Equipment

[Frippsta]

I was just wondering if anyone could give me some friendly advise on equipment i would need to mix/make dubstep, ie. dj console etc... and which is the best value for money

[fretn]

get a couple of these babies asap

[Frippsta]

is this actualy funtcase? :O if it is big fan.... and what other stuff will i need?

[mashmash]

is this actualy funtcase? :O if it is big fan.... and what other stuff will i need?

are you planning on mixing with vinyl or cds or using a pc? you need to go down to wherever locally sells the equipment and they'll give you some advice on what to get

[Frippsta]

well i was originaly thinking using a pc but depends which is the best really

[truefiktion]

well i was originaly thinking using a pc but depends which is the best really

[Caski]

get 1210s, buy vinyl, you'll never regret it

[Omega Dub]

Frippsta: many of the most frequent posters on this forum are really elitist and snobby, and will automatically tell you that you HAVE to spin vinyl - without taking into account practical considerations like budget, availability of vinyl where you live, portability, etc.

As someone with a lot of experience DJing, spanning all formats (vinyl, CDs, timecode control systems [serato], and currently Ableton Live + MIDI controllers), I would say that it depends on what your situation and intentions are. If you've got lots of extra cash, then I would recommend starting on vinyl. You are looking at probably $1,500 at least (all of my numbers are US, cuz i live in the US and i dunno conversion rates) to get a pair of technics 1200s and a solid mixer (Pioneer or Rane). Then add to that the cost of vinyl + shipping + import taxes etc. depending on where you live... it's expensive to get into. But, there is unquestionably a value in learning the fundamentals of DJing on vinyl, and there is a certain undefinable joy that comes from spinning on vinyl, that no other format can replicate. However, there are lots of drawbacks to vinyl, especially if you intend to make a career out of it, as i mentioned above - it's expensive, records are a hassle to travel with, finding tunes on vinyl is becoming harder and harder, many venues/parties (at least in the US) are less likely to have turntables available, and as you indicated in your post, if you are serious about getting into production, you will have a bitch of a time getting your own music pressed to vinyl.

CDs are in many ways more practical than vinyl - they are cheaper to get started with, more portable, you can burn your own music, and CD players are more ubiquitous at clubs/parties. Plus you will still learn the fundamentals of beatmatching, albeit possibly with a bit of help from a digital beatcounter, depending on the type of cd players you get. It's possible to get a halfway decent pair of CDJs and a modest mixer for under $1,000, though obviously the top of the line stuff is way more expensive than that.

The PC approach has two options, the first being the timecode control system: basically you use either turntables or cd players with timecode control vinyl/cds to control a DJ software, through a usb or firewire audio interface. The upfront cost on this is going to be high, because you need either a full vinyl setup or a full CDJ setup + a laptop + the software and interface. But it definitely has advantages - you get the tactile control of a traditional DJ setup, with the flexibility of a computer based system (looping, effects, infinite hot starts/cue points, etc.)

The other PC approach is just to use a laptop plus a hardware MIDI controller and external multi-out soundcard (for cueing in headphones). This is by far the cheapest to start, assuming you already have a laptop. You can get a midi controller, soundcard, and basic DJ software (Traktor, Virtual DJ, etc.)for a few hundred dollars. But, there are potential problems with this approach - not the least of which being all the elitist snob types which will constantly give you shit about not being a "real" dj. IMO, that's a bullshit argument. I do think learning to beatmatch by ear is an essential part of learning to DJ, and even if you start out with just a midi controller and software, I would recommend resisting the temptation to rely on any automatic beatmatching features and learn the right way. That being said, I also feel that once a computer can perform a task as well as any human, that task no longer falls into the category of "art" and is simply a skill - so once you have learned to beatmatch by ear, if you then move on to a software such as Ableton where there is no beatmatching, it doesn't make you less of a DJ, just a slightly different kind. The immediate benefits of the software + controller approach are portability and cost. But long-term, especially if you plan on getting into production, there are endless possibilities, because the capabilities of software and controllers keep expanding and improving. For some examples of this google Tom Cosm and watch some of his videos, or check out djtechtools.com. If you want more specific recommendations on software, controllers, soundcards, etc. let me know!

[AxeD]

If you get turntables (I recommend it too) you're probably best off buying a timecode setup because it's way
cheaper than buying records.

[truefiktion]

Frippsta: many of the most frequent posters on this forum are really elitist and snobby, and will automatically tell you that you HAVE to spin vinyl - without taking into account practical considerations like budget, availability of vinyl where you live, portability, etc.

As someone with a lot of experience DJing, spanning all formats (vinyl, CDs, timecode control systems [serato], and currently Ableton Live + MIDI controllers), I would say that it depends on what your situation and intentions are. If you've got lots of extra cash, then I would recommend starting on vinyl. You are looking at probably $1,500 at least (all of my numbers are US, cuz i live in the US and i dunno conversion rates) to get a pair of technics 1200s and a solid mixer (Pioneer or Rane). Then add to that the cost of vinyl + shipping + import taxes etc. depending on where you live... it's expensive to get into. But, there is unquestionably a value in learning the fundamentals of DJing on vinyl, and there is a certain undefinable joy that comes from spinning on vinyl, that no other format can replicate. However, there are lots of drawbacks to vinyl, especially if you intend to make a career out of it, as i mentioned above - it's expensive, records are a hassle to travel with, finding tunes on vinyl is becoming harder and harder, many venues/parties (at least in the US) are less likely to have turntables available, and as you indicated in your post, if you are serious about getting into production, you will have a bitch of a time getting your own music pressed to vinyl.

CDs are in many ways more practical than vinyl - they are cheaper to get started with, more portable, you can burn your own music, and CD players are more ubiquitous at clubs/parties. Plus you will still learn the fundamentals of beatmatching, albeit possibly with a bit of help from a digital beatcounter, depending on the type of cd players you get. It's possible to get a halfway decent pair of CDJs and a modest mixer for under $1,000, though obviously the top of the line stuff is way more expensive than that.

The PC approach has two options, the first being the timecode control system: basically you use either turntables or cd players with timecode control vinyl/cds to control a DJ software, through a usb or firewire audio interface. The upfront cost on this is going to be high, because you need either a full vinyl setup or a full CDJ setup + a laptop + the software and interface. But it definitely has advantages - you get the tactile control of a traditional DJ setup, with the flexibility of a computer based system (looping, effects, infinite hot starts/cue points, etc.)

The other PC approach is just to use a laptop plus a hardware MIDI controller and external multi-out soundcard (for cueing in headphones). This is by far the cheapest to start, assuming you already have a laptop. You can get a midi controller, soundcard, and basic DJ software (Traktor, Virtual DJ, etc.)for a few hundred dollars. But, there are potential problems with this approach - not the least of which being all the elitist snob types which will constantly give you shit about not being a "real" dj. IMO, that's a bullshit argument. I do think learning to beatmatch by ear is an essential part of learning to DJ, and even if you start out with just a midi controller and software, I would recommend resisting the temptation to rely on any automatic beatmatching features and learn the right way. That being said, I also feel that once a computer can perform a task as well as any human, that task no longer falls into the category of "art" and is simply a skill - so once you have learned to beatmatch by ear, if you then move on to a software such as Ableton where there is no beatmatching, it doesn't make you less of a DJ, just a slightly different kind. The immediate benefits of the software + controller approach are portability and cost. But long-term, especially if you plan on getting into production, there are endless possibilities, because the capabilities of software and controllers keep expanding and improving. For some examples of this google Tom Cosm and watch some of his videos, or check out djtechtools.com. If you want more specific recommendations on software, controllers, soundcards, etc. let me know!

Fucking good advice that

[jameshk]

get a couple of these babies asap

+1

[apmje]

Hey just bringing this thread back up. I am thinking of starting to mix vinyl just at my house and getting a pair of Citronic PD-1 MKII's for £50 off a friend whose recently changed to CDJs, I know people will say get 1210s but frankly, I can't afford it and really don't plan on going any further than my front room with this. Just simply wanna play vinyl and support the artists I like. What cheap but half decent mixer would you advise me good ole DSF and any other shit you think I'll need to start mixing vinyl?

Cheers!

[truefiktion]

Hey just bringing this thread back up. I am thinking of starting to mix vinyl just at my house and getting a pair of Citronic PD-1 MKII's for £50 off a friend whose recently changed to CDJs, I know people will say get 1210s but frankly, I can't afford it and really don't plan on going any further than my front room with this. Just simply wanna play vinyl and support the artists I like. What cheap but half decent mixer would you advise me good ole DSF and any other shit you think I'll need to start mixing vinyl?

Cheers!

Stanton do good cheap mixers, but avoid the ones that just have high and low gain, your better off with hi, low and mid.

[apmje]

Yeah from what I've read I need one with all three. Not sure how much to spend on a mixer as my vinyl list for when my student loans come through is already peaking £100! I'll check out Stanton mixers, thanks man. Anyone have any other helpful suggestions for mixers or anything else I'll need??

Thanks truefiktion.

[Shum]

Hey just bringing this thread back up. I am thinking of starting to mix vinyl just at my house and getting a pair of Citronic PD-1 MKII's for £50 off a friend whose recently changed to CDJs, I know people will say get 1210s but frankly, I can't afford it and really don't plan on going any further than my front room with this. Just simply wanna play vinyl and support the artists I like. What cheap but half decent mixer would you advise me good ole DSF and any other shit you think I'll need to start mixing vinyl?

Cheers!

There's a company named Phonic who make really cheap DJ mixers that will do the job. If you want to throw about a bit more money then Gemini, Vestax and Rane are all brands that produce good mixers at reasonable prices.

[apmje]

Hey thanks for getting back to my Shum. I'll have a look at them makes, heard of some of them before. I was thinking about this one from chemical.

http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/se ... rack=DX626

£80 is about as high as I was willing to go to be fair. Decks and mixer for less than £150 would do me!

[Shum]

Yeah from what I've read I need one with all three. Not sure how much to spend on a mixer as my vinyl list for when my student loans come through is already peaking £100! I'll check out Stanton mixers, thanks man. Anyone have any other helpful suggestions for mixers or anything else I'll need??

Thanks truefiktion.

Headphones are also essential, anything will do since your just mixing it up at home though be aware that the vast majority of mixers have 1/4" sockets for headphones so you may need an adaptor for any existing pair of headphones you have.

And you'll need some form of amplification so you can crank out the beats, a home stereo with a line-in will suffice.

[Shum]

Hey thanks for getting back to my Shum. I'll have a look at them makes, heard of some of them before. I was thinking about this one from chemical.

http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/se ... rack=DX626

£80 is about as high as I was willing to go to be fair. Decks and mixer for less than £150 would do me!

Yeah that is more than enough for your needs, I'm actually amazed at how cheap that is for the features ha ha. Then again, its been a long time since I last bought a mixer.

[apmje]

Cool man, thanks alot for your help. I've got some headphones I'll use for now and just thinking that I might need an amp as I don't think the speakers and sub I wanna use have their own.

[harbor]

That being said, I also feel that once a computer can perform a task as well as any human, that task no longer falls into the category of "art" and is simply a skill

respect.