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Spinning

Spinning

Date: Dec 10 2007

Themes: Music, Work

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

How hard can spinning records be? You play music for yourself at home all the time, right?

It seems easy to be a DJ until you’ve got a room full of people listening to the music you select. Club DJs have to choose songs that people in the club will like and play them in an order that makes sense. It’s easier said than done, because one mistake and the whole dance floor can be empty.

DJ stands for disc jockey, which is anyone who plays pre-made music for an audience. There are lots of different kinds of DJs. People who play prerecorded songs on the radio are called DJs. The guy scratching and making the beat behind your favorite rapper? He’s a DJ too.

Listen to Devan and Amanda talk about how they both had ambitions of becoming DJs when they were younger.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amanda

Amanda

Devan

Devan

Amanda:  So, when I was a little girl, I wanted to be a DJ when I grew up.

Devan:  Oh really?

Amanda:  Yeah. Was that even on your radar when you were a child?

Devan:  Not when I was a child. When I got into high school I bought a pair of turn tables for 50 bucks.

Amanda:  I love it. Do you still have those?

Devan:  Oh yeah. I still have ‘em. And then I bought a handful of records and made one tape. That was it. That’s as far as I ever got.

Amanda:  What did you want to do with it? Like when you made that tape did you wanna like get it out there or give it to friends?

Devan:  I used to play it at my work, and it was really bad. The sound would go out every few times because I didn’t understand how to turn the controllers. It was really bad.

Amanda:  Well it’s kind of weird. It’s like, releasing your tape or getting out to people, it’s something you’re kind of self-conscious about because only you got what went into it and if someone doesn’t really understand what you’re trying to do it’s…I’m not sure I could take critique for it. It would be so hard. But, um, I think it’s really cool that nowadays it’s not so strange for a woman to be a top-skilled DJ.

 

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Discussion

Children often dream of what job they’ll have when they grow up. Usually they dream of being a doctor or a soldier or an astronaut. It’s very unusual for a young child to dream about becoming a DJ, but when Amanda was little she used to do just that.

Becoming a DJ didn’t occur to Devan until she was in high school. She bought the necessary equipment and began learning how to DJ. She made a tape that she played at the place she worked. It wasn’t very good because she didn’t know how to use the equipment very well yet.

Amanda admires Devan for showing her tape to other people. She says it’s hard to show other people something you’ve made because they will often be critical of it. She adds that she thinks it’s cool that more and more women are becoming DJs because historically DJs have typically been men.

Have you ever chosen the music for a group of people? How did it go? Do you like to go to places where there’s a DJ or do you prefer live music?

 

Comments

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844187338

China

i was crazy for music,especially for the mixture of rock and chinese opere.in my humble opinion,it is a creative try,do you think so?dj is my dream,althrough it maynot come true.Laughing

09:55 PM Dec 14 2007 |

summer.wan

summer.wan

China

frankly speaking, I prefer to be a singer in a bar rather than to be a DJ, in fact I used to try to be a singer, but unfortunately I failed , my parents are not very agree with my dream to be a singer.

But I must say that I really love singing!

06:36 AM Dec 14 2007 |

li xu

li xu

China

I've nerver been a DJ but seen him through TV  though it's not so common in China  The group is growing larger and larger!every field can create geniuses!I hope China can emerge international DJ

02:53 AM Dec 14 2007 |

antonio89kr

Italy

I have never been a Djs but I think that a good Djs must select appropriate song for every kind of person and especially find a logical sequence!!!!  Laughing

07:58 PM Dec 13 2007 |

xxroxy_kidoxx

Romania

oh really cool..like it..but i never been a Dj…neither for myself ..and i wanna try…but with a friend that know how….not in face of a public :D

03:51 PM Dec 13 2007 |

melody-Ayu

melody-Ayu

China

I always think that the coolest person is DJ:))

03:04 PM Dec 13 2007 |

tawous

tawous

Algeria

so.so.so … i love music but i never try to be a DJ

02:47 PM Dec 13 2007 |

scorpion_1087

Viet Nam

well, I have never thought that I'll be a DJ but I think it's an interesting art ^^

07:18 AM Dec 13 2007 |

scorpion_1087

Viet Nam

I don’t want to be a DJ but I think it’s so attrative art ^^

07:17 AM Dec 13 2007 |

Cayra

Cayra

Dominican Republic

I went to some party with a Dj spinning, and it's so great… I love that kind of sound and beats…. I thought is not so easy, but to play for others, you must have an idea of what people like and want to hear at that moment….

 

 

 

♥peace! 

05:10 AM Dec 13 2007 |

angelosk

Cyprus

nice article

11:17 PM Dec 12 2007 |

abdeeq

abdeeq

Somalia

is a good

01:12 PM Dec 12 2007 |

irenkeman

irenkeman

Chile

what a great topic… I mean i know I wouldn't be a Dj coz my music skills just suck! but anyway I love what djs do. It's so great to listen new versions of an old song or to be in a crowded club, dancing and enjoying the music so hard you just forget that a normal person is doing so.

I DO love going to DJ solo concerts, like TIËSTO's… oh man… he's a wonderful DJ… and I'm looking forward to going to PAUL VAN DYK's concert in January…

BYE! Alonso

12:49 PM Dec 12 2007 |

darc

darc

Saudi Arabia

you know that is intersting to know
and dj staff coool!!

10:14 AM Dec 12 2007 |

YellowScorpion

Algeria

I hava not talent on music, it's not on my radar

09:19 AM Dec 12 2007 |

ZoRRo

ZoRRo

Azerbaijan

it is easy to say than done

of course

but i dont think u can do it without say that

so u must say and think then u ll do it

ok?

07:44 AM Dec 12 2007 |

夕颖若林

夕颖若林

China

DJ is far from me.i con't understand it well

04:43 AM Dec 12 2007 |

sadness

Qatar

i realy wanted to be a dj but you knoe i had bigger planes

05:35 PM Dec 11 2007 |

Josue.hc

Josue.hc

Peru

they speak very fast so i can`t understand very well

03:05 PM Dec 11 2007 |

Ponomareva Anna

Russian Federation

I think it's very interesting and responsible work. DJ should feel spirits other people!

09:30 AM Dec 11 2007 |

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