Beginners guide to becoming a DJ

CyberWaste

Right so over the past 4-5 years ive been pretty hooked on electro and house dance, but I like all types of music, so Im thinking of trying out dj'ing. Im looking for tips on what equipment and software I should get. I have a price range of about €250, but I have speakers already.
In town for €200 they had what looked like 2 cd players with a mixer in the centre, but they had no decks for scratching, any help on what this is for?

Id be interested in those cd decks that allow you to scratch and mix cds instead of vinyls, as I dont think id be able to afford vinyl as Ive heard they wear out quickly.
Im looking just for the beginners type stuff. any help welcome. thanks.

VinylJunkie

Check this thread out!

Luke Creed

You will need more then 250€ for a propor set up man! cdj400's are cheap and they cost 450€ at least for one!

milltown

Go Digital!

My shout would be a cheap midi controller (like I'll shortly be putting up on adverts.ie!) and some good software. Your budget isn't going to get you anything decent for CD mixing so I'd say rip your CDs to MP3 (with something like CDEX), then download the trial version of something like virtual DJ ( http://www.virtualdj.com/download/trial.html ) and have a play around with it before you commit.

By the sounds of it you've never DJ'ed with turntables so you have a sort of an advantage, in that you're just learning, not adjusting from one medium to another at the same time. See what the software allows you to do, then think about the possibilities of having jog/scratch wheels and dedicated buttons.

I know there are plenty of people still working with vinyl, and tbh I probably would be if I'd stuck with my decks years ago, but in my opinion CDJs are a passing fad in between vinyl and full digital, never having got a full foothold on the market. Worth remembering too that a MIDI controller controls the computer and is not limited to MP3. It'll likely be controlling whatever comes next too.

Westwood

CyberWaste wrote: »

Right so over the past 4-5 years ive been pretty hooked on electro and house dance, but I like all types of music, so Im thinking of trying out dj'ing. Im looking for tips on what equipment and software I should get. I have a price range of about €250, but I have speakers already.
In town for €200 they had what looked like 2 cd players with a mixer in the centre, but they had no decks for scratching, any help on what this is for?

Id be interested in those cd decks that allow you to scratch and mix cds instead of vinyls, as I dont think id be able to afford vinyl as Ive heard they wear out quickly.
Im looking just for the beginners type stuff. any help welcome. thanks.

Beginners guide to becoming a dj is to start at 1987 and work your way forward. you can jump right into the thick of things, but you'll regret it and so will you audience.

ED E

You're looking at the following if you go virtual:

Laptop: Hope you have one
Midi: Circa €200
External Soundcard: Circa €100
Software: €100 and up

Obviously if you spend more, you'll get more, but thats the minimum.

Loads of companys give trial versions - try them all first, then make up you're mind.

seannash

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

You're looking at the following if you go virtual:

Laptop: Hope you have one
Midi: Circa €200
External Soundcard: Circa €100
Software: €100 and up

Obviously if you spend more, you'll get more, but thats the minimum.

Loads of companys give trial versions - try them all first, then make up you're mind.

theres free software out there isnt there.cant remember the name of it now

Four-Percent

Beatport sync is a free player but it is ****e if i remember correctly

ED E

seannash wrote: »

theres free software out there isnt there.cant remember the name of it now

Yeah, IIRC there are several open source/freewares. But I wouldnt rely on one.

seannash

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Yeah, IIRC there are several open source/freewares. But I wouldnt rely on one.

i think this one is fairly good

http://www.mixxx.org/

CyberWaste

Alright so I got the Program Virtual DJ and have been playing around with it for a few days, I think its pretty good, but Im wondering, whats the best mixer/controller you can get for about €100-150 that will plug in to your laptop and will allow you to control most of the effects etc and alos have 2 jog wheels. Something like this: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Hercules-DJ-Console-MK2-Dual-Deck-DJ-Mixer-103532479-i1155674.gc?CJAID=10449560&CJPID=3445586

For the more experienced people, is virtual dj good software for beginners or is there better?

ED E

Virtual DJ, Cue LE, PCDJ(+Variants) are all pretty much the same, if you look at screenshots of them side by side you can see that there are just slight variations in the skins, the rest is very very similar.

One thing on Jog wheels. Most of the controllers have a pair of them, and some people make a big deal of them, but TBH once you have them thats it. As they are usually very small and they arent "powered"(they dont move them unless you move them) their application is very limited in my eyes(I've just been messing around for a few months).

A good place to look for a MIDI controller is thomann. Have a look in this section: http://www.thomann.de/ie/dj_software_hardware.html

Shipping to ireland is €15 flatrate, and free for orders over 200.

CyberWaste

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Virtual DJ, Cue LE, PCDJ(+Variants) are all pretty much the same, if you look at screenshots of them side by side you can see that there are just slight variations in the skins, the rest is very very similar.

One thing on Jog wheels. Most of the controllers have a pair of them, and some people make a big deal of them, but TBH once you have them thats it. As they are usually very small and they arent "powered"(they dont move them unless you move them) their application is very limited in my eyes(I've just been messing around for a few months).

A good place to look for a MIDI controller is thomann. Have a look in this section: http://www.thomann.de/ie/dj_software_hardware.html

Shipping to ireland is €15 flatrate, and free for orders over 200.

What controller do you have? Any one you could recommend? is this one decent? http://www.thomann.de/ie/hercules_dj_control.htm

ED E

I have the Numark Total Control. There's better out there. I think the BCD 3000 has a built in soundcard, might be a good option, if slightly dearer.

ironclaw

CyberWaste wrote: »

Right so over the past 4-5 years ive been pretty hooked on electro and house dance, but I like all types of music, so Im thinking of trying out dj'ing. Im looking for tips on what equipment and software I should get. I have a price range of about €250, but I have speakers already.
In town for €200 they had what looked like 2 cd players with a mixer in the centre, but they had no decks for scratching, any help on what this is for?

Id be interested in those cd decks that allow you to scratch and mix cds instead of vinyls, as I dont think id be able to afford vinyl as Ive heard they wear out quickly.
Im looking just for the beginners type stuff. any help welcome. thanks.

Personally, I would save and save, then buy a nice set of CDJ's and a good mixer. I made the mistake of going digital (regretting it as my laptop was fairly good but not up to spec - Virtual needs serious horsepower) and then buying CDJ's. I now have a smashing laptop and could go back digital but I don't. I prefer the CDJ's. Without sounding stupid, there is something magical about hareware as opposed to software. Way more tactile! So in conclusion, save to about €500 and go second hand. There are loads on Adverts, Gumtree and Buy & Sell.

Zascar

I disagree - its a personal taste thing really. OP have a go at a few and see what you like. I much prefer digital. I do enjoy using CDJ's , and i love playing vinyl too, but I totally love mixing on my controller just as much if not more. You cannot deny the practicality digital gives you for starters, but also so much more than that too.

• I can fit everything I need in one bag a little bigger than a laptop case - there is a lot to be said for that.
• My Xponent has jog wheels (which are a lot more sensitive than CDJ's) and that is plenty tactile for me!
• Ultimate control over my music collection without having to bother with cd's. Searching, categorising etc with software is a million times better.
• You have a choice of different software to use depending on my preference or what I want to achieve.
• Software has effects & looping built in to rival that of a separate effects machine costing hundreds.
• Software gets updated with new and better features.
• Recording your sets is done with 2 clicks.
• If you choose to be lazy (or just want to make sure you do not fcuk up when playing live) it will match the beats for you.
• You can have 4 decks with a single click, and without spending silly money

I could go on and on....

If I was advising anyone, I'd say get Traktor Pro and a Vestax VCI-100SE (and a Native Instruments Audio DJ soundcard).. It's everything you need, does a cracking job, and will cost less than CDJ's with a decent mixer. But, you can get most of the ability with a much cheaper setup too, and build up to that later if you wish.

CyberWaste

Thanks for the help lads, I am considering getting a Hercules DJ Console MK2, the one with the built in soundcard, I can get it for under a €100. Worth it? Im just a beginner and would like to keep this for about a year or 2 id say.

Zascar

The Hercules Mk2 is crap. Spend a little more on something better and it will be very worth it

CyberWaste

Zascar wrote: »

The Hercules Mk2 is crap. Spend a little more on something better and it will be very worth it

Yeah, im thinking its pointless getting that even for that price. Ive sold my xbox and I think ill use it and get a Vestax VCI 100 or 300 and a soundcard. Im seeing the 100 going for under €200 online. Do you know of a good bit cheaper soundcard than that Zascar? Its a bit expensive for me, anything for about €20? Like one that just allows me to hear the music coming in like, it doesnt have to be super quality or anything.

Daroxtar

What you should really do is to save up for Technics 1210's and buy a load of vinyl. Thats the only way to become a proper Dj. Every thing else is just trained monkey button pushing






/runs very quickly away

francois

Daroxtar wrote: »

What you should really do is to save up for Technics 1210's and buy a load of vinyl. Thats the only way to become a proper Dj. Every thing else is just trained monkey button pushing






/runs very quickly away

Ha! kind of true-electronica lends itself to the digital age, though I wouldn't try playing MP3's at a Northern Soul night!

Executive Steve

francois wrote: »

Ha! kind of true-electronica lends itself to the digital age, though I wouldn't try playing MP3's at a Northern Soul night!

Apparently CD's and MP3's have almost completely replaced vinyl in Jamaica's sound systems... The lion's share of their vinyl is now purely for export...

CyberWaste

Whats peoples views on the Torq Xponent? I should be able to afford it, and I think id prefer to get something that will last me many years than just a few.

If I cant, I probably get the behringer bcd3000 as I can get that for under €200. Worth it? Looks a bit cheap and flmsy to me though.

Zascar

I have the Xponent. Love it. Do a search I've talked about it loads.

Had the BCD200 before it, peice of shiiiiiiiiit

CyberWaste

Zascar wrote: »

I have the Xponent. Love it. Do a search I've talked about it loads.

Had the BCD200 before it, peice of shiiiiiiiiit

Yeah I see the threads now, I was either thinking of picking up a Xponent or a Vestax VCI 100, but the main thing holding back the Vestax is that it doesnt have a built in soundcard. Is it true that if you dont use Torq, the lights on the Xponent dont work? Not sure if he ment they dont light up, or light up with the beat.

Anyway, It was the Behringer BCD3000, not the BCD 2000, is the 3000 much better or still pretty bad?

Zascar

One of the best setups you can get (imo) is the VCI-100SE with Traktor Pro (and a soundcard) but not sure of this is out of your budget.

I have used my Xponent with Traktor but its a pain to set up and althoughit works 95%, I always go back to Torq. The lights do work, at the end of the day it is just a Midi Controller like any other so you can get it to do anything you want it if you have the patience.

Torq is good sortware. Maybe not as advanced as Traktor Pro, but still very good. Personally I think its more user friendly, but I suppose it depends on what you are used to.

I would give both a go and see which you like better

CyberWaste

Zascar wrote: »

One of the best setups you can get (imo) is the VCI-100SE with Traktor Pro (and a soundcard) but not sure of this is out of your budget.

Id be able to get a Vestax VCI 100 and traktor, but not sure if ill be able to afford a soundcard, becuase most ive seen are over €100. Is there any soundcards that are like uner €50 that do the job? Sound and bass dont have to be great, im only a beginner like. Would this work and do the job? http://www.djkit.co.uk/product.php?id=5136&cat=142

What about this one? http://www.djkit.co.uk/product.php?id=1736&cat=142

Zascar

I'd just get an Xponent then - you won't regret it really.

cranky bollix

would ya not just download traktor off a torrent? or is this wrong nowadays.

CyberWaste

Well I have a vestax vci 100 and Traktor pro for a few weeks now and like it, but need to get a sound card fast, but cant afford a top of the line one yet. Would this work as a soundcard for traktor and that? http://www.guitarcenter.com/iKEY-Audio-iCONNEX-DJ-Phono-USB-Interface-482898-i1424835.gc

The sound doesnt have to be perfect or super loud, just listenable like.

I dont really understand yet what I need to look for in specs for example when buying a soundcard for Dj'ing...