[Joe18]

Anybody DJ any? I'm becoming interested in jumping onboard but was wondering if anybody knew where i could mess with a set up a bit before i buy one. And what all do I need? I know i need a direct drive turntable, a crossfader, what else? Am i going to need to replace cartridges? Any Tips?
Thanks

 

[buddhashenglong]

Befriend some local DJs, learn how to count beats, buy records and needles. A pair of Stanton 500 series is fine to learn on. When I started, my friend's main concerns were that I would wreck their needles and wax, and take their jobs. There is a book by a couple of British guys called How To DJ Right. It will answer many of your questions.

 

[mark_h]

Don't skimp on the decks! Technics 1210's are cheap SH! (Practice on the ones you are likely to play on i.e. 1210's stil by far the most widely used turntable in venues).

Use the music you love, I ended up DJing garage urg!

Practice as much as you can and DJ for free at parties because you can be incredible in the bedroom (eh-hem!) but when you get in front of a crowd it's a different story!

DJ carts are robust but use the classics, i.e. Stanton, Orfton.

Network and don't be shy of self-promotion and the mix tape/cd, if your good the more you put out there the more chance you have of getting a residency.

If all else fails start your own night! Cheap flyers, free venue - your a DJ!

 

[Nocturnal310]

better get a CDJ ....u can spend more time on developing skill rather than hunting down vinyls and maintaining the needles.

also, with CDJ's ..u have auto-beat matching...just in case u mess up.

 

[Joe18]

Whats a good CDJ to get, Mixer? And right away will i need both decks, or will one be good enough to practice? I`m underage so no big parties yet. Where can i meet a practiced DJ?

 

[abZ]

What kind of music are you into or planning on playing? I have been djing for about 12 years first dnb and now dubstep. I started out on vinyl and decks because that was the only way to do it back then. Now I use Torq with control vinyl and decks. My recommendation which might be controversial is to skip decks and cdj's all together. Get Traktor or Ableton live and just start mixing right out of your computer. That way all that expensive gear is optional. In other words you can get it when you have the $$$. It also saves you from having to learn how to beatmatch and get straight to learning the important stuff like track selection, phrasing and getting clean transitions in general.

Anyway I asked what style because I would go to a forum that specializes in that genre that you like and you can get better insight from those guys.

 

[buddhashenglong]

I have to disagree with the above recommendation to go straight to computer mixing and skip learning to beatmatch. A pair of used technic 1200's can be cheaper than either of those programs and you could basically sell them with no loss if its not for you.

I think learning to beatmatch is essential to what abZ considers "important stuff" because while you're doing that you"re (hopefully) breaking down and understanding song structure in the way that opens your mind to creative possibilties. I don't know if the finer points of DJing can be obtained without a solid foundation of basic mixing. Most of my friends that DJ use digital something or another (Serato, Traktor, Final Scratch) but if something goes wrong they can pull out that secret stash of records and continue to rock the house.

 

[MoodySteve]

I really do not think that beatmatching is a necessary skill to have for a 'digital DJ.' Programs like Ableton or Serato can do the syncing automatically, and more accurately than any DJ.

Good digital DJs are really more like Live Performance Artists; the level of sound and loop manipulation can rival MIDI automation done in a studio. I assure you that live PAs never worked on cultivating their beatmatching ear because this skill was useless for their craft. Can it come in handy? Of course! But it takes a while to really nail and I don't think that is the best use of time for someone just starting in 2009.

That said, I am not exactly *happy* that beatmatching is basically an obsolete skill; I worked plenty on my beatmatching ear and got quite good at it - seeing this hard-earned skill replaced by a button on a program was disheartening at times.

 

[abZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoodySteve /img/forum/go_quote.gif That said, I am not exactly *happy* that beatmatching is basically an obsolete skill; I worked plenty on my beatmatching ear and got quite good at it - seeing this hard-earned skill replaced by a button on a program was disheartening at times.

I am with you but I do not hang my hat on my ability to beat match. Yet I can't abandon it either. I think a good analogy would be if you spent 4 years in college leaning how to draft by hand and now it is all done with auto-cad. Those old guys have to be pissed, they may even be out of work but there isn't a think you can do about it.

There is a long check list of things you need to be a good dj. #1 good taste in music #2 a large catalog of music, #3.... #657 know how to beat match.

 

[klamP]

Nowadays there are two real routes.

There's the more traditional methods of using Vinyl / CDJ's or timecoded vinyls with a computer to beatmatch.

On the other hand, you have the ability to DJ using just a midi controller and a program like Ableton. Check out mixes/ videos by the French electronic artist Surkin, he has it done perfectly. Also, Ableton Live DJ :: Index is a good place to head if you're thinking about that.


Just practice counting the beats until it becomes natural. Some people are born able to do this, others can't. Maybe you're lucky