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The son of a mobile DJ, 18 year old Louis Smyth is already making waves as a performance / mash-up DJ and music producer. In this interview Pro Mobile’s Editor, Eddie Short, chats with Louis about his musical roots, current successes and plans for the future.
Q: How did you first get started as a DJ?
A: I have always been musical. I played the drums from the age of five, using mainly an electronic kit. When my father began DJing I was seven and I was very interested in what he was doing. I gradually began to help him and realised I both loved mixing music and had a natural ability when it came to the technical skills required. I began to listen to lots more music so that I would know each song’s structure when I played out and mashed them up at events. I take a lot of time preparing all the music that goes into my laptop, making sure the BPM is correct and setting multiple Hot Cue points and Loops in the various software ecosystems I use including Engine Prime, rekordbox and Serato. I continue to constantly practise, especially with mixing different genres together so the transition is seamless. Also, I am always taking advice and learning more to improve my ability on the kit I use and trying to push it to the absolute maximums.
Q: How has your DJ career progressed since you first got started?
A: I DJ with my dad on a regular basis, mainly at events, weddings and proms. I also attend Access Creative college in Shoreditch London where I am studying music production. This has enabled me to produce my own tracks and to become more technically aware and proficient with the equipment I use. I attend SEDA and NADJ meetings and have enjoyed performing at a number of their show nights. I have recently started working with Denon DJ in the UK and I have a set of SC5000 media players and an X1800 mixer and am enjoying mastering all their kit including the new PRIME 4. I recently performed at the Xanadu resort in Belek Turkey, DJing a foam party, which was a lot of fun. At college I worked in collaboration with another student to form a production duo called PRIZZM and we produced club-standard house tracks, played at club nights in Winchester and Southend, and performed a set on House559Music radio.
Q: What do you feel are the differences between club/performance DJing and mobile DJing?
A: I love to take my club style of mixing and mashing and apply it to all the events I do. In fact, a lot of clients book me because they want this style at their wedding. As I can mix and mash different genres of music I can cater for all types of events. I am trying to push mobile DJing forward from the classic style and bring it up to date – not necessarily playing different music, but bringing a performance element into it. One of my favourite mashups is Kenny Loggins’ ‘Footloose’ and General Levy’s ‘Incredible’. Different ends of the genre spectrum but they work so well together!
Q: What do you think makes you stand out as a DJ?
Q: How did you first get started as a DJ?
A: I have always been musical. I played the drums from the age of five, using mainly an electronic kit. When my father began DJing I was seven and I was very interested in what he was doing. I gradually began to help him and realised I both loved mixing music and had a natural ability when it came to the technical skills required. I began to listen to lots more music so that I would know each song’s structure when I played out and mashed them up at events. I take a lot of time preparing all the music that goes into my laptop, making sure the BPM is correct and setting multiple Hot Cue points and Loops in the various software ecosystems I use including Engine Prime, rekordbox and Serato. I continue to constantly practise, especially with mixing different genres together so the transition is seamless. Also, I am always taking advice and learning more to improve my ability on the kit I use and trying to push it to the absolute maximums.
Q: How has your DJ career progressed since you first got started?
A: I DJ with my dad on a regular basis, mainly at events, weddings and proms. I also attend Access Creative college in Shoreditch London where I am studying music production. This has enabled me to produce my own tracks and to become more technically aware and proficient with the equipment I use. I attend SEDA and NADJ meetings and have enjoyed performing at a number of their show nights. I have recently started working with Denon DJ in the UK and I have a set of SC5000 media players and an X1800 mixer and am enjoying mastering all their kit including the new PRIME 4. I recently performed at the Xanadu resort in Belek Turkey, DJing a foam party, which was a lot of fun. At college I worked in collaboration with another student to form a production duo called PRIZZM and we produced club-standard house tracks, played at club nights in Winchester and Southend, and performed a set on House559Music radio.
Q: What do you feel are the differences between club/performance DJing and mobile DJing?
A: I love to take my club style of mixing and mashing and apply it to all the events I do. In fact, a lot of clients book me because they want this style at their wedding. As I can mix and mash different genres of music I can cater for all types of events. I am trying to push mobile DJing forward from the classic style and bring it up to date – not necessarily playing different music, but bringing a performance element into it. One of my favourite mashups is Kenny Loggins’ ‘Footloose’ and General Levy’s ‘Incredible’. Different ends of the genre spectrum but they work so well together!
Q: What do you think makes you stand out as a DJ?
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 98, Pages 64-66.
