Thinking About Syncing: Examining the impact of 21st century DJ technology on the production and performance of Electronic Dance Music.

The introduction of synchronisation (sync) to the professional toolkit of the disc jockey (DJ) in the early 2000s proved to be controversial and divisive. Until that point, DJs had been so focused on beatmatching—the manual process of tempo-setting and alignment of tracks—that many dismissed sync as ‘cheating’. Concern over technology-assisted creative output is not unique to electronic dance music (EDM). David Hockney’s investigation into the use of optical aids by the Old Masters highlighted similar perspectives in visual art. As sync has simplified some of the mechanical aspects of DJing, DJs have shifted away from building sets by sequencing pre-recorded audio made by other music producers towards an approach that incorporates improvisatory composition and production. Through a process of reflective practice and critical review of technique and repertoire both pre- and post-sync, this paper discusses how technology shapes and informs the realisation of a DJ set, highlighting how sync has catalysed a disconnect between the performer, their gestures, the source material and audiences, necessitating a rethink on how we demonstrate and recognise technical virtuosity in performance. This paper concludes by arguing that virtuosity in modern DJing is primarily a product of instrument configuration and pre-production, an amalgamation of formerly distinct production and performance techniques, and identifies how sync’s affordances might inform future views on DJ practice and the presentation of EDM.