I am your basic bedroom DJ still learning by listening. I use only a midi controller and it serves my needs quite well. At the end of the day though, I would like to mix externally, probably CDJs, so that I become used to using them when I land a gig.
My questions are thus:
There are many models of CDJs. I am looking for a basic, relatively cheap model that I can learn to manually beatmatch with. I’m not spending 1.5k on these new MK3, that’s rediculous. What about the CDJ 400 or even the Reloop RMP1? The Reloop looks sick.
Do I need to have two CDJs? With a tight budget, am I able to purchase just one and use my controller together with it and then later down the road buy the other one?
I have taken a LOT of time to map my controller how I want it. Using CDJs, will I still have access to all of its functionality? I know the CDJ can loop and has a few FX, but so does my controller…
$800 a pop seems like a lot of money to spend just to pop in a CD or use time code. I am hitting my midi limits though. Any advice?
Why do you want to mix externally? Now I’m not saying that as in “It’s not worth it MIDI all the way”, but more, what is your incentive? It’s a lot of money to lay down, and I’m not sure external decks are going to give you a lot of extra functionality.
So what’s your incentive? ANother option is to go the Bome route to do MIDI translation and build REALLY advanced super knobs, and then go the Max4Live route to build customized stuff in Ableton. All cheaper than getting two good external CD decks.
To be honest, it’s just so I can say that I can do it, especially when the need arises. I was thinking timecode would be best, still keeping the laptop functionality and ability to visually see my cuepoints in Traktor.
But in order to do this I need three things. A new soundcard, TScratch, and the hardware.
It’s a lot of money to spend for a notch on the belt. In my mind, there is no added functionality, whatsoever. You can use your well mapped controller(s) with the timecode, but still, I don’t think it’s really going to add anything.
If you want to learn to manually beatmatch you can do it with your controllers and save yourself a LOT of money.
You are right. Thank you for talking me out of it haha. I play mainly trance and progressive house and you are right, I can do everything with my controller.
Now let me ask you one more question. I have been getting into layering songs for long periods of time, harmonically…basically two songs in one. I can do this as well with my controller, but have yet to find an easy way to map my cue points for beat juggling. Do you have a solution, or would a midi-fighter be the best way to accompish this? As of now, my mouse is what is doing the cue point juggling haha
Any pad controllers would work for what you want, as well as your keyboard. In fact, for a quick and easy solution, map your keyboard for cue juggling.
A MIDIFighter would be perfect, it’s what I use (the old model with built in joysticks), and I would recommend them for a ton of reasons.
Thank you again. The keyboard idea is great! Can I ask what each cuepoint is labeled as in the controller preference tab? Meaning, if I hit number 1, 3, 8 ect…how do I make sure that is what cue point it goes to?
If you really want to see what I’m dabbling in, look up Eddy Kitt on Youtube. They are nowhere near perfect, but I am enjoying the harmonic mixing. The latter two are the better I would say. Trance and Prog. House are still my favorites though.
What you were looking at running is my exact setup now. Two RMP1s, external mixer, soundcard and TSP and to be honest im starting to move away from the whole external setup and into controllers as i thats how i personally see as the future of DJing. More live producing rather than beatmatching the end of one song to the intro of another.
If you wanna give ACTUAL beat matching a try there’s nothing wrong with that
I also mix progessive house and house, i felt like you did and i sold my vci 100 which helped me get my basic skills down and then moved to a CDJ 400 setup
IMO it really helped me and gave me the boost i needed for my skills also alot of clubs dont hire people with laptops even through it is the way of the future
Keeping in mind you can always keep traktor PRO and run the cdj’s in HID mode just like a controller and use ur controller for effects or get a X1.. i cant imagine you needing to use many effects for prog mixing??
just burn off cd’s for when just using CDJ’s and dont spend the money on getting scratch pro
I think the smartest bet is to use one MIDI Fighter but divide it, so top 8 buttons for deck A and bottom 8 buttons for Deck B. Or you can skip it around with modifiers, or get two.
Wow you are always here with a great answer! thakns!
I have an Audio2 so if I would get two I would need to upgrade the soundcard. Not really looking to spend a ton of money, but with the one MIDIFighter I can use it and still keep my Audio2 correct?
Just want to get it straight before I purchase you know?
If you’re just looking to get something to practice beatmatching, get one, not two, of the Gemini or Stanton decks modeled after the MkIII’s. Two would be overkill for a learning tool, especially with Traktor’s deck copy/instant doubles available to you.
They’re inexpensive, the layout is almost identical, and the functions/features are pretty close. Close enough to not be completely lost on a MkIII when you run into it at the club, anyway.
IMO it’s better to get all the functionality out of a device instead of just getting another one leaving some perfectly great gear behind. When someone who isnt very much into DJ gear or MIDI, mappings etc see whats possible with a device such as the VCI or the midifighter you cant help but say “whoa I didnt knew you could do that.” And thats pretty much my stance right now, when I learn to beatmatch perfectly, use the filters the way I want to, get sampling done correctly etc, then maybe, MAYBE I’ll move to other gear. And no way in heaven or hell those will be CDJ’s or other pro club equipment, it possibly be an Ableton setup with maybe a midifighter to trigger samples and a novation Launchpad or/with Akai MPC40 depending on how my budget will be on that point, price drops or avaiable gear.
A properly used VCI would make most CDJ DJ’s in your area look retarded. Add any other properly used gear or ableton for Live performance and it would be overkill.
Yeah that’s how I am seeing it now as well. I am going to go the midi fighter route, as long as it will work alongside with my controller and my Audio2. From what I’ve read, it will, correct?
Ok so I have a midiFighter coming on Tuesday. Just wanted to be ready and prepared and get sh!t cracking!
So I understand that to use it alongside my controller I use the small import button, not the large one to load the tsi…I plan on using the FOCUS mapping that controls both decks a and b from one console.
What is this firmware upgrade for the midifighter though? I don’t understand where this comes into play, or is this just for those using a VCI?
