Oscar G, the Miami-based DJ and producer has been a staple of the house scene for the better part of the last two decades. He has traveled the world as a DJ, and been at the helm of remixes for Madonna, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Donna Summer, and Jennifer Lopez.  He was kind enough to fill us in on life as an mover and shaker, and also give us some insight into his recently released 3 disc (2 CD / 1 DVD) offering on Nervous Records, “DJ“.

Q: When you set out to make “DJ”, was there anything you wanted to accomplish that you felt you hadn’t before?

A: I was making an attempt to define what a “DJ” is today. Producer, remixer, performer, songwriter – artist. There are many layers to what I do and many times it is difficult to bring those things together. This project allowed me to flex all of those muscles in what I hope is one cohesive album. I feel DJs, although increasingly popular, continue to have to legitimize themselves as artists / musicians. My hope is that this project continues to push that idea forward.

Q: The two audio CDs of DJ have distinct feels. What is different about the way you approach a night in a club as opposed to sitting down to work on production?

A: The biggest difference is your starting point. In the studio, you begin with a blank canvas. You are going based on an idea or feeling, and try to get those ideas to translate into music. You can experiment with sounds, lyrics, chords, patterns, notes, etc. Preparing for a live set is a whole different world, you are mostly working with finished pieces of music. You are a music selector and trying to tell a story within your set. You are also making choices based on the audience and how they react. It is a performance. I hope this project is an example of how these two worlds are connected when you are a “DJ”.

Q: The press release for “DJ” mentions that you recently made the switch from analog to digital equipment. What were your go-to pieces of gear before and with what have you replaced them?

A: I wouldn’t say I replaced them because I am always open to new sounds, analog or digital. I did recently begin working in the digital realm with Logic Pro and Pro Tools. I like the fact that it gives you more flexibility and I love the fact that I don’t have a million cables to deal with. I am currently building a room (more…)