New DJ have s4
I have been djing for a little while, like a couple months. Bought the s4 and I love it. I need help to become a better DJ. All I do is just beat match by using the sync button and just use cross fader to change into the next song. I’m not Going to lie and I want to see what you guys think I should do. So tips on how to practice. Thank you guys look forward to learning. Something cool also my college offers a DJ class and it’s accredited maybe I’ll take it next semester for fun.
Stop using sync, and stop using the crossfader. Best 2 things you can do to learn the basics.
YouTube tutorials, check out ellaskins. He’s mental but has a lot of good advice. Next step is phrase matching and EQing.
Along with EQing and Vocal matching try beat matching by ear, using effects to create buildups to mix into other songs for starters, and simply practice practice practice will take you far!
Best of luck and have fun!
What do you mean by phrase matching? I add eq but just whenever, I don’t know how to build drops or anything. Well I’m about to go on YouTube then practice after class!
Oh and im getting the ni flight case for $55 
I watched a couple of his other videos very informative.
one of the biggest issues old djs have with new djs coming into the scene is, with the new technology, its really easy for a new dj to SOUND like they have been playing for a little while
That aside, why not start to learn the basics the same way we older djs have.
Here is one example on how to do it with new technology and forcing yourself to learn an old skill
evilsher
try this. Take a couple tracks
load them into Traktor
dont look at them
dont notice the BPM (infact set traktor to NOT show you that BPM information)
TUrn off your monitor (speakers)
and do this completely in your headphones.
Start one track
wait for what you think is the right timing, and start the next track
Really try and cue it up and blend it in.
While both tracks are playing, really try and eq the tracks back and forth
when you get that good and done (should take a couple days)
then go at it again and try setting loops on the fly
DO NOT use the snap feature. If you REALLY want to get good at noticing beat marks in your music
turn off SNAP, and QUANTIZE
again, still not looking at yuor screen
If yuo are on a laptop, push the lid down a bit so you CANT see the screen
With the software set to do most of the hard basic work, youll NEVER learn the basics so this is a way to force yourself to learn them.
As long as you keep making mistakes with it, youll learn what , and when you need to do this to get your sound really good.
Hope that helps you man
If you need more advice on this level, take a min and hit me up.
i defiantly will the couple gigs i did werent bad, but i just wasnt happy with my performance. I will do what you told me though and i have been watching the dj tutor videos.
Personally, I don’t there’s much point in teaching someone who makes use of the sync button the finer points of beatmatching. In a perfect world that person will have access to actual turntables and we can advise them to knuckle down and learn the proper way. But in this day and age that’s not such a viable suggestion
As an S2 owner (and having been DJing in one form or another for the last 20 years) I would suggest learning your software and your controller inside out. Get all of your tunes properly gridded, set your load markers, listen to your tunes and get your cue points set. If necessary, remap the S4 to get cue points 5-8 working or buy an X1. Set your quantize and get familiar with the effects available to you - you’ll soon start to realise that some are more useful than others. Finally, use the remix decks, buy an F1 and learn how they all work together.
Once you’re set up, start engaging your imagination and get busy remixing and making mashups on the fly. Get your hands on acapellas, use free software to edit your tunes and get a library on the go.
You’re then on the right path to evolving from a DJ to a performance artist.
IMO of course
How do i get the mic working on deck c or d? i have deck d on live input and the back is set to line and usb, but the volume of the mic is very low.
uhh out of curiousity why would you want the mic playing through a specific channel?
The reason i ask this is because if your mic is on D (right side)
and you are playing something on A or C, you wont hear the mic.
same goes for the reverse
Also, shouldnt you want your mic to be able to overlay ANY deck that is playing?
i mean you are using S4 right?
and yuo didnt say anything about using Kontrol for S4 so its not like you have your mic actually PLUGGED into anything but a MIXER.
what is your mic plugged into now? (not where… what)
That’s not necessarily true. I have decks C and D on my S4 set up to ignore the crossfader, it’s easy to do. If I recall correctly, I think you just hold down shift and hit the FX 1 or 2 button for that deck. You could set up A, C, and D to be on the left and B on the right, you could reverse them if you wanted, you can do whatever you prefer.
My mic is plugged into the back of the s4. I don’t know how to get it to work unless I turn a channel into a live output. What other configuration can I do?
^+1 to this.
I really dont get what the point of trying to teach someone who is using a controller, how to mix like they are on vinyl…it is totally counter productive and really a waste of time.
If the guy only has a controller, then he should be learning how to expand his usage of that controller…not trying to learn how to mix like he is using vinyl. If and when he gets turntables…then he can utilize other skill sets and learn how to beatmix normally on Wax.
With the evolution of CDJs and whatnot…you can CLEARLY see that the industry is moving away from the ancient art of Beatmatching. Not saying i dont…hell i can mix on TT, CDJS and Controllers. But look at the whole new line of Pioneer products…they are aiming to be more expressive and not learning how to match thump and thump so both thumps go thump together (sneer intended)
Riding Wax and riding CDJS are so different and the feeel and groove that i get are really different. While today there isnt really much difference between CDJs and Controllers.
IMO take the time to learn EVERYTHING about your medium…then move on to the next medium and learn everything about that one.
The mike only works via Channel D. If you use Scratch and timecode the signal wont works as long as a mike is plugged in, you dont even need to be using the mic, as long as its plugged in ‘D’ is out for timecode.
Sorry, probably not a brilliant explanation - worth looking at the Traktor Bible youtube channel for a more concise and far better explanation..
Another thing guys, what do you guys do to take curse words out of the song while djing? I was thinking putting a little backspin on the opposite deck and lowering the volume to the deck playing the song with the curse word. Would that be effective?
I don’t but a few ideas if I did need to…
Beat mash
Spin back in flux mode
Reverse pull in flux mode
MMM
When I click the drop down arrow on my deck channels it doesn’t have flux mode. I only have the 3 modes live sample and track.
Have you updated to 2.6?