no doubt Steve.
For a lot those features to be put to work properly by a DJ, they'd really need to pre construct quite heavily.
With technology like Ableton, Traktor etc, i think that is the way things have really headed anyway. Those 2000s have just so much to offer, all this technology just jam packed in, its ridiculous.
on topic of set pre construction;Any punter knows pre constructed sets can highly disappoint - seen it happen quite a few times, where the big name producer/DJ rocks up and plays his set the way he knows how to play it, without reading the crowd. Some can absolutely 'wow' the crowd well if the mood and hype is there at the time, but other times it just fails big time. Good example - Parklife 2007 i think it was; Justice were playing one of the last sets of the day i think. Now, think - study your crowd, Justice - last set of the day, drunken peanuts everywhere, the drugheads have probably just consumed for the last stretch of the day - so its either A) right, lets churn out this latest indie electrorock melt your mind set we've programmed... or B) read the f*&^ing crowd, what do you think is gonna work well? - naturally, at this time of an evening, everyone wants to hear what they know (especially the majority at Adelaide events), maybe trip them out a bit with their favourite tracks with some good effects, re-shuffle bits with Ableton, whatever.
What option did Justice go for... A)!
He was one angry Frenchman at the end of the set. I don't think he will be returning here in a good hurry. The crowd were so shocked at the rubbish Justice had cooked up for a set, one dude took his thongs off and pegged them at the DJs head! HAHA!!!!
This is why i love DJs like John Digweed, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Andy C, Jeff Mills, and plenty more. Arm them with 3x CDJ 1000s, 3 Technics 1200s, whatever mixer tickles their fancy, maybe an effects unit (if not already in the mixer) and play a real bloody set for the crowd!
I do love and appreciate what you can do with all the digital technology though. But i really cant stand watching a dj sit behind the console playing with a mouse and computer. Could be sitting there with Media player minimised visiting redtube.com for all we know...