I received my VCI-100 SE a couple of days ago.
I had been looking for the right way to start djing for quite some time and when I found dj techtools a couple of months ago I immediately knew that I had found what I was looking for.
So basically this will be my first experience with digital djing, well actually with djing period.
Do you guys know where I could find tutorials for beginners.
I need to learn the basics before trying to master the modifications ean made on the VCI.
I started from absolutely no experience around october last year.
The best way to learn the basics is from another DJ if possible.
My housemate taught me the ropes - your best bet is watching what other people do, i don’t think reading stuff on the net is the best way, Video tutorials are probably ok.
We started with the very basics like the structure of dance music in regards to beats, bars, measures - and the importance of mixing with the track flow in mind.
Like making your EQ and cross fade/volume changes at the right points in the structure rather than just making changes whenever you want.
I mix trance and progressive, since i started i’ve made some pretty simple formulas that i follow. Depending on the importance (audience satisfaction) of not stuffing up a mix I will try other things out or not.
It would be exhausting to explain certain things over the web which is why i think you need to find someone to hang out with and learn and develop at the same time.
It pretty much comes down to how you learn best. I had people to show me how to beat match, how to mix, how to adjust EQ… But I know people who just learn by doing, with a manual in front of them.
There are a lot of video guides, a lot of tutorials… it just comes down to picking the kind of music you want to learn on and going from there. But I agree with Wuz. The best way, on a lot of levels, is to just get someone who knows what they are doing to show you. If you don’t know anyone then I’d say play around, make a mix or two, and go to clubs/events and talk up the DJs. We can be a cocky, arrogant, annoying bunch, but there are a few of us who are willing to talk to people who want to be DJs, in the interest of making sure there are less sucky DJs.
That’s a start, of course. Now you have to practice.
Go visit The DJ Tutor for the basics of mixing and musicality.
Then come back when, after faithfully following his instructions, you find your self thinking “Hey, surely there’s more I could be doing with this software…”
Look for the book, “How to DJ Right” for some really good basics and terminology, without reading like a condescending prick wrote it.
Go to YouTube and look for Ellaskins’ (I hope I spelled that right) videos. He has hundreds of videos, and he does a great job of explaining things with toy cars and legos for the basics of beat matching and song structure.
After getting the basics down, and with the help of Traktor’s beat grids, you will be beat matching in no time.
