New to DJing or production? Need help or advice? Post here

woozle

Hey,
I have a pioneer cdj 1000 mk2, and when i put in cds recorded from iTunes as an audio CD it plays fine. If I record the cd's through iTunes as MP3 though, there is no sound coming from the CDJ. Anyone any idea why? Is there any way of playing MP3 recorded cd's or do they have to be audio cd's?
Thanks

hans aus dtschl

Hey woozle,

It would appear (from my quick scans of the web) that mk2 do not play mp3 or wav, only red book standard audio CD's.

Whilst this is a limitation, it's not a bad limitation to have, as you won't be AS tempted to play the lower-quality mp3 standard tracks.

woozle

Hey Hans,

thanks for that, I thought the MP3 recorded cd's were higher quality than the Audio recorded cd's, am I wrong? (recorded from iTunes - and is there a better program to record them from where the quality would be higher?)

thanks
Woozle

hans aus dtschl

It depends on a whole host of factors, but in general MP3 tends to be quite a lossy format.
A bit of investigation into bitrates and conversion algorithms are the key here.

A high bitrate track is a high bitrate track you think, but if the originator track is of a low bitrate, then thats the most you can get. Increasing the bitrate won't increase the quality: for instance if you have a 64kbps track, and resample it to be 320kbps, it wont "regain" quality. It will just sound very very like the 64kbps track.

So, with that in mind, your source material is almighty. And since the source material is most usually an audio CD or wav file, it tends to start from there and get worse as you swap media. If you convert that wav file to mp3 your encoder is being entrusted with a pretty significant task. Bad encoder/algorithm gives you a bad sounding track, regardless of bitrate.

I honestly can't know what format you're buying and at what bitrates, but in general, its good practice to attain as high a quality of track as possible as your primary/originator source. And in general that will tend to be WAV or an audio disc.

Very much sweeping statements here, and there's many exceptions, but heeding the above will be a good starting point for you.

woozle

Thanks Hans,

I was panicking that all my cd's are recorded as audio cd's, I'll do a couple on MP3 and play them off the other non 1000 mk2 cdj, and see which sounds best. thanks for the help!

woozle

Hey,

I have just recorded me mixing by hooking up my laptop to the mixer and using Audacity. The mix itself sounds like it's being played under water, and you can hear me singing in the back ground, and me tapping the play/cue buttons. Any idea how to record from the mixer and only pick up the tracks as they're heard through the speakers?

electrogrimey

woozle wrote: »

Hey,

I have just recorded me mixing by hooking up my laptop to the mixer and using Audacity. The mix itself sounds like it's being played under water, and you can hear me singing in the back ground, and me tapping the play/cue buttons. Any idea how to record from the mixer and only pick up the tracks as they're heard through the speakers?

Sounds like you've recorded it from your laptop's internal microphone, you need to change either your laptop sound settings, or Audacity's, or both. There'll be a drop-down in your audio settings to choose between microphone & line-in, same with Audacity.

woozle

I couldn't find any options to change it on Audacity, so I downloaded the newer version (I think my pc is set up correctly, to headphone or line in?) and now audacity is saying "error while opening the sound device please check input device and project sample rate" but when I look for device in Audacity it says there is no device. I've asked on the Audacity forum, it shouldnt be this difficult though should it?

Flo8919

Hey I wanted to start DJ-ing and was wondering where I could get lessons around Dublin City Centre? I was looking for something part-time and at nights/the weekend. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would like to get started straight away!

woozle

You can try this place - The Radio & DJ Schools

---

Castleforbes House
Castleforbes Road
Dublin 1

---

Tel: (01) 289 7919
Email: info@radioschool.ie / info@djschool.ie
Web: www.radioschool.ie / www.djschool.ie

ianuss

Flo8919 wrote: »

Hey I wanted to start DJ-ing and was wondering where I could get lessons around Dublin City Centre? I was looking for something part-time and at nights/the weekend. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would like to get started straight away!

Seriously, don't spend a frickin' penny on dj lessons.

Youtube will give you all the basics - after that, it's 'practice and enjoy'.....http://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins

lazzday

Hi guys,
I'm an inspiring electronic musician.
I'm currently composing songs on Cubase 5 and Ableton Live using a Microkorg synth as a MIDI controller, various loops, samples and vstis.

What I generally want to achieve is to bring all my samples and tracks into a live environment, perhaps with a live drummer, guitarist and bassist and me controlling my samples with a controller in a kinda dj fashion. First of all I want to know what is the best way to connect my laptop? Would I have to purchase some sort of soundcard?
Also, what is the best type of controller to achieve all this? I'm fairly fond of keyboard synths around the stage so I would prefer a controller that interacts with these aswell.

Any advice would be mucho appreciated!

ianuss

lazzday wrote: »

Hi guys,
I'm an inspiring electronic musician.
I'm currently composing songs on Cubase 5 and Ableton Live using a Microkorg synth as a MIDI controller, various loops, samples and vstis.

What I generally want to achieve is to bring all my samples and tracks into a live environment, perhaps with a live drummer, guitarist and bassist and me controlling my samples with a controller in a kinda dj fashion. First of all I want to know what is the best way to connect my laptop? Would I have to purchase some sort of soundcard?
Also, what is the best type of controller to achieve all this? I'm fairly fond of keyboard synths around the stage so I would prefer a controller that interacts with these aswell.

Any advice would be mucho appreciated!

I've read this post 10 times now and I still haven't gotten any inspiration.

electrogrimey

lazzday wrote: »

First of all I want to know what is the best way to connect my laptop? Would I have to purchase some sort of soundcard?
Also, what is the best type of controller to achieve all this?

You didn't say a budget, so this'd be a pretty high quality set-up:

This is really popular for playing live:

http://www.thomann.de/ie/akai_mpd_32.htm

And if you're more synth based - this is a great MIDI keyboard, there's different size ones too if you don't need a full keyboard.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/novation_remote_61_sl_mkii.htm

Something like this would be perfect as a soundcard:

http://www.thomann.de/ie/focusrite_saffire_pro_14.htm

Flo8919

ianuss wrote: »

Seriously, don't spend a frickin' penny on dj lessons.

Youtube will give you all the basics - after that, it's 'practice and enjoy'.....http://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins

Cool thanks for the advice. Is there anything I would need to get/download from the internet like programs to start DJing or anything that would help me?

ianuss

Flo8919 wrote: »

Cool thanks for the advice. Is there anything I would need to get/download from the internet like programs to start DJing or anything that would help me?

Well it all depends on what equipment you're hoping to use.....turntables, cdj's, midi-controller etc.....

Have a read through this thread for general info and feel free to ask any more specific questions you might have.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056200471

Hurricanekill

Hey lads didnt spot this thread before i posted mine. Could ye have a look at my thread please?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056442944

Thanks

EarlERizer

Looking for equipment? Some of you might find this new site useful .....

http://www.djbox.ie/

eZe^

Lads, I'm considering splurging into the DVS world and investing in some time coded vinyls and a 2nd hand copy of traktor scratch. My question is, what audio dj sound card would you recommend me purchase? Baring in mine I'd probably only be using my two turntables (audio 4?), if I wanted to use one of the extra sampling decks (audio 6?), or 4 decks (audio 8?). Is it that simple? I'm such a n00b when it comes to this external soundcard stuff. Thanks for your time.

hidinginthebush

Hey lads, I hope I'm asking in the right thread, but can someone help me with a problem I'm having with my turntable. Its an old Philips F7215 fwiw, and lately it can't hold speed. I've tried changing the belt, but the problem still persists.

Its almost like the friction caused by the needle touching the record slows it down, as the speed indicator will say "normal", but once it touches the record it slows down so much to the point it almost stops. Could the motor be knackered? (It is very old after all...).

And lastly if it needs to be repaired, would it be worth it, should I just get a new table? Either way, could you recommended somewhere in Dublin that does repairs or to buy a new one.

baddebt

Can you DJ/create beats/tunes with just a computer and some software ?

Colm!

I've been messing around with VirtualDJ and Traktor for a year and a half now and have decided I need to pick up some hardware for a basic laptop DJ setup: start with a basic controller\mixer like this (less than €200 on thomann) and then buy a PA rig to get started. But I'm wondering if you've got any hardware recommendations for me?

ianuss

Colm! wrote: »

I've been messing around with VirtualDJ and Traktor for a year and a half now and have decided I need to pick up some hardware for a basic laptop DJ setup: start with a basic controller\mixer like this (less than €200 on thomann) and then buy a PA rig to get started. But I'm wondering if you've got any hardware recommendations for me?

I've only ever really used an M-Audio Xponent, which I'd sell for €200 as I've recently switched to vinyl. It's pretty much brand new. I bought it for €350 a little over a year ago. It's a great little controller.

Not that I'm trying to give it the 'hard sell' or anything. It's just that that's the only controller I have any experience with.

edit; here's 2 threads with info on midi controllers. I think there's another one but I can't find it and I've already searched through about 20 pages trying to find it. Anyway, here's the 2 I found

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056187348

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055703778

Colm!

I might get back to you on the Xponent but it seems more a small bit more expensive than the Mixtrack Pro without much more to it. I'll check out reviews for both.

Yeah, I've been looking through the threads around here and I'll admit that although the controllers that some are recommending are nice (Traktor S4 anyone?) some of them are way outside my price range.

EDIT: Hmm, just wondering on this, if I got the Mixtrack Pro, which has an audio interface built in, would there be anything to gain for buying a soundcard like the Audio 2?

Hantipants

Hey guys, im wondering what sort of power ill need to play in a reasonable sized pub. I have a pair of 8" Samson speakers 55/220 watts RMS/Max each. And i was thinking of buying a Resolv 120a sub to go with them, and its a 10" sub with 120 watts RMS. Would that be enough to fill a pub? They'll just be used for a 21st and the odd house party but i dont want the dance floor to sound anemic on me.

ED E

I'd say you'd have enough with that.

hans aus dtschl

hidinginthebush wrote: »

Hey lads, I hope I'm asking in the right thread, but can someone help me with a problem I'm having with my turntable. Its an old Philips F7215 fwiw, and lately it can't hold speed. I've tried changing the belt, but the problem still persists.

Its almost like the friction caused by the needle touching the record slows it down, as the speed indicator will say "normal", but once it touches the record it slows down so much to the point it almost stops. Could the motor be knackered? (It is very old after all...).

And lastly if it needs to be repaired, would it be worth it, should I just get a new table? Either way, could you recommended somewhere in Dublin that does repairs or to buy a new one.

in a word, yes the motor could be knackered. Looking at the service manual here (admin please modify as necessary): http://www.freeservicemanuals.info/servicemanuals/download/Philips/f7215.pdf
it appears that you have a belt drive turntable.
It would be significantly more likely that you have knackered the belt rather than the motor. Such a turntable is not optimised for slip-cue-ing.
The belt is usually just an elestic band. Im sure you could figure something rudimentary out to mend this. A few quid in a seamstress would get you some elastic for instance...

ianuss

Colm! wrote: »

I've been messing around with VirtualDJ and Traktor for a year and a half now and have decided I need to pick up some hardware for a basic laptop DJ setup: start with a basic controller\mixer like this (less than €200 on thomann) and then buy a PA rig to get started. But I'm wondering if you've got any hardware recommendations for me?

http://www.djtechtools.com/2011/12/19/dj-software-options-for-beginners-from-free-to-99/

DanielsKukjans

The best and biggest web for music is beatport.com try it :cool:

badboyz33

Hi guys,

Im reasonably new to the DJing world, and trying to get the hang of it all.

I have basic knowledge and understanding through the use of Virtual DJ through the use of a keyboard, HOWWWEEVVEERRRR, i want to get a lil controller that can allow me to scratch, mix, and get a genuine feel for what its like using decks etc.

Im on a tight budget, because incase it dont fall through, i wouldn't have wanted to waste big bucks.

I am considering the Mixtrack pro, read a few reviews and it seems cool.

Any ideas?

I want it to be able to play through my speakers @ home (3.5mm jack) and i want to be able to hear whats going to come next through one ear and the audience can hear through the other. can this do this? will i need other gadgets to plug in...does anyone have any ideas?

Please bear in mind the budget lol

All thoughts and feedback is Much appreciated.

Az.x