Terry_42
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Terry_42
KeymasterBuy a 200 bucks controller and you are set for a gig, buy cheap CDJs and it will suck.
Any decent “cheap” CDJ setup will cost you at least 1500-2000 bucks (with a decent mixer) a good CDJ setup more closely to 4000-6000. Then you will still have no PA system and no lights if you ever plan on going mobile.Now having played with top of the line CDJs (Pioneer 2000s) I can easily tell you:
There is NOTHING you can do with those CDJs that I cannot do with my Macbook and my Controller, except maybe play CDs. Now let’s calculate: MacBook is really old and prolly you can get my model used for 300 bucks, plus a good controller (mine costs like 500) and you are set and still have spare money for stuff like innofaders (if you scratch), chroma keys (for style), lights and a PA and will still be a long shot below a highend CDJ setup… that can do nothing more, except you do not need a laptop…So if it is worth 2000-3000 dollar to you not having to use a laptop, by all means start saving. I play your gigs meanwhile…
KeymasterThat is the trouble… I was really tired after a gig and needed to wind down, so i was surfing on the iPad drinking a hot chocolate (yeah I am a real rockstar DJ….) and forgot to bookmark it. It might have been in Reloops support forum, but I don’t know which thread or where…. I try to look for it again when I have time.
I can recall that Dave from Reloop said something like Itch being in its final release too.And I am totally with you Vinny. I would love to see such an upgrade path as I totally love my Terminal Mix 4, but I have to use Traktor at the moment as DJ Intro is 2 Decks only and VDJs EQ sucks and I cannot replace it on my Mac as it does not support VSTs…. so Traktor is the only choice atm and since I gave back my S4 I had to dig out 30 bucks for a resell license on DJTT.
KeymasterNow there are rumors spreading on the net, that Itch is in final release state aka the last release to include feature upgrades and it may be replaced by something new… speculation guys predict that SSL and Itch will be melted together into a pro software and Itch/SSL users will get a cheap or free upgrade path.
KeymasterIf you are into Traktor the VCI-400 is prolly as good as it gets.
You can easily go for the “normal” VCI-400 as DJTT promised to release the firmware for the VCI-400 and you can get the mapping files at their download section for free.
You can still use the VCI-400 like any other controller and just forget some of the knobs in the beginning. Yes there will be a learning curve for both Traktor and the controller, but it just means you won’t outgrow it and you will develop alongside it. Also the VCI-400 has a lot of live in it, since it is very new.You should however also consider what you want from a controller, my current top controllers are:
– VCI-400 if you are controllerist and want all the buttons in one unit, perfekt for Traktor
– VCI-380 if you want Pads and Itch
– Reloop Terminal Mix 4 if you want the best non-motorized jog wheels and are on a budget, very good for VDJ even if it says Serato on the unit hehe
– Numark 4Trak for heavyweight but awesome Traktor control with more straight forward workflow than the VCI-400
– Reloop Jockey 3 ME for budget Traktor controllerLook for the reviews on those units or better try to get your hands on them yourself.
KeymasterI Backup my music to iTunes Match (well most of what is in iTunes) and my archives are put on a firewire raid, which I sync via TimeMachine in Mac OS.
This might look like overkill, but as D-Jam I have a large vinyl collection and I already converted most of it to digital… I guess apple hates me now, as iTunes Match only had a 50% success rate and I uploaded like 150gigs onto their servers hehe…. and I never want to go through that process again… to make it perfect it cost me A LOT of time… and I still have like 200 DAT tapes from music productions that should go onto a harddrive… I am doomed…KeymasterNo problem. We will have to wait for one of the Windows guys to chime in though, I am more the Mac Expert … but I am sure one of the Windows guys can help out.
KeymasterVery good writeup. He is totally right.
I one time saw a german electronic “band” perform: They put an iPod on stage to actually show the audience the truth… One guy came to stage flipped in the right instrumental track and the singer would give his live singing performance to the backing of the iPod track.
After the concert he simply said: We could have had our 5 people up here with large keyboards and synthesizers and make it look like they hit buttons, but truth is: We simply cannot play this complex stuff live and we thought you should know.
Audience gave ’em credit for that.I also think that it is about entertaining. I would totally go to a Deadmau5 show, simply because the lightshow etc. is really really good. Also US EDM guys should learn from the Eurodance scene in the 90s: The DJs then, well they hit some buttons, prolly less than today, but they had like dance performances on stage, whole dance crews, awesome lights and lasers etc. etc. etc. It was like a real entertainment show some even storylined. But of course it would shift some attention away from the DJ, towards the show and some people may simply miss the silly handwave or the groovy headphone pose… selfish bunch.
KeymasterI totally agree with D-Jam.
However the video really made me lough, I do not think that I was that bad on my first gig (cannot remember, to long past) and I have seen 13 year old kids at highschool parties do a better job on their first gig….
But she does seem to have a good following, as people were cheering. If someone else was that bad on stage they prolly form up a lynch mob… sex sells…KeymasterThe problems I had Phil were not really breaking down totally. The gear just acted weird. Like the one mixer you had channels that came out more silent then others at the master and stuff like that. One after 6 months (which is within warranty) and they told me “that is well within limits”…. Speakers where one speaker does sound different than the other one of the same model… etc. etc.
Sad was that the gear would have probably been good enough to resell, but I would have felt really bad about it so it is still sitting in my basement or I just accidentally “left it somewhere”…KeymasterFirst of all when asking such questions:
– Tell us what controller you are using
– Tell us what laptop you are using
– Tell us what operating system you are using
– Possibly tell us what firmware on the controller you are using
– Tell us what Traktor mapping you are using
– Possibly make a screenshot of your audio settings in traktorThis way we can better try to understand what you are doing and we gladly help you. And like you said, everybody started out one time, so do not be afraid to ask questions.
KeymasterDJing in a lounge is like serving a 60 course 5 star menu…
Try to tell a story or theme with your songs throughout the night, follow the different times look in the faces of the people and make them excited to come back.
DJing a lounge can be challenging and if people come back, because of you it is also very satisfying for the DJ. You have to improvise a lot more than in a dance club, where people go to have a good time… in a lounge you have a lot more sad people, angry people, lonely people,… and it is your duty to entertain them (and not play emo suicidal tunes for lonely people… hehe)KeymasterGet the trial versions of VDJ, Traktor and Ableton. Then see what floats your boat best.
There is no best software or specific software for a style. Each software package of the big ones (and some smaller ones) are really good. The difference is more in what you prefer and what best supports your workflow.
I think every DJ has his own workflow and style to work on his equipment and therefore what works for me, might be crap in your book…KeymasterCurrently iTunes gives you 256kbit AAC (File ending .m4a) it is not possible to get mp3’s.
Apparently some studies say that AAC has the advantage of having the same quality with one kbit step less than mp3. (That would make a 256kbit AAC euqal in quality as a 320k mp3). If this is true for you is open for debate, as some folks still swear on lossless wav files. I can honestly not hear a difference in sound between a wav file and 192k AACs and I have excellent hearing and excellent monitors.
KeymasterHad the same thing happen to me a few years back (still using CDJs, so it was no software glitch) in the end the result was: the crappy Behringer PA amp had a heat switch, it did just overheat very slightly so it would switch off for just like the time you prolly needed to check Itch and then reboot it.
Now I am not using Itch myself atm, but reports indicate it is very stable and when it runs it runs.KeymasterYou should also think about re-installing windows every 6-12 months and have a fresh install. In my past experience Windows has deteriorated over time and started to “act up” after some months. Also on your DJ laptop I would not recommend sleep mode etc. Just shutdown and boot fresh before a gig.
What I like about Mac OS is that it is uncomplicated… I have never made a fresh install since 2005… Since then I have migrated to a new laptop (via migration assistant) and did several major release upgrades… still works. And I have not rebooted since the last software update… (which is the only time it gets rebooted else I just close the lid).
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