Some consider music to be an artform only when it takes the form of original compositions. But for many students, disc jockeying can be used to express an inner world as unique as the individual mind from which it springs.

“I define DJing as playing music in an artful way, taking two songs and blending them together, creating a third piece of artwork,” senior Dan Caso said. “This includes mixing, switching the EQs, putting in different Q lines, messing with the song to create something new and interesting.”

Switching equalization refers to changing the frequency response of a song to allow it to fit in with other songs. According to Caso, this is important because it allows him to make remixes that are his own.

Caso began DJing after playing around with DJ equipment and software such as the program Virtual DJ a couple of years ago. He is now using a software called Traktor.

He believes DJing shares a fundamental similarity with visual art forms such as drawing,

Some consider music to be an artform only when it takes the form of original compositions. But for many students, disc jockeying can be used to express an inner world as unique as the individual mind from which it springs.

“I define DJing as playing music in an artful way, taking two songs and blending them together, creating a third piece of artwork,” senior Dan Caso said. “This includes mixing, switching the EQs, putting in different Q lines, messing with the song to create something new and interesting.”

Switching equalization refers to changing the frequency response of a song to allow it to fit in with other songs. According to Caso, this is important because it allows him to make remixes that are his own.

Caso began DJing after playing around with DJ equipment and software such as the program Virtual DJ a couple of years ago. He is now using a software called Traktor.

He believes DJing shares a fundamental similarity with visual art forms such as drawing, painting and ceramics.

“There’s so much you can do,” Caso said. “It’s in the eye of the beholder, or listener in this case. But it’s definitely an art form because there’s no one real way to do it.”

Senior Ramesses Akamefula had a similar experience, having also been drawn into DJing after fiddling around with some equipment at a friend’s house.

“Some days, I would just go to his house to play with his turntables and have fun,” Akamefula said. “It interested me, meddling with the songs in the way I like. Eventually, I bought my own turntable, and it just took off from there.”

The practice of taking a song and manipulating it using any other sound at your disposal drew Akamefula to DJing, which Akamefula also considers a form of art in its own way.

In addition to creating a new piece of music, DJs also create an environment, according to seniors Joshua Levin and CJ Mahoney.

“From the lights, from the music, from how you’re dancing when you’re playing the music, or how everyone else is dancing, to what you say to the people—if, by the end of the night, they say it’s a fun night, you know you did a good job,” Mahoney said.

Levin compares DJing to another art form: theater.

“You create an atmosphere and an environment for the people that are in it,” Levin said. “I watched a video recently, and it said that you’re basically creating a play, that is ongoing, so you’re live-creating a play, and you decide how everything acts out.”

Over the summer, Levin was given the chance to DJ at Jimmy’s Bar in Washington Square, where he said he improved his skills.

“The guy was pretty open about letting us play what we wanted, so we got to kind of test people out,” Levin said. “It was my first time playing in front a crowd of people I didn’t really know and an older crowd, so I got to learn new music and test my abilities.”

Music is Levin’s expression of choice, and it is important to him to match it to his crowd and get the crowd to appreciate the music by the end of the night. Both Levin and Mahoney are inspired by those who are constantly changing it up.

Mahoney also values artists who are able to convey an image of themselves through their music, looking up to Deadmau5 and Cassette.

“DJing reflects who I am as a person,” Caso said. “DJing is different and unique.”

Jennifer Sun can be contacted at [email protected].