If I would do 200+ gigs a year and have my livelihood depend on a perfectly executed DJ gig night after night I would also skip Traktor/VDJ/Ableton Live/et rest et rest and just use high end Pioneer CDJs… Unless I had a backup laptop system config, of course (like Bassnectar.)
So many things could go wrong with fragile laptops and bulky controllers. And it’s easier to rent Pioneer CDJ or they are even available at the site.
I know this is a necro thread, but I thought I’d respond to this post since it’s recent.
Deadmau5 was mostly full of it in that article. There are many ways to circumvent the issue he was referring to; Armin van Buuren for instance (think it was Armin, I may be misremembering) uses SMPTE from extra cdjs to sync his visuals while Joachim Garraud uses SSL with video. The way Deadmau5 has his show set up may require a pre-mixed set, but it’s not some sort of blanket requirement like he makes it out to be. It just makes the visuals easier and possibly more accurate in terms of sync.
A lot of dj’s have it set up so certain tracks are connected in time code with visuals.
Most big live performances? Maybe of Skrillex-esque chainsaw/car alarm music. Not if you listen to house/techno (& probably plenty other genres but I wouldn’t really know).
What would I prefer? Great live mixing. I’d happily have no visuals if the other option was a pre-mixed set. I would never knowingly pay to see someone “just press play” & I would feel ripped off if I did.
+a gazillion
Unfortunately tho this only falls into place for us.. as dj’s.
Cause we will be the people noticing that they artist isn’t actually mixing or doing anything, where the average person doesn’t notice a thing.