Wi-Fi polling device: future or spiritless?

A smart party system is developed by computer scientists.
Software running on each device beams the user’s playlist to a nearby computer, which is connected to an amp and speakers. The computer takes a poll of titles to work out the most popular genre and can also copy and play tracks from each device. It can then play music from the most popular overall music genre or tracks supplied by each party-goer in turn.

Do dj’s have to fear for their jobs or is this another useless device which is greatly announced as futures’ standard but in the end turns out to be a flop?

Dj’s are overrated, they get paid to much and are treated with too much dignity. In the end however they are the ones who create atmosphere. Good dj’s know people and their taste in music, know how to read the audience, and know how to connect the tracks seamlessly. They observe the impact music has on party-goers and adapt the music to their mood.

However, the job of a dj involves no democracy. Although adaptive to the audience’s mood the dj plays whatever he likes. The smart system on the other hand will enhance a sense of interactivity and involvement. Feeling a dj yourself. Being able to share your music with others. Discovering new music. This will definitely enlarge joy.

Where dj’s are mostly stuck in a specific genre, the smart data set has entry to a large variety of musical pieces. However where dj’s have the possibilty of smoothly connecting tracks, the smart data set will abruptly transfer to another song, thereby destroying the trance the audience is in.

All together, both a dj and the smart data set have their advantages and disadvantages. In the end the question arises what will be more important: a sense of feeling part of the musical entertainment or a sense of relying on the adaptive ability of the dj?

Fact is: IF they could make a system that could view the crowd and how they are reacting and adjust the music accordingly…then…maybe… one could replace a dj. Unfortunately artificial intelligence systems are not yet able to imitate the human sensitivity to his surrounding

Verfasser: Andrea Bergshoef