DJ's laptop or vinyls/cds - Saxperience

D1zzyman · 17th May 2012, 23:04

okay i just want to clarify something.im a part time dj and i can use both dub-plates/vinyls and laptop. but people say that dji'ng from a laptop is not real dj'ing. I always try to explain to people that you can work from laptops as well as CD/vinyls. p.s when i say laptop dj'ing i mean using a controller via usb.

so laptop or not any thoughts ??

Moke · 17th May 2012, 23:07

DJ'ing from a laptop isn't proper DJ'ing mate.

A DJ is a Disc Jockey... If you don't use some form of disc or vinyl, you're not a DJ lol.

Ashleyp · 17th May 2012, 23:07

My thoughts are... take it to the right section y0.

Ryan^p · 17th May 2012, 23:23

I only enjoy working with djs who are using ableton live and thus creating a live show.

Traktor/Serato can fuck off. Dont even get me started on virtual DJ.

I really love it when noob djs in small venues try to tell me that virtual dj is the future and all the big boys use laptops. Having worked with some of the biggest names in the business I can tell you 95% of them do not.

D1zzyman · 17th May 2012, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moke

DJ'ing from a laptop isn't proper DJ'ing mate.

A DJ is a Disc Jockey... If you don't use some form of disc or vinyl, you're not a DJ lol.

but i dont really see much of a difference the only thing i see being different is buying the vinyls, cd's,bpm counters and stuff. which are expensive (vinyls/cd's). besides you gotta move on with the technology

although i do love the feel of vinyls and the sound quality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashleyp

My thoughts are... take it to the right section y0.

sorry wont happen again

Ryan^p · 17th May 2012, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by D1zzyman

but i dont really see much of a difference the only thing i see being different is buying the vinyls, cd's,bpm counters and stuff. which are expensive (vinyls/cd's). besides you gotta move on with the technology

although i do love the feel of vinyls and the sound quality.

Move with the technology?

Because USB sticks and blank CDS are expensive. The media is a digital format now, all my promos come via email. However simply hiding behind your screen hitting sync isnt a way to create a fan base.

Im not a vinyl whore, but people who bang on about moving with the technology generally are the ones who are lazy. People want to see people who have skill, just watch John Digweed he is one of the most technically efficient DJs around.

Turn up to a club wanting your laptop plugging in (seeing as alot of larger venues dont like anyone fiddling with the set up) and you can see the techs eyes roll back, espec when you bring your own fisherprice mixing desk (trakor) along for the ride.

Carlvtr88 · 18th May 2012, 11:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moke

DJ'ing from a laptop isn't proper DJ'ing mate.

A DJ is a Disc Jockey... If you don't use some form of disc or vinyl, you're not a DJ lol.

I agree, but think this is a very vague statement.

EDIT: Sorry Moke misread your post entirely....... I do know of people that think CDJ's are not a form of proper DJing though.

I started DJing on turntables, still have them now and can still mix on them perfectly.

If I turned up to a gig with two CDj's and someone said i wasnt a proper DJ.... well I would outright disagree.

I think this argument holds more weight when you see guys with a laptop and a mixer, and he's arse licking the auto cue button or something.

I seem to remember once, when i had a bash of Virtual DJ as a kid, there was a auto sync feature. I bet this is present on lots of midi controllers and explains why people can do a 3 deck mix, chop and acapella in, add effects and it all sounds perfect. THAT, in my opinion is bullshit.

All of a sudden all these DJ's coming out of no where with skills that (in the real world) would take a while to master.

Carlvtr88 · 18th May 2012, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

Move with the technology?

Because USB sticks and blank CDS are expensive. The media is a digital format now, all my promos come via email. However simply hiding behind your screen hitting sync isnt a way to create a fan base.

Im not a vinyl whore, but people who bang on about moving with the technology generally are the ones who are lazy. People want to see people who have skill, just watch John Digweed he is one of the most technically efficient DJs around.

Turn up to a club wanting your laptop plugging in (seeing as alot of larger venues dont like anyone fiddling with the set up) and you can see the techs eyes roll back, espec when you bring your own fisherprice mixing desk (trakor) along for the ride.

iLOL'd

craig180^p · 18th May 2012, 11:42

I use CDJ1000II decks at the mo and take a laptop stuffed full of tunes so I can read my playlists and use as a backup incase a deck packs up on set.

I'll be buying CDJ2000s soon and using a laptop for storage so I don't have to cart around cases of CDs

logic_guy · 19th May 2012, 18:18

I started off with a midi controller many years ago (Hercules RMX) and Virtual DJ. I didn't mix, I simply pressed "Match BPM" then the 2 songs were in sync and I moved the fader across.

I bought a pair of Technics turn table and used Numark Control. Its part of Virtual DJ so you can use vinyl with Virtual DJ. It was fun but was fed up of how easy it was as there wasn't a challenge.

I use Serato now. Although there isn't any 'Match BPM" button it makes mixing a little more adventurously as you have to be spot on or you're going to sound shit.

I'd personally say Serato isn't DJing. You can see the BPM, you have a wave form where you can match up the beats but it makes things alot easier and quicker. I don't think the crowed cares what you use to mix, as long as the dance floor is moving all night.

I take my hat off to anyone who still DJ's with old original vinyl and beat matches that way. Such a hard skill to learn.

craig180^p · 19th May 2012, 18:27

Re the above, my CDJs have a boom display, but if anyone thinks they can perform a 1:30 mix based on what a readout says they are wrong!

I still have to tweak the pitch cuing up and during a long mix, and relying on the boom match still has massive tempo differences

logic_guy · 19th May 2012, 18:42

^^ You're right.

Serato does have the facility where you don't see the wave form but its so hard to mix using headphones to mix and just using your ears to gauge to speed up or slow down the other deck.

The problem with turntables are they fluctuate by around 0.5% to 1%. So you can never be 100% spot on with your mix. I don't know if you have this problem with CDJ's?

Ryan^p · 19th May 2012, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic_guy

I don't think the crowed cares what you use to mix, as long as the dance floor is moving all night.
.

I probably shoot 200- 250ish events in clubs a year. People do care.

craig180^p · 19th May 2012, 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

I probably shoot 200- 250ish events in clubs a year. People do care.

I miss listening to the art of mixing when I go to bars and clubs. It's all cut and shut now as opposed to one of my long fading/chopping mixes

Carlvtr88 · 21st May 2012, 10:44

I do a mix of the two. Depends what genre im mixing to what style I go for. Certain UK Garage tracks sound good when they're chopped and skipped into the next beat without messing about too much.

Electro or Speed Garage / DNB sounds good with a mixture of fades and " straight ins. "