one day i will invest in tt's and a mixer for studio purposes :)
one day i will invest in tt's and a mixer for studio purposes :)
I play about 95 percent of my gigs without my laptop. I am trying to integrate it more into my sets but time and time again my timecode fails me, maybe can someone can tell me why this happens, but the timecode sound bleeds into my other channel and can be heard on the track im playing, happened to me this thursday when I tried to use my timecode. I obviously can't have that so had to use CDs and just use the cdjs. Mixing manually on cdjs isn't bad, I always enjoy it and have a good time, my timing is fine and i mix fine. I just like a laptop for the additional effects and stuff.
Now if it were straight vinyl I might be a little screwed at first because its been a while. Provided I have my own crate, I would be ok if it had my cue point marks and bpm.
Part of the problem, as I see it, is becoming familiar with all of the different mediums of music manipulation now is bloody well expensive. Turntables, CDJ's, and the whole range of MIDI controllers.
It's honestly the reason I ended up getting turntables, so I could learn the basics with vinyl (and eventually Serato/Traktor for easy of track buying/switching). I'm still working on it, but I think it's a spot people really should start at. It's just as affordable as a MIDI controller, though not as simple to get together nor as mobile off the bat.
But if I want to learn on CDJ's? I don't know anyone with them. I know clubs have them installed, but if I were to play there, on the CDJ's, I'd hope I'd have a better understanding of them first. (Case and point, I went to a little weekly event last night, and the second DJ couldn't mix worth a shit on the CDJ-2000's. He just let songs play the whole way through, and then just slightly faded in and out, like a wedding DJ. It was a Dubstep night... I don't want to be that guy.)
MIDI controllers are also tough, because there are SO MANY of them now, and they are all different. One of the beauties of CDJ's or TT's is that the equipment is /basically/ the same no matter what setup you are using. If you have a MIDI controller and that's your thing, it's going to be fairly unique to you (or others whom own the same controller in the case of some of the popular ones).
It's a tough game to get into, this DJing thing. To know everything takes time and effort, and those are two things people don't want to do. Immediate gratification seems to be the road of choice lately, and it shows when people take that choice.
I suck at mixing now (I'm fair game to admit it) but I'm trying to learn the basics. I'm 110% my song selection is out of this world compared to other people I've heard. But I see people taking the easy route all the time. And while I can be okay with it if their selection is spot on for the sound they are going for, if they have technical problems it gives me a laugh with my friends, or can call for an early night if it's that bad.
*edit* And far as a laptop goes, if it's just a matter that you don't want to lug around a ton of records or even CD cases, I consider it fine. But if you can't DJ without it (and not just because of not owning cd's or vinyl) for shame. You don't have to know how without a laptop, but you should.
I'm fine on CDJs and can manage on vinyl albeit much slower with resetting a record instead of having a cue button.
Yea no doubt I think people should learn with CDJ's/ Vinyl but the reason why I haven't tried yet is I don't know anyone who has actual decks
Up the creek without a paddle.
I learned to beatmatch disco in the 80's on belt drive turntables. I'd still be screwed without a laptop since I have no more vinyl, had to get rid of it all when I moved overseas. :(
Respect for managing to use belt drives - I've played on them in bars and it's been damn hard work!Quote:
Originally Posted by SherpaPsy
I bought Traktor as an add on to my vinyl setup, in a bid to stop buying vinyl.
Sometimes I'll go for a week or 2 without switching the Traktor computer on.
No problems for me,
I would be fine using decks or cdjs,
when I first started out there wasnt such a thing as cdjs or laptops for djs.