Pondering future setups

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Pondering future setups

Idle musings on a slow Friday morning …

I currently play mostly funk/nu-funk/hip-hop/breaky gubbins, with occasional forays into soul/reggae/danchall-ness (think Nextmen stylings with about 5% of the talent and a higher blood alcohol level)

I use a VCI100-SE with the 3.0 overlays, an AK1 and a fairly cheap Lenovo 3000 N500 running XP SP3, with few problems.

Thing is I’d love to learn how to scratch properly (or at least well enough to use it as part of a segue/transition), and to I’m finding it difficult on the VCI. I’m lucky enough to have some seriously talented scratch dj friends who are willing to teach me, but they can’t really do it on a VCI as it’s utterly alien to them.

I’d also like to be able to do a few double header sets with a friend of mine - we have similar tastes in music, but he’s strictly vinyl … currently, I’m working on him :slight_smile:

I was considering upgrading to TSP & Audio 8, getting a pair of 1200/1210s or equivalent, and a mixer (probably the Ecler Nuo 3 at first glance). I could then keep the VCI100 (which I really enjoy using) for beat juggling/effects and have a nice ‘control surface’ for scratching and for the odd piece of vinyl should the need arise.

Does this sound bonkers?

Am I missing something obvious and cheaper, that’ll do the job just as well?

I think this is flexible enough to support a ‘traditional’ 2 deck DVS with a second person running decks 3&4 from the VCI as well …

Not sure I’m expecting answers as this a general ‘what if’ style thread starter, but it’s something I’m thinking about - feel free to add insights .

2

It’s this type of thinking and collaboration that brought us the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. Nothing wrong with your proposed setup.

A pair of 1200’s could be had for $500-ish (although I have a pair, I also picked up a pair of Numark TTX decks… cheaper and IMO just as good)

Some may disagree, but I think if you start scratching on vinyl decks, it might help you with your scratching on the VCI100… and it’ll get you some street cred points to boot.

3

Learning to play on vinyl is never a waste time.
Its another string to your bow.

Its not anymore valid that knowing your controller inside out but its a joy and you wont regret it.

If you purchase well, all your gear will have high resale value if you decide that you just dont like it.

Also scratching is fun..!

4

I still think learning with vinyl is one of the best skills to start with, where you take it from there is only added as plus.

5

i give 2 years before it’s a redundant skill unless you specifically use tc vinyl. makes more sense to have cdj experience nowadays imho based on tech etc…

turntables will soon become alot more specialised

6

Nor according to the sales of Traktor Scratch Pro and the timecode vinyl.

The demand for vinyl is whole different story to the demand for decks and people wanting to learn.

If anything, the features added to Traktor and now Serato for djs using vinyl has slightly addressed the balance between decks and Cdjs.

Of course there will always be more CDJ djs coming through but the advances of DVS recently has really pushed the market again.

7

I was thinking of doing this myself,
Get a DVS system cheap 4 channel mix and use a VCI.

From any research i’ve done it looks like a good idea :slight_smile:

8

You can pick up a decent set for about £300 around Bristol usually …

Well, I’ve made sure I can manually beatmatch (the only other chap I know round here who uses a VCI is far too reliant on the sync button for my liking). TBF it was too hard as I’ve got 10 years experience playing drums. It’s helped me out in the past when I’ve messed about on mates decks and cdjs.

The Ecler looked like a good starter mixer - about £300 new, takes a ‘pro’ crossfader if I get any good and I can think I could use the third input to do something useful with …

9

I bought 2 Technics a mixer and Traktor Scratch a couple years ago, just because I finally had enough money to spend on something just to see if I’d like it. I always wanted to scratch and beat juggle.

I say go for it! Especially now that Technics quit making turntables. For me I personally see it as a dying art, but I just want to excel at it as it starts to fade for others. I have been doing the midi controllers, synths, guitars, drums etc, for many years. I love it all, and having a traditional scratch DJ set up in the corner is ACES!

If your interested I have a fairly new Audio 8 and full TraktorScratchPro, if you want to save some dollars.DJ TechTools Forums