synthet1c

Electricbloom, post: 17796, member: 1180 wrote: I think the crux for a new industry standard is some sort of ability for DJs to just load up their own mappings in to the controller/mixers in the clubs via a simple method, again like a SD card and then just plug in the laptop and rock!.

you can already do this as mappings are handled within the software not the hardware, the only thing that would have to be the same is the midi channel the device operates on, in the case of allen and heath gear you need to disconnect the usb and replace it to enter the setup. in terms of a standard I can’t see it happening but I think the reloop contour is on the right track as you can easily set up one or two with a house mixer and control the software…time will tell if behringer gear will be good but, I doubt it will be great.

It would be great if A&H made a DB8 that could connect to 2 different laptops and you could choose any channel of the mixer to work with any laptop/software, that would make change overs a breeze. Then once there is a standardized mixer they could make a controller similar to the contour the connects via xlink. The problem is that allen and heath gear is typically more expensive than pioneer gear so wouldn’t get as many people buying them to practice on away from the club.. Pioneer has djm 700, 800, 850, 900 that are all very similar in functionality and layout for lots of different budgets.

I should also mention that if you use vdj pro and your booth has cdj 850/900/2000’s and djm700/800/850/900 you can already connect up straight away, you just need 3 free usb ports… VDJ also works with any other midi cd player you will come across. and you can modify the mappings without the controller connected.

The best way to find out what an effect does is to use it… but, lofi reduces the bit rate of the audio input, kind of like decreasing the resolution of a picture, you end up with a distorted square sound. when you decrease the bit rate all the way you should only be able to faintly hear the track kind of like a filter.

Transpose stretch grabs a sample of the audio input and makes a micro loop. There is a knob that allows you to choose how many times the current loop will repeat before moving on to the next one, this gives a stretching effect with a small loop or a stuttering effect with a big one.

Not sure how a ring modulator works but it makes the tone sound warmer. and you can usually pitch up or down the effect so you can build or release tension.

Again the best way to find out is to try them for yourself…

I already think vdj is better than traktor, the only thing traktor has that vdj doesn’t is a chainable looproll/beatmasher effect and it doesn’t look as good out of the box, but I look forward to what djdad will do with a future GROM skin, and there is a trend of making minimalist “on screen display” skins as opposed to the busy hardware replacement ones of the past.

On topic… I don’t record in vdj because it doesn’t have a record meter, I use Audition on a seperate laptop so I can monitor the level on screen and I always leave some headroom. the levels can always be adjusted after the mix.

VCI-400 is now an external mixer aswell, if you use vdj pro you can use the soundcard to connect your techs with timecode, or you can just play normal vinyl like a normal mixer, this would also be your safe gaurd if the computer crashes. Don’t know about traktor or serato intro, but in vdj pro you are able to use multiple soundcards, so you could get an extra soundcard like the Audio 2 and use it for a booth out you just need to map a spare knob to control the volume, you could even use the laptops onboard soundcard if you had to… This way any controller can have a booth output….

I think the main thing to consider with the VCI-380 is that it has only 1 pot and 1 encoder for controlling effects, the rest is done with the pressure sensitivity of the pads, to me this is not very precise in comparison. The last thing is the pads are made for mashing tracks so only really suitable if you are playing rhythmic music (dubstep, drumstep, moombah, hard electro, dutch, techno)… they would be wasted on anything melodic.

the mixtrack is plug and play with both serato intro and vdj pro… VDJ has had native support for over a year, but I don’t know why everyone says they outgrow controllers, all you will be doing is replacing the mixtrack with a controller that can do exacty the same thing, granted the reloop has 4 extra buttons but essentially it’s the same thing “just another controller”. were no longer in the days when all functions had to be in the hardware and one manufacturer can have an advantage over another, It’s a level playing field now in terms of function and all in the mapping.

if you have already paid for vdj pro any controller wil work with it, if your using a cracked version then I suggest you buy it so you get access to the plugins which make a hell of a lot of difference…

I disagree with hessler on reloop, the jockey 3 is a great quality controller, Im not sold on the terminal mix 2 as there not released yet so havn’t played on one, but it looks too much like the jockey 2 which is lacking a little, the hercules is terrible and the vms4 has had many issues so has scared many from buying the vms4.1, because of this I haven’t read any reports of the quaity from trusted sources…

most chicks dig vocal melodic tracks like commercial, house, progressive house, trance etc…
most dude’s dig big dirty bass be it dubstep, dnb, hardstyle, electro, fidget etc..

There are definately exceptions to those rules but everyone digs epic choons which is a combination of both hard and sweet!

If you play a set with all three elements in a full room you will have success if your having fun.

you could just get a 2 rca to 1/8 inch stereo adapter, then plug the line out from your analog mixer into the computer, through a recording program like “audacity” it’s free and not very resource hungry an will run on a windows xp operating system with no problems.

also you mentioned the mic input, im not 100% but i think i have read that it doesnt route to the software and just plays out the master…