beginner DJ woes

[edgecom]

So here are my thoughts.

Im about 3 months into my "official (in the sense of having pseudo-equipment enough to SPIN etcetc) DJ experience" and Im feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. Being a 22 year old who grew up with technology and the especially web 2.0 I have so much music & information, at my fingertips, literally, via torrent websites, free file sharing sites, etc + my usual website routines that lead me to downloading albums, singles, and mixes daily. Obviously its great that Im exposed to so much music but I feel so detached from 90% of it all because clicking on a file name or most of them time not even clicking just letting the iTunes shuffle, or play through tracks, I dont get to build a solid knowledge on the tracks themselves, and I feel that even though my skills are very premature, it will 100% bring upon a handicap as I move forward as my skills progress.

Currently I am using noting more then a laptop and Vestex 100 USB controller, but want to make the jump to something more legitimate as well as more professional. My battle is deciding between vinyl and CDs. I do not fully understand the ways in which DJs spin CDs. Vinyl is easy, cause there are such few tracks on each plate, but CDs, do DJs have to prep CDs with like 11 tracks on them, with a preset order for a set, going back and forth between each deck? (this is a question I could use some real knowledge on.) Ide appreciate all vinyl snobs to hold back, unless you have some real debates between CDs and VINYL. I dont need subjective opinions making this decision harder for me. I need knowledge.

My comments regarding being able to download so much music does make it seem like i dont support artists by buying CDs and i admit, i rarely do. But now that I have a reason to (because the quality of the music matters when spinning, as appose to me just listening) My issue is having to buy vinyl or CDs for everything I would in theory want to start to spin. Going from 316GB of music , to nothing, seems like a HUGE step backwards for @ this second a small step forward.

I want to stick with using traktor + my mac book pro.

Thanks guys.

[jolly wailer]

you would set up and burn the CDs with whatever system allowed you to keep track of what tunes were where


and yes... if you spin vinyl, you select and purchase every single piece you wish to spin. It's expensive. You start small, but its a collection that will grow. This process informs your musical taste, and you begin to start drawing for more timeless/personally important pieces of music. Something you want to have around.


Being able to possess 300 gigs of music on a small disc where you don't know the sounds ass-end from its' front is what is kinda fucked up about being a listener in the information age -- its like people who hoard tons of shit in their house to the point where they can't move about - I wouldn't be able to think straight

[havok]

another thing about mixing vinyl is that when you start off, your collection is small. Because of this you get to know the tunes inside out. You have to spend a lot of time practising, but because of this you find mixes you'd never have thought of as you will end up mixing random vinyls in. Id personally recommend vinyl to start off with because working with it gives you a better understanding of DJing, from there you can start experimenting with digital DJing, building on what you know and pushing it further.

just my 2 cents

[HVK]

[AFL]

another thing about mixing vinyl is that when you start off, your collection is small. Because of this you get to know the tunes inside out. You have to spend a lot of time practising, but because of this you find mixes you'd never have thought of as you will end up mixing random vinyls in. Id personally recommend vinyl to start off with because working with it gives you a better understanding of DJing, from there you can start experimenting with digital DJing, building on what you know and pushing it further.

just my 2 cents

[HVK]

THIS. Everyone should start dj'ing with vinyl and once you have mastered that you can move on to the Digital aspect. I think that beginning with vinyl definitely made me appreciate dj'ing on a whole other level.

[honey-d]

another thing about mixing vinyl is that when you start off, your collection is small. Because of this you get to know the tunes inside out. You have to spend a lot of time practising, but because of this you find mixes you'd never have thought of as you will end up mixing random vinyls in. Id personally recommend vinyl to start off with because working with it gives you a better understanding of DJing, from there you can start experimenting with digital DJing, building on what you know and pushing it further.

just my 2 cents

[HVK]

THIS. Everyone should start dj'ing with vinyl and once you have mastered that you can move on to the Digital aspect. I think that beginning with vinyl definitely made me appreciate dj'ing on a whole other level.

I don't really have hundreds and hundreds of extra dollars to start with vinyl and then drop another multiple hundreds on CDJs just to gain an appreciation for DJing...


plus the money it costs for the records... which I would then replace when I went digi...


yeah I think I appreciate DJing enough as is with my CDJs.

[Basic A]

yeah I think I appreciate DJing enough as is with my CDJs.

Same thing right, two play buttons, pitch faders, and volume for each...

Its not like I use waveform display, I match by ear.

I just dont shell out hundeds on vinyls, rather 99c an mp3...

And I got my set-up on a nothing-trade to a crakhead... I couldnt roll vinyl for 50 bucks speant in shady places, lol.

[honey-d]

yeah I think I appreciate DJing enough as is with my CDJs.

Same thing right, two play buttons, pitch faders, and volume for each...

Its not like I use waveform display, I match by ear.

I just dont shell out hundeds on vinyls, rather 99c an mp3...

And I got my set-up on a nothing-trade to a crakhead... I couldnt roll vinyl for 50 bucks speant in shady places, lol.

haha my CDJs are too low of quality to cheat for me with waveform display, mine's pretty bare as well.

Though honestly I think that when we reach the point where DJs are no longer looking back at DJing and more looking forward at the whole thing as sonic manipulation the doors will fly open and everyone will be bored by the DJs of old...



..anyone?

[Basic A]

wtf is soncic manipulation?

Production.

LIVEPA int replacin djs...

[jsills]

wtf is soncic manipulation?

Production.

LIVEPA int replacin djs...

dj or play live, doesnt matter, either way do it well. play some fucking tunes for people to dance too........girls dont give a fuck what format your playing.

[Lode_Runner]

Going through shit loads of music just to be exposed to it all is one thing (and the easy part might I add). The part that gives you the most satisfaction is finding the stuff you love that you never heard of, like those times when you find a beautiful jewel in a shower of shit. Then going out and showing people that jewel of a tune, and they are like wow! This is the fucking nuts!

Dont really know what my point is, just saying is all...

[arktrix45hz]

dj or play live, doesnt matter, either way do it well. play some fucking tunes for people to dance too........girls dont give a fuck what format your playing.

First part, I agree.
Second part, I massively disagree.

Theres a few rave wise ladies (more so lads though) round here, and if you're not DJ'ing vinyl, you're not a DJ apparently. Personally I couldn't give a fuck, as long as the end result is me dancing my arse off.

[edgecom]

which model of technics should I look into? and for a mixer?
need to be3 channelS

money is an issue but I strongly stand behind go cheap pay twice .