Additional equipment for Dj/Production?

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Additional equipment for Dj/Production?

Sup everyone, so I started mixing around 2 months closing in now, and the only equipment I have is a Denon Mc3000 (which is just a FANTASTIC piece of equipment).

I’m looking to get into production as well, and I’ve had my eye on the OXYGEN 25 KEYBOARD for my midi controller since it’s an absolute necessity, and for it’s price, not a bad piece of equipment!

Anyways, my question is, I’m looking for additional equipment to further enhance my mixing and or production. I don’t mean I’m looking for equipment that will AID my mixing, just give me more options to play around and get creative.

I was thinking about the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS KONTROL X1, I hear it gives DJs more flexibility in terms of effect control and deck control?

Any other equipment? Perhaps the launchpad? Although that’s mainly for live usage, I can see it being a clever addition to live mixing with the proper samples inputted.

Any thoughts is much appreciated, I really want to broaden my horizon in terms of creativity. I still haven’t FULLY unlocked the full potential of the denon mc3000, but I’m getting the hang of it really fast.

2

I think the problem is that you haven’t been mixing long enough to understand exactly what it is that you want out of a controller.

If you’re just looking to add a controller to your MC3000, I would hold off. In a few months you’ll better understand what the controller is lacking and exactly what kind of additional tactile controls you need to make your sets better. By then, you’ll know exactly which controller you need.

If you’re into production, a keyboard or drum pad is always a good start. Keep it up!

3

Fair enough, but I’m slowly starting to realize that I really want more EQ options to tinker with, aside from the normal hi/mid/low

4

How so? Besides Ableton, I can’t think of any live software that has more than 4 bands. What are you using live?

5

I use traktor for mixing and ableton for producing. Is there no other way to expand the EQ settings?

6

Not without getting a hardware EQ. Having more than 3 (4 at most) is totally impractical for DJ use anyway…

7

Really?

This is such a noob question, but when I see Dj’s use a full mixer and 2 cdj’s, what are all the knobs on the mixers? I thought they were all extended EQ settings? Or are they all effects?

8

If you’re referring to a something like a DJM850/900/2000 each channel has a trim level knob, lo/mid/hi, and then a color effect/filter. So while they do have five “knobs” per channel, there are only three eq knobs.

9

Yeah stupid question, I just realized that all those knobs were just individual EQ/effect settings for each channel.

10

I’m kinda curious now just for discussion sakes for what purpose you want such specific control over the EQs? Was it more for production purposes or djing/mixing?

11

Strictly for djing, I always presumed that CDJS and a proper mixer had much more in terms of control and EQ manipulation, so I thought all those knobs on the mixer were advanced EQ settings.

12

Honestly in general live mixing/djing you’ll almost never need more than the 3 band adjustment. Live audio production and actual producing is when you would need to get into a wider band of EQ control.

13

What equipment would you suggest for production then? Focusing primarily on EQ

14

A cheap studio mixer is probably the best bet

15

Would it be absolutely essential though?

Like a midi keyboard is absolutely essential for production, does a studio mixer hold the same value?

16

You don’t really need EQs at all to DJ well. But no. The older A&H xone-series mixers (62, 92, 464) had 4-band EQs that I really liked (well, I liked the high-mid EQ).

What are you trying to accomplish?

Nope. Cheap mixers are cheap mixers. Every DAW on the planet has better EQs built in, unless you just like the sound of some specific circuitry.

In order to get the mixer functionality that comes with Live (or PT, Reason, Logic, FL Studio, Sonar, etc.) from a console, you’d be spending 4 figures for crap, 5 figures for decent, and high 6 to 7 figures for good. And you’re still limited in the number of channels…and the software can still technically do more. The biggest exception to that I can think of right now is the Presonus StudioLive, but only the 24-channel version. And it still has it’s shortcomings.

Even on an SSL 4000G+ (extremely prized million-dollar vintage recording consoles) or any of the current top consoles from SSL, Neve, Avid’s System 5……even the “new” guys like Toft………when it comes to EQs, you’re given (at most) high and low pass filters and a few bands of parametric EQs. The extra knobs are for dynamics and routing, plus the fact that each band of parametric EQ takes 3 knobs (frequency, gain, resonance/slop) and at least 1 button (shape).

Live’s EQ8 device is more powerful.

If you really need more than that, several companies make software emulations of the Manley Massive Passive EQ, which is pretty cool……but it’s still just a few bands of parametric EQ. NI makes one that’s very affordable that I haven’t heard, but I think it runs in the Guitar Rig player because NI hates doing things the normal (cough: right) way. Universal Audio makes one that I’ve liked using, but it requires their hardware to run the DSP. There are also a lot of emulations of the channel strips (gain, EQ, dynamics) from any of the famous consoles that are available for use in DAWs.

But none of them are really viable for DJ use………they take too much time.

Again, I’ll ask……what are you trying to accomplish?

17

You said before that you wanted something focusing on EQ so I said a mixer will be good. A midi keyboard is essential though

18

The EQ 8 in ableton works just fine.. No need getting an entire mixer for producing.

Ive been producing for 2 years and am just now looking to get controllers and things for my studio.

My first year of producing was just learning the program and proper synthesis. I say just use what you have for awhile longer until you actually know what you need. I see it too often where someone new hops in and buys everything, but then has no limitations on where to start or what to make.

19

A MIDI keyboard is only essential if you actually play keyboard.