GaryAllyn's RadiOpinion

Gary Allyn's Radiopinion


DISC JOCKEY vs. DIGITAL JOCKEY


It's been quite some time since my fingers cued a vinyl record.
I have to say, I miss it. I miss the "feel" of the grooves on my
fingertips, the circular racing of the turntable beneath the record.
I miss the feeling that I controlled it, I-The Disc Jockey-would let
go and the sounds in those grooves would be heard by thousands
of ears. One had the feeling that your fingertips, hands, and arm
was just an extension of the turntable's tone arm, and thus connec-
ted to the entire transmission chain that brought entertainment to
listeners. It was something special..at least to me. Little ol' me. I
put the 331/3, 45, or 78 rpm round, flat, pressed vinyl on a spinning
turntable, placed a tone arm with needle on it and then talked about
it as though it was your very own child you were introducing. And as
you were doing all this, you had time(barely) to notice the label, the
label's color and logo, the running time, the title, the song writer(s)
name, the publisher(ASCAP/BMI etc.)...I still see them in my sleep.
Most of us Disc Jockeys could even tell you what was on the "flipside".
 I felt like I was an integral part of the Radio station. I was needed.I
also had the notion that the listener sensed that special connection...
maybe it was just me.
Today, it's the Digital Jockey who makes his or her connection through
a computer, through software, and onto a computer screen with a virtual
on-screen "button" to push, which brings up the digitally enhanced music
to the listener(s). It seems so simple. So clinical. So hyper-technical. So
sterile to me. Those in today's radio of 10101010's will think that we "old
guys" are like the outdated Model-T Ford. If so, they probably never had
the experience of actually touching the music through a vinyl pressing, or
they believe that the Digital Jockey is truly a better method. It's one of
those discussions that really will never be solved like: Who was better?
Joe Louis or Muhammed Ali?  Johnny Unitas or Tom Brady? And on-and-
on it will go. As for me? I prefer to be an extension of the "flow" as a Disc
Jockey instead of an extended piece of high tech equipment-Digital Jockey.
That's MY RadiOpinion....what's yours?