DJING

[vamos scorcho]

I have a few questions regarding DJing as I haven't begun, for those who do it. This is very serious because I really, really want to start doing it so that I can begin building a name for myself. Any help will be greatly appreciated, really!:

1. Where do you live?

2. How did you start DJing?

3. What/where exactly do you DJ (what events)?

4. How would you describe the art of DJing as you do it? (skip this if it's stupid, but I'm curious to what extent you mess with what you're mixing together)

4A. (I see the art of DJing as being somewhat about leading peoples' minds into the music, getting lost in it psychologically, but I also see it equally if not more being about enhancing people's moods, taking them on a subliminal emotional journey - whether or not they're aware that they're being taken on it, and just flat out starting the party. The art in my case would be that of making people who initially weren't interested in listening to the music become just a little bit taken aback by some of the things they hear while at the same time keeping the party going).

5. What equipment/tools do you use?

6. How would you suggest I take my first step (what should I do, now, in your opinion)?

 

I'm going to post this question in another (separate and 50% unique post in general discussion, since not many visit over here. answers to these question, however detailed, would really help me get an idea of what I should do to start doing this) (Not to mention perhaps tricks of the trade that we all can give eachother).

 

!

[BCM]

first thing you need to do before anything else is learn to beatmatch using actual records and two decks. this will stand you in good stead for all other djing using reaktor and what have you if you decide to go down that route.

 

so basically, get yourself a couple of cheap turntables with pitch control (don't worry about getting technics or whatever at this stage, just get something cheap and functional). get a few records and practice practice practice with them until you can seamlessly beatmatch. then like, expand your vinyl collection and maybe invest in some more professional turntables...

[vamos scorcho]

i'm thinking of going with some sort of laptop based dj program (maybe traktor). i'd like to purchase a nice shiny midi controller with special controls tailored for beat matching and the like, if something like that exists. i'm poor.

[Guest Otto Krat]

Use Traktor and practice a lot. Record yourself. Enventually post your mixes here or in other places. Then once you're good do it in parties (you can loan sono, it's not actually that expensive). Meet people that can provide you small scenes. Make a smart choice: play at the same time good music that you like but never forget to please your audience.

 

Where do you live (it can be important: if you live in a small town it will be difficult)?

 

Do you actually play/make music? Because it can really help for handling bpm/pitch and all kind of things that can be hard to manage if you never did before.

[BCM]

i'm thinking of going with some sort of laptop based dj program (maybe traktor). i'd like to purchase a nice shiny midi controller with special controls tailored for beat matching and the like, if something like that exists. i'm poor.

 

 

what did I say?? start with actual vinyl records and a cheap turntables + mixer setup. if you are at all serious about "DJing" then learn to fucking actually spin records and beatmatch. if you're not really serious about getting into it, then by all means download a cracked version of Traktor and impress all your friends with your mad skillz bro. I can't wait to hear your fantastic "mixes".

 

look, in all seriousness, if you're going to get into DJing, do it right. Don't piss about and pretend to know what you're doing with Traktor because you'll most likely get bored and confused very quickly, knock it on the head and claim "DJing sux".

 

There is no quick fix to becoming a good (or even passable DJ) and using a laptop instead of actual records will certainly not make you any "better". if you're just looking to play at being a DJ ( and there's nothing wrong with that) then go buy DJ Hero and knock yourself out.

[perunamuusi]

i miss the days when you had to have a decent record collection to be a DJ

[acid1]

Yeah I first started with turntables. Thats cool but no one wants to lug their records or technics around anymore. I happen to live in the desert, so I'd dread every time a promoter would ask me if I could bring my tables out in the middle of the desert for a 20 hour rave and get them all dusty. The fact that you can pitch the music up and down kinda creates problems in my opinion, so back in the day you had to be pretty conscious what key you were in otherwise your set wouldn't flow correctly.

 

I gave Traktor a shot for a while, and I reckon this is what Aphex uses. Overall it was nice to keep things on a laptop but its still a conscious effort to mix things in and out smoothly. The best you can hope for is for something to sound "turntablish" but you still encounter all the limitations of consciously beat matching records.

 

These days I use Ableton. If you have a session view you can chuck a bunch of songs in it. If you spend some time and properly set up the bpms and pitch algorithms you can create an awesome set. You can also set loop points in the beginnings or ends of the tracks for while you are doing intense 10 minute long mixes between songs. Combine that with all the built in DSP and FX wankery and you have something truly new, which is why I suspect the industry is giving this a shot. You can add your elements... drum loops etc or splice 6 records together all at once. Its kinda a shame that the skill of beat matching is pretty much gone in this situation, but I think it gives headroom to do a lot more creatively.

[vamos scorcho]

no, i'm not going to buy turntables and shit loads of records in order to be able to perform good sets. i could guide the party from my laptop so much easier, i just need some equipment to fool critical people into thinking that I'm actually a really good DJ. the entire purpose of this for me is to get really good at the side where playing the right songs is important, and building up the atmosphere and tension/release, etc. i want to become decent at djing on the fly so that i can mix in my songs and start to "perform" my music live. i really don't have the money or the time to collect all my music on vinyl and accommodate my talentless self to the real deal.

 

that said, the above post is helpful. i'm going to look into ableton live. that sounds like a good setup - i remember seeing some kid djing a house party with that.

 

i will say that having turntables and spinning real vinyl is way way way the fuck more exciting and eventful. i am going to consider this some more.

 

i really need some sort of hardware that could help me with this, if i plan to go with the computer setup.

[acidphakist]

1) Be a hot girl

2) Wear something skimpy

3) Stand behind the turntables, point to the sky and trainwreck every mix

.

.

.

4) Be a regional superstar DJ

 

Like this

[perunamuusi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZzusNWCbv8

[pcock]

beatmatching is no longer necassary for dj'ing. i suppose it depends on wether you find the finished product, or the method more important.

[acidphakist]

Ludd-

 

you made me lol all over my coffee screen

[vamos scorcho]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZzusNWCbv8

 

the music and video from :23 seconds for about 10 or 15 seconds after is bizarre and very funny

 

the rest of the video would be prime masturbation material if i was five or six years younger.

[acidphakist]

The serious answer is this:

 

get some shitty turntables with pitch control, a shitty mixer, and 4 shitty records.

 

Spend hours mixing randomly between the tracks. Pay attention, first, to things like beat matching. Then get funky with EQ. Then get doubles of a record practice shit like beat juggling or backspin/offsetting.

 

As for track selection, you can't teach good taste.

[Guest Jimbob]

One of these + Ableton + some good tunes = happy time

[Solo Strike]

Why bother getting shitty decks? That's terrible advice. You can get a second hand pair of 1210s for £150-180ish if you look hard enough these days.

 

Anyway, the dude said he wants to go digital. Crack loads of software, get a cheap MIDI controller sorted, assign the EQ's to that at least, get some experience with what genres go well with others, BPMs, learning where track breakdowns come and how to mix in and out of them, etc.

 

Also, as far as not wanting to lug records about, etc, it's far more bulky and expensive therefore risky taking laptop etc about. When I take all my gear for an Ableton set, I'm taking my laptop, external soundcard, APC40, Kaoss Pad 3, and more wires and plugbars and adaptors than you can shake a stick at. That's well over a grands worth of stuff, and it's a LOT more of a bitch to worry about than a box of vinyl.

[BCM]

no, i'm not going to buy turntables and shit loads of records in order to be able to perform good sets

 

i wasn't remotely suggesting that you do. seriously, buy like 4 or something. when me and my mates first started messing about with turntables and mixing years ago we had about 10 records between 3 of us ad one set of decks - spent hours on his bedroom floor just practising beat matching them and different transitions and stuff. it's a really good way to learn about tempo matching.

[BCM]

Why bother getting shitty decks?

 

i wasn't suggesting get shit decks either - just don't worry if they're not technics - get some soundlab or vestax or something to start with so you're not laying out too much cash.

[Guest ryanmcallister]

i completely disagree with BCM. the age of vinyl is being phased out, and we are coming to a point where it's more of a novelty than a necessity. digital djing is far more versatile that using turntables, and it also offers the same workflow of beatmatching and what not if you want to go that route. i hate this stigma that you have to use vinyl to be a legit dj...honestly i think dj's take too much credit for what they do. YOU ARE JUST PLAYING MUSIC FOR PEOPLE!!! i agree it can be a little difficult sometimes when you do the transitional stuff and everything but really you are basically just throwing a few extra tricks into the art of selecting a tune on your ipod to play for your friends. any dj that accepts the fact that they aren't necessarily a god given gift but realize they are just providing a service for people (music to dance to), is alright in my books. with that being said, who cares what the medium is? who cares if it's vinyl or a laptop or a god damn iphone, as long as there is a constant flow of quality music coming through the loudspeakers, then who cares right? again it's a classic case of "it's not the tools, it's the skills". a shitty turntablist won't be able to hold a candle up to a decent digital dj, and the same is true the other way around, but to say that if you want to be a good dj you "HAVE" to use vinyl is just kinda ignorant.

 

though i do believe hands on control is essential, whether that be via hardware mixer or midi controller.

[BCM]

i completely disagree with BCM. the age of vinyl is being phased out, and we are coming to a point where it's more of a novelty than a necessity. digital djing is far more versatile that using turntables, and it also offers the same workflow of beatmatching and what not if you want to go that route. i hate this stigma that you have to use vinyl to be a legit dj...honestly i think dj's take too much credit for what they do. YOU ARE JUST PLAYING MUSIC FOR PEOPLE!!! i agree it can be a little difficult sometimes when you do the transitional stuff and everything but really you are basically just throwing a few extra tricks into the art of selecting a tune on your ipod to play for your friends. any dj that accepts the fact that they aren't necessarily a god given gift but realize they are just providing a service for people (music to dance to), is alright in my books. with that being said, who cares what the medium is? who cares if it's vinyl or a laptop or a god damn iphone, as long as there is a constant flow of quality music coming through the loudspeakers, then who cares right? again it's a classic case of "it's not the tools, it's the skills". a shitty turntablist won't be able to hold a candle up to a decent digital dj, and the same is true the other way around, but to say that if you want to be a good dj you "HAVE" to use vinyl is just kinda ignorant.

 

though i do believe hands on control is essential, whether that be via hardware mixer or midi controller.

 

controversial

 

edit: also - i've got nothing at all against digital DJing - i just don't think it's the best way to start or to learn about beatmatching and stuff.

[acid1]

One thing I don't think BCM underlined clearly enough was that if you and your mates can all mix records: that getting fucked up and taking turns mixing records is just about the most fun adult males can have with each other besides mushing your penii together.

 

Seriously, its hilariously awesome fun, just watch the beginning of Shaun of the Dead if you don't believe me.

[Guest ryanmcallister]

i completely disagree with BCM. the age of vinyl is being phased out, and we are coming to a point where it's more of a novelty than a necessity. digital djing is far more versatile that using turntables, and it also offers the same workflow of beatmatching and what not if you want to go that route. i hate this stigma that you have to use vinyl to be a legit dj...honestly i think dj's take too much credit for what they do. YOU ARE JUST PLAYING MUSIC FOR PEOPLE!!! i agree it can be a little difficult sometimes when you do the transitional stuff and everything but really you are basically just throwing a few extra tricks into the art of selecting a tune on your ipod to play for your friends. any dj that accepts the fact that they aren't necessarily a god given gift but realize they are just providing a service for people (music to dance to), is alright in my books. with that being said, who cares what the medium is? who cares if it's vinyl or a laptop or a god damn iphone, as long as there is a constant flow of quality music coming through the loudspeakers, then who cares right? again it's a classic case of "it's not the tools, it's the skills". a shitty turntablist won't be able to hold a candle up to a decent digital dj, and the same is true the other way around, but to say that if you want to be a good dj you "HAVE" to use vinyl is just kinda ignorant.

 

though i do believe hands on control is essential, whether that be via hardware mixer or midi controller.

 

controversial

 

edit: also - i've got nothing at all against digital DJing - i just don't think it's the best way to start or to learn about beatmatching and stuff.

fair enough, sorry if that came across as a tad aggressive. in all honesty though have you played around much with traktor or other dj software? it's very different than ableton in the sense that the whole beatmatching thing is still very dominant in the workflow (or at least in the way i'm using it), whereas with ableton it's more about prepping the audio before hand by warping it. i dunno though, i'm sort of biased, I've never dj'd vinyl before, but i don't really miss it.

[BCM]

yeah, I've got Traktor and Ableton and have (and do) use both for mixes - I prefer Traktor out of the two I think. I find that they're best for mixing 4/4 based stuff (if you want to beatmatch it all) and struggle with mixing say a techno track into some jungle or stuff like that. I know it can be done using software and know that (once you've set the warp markers etc) in Ableton, it can be very flexible, but I find all that fiddling about with warp markers and stuff very tedious and boring to be honest. I'm more of a hands on kinda guy.....

[acid1]

Did you know that for Ableton all you really need to do is:

 

1) Enable warp on a track

2) Delete all warp markers

3) Put 1 warp marker at the first bass kick in a song

4) put 1 warp marker at the last bass kick in a song

 

And voila, all your grueling hard work is complete.

[Guest epsy]

The serious answer is this:

 

get some shitty turntables with pitch control, a shitty mixer, and 4 shitty records.

 

Spend hours mixing randomly between the tracks. Pay attention, first, to things like beat matching. Then get funky with EQ. Then get doubles of a record practice shit like beat juggling or backspin/offsetting.

 

As for track selection, you can't teach good taste.

What he said