We all know the art of DJing has changed dramatically in recent years.
In the old days, DJs had to carry crates of vinyl around to gigs. In later years some DJs replaced the milk crates with CD bibles. In either case, that night’s selection was limited to whatever they could carry. And then there’s the beat matching, finding the tempos of records by hand and trying to match each new song with the one before it.
I know, right?
Our guest AJ Bertenshaw has helped to change all that. His products — Scratch Live and Serato DJ — have upped the ante for DJ technology, allowing DJs around the world to create “real” DJ mixes using music stored on laptops, and easily sync their tunes. Presumably, the best DJs have become even better and the worst don’t sound quite as bad.
AJ drops by the studio to tell us the secrets to building a brand that endures, evolves, and continues to change the game after nearly two decades. He teaches us how Serato stays close to its customers, builds relationships with evangelists, and maintains a strong company culture. He also explains how, along with running a 100+ person business, he found the time to come up with the idea for Pyro, the company’s latest product that allows anyone with an iPhone to create their own DJ mixes.
Mix Engineer: James Soriano