Gear Explained
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Gear Explained

  1. #1
    Tech Wizard
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    68

    Default Gear Explained

    Okay so I have a controller Numark Mixtrack Pro nothing special. But I was looking at other components such as a MIDI controller and stuff like that I saw a Korg Kaos Pad. Im assuming these are for adding cool effects and stuff but can someone give me a list of all the DJ components available and what they do? I know what a turntable is and a controller, however I also know what a MIDI controller looks like, I've got no idea what it does. Anyways any input would be great. Just trying to broaden my knowledge and get an understanding of the skill

  2. #2
    Tech Guru DigitalDevil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    799

    Default

    A MIDI controller just controls software in the same manner as your keyboard or any other input device.

    This is a MIDI controller:


    So is this:


    And this also has MIDI controls:


    Its just a matter of mapping whatever input on the controller (button, knob, fader, etc) to the desired control within any software application.

  3. #3
    Tech Wizard
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    68

    Default

    so basically everything involving djing is a midi controller?

  4. #4
    Über Tech Guru Ed Paris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    l.e. city / germany
    Posts
    4,012

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bigtyme7 View Post
    so basically everything involving djing is a midi controller?
    it depends on what gear you are using as a dj. if you are using turntables and vinyl it doesn´t involve midi controllers. if you are using a digital scratch system it doesn´t involve midi controllers. but if you are using software to mix with midicontroller it does involve midicontrollers.
    so basically what you are using right now, the numark mixtrack pro, is a midicontroller, because it is like...
    like a mouse. a midicontroller is a more complexe mouse. so every knob or button or fader acts like "a mouse click" dedicated to a function in your dj software.
    I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.

  5. #5
    Tech Wizard
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    68

    Default

    oh okay so for doing really cool sound effects in your mix would you recommend like a midi fighter unit or a korg kaos pad? are those 2 the biggest players would you say? and as far as getting into djing a little deeper would you say the traktor s4 is a good unit for a serious dj? Im just saying like if I decide this is something I really want to do.

  6. #6
    Tech Guru BFLY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    580

    Default

    No - In basic terms a Midi controller sends (midi) signals to a computer and tells it to do something with the software.

    Imagine that you have a very basic midi controller which consists of just one on/off button. This could be 'mapped' to control any parameter that it is suited to eg. play/pause or effect on/off and so on.

    the first two images are only midi controllers and have no analogue use whatsoever.
    The pioneer mixer is a little confusing/misleading as it can send both analogue and digital (midi) signals.

    A newmark mixtrack pro is , as far as i am aware only a midi controller.

    I suggest that you should wikipedia midi so that you get a better understanding, its basically just saying to a computer - turn so and so on off, or up or down.

    Hope this helps!

  7. #7
    Tech Wizard
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    68

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BFLY View Post
    No - In basic terms a Midi controller sends (midi) signals to a computer and tells it to do something with the software.

    Imagine that you have a very basic midi controller which consists of just one on/off button. This could be 'mapped' to control any parameter that it is suited to eg. play/pause or effect on/off and so on.

    the first two images are only midi controllers and have no analogue use whatsoever.
    The pioneer mixer is a little confusing/misleading as it can send both analogue and digital (midi) signals.

    A newmark mixtrack pro is , as far as i am aware only a midi controller.

    I suggest that you should wikipedia midi so that you get a better understanding, its basically just saying to a computer - turn so and so on off, or up or down.

    Hope this helps!
    Thank you very much for your input

  8. #8

  9. #9
    Über Tech Guru Ed Paris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    l.e. city / germany
    Posts
    4,012

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bigtyme7 View Post
    oh okay so for doing really cool sound effects in your mix would you recommend like a midi fighter unit or a korg kaos pad? are those 2 the biggest players would you say? and as far as getting into djing a little deeper would you say the traktor s4 is a good unit for a serious dj? Im just saying like if I decide this is something I really want to do.
    the midifighter doesn´t create any soundeffects. it´s only there to "play" or "rearrange" the song/soundeffect/sample you have selected in your software.

    the korg kaoss pad on the other hand is a straight effect unit. means you run some sort of sound into it and then you can add a certain soundeffect to the sound. so it will sound different from what your song/sample sounded before you run it into the kaoss pad.

    and as an answer to your last question:
    a serious dj will use whatever he is feeling comfy with. may it be a s4, a cdj, a turntable, reel to reel, a vhs player or his ipod.
    I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.

  10. #10
    Tech Guru DigitalDevil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    799

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bigtyme7 View Post
    oh okay so for doing really cool sound effects in your mix would you recommend like a midi fighter unit or a korg kaos pad? are those 2 the biggest players would you say? and as far as getting into djing a little deeper would you say the traktor s4 is a good unit for a serious dj? Im just saying like if I decide this is something I really want to do.
    A midi fighter is a midi controller. It is just an input device. It does not do really cool sound effects, just like your computer keyboard does not do really cool sound effects. The midi fighter can control really cool sound effects in software like traktor just like your computer keyboard can control really cool sound effects in software like traktor.

    and

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •