New to DJing

Greetings, all,

I am brand new to actually making my own music through the DJ genre. I was wondering what people would recommend for setup, gear, software, hardware, audio equipment, etc.

I also would like to know what's the best software to start on if I don't have a top of the line computer.

I have been in online digital and RL analog/digital live mixing and remixes for clubs and venues for a decade, but I just haven't tried to be a DJ until recently.

Thank you, I really need the help.

Lianna a.k.a. Lilly a.k.a. DJ Gaia

 

price range? this is essential. for 300 bucks you have an x1 and an external mixer. for 100-200 extra you have a decent-top of the line soundcard. double all this prices if you go 4 deck mixing. Traktor is the best. Do you want to use turntables? then you need Traktor Scractch Pro. This is more expensive, but you get a soundcard with it that support timecode. So do you want turntables? what is your price range? I suggest you buy CDJ's, if you have the money, though.

 

Well, if I were to be doing this, I would probably have more money than 600 to spend. So assume I have 2,000 to spend.

 

and turntables? yes or no? you can go for 2 technics, 600 each, and traktor scratch pro, that has included multicore cables, software, 4 stereo in and outputs for timecode, AND a seperate cue out, and timecode vinyls, all for 600. the soundcard on its own (audio8DJ) would be something near 400. Thats 1800 All-in for timecode kontrol, best of equipment. Only drawback would be your mixer to buy, wich would be 400 for a Pioneer DJM-400. (two deck effects mixer). thats more than your budget. But thats best of best turntables, you can get far less for good equipment, and maybe get an kontrol x1 for simplicity extra.

Or you can go CDJ. example: CDJ 400 for 600 each, and control them via HID. So you wont need scratch pro, but only Traktor Pro. Wich is 100. then only problem here is soundcard. I suggest if you'r going 2 decks, to go audio4DJ, wich is 230. BUT: If you'r fast, AUDIO4DJ now comes with FREE traktor pro. saves 100 bucks, so you get at 2*600+400=1600. With a Pioneer DJM-400 mixer, you get to 2000 all-in for great material.

But there are SO much posibilities. Here i have 2*x1 + one XONE:92, wich is 1200. thats 1600, with a recycled 4 deck soundcard. Drawbacks? no jog wheels.

Or go for richie harwtin: buy two XONE:1D's and a XONE:92. Best material ever. There is even a version WITH soundcard AND 2 xone 1D's intergrated in a XONE:92. This is called Xone:4D. cost? 2000. Best material that exists in this price range. You should google it. Drawback? HUGE piece of equipment, in ONE piece. Not exellent if you want to travel much, and have no car. EVERYTHING is MIDI assignable, so every knob can send info to traktor. you will only need traktor Pro, wich is 100. But Traktor LE is integrated. and you get an certified mixer, so if you want EVER to get timecode, Traktor Scratch Pro is only 300 bucks away. BTW, if you want to go timecode, Traktor Scratch Pro works with timecode with the soundcard in the 4D. AND: the system is fully modular. Do you have extra CD players? you can plug them in directly in your 4D. You can play them through Traktor, because 4D has 4 stereo IN/OUTputs. And A cue out. And a mic in. http://www.xone.co.uk/4D/

 

Thank you for those answers, that helps me alot in choosing the equipment. Now I'm confused what timecode means...

 

Welcome To The Forum.

Timecode is use to control and manipulate mp3s in Traktor.
You can have timecode vinyl or cd and you control the files in Traktor by using turntables or cds.

Traktor can be controlled with timecode or Midi controllers or my pressing keyboard commands.

DJs coming from a traditional DJ background often use timecode as a way of moving from vinyl/cd to digital Djing.

Karlos

 

=) Sorry. There are multiple ways to control Traktor. You can control via MIDI, signals coming in like keyboard input, that controls knobs, buttons, and rotarys in The software. Or you can go HID: Traktor recognizes your cd-player over USB, and let it act as if you where playing a cd, while giving full acces to traktor, and better control to your jog wheels. Another way is timecode: you have a pick-up playing a vinyl plate. This plate is a timecode vinyl, that contains bleeps. High pitch bleeps. Now this bleeps are routed into traktor scratch pro. Traktor Scratch pro (TPS) takes this bleeps, and set it into movement of decks. these decks are thus playing digital MP3's on your PC, but they are controlled by a vinyl. You don't need to change the vinyl if you want another track, just load a different in software and press play on your analog pick-up. Now the drawbacks: First, you Need Traktor Scracth Pro, not Traktor Pro(TP). The difference? TPS has a timecode plugin, TP not. You will need also a soundcard that traktor supports with timecode control. these are few. See the traktor scratch certified mixers for this. But: If you buy TPS seperate, you get timecode vinyls and timecode CD's (this does also apply to cd's, and every cdplayer will work), and a soundcard that supports timecode control: The legendary NI Audio8DJ.

 

You get Traktor Duo, not Pro with the Audio 4. If you buy an Audio 8 you get a free upgrade to Pro though and all the other benefits listed above.

http://www.native-instruments.com/en/specials/traktor-upgrade-offer/

 

Hmm, interesting. So it has to do with input from the controllers?

 

Yes. Any cd-player or pick-up can send these bleeps, if they are playing timecode cd's or timecode vinyls. So you can use all your previous equipment, or all other equipment you buy. Now, you can also control via MIDI, but then you need specific (more expensive) hardware that has midi out (common via an USB port). This limits you to a certain amount of cd-players. However, TPS is far more expesive then TP. But if you'r planning a 4deck soundcard anyway, buy TPS. You won't regret. Also, Pioneer CDJ-400, 900 and 2000 (and MEP 7000) have native HID support. This means you plug them in via USB, the cd-players asks wich deck to be, you choose and you'r ready to play. Now one thing i like to mention if you'r new to equipment: a lot of hardware (such as mixers) claim to have USB and cost far more than the non-usb version. BUT: Most of the time, these mixers have only an USB INPUT. To control Traktor, you need an USB OUTPUT. Make 200% sure before buying. Also note that Traktor needs MIDI signals to work with external hardware. But most of the time, USB OUT means MIDI out. Also, There is another difference between sending MIDI signals (knobs, faders, buttons) OUT and sending an soundcard OUT. Best of the mixers give you control over traktor over all their inputs and outputs, but some of the lower grade give you only one IN, instead 4 physical jacks, and there are even some that state to have USB OUT, and a only give a soundcard to record but no MIDI. The sites of these manufacturers don't state clearly this differnces. Wath out for Behringer equipment, such as an this: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/VMX200USB.aspx. Wanted to buy this as my first DJ mixer, but i was standing in my closest store when i just got the idea that it has only one USB input, and the USB connections only apllies to record and play on a channel. So you can record master out, and input one deck. So this totally doesn't work with traktro at all..

 

Alright. That makes sense. I am afraid I am still very new to DJ concepts that aren't well known. I understand timecode and which products to get. Is there any other words, procedures, or techniques that anyone can tell me about which will help me understand it better?

 

djtechtools.com is a great resource site, with its own friendly community. I don't contribute but like to read because it's populated with users of other systems besides Traktor. Helps to get a more global perspective of the digital DJ scene. Tons of helpful info, even just from the daily postings on the main page. Search around and you'll learn a whole heck of a lot.

 

Ah, thank you. I will do that.

 

Is it possible to buy a controller as BCD 3000 instead of a mixer?

 

You can do that, of course. But: Behhringer has the name of giving complete crap, and i don't honestly see the point in buying a behringer if you have the money to buy a decent pioneer, or even a numark mixer (100->200 bucks). You can also get an x1 or another midi controller on top of your mixer, and that is what i recommend. If you were choosing for an all-in-on mixer and MIDI controller, go see at vestax VCI-100 or VCI-300. These are pro equipment as well. You don't want to cut on your mixer, and buy a behringer, believe me. you could better even buy a decent mixer used from ebay. Why do you want a bcd3000 actually? for the jogs? Buy a better controller then, because even the jogs are off center build-in in a behringer. or the mixer segment? buy a decent mixer, really. Or go reloop all-in-one, vestax all-in-one or numark all-in-one.. (BTW, numark is also around 200 bucks, and a vestax controller is the only one that isn't plastic crap, in essence. but thats 400-600 for your soultion. you get pro equipment for tha price, though. I have seen BTW a lot of people using a XONE:1D as 4 channel mixer, not bad, and fuly midi assignable with a jog wheel.)