AGS on YouTube: 10 things you should know

We've been publishing a new video every Sunday for almost two years (or has it been more than two years?) on our YouTube channel.

First off, thank you to everyone who's subscribed! Our viewership has grown significantly—but, more importantly, we've met some many fans who visit us at our record shop, where most of the videos are filmed.  

We've put a lot of thought into how and why we're making videos (which are mostly DJ sets, but occasionally we post live performances too). So we wanted to take the time to share ten things about our videos.  

Shop vibes

Community is key! We want to show you what’s happening in the store during a set. It’s a fun when you see familiar faces too.

We’re located in Hawaii, in the middle of the Pacific. For a lot of people, our store isn’t easy to visit—even for locals. We’re next to a busy intersection with limited street parking. These videos help encourage people to visit us, in-person or virtually.

The DJ isn’t facing the camera

We don’t use the “front and center” camera angle, commonly used in DJ videos. Instead, our camera is off to the side. This is intentional: we’re a record store, not a music venue. Plus, the camera becomes less of a distraction for the DJ.

DJs don’t always need to “perform”, especially for a camera. They don’t even need a stage: think about NYC’s Studio 54.

The joy is in the energy of the room and those who are there. Let the DJs do their thing: select music for people to listen to.

Wall records

Our record wall is unusually high.... we want to showcase it :)

When we opened AGS in 2021, we wanted a visually interesting and inviting area of the store where people would take photos and share them with friends.

Some viewers are also shrewd collectors — we’ve fielded inquires about specific records on our wall they’ve seen in a video.

Decibel reader

Our colorful decibel reader is a practical tool for DJs to keep track of volume level.

DJs have enough to think about—they shouldn’t have to remember to stay below a specific number like ”98 db”... Just don’t hit RED.

Plus it adds some visual flair to the video :)

A note on Titles

There are plenty of YouTube videos that put genres in the title. We don’t want to add to the noise. We also don’t want to give away too much before you press play. Usually, the title is inpired by a song the DJ played, or sometimes we just make up a title.

But really, it’s because we believe in the art of digging.

In a record store, you examine the artwork, liner notes, credits, year, and other details to guess what the music might sound like. Digging is a skill and an art that strengthens with time and effort.

A note on plants 🪴

Every so often, someone tells us we should add plants. We disagree.

None of us are green thumbs...and our shop is already packed!

Plus, our friends at MAJ already do this beautifully in their studio. We’d rather create our own visual signature, as they have theirs ❤️

We’re Human

Over time, we’ve slowly improved our videos (and our shop!). Watch closely or revisit older videos, you’ll notice small changes as we make our videos and our shop a better experience for all.

Sometimes a DJ makes a mistake. However, we prefer to leave the little mishaps and needle jumps in—we’re human, after all! If we think something will be too distracting, we’ll gently edit it.

At the end of the day every one is doing their best :)

Why we do it (if it doesn’t pay the bills)

We make $0 on these videos. Any royalties collected by YouTube are paid to the music’s copyright owners. So why do we do it?

There aren’t many places in Hawaii where you can DJ with vinyl. We want to provide a space for DJs to spin records, and to play music they love without the pressures or expectations of a venue.

Our videos bring people in! We’ve met fans from Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada, LA, NY, Chicago ...all over! Our record store is currently open Friday to Monday, but you can tune in 24/7/365 :)

AGS Postcard series

To celebrate and promote our shop, we make postcards with artwork from visual artists. This one’s by Travi Dee of InfraCombo.

The postcards are free with any purchase, in-store and online.

We’re always looking for artists to contribute to the series :)

Equipment and sound

VIDEO SETUP GoPro HERO12 Tascam DR-40 recorder Presonus HP4 headphone amp LED desk light (for evening sets)

DJ SETUP Ecler WARM 2 rotary mixer Technics 1200 turntables Pioneer CDJ-350 disc/USB multi-player BOSS Space Echo RE-202 effects pedal Tannoy C-6 with Optimus tweeter (booth monitor) Kinter K2020A+ mini amp (for booth monitor) 100 Sounds needles and cartridges American Audio DB Display MKII MasterSounds x Aloha Got Soul record weights Sure Shot x Aloha Got Soul 45 adapters AGS slipmats :)

Feedback

Let us know what do you think! Tell us which videos you love!

Drop your feedback in the comments below and we’ll do our best to respond to each one.

Mahalo for watching!