Hey Everyone! Trying to learn the ropes ( newbie )
This is going to be a very general question but I am really into music and have been wanting to experiment becoming a digital dj for a while and just haven’t had the money to do so, but now I do so I was just making sure from browsing around here to be sure I have everything covered. I’m going to buy a laptop, a controller w/ software & headphones … Let me know if I need anything else to start up… Also from what I have seen is that Serato & Traktor seem to be the two hottest software for mixing out there, which one do you guys suggest and which controllers? Thanks!
I think the majority of the people on these forums use Traktor. A few are using Serato’s Itch. Others are using Ableton.
Which software you choose will narrow the controller selection some.
When choosing a controller, be aware that if the controller doesn’t have a sound card you will need to purchase one. The Audio DJ 2 is a good choice for one that isn’t too expensive. I started with a Numark DJ I/O which worked well for me.
I would say get a Mac if funds allow it, as it seems Mac users have less to do to get their computer running DJ software reliably. I am using a $500 Acer, but have set a dual boot system where the DJ Drive is running a striped down Windows 7 and I use Smittens’s script to turn off unnessecary services.
Speakers are also something I would look into also. The KRK’s are very popular. that way you can get used to cueing up your incoming tracks while another is playing.
I am using the Traktor S4, and have been happy with it so far. I have seen that others have had some troubles with faders and some buttons though.
I would advise you to try out the different software and see what you like. Then if you have a music store like Guitar Center close, go try the controllers out and see what you prefer.
Thanks Vangogo, I was actually looking into getting a MacBook Pro 15’ and also the Traktor s4 kontroller. .. I just have a couple of questions … For The macbook they have an option for anti-glare screen for $150 more and was wondering if that is an advantage for djing or is it just an unnecessary upgrade?
If your going to be playing a lot of Bass-centric music then I suggest you get the krk rokkit8’s. If you get speakers with woofers smaller than 8" your gonna want to pickup a subwoofer to compensate for the lack of bass.
I don’t think the anti glare would be that big of a deal, but dont take
my word on that as I have no experience with it Not worth $150 to me as that would buy you the KRK rokkit 5’s. Which should be plenty of speaker for the bedroom, but as stated above the larger woofer of the 8’s will give you more bass.
The S4 has an integrated sound card. You can run a mic through it, have a iPod hooked up to it in case you have a computer crash or other problem, you can also run a turntable or cd player through it, or with the scratch upgrade run a digital vinyl system with it.
There are a lot of controllers and different options out there. I’d suggest first doing some research and watching videos about which software you want to use. Serato Itch, Serato Scratch Live, or Traktor (in it’s various forms).
After that, figure out which controller best suits your needs for your software choice, or CDJ’s or turntables if you go that route.
Then invest in a stellar set of headphones. Seriously.
Then invest in sound for where you will be mixing. (Personally, I’m happy with my computer speaker setup from 2003. But people get fickle over different speaker setups.)
Depends, one how much space you have, how much you travel and the like.
I would be more worried about resolution as opposed to screen size as well. My 1600x900 14.1" T420 is perfect for my needs, built like a tank as well. That drip tray has saved my hardware a few times now.
well obviously in the beginning I will be djing only at home, but eventually ( maybe even a few months down the road ) I would look to go out and travel and do events and bars, etc… that’s my goal… So do you think the 13’ is better for traveling and dj’ing and bars/clubs?
That really depends on you. Be aware that the club environment is very rough on your computer. I actually moved rom Mac to PC because I was eternally worried about it (I play house parties more than clubs though). My fear was realised when the first gig after I got my Lenovo someone spilt their drink all over my keyboard.
Is there any other ( more popular ) digital dj forums out there .. because this one seems to be active but there aren’t many people on here from what I see.
Don’t know what you call a lot of people? If you are referring to the lack of responses to your post, then you must realize that questions like yours have been asked and answered in the past, and a lot of forum members bypass threads like this.
If you are talking about just shear volume of posts and responses,
And you like quantity not quality ;p, DJforums is probably the largest, but its not a digital/Controllerism forum.
(just joking about the quality, don’t want anyone getting a knot in their knickers)
On weekends, you can hear crickets chirping around here as most are out playing gigs, clubbing, spending time with family, etc.
If you are hungry for info, then start back at the beginning of the blog and work your way through all the articles till now. You can do the same in the forums. Tons of great info in both to help you learn digital djing.