We dont book DJ’s that use controllers!
Promoter: Well i can tell you now i only book people who use cdj’s or turntables… traktor etc is cool but has to be on the decks - not midi controller
Me: why is that?
Promoter
eople at my club nights like to see the dj mixing on decks i think that is fair enough.
…Discuss!
i’d say He/She is Witch, so … BUUUUURRRRRN
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Rhetorical Question - What’s more visually entertaining, 2 cdj’s and a mixer, or say a vci-100 using fader fx and a mixer?
I just talked to a promoter on thursday at a new club that opened up in town, on my resume I mentioned that I use traktor and a couple controllers, his response was exactly the same…he said they don’t book laptop dj’s, walked away and wouldn’t talk to me again. Kind of rough but fuck 'em, their loss I figure..sooner or later clubs will have to come to the realization that the laptop is becoming more or less a staple in a dj’s setup.
So the first two clubs i have tried to get gigs at have refused me because I don’t use VJ software, and because I use a laptop period. Woo hopefully third time is a charm! haha
wouldnt it be smarter to say something like, oh i can dj on cdjs as well. get the gig and then after the promoter realizes that you know what your doing say, hey can i bring my laptop setup next week? im a much better dj when i play with my laptop.
dont snob promoters. gives you a bad rep. some promoters want to see that you are flexible and willing to work with what they have.
I experience this all the time. The main problem i can tell is the switch over. It took me quite awhille to master switching efficiently from say a couple of controllers to someone that plays CD’s. Also booths are very crowded. DJ TT needs to make an article on this to share some light. If some company made like a stand for controllers that fit perfectly over the top of CDJs with no hassle controllerists will be free from this issue!
+1
what club was it? just curious
Place called Roadhouse, not really a club but they do EDM nights twice a month…and the place that requires vj software is called the funky monkey haha
last year when i got hold of my vci, alot of guys i knew weren’t too impressed (was same when i went down the cdj road to), so haven’t pushed much for gigs since. really should do something about that
on an unrelated note, the monkey bit just reminded me i thought for ages that your avatar was a monkey, fuck knows how.
Here in Dallas Tx we dont have that problem. Seems that most clubs here want you to have Serato or Traktor. And 9 times out of 10 they will be willing to let you set you midi controllers and laptop up so you can play at your best.
I do understand that alot of “ravers” these days still want to see records and cds being played. But we all have to evolve and move on. Within the next 2-5 years we will see more laptop laptop djs in clubs.
Haha nah, its an old monty python logo…could be a crazy monkey mouth i spose
This happened to me not so long ago when I used a controller. Just bite the bullet and play on CDJ’s, they are more fun then you think… I now use DVS and turntables which is even more of a struggle! No where has turntables (at least fully functioning ones) any more 
I can agree with what a lot of you all are saying. But there are a lot of djs out there that have never touched a cdj or turntables because of mixing with laptops.
so? 
So??
whats the problem with DJs that never touched cdjs or tts?
so until dinosaur mentality promoters pull they’re heads out of their arses some of the ‘nu breed’ are stuck in limbo until attitudes change as they don’t have the same ability/experience with tt/cdj systems.
There is nothing wrong with it. Im just saying when people talk to promotors wanting gigs they cant get them because they only mix with a laptop. Ive been mixing on TT and CDjs for 10 years. Im just now switching to Traktor because of the change in my area.
Prejudiced jerks. 90% of the people on the dance floor don’t even know what the hell the DJ is doing, the other 9% are absolutely tanked to even know where they are, and the other 1% is having a blast listening to those EQ transitions.
The sad thing is that you can do way more tricks with midi and have way more options to mix music (if you exclude scratching of course, but who does that for EDM anyway).
Eventually the promoters will have to switch, I am sure of it.
Also I think it would help a lot to have a large midi-controller so there is some visual (ex. apc40).