My first real party gig!

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

My first real party gig!

Literally just got back from my first real party gig. I never knew i could just improvise a playlist the way I did. I went with nothing really planned and mixed as well as i ever have. I used all the stuff I’ve learnt from this forum and from Ean. Super big thanks for all the articles and tips DJ TechTools! Would have been a pretty plain one in one out set without my controllerism skill set!

I’ve opened up my VCI-100 and am airing out the beer that got spilt into my cross fader. It stopped going to the full right hand side so hoping a little dry out time will fix that. Really hoping actually… Any advice on this? :confused::confused::confused:

Glad i actually made it to the party too. The way there was covered in ice and snow. Was a bit afraid of falling on my back and crushing my gear under my own weight :stuck_out_tongue:

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good to hear your first gig tourned out well..
it’s 8am here and im just getting back from a huge house party where i span the whole night with some friends.. haha..

to your problem: if the beer dries your crossfader will get very sticky, try cleaning it with distilled water or/and isopropyl alcohol..
cheers

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Congrats man, I usually give out an attitude to anybody who leaves a beer near my setup, in a house party. Sometimes, I have a cousin or a friend to act as table security.

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Beer spilt on gear: Now, i am a man :slight_smile:

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Yeah was trying to keep beer and drinks away at all times. People are so stupid sometimes. Your massive pint of vodka and redbull isnt going to balance on the side of the DJ table like that! moves drink.

I have some Deionised water if that’s ok to use as cleaner? Do you just use a cotton bud to clean inside the fader? I can’t really see a way of getting cleaning fluid inside other than that :stuck_out_tongue: Unless i just pore the water in :S

EDIT:

Just tested out the fader again. Still doesnt go to the full right hand side. Gets just over half way there :disappointed: Feels a tiny bit sticky too. I guess the connection between the moving bit and the metal tracks is bunged up with booze. Cant really see though and dont think the cross fader casing comes off.

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@Mr.Nicklebee you probly want to take the VCI apart - it’s not too difficult, and give it a proper good clean with some alcohol spray or compressed air - otherwise it could seize up and get veerrry sticky..

Props on the gig though, sounds awesome :slight_smile:

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Yeah taken it apart and cleaned around the cross fader. Just wondering how to go about cleaning the inside of the crossfader itself. Do i just unplug it clean it out with the deionised water i have then leave it to dry for a few days?

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I’ve normally used a high pressure oxygen spray (I think..) which blows all the crap out. You can get cans from motor garages and the like (as they’re used for cleaning car components..)

But yeah, ionised water or meths is a pretty standard method used on analogue crossfaders, so i imagine you can’t go too far wrong with that either!

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Cheers man. Probs wont be able to get the compressed air soon enough so just going to give it a good soak in the ionised water. I hope this works :stuck_out_tongue:

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Do a search for Lexite PS. Obviously not an immediate solution but should come in handy if someone tries to get your gear tipsy.
I’ve found this a great cleaner for all my electronics/circuit boards/switches. No water, no residue and dries quickly.

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I used to have a BCD3000 just for playing parties. That thing got so battered and drowned in booze that I just threw it out in the end.

Nice on on your first gig. I was the same with mine, just let it go with the flow for the first time and it went well.

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Erg slightly worried now. I completely submersed the cross fader unit in the deionised water, loads of crap floated out of it. Left it to dry out over night. Plugged it back in just now and it’s still doing the same thing. It goes to the full left ok but only makes it just over half way to the right.

I’m guessing that the metal contact rails on the right side of the fader are messed up in some way or another?

Any advice on this guys? Is it possible to buy a replacement vci cross fader? Or is it possible to open the cross fader housing and attempt some sort of repair?

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there’s a thread on replacing the VCI crossfader with a pro analogue crossfader on here somewhere - do a search, and you’ll find a way.

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Just noticed on your soundcloud your from Brighton, me too. Where about you live? You at Uni down there?

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Yeah found the blog post about doing the Pro X Fader replacement mod. Might have to look into it as i couldnt find anywhere that sells the vci-100 crossfader circuit board thing on it’s own.

I just don’t get why it doesnt work. I’ve looked inside the fader and all the connections look in place. I guess crossfaders are just a bit fragile :confused: Oh well you live and learn and all that :stuck_out_tongue:

I can just bind a laptop key to make the cross fader go full right in the mean time.

And yes I am indeed from Brighton, I live right by Brighton station. Doing my third year BA in Digital Media Design at Brighton Uni :smiley:

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Weird, I live by the station as well, I’m in my 2nd year but been in Brighton 3 years.

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Very small world I guess :eek: