When I started djing it was vinyl DVS did not even exist cdjs did not even look how they look now. These days I rock controllers I am fine with this. What I don’t understand is why use DVS I see alot of people post about how they needed the feel of vinyl and sold their (insert high priced controller) for techs mixer audio 6 and scratch pro.. This seams a oxy moron if I were to switch back to vinyl there definitely wouldn’t be a laptop in my setup. It’d be crates of vinyl and back to getting ass raped for vinyl.
Just seems silly to sell off a high end controller only to replace your setup with turntables and mixer and laptop. I mean if your a turtablists then aight fair but and the huge kicker is you probably wouldn’t of bought a controller in the first place.
I mixed vinyl for 5 years before going to straight digital. The best thing about vinyl is being able to physically nudge and drop the vinyl but most high end controllers can do this hell my total control I nudge on only thing it can’t do is hold to drop which my ns6 will resolve the only thing I truly miss.
So for tl;dr DVS in my eyes is not the same as vinyl djing. Vinyl djing means records not timecode.
I went from a controller to DVS. I still have my VCI - 100, and may one day go back to it or maybe a 4 channel controller. Right now I’m happy to have it as a back up if needed, though I feel more comfortable with my X1 as a controller.
I went to DVS and tables cause I wanted to learn how to scratch. I’m not too good right now but feel I am slowly progressing some. Besides the NS6, I don’t know of any controllers that come to mind with jog wheels bigger then 5 inches. And the NS6 was aimed at Serato when it first came out as far as I remember. And I’m a happy Traktor user so far.
Some days I actually do think about going back to a controller - usually the days that I get frustrated and wonder if I am progressing as fast as I should be.
I miss being able to see the wave of the track on the vinyl… and going to the record store every week, can’t say I’d ever consider using the needle drop on a controller, to me it seems smarter to use the mouse and drop the track exactly where I want it. I would map it for temporary effects like a beat roll… to me that would be a much better use
You were having a hard time on the toilet when you wrote this weren’t you
But I see your point, I even eat my words about CDJ’s when they first came on the scene many many djs were just like “Fuck that!” and it took until the 500s that any really big names started using them (alongside techs and generally for promo’s or own productions).
I remember when I saw a few residents starting to rip their own vinyl onto CD’s (they wouldn’t touch the old rack mounts, but CDJ’s were different) and the convenience factor penny dropped with me (but I still wouldn’t touch CD’s).
Its only since software caught my eye about 10 years back that I really began to understand that both CD’s AND software DJ’ing was really going to be the way of the future (obviously CD’s first).
As you said and I agree, I can understand a scratch DJ wanting a DVS system, it stands to reason, the art is about scratching on turntables (primarily). But for plain ol’ four to the floor house/techno/trance etc .. there really is not much point that I can see in using DVS apart from:
The “looks” of pure awe from the kiddies
Being a pre-madonna (because you INSIST on needing technics in the already cramped booth that 10 other guys have to use the same night)
I have a mixer, an X1, an A10, Technics, a Korg NanoKONTROL and and a VCI-100, and I’d say I use them all on a regular basis (possibly except the VCI-100).
There is many reasons to use DVS apart from the reasons you came up with. I use it simply because there are a lot of MP3 releases i can’t get on vinyl and i still enjoy the feel. I don’t really care about looking at vinyl and seeing where the track is exactly, if i want that i will play real vinyl…
I like to combine the vinyl feel with the CDJ aid (Track time elapsed and remaining) hence why i use DVS. No other reason.
As for the “looks” i don’t need “looks” as a DJ, i DJ because i enjoy it, not for an image.
Your point number 2 is quite interesting as recently i have came accross various DJ’s that have been bitching to the promoter because the Technics are taking up too much room. It is interesting because the DJ was saying ‘There is only 1 DJ using the TT’s so why should they stay set up when there are 5 DJ’s playing.’ I found it interesting because he was the only guy using a controller but expected the only guy using Techs to unhook them..
I’m retro and nostalgic because i enjoy my older music and putting it to use.
I also play a lot of normal vinyl during my DVS sets.
I know it wasn’t aimed at the OP but i thought it would cover parts of the OP’s rant.
P.S. I’m all for the future as digital, but just hate bashing/beating a dead horse.
I’m a bit insecure right now, so any help would be greatly appreciated…
As you can see by my postcount I’m pretty new to this forum myself. Recently I see a lot of Newbies opening threads regarding “their take on the whole controller vs. dvs vs. cdjs vs. vinyl thing”. I was wondering if this was mandatory for new members?
Because - if there wasn’t anybody holding a gun to your head forcing you to open threads like this it would be TOTALLY POINTLESS!
Do you have anything to add to this discussion (which has been going on for ages now) that has not been said yet? - probably not
Does any of you find himself in a position that would allow him to judge decisions made by others based on what they LIKE? - most definetely not!
I can see where you guys are coming from but sadly I don’t know where you’re going besides places so many people have allready been.
So please, if you don’t have anything new to bring to the table: spare us your wisdom.
Do whatever you want to do but stop ranting about things that will not change and thus should not be cared about. Thank you.
PS: @ Deevey: it’s “prima donna”… [ame=“Prima donna - Wikipedia”]Prima donna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
Yeah me to. Exact same lineage to my DJing history.
Turntables arent just for turntabalists for god sake. If your a house DJ and you love the feel of vinyl under your fingers when you mix then thats valid.
No, no it doesnt not at all. DVS has saved me about £80 a week in vinyl purchases.
And it means i can bring all bells and whistles of Traktor into my vinyl set.
Welcome to the 21st Century.
No, really not at all.
The reason why people use DVS is dead simple and can be summed up in 2 words:
TACTILE FEEL
I think your actually missing one of the major points of DVS completely.
For me I use DVS because it allows me to turn up to any (decent) venue and have all of my tunes with me and able to play on either turntables or CDJ’s.
With a controller I had to find space to put it, often having to move turntables and CDJ’s out the way, which was annoying not only for me, but for other DJ’s as well especially in a cramped booth.
I also use real vinyl alongside traktor, so switching over is literally just flicking an input from line to phono on a mixer.
You might argue that CD’s would be better in this case, but I hate burning up copious amounts of CD’s.
There is also the ‘feel’ factor as mentioned above, I don’t think it could be argued that a controller ‘feels’ better than mixing with turntables. I also enjoy mixing with separate equipment rather than an ‘in the box’ solution, makes the process of mixing two (or more) tracks feel a little bit more out of control and makes you concentrate more on the music rather than the computer screen.
Let me clarify I mean purists but use DVS is mostly who my rant is about.
Was not referring to needle drop was referring to hold the vinyl and finding the point where I am going to start my mix and release the record(cueing?)
Again my post was entirely aimed at people that consider themself a purists but only have 10 records 2 being timecode.
I understand having a 4 channel s4 or ns6 and using turntables that makes sense what doesn’t is sell your s4 or ns6 for a 2 channel mixer and turntables only to continue to use your laptop for me I have never understood the reason to use DVS.
Not really a n00b tbh lingered for a long time and my rant is based on years of watching the scene progress Which I think I stated.
stressed out didn’t prompt this post… Was feeding daughter and waiting for her to goto sleep lol
Mostly wanted some thoughts on the subject figured was better then a digital vs analogue argument usually on here since I come from both sides just don’t get how you can figure your a purists if you use DVS. Ad I’m sorry timecode vinyl is not the same feel as real vinyl you can’t look at a timecode and read it the way you can real vinyl
I think you will find that the argument is always about the skill involved in beatmatching vinyl or timecode, some are jealous that it took them 6 months of practice to be good enough to play in front of people, but usually it’s because sync only dj’s mostly suck and use too many effects, the naysayers are just having their opinion heard for the hundred thousandth time
btw I use timecode vinyl using it I listen more closely to the music, feel more connected and have more fun mixing. I grew up on vinyl and not gonna give up the feeling
I must admit sync djs are annoying and think a sync feature should be disabled until software has 1000 hours of use and it be a Easter egg to be unlocked. Again I am a original vinyl abuser who just find controllers to be convenient. As stated in some of my other posts I don’t use beatgridds as in I don’t take time to set them may adjust if I’m bored as I play a track but don’t go out of my way for it.
Again it’s not the DVS people that are open minded it’s the DVS people who bash controllers my rant was aimed at and my personal opinion is that if I was going to use turntables again it would be a computerless setup. Probably would go back to a djm800 or Roland dj1000
I’ve had all sorts of grear and controllers, mixers, X1’s, VCI’s, etc…and here recently I’ve decided to get rid of it all and just keep my 1200’s and DJM for home use, and a portable controller for small parties.
There’s a physical interaction when using turntables regardless of DVS that I find “fun”. The pitch slider feels different, knudging a track feels different, scratching in a song takes a few seconds of effort. I find that interaction and feel of the tables funner and more enjoyable than other gear and I find that enjoyment brings out better sets in me…even if physically it’s a little harder to do.
Like where this is going tactile feel was the single hardest thing to loose when going to a controller. Loosing the nudge was huge when I switched and getting used to nudging a jog was hard even when used cdjs. I enjoy this answer more then anything
using it I listen more closely to the music, feel more connected and have more fun mixing. I grew up on vinyl and not gonna give up the feeling
