I used to mix on Technics when I was younger, then I moved to CD decks. Now that was a few years ago, and sadly since getting married and having a family the djing gear had to go as our finances were (and still are) stretched.
So I’d been out of the loop (no pun intended) for about 5 years, until a couple of months ago when I picked up a copy of Traktor. What a revelation, now Im currently just using a laptop, with no controller, but I’m still loving what I can do with it!
It’s a massive learning curve, but one that I’m thoroughly enjoying, and I find myself practicing more because I dont have to set up decks everytime I want to play (there’s no space at home to have a permanent set up).
There’s a few guys at work who are into electronic music and a few that DJ. When I mentioned getting back into mixing and that I was using Traktor the reactions were far from positive. In fact they were really really negative, and began implying that no skill was needed at all. I tried to explain that using sync etc was optional, but they all had the attitude that by using Traktor its not true djing.
I guess I was quite surprised! I mean I have utmost respect for vinyl/cd djs, but I also feel that anyone who mixes with Traktor deserves the same respect.
So yeah, is there alot of hate for Traktor and digital djing in general? Im just interested to know, because from my point of view its the future, and even if I had the money/space for decks, I’d still incorporate it into my setup!
Welcome to the community As lethal pizzle stated, this has been discussed many times and if you search the forums you’ll find many threads about this exact topic.
Digital DJing has opened the doors for some people who wouldn’t have had the money or dedication (or both) to otherwise get into DJing. It allows people to replace skills that have to be learned over weeks/months with button pushing. It allows people to pirate both the software they’re using and the music they’re playing. It is viewed as a watered down version of DJing. Some people fight against others using something that’s different to what they use, often using some kind of traditionalist argument.
Those are all of the potential reasons, basically. I judge a person on what their skill level is, what their knowledge is, how they come across - not by what equipment they use - although I will say that pretty much every talentless scrote on DJ Forums was a digital DJ using auto-sync and claiming “it gives me more time to get creative” which was utter horse shit judging by their actual mixes. But even then, that only shows that there can be bad apples, it doesn’t mean that the whole bunch is bad.
I’m not a sync user, but i don’t have that much hate about people who are using it, but it’s true that :
And imagine you are a non-digital DJ, and in a venue the new dj comes with his controller and starts mixing. Before even going in the depths of the analisys of his mixing skills, you can see he’s not beatmatching.
Then, and as it’s the first things that any DJ will notice, some will just make their opinion after seeing that, and will be too narrow minded to listen to the mix and eventually the guy’s skills.
In addition, people not using sync had to learn to beatmatch. It took them time.
Why are they hating ? Because anyone picked up in the street could have achieved the same result pushing the “sync” button.
And they want recognition for the time they spent learning beatmatching, that implies shit talking about sync users.
Furthermore, sync user don’t have any valid argument for why are they using this function. Or at least i haven’t heard any yet.
Like Sigma said :
[quote]“it gives me more time to get creative” which was utter horse shit [/quote].
I’ll finish by giving my personnal point of view. I dont hate sync users, but I feel like it’s a way for them to hide a skill they don’t have (even if i know, some people use sync but are able to beatmatch if needed)
That’s just what i have in mind when i see some friends relying on sync.
We are DJs, we are the party kings ffs And we don’t want that status (that allows us to get some nice chicks) to be easily “reachable” by a simple button pressing.
No hate, just my point of view, don’t lapidate me with midifighters
i got a s4 but just found it to easy,so i went and bought a cdj 850 and hooked it up to the s4 and now mix from cdj to s4,feels more real,i use the s4 as a source and mixer..but for the price u do get alot with the s4 the fx are awsome
and also the looping function…
The S4 isn’t a complete standalone mixer, it needs the computer to operate external sources. The Denon DN MC-6000 on the other hand can be used as an external mixer without being plugged into a computer.
Just like the hate for CDJ’s eventually went away the hate for controllers will eventually go away. Hopefully the controller DJ’s will be more open minded and not the hypocrites some of the CDJ DJ’s are.
I don’t think it’s going to happen. The jump from vinyl to CDJs was smaller because the techniques involved were essentially the same. It still made things easier because it gave you “features” like looping and hot cues, so you didn’t have to carry doubles, and you didn’t have to be as quick. But it wasn’t that different.
I also think that cost plays a lot into it. CDJ owners during the vinyl->cd switch had to seriously think about whether these emerging online mp3/wav shops claiming to sell tracks for $2/each would make it worth spending $1200 on a single deck instead of $250 (the price of a used 1200 at the time). Now, you still have to balance the cost of an $1800 deck to a $750 deck and see if $2/song balances out against $12/song. It takes like a hundred tracks, which means ROI is still pretty quick, especially the way some people buy music these days.
Controller stuff…if you’re using your existing laptop…is insanely cheap. You don’t have to figure out the ROI or anything else…you just buy it and are instantly ahead (in terms of pure money).
I know the first time I saw a Hercules thing in a club, I left the room without even pretending to give the guy a chance. Those things cost less than my monthly budget for vinyl. I saw it as a complete lack of commitment to be gigging with a toy. I’d like to say that it doesn’t matter what you use…and if you can throw a good enough set, I really don’t care if I’m just listening to it…but when it comes right down to it, on a night out, I’d like to think the DJ cares what he’s doing…and there are levels of cheap that I’m not willing to pay cover for.
It may sound messed up, but I do agree there is a big difference between seeing a guy on a hercules or a guy on two X1’s and Xone mixer. I think the investment is a good point, and it’s not so much hate for controllers. I also think the level that you are playing at makes a big differnece. I will play small parties or even small bars with a VCI-300, but I would never bring it to a club.
I always love that argument because it literally means nothing.
I mean…I get where you’re coming from, but if you really saw someone bring that into a club where you were the resident or headliner, you’d throw him out. It’s not worth the chance that he’ll ruin the crowd before you get to play.
I think those vestax units (100 and 300) are the absolute bottom of what I’d be okay with seeing in a club. I know you can do a lot with basically nothing, but in the age of DJs as celebrities, appearance matters.
Another way to say it is that if you’re not invested in presenting yourself, how can you possibly be invested in expressing yourself? Especially if the club has real equipment sitting there. I don’t think the Hercules threw me off nearly as much as seeing a djm-800, a pair of 1210m5gs, and a pair of 2000s sitting next to it unused.
As lethal pizzle stated, this has been discussed many times and if you search the forums you’ll find many threads about this exact topic.
its for digital djs here.