Intro, and some equipment questions (cut down edit)
Hi all!
So, I’m Robin and I just got into DJing about a months ago. Currently, I use a Mac with the DJay software by Algoriddim in combination with a Vestax Spin as my Midi controller. DJay works really well for me as a blind user - I’ve also tried Tracktor Pro, but unfortunatelly that is totally inaccessible and won’t even provide me with basic info on a track.
So, 2 days ago I actually had my first DJing performance at a home party and was actually quite surprised by the reaction to the music from the people and the positive feedback I received in the end (well, some of the crossfades weren’t as perfect I admit, but seems like no-one actually noticed that). Overall, this therefore was a great and encouraging experience for me!
So, I’m now looking to start using some more professional equipment. I would definitely like to buy a better Midi interface with more mappable buttons - in fact I’d like a device that’s both Midi interface and CD turntable / mixer all-in-one. For me, it would be awesome if there were no menus on the actual device, I’d rather have certain buttons I could use to alternate between things like CD and Midi controller mode. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Also, can someone suggest some good, high-quality DJing headphones?
Thanks for any help and replies!!!
Cheers,
Robin.
I read through your post. A guy in a similar situation had this exact question some months ago on the Native Instruments website. A nice guy here on the forum relayed the question here and he got some pretty good responsed:
Traktor is good but is heavily menu based - Even though I personally dont like Serato itch, it does have a 1 to 1 relationship with supported controllers (like the V.C.I 300).
But others suggested in the thread, that you might get a better experience from DJing the “old fashioned way”. As you are blind, your touch and hearing senses are marginally improved (as it is in most cases). So with the regular way of Djing with CD platters or turntables, you would have to feel the music - and with an effects unit like the Pioneer EFX, you would have all the stuff needed to play your music and mash it up with effects - without having to worry about where you are located in your software. Think if you had the wrong settings on your latency and you would start getting audio dropouts mid set = disaster. an analog setup would be simple and reliable.
You should read the Native instruments thread and the DJ techtools thread that i linked before you go ahead and make a choice
I’d scrap the Traktor/DJay method and learn my trade by going for a pair of Pioneer CDJ400 and a MIDI mixer (Pioneer if you can afford one). Use the traditional setup in the short term to actually learn what DJing is all about, with the entire setup having MIDI capability allowing for connection to a software-based system in the future if you wish.
The Pioneers are expensive, but by far the best if you can afford them. Also, for a “button-press-based system”, the CDJ400s and a good mixer will be about as easy as you’ll get I’d say.
and if you cant afford that look into a couple ndx800 and a ddm4000 mixer if 4 channels are needed. got to try out the mixer and its really nice, though sadly its the only mixer berhinger put out that seems to work for a long time
I used to have the DDM4000. Used it as a MIDI controller for Traktor and as a MIDI controller is was alright, nothing special.
It worked fine for the 9 or so months I had it. Only problem I found was that when I tried to hook it up into a live club system, at the high volume there was a unwanted hum that was coming from the DDM4000. As a MIDI controller, this ain’t a problem though so was fine for that, though the square buttons felt really plasticy and cheap.
Thanks to all of you for the helpful replies!
While I definitely like the idea of using Pioneer hardware, I kind of wanna be a bit careful with that for now due to the high price. Unfortunately, the only mixing experience I have right now is mixing with my Midi interface - no CD DJing experience so far. Thus, the idea of just purchasing some stuff to see how it goes at such a price just seems a bit risky to me. I’d love to try CD DJing, but then I’d rather get something that is somewhere in the middle in terms of quality, something I could probably use and have fun with for a while, rather than getting the best that’s available right away. I hope you get what I mean, and will look at the other controllers you guys suggested.
Thanks!
Robin
stick with the spin for a while. no need to upgrade when you just dropped $250 on the spin… and pick up Traktor 2 when it comes out… untill then play with Djay (or if you have traktor sit there and play with it… i promise once you have that Ah-Ha! moment its all downhill from there and is IMMENSELY better than DJay.-- this is how i started.)
the spin should hold you over till you figure it all out. its literally the best intro interface i can think of (typhoon included). ive been at it since July and im just thinking about updating to the S4 as the spin does everything i need… but the s4 is a sexy piece of equipment
use oldfashioned’s tsi for traktor. works wonders.
Thanks for all the additional tips! I’ve heard some good things about Numark in the past, so will just look at it just to see what it does. djnesquigs, thanks for your suggestion. I’d love to actually use Tracktor, but the problem is probably not the learning curve or getting the “aha”-effect, but it’s just a matter of it being totally inaccessible with my screen reader on the Mac (I wasn’t even able to select a track or read out time remaining and all that stuff when I tried it). I’ve contacted both Algoriddim and Native Instruments in the past about accessibility. The thing is, Algoriddim staff actually seem committed to accessibility and willing to improve a few areas of the program that are not yet completely accessible. When I contacted NI, all I got back was a “Thanks for your feedback, we’ll pass it on… Bye!” style message, and thus my doubts that this will improve in the upcoming Tracktor 2 release are quite high. Of course there’s always hope, though I would think that it would take them a lot of work to make their user interface accessible, and thus they most likely would have announced that.
But still, I might follow djnesquigs’ suggestion and stick with the Spin for a while, though the temptation to try out CD decks is quite high as well.
Thanks!
Robin
what do you mean exactly. your obviously running a mac cause you bought the spin and not the typhoon.
have you checked your display settings? ive never had such a problem. and trust me im just thinking about upgrading my spin to the s4 now like 9 months later. not worth it to blow a bunch of cash on something you cant use yet. ya know?
You probably should’ve read the first post in this thread more carefully. He is blind, so he has different issues to worry about than us healthy people
