Best gear to get moving into live situation?
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  1. #1
    Tech Wizard
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    Default Best gear to get moving into live situation?

    Hello,
    Ok to get started my current gear is a numark mixtrack pro and a kontrol X1. using traktor pro 2.5.
    I am looking to find suitable gear to get into a live situation, i have been asked to play in some bars now and affraid my gear isnt any good for this. (people tell me its impossible to use this gear in live setup)
    I like to use samples and mix things up, so buying the F1 will deffinatly be a great addition. (atleast i beleave it will) at the moment my sets are very planned as i cant record loops on the fly and would like to do this to make things sound less planned out. a controller where i can record loops import to sample decks and use or can the F1 do this ? i want to be using the mouse alot less than i do infact i dont ever want to use the mouse when i was djing 10 years ago i didnt have a mouse to help me out why should i now?
    is a new controller even the way to be going should i be using cdjs and using f1 and x1 along side them and a mixer? if this is a route to be going what is needed to make things run perfect with traktor?
    i dont make any money from djing at the moment and am finding it hard to fund this. i work support my family and to keeping having people tell me any cheap gear is complete worse option to take and use pioneer or these mixers and controllers over 1000 euros is way out of my range and actually am starting to loose passion in this with people saying dont use controllers dont use cdjs dont use that cheap gear i am so confused where i should be going, am i in the wrong type of hobby? to be able to push it and get live and make some cash from it would be somewhere i would like to take this.
    so on to the main point here what do i do ?
    do i head the cdj route ?
    do i head the controller route?
    or maybe even a all in one solution like mixdeck quad kind of thing?
    something that will be very easy to use setup and make life easy would be amazing
    which would be best option for taking out of the house and getting them live gigs going
    Thanks for reading.
    -Patrick
    Last edited by DJSeventen; 08-26-2012 at 08:21 AM.

  2. #2
    Tech Mentor Fango Jett's Avatar
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    I would go for the cdj route. At the moment i'm having also a midi controller but I'm thinking to change to cdj's. But remember, you don't need to buy the most expensive cd-players.

    You can just buy a used pair of cdj800 and buy an audio A10. Now you are able to rock on every soundsystem you get, you just need to bring your laptop, audiocard and your x1 with you. This is much more professional and easy as bringing your own controller to the club. After you gain some money, you can buy a used pioneer or denon mixer. A djm 700 or a 1600 from denon will fit your needs perfectly.

    Good luck!

  3. #3
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    If you're just trying to make some money doing bar gigs and what not, and it's more of a hobby than a proffesion, then I personally wouldnt make any drastic changes. Maybe adding a F1 if that suits your style, and remember that you can always map your X1 to make use of the loop recorder as well.

    If you're trying to market yourself as a proffesional and looking to land proffesional club/lounge gigs then I wouldnt be caught dead w/ that mixtrack pro. Reason being; For one, it's not a realistic way of DJ'n compared to what you use on a proffesional level. When you walk into the DJ booth at a major club, there is going to be nothing in there that will be remotely close to that controller. Secondly, even if you decide to bring your own equipment or they need you to bring your own equipment, believe it or not, those that matter in the club (Head promoters/managers) will judge you by your equipment. You'd be surprised how many of them started off as a DJ or still DJ on the side. You may not think it's right, but I like using this analogy to put things in perspective, if you hired and are paying a photographer to take proffesional pictures and he shows up w/ a disposable camera, you're probably not going to give him a fair chance. Bringing a supplemental controller like an X1, F1, or dicers has always been OK BTW.

  4. #4
    DJTT Moderator Dude Jester's Avatar
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    mixer and a single X1, all good!
    Acer E5 i7 16GB 512SSD 2TBHD ~ WIN 10 ~ TSP 2.11 ~ AUDIO 6 ~ DUAL X1s ~ DN-X1600 ~ SPECTRA ~ TWISTER ~ ATH-PRO500 MK2 ~ ZED6FX ~ AT2020

    " I’m the Dude, so that’s what you call me. That or, uh His Dudeness, or uh Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing. "

  5. #5
    Tech Wizard
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    Well since i bought 2 denon 1200 cd decks back in march and one didnt work and person on ebay accept liability and said it must have been damaged in the post. i took it to be repaired the guy said you might as well get a new one the repair will be too much. i Now dont trust buying preowned.

    I passed the chance to play in a bar 3 nights a week back at start of year due to not wanting to take my mixtrack out of the house and this bar that spoke to me recently also needs me to use my own equipment they have a sound system just need to plug into it.

    I like the idea of just using a mixer with X1 and F1 but i dont know if i can be without jogwheels i use them to often. infact apart from the faders its jogwheels only other thing i use on it.

    Reason i bought mixtrack in first place was i didnt think i would get back into djing again but really wanted to play around and as i read times had changed and getting a controller was only way to go now i thought why not its cheap and will get me into it but over last year ive got more and more into it again and how i want to keep it as a hobby making some cash on the side i would like to make it a new proffesion for me but its a hobby for now so i dont disapoint myself if i cant get into a big club.

    Would a mixer like the behringer ddm4000 be suited for my needs? very much in my price range. or would it be better going for the behringer nox equipment? yes i would like to spend money for denon and pioneer but its not a priority buy and need to keep costs low.

  6. #6
    Tech Wizard
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    Oh would it be wise to save and buy the numark 4trak? would be great for being a controller and can still add cdjs at a later date and on thomann.de it is only 685euro.
    Or there is the N4 but dont look as proffesional..
    Last edited by DJSeventen; 08-27-2012 at 02:12 PM.

  7. #7
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    I dont get what your problem is with the Mixtrack Pro? Why do you need to replace it?

  8. #8
    Tech Mentor Lilac's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manchild View Post
    I dont get what your problem is with the Mixtrack Pro? Why do you need to replace it?
    Agreed.

    Is it for lack of functions? Is it because you've grown out of it?

    Or is it because you're scared that people will laugh at you? You said earlier that you passed up 3 gigs a week because you didn't want to take your Mixtrack out of the house. That's pathetic. We all start somewhere. I was grabbing every gig I could get my hands on with my Mixtrack just to get myself noticed!

    If you won't play out because you think your gear isn't good enough then maybe DJing isn't for you. We're defined by what we can do, not what we use.

  9. #9
    Tech Guru AllDay's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manchild View Post
    I dont get what your problem is with the Mixtrack Pro? Why do you need to replace it?
    I have the iDJ3..

    Lets be real now kiddos. It works just fine as a controller.

    Its not about what you have, its how you use it.

  10. #10
    Tech Wizard
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    the problem with it isnt the fact its embaresing its a great little machine for the money.
    when at home and i turn up the volume the music goes out of sync just from the vibrations of the jog wheels you can sit there watching it move within 3 minutes its gone out of sync and back in. also the cross fader moves slightly im sure if i was somewhere with a reall sound system these problems with get worse
    sencond reason most important i need something to load in samples on the fly yes i have tried to map things my self but im affraid to say computers dont like me. how ever much i talk to it nicely it gives me the same results, thats why if the F1 can actually do this for me with no problems then theres no need to get rid of the mixtrack and just keep sync buttons turned on but dont really like that idea too much. and blutac the cross fader in place as never use it.
    so yes i kind of have grown out of it needing alot more functions that are plug and play
    also people say dont use such cheap items if taken them out many people have said this and even you have admitted you wouldnt be seen with such item. i just dont want to get out there with gear that isnt up for the job, although today i was talking to a dj and he said 2 clubs he plays in have only got pioneer cdj 400s. so maybe my gear isnt so bad after all.
    but if anyone can tell me if i can use a F1 to launch everything i need grab samples from playing track and use would be helpful. The computer not liking me is the reason i gave up trying to produce. maybe its true what people have said im stuck in the 90s and need to move on.

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