N00b

Hi music community,

For many years now I've been a laptop DJ...however recently it has come to my attention that I'm not taken seriously because I don't have some huge array of hardware.

While unfortunate, I'm willing to combat the haters.

I have Ableton, and I recently acquired an M-Audio Oxygen 25. I'm new to using both, and would like to get into live remixing. I'm a fast learner, and very studious. I like to get my hands dirty and jump in the deep end. In terms of music, I mess with varieties of house, dubstep and old school hip-hop.

Thus, if anyone can point me towards any useful templates, educational YT videos, blog posts, forum threads, etc, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

Also, I am a Windows user if that helps.

Try this and This

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For many years now I've been a laptop DJ...however recently it has come to my attention that I'm not taken seriously because I don't have some huge array of hardware.

While unfortunate, I'm willing to combat the haters.

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Well lets say you were going to a pizzeria to get some pizza. You get there and its not a business establishment but its some guy's house in his regular kitchen with a pizza making kit he bought at the regular grocery store that he cooks in his regular oven and then says to you, here is your large pizza, that will be $12.50. Do you see where I'm going? Would you think of that guy as a professional Pizza Maker or just a guy that as a hobby likes to make pizza?

You aren't even thinking of yourself as a DJ because you called yourself a "laptop" DJ. You haven't invested in any professional DJ equipment, how can anyone take you seriously if you don't take yourself seriuously? You don't have to have a large array of hardware to DJ but a professional in any field has and uses professional equipment. The average person has a laptop, what is separating you from the average person. Anyone can get a demo version of a program and use it for basic DJ functions, even if you have the upgraded version of a program, there is no way on just a keyboard and a mouse that you could possibly do even half of what the program is capable of doing which in turn affects what you can do as a DJ. If you don't look like and act like a professional, and invest in professional equipment and treat your craft with the utmost of respect like a professional, you aren't going to be treated like a professional, whether you are a DJ or a Pizza Maker.

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Originally Posted by dj matt blaze

Well lets say you were going to a pizzeria to get some pizza. You get there and its not a business establishment but its some guy's house in his regular kitchen with a pizza making kit he bought at the regular grocery store that he cooks in his regular oven and then says to you, here is your large pizza, that will be $12.50. Do you see where I'm going? Would you think of that guy as a professional Pizza Maker or just a guy that as a hobby likes to make pizza?

You aren't even thinking of yourself as a DJ because you called yourself a "laptop" DJ. You haven't invested in any professional DJ equipment, how can anyone take you seriously if you don't take yourself seriuously? You don't have to have a large array of hardware to DJ but a professional in any field has and uses professional equipment. The average person has a laptop, what is separating you from the average person. Anyone can get a demo version of a program and use it for basic DJ functions, even if you have the upgraded version of a program, there is no way on just a keyboard and a mouse that you could possibly do even half of what the program is capable of doing which in turn affects what you can do as a DJ. If you don't look like and act like a professional, and invest in professional equipment and treat your craft with the utmost of respect like a professional, you aren't going to be treated like a professional, whether you are a DJ or a Pizza Maker.

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Matt, you and I both know the equipment DOES NOT make the DJ. The #1 thing about DJing is music selection and knowledge. This can easily be demonstrated without extensive hardware. I take myself very seriously.

I've seen people "taken seriously" with just an iPod. Does someone who wants to be a movie director need anything more than a phone nowadays? No.

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Originally Posted by TXDJ2012

Matt, you and I both know the equipment DOES NOT make the DJ. The #1 thing about DJing is music selection and knowledge. This can easily be demonstrated without extensive hardware. I take myself very seriously.

I've seen people "taken seriously" with just an iPod. Does someone who wants to be a movie director need anything more than a phone nowadays? No.

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Absolutely the equipment doesn't make the DJ. Music selection is key, no doubt. You said that people don't take you seriously as a DJ and I am telling you why. Whether you choose to accept that or believe it is an entirely a different story. Can you technically DJ with just a laptop, sure you can. Can you DJ with 2 ipods, sure you can. I can cook a helluva lasgna but that doesn't make me a chef. If I walk into an office as a CPA for a financial business meeting wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops I am not going to be taken seriously. I might be the greatest finanacial mind on the planet but that impression of not looking and acting like a professional for that business is going to hurt my credibility.


If a club owner, bar owner, even just a client thats wants to have a party asks you what you use to DJ and all you say is a laptop, its going to hurt you, this is a fact, wrong or right. If you are a professional then why don't you have professional equipment? There is no way you can tell me that you can do everything with just a laptop that others do with a controller or a DVS. Just having a laptop is not professional for DJing. What else do you use? How do you get sound out of your laptop? Amp? Speakers?

I am not trying to sound like an ahole, Im just saying.

I dont think the laptop makes you a subpar dj anyways. There are many professional dj's who use laptops live. But i mean if you go out there with a thinkpad and a mixtrack, then yeah thats a differant story haha

+100 to dj matt blaze

May sound shit... is very true thou

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Originally Posted by djfofo

I dont think the laptop makes you a subpar dj anyways. There are many professional dj's who use laptops live. But i mean if you go out there with a thinkpad and a mixtrack, then yeah thats a differant story haha

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Well I don't mean just intergrating a laptop within your system. At least half, if not more, of the DJs out there today use a laptop and some type of program whether it be Traktor Pro, Itch, VDJ, with a controller or a DVS, Traktor scratch or scratch live. But just plugging your laptop in and coming out of the headphone jack and using the mouse and keyboard to control volume, crossfader, pitch fader, EQ, loops, effects, everything is just not professional or is it possible to do it all effectively like a professional. Equipment doesn't make the 'DJ" but it does separate the amateur from the professional and how others are going to perceive you. This isn't an opinion, this is straight up fact.

I am the first person to say that the tools you use will never replace song selection, reading the crowd, when and how to use loops and effects. You can look at my previous posts on other threads and I have said the only people that care about the equipment the DJ uses are other DJs. That to many DJs get caught up in what the tools are, not how the tools are used. This is also referring to the fact that there are a lot of snobby condescending DJs that think anything less than top of the line is crap. LIke using a Numark CDJ or a Behringer mixer makes you less of a DJ. Numark and Behringer are professional DJ equipment companies. Its not top of the line but its still professional equipment. As a professional in any field you are expected to adhere to a certain standard of professionalism. Djing with just a laptop is not professional, its perceived as being an amateur and it should be.

There is always separation between hobbyist and professional. Professional equipment is made to a different standard. Are you going to tell me that the average soundcard in a laptop is as good as an NI or an A&H soundcard specifically designed for DJing? I can got to Home Depot and buy a lawn mower for $400 or even splurge and get a riding mower for $1500 that will cut my lawn but a professinal riding mower is like $6000, why is that? It does the same thing. Its because its built differently for professional use.

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Originally Posted by dj matt blaze

I am the first person to say that the tools you use will never replace song selection, reading the crowd, when and how to use loops and effects. You can look at my previous posts on other threads and I have said the only people that care about the equipment the DJ uses are other DJs. That to many DJs get caught up in what the tools are, not how the tools are used. This is also referring to the fact that there are a lot of snobby condescending DJs that think anything less than top of the line is crap. LIke using a Numark CDJ or a Behringer mixer makes you less of a DJ. Numark and Behringer are professional DJ equipment companies. Its not top of the line but its still professional equipment. As a professional in any field you are expected to adhere to a certain standard of professionalism. Djing with just a laptop is not professional, its perceived as being an amateur and it should be.

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I completely agree. If you really appreciate dj'ing and understand it, you should be able to look beyond equipment and more into talent and style. Yeah numark and behringer might not be as well respected but I've seen dj's do WORK on equipment from them. And like you said, learning how to use the equipment is essential. It doesnt matter what it is, if you know every in and out of it, then you are in the gold.