I’m relatively new to the DJing scene. I’ve been running sound for bands and events for a while, and sampling things on electronic drums and drum machines, but recently started getting into actual DJing. I picked up a Hercules DJ MP3 MK2 unit to start out with, using VDJ, and recently purchased a Novation Twitch. It seems like the Twitch is way beyond what I’m going to need.
I’m in Virginia, and we don’t have “clubs” here, for the most part. Virginia requires bars to do a certain percentage of food sales, and in the last five years or so, they’ve cracked down on it. As a result, we don’t really have any big nightclubs in this area where you’ll find DJs; we’ve got lots of places that have live bands, but they’re predominantly restaurants.
I do most of my “DJing” at private events and weddings, and most of these events want Top 40 and a bit of rock thrown in. When I watch videos of people using controllers like the Twitch, it’s all absolutely awesome stuff, but seems more oriented towards the club crowd, not the wedding or corporate event crowd, where our job is basically to blend two songs seamlessly into each other (and that itself is more than most “DJs” do around here – nine times out of ten if I go to a local bar, the “DJ” is running Windows Media Player with a crossfade).
I’m thinking that returning the Twitch and going with a more appropriate controller for my local scene is the best bet, but what would that option be?
On top of that, as a bit of an aside – is there anyone here that’s predominantly a Top 40 DJ? It seems like most of the mixes I hear from people have these obscure EDM songs all over the place, and that just wouldn’t work here locally. I’d love to hear from some people who are doing the bar and corporate scene who are doing mostly Top 40 type stuff to see what they’re doing with regards to transitions, etc.
Truthfully, the only reason I bought the Twitch was because I felt bad showing up with the Hercules DJ MP3 unit. It looks and feels more like a toy or a practice unit and at the money I’m getting to do the events, I genuinely felt like I should have something more professional and reliable. I just don’t know for sure that the Twitch is it.
I don’t need scratching so I figured the jog wheels were pointless, which is what got me into the Twitch to begin with. I’ve only owned it for a few days so I’ve still got a chance to return it. I’m actually having a little problem where the Headphone B button doesn’t work unless I slam the crap out of it, which is what got me to reconsidering in the first place; I got it from Amazon and they don’t do exchanges, so I’d just be sending it back for a refund to re-buy (and I’d re-buy from this site instead, since I’ve learned a ton in a matter of days here – I didn’t know about this site when I first bought it!).
I just want to have a reliable controller that’ll do what I need it to do. I think even at my early stages I’m way beyond what most people locally are doing as “DJs” at bars – to my ears they’re simply crossfading tracks with no beatmatching, not harmonic mixing, etc. When I run sound for bands, during the breaks, I try to do my best at live DJing or playing pre-recorded mixes from other shows, and I constantly am told that it sounds great the way the tracks are mixed, so apparently people do appreciate it.
The majority of “DJs” in bars are pretty terrible. It sounds like you know what you’re doing. Top 40 isn’t hard to mix, and you can do a great job on nearly any piece of kit. The Twitch is a very professional looking controller, and doesn’t look like a toy like some controllers.
It will be fine for what you’re doing, and if you want to take your skills further you’ll be well equipped with the Twitch.
Well that’s good to know. I’ve found most of them to be very mediocre, and the equipment is even worse. It seems like, locally, if you’ve got a pair of JBL JRX cabinets and stands, and a laptop that can crossfade, you’re eligible to be a DJ and make a few hundred a night. I’ve got a JBL PRX system with XLF subs that I use with live bands and a full lighting rig with 40’ of Global truss, so at the very least, I can make it look good, haha.
I recorded my last DJ set to try and get some opinions on what I’m doing with it. If anyone here has a few minutes to download it (it’s a 25 minute MP3, but you should be able to stream from the link), I’d be curious to hear any critiques, too. This is with the Hercules unit, but I’m trying to learn the Twitch enough to make sure I’m as solid. At least I think I’m solid, haha. I used Party Rock Anthem as a base for a lot of the transitions.
Top 40s is as difficult as anything else is to mix. Just because you aren’t necessarily blending all that much doesn’t mean it doesn’t take skill. Plus top 40 is anything from hip hop to straight pop like Britney spears. It isn’t a singular genre, it’s just whatever genres happen to be popular.
I am predominantly a top40’s/hip hop Dj. You said you don’t need to scratch… I dunno. What is your budget?
Twich would work great I assume (although never used it myself). However if you were wanting something else also look at a second hand VCI-100. I used one for a long time DJing nights of top40 as well as specialised nights, and worked great. Has all the features you will ever need, and with many people upgrading to VCI-400’s just now there are quite a few for sale at the moment (lol including mine, would give a shamless plug here but i’m not in the us so no point )
Top 40 is pretty easy to mix for the most part. Occasionally you’ll get a song that doesn’t give you much of an opportunity to do a smooth transition, but there are so many instrumentals and pre-produced intro/outro tracks out there that this isn’t much of an issue.
Controllers are different in the way of what they have on the controller. As such, one controller may not be amazing for effects, another wont be great for sampling. Find out you’re style of DJing, what you like. Then do your research on controllers which allow you to do what you want.
This isn’t a two-second question - buying new equipment takes a lot of research. Do it
But i live in lithuania an it’s normal to ask questins like thes becouse here isn’t a good dj tech shops. So i think that somone could help me. I searched in a lot forums and watched a lot of videos, but i can’t choose which is better. For me controller must to have a good effect section, hot cue buttons and it must tosmust to be 4 channel.
P.S. Sorry for my poor english
Top 40/Open format — I prefer any Serato Itch controller, however not so much Twitch. I like to use jog wheels to scrub thru tracks…also no real need for the slicer effect.
These are the events that I do most of the time. Wedding receptions are not places to show off your mixing skills. In a 4 hour reception there is typically 1 hour or less of “dance” time. During the “dance portion” of the reception, you can go nuts…but during dinner, during the social cocktail hour, during the cake cutting keep it simple. Basic crossfades are more than sufficient.
I will put the computer on “auto pilot” during the cocktail hour and dinner…so that I can walk the room and talk to the guests. The music during this time needs to help set a mood…but not overpower the conversations that are going on. This time is when I collect requests, welcome the guests, find out who the guests are.
I mix trash disco, 80’s, 90’s and Top 40 music during the dance portion of the event. Given the variety of tempo, genre, and basic structure of the music, the “slam” mix is your BFF. Most Top 40 style music does not really have a breakdown or long intro/outro to make other transition styles “obvious.”
About what you said about jogwheels:
A. Who scratches with a midi controller’s jogs anyways ?
B. Jogwheels are super handy for navigating around the track when you wanna set cuepoints or you 're just cueing your next song.
I use mine all the time. Also if you want to beatmatch how is that possible without jogs ?
Also, see this on preparation techniques for songs with a “live drummer.” Finding 4 or 8 beats to drop a loop allows a LOT more flexibility when mixing in/out of a song.
Using the Twitch’s touchstrip, I can drop directly to an approximate point in a song and then swipe to the exact location I’m looking for. Seems even easier than a jog to me.
I mix a lot of trance. I don’t even use half the features on my twitch when mixing trance. Filling my tracks full of effects and doing live remixes with the slicer mode just doesn’t fit that genre. The punters want to hear their track from start to finish and just want smooth EQ blends track to track.
I find the Twitch is still really good for that. Its portable, USB powered, clear high quality sound card and intuitive.
If I was mixing top 40 as a mobile DJ, I think the twitch is more than capable of doing that job.
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