Use Ur Noodle

2011-10-18T19:12:00.001-07:00

'Everyday I'm shufflin...' party rock

2011-10-18T18:57:00.001-07:00

Tonight's practice set was just what I needed. I could feel the stress from work falling off with each thump of the bass...

2011-10-14T23:07:00.001-07:00

Got my playlist underway for Homecoming 2011 dance. New computer worked great tonight. A few tweaks here and there, and she'll be ready...

2011-10-07T22:38:00.001-07:00

I mixed two 7s in the same glass. Even a 16 hour work day can't keep me down. Thankful for my wife and kids. Thankful for my job and life.

2011-10-05T18:10:00.001-07:00

R.I.P. Steve Jobs. You gave us so much. We'll miss you.

2011-10-03T20:38:00.001-07:00

Just got my gear setup in my new practice spot. Gonna be good to get back into a routine with the weather changing.

Mobile Post

2011-09-22T21:11:00.001-07:00

Reviewing this years so-called hit list: cash money for someone who can produce a track that is faster than 70 bpm... Sheesh!

Mobile Post

2011-09-22T19:42:00.001-07:00

Got my music organized on a new dimension. I'm on some next level ish this week...

2011-09-17T10:33:00.001-07:00

Getting ready to DJ a wedding. Neither snow nor rain not sleet nor hail...

DJ Kool Herc needs your help!

2011-02-01T13:11:00.001-08:00

For those who don't know who he is, DJ Kool Herc was the first DJ to just play the break portion of a record, and he developed a method of extending that break by cueing up another copy of that same record, and going back and forth between the two, essentially looping the break of that song, thus creating the music genre called hip hop. He has never released an album of his own. As the story is told, he had some sort of altercation at a dance party, and gave up DJing for a while. Read more about Kool Herc here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Kool_Herc

Back to life (more important than music but sometimes they seem like they are one in the same), DJ Kool Herc is currently hospitalized, suffering from kidney stones, and he needs surgery. He does not have medical insurance, nor does he have a lot of money. Anyone who wishes to donate to his medical fund can do so via paypal.com. Just send the funds to his sister Cindy @ cindycampbell1@aol.com, or by mailing a check to Kool Herc Productions at P.O. Box 20472 Huntington Station, NY 11746

If you want to know what is really bothering me by this, follow this link: http://www.ology.com/music/real-tragedy-hip-hop%E2%80%99s-millionaires-arent-helping-dj-kool-herc

Some of these guys are making literally millions per year, yet they have no respect for the man who started it all.

-Peace

NoodleCast 05 - Mix Master Mike @ The Whiskey Bar PDX

2010-08-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

We got there early and got to meet the man himself! And then he dropped a killer set. What a night!

NoodleCast 04 - Mike & Emily's Wedding

2010-07-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

I DJed a wedding in Randle last weekend. It was so much fun. Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ward. Your family and friends love you so much. That was very evident to me. I wish you happiness and success and a fulfilling life together.

-DJ Noodle

NoodleCast 03

2010-05-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

I DJed last night for White Pass High School Prom. Check out that Cha Cha Slide! I think everyone there was on the floor for that one.

NoodleCast 02

2010-03-20T18:45:00.001-07:00

I DJed for the Morton Athletics Fundraiser Dance and Game Night on Friday, March 13th. It was great! Check out the synchronized Macarena!

Happy New Year! / MARC All-Ages NYE Dance Party

2010-01-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

The party went great, especially for the first time they ever did one. We could have used a few more people, so remember for next New Years, come to Mossyrock.

I spun mostly family-friendly rock and dance music. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Bros., and of course, my 80s and 90s rock and hip hop follows me wherever I go. My Behringer PA was awesome, and my lighting rig held it's own in the grange room.

My favorite tracks of the night? Mix-a-Lot's Jump On It was cool. A few kids there knew the dance and had a good time teaching it to others. I also liked RUN-DMC's It's Tricky. Good old school is always appropriate.

So, here's to a new year. Everyone have a safe and happy 2010. My resolution is to live a little healthier, upgrade my lighting system, and to keep practicing mixing and scratching.

-Peace

Long Time No Post

2009-12-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a long time since my last post. I've been extremely busy this fall. I did a 5 hour set for a Christmas Party for Harrison Christian's Businesses here in Morton. It went great. I gained a lot of experience, and I used my new PA.

I bought a set of Behringer B215D Active PA Speakers. They sound awesome! 550W per channel, bi-amped to keep the highs from distorting at loud volumes. Light-weight so I can pack them around by myself. They are exactly what I needed.

I played mostly 80s and 90s rock and hip hop. This crowd was really into it! They really seemed to love the music. I would have done myself a huge favor by having current printed lists of my music for request purposes and some business cards to hand out. I am working on having these things done before the next show, which is New Years Eve at the Mossyrock Grange on Isbell Rd in Mossyrock. Music starts at 7PM.

Hope to see you all there!

Albums from the recently deceased DJs

2009-09-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

I have located some links where you can download albums of DJ AM and Roc Raida. Check them out and you will understand just how much of an impact these DJs had on the hip hop community.

I have been listening to TRV$DJAM's FIX YOUR FACE 1 for about six months now, and I love the transitions DJ AM creates as he moves from track to track. Mix DJs should take notes when listening to this album's flow.

FIX YOUR FACE 2 I just picked up the other day. I am not sure that I like it as much as the first one, but it still shows AM's honed skills in mixing and it may be one of the last recordings of his mixing before his death.

TRV$DJAM - FIX YOUR FACE 1 & 2

Roc Raida's 52 Beats is new to me. I actually just picked it up, and what I can say about it is that it stands as a testament of his amazing skills. I hear a lot of old school in this mix. I am sure that many of the techniques and patterns that you hear in this album were heard for the first time when Roc and his fellow Xecutioners debuted them and buried some poor unsuspecting DJ crew in a battle. He was not a follower, he was truly a leader and a pioneer, and this album contains some breaks, samples, and scratches that are the real definition of the phrase 'True School.'

Roc Raida - 52 Beats

-Later

R.I.P. Roc Raida

2009-09-20T14:16:00.001-07:00

This weekend, another A-List DJ passed away. Roc Raida was not just any other DJ. He was a member of the X-men, who later changed their name to the Xecutioners for obvious copyright reasons.

He won battle after battle, culminating at the 1995 DMC World Championship. He was known for his beat-juggling and his tricks, like the one in the photo. Roc Raida was once featured on the show Saturday Night Live, being the only DJ to ever share the stage with the SNL House Band. Check out this video of Roc Raida from the 95 DMCs:

My condolences go out to his family, his crew, and his fans.

-Later

Scott & Alicia Mays' Wedding

2009-09-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I DJ'ed a wedding and reception for Scott & Alicia Mays. It was a long, but very fun night. I spun music for most of 9 hours! I had a great time, and I picked up a few leads for some upcoming gigs.

You can find a few more photos in the 'Recent Gig Photos' slideshow in the column on the right.

There were about 100 people attending the ceremony, with (I am guessing) only about a third of those people attending the reception. I received some great compliments about my music selections, and there were a few requests for songs that I did not have, but overall people seemed pleased with the music. I was told by several friends who attended that they heard good comments about the music. Even so, quite a few people cut out early.

Those of us who did stay until the wee hours really partied hard. And we had a great time.

Congratulations to Scott, Alicia and family. I wish them a lifetime of happiness!

-Later

Record Spindle Hole Repair

2009-09-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how some records have some slack space in the spindle hole? These records tend to skip when being scratched or backspun or touched in just about any other way.

So, how can you fix this?

On his first scratch instructional DVD, DJ Qbert recommended sticking the label that comes with a blank cassette tape through the hole, but since people don't really buy blank cassette tapes anymore, it could get expensive to buy a bunch of blank cassettes just for the labels.

So I started to think about what other type of labels could one buy that are cheaper, maybe nicer looking, and still get the job done. The answer I came up with is called 'Ring Reinforcers.' They are the little round stickers with a hole in the middle that you use to repair your 3-hole paper if you rip one of the holes out.

Here is a picture of one, borrowed from staples.com:

These are dirt cheap, come in a variety of colors, and are available almost anywhere. I bought two packages of them at WalMart for like $2 each. Since you get somewhere around 200 per pack, I have not had to replace my supply in around three years now, but I am certain that they are still cheap.

And, just for you lazy people out there, here is a link to the product at staples.com, so you can have some mailed to your door:
http://www.staples.com/Staples-Reinforcements-for-Hole-Punched-Pages-Clear/product_166322?cmArea=SEARCH

So, you put the ring reinforcer as close to the center of the spindle hole as possible, but don't get upset if it's not perfectly centered, it will work just as well. Next, just place the record on the spindle of your turntable, with the side that you stuck the ring reinforcer on down. Since the center hole on the record is larger than the center hole on the ring reinforcer, the spindle pushes the excess material up into the spindle hole on the record, and this material fills the gap that was causing the record to skip. The last thing that you need to do is give the record a few cuts, scratches or backspins, because it may be a little too tight at first. You may need to break it in, so to speak.

Have fun, and keep that vinyl spinning.

-Later

Wedding Gig - Sept 12

2009-08-20T21:46:00.001-07:00

I accepted a gig for a wedding on September 12th. I've got a few songs to buy, and I have to finish my coffin before then.

I am inquiring about a DJ Promotional music subscription service. Seems to b the way to go.

And of course, I need to practice my mixing.

NI Kontakt Player - Free

2009-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Native Instruments Kontakt is a very powerful sampler instrument used by many great musicians and producers to create great sounding tracks.

Now they have decided to release a free version! It's called Kontakt Player and it will load any of the sample libraries that are made for Kontakt. And they are also giving you one of the sample libraries for free as well.

Click here to check out the new free Kontakt Player.

Who Sampled

2009-08-07T10:22:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder where a particular sample comes from? Ever hear a song and recognize the hook or the melody or drums and just cannot figure out where you heard it before? This website is a great resource for cataloging samples and where they came from.

http://www.whosampled.com/

Some artists take their samples from a wide variety of music, while some seem to use a very distinct sound base.

Anyhow, a lot can be learned from this site, so check it out.

-Later

DJ Times' 2009 Best DJ

2009-08-05T16:10:00.001-07:00

Time's almost up! Vote for DJ Time's 2009 Best DJ: http://www.djtimes.com/BESTDJ/vote.asp

-Later

Break yo self

2009-08-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today I stumbled across a few Qbert breakbeat records, collectively known as the Breaktionary. Most of these breaks are from 70s funk songs, perfect for looping or slicing up in your favorite DAW software.

Enjoy - http://rapidlibrary.com/index.php?q=breaktionary