Daryl
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Daryl
ParticipantThanks for taking the time to reply Terry_42.
Your description of the VCI-380 is exactly how I feel about it. Excellent at what it does, simple learning curve, anyone can just plug and start playing.
If you are up for the challenge it is hard to outgrow the controller and it will be a buddy for a very long time.
Got me sold on this line, as this is what I’m hoping for when/if I switch. Function wise, am I right to say they are almost identical? Besides the slicer, are there other functions that I’ll miss out on the 400?
Participantrotoitiman, post: 11743, member: 1067 wrote: Long time reader on this forum, but I had to join if not only to say thank you for a fantastic post, I could not have put it better myself.
why thank you Rotoitiman, i get long winded sometimes, nice to know someone read it
ParticipantI admit it took me a couple of sessions to get used to the touch strip. I might be wrong, but i think to logic behind the touch strip is to reduce the size of the controller. That smaller touch strip also does more than a jog wheel (Needle drop, pinching for eg). Maybe does a little too much for its own good, i get confused sometimes. You have to be open to changes using the Twitch though, my usual work flow is different now
ParticipantDJ Hessler, post: 11668 wrote: I have a hard time understanding how anyone could DJ without joggwheels.
I would never even considder that. Please explain? How do you scratch with that stripthing?
I am proberbly too old for this game and should sell my stuff and do something else?
Nowdays there is no fun left in DJ’ing, pushing autosync and no joggs, bah!Thats a little harsh. One man’s meat is another man’s poison I suppose. My dj friends used to give me flak when I mention a controller i’m looking to buy. They all about funk and soul, and how djing used to and should be done. Serious about their craft and music. I respect the craft and culture of djing and i don’t even call myself a dj. But this is my stand about digital djing with controllers.
I always liken the djing trade with painting. Traditional brushes, paint and canvas vs digital photoshop painting. They both have its pros and cons and different skill sets are required for the desired medium. But the end of the day, they are both mediums to get the artwork/idea across. Of course, one should always know and respect the intricacy involved with traditional methods since it inspired digital mediums. Similar to Djing and digital djs.
Now to answer your question, how can anyone dj on this thing? Well, i just love music. Sharing that love and having fun is the top priority on my list, over technicalities. I didn’t grow up in the vinyl era, instead i ‘crate dug’ cds during my weekends. CDJs seem like the way to go, but if i wanted that decks+mixer route, i’d rather do turns (which i have, that i line in to my Twitch for some added variety). Aren’t CDJs just like controllers, mimicking turntables?
So as not to be hijackin this thread (apologies Mr. Toxic), I’ll state why I like Twitch. It doesn’t try to recreate the experience of traditional djing, instead, it takes the pros of digital djing and focuses on that. About autosync, I always avoid autosync, not to proof a point, but i think it makes the mixes sound robotic. Sometimes the drifitng of beats adds a human touch to the mix.
The day i bought my Twitch home, my curious brother walked over to check it out. I explained the different modes for the ‘performance pads to him, and invited him to have a go on the empty deck. With minimal djing experience, he picked it up within minutes, and we jammed for hours. I mixed the beats, while he played with the slicer and autoloops on the other deck. Most fun i had with a controller ever. I know my bro enjoyed it too cause after that, he drops in more often to mess around with Twitch. To me, that experience alone explains my definition of fun.
On the contrary to your statement, i think controllers have made djing more fun by opening up more musical possibilities and making it accessible to a wider audience. Made it easier to share your love of music
ParticipantTook the jump with Twitch. Never looked back. Most fun I had with a controller
ParticipantVinnyBlanc, post: 9556 wrote: BOTH!!!!!
http://www.digitaldjtips.com/forum/threads/twitch-and-ns6-running-together-in-itch-2-0-video.1505/
Awesome link there Vinny! Now I’d have to find someone to rob…
Thanks for all the input guys! My 1 1/2 month dilemma is coming to an end. I went for another go at the controllers again. This time much earlier so that i can have a proper feel on them. Previously only had 5 mins on each as the store was closing. As the NS6 was out of stock, I spent around 30-45 mins (lost track of time as i was having so much fun) on Twitch and chatting with the staff.
Twitch is really easy to pick up, besides the 5 mins i had previously and overview videos online, pretty much got going within the time span of the 1st song playing. Was using the store’s laptop with unfamiliar songs that weren’t beat gridded. A buddy I had with me who was listening in the background while checking his own gear, thought i selected songs i knew by hard. Its that easy to get into. Everything is intuitive and where they should be.
I found that it changed the way i approach the tracks. Usually, i’ll pre set hot cues before daring to go crazy on a certain track. But with the slicer and loop roll at a touch of a button, allowed me to get creative on the fly! slicer mode needed some getting used to though.
Had 2 minor gripes about it though.
Firstly, as the song were not beat gridded and the BPM stated were off on some tracks, I had to beat match by ear. The lack of pitch faders made that a little more difficult. With a pitch fader, you can ride it up and down till you find the sweet spot. Something which needs getting used to with a knob.
Secondly, trying to nudge a track forward or backward to get it time took some getting used to as well. Waveforms on screen traditionally move from right to left on screen, and the strip on Twitch moves from left to right (which is correct too). And for example, when i start the second track a little too slow, meaning the downbeat is a little to the right of the track that is playing, my brain tells me to swipe the strip from right to left, which is wrong cause i’m slowing the track down. Still kept doing it throughout that half an hr.Besides that 2 issues, i’m totally sold. Can’t wait to pick mine up!
ParticipantDigitall DJ, post: 8821 wrote: I wouldn’t be surprised if Twitch 2 comes along next year with sample deck functionality and optional AC power to beef up the output. Inevitably it’ll be announced the day after I buy one!!
I have a feeling that might happen very soon with all the flak they are getting. I should just wait for Twitch 2
@Cool Cats, Does the NS6 have a function to let the the track continue on under the loop you set? like the ‘loop roll’ on Twitch
ParticipantThanks Digitall DJ, I went to get a hands on on both units and I’m certainly leaning more to Twitch.
My impressions are exactly like yours. I like how solid the NS6 is but as you said, it doesn’t inspire. Twitch was certainly much more fun to meddle around with, and somehow I start to re-think my sets.
I was just about to sell off my S4 for for Twitch when I acquired a Stanton Str8-80 from a friend clearing his unwanted stuff. Hooked it up to Channel C on my S4 and its been a blast to play with. Prior to this, I’ve only used vinyl to play tracks and never tried mixing with it. Went down the digital path from the start. But mixing some vinyl with digital tracks is a joy!
So guess i’m at another crossroad. Thinking of going with Twitch and getting a 2nd hand mixer so I still can hook up the Stanton. Which makes me think, maybe I should just keep things easy with the NS6
ParticipantOh my..
Looks like its made for Traktor. If it does ITCH, its will be on my list
ParticipantThanks for the reply DJ Hessler. You are right, the best solution is always to go to a store and test the units. I guess I’m just afraid doing that will make the decision even harder, hahaa. But i’ll do that anyhow.
At the moment, I do think i’ll be fine without jogs, maybe thats just me. I only use the jogs to nudge or scrub through tracks. There are times when i do not have my S4 with me and still have fun laptop DJing with TP2. Still, I’ll test Twitch at a store.
My original decision was to get the NS6 and have been saving for it till i heard of Twitch. Like you said, the internet is buzzing with praise on the NS6 and pretty damn quiet on Twitch, which makes me hesitant.
I just checked out Stanton SCS.4DJ. Looks really dope! I actually started Djing with a Cortex Dmix-600. Not as advanced as the SCS.4DJ but fun nevertheless. My gripe with the Dmix-600 is the amount of pre gig preparation that had to be done. When a buddy came with a HD of his tracks to jam together, it wasn’t pre prepared and only bare bones information was available (wasn’t a bad thing cause it made me beat match by ear). I moved to Itch and then Traktor cause of the ease of that. Loading up a new track scans and prepares it. But i’m sure the SCS.4DJ does that though.
Hope to hear more feedback from folks with a Twitch or NS6 as well!
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