The most essential part of Dj'ing?

[SirReal]

Speaking of High Jack... :P

[photojojo]

Did anyone say "beat matching" as the most important skill?

Uhm, the very first sentence in the thread asks that exact question.

Would you say beat matching is the most essential part of being a dj?

If beatmatching was the most important skill the sync button would have us all out of a job.

Shr3dder's statement is perfectly valid as a response to the initial question.

for arguments sake can we get a list of the mixers and controllers you have gone through Mr. JoJo?

VCI-100 sold to get an S4 and added an X1. Sold the S4 to get a DNX-1600 and a second X1. Sold the 1600 and one X1 to get a Xone mixer, but needed some emergency cash so used the money saved up for that mixer instead of going into more debt. Effectively I had to start all over again. I already had an APC-40 so used it and the one X1 I had left. I added an F1 for remix decks. I wanted to try the small footprint K2 setup so I sold the APC and bought two of those. Those are great controllers, but not for me when it comes to using as a mixer. I sold one K2 and bought the Z2 and put the X1 back in the setup. I will probably sell the other K2 as well.

I didn't say don't go through gear like a slutty fool. Just because I've been through more gear than some doesn't invalidate my statement. All of that is at least mid range gear that held its resale value well. Something that the less expensive gear can't do. All I'm saying is don't buy a $100 mixer and expect it to perform like a $500 mixer. Save the money and get something at least mid range and you'll be happier down the road.

[hola amigos]

Numark has a pretty good feedback. You think i should just skip the numark and behringer as stated?
They are cheap but those brands have pretty good feedback views.

So your saying i should buy a Allen and Heath 2 channel mixer? Or a Pioneer 2 channel mixer?
Lets go see what they have to offer.
Djm 400 is nice but also 800.00 price tag makes it a turn off.
djm 250 is 350.00 not that bad i suppose.

[deevey]

Personally I'd go with the Pioneer 250 ... Normally I'd swing with A&H but filters on both channels independently is IMHO a far better solution - its a neat solid lil mixer.

Why restrict yourself to buying low/midrange new when you could pick up a really good deal on decent quality s/h gear on the likes of ebay or craigslist. For example theres a Serato SL1 + Rane 56 going as buy it now package on ebay for $615 right now just missing 2 curve knobs on the mixer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rane-TTM-56-...item2c69c556de

And on beatmatching:

While not the most important Skill these days, Beatmatching is an essential theory still IMHO regardless of what medium you use. Not every track works great with sync, even when sync does work it can go off within ear perception. Not to mention the day may come where you can't set up your laptop/controller due to circumstances out of your control and you will still be expected to carry on and put on a stomper show with whatever equipment happens to be at your disposal.

[paulie.phonic]

if u can count to 8 or 16 you can learn how to phase match ;P

[hola amigos]

Yeah i can count but that would be annoying to count for 2+ hours of dj'ing.

Do you all really just count in your head the entire time you mix music and then flail some arms to look like your having fun? That doesn't even sound fun that would probably drive me insane.

[SirReal]

Yeah i can count but that would be annoying to count for 2+ hours of dj'ing.

Do you all really just count in your head the entire time you mix music and then flail some arms to look like your having fun? That doesn't even sound fun that would probably drive me insane.

You're in the wrong profession then. It's all about math and numbers and timing. Feeling has nothing to do with it. (Sidenote: I gotta finish my "DJ by numbers APP")

[Nicky H]

You're in the wrong profession then. It's all about math and numbers and timing. Feeling has nothing to do with it. (Sidenote: I gotta finish my "DJ by numbers APP")

lol
All the top dj's count in binary or hex you know...

Yeah i can count but that would be annoying to count for 2+ hours of dj'ing.

Do you all really just count in your head the entire time you mix music and then flail some arms to look like your having fun? That doesn't even sound fun that would probably drive me insane.

Haven't read what type of music you are into but if it's dance (techno, house, even chart shite) they all have similar structure, you just 'know' where the count is after a while - if that makes sense

[Patch]

Yeah i can count but that would be annoying to count for 2+ hours of dj'ing.

Do you all really just count in your head the entire time you mix music and then flail some arms to look like your having fun? That doesn't even sound fun that would probably drive me insane.

You have to do the counting to learn. Sooner or later, you'll stop counting and just know when the beginning of a new phrase is coming up, and how many phrases ave just passed.

there is no shortcut to learning. So get counting. Soon (or not so soon) you'll stop counting and start KNOWING.

EDIT: I remember learning to beatmatch stood in from of my decks, pointing at each one in time with the record playing. Soon, I realised that one finger was pointing faster (ooh err...) than the other...

[photojojo]

One of the posts above me has a slight air of sarcasm. Can you tell which one it is? .