davemex's Simplified S8 Setup

[Davemex]

After years of messing around with different setups, I've decided that the complexity behind having multiple devices, keeping the mappings and drivers updated, and having to wire and unwire it all any time I need to move the equipment was more of a distraction from the creative process than a benefit. My setup has gradually evolved over time, starting with two 1200sl turntables and a Pioneer DJM mixer back in the 2000's to where it is today. Every time I revise my setup, I sell off my old equipment to help fund the new stuff. It also keeps the office clean!

Anyways, here's a before and after picture. The before setup was a VCI-100, APC20, and Audio 4 DJ sound card running off a Windows 7 laptop (Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM). Now, I wanted the computer to be as small and out of the way as possible, so I've picked up a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (i7, 8GB RAM, Windows 8.1) and grabbed an S8 thanks to the Black Friday sale.

The setup is much more minimal than a lot of people's here, but for me, I feel like it gets me back to what I like about Djing, the fun of it. I can literally plug the USB cable up to my Surface, and start cranking out tunes.

One note: this isn't going to be the final installation location for the S8 so the tiny Klipsch speakers aren't what I'll be using (I have a better system in the basement). I need to find a keyboard stand that will work with the S8 and hopefully have a place for the computer. I'm all ears if anyone has suggestions!

Before:
134529_917515020475_7574552_o.jpg

After:
IMG_20141201_192653.jpg

Updated to add the final stand pics now that it's in the final location.

Attachment 24200

Attachment 24201

[atontheproton]

nice stuff, that s8 looks fun.

[ian3dge]

cant imagine beatmatching using those touchstrips....

[Davemex]

cant imagine beatmatching using those touchstrips....

Me either. That's why I proactively beat grid all my tracks. That way I don't have to waste my time beat matching like I did for years on the 1200s and can instead focus on the value-added creative side of DJing.

I'm still a bit perplexed at all the people insisting that they WANT to beat match instead of using grids. Are we so afraid people won't think we're "working" as DJs that we have to touch a platter to look like we're doing things? At work I don't do math by hand instead of using Excel to prove to my boss that I'm actually calculating things. Why would we want to waste time manually beat matching when we can instead turn our focus to more track layering, effects, live remixing, and creating new mixes?

[ZULU1982]

Me either. That's why I proactively beat grid all my tracks. That way I don't have to waste my time beat matching like I did for years on the 1200s and can instead focus on the value-added creative side of DJing.

I'm still a bit perplexed at all the people insisting that they WANT to beat match instead of using grids. Are we so afraid people won't think we're "working" as DJs that we have to touch a platter to look like we're doing things? At work I don't do math by hand instead of using Excel to prove to my boss that I'm actually calculating things. Why would we want to waste time manually beat matching when we can instead turn our focus to more track layering, effects, live remixing, and creating new mixes?

I couldn´t agree more, Davemex. Even though I learnt beatchmatching in the beginning, I never understood why it is so damm important to most of the DJs out there.

[atontheproton]

^^ all valid points and I personally have never had an issue with anyone who uses sync... but as always Dave, haters are gonna hate and it is generally due to their own insecurities.

On cdjs I always mixed by %'s then fine tuned anyway, can't see much difference.

Sync is an amazing feature when you're in no shape to beatmatch and get the itch to mix a bit, even for quick sampling. I could go on but I won't.

[Davemex]

^^ all valid points and I personally have never had an issue with anyone who uses sync... but as always Dave, haters are gonna hate and it is generally due to their own insecurities.

Very true. The haters can hate all they want though, I DJ because I love music and I believe that the only thing that matters from a controller standpoint is that it minimizes the barrier between getting the mix from your head to the speakers. Anything that slows that down is a distraction.

As for the touch-strips, I found them surprisingly responsive when messing around without sync. My only complaint is that I wish they would have placed them in a vertical orientation instead of a horizontal one since that's how many of us are use to manhandling our records. It's a bit awkward to turn my hand sideways to nudge. Hell, I'd dare say you could almost scratch on them if they'd oriented them vertically.

Ohh well, I'm a house DJ and not a turntablist. If you're a true turntablist, I'd argue that you'd want to hook your turntables up to this thing anyways to use the Scratch Pro integration (remember, it's DESIGNED for that). Hell, if you wanted to scratch, you could probably buy a couple turntables, hook them up to this , and it would still be around the same price that Pioneer chargers for their all-in-one Serato controller that includes platters, and you could use real vinyl instead!

/done rambling

[atontheproton]

oh no, you're a house dj?
ahaha just kiddin'
I play that stuff too when nobody is around.

Yea all in all I think I might find myself grabbing an S8 some where down the road.. Pretty content with the S2 right now. Didn't enjoy the S4 at all.

CDJS and mixer have been collecting dust in the garage.
Can't bring myself to sell cdjs or mixer either. Nice to have them for house parties // spare gear for gigs if ever required.

[Davemex]

oh no, you're a house dj?
ahaha just kiddin'
I play that stuff too when nobody is around.

Haha maybe I should have said "electronic" instead of house to just specify that I'm not spinning hip-hop or club/pop. My collection is just heavier on house than it is DnB, dubstep, techno, etc. I actually ran through all genres when testing the S8 out to figure out how it behaved across the spectrum. Drum n Bass was by far the most fun on this machine thanks to flux mode + loops to create custom beat mashing. Hip-hop would be pretty fun too due to the ease of sample layering. You'd probably want those turntables though...

[atontheproton]

Oh man , I am only buggin' you. I have a shit ton of house and really enjoy the genre.

I mix my house with electro and breaks quite a bit and a little bit of minimal to take the edge off , ya know?

I just call it all bass music