I’ve never been so nervous. I’ve been using the traktor s4 for a while with my technics and a vestax mixer. Went to two clubs and a radio station to network. Two of the clubs had a booth with pioneer gear and two technics. So I was like where am I going to put my s4. The radio station director requires you to do a iive demo using their serato setup and technics. I can’t use my traktor s4. Samething with a local college underground hiphopshow. I’m confused I thought the s4 would be used for radio and so to be standards in clubs. Its like the owners of the clubs and radio station lady expect you to know how to really beatmatch two records, and mix. I was suprised how the radio station directors and club owners knew the basics of spinning. So I have a tryout in the fall. So I’m might have to sell my s4. I’m might pick up a pioneer mixer. Are they like industry standard or something. I saw a djmm something.
S4 or any controller is not a standard anywhere..period. Too much variation with that.
Its either turntables a mixer, or cdjs and a mixer.
You should know how to beat match. That is a correct exception imo, just because traktor does it for you doesn’t mean you should learn it. Don’t go playing out if all you can rely do is your software. Many MANY times software will fail, clubs won’t have space, or crappy owners. Those people are club owners and radio stationsdirector making bookings they should know what it is after all that experience, its their living. Hoping for a dumb one isn’t going about it the right way.
Not trying to be an ass but I’m just pointing out you really should be prepared.
I’m always amazed how conservative the DJ world really is. Anyway, hook two turntables or CDJs to S4 and then later during the show just turn them off. As usually a lot of DJ:ing is show and glitter and no reality.
PS: In 15 years DJs will be turned down if they can’t handle any of the standard computer based DJ systems.
I really hope that’s not true. I hope that the controller DJs decide that, instead of giving the same static some of the turntable/CDJ guys gave them, they’ll be accepting of new ideas.
Seriously, you’re playing other people’s records. Stop being so precious. I know you got suckered by the marketing twonks to think that Tiesto (Oakenfold/Craze/Deadmau5/insert “superstar DJ name” here) is some kind of genius, and/or god.
They’re not. In exactly the same way that the “superstar” musicians and bands are not.
It’s music. We love it. Let’s dance.
edit: those are the universal “You”. I’m not aiming those comments at you particularly, ksandvik
link up with a dj friend that has serato, install serato ssl 2.2 on you laptop. Drag and drop your playlist from traktor into SSL, analyse, buy some serato timecodes, show up, rock the house, get the job and show up with the S4 once your a headliner.
I’m not saying its right i’m just saying thats the way it is.
Right now controllers are too variable. There are too many out there that function in way too many ways with way too many variables, and can take up a lot of space. Its an engineers nightmare, have some random kid unplugging things and plugging this in everywhere.
Most clubs bars whatever need a standard for any DJ to come and play easily. Right now cdjs + mixer, or turntable + mixer is it.
At some point the industry will change. Well the industry already is somewhat. At a place in Chicago, called Spybar they have a rane box and traktor box built into the booth. Maybe a standard controller, or a standard controller size will be implemented…like mixers and cdjs.
I don’t think there will be a standard DJ controller in future. The cat it out of the bag. Technics (turntables) and Pioneer (CDJs) managed to navigate to an industrial standard situation. However, I doubt the current competition of controllers want others to get to this point.
Also, all that is required is that there’s a nice flat space where any suitable controller could be placed, a location for a laptop and a small mixer somewhere that routes the controller and other additional devices into the club PA system. That’s not much to be asked – and I think that’s what will happen anyway. This as more and more DJs use laptops and various controllers and club owners just have to adjust to the new reality.
That or hire 50+ old DJs that know the old technology, of course.
Those Club owners or radio station managers are wrong. It’s their fault they can’t keep up with current technology progress. What difference does it make to show beatmatching by using S4 as a mixer with DVS turntables pluged into it instead of their “old” analogue mixer… there is no difference between serato and traktor system actually…
Because they already have all the stuff set up there. It doesn’t make sense catering to anyone (even if its minor), if there are other people to fit the bill with what you’ve got. Not saying its “right”, but its business.
Ill tell you why most clubs use a DJM-800 & CDJs/1200s w/a serato box. Cause its easy to switch over, not drama. Its very basic, you play a regular cd or vinyl while you switch over djs. Ive seen some djs open iTunes and drop a intro by hooking up 1/8" to RCA to open channel or line in.
If you want to WOW them, pick up some dicers from the DJTT store and do some cue point juggles, loop rolls, etc.
… want value out from their investments, eh? Well, just wait a couple of years and this gear is obsolete and the club owners will save money by insisting on visiting DJS to bring their own controllers (money talks.)
My prediction. More up-and-coming DJs bring their own gear to gigs. Club owners realize they could save money by just telling any DJ to bring their own controller and all they put in place is a PA, simple mixer and space for controllers/synths and laptops.
This transition will also escalate when the club owners just don’t bother about fixing broken CDJs or getting new ones in place. I’m excluding all kinds of super-DJs that always will have their wish list about equipment.
I think in the early days it didn’t make sense for touring DJs to bring Technics or even CDJs/mixers to the club bigs. Now with laptops and even S4 is reasonable (not to big) it’s quite doable for DJs to bring their personal equipment. Even when flying.
I could compare this to bars, they don’t exactly provide guitars and guitar amps for visiting bands. Some actually have a drum kit.
It’s not about the investment into the equipment. It’s about investing in the piece of mind that the club set up works AND many DJ’s can all use it.
If you bring in an S4 and the owner has no clue what it is, why would he trust that your S4 is just as good as the equipment he invested in. He is safe knowing his shit works. Now imagine an S4 this week, and NS7 next week, a DIY controller another and all this time a DJM-800 and two CDJ-2000’s are sitting there.
Not gonna happen. And really there are PLENTY of DJ’s that can rock a tight set with the house set up, in fact there’s probably more DJ’s than clubs – so it’s not up to them to cater to us.
UNLESS ---- your a headliner and then anything goes.
But Techs got replaced by another standard (not to mention that many venues still have house TTs, anyways). And as stated above, there’s no point trusting random gear and dealing with changeover messes while there’s a slew of DJs ready to just walk in and play on what’s already there.
Guess its kind of senseless to argue as only time will tell, but I’m seeing quite a distant future for clubs to abandon standard in-house setups entirely. A couple grand up front investment is peanuts for how much the gear pays out over the years its used.