Mixing MP3

Tim Robbins

What's the best software for mixing MP3s?
Any freebies?
Ideally I would like to mix up my old records, I would obviously love the facility where you could go back and re do mixes you made a mess off

kmick

Try virtualdj or ableton live. You can get trial versions of both. Virtual dj is a bit amatuerish - ableton is the standard. However I use VDJ and it is perfectly fine for the bedroom mixer. Ableton is the enterprise class software.

rabbitinlights

Traktor would be your best bet imo, Ableton is a bit much for starting off on.

s>

Zascar

rabbitinlights wrote:

Traktor would be your best bet imo, Ableton is a bit much for starting off on.

s>

Agreed. Ableton is used by a lot of big DJ's who pretty much plan out their set before. Tracktor (I think) lets you rewind and redo a mix if you screw it up. I find virtual DJ the easiest to use and most fun for messing about.

Are you just using just a mouse or do you have an external controller?

Tim Robbins

Zascar wrote:

Agreed. Ableton is used by a lot of big DJ's who pretty much plan out their set before. Tracktor (I think) lets you rewind and redo a mix if you screw it up. I find virtual DJ the easiest to use and most fun for messing about.

Are you just using just a mouse or do you have an external controller?

Mouse. I have a lot of old skool tunes on MP3 and I wouldn't mind mixing them up for people. I used to be able beat mix on 1210's. Obviously that was a long time ago.

Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins wrote:

Mouse. I have a lot of old skool tunes on MP3 and I wouldn't mind mixing them up for people. I used to be able beat mix on 1210's. Obviously that was a long time ago.

Also I was looking some of these tools look pricy anybody, anybody know any cheaper places to get em. EBay etc? Any recommendations welcomed. Cheers.

iRate Soundsyst

God bless Traktor.......www.myspace.com/iratesoundsystem for some mixes done with traktor

Punchbowl

If it's mixing MP3's and it's purely for playback, Mixmeister does the job grand.. Just load your MP3's into a folder, let it calc the BPM and start dragging dropping.. Great for preparing ultra quick party playlists and it's got some nice touches too...

If it's live, VDJ is prob the easiest to pick up and play, and it runs nicely on low end PCs' too

run_Forrest_run

Punchbowl wrote:

If it's mixing MP3's and it's purely for playback, Mixmeister does the job grand..

wow, the first recommendation of MixMeister I've seen around here. I have used MixMeister Express for just messing around with mixing and beat matching. I am now becoming frustrated with it and I want to try other things...I was going to buy MixMeister Studio but decided to get a Behringer BCD3000 instead with Traktor 3 LE included...actually I am still waiting for Thomann to ship the feckin thing :rolleyes:

Zascar

I have not tested it yet but apparently Deckadance is fantastic. Free trial download available, and its not very expensive, give it a go...

Punchbowl

Zascar wrote:

I have not tested it yet but apparently Deckadance is fantastic. Free trial download available, and its not very expensive, give it a go...

Seconded. Excellent stuff...

As for Mixmeister, I use Fusion, so it may be an improvement on express, although I dunno.. I like the simplicity of Mixmeister but it can sometimes frustrate, but then again, for amateurs and beginners, you can really learn something from it...

Tim Robbins

Punchbowl wrote:

Seconded. Excellent stuff...

As for Mixmeister, I use Fusion, so it may be an improvement on express, although I dunno.. I like the simplicity of Mixmeister but it can sometimes frustrate, but then again, for amateurs and beginners, you can really learn something from it...

I downloaded the deckadance trial and can't get it to play a few MP3 files.
Are my thick? I load the files, it reads the files, I hit the play button nothing happens.

Zascar

I also could not get it to work, but I did not try very hard.

I have Virtual DJ installed with ASIO drivers and I didn;t want to risk fcuking the whole thing up.

Pitty I hear it's an excellent piece of software...

Tim Robbins

Zascar wrote:

I also could not get it to work, but I did not try very hard.

I have Virtual DJ installed with ASIO drivers and I didn;t want to risk fcuking the whole thing up.

Pitty I hear it's an excellent piece of software...

I wonder is it my sound card or do I just not have something set. It's bugging me big time.

Zascar

try seeking help here: http://forum.image-line.com/ I'm sure someone can help, or you might find someone has had the same problems as you before

Tim Robbins

Zascar wrote:

try seeking help here: http://forum.image-line.com/ I'm sure someone can help, or you might find someone has had the same problems as you before

I got it to work. Interesting tool. Although that automatic beat mixing thing is a false sense of security if there ever was one. Sometimes you have the beats lined up according to the automatic beat mixing and the mix sounds woeful.
At the moment I was using the mouse, I have to figure out how to use the keyboard as using the mouse is impossible.
Good fun though, you can do a lot with the demo, the volume just turns down every two minutes

Zascar

Yeah the beatmatching in software applications is never really any good. It's usefull to get it generally in the right area, but I always make sure to tune it myself. Often it can be way out, and sometimes it can just loose it which annoys the hell out of me. CDJ's are ten times smoother

Tim Robbins

Zascar wrote:

Yeah the beatmatching in software applications is never really any good. It's usefull to get it generally in the right area, but I always make sure to tune it myself. Often it can be way out, and sometimes it can just loose it which annoys the hell out of me. CDJ's are ten times smoother

Do CDJs beat mix for you?
I found one thing annoying with the MP3 mixing software was I couldn't speed it up or slow it down slightly with my hand as you can with a technics 1210 etc.

Zascar

No of course they do not beat mix for you, (they give you a pbm like 129 pbm but there is still a large varience within that) but it only takes a few seconds to get them sounding right. When it is there I just think it is a lot smoother feel and sound than when using virtual dj. Perhaos Decksdance is better.

Get yourself an external Controller, waaaaay more fnun that using a mouse and keyboard

kmick

I use Virtual DJ and it is fine - quite expensive for what it is. Have Ableton as well but have not found time to install it yet. probaly better off the spring for ableton first off as it is way better. You can get a 'educational' license if you are a student. If you are not find a student and use his student id

Tim Robbins

Zascar wrote:

No of course they do not beat mix for you, (they give you a pbm like 129 pbm but there is still a large varience within that) but it only takes a few seconds to get them sounding right. When it is there I just think it is a lot smoother feel and sound than when using virtual dj. Perhaos Decksdance is better.

Get yourself an external Controller, waaaaay more fnun that using a mouse and keyboard

Any external controller you'd like to recommend?

Zascar

Depends, What's your budget?

Starting from the bottom, here are the ones to check out:

Behringer BCD3000
M-Audio X-Session
Numark Total Control
Kontrol DJ JDK-500
Vestax VCI-100
M-Audio Torq Xponent
(see www.digital.dj for reviews)

I have a Behringer BCD2000. (The 3000 has some basic upgrades but is much the same). It's a nice little unit, great value, and decent features. Behringer have a reputation for crap quality, I thought it was pretty good at first, but later when I got CD decks and a proper mixer, I can now see it is pretty poor quality (Mixer EQ's and Sound Quality). Good value but try to get something better if you can.

I have no experience with the X-Session or the Total Control but I have heard good things about both.

Apparently the Kontrol DJ is fantastic, someone on this forum has one...

The Vestax and the Xponent are the best ones to get. I'm about to buy an Xponent, but I hear the Vestax is just as good if not better - just down to preference really.

Gotta run but let me know any other questions...

Tim Robbins

Zascar wrote:

Depends, What's your budget?

Starting from the bottom, here are the ones to check out:

Behringer BCD3000
M-Audio X-Session
Numark Total Control
Kontrol DJ JDK-500
Vestax VCI-100
M-Audio Torq Xponent
(see www.digital.dj for reviews)

I have a Behringer BCD2000. (The 3000 has some basic upgrades but is much the same). It's a nice little unit, great value, and decent features. Behringer have a reputation for crap quality, I thought it was pretty good at first, but later when I got CD decks and a proper mixer, I can now see it is pretty poor quality (Mixer EQ's and Sound Quality). Good value but try to get something better if you can.

I have no experience with the X-Session or the Total Control but I have heard good things about both.

Apparently the Kontrol DJ is fantastic, someone on this forum has one...

The Vestax and the Xponent are the best ones to get. I'm about to buy an Xponent, but I hear the Vestax is just as good if not better - just down to preference really.

Gotta run but let me know any other questions...

How much you going to spend on the Torq?

Zascar

I can get from from the UK for €600, or in Ireland for about €660> Problem is no one has stock and they won;t be getting it for 4-6 weeks.

I cang et from the US for $499 +$50 shipping but not sure if I'll get shafted on taxes...

Luke! Broughan

hey,as for mixing mp3's.....hmmmm.


Use virtual Dj if you want to get a taste for mp3 mixing(if you are a bedroom dj its the business) go out,spend 140 on it.Itll give you a taste for mp3 djing.but if you plan to actually use mp3,s over the foreseeable future and possibly in front of a live audience,i believe "ableton live!" is pretty much the industry standard.all the top dj's (who actually use mp3 software use Ableton ) but in response to some dude on boards sayin, "beatmatching isnt great on software" well,i disagree.....even on the old old versions of virtual dj,i found the beatmatching is quite remarkable.Your pc beatmatches FOR YOU,but your PC obviously wont know if the two tracks are in harmony.....its the DJ that has to think,and say "yes!" these two tracks will be in harmony,and im now gonna mix em up(or mash em up) on my software.

P.s if youve got a cd mixer,burn youre mixes from your laptop and pop em into your mixer....

Zascar

I've been using Virtual DJ for years.. it's good fun but really its not the best software out there. I hear Tracktor is better and more powerful, and Decksdance gets fantastic reviews too.

The beatmatching in Virtual DJ is ok, but certainly not foolproof - nothing is really except your ears!