Need help with a hybrid setup…
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- This topic has 28 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by
siddharth.jha.email@gmail.com.
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July 7, 2014 at 2:37 pm #2041328
Terry_42
KeymasterWell if you need a good bang for the buck soundcard the minimum I would consider are the USB soundcards from Focusrite. The Scarlet Series is quite OK for the cash.
The Behringer USB mixer is rubbish.I will not comment on the keyboard/DJ controller as we discussed this and I am not able to DJ on a keyboard (even though I use several keyboards for production do not get me wrong).
July 8, 2014 at 1:23 pm #2041630siddharth.jha.email@gmail.com
ParticipantWell, looking at other DJs and performerson-stage actually made me look into the controller business and made me think- “Hell, everybody is using controllers or CD players but I hevent seen anyone yet using a keyboard to actually DJ in a club or on stage!” I still am left wondering if I would loose a lot choosing to DJ on a keyboard. I really really REALLY like how the Jogwheels are used and the cues and loops. I want to DJ live without looking at my laptop. Except for loading the tracks. I assume a keyboard won’t let me do this. All I wanted a keyboard for was, as a producer, if ever I needed to travel (which is nearly never) I could take my producing on the road and still be able to DJ as well. But looking at that now, I feel, as a DJ, that I’ll be too busy LISTENING to music than making it. So, with the keyboards out of the equation, any recommendation for controllers?? Now you may laugh at this but please bear with me when I say that, In India, prices are seriously high. I have a max budget of about 100-200$ FLAT. Nothing more than that. And that itself will take me weeks to save up. So any recommendations for a controller? I was looking at the Gemini FirstMix i/o since it is available here. I would buy the pro version but I don’t think it is available in India as of now. Thanks
July 9, 2014 at 9:45 am #2042220KeymasterNumark Mixtrack Pro
July 16, 2014 at 4:52 pm #2043644ParticipantHey Terry,
I’ve looked into the Mixtrack, Mixtrack Pro and Mixtrack Pro 2. They all are very nice controllers. I’ve spent the last week researching about them. And the both the pro models seem EXACTLY the same in terms of functionality (I’m not concerned about the looks and IMO the original ones look better to me). So I’ve ruled out the Pro 2. But again I got thinking, that you can DJ with 2 cards right? So why not I buy the Mixtrack (the simple one not the pro one) because the Pro one is just on the outskirts of my budget and save up for, like you said, the focusrite scarlet series. Then
i could use my internal soundcard for my cueing and the scarlet for the master output, right? What do you say to that? And also, I read the “How do DJ right with a 1$ soundcard” post and got the idea from there. I already have one of those things, is it good enough for a small gig? (Not a huge club, but like 100-200 people). Reply soon, ThanksJuly 16, 2014 at 7:35 pm #2043674DJ Vintage
ModeratorYep, technically feasible. How practical that setup is … Extra cables, no easy way to adjust headphone volume (have to go through laptop keys), headphones plugged into the laptop (I sometimes forget I have them around my neck and turn away, I’ll pull them free from my controller, but I’d pull the laptop off of it’s stand if it were plugged in there. But that’s just being less than nimble I guess.
Since you still seem to be in limbo about what you want/need, I’d say go for the low end solution, find your workflow and find what works and doesn’t work in this first setup. Then you will probably be looking for other gear a year from now, but with a much better understanding of what you need.
As far as playing for 100-200 people (which to lots of DJs is already a mid-sized gig, more likely you’ll be playing 20-30 people gigs in the beginning 🙂 ) goes, there is an article on the blog right now about someone forced (due to a spilled drink) to DJ a gig on a no-name toy-store controller and made it work. At the end of the day that is what counts.
If you have done this for a long time and you actually get paid for doing it, it’s nice to have gear with all the bells and whistles, but it’s not necessary to get into the game.
July 16, 2014 at 7:41 pm #2043676ParticipantReally! Well I am pretty amazed to say that it is, or rather will be, my first gig. But till then I want to get spinning and move away from my laptop a bit. So I’ll use the 1$ soundcard for my gig and a simple mixtrack. Is there any other prominent difference between the simple one and the pro version? Am I missing something important?
July 16, 2014 at 7:47 pm #2043680ModeratorNot really, the built-in soundcard is the major difference I think. Obviously the Pro 2 has performance pads as well.
If you are going to be using low end gear, at least try not to aggrevate the situation by using low quality tracks. 265AAC, 320MP3 or WAV is what you should be using imho.
July 16, 2014 at 7:58 pm #2043685ParticipantAh yes, the sound quality, it will a minimum 256 kbps MP3 (most of my tracks are 320 kbps) No WAVs though. So my DJ setup is now:
1) A Laptop
2) A $1 Soundcard
3) A Numark Mixtrack
4) A Pair of Philips headphones
5) A ton of great music!I hope I haven’t forgotten anything though.
July 16, 2014 at 8:00 pm #2043686ModeratorA decent PA to hook up to and the right cables to hook your soundcard up to the PA would be nice.
July 16, 2014 at 8:22 pm #2043691ParticipantCheck. I just read the article you mentioned a while back. Now I know what I don’t have: Plan B. I have no backup with me. What do I do? Stuff a bunch of mini mixes in a usb key and take it along for the ride?
July 17, 2014 at 10:14 am #2043764Lamid45G
ParticipantOh yeah throw away that Lenovo laptop and switch it to Mac for much better latency in the Production route,
My 2 cents or Rs. whataver =pJuly 17, 2014 at 12:22 pm #2043810ParticipantI was thinking of that too rizki, but I can’t afford it now. That is one thing that will take me some time to do. But even if I do save up that much, I would still choose a Windows machine since I’m used to it now and I, for one, have absolutely no complaints against it. My Laptop has never failed me even once till date. So…XD
July 17, 2014 at 12:29 pm #2043815KeymasterAffordable wise my 2008 MacBook pro was the cheapest machine I ever bought.
It cost me back then 1890,00 and it is still alive and kicking. That comes down to about 25 bucks per month.Buddy of mine in the same time bought 4 Windows laptops (every 2 years) to keep up. Each cost him an average of 750 = 3000 bucks, which is more than 41 bucks per month….
July 17, 2014 at 12:55 pm #2043822ParticipantPoint noted. I’ll have a look into a MacBook too then.
July 24, 2014 at 7:15 pm #2045638ParticipantOK, So I have my exams coming up now. And I’m reasonably well prepared for them. I want to speak to my dad about buying me a controller then (I’m thinking of the Numark Mixtrack Pro or a Gemini FirstMix Pro + Novaion Launch Control or something similar to that) Any suggestions guys? How do I ask my dad to buy me a controller, most of you here may be dads who will surely be able to help me, right? Or, you may be teens who have been in my shoes already? So, please let me know all of your thoughts on this. Thanks a lot!
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