Tain 0 Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 ok, so i wanted to start mixing, downloaded virtual dj, and messed around a bit. right now i know what bpm means, changing pitch, syncing, ect.. as far as a few days of working with that program can give me. what i'm asking is a few things: any advice? good music to mix (artists pls)? good tutorials? (all the ones i look at are all push the sync button and press play, i want to get a more "real" mixing experience) i doubt i am going to invest money into this for quite a while, so if your advice is buy turntables, i'm not doing that, i just want to get a slight feel for what real mixing is like. thanks in advance Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 2 Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Well, arguably, you probably wont even get a slight feel of what "mixing" is like with only VDJ, sure, you can do things here and there, but almost every live sound type set-up requires some form of outboard gear (not nessecarily turntables)... Link to post Share on other sites
D86 0 Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 I agree with what is said above. I'd go with a controller so that you can get beyond the "synch part' and actually mix the songs. A good 350 will set you up with a decent controller. Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted July 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 ok, so basically i will need to invest 300 some dollars to get anything worth while? so, what are my options, and what is recommended? i'm not really interested in vinyl, scratching, or anything like that, just mixing. also, i have a 5.1 speaker system, is their any way i can use those as 5.1 speakers and use my headset at the same time? Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 bumping this thread cause I'm excited Link to post Share on other sites
Rorok 8 Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 ok, so basically i will need to invest 300 some dollars to get anything worth while? so, what are my options, and what is recommended? i'm not really interested in vinyl, scratching, or anything like that, just mixing. also, i have a 5.1 speaker system, is their any way i can use those as 5.1 speakers and use my headset at the same time? if u have a 5.1 for the computer and so. use this.... http://www.amazon.com/Console-Adapter-Conv...e/dp/B0006U3ACY i have one that im using since i dont have a pa system and it works just fine. Link to post Share on other sites
moonlitraid 0 Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 well vdj is nice but as for another program to use is torq but you would have to get the m-audio x-session pro which is about $100 so on price wise it's not bad but understand it's just a mixer nothing else torq is not as user friendly but it really makes you work on beat matching and timing so you might want to look into it Link to post Share on other sites
Agent Gibber 0 Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 as far as the music goes, mix whatever you know, whatever you've got a lot of and really enjoy. For me i started mixing jungle because i've got a LOT of jungle and i know the tracks really well. Its the kinda music that really gets me going. But if you've got an ipod full of trance, or a bunch of house CDs, rip 'em on to your computer and start mixing the songs you know, love, and are familiar with. The reason I wanted to start DJing was so i could hear the songs I love played over an enormous sound system. Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 well vdj is nice but as for another program to use is torq but you would have to get the m-audio x-session pro which is about $100 so on price wise it's not bad but understand it's just a mixer nothing else torq is not as user friendly but it really makes you work on beat matching and timing so you might want to look into it sounds just about perfect, less shortcuts, and things i don't need. i will look into it. EDIT: i was at a local music shop (guitar center if it matters) they had a lot of stuff very simmilar to this, ranging from $60 to over $1k, i know its always you get what you pay for, i was thinking of getting a hundred dollar one, this wouldn't be a bad idea would it? if u have a 5.1 for the computer and so. use this.... http://www.amazon.com/Console-Adapter-Conv...e/dp/B0006U3ACY i have one that im using since i dont have a pa system and it works just fine. where can i get one of these? ordering things online is a problem for me... as far as the music goes, mix whatever you know, whatever you've got a lot of and really enjoy. For me i started mixing jungle because i've got a LOT of jungle and i know the tracks really well. Its the kinda music that really gets me going. But if you've got an ipod full of trance, or a bunch of house CDs, rip 'em on to your computer and start mixing the songs you know, love, and are familiar with. The reason I wanted to start DJing was so i could hear the songs I love played over an enormous sound system. thats the thing, i am trying to expand my music, i have basically only heard trance, and i recently downloaded some deadmau5 because i heard some people talking about him.. i love deadmau5, but i don't know if he is trance, house, electro, or whatever.. i have heard that house is easy to start with, and trance is harder.. but trance is about all i know.. Link to post Share on other sites
Agent Gibber 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 so start out with what you've got, even if its only 20 tracks, just mix 'em around. it sounds like you've got a lot of 4-4 beats, so plug 'em into your VDJ, look for tracks that are near the same bpm and go at it. Best way to start is with the music you know. if your at all interested in jungle/dnb, i can give you plenty of recommendations, but I know jungles not for everybody. Link to post Share on other sites
Rorok 8 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 I dont think u can get the adapter i linked in stores, mine came with my 5.1 system, well it was supposed to but the place i bought it from stole it out so they could make profit....but yeah i think online only, check electronic stores near you Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 so start out with what you've got, even if its only 20 tracks, just mix 'em around. it sounds like you've got a lot of 4-4 beats, so plug 'em into your VDJ, look for tracks that are near the same bpm and go at it. Best way to start is with the music you know. if your at all interested in jungle/dnb, i can give you plenty of recommendations, but I know jungles not for everybody. yea, i hardly have 20 tracks (more like a thousand) but yea i have no idea what jungle is, so give me some good artists so i can get a feel for it.. Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 @rorok would something like this work? http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-U-CO...540-i1154403.gc i am guessing it is a usb sound card.. Link to post Share on other sites
Agent Gibber 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 jungle is fast paced spastic snares. dnb is a little less spastic, but still fairly rapid. My favorites are: the Flashbulb - "Black Lawn Finale" "Lucid bass I and II" any of the Lawn Wake Series Dr. Lefty - "Ash We Bah" "Get mad now" "log on" Ray Keith - "renegade terrorist" Pariah - "catalyst" "skyline" Telemetrik - "Cosmos" "My Lightyear" "Space Coke" State of Mind - "Mindslicer" "Space Surfer" "Dirt (ft. Trei)" Ed Rush - "Technology" Evol Intent - "the ladies" Goldie - "A sense of rage (sensual VIP)" Omni Trio - "Sanctuary" "Living for the Future" "Torn" "thru the vibe" LAOS - "We All" "1990s" Ben Sage - "Straight Bass" "Sleepless" KJ Sawka - "void of truth" "close your eyes" Architex - "altitude (blu mar ten rmx)" Corrupt Souls - "Machines" "brood x" "trioxin 245" Counterstrike - "end of line" D.Kay - "Barcelona (high contrast rmx)" Danny Byrd - "The Winchester club" Gridlok - "Piston" Hive, Keaton, Gridlok, and Echo - "Violent Sound" Kiko - "Callisto" Logistics - "Kaleidoscope" "the trip" "thunderchild" Pendulum - "Spiral" Phace - "oceans of emptyness" Robot Death Squad - "Supercharger (ft. Hyx)" "Ghetto Child" "First strike" Seba and Paradox - "Move on" Spor - "Knock Down" "supernova" "stompbox (rmx)" Honestly the list could go on and on, but thats a pretty good start. That should be a pretty good variety of jungle and dnb, both chill and heavy. Although, i'm gonna say this, i've you've got 1000s of trance tracks, and you know 'em pretty well, i'd start with that. But if you like jungle/dnb, then explore it. Theres no problem trying to learn both. I think ideally a dj should be able to spin just about any genre whether it be 4-4 or a broken beat. The beauty of jungle and dnb is you can mix it with hardcore/happy hardcore pretty well because they are about the same bpms. A 4-4 hardcore track can sound pretty sweet layred over a spastic jungle track. (Lucid bass II makes almost ANY 4-4 hardcore track sound fucking KILLER if you mash 'em up) Anyway, hope you enjoy the trax! Link to post Share on other sites
Rorok 8 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 @rorok would something like this work? http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-U-CO...540-i1154403.gc i am guessing it is a usb sound card.. that looks RCA to usb, youll wanna find something that has the ends of the 5.1 system(idk the name of em) to RCA. Link to post Share on other sites
moonlitraid 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 this is the x-session from m-audio i use it and so does WuXanaXan it's nice for 100 bucks http://www.guitarcenter.com/M-Audio-X-Sess...663-i1170778.gc but what i really want is this http://www.guitarcenter.com/M-Audio-Torq-X...870-i1320837.gc basically everything you need all in one and for the cable http://www.guitarcenter.com/Hosa-Stereo-Y-...055-i1128939.gc Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 yea, that cable isnt right either.. idk i will keep looking around for a cable that works.. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Live-Wire-TRS-...865-i1170948.gc Link to post Share on other sites
Sephiroth 1 Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 If you don't know what music to play... you really shouldn't be DJing. Not saying that to put you down. But right now you're a person asking what kind of mods to put on a street racer when you don't even know how to drive, nor do you have a car in the first place. What music should you play? The music you like. If you want to be told what to listen to, what to buy, what your personal tastes need to be - in short, what to think - then there are some nice radio stations in your area where a little black box can tell you what to listen to and what songs are going to be played. Play because you love the music. Play the music that you love. A really nice MIDI controller is the Vestax VCI-300. About $800-900, but it comes with Serato Itch. Not too much more than a Torq XPonent, but much more stable and durable. If that's out of your price range, check out its smaller brother, the VCI-100. If you just want music for tutorials, get some house and trance. They're both very easy to mix. Get this book: http://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science...g/dp/0802139957 Read it twice. Mix until you hit a plateau. Then read it again. Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted September 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 ok, i have been saving up... and have am close to $100.. around $70. so, should i get a mixer, and use my crappy headphones $100.. or save up for a portable soundcard($30) and headphones($100)? Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted September 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 bump.. should i get a mixer, or a portable soundcard?? Link to post Share on other sites
Rage 0 Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 I dropped $500 dollars to start DJing... Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted September 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 I dropped $500 dollars to start DJing... ok, well i have $100, a computer, one soundcard, speakers, and crappy headphones... so i can either get a soundcard to use my headphones and speakers, nice headphones, or a mixer. or something else completely unrelated. Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 2 Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 http://www.alesis.com/m1active320usb I always recommend them, they're usb, so you don't need more than 1 sound card for vdj. only about 90-100 bucks. after that, get a mixer. Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted September 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 ok, thanks Link to post Share on other sites
Tain 0 Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 ok, so i now own http://www.alesis.com/m1active320usb those... what is my next step. what should i be doing now that i have those? right now i'm just playing some songs i like and trying to beat mach them.. and messing around a bit with cueing and things like that.. EDIT:ok, so i have been doing a lot of thinking, and messing with my new speakers.. and have decided that djing isn't right for me as of now.. i don't have the time or the money to invest into this seriously, and i think i liked the idea of being a dj more than djing itself... so tommorow i'm returning the speakers and giving up on djing for now. Link to post Share on other sites
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