul of New Orleans
by Dave Austin Ask someone to name some music from New Orleans, and you’ll likely get “When the Saints Go Marching In.” However, the Crescent City’s contribution to popular music runs as deep and wide as the Mississippi River and spans as many generations and genres as the number of ingredients in a gumbo. Many…
Music Origins – Rockabilly
by Dave Austin Dating back to the 1950s, rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock & roll music. Earlier, it was simply referred to as hillbilly music before Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley, Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and other young country artist started kicking out revved-up versions of songs, primarily…
“Ska,” “Rocksteady” – It’s All Reggae to Me!
by Dave Austin Back in the 1960s, amid the “British Invasion” and the other revolutionary changes going on in the pop music scene, a new form was evolving in Jamaica. First called “ska” or “rocksteady,” it quickly evolved and became known as “reggae” – a word meaning “ragged” or “ragged clothing.” However, Bob Marley is…
Soul Music
by Dave Austin You’ve Got To Have “Soul,” a word that has many meanings. In the world of pop R&B it usually means an intensely dramatic performance by a singer, delivered with such feeling that it reaches out and visibly moves the listener. The singer is saying something – often more than the lyrics convey….
Hip-Hop – Here Today, Here Tomorrow.
by Dave Austin No one need tell you that one of the most popular music forms today is hip-hop. Often used interchangeably with the term rap, hip-hop actually denotes an entire subculture. However, popularity aside, many don’t have a clear understanding of the form’s roots or complex history. Germinating from New York block parties of…
What “Cloud Computing” Means to DJs
by Dave Austin It seems to be the latest buzz – a thing called “cloud computing.” However, there seems to be many different definitions of exactly what it is. Some define cloud computing as little more than an updated version of utility computing – virtual servers available over the internet. Others go in an extreme…
Beach Music – 70 Years Old and Still Shaggin’
by Dave Austin They’ve been shaggin’ on the beaches since the 1940’s, yet many DJs remain unaware of this still-viable dance music genre. If you’re not familiar with this form of music, sometimes called Carolina beach music, it’s a style that evolved from the music of the 40’s to the 60’s and embraces big band…
