“Why not do what we’re doing in the studio, and then create that live?”: Carl Cox on why DJs are intimidated by performing with a live setupOver 40 years into his career, Carl Cox is an indisputable veteran of electronic music. And while the decks have been his home for decades, he’s also reignited his burning passion for fully live sets, using synthesizers and machines to create music that will never be heard again.
In a new interview with MusicTech, Cox explains how live sets allow him to connect with audiences in a way that pre-existing tracks don’t permit — and wonders why more DJs aren’t trying the same.

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“The idea of my performance is always excitement,” he says. “What’s going to happen? The creativity of that – what can I achieve? How do I connect with people?”
While DJs rely on a library of pre-existing tracks to spin, a fully live set forces Cox to think on his feet and create something from scratch. “Coming down from the DJ pedestal to go into realms of creativity… the machines don’t play themselves,” he explains. “You have to create the sounds, you have to find the rhythm, you have to find its soul.”
With a cockpit of synths and drum machines feeding into his Pioneer V10 mixer, Cox is able to find the soul and rhythm in real-time. “I create the energy of my music through the mixer,” he says. “Cuts, fades, and effects. I use it as an instrument… Having a V10 as my only DJ tool within my live set keeps me on my toes.”

While the process can be tough, the end result is absolutely worth it, Cox explains. “When it all comes together, it comes through the speakers, and everyone’s got their hands in the air – there’s your moment,” Cox smiles. “That’s where I’m happiest because I’m being challenged.”
This focus on producing a DJ set to be “almost like a concert” is why Cox grew tired of DJing.“It’s the reason why a lot of DJs are bored,” he says. “They’re playing the same tune, week in, week out.”
That said, many DJs find comfort in pre-recorded sets, but Cox says these people would be intimidated by a live setup. “If you stick most DJs in front of [a live setup], they’ll just walk away,” he says.
“I feel there’s laziness to that, because when you go in the studio to record, you use these machines. You use a drum machine, you use synths, you use keyboards. Why don’t you do what we’re doing in the studio, and then create that live?”
When performing, Cox’s goal wants to keep active and in the moment. Ditching computer screens has been a big help, as he’s either got his hands on his Pioneer or is actively scanning the crowd. “I don’t want to be seen scrolling the menu,” he insists. “It makes me a very dull looking performer!”
“I’ve always had aspirations of being a live electronic artist,” Cox explains. “I didn’t want to come out of Covid and just continue to DJ. I [like to] dive into the machines, swim around in all their components, and find out all these wonderful things that can come out of them that turn a corner on people’s expectations.”
Cox is set to debut his latest live set, Evolution, at Ultra Music Festival on 29 March.
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