No Pioneer experience. How to show I can mix ?

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

No Pioneer experience. How to show I can mix ?

Hi guys,

I’m starting to plan my way into the DJ scene in my village in the Netherlands, where there are a lot of student parties etc. (I am a student as well).

I will start by sending out some emails and giving them some mixtapes etc.

But here is my problem: if (hopefully) they are interested, and invite me to come and show my skills at the club before working hours let’s say, they most probably expect me to mix using their CDJs and DJM-800.

I’ve only mixed on my numark mixdeck, and even though I perfectly understand how CDJs work, I’ve never used them myself and am afraid that this will limit my skills since I wouldn’t know how to set a cue point for example.

Beatmatching isn’t the problem here by the way. Just the change of gear.

So how do you guys think I best handle this problem ? Should I ask them if I can take my mixdeck and risk being refused the invite or should I just give it a shot ?

2

You can try to take your mixdeck, but I wouldnt…if you’re gonna dj maybe you need to start learning how to use different gear!

3

I’m not sure how things work over there but if they actually want to see you mix I wouldn’t bring in the mixdeck. There is a lot of prejudice against controllers and the mixdeck won’t make you look very professional. I would write you off as an amateur if I saw you using one. CDJs aren’t very hard to use, if you really have zero problem beatmatching without waveforms just hit play and cue and use the jog wheel. Go to a store and practice on their setup.

4

are cues essential to your mixing style? seriously, cdj’s couldn’t get anymore user friendly for straightforward mixing, but your gonna lose your cue points playing on them.

maybe practice with your choons without cues. any muppet can hit cue/play and eject on cdj’s - no need to get fancy with them straight off the bat

5

This. I never bother storing cuepoints on CDJs, just find where you want to start the track and hit the big orange button.

6

Rent them out for a week, wont cost you much, and you can learn the ins and outs of them

7

Dont mean to thread jack… but will clubs allow a DVS(cdj) to be setup alongside their house equipment?

8

?

Well setting a cue point is simple. Press play, then pause when you wanna set your cue point. There are 2 modes. CDJ and Vinyl (you can switch between the 2 via a button on the right side, above the pitch, this is standard for all pioneer products.

CDJ - When you will hit pause, you will hear a “tic tic tic tic” noise, and adjust the jogwheel “side” (not the flat top surface) to precisely set your cue point, most likely at the very beginning of the first kick.

Vinyl - I don’t like that one, but it works too. When you hit pause, it will stop, and then use the jogwheel flat part, scratch a bit to place yourself at the very beginning of the first kick.

Then, hit cue (orange button). You’re done.

About the DJM 800, i suggest you watch videos on YouTube, like review etc. The FX part requires a bit of time (like what ? 10 mins) to get used to..

About pre listening, on a 800 you have to hit the cue yellow buttons above the channel fader to select what channel you want in your headphone.
To choose settings of pre-listening you have 2 knobs.

One is for volume.
One is for balance between master output and cue (the channel you selected).
Theses 2 knobs are on the left side, at the bottom, near the plug for the headphones.

I think i’ve been through what was essential, it’s very basic, it’s just standard.
If you have any more question, then YouTube is your friend, and if you still have questions, well, i can help :slight_smile:

cheers

9

I’ve never used CDJs unless something has broken. I’ve never had any problems rocking up with my gear and doing what I do. You encounter loads of prejudice to be sure, people look at you weirdly and you can see the clubs techies whispering to each other, but in my experience once you get on and show them what you can do with your gear it should shut them up.

Techies in the UK have a nickname for laptop DJs - DWALTs (Dickhead With A Laptop), but all you have to do is prove to them that you know what you’re doing (pitching up with a sound card and the right cables is the best way to ingratiate yourself I reckon) and you’ll soon change their mind.

These days all I get is interest in my custom modded gear. Might be, judging by some of these posts, that I’ve just got lucky, but its not once been a problem for me.

10

My vci is beaten and scratched to hell - making me look less professional than if I walked in with a mixdeck. Still doesn’t cause any problems with appearances to the viewer

11

Honestly, CDJ’s are realllllly easy to use. A lot easier than you might think. If you can mix on your midi controller, than you can use the CDJ’s. The only thing that you might have trouble with is setting up the whole setup IF they have you do that. If they don’t, than it’ll be seriously easy. Do exactly what you do with your mixdeck, cue with your headphones, and use the mixer for your EQ’s. Its not too much different. The DJM just has built in effects and 4 channels instead of 2.