Questions on CDJs

I’m very interested about this too. I’m using a controller and laptop and since every clubs have CDJs I should learn to use it.

How different are CDJs from controllers? Can I still beat sync automatically so I don’t have to manually beat match?

I’m not sure but I think only the most recent CDJs allow you to beat sync. In doubt, learn to manually beat match I guess 🙂

Answer to your first question:

If your club has CDJs in 99% of the time it will NOT be the newest CDJ 2000 Nexus. It will be 900s or 1ks or something in that line. Now 99% of them are new enough to accept USB sticks. So prepare your set with Pioneer rekordbox (free license) and export your prepared set to at least 2 USB sticks (one for backup).

Most clubs will not have Midi or HID mode activated to plug in your laptop and many even disallow it, since the next DJ will have a hassle. So usually USB sticks are the way to go.

Make sure the club has CDJs that accepts USB sticks and that they are LINKED together!

In rare occasions clubs will not have Pioneer gear (Technics, Denon,…) so also make 2 USB sticks for those with just the mp3s for your set.

Question 2:

Apart from the CDJ 2000 Nexus, NO you cannot use SYNC and you need to beatmatch manually. Also the SYNC from the CDJ 2000 Nexus is pretty bad (no elastic beatgrid) and you will still have to manually beatmatch many songs. So manual beatmacthing is an essential skill if you plan on using CDJs and you cannot go it without…

(Actually I consider manual beatmatching a MUST also with controllers, as not all songs sync up nicely and people relying on SYNC usually mismatch 1st beats – aka matching a 1st beat to a 3rd beat in the other song… still in time but sounds awful.)

Question 3:

Is the CDJ similar to a controller? Yes, a CDJ is exactly like a controller without a laptop and a tiny screen instead. It still has a jogwheel, loop buttons, cue buttons and most have hotcues. Most have no effects on them as those are usually found on the mixer. If the mixer is a newer Pioneer model and is linked to the CDJs there are even more things you can do, but it would take too much time for me to get into that in such a post… However I advise you familiarise yourself with the CDJ model used in the club you play.

Remark on my side:

Taking a controller in a booth is really no big deal. We DJs used to carry 200kg of Vinyl to gigs, so thank god for controllers and laptops that both fit into a single backpack…

That is what it means, also they need to be linked if you want to have any shot at using sync buttons and such.

Here’s another tip: burn a few regular CD’s (make two of each) and take a CD-Wallet with you. Doesn’t have to be your entire collection, but at least  a set of tracks you feel comfortable with filling an evening with. Let’s say that there’s about an hours worth of music on 1 CD. You’d need 3x the time you need to play. Say a 4-hour gig. That would mean 3×4 = 12 CD’s, times 2 = 24. This will fit in a relatively small CD-wallet and is a guarantee that you will be able to play no matter what players the club has.

Make sure they are regular audio CD’s of good quality, burn them at low(er) speeds and test them on your favority ghetto blaster or car CD player. Don’t do MP3 disks as they might not work and often players supporting MP3 will have usb and you can use your sticks.

Playing out is all about not being caught out in left field. Being prepared helps.

Greetinx.

Yeah, THAT (showing up with only one USB while you need two) is a real nightmare. Or showing up with two (one that you copied that afternoon) and find that you forgot to format the new stick to FAT32 and it won’t be read by the player. Been there, done that and soaked my t-shirt in 30 seconds flat when I found out. Good thing I had that CD-wallet handy!

Greetinx.

Since I looked sharper then than I do now (age thing or something ridiculous like that), it actually was pretty awesome!

<more insane cackle>

😀

Had a double gig (monday/thursday) recently at a place with CDJ2000s. The first night I showed up with a laptop I couldn’t get to work properly with Traktor (don’t ask lol), so I switched to  usb sticks and although it worked, I am still not happy working with those small displays (good as they may be on the 2000s) and just a rotary button and needlestrip to enter or search. I have non of the advantages of vinyl/cds (physical covers, easy browsing) and non of the advantages of DJ software (index search, smart lists and what have you). Although I enjoy the overall experience of playing on CDJs, I don’t care for that part of it. I usually end up grabbing my cd-wallet and going from there.

Second night I brought my MacBook with Cross. Plugged in both usb cables to my passive usb-hub (I know, live dangerously right!) and it worked right out of the gate. Suddenly I have all the features and pleasures the 2000 brings and the advantages of Cross DJ (even if I wasn’t using stuff like FX and such, cause those came from the DJM900).

But 15 screen, real keyboard, mouse all helped to enhance the experience. Loved that night.

So, my MBP comes with me with two usb cables and my new active usb-hub and that will be my primary way to use the 2000s in the future. usb-stick and cd-wallet strictly as backup.