Adding drum machines to DJ sets triggered house music's transition from DJing to producing

Chicago DJs began connecting drum machines to their sets to compensate for the lack of new music and to add energy to existing records. ‘When you turn the drum machine on you just play beats people would just scream you take the kick drum out bring it back in.’ This real-time performance feedback loop — the crowd’s response to adding or removing the kick — drove DJs to start making original tracks. Competition between DJs over who had the hottest self-made track created the productive pressure that generated early house records.

Examples

Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk would add drum machine beats live, and when he slammed the fader on ‘Time to Jack,’ ‘the crowd just went wild people just lost their minds.‘

Assessment

Explain how DJs’ live use of drum machines generated the competitive culture that led to original house music production.