Hi all.
I’m a blind dj, in the uk, and i use a mac, connected to the dj equipment, in hid mode.
This setup, allows me to have my laptop read me track titles, and navigate my library, speaking in my headphones, during my sets, while using any standard dj setup.
Since i’m still starting, and never played live on stages yet, i’m wandering how is the situation on stages and clubs.
Asking the venue in advance, how likely is that they allow me to have my laptop on stage with me, and connect the usb cable to the mixer?
I’m asking, since there’s essentially no way for me to just use a usb stick, since i’d be unable to read the screen on the decks, which means that browsing the library would be quite impossible, and if i open anything without noticing, i’d never be able to notice and go back to where i need to be, while with my laptop in hid mode, the decks and mixer, are essentially controllers, and everything is fully accessible thanks to the mac speaking and letting me know everything i need to be aware of, when i need to.
Unless it’s a really tight booth I don’t see why they would have a problem with it. Communicate in advance and bring a laptop stand if space is limited.
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I’m mainly thinking about the fact that they might not want people plugging things on the back of the mixer.
Anyway, any advice on the stand?
They might get annoyed if you start fiddling with the audio cables or put your laptop or a controller straight on the CDJs/turntables. Plugging USB cables? Nah,they are assholes if they do.
For the stand I’d go with this one. Robust, easy to setup and a reasonable price from a reputable DJ accessory brand.
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Thanks for the link.
Yeah, obviously the rca and xlr cables wouldn’t get touched at all. Especially cause if an rca gets unplugged, guessing left and right would be quite the bet, and i totally don’t need to change anything there. All i need is the usb b port on the a9, and a small rectangle on the table, where i can put a really small 3.5 mixer, phone size, to plug in the headphones out of the console and the headphone out of the mac, and connect my in ear monitors to it, so i can listen to both devices at the same time.
It’d be a 30 seconds setup, and the only con would be that the club goes silent while switching all the gear to hid mode, since as far as i know, when connecting only to the mixer, for example a djm-a9, the mixer has to go in hid first, and this would cut the audio from the decks, so can’t have a track going while connecting
Wouldn’t go silent if there is a track playing on one of the CDJs while you plug the rest.
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Ok, but if, for instance, i play a 4 deck set, as i usually do, assuming it’s a9 and cdj3000, if i switch the a9 to hid mode, the first 3 decks, and then the last one while already playing, doesn’t cause lags or something?
Nope, source selection is per channel. You’d go from selecting USB which is the last option clockwise to either HID A or B which are the second and third options respectively.Assuming there is someone playing before leave that deck playing on USB as you connect and flip the rest. This would be no different than someone switching to/from phono inputs to use turntables.
Just some common good practice, make sure the channel faders on the channels you are changing are down so you avoid any potential pops/clicks while switching (not specific to the a9) and you are ready to mix in.
Ok, but i also need to switch the source on the cdjs to hid mode, so they can be used to control the decks in the software. If i switch the remaining one while already playing with the others, doesn’t it cause potential crashes or dropouts?
And yeah, i learned to never change channel sources with the fader opened the hard way
it won’t sound nice if you change it on a “live” player. Either fade out the previous track or mix into it and then switch, whatever matches your style best.
Yeah. Obviously. I guess the best option would be to switch everything but the playing deck, echo out it, and then switching it and its channel to hid mode before starting my set. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of seconds, and i guess it wouldn’t really be an issue to have that small silence.