Secondly, yes, i can spin DVS and CDJS. I am not just a bedroom dj overusing my sync button or only relying on my track bpm moving relative to my pitch fader as it does in itch(to 2 decimal points even) to beatmatch.
One of the things i love most about being a controlerist is showing up to a new club i havent played at yet and when doing line checks with the other djs for the night and seeing the looks on their faces as you pull a controller out of your bag and not a serato/traktor box. Almost immediately the other djs will start judging you, in their heads thinking youre not a real dj. In fact in Vancouver there are some clubs that wont even LET you use a controller through their sound systems because the sound guys freak out about signals being too hot. (this happened to a good friend of mine who opened for designer drugs at Celebrities, one of the bigger clubs in Vancouver if anyone is framiliar).
Nothing is sweeter then going on after the resident dj who has been playing the same crate for months on the club gear to a moderate crowd response and plugging in your controller and doing things with it that they have never even seen before and having what they believe to be THEIR crowd going absolutely bonkers for you. i had my ns7 (RIP NS7 2010-2011) i was using itch 1.0 which was extremely limited and had brutal fx (i ditched my fx bar almost immediately after buying it, beat fx didnt stay on beat and phaser/flange was not good sounding IMO). I would use my cue points as instruments though. remixing songs by either having melodies/basslines on my cues, or a drum single hits on my cues. and using these in combination with being able to mix flawlesslyish (depending on alcohol consumption) i would always surprise the djs who when i first walked in were looking down their nose at me.
now dont get me wrong, the reason why us controlerists get hated on in this instance is because every gigging dj has played a shitty club show or dance or whatever on the same bill as some kid who rolls in with a controller and a small group of friends and then proceeds to butcher his way through a set while even his unskilled friends notice his mistakes. but honestly, ive played shows with resident djs who are spinning cdjs or digital vinyl who DONT EVEN TOUCH THEIR DAMN PITCH FADERS.
now i dont really know what im trying to accomplish with this thread. one part of me wants to hear glory storys from other controlerists who have outperformed their dvs/cdj counterparts and another part of me wants to start a heated internet controlerist vs “traditional” dj battle.
I’m kinda known now in the circles as a tech guru so I get asked about my setup and stuff rather than getting hate, even from old school guys. Last time I got any hate was back when the bcd3000 was in it’s early days from a drunken dude, he was dancing his ass off again 20 minsafter I began my set
Not sure why you are bring this up here. You don’t have to convince any of us, this is for a the most part a very controller friendly community.. Go convince the vinyl, CDJ, and club owners. If your skills are where you say then why aren’t you a resident at those locations, and these nooby terrible DJs residents?
Yay! another controllerist from Vancouver! anyways, did you start out with dvs/cdjs or controllers? I feel that it’s gonna be hard though to enter the clubscene with a controller here in vancouver because we’re kind of slow on trends here compared to places like california or new york where you could say controllers are more acceptable.
I’ve noticed as my time as a Dj, that the whole Dj community seems to judge and hate on each other WAYY too much. Some Dj’s need to realize that just because you have the whole pioneer DJM and CDJ setup does NOT make you a good Dj. And many others should respect another Dj’s way of performing and creating music. Shit dude, I get hated on all the time just for using Traktor.
Furthermore, I have seen PLENTY of Dj’s that spin on Vinyl that don’t even touch the god damn records. Lol except maybe to do the backspin transition, that’s pretty much it.
yo not trying to convince, i know that ppl at DJTT are convinced. i just joined the community here just trying to get a feel for it you know, just opening up a discussion. not about my skill or your skill, just about prejudice against controllersts. so sorry if i offended you or stepped on your toes and i meant no disrespect.
and i have a residency and perform around the city.
I actually started on controllers but my friends had cdjs and digi vinyl so i taught myself so that for smaller lesser paying gigs i didnt need to lug all my shit to the club and could just use someone else’s serato box. then a month ago all my dj gear got stolen so ive been using only cdjs recently at the clubs (post modern/library square) but i just ordered a midifighter and an S4 that should be here tomorrow morning.
Honestly youre gonna get a snooty look at first, but as long as you step into the dj booth and know how to set everything up and know how to run the mixer (almost everywhere ive played has a djm 800, a few Rane TT57’s) you will be good to go. but if you show up with a controller and then botch your transitions and your levels are all whack they definitely give you shit haha.
I dont really know what its like compared to other places in the states but i have dj’d in cuba and mexico and they ONLY use controllers down there for the most part. Even worse is they predominantly just use virtual dj straight off the laptop because they are big on video djing down south, even if they have cdj 1000’s and a djm 800 they are still running it through virtual dj.
dude im with you there. my favorite part of listening to somebody play a virtual dj set . . .
when they sync beat one of the next track with like beat 2, 3 or 4 of the track currently playing and the dj is pumped in the dj booth then . . . duh duh duh awkward transition
That my friend is a user problem, not Virtual DJ’s or any other program. If you can’t phrase 2 songs properly then you shouldn’t be in the booth in the first place.
I don’t think its wise to discuss “controllerism hate” and then start hating on DJs that us a particular DJ program. Its kinda hypocritical in my view.
^When i first got interested in djing i downloaded a cracked version of it and actually it was cool at first for a beginner but after trying traktor n serato your just like wow wtf was doin playing with vdj .. haha but the truth is who gives a shit about what software or gear you have all long as the club is dancin your good. I swear some djs have so much hate towards each other with the whole dvs/cdj vs controller thing. These guys who hate on controllers are such douchebags that can’t accept that a guy with a small ass controller can do exactly what they can do with cheaper gear. TBH i hate how pioneer has enslaved djs, i don’t get how dj’s would let them take over like that i mean sure the cdj’s are good products but over 2000$ for a cd player? i sorry but coming from a outsider’s view dj’s and club owners are gettin fucked up the ass by pioneer good thing these greedy S.O.Bs haven’t taken over the controller market because i probably wouldn’t have considered dj
If you want to get respect then learn to mix and use all types of gear that way u never have issues getting a club gig…controllers and effects are cool “if available” but u still need to be creative without all the extra STUFF…I think we all can see a perfect example with djs like dj shortee, jazze jeff, scribble, etc…they didn’t get poplular bc of programs or controllers…they were creative
I got the same shit when I arrived at my residency gig with my VCI100 Arcade. “AHH COOL…A TOY!”
But once I started SMASHING my set out…and going off like a tit…I looked back to see all the haters…going, “WHOA!!! How the HELL? DAMN!”
So they (My DJ mates) immediately accepted the controller and were loving what I could do. Afterwards we spoke about it and they again were impressed with the level of knowledge and effort I had put in to get a performance like that.
So that was easy.
However, there are still the purists and other DJ’s with there heads in the sand.
I then went out a few gigs later with my APC80 and that blew my DJ mates away!
Thats also when the S4 was released. Then all of a sudden…there were about 5 guys with it and wanting to play out with it at the next party.
They FAILED! They were not used to the device…had not prepared their tracks…nothing. EPIC FAIL!
Another guy was so into the abilities of the S4 that he played a new track every 2 mins. This is not a good thing in Psytrance.
So that was a fuck up too. No one enjoyed it but the guy playing.
The guy who owns the production company i play for is now not keen on controllers at ALL. He has CDJ900’s and a DJM800 mixer he recons. This should be enough for anyone.
He allows me to use my controller tho! But I always get the sound guy involved (we mates), so he hangs around while I setup and we get the level right real quick.
Its important to communicate with the guys working the setup. They will help you be sure it is all good to go.
I first gigged out with the limiter too…I was quickly told by the sound guy to disable and let him limit if needed. I just had to stay in the green.
Yay! another controllerist from Vancouver! anyways, did you start out with dvs/cdjs or controllers? I feel that it’s gonna be hard though to enter the clubscene with a controller here in vancouver because we’re kind of slow on trends here compared to places like california or new york where you could say controllers are more acceptable.