DJ Vintage

The DJ2Go would be your controller, are you using it with Traktor, Virtual DJ, PCDJ or DJay?

Greetinx,
C.

DJ Connibis, post: 38121, member: 3937 wrote: Is there any back up software that is preferred for DJs such as to save my computer as a whole and still have my music with cue points and all that ? AND in regards to Flashdrives which I use, is there a way to save the music with the cue points and everything in it so it is ready to go once i plug it in?

Hi,

In the case of Traktor (which is what I predominantly use), best practice for me is to have both the Traktor Root folder and my music folder on a flashdrive (or external usb hd). Since I DO have two laptops, I have both my Traktor installs set to look for the root folder in M:TraktorRoot and for the music folder in M:TraktorMusic. I can easily switch laptops now, just connect the drive, make sure it is set as drive M: and start Traktor. It will now use all the settings and music as they sit on the flasdrive, so including cue points, controller settings, screen settins, everything.

Any imaging software will do for making an exact copy of your computers hard drive. I use Acronis True Image (paid version) but there are a few free ones out there too for both windows and mac.

I know about Macrium Reflect Free (Windows), Paragon (also Windows) and Clonezilla (Windows, Mac & Linux) to name a few, but haven’t used any of them recently, so can’t comment on their quality. Most will allow you to both make an entire disk backup up as backups of certain folders (like your Traktor and Music folders). Backup and imaging software doesn’t alter your files, so what you backup is what you have available for restore.

Greetinx,
C.

[INDENT=1]Great tips from Terry on getting a better grip on the theoretical side of things before diving in. It sure helps to define your needs and wants when it comes to getting gear and software.[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1] [/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]Although I don’t produce (when it comes to creating music I can’t seem to find the patience to start), I have done and on occassion still do quite a bit of live sound and studio sound engineering.[/INDENT]

[INDENT=1]The landscape for DAWs here (Holland) is pretty much defined by, over simplified – so don’t shoot me!:[/INDENT]

• ProTools for just about every serious studio
• Logic for true Mac afficionados
• CuBase for a lot of home studios (it also seems a little better geared towards midi use, although the differences between PT and CB are getting smaller and smaller in that aspect)
• In DJ production work I know Ableton is the DAW of choice for the professionals.
• FL is see predominantly in home setups.

[INDENT=1]Like with all this stuff the best way to work towards the right choice in the end is:[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]

• write down what goal you want to accomplish
• work out a list of features you need to have to accomplish that goal
• prioritize the feature list
• define a budget
• cross check available solutions to your prioritized feature list
• make your final choice. Here it pays to look at things like:
  [LIST]
• workflow
• availability of help (like courses live/online/video, people in your network)
• general feel of the application

[/list]
I have fallen into the trap where I really wanted a piece of gear or software and found my brain working really hard and creatively to make it fit my needs. Needless to say that after I got the stuff, it wasn’t quite what I expected or worse, needed.[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]Good luck with the process![/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]Greetinx,
C. [/INDENT]

Hey Terry,

Vodka-Orange aka Screwdriver m8. If you are having only one, you might as well use some serious alcohol right?

Us DJs have a reputation to upkeep, we can’t be seen with umbrella drinks! Please … :-p.

And even if you DO happen to drink more than one (I know you youngsters don’t want to listen to us old farts anyway) VodkaO has a few more advantages:

• no alcohol on your breath
• no hang-over
• doesn’t look like you are drinking
• lot’s of vitamin C 🙂

Final tip: Just don’t do beer guys, one beer will already make your breath smell sour. Yikes!

Greetinx,
C.

What software are you using?

Greetinx,
C.

Hi Wolfie,

Welcome to this odd band of brothers and sisters! Hope you find what you are looking for.

You’ll find DJs here for just about any genre of music out there. Me, for example, I am pretty much an allround DJ, regular mobile gigs and the occasional club.

Greetinx,
C.

Hi,

I’ve been in quite a few situations where the actual thing turned out to be different from what it was portrayed to be.
Being a nice guy, always willing to help, in the early days I’d just say “sure, no problem”. But in effect that is making someone else’s problem my problem and taking responsibility for the solution.

I think part of being a professional is being creative in helping figuring out a way out of an impasse, but not for free.
The most professional people I have met in my life (not just DJs) are all very well capable of solving issues without them putting in their money or their time for free. That is not to say you can’t help out somebody once in a while if you are certain that it will enhance your business in the future. The main thing is you have to act from strength rather than from fear (of losing work for example).

Especially if this is through someone else you work with on a regular basis, I think you should check with him and get his opinion on it. He might feel misinformed himself and want to go back to the venue owner and renegotiate the price, in which case you can get the extra pay you deserve.

I wouldn’t bother the venue owner with it, after all it is not your commercial contact. You should however consult with your booker and tell him that you are expected to do something way different than you were originally hired for.

I am assuming your booker really didn’t know about this.

Worst case: your booker didn’t know, but does not feel like he can go back and renegotiate with the venue. In order to keep your booker happy you could say you feel that although it isn’t really your problem but his (since he hired you for 10-2 playtime and that is what you have agreed to do), you want to help him out because he helps you all the time.

I think I would suggest the following to him: I’ll go and do the gig as expected by the venue. Since he can’t get any extra money from the venue, there is nothing to do about that. Would he consider refraining from taking his fee this time, so I at least get compensated a little for all the extra hours I need to put into this one? And I would tell him that I consider this a one time thing to help him out as well as myself, but let’s make sure this kind of situation doesn’t happen again.

Chalk it up as the cost of doing recurring business and making a deposit in his favor bank. Perhaps you can push him to find you an extra, bigger, better paying gig by way of making up to you in the near future.

Remember, they hire you because you are good at something they have a need for. And as long as you are not overcharging your customers, your efforts are worth getting paid for.

Greetinx,
C.

Hey,

Yep,. the booth output is typically used to give you a way to listen to the same signal as is played over the main P.A.

Reasons you may want this:

• The DJ booth may be (semi-)closed, so you don’t hear the P.A. speakers very well
• The P.A. speakers may be situated a long way from the DJ booth, creating a delay that will make your mixes crash (trust me, been there, done that and almost got my t-shirt stolen!)
• The P.A. speakers may be aimed away from the DJ booth, in which case you will probably hear the bass ok, but not the higher sounds (like the clap/snare)

All those problems can be easily solved by setting up a monitor speaker in the booth. The reason it has a seperate set of outputs is that (when you set the switch on your TM2 to booth) you have a seperate volume knob that allows you to control the booth volume apart from the main. I usually have the monitor turned up when set up the beat match, then I turn it down til it is time to do the actual mix, then turn it down again (gotta take care of your ears, right?).
Another thing about a booth output is that it will generally NOT play the sound coming out of the microphone if you are using one. The reason is that if you were to use your mic and have the sound coming out of the booth monitor right next to it, there is a more than fair chance of feed back, you know, that high whistle sound).
As far as monitor speakers go, they don’t need to be very big, very powerful (although you need to be able to hear them over the house P.A. (but if you set them up close to you (typically less than 1-2 meters from your ear) that shouldn’t be a problem), or extremely high quality as far as sound goes. They should be easy to carry around, mountable on speaker stand (or like mine with an adapter on a mic stand). And I say they and speakers, but really one should be enough.
Any small, active P.A. speaker should do, don’t go spending your entire budget on a monitor speaker. I now have a Numark NPM-100 which I love. Not really lightweight, but sturdy for the road (ABS case and firm metal grill) and as I said it sits on a microphone stand which is a lot more compact to carry around to gigs than a speaker stand. Plenty of power with 100W RMS (I think).
Here is a picture of my current setup (2x Denon SC2900, 1x Denon X1600) and you can see the NPM100 there. At a gig it will typically sit slightly behind and to the left side of my DJ stand (I use my right ear for my headphones). I can tilt it upwards so it is aimed right at my ear :-).

Hope that helps in getting you set up right!
Greetinx from Holland,
C.