Where to start?

Sort of… Its whatever works easier for you… A lot of people trash talk about fl studio but with the same vst instruments you can make the exact same sounds… I find fl easier to work around and now with the ipad version might start playing with it more, then to master/cut up/compress and limit i use samplitude music studio as i got it as a present and is quite simple to use, I think its whatever works best for you with production… People only judge you by the outcome so if it means producing something on a iphone how will they ever know…

check that thread too… learn from our addictions

Thanks for a price range!

Pretty pointless setup for a beginner though dont you think?? Its like going out and buying a airplane for a million and realising you dont like flying…

i was just showing him how much ive spent in my quest for a perfect setup…

i started with the vestax spin and djay ---- then added an x1 + traktor and that suited me fine for like 9 months… and that was maybe 400 total?

just shwoing it can be done with WAYY under 6k (and made it a point to show that setup is NOT what i started with)

I’m just glad to hear I’ll have enough money afterwards to hopefully pay for things like.. Food. :wink:

Well lets just make it clear that the poor person doesnt need to waste 6000 quid yet… 500 is more then enough to start with…and thats still a lot for a hobby just being started… For 6000 id be more interested in upgrading my car or going on holiday ha…

Amen… although

I may be wrong but it sounds less like you have a bunch of spare change and more like you’re 18, have a summer job, and intend to spend everything you make on gear, eh? If that’s the case… don’t. A couple hundred bucks will suffice.

Full time job actually, and during college I intend to work when I can which will still give me at least 40 hour work week.

But yea, I’m not looking to blow it all gear to use as a beginning.

I started with a a copy of traktor pro my mate gave me and my keyboard. Realised i enjoyed mixing so searched ebay for an all in one controller. Found a Numark onmi For $300 (researching bought me to this site). So i decided to Buy it. Once i got the feel for the controller and learned the basics of mixing more questions arose so i searched the forums for help. this lead me to purchasing the S4 (by no means am i saying get an S4, this is for you to research and decide for yourself what controller or analogue mixer you may want to purchase one day)

and as im still in the early stages im running it through my surround sound system in my lounge. as im yet to purchase some home moniters.

to cut along story short mate.
investments to date..

  • 1st Dj software - free
  • Laptop $900 (for day to day use as well as DJing)
  • 1st basic controller - $300 (yet to sell)
  • Current all in one controller Including software - $900
  • headphones - $50 off ebay

TOTAL - $2150

+1 for the omni control… I still use mine and wont be changing for a while… With a good mapping it does everything

I actually think you could do fine with a BCD3000 and traktor pro, I use that and an x1 and I do fine…You could have my setup for less than 600 dollars new, see if djing is something you like doing, and then upgrade the bcd for something better (like I just did, went with an Kontrol S4 and a midifighter) honestly I’d be willing to sell the BCD for 100 dollars shipping included…but that’s a post for a different forum.

Also remember that you will need to set aside quite a bit of money to buy songs, ultimately more good songs trumps super slick controllers (for my beginner ass at least) My advice is to:

  1. Learn to mix in the conventional Deck A/Deck B style to start with

  2. Get some different blends down

  3. learn enough music theory to know what blends well harmonically

  4. then start to venture into controllerism tricks and turntablism (scratching)

Take your time, I’ve been messing around for about 8 months or so and I’m still pretty much total shit at it…not enough time to practice in the day.

+1 same boat here :open_mouth:

seconding/thirding/whatevering everyone else’s advice here, start with a basic setup, obsessively read DJTT and digitaldjtips.com and their forums, watch every dj and music theory and production video you can find on youtube, listen to music any moment your ears don’t have to be used for something else, and work on mastering all the basics of beatmatching and blends before worrying about having the fanciest setup or anything like that. i’ve got a Numark Mixtrack for mixing and intermediate scratching, an Akai MPD26 for cue point juggling and having more dedicated controls for effects, and a laptop i use for everything else including DJing on Traktor 2. decent headphones/speakers i already had but can be bought cheaply, and that’s it. with a setup this basic and doing the things i said above, the longer you do it the better you’ll get and all you’ll have invested is your time and a low-ish amount of cash in case you decide it’s not the hobby for you. good luck!

I actually started by messing around with this free software called Mixxx. It might not be extremely professional, but it’s a good start. then i started getting all the free trials, and decided that i liked traktor best, but you might like something else. As for a laptop, i will be one of those people who says get a Macbook, but that’s because i love macs and because Core Audio made setting everything up very simple, i’ve never had to install one driver :slight_smile: As for a controller, start simple, maybe the Numark Mixtrack Pro or something for just two decks, so you can really focus on mixing the music, then you can get into the more fancy stuff.

A lot of solid points being brought up here.

Personally for myself, it’s been a long road really. It’s been about a year and a half since I first really started researching and wanting to understand more about DJing. I’ve always messed about with production software (not really made anything to speak of, but had a lot of fun).

I first started out pirating the different software choices. Traktor, Ableton. I ended up buying Ableton for my own production uses, and figured out that I really didn’t like the GUI in Traktor. I did end up buying an x-session pro to mess around with it a bit though.

Ditched Traktor, and all pirated software, and I’ve been laying low for a bit saving up for the kit I wanted.

I’m lucky enough to have a couple friends with solid setups. I’ve been able to play with Serato (with Vinyl), Traktor (with the SCS3m controller), and Torq (with vinyl) and so I’ve made my choice from there.

There’s also something to be said from learning on vinyl, and then moving on to a controller from there. It’s something that I personally have a lot of respect for, and that’s the choice I’ve made. Learn the basics, then move on to more complicated things.

I really like controllers. I also think a lot of people getting into the game are missing a lot by not learning on vinyl. Yeah, it takes awhile to save up for it, but in the end I feel you learn some solid skills and gain a lot of respect for doing it in the process.

I dunno. I guess I’m a proponent of learning on vinyl then moving onto controllers. There’s a lot of reasoning behind it, but that’s my 2 cents on the subject.

Did the same thing, except I upgraded before the S4 existed, so got a VCI100 SE that I still use (as a midi mixer essentially). I then got TSP (and the 2 upgrade when it came out) so I use the vinyl as a control surface …

The BCD3000 was a great ‘first controller’ at the time. I know there are a load of other options out there now that weren’t about when I started though.

What about a midifighter pro or 2 and a mixer.