DJing

Sput · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 15.17

There is some software mixing stuff that you might find useful in getting used to syncing tracks by ear, I forget exactly what it is but it's in the eJay sort of vein. It's fairly far from the real thing but might be a start.

J.Christie · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 15.24

James H wrote:I know he's mental, but i believe you're quite stupid as you missed this:
James Martin wrote:CDs are slowly but surely taking over. Judge Jules uses only CD now for instance.

Well yes, but I've heard that only mega-pro's use CDs.

Sput wrote:There is some software mixing stuff that you might find useful in getting used to syncing tracks by ear, I forget exactly what it is but it's in the eJay sort of vein. It's fairly far from the real thing but might be a start.

All I own is Mix CD Producer which is an eJay branded program but it confuses the hell out of me. Dunno if it's just that...

Chris · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 15.26

J.Christie wrote:
James Martin wrote:I would steer clear of vinyl though.
What would you recommend?

Carts. Gives that just-played-too-many-times effect, a.la Steve Wright.

Skytower · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 16.45

One question that has been overlooked is: what sort of music are you looking to mix?

Other than that, some interesting points raised in this thread. One thing you'll need if you're going down the route of using PCDJ and mp3's is a remote unit for controlling the music - a bit like a twin-CD player front panel - otherwise the job of being able to mix becomes ten times harder if you're using a mouse to click the pitch control buttons.

Or, alternatively, if you still want to be able to use vinyl (probably not recommended for a 13-year-old wanting to start out, but I'll mention it anyway), you can get digital vinyls that you can use in the conventional way, but instead send a signal to the PC telling it what you are doing with the vinyl - and hence the mp3 that the vinyl is controlling.

Lastly, don't become a "bedroom DJ". There's far too many of them, and if you're serious about becoming a pro-DJ in the future, be as versatile as you can.

Pete · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 17.15

J.Christie wrote:
James H wrote:I know he's mental, but i believe you're quite stupid as you missed this:
James Martin wrote:CDs are slowly but surely taking over. Judge Jules uses only CD now for instance.
Well yes, but I've heard that only mega-pro's use CDs.

yes but you asked what he recommended after he posted exactly that.

What did you expect him to say? "I recommend you turn on radio 1 at night and leave it running attached to a device that shall amplify the sound"

Mind I'm with sput here - I can't think of a device capable of amplifying sound in such a way. maybe if somebody posted a picture or did a demonstration in the field outside my house?

J.Christie · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 18.35

Skytower wrote:One question that has been overlooked is: what sort of music are you looking to mix?

Other than that, some interesting points raised in this thread. One thing you'll need if you're going down the route of using PCDJ and mp3's is a remote unit for controlling the music - a bit like a twin-CD player front panel - otherwise the job of being able to mix becomes ten times harder if you're using a mouse to click the pitch control buttons.

Or, alternatively, if you still want to be able to use vinyl (probably not recommended for a 13-year-old wanting to start out, but I'll mention it anyway), you can get digital vinyls that you can use in the conventional way, but instead send a signal to the PC telling it what you are doing with the vinyl - and hence the mp3 that the vinyl is controlling.

Lastly, don't become a "bedroom DJ". There's far too many of them, and if you're serious about becoming a pro-DJ in the future, be as versatile as you can.

My aim is to mix trance music etc. I don't intend to be a bedroom DJ for life. I want to try this out to see what it's like.

babyben · Sun 09 Oct, 2005 18.53

Sput wrote:There is some software mixing stuff that you might find useful in getting used to syncing tracks by ear, I forget exactly what it is but it's in the eJay sort of vein. It's fairly far from the real thing but might be a start.

Mix Meister ?

James Martin · Mon 10 Oct, 2005 01.49

If you want to do software mixing PCDJ is your only option. Although I am a radio DJ rather than a "live" DJ, I do do a few live gigs off the back of my "fame" and for these I use PCDJ Red. About 100 small ones now and bloody well worth the price.

There is automatic BMP detection, and you can match the BPM of the cued deck to that of the playing deck with one mouseclick. Makes my job piss-easy.

Incidentally, PCDJ uses a number of keyboard shortcuts. So don't worry about some front-panel.

What we did at Source was get a spare PS/2 keyboard from the uni's IT deptartment and mark all the functions onto it in indelible ink... the DJ plugged that into their laptop and used that to control the software.

stu · Mon 10 Oct, 2005 03.12

Or a tannoy pointing at a gramophone with a 22" horn

BE LIKE A PRO

nidave · Mon 10 Oct, 2005 15.39

How about getting an iPod mixer - no need to carry a record bag or cd box!

(actuly these are very cool - a dj friend of mine has one and loved it)
http://www.toolboxmusicshop.com (you can buy some of his music)

J.Christie · Mon 10 Oct, 2005 15.45

nidave wrote:

How about getting an iPod mixer - no need to carry a record bag or cd box!

(actuly these are very cool - a dj friend of mine has one and loved it)
http://www.toolboxmusicshop.com (you can buy some of his music)

I would if I had an iPod.