Commercial

cabledude

Hi Guys/Gals.

Need any suggestions for a basic run of the mill DJ software package to load to a laptop to cater for commercial Djing gigs. Free if possible.

Is laptop the best way to go or would I be better going for CD's. Are laptops dependable? Would you also need a back up in case laptop crashes?

Thanks for any help.

c_o_ck p_i_ss chillage

Read article and comments

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/01/how-to-dj-with-a-1-sound-card/#more-5164

thenashlegend

cabledude wrote: »

Hi Guys/Gals.

Need any suggestions for a basic run of the mill DJ software package to load to a laptop to cater for commercial Djing gigs. Free if possible.

Is laptop the best way to go or would I be better going for CD's. Are laptops dependable? Would you also need a back up in case laptop crashes?

Thanks for any help.

I hope this is a joke? You want to DJ for commercial gigs using free software?...Using a laptop which puts minimum work on you, while you charge full price taking work from people that have invested thousands of euro's on equipment and years of mixing and learning the trade!

To answer your questions, the laptop is a good way to go but like everything else you need to invest, a good laptop used solely for DJing. A controller for the software (in my opinion, the laptop is just too awkward to start and cue tracks) and some good software such as Traktor Pro.
I use CDJ's and love them, I'd pick them over the laptop any day.
If your serious about DJing in the long run you need to try both, laptop and CDJ's, choose what works for you.

Laptops can crash, so yes you will need an alternative, whether its another laptop ready to go as soon as the first on crashes, or a cd player, either way you'll need something to avoid a red face!:p

Logical Fallacy

thenashlegend wrote: »

I hope this is a joke? You want to DJ for commercial gigs using free software?...Using a laptop which puts minimum work on you, while you charge full price taking work from people that have invested thousands of euro's on equipment and years of mixing and learning the trade!

To answer your questions, the laptop is a good way to go but like everything else you need to invest, a good laptop used solely for DJing. A controller for the software (in my opinion, the laptop is just too awkward to start and cue tracks) and some good software such as Traktor Pro.
I use CDJ's and love them, I'd pick them over the laptop any day.
If your serious about DJing in the long run you need to try both, laptop and CDJ's, choose what works for you.

Laptops can crash, so yes you will need an alternative, whether its another laptop ready to go as soon as the first on crashes, or a cd player, either way you'll need something to avoid a red face!:p

Why not try vinyl as well?

RMD

Itunes, sounds like your perfect set up man.

thenashlegend

RMD wrote: »

Itunes, sounds like your perfect set up man.

It's even got a built in fader!!;)

ironclaw

I just did a two night stint there and music set up was:

A MacBook
Maya 44 USB
LaunchPad
Mixer

And as a back up, I had a full set of decks and another mixer. I used be all for CDJ's but having used Traktor for the past 3 months, I'm gradually looking towards it. Still love the hardware feel though

Laptop wise, you'll have to invest. A cheap laptop won't do. I can't recommend a MacBook Pro enough. Its by the far the most stable.

RMD

thenashlegend wrote: »

It's even got a built in fader!!;)

I find shuffle does the job grand, usually gets the local disco hopping to the beats.

thenashlegend

ironclaw wrote: »

I just did a two night stint there and music set up was:

A MacBook
Maya 44 USB
LaunchPad
Mixer

And as a back up, I had a full set of decks and another mixer. I used be all for CDJ's but having used Traktor for the past 3 months, I'm gradually looking towards it. Still love the hardware feel though

Laptop wise, you'll have to invest. A cheap laptop won't do. I can't recommend a MacBook Pro enough. Its by the far the most stable.

Sounds like a nice setup, I'd like to be able to rely on a laptop for gigs, but right now I'm stuck with a Packard Bell...Not the worst, but I've it filled with music movies and other work junk!
Hoping to invest in a Mac sometime this year (solely for DJing) but until then the laptop wont be a permanent piece of gear in my setup!

Out of interest how did you find the Launch Pad??

ironclaw

thenashlegend wrote: »

Sounds like a nice setup, I'd like to be able to rely on a laptop for gigs, but right now I'm stuck with a Packard Bell...Not the worst, but I've it filled with music movies and other work junk!
Hoping to invest in a Mac sometime this year (solely for DJing) but until then the laptop wont be a permanent piece of gear in my setup!

Out of interest how did you find the Launch Pad??

MacBook is great. I have a Hybrid SolidState Drive and 8GB of RAM. Even under pressure, I'll have 6+GB free. I honestly can't recommend them enough.

As regards the LaunchPad with Traktor, its excellent. I use an external mixer for all effects (If I ever need them anyway) so for Play, Cue, Hot Cue etc its great. You have to memorise the layout in your head, but once you got it, its a breeze. Another aspect I'm looking at is using the bottom half (i.e. I use two out of four decks, so half the pad is unused) to control my DMX Lights by Midi. Dead handy as one controller would do all.