So I'm going to start playing out at the end of the summer

[syrup]

Got a set of CDJ 100s and a brand new mixer (numark, but it does the job) for €270, you dpn't need the 2000s to practice at home, anything pio will do

[Mr 50]

Got a set of CDJ 100s and a brand new mixer (numark, but it does the job) for €270, you dpn't need the 2000s to practice at home, anything pio will do

fair enough

[blinx]

I've spent a bit of time this weekend working out a Launchpad and Xone:K2 setup, and I'm definitely going to go ahead and develop it - super compact but tonnes of options available to me. The Xone:K2 really is a useful little puppy.

the Xone:k2 looks alot like what my TouchOSC template ended up being (visually), i can imagine that there are plenty of possiblities in that little piece of tech.

[efence]

If its a house party just play on some cdjs. your not doing a musical performance or show. people going to a 21st are there to dance. if you start messing with effects and performing you'll kill the party even if it is really good.

Also id advice playing disco, garage, 90s house classics or reggae/dub/dancehall.
No one wants to go to a 21st and dance to marcell dettman or digital mystickz

If you really cant. get bloody VDJ and a mixtrack, its more or less the simplest thing you can get.

laptop +soundcard with 2 outs VDJ, a mixer and your mp3 collection...house party rockin

[Dystinkt]

learn to mix on cdjs before you fanny around with apcs and shit, because there'll come a time when your playing at a proper night and your laptop setup fucks up, and you'll look very silly when you say 'oh i can't mix with cds i dont know how'

Whilst you're right and it would be a very good idea to have a backup plan, I doubt that many people can go ahead and purchase a set of pioneer CDJs and a mixer to practice on, for a 'just in case' situation?

your home setup doesnt have to be pioneers mate, mine certainly isnt! a reasonable pair of cdjs and a mixer can be picked up on the internet or somewhere like cash converters without having to bankrupt yourself for the most expensive arse gear. It isnt a just in case situation either, every club worth its salt has cdjs as standard, and tbh its much easier learning to mix on cdjs for playing out than fucking around plugging a full laptop setup in when you get there, which will quite often seriously wind up the guy playing whilst your reaching around him setting up. For a birthday party or house party a laptop and a controller is fine because they wont be wanting any super dj mixing skills presumably, but you'd make life easier for yourself when you start playing out by learning to use cdjs.

[Mr 50]

your home setup doesnt have to be pioneers mate, mine certainly isnt! a reasonable pair of cdjs and a mixer can be picked up on the internet or somewhere like cash converters without having to bankrupt yourself for the most expensive arse gear. It isnt a just in case situation either, every club worth its salt has cdjs as standard, and tbh its much easier learning to mix on cdjs for playing out than fucking around plugging a full laptop setup in when you get there, which will quite often seriously wind up the guy playing whilst your reaching around him setting up. For a birthday party or house party a laptop and a controller is fine because they wont be wanting any super dj mixing skills presumably, but you'd make life easier for yourself when you start playing out by learning to use cdjs.

Fair points.

the Xone:k2 looks alot like what my TouchOSC template ended up being (visually), i can imagine that there are plenty of possiblities in that little piece of tech.

Yeah I'm really liking it.
So after a few days playing about, it's looking like the Launchpad deals with clip launching, cueing, track selecting, cross fader, tempo change (have mapped specific tempos to the right hand round buttons)
Making a custom mapping with Bome's Midi Translator / MidiKatapult to have session view and the above controls on one page with LED feedback. User 1 mode is 4 drum racks (2 synths, 1 set of drums and 1 set of samples for use in the set)
K2 does the rest - split in half for each deck - it covers volume, EQ, Filters, 8 sets of FX punch ins that the 2nd fader controls the amount of the FX that comes through.
I still now have 6 endless rotary encoders, 4 buttons and 4 knobs to use if I want,it's super compact and I'm not having to fuck around with specialist apps and customs scripts to get LED feedback (like the Launchpad) - the K2 really is shining right now