Zablar
Hello I'm DJ Zablar and I DJ on VirtualDJ Radio, In this topic I'm going to explain and try give you some tips on how to get started with DJ'ing. This post will get updated if needed (depending on new hardware on the market), ok so lets get started!
What equipment you need is really up to you, do you want a simple, small controller? Want to use CD players? Maybe you want to use turntables? These day's there is no such thing as "club standard", there are so many different setups and to be honest, who could care less about what gear some one is using, the point of DJ'ing is to keep the listeners happy. Some clubs do got their own gear in the booth for the DJ to use (in many cases yes it is CDPlayers and a Mixer), though some clubs allow you to bring your own gear.
Before you decide to buy gear, plese check out this video, it's a simple "how to mix with keyboard and mouse" tutorial which teach u the basics of mixing (this is the HardCore genre but it applies to all genres basicly). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ulp6eGu2Uw Before I bought my first peace of gear I tried VDJ free version with keyboard and mouse until I decided, this is what I want to do. It's money down the drain if 1 month after you bought your gear loose interest in DJ'ing.
What gear should you get then? Once again it depends really on what type of dj you want to be and what you want. There are basicly 3 different setups people start off with:
*CD Players and a mixer (Can ether use regular CDs or TimeCodes with VDJ(TimeCodes allow you to controll the MP3 in VDJ)
*TurnTables and a mixer (Can play regular vinyl or use timecodes with VDJ)
*Midicontroller (The cheapest way to go but can only be used with the software, e.g. VDJ)
I recomend you to buy a controller for starters, yes you maybe want to replace that one later on but Ive seen so many DJ's buying expensive stuff then later on get bored and loose interest. Thats just money down the drain.
Cheap controllers I recomend (which you can use in clubs but lateron maybe want to replace like I did) and are the best bang for the buck is these two:
*Numark Mixtrack Pro (2 channels - I started off with this one)
*Hercules RMX (2 channels)
(This is just my opinion, other people might say otherwice)
Want to spend a bit more money for a Midicontroller that you wont outgrow so fast? These are my (current) recomendations:
*Numark N4 (4 channels)
*Denon MC6000 (4 channels - the MC3000 got two channels)
*Numark NS6 (4 channels)
*Reloop Terminal Mix 4 (4 channels - Terminal Mix 2 got two channels)
*Numark Mixdeck (Regular Mixdeck got two channels, Mixdeck Quad got four, this controller can also play CD's)
*Numark NS7 (2 channels + has a vinyl feal to it)
If you want to go the CD/TurnTable way there will be a lot more cash involved, I will soon update this thread to give you some recomendations of mixers, cdplayers and turntables. Any questions? Feel free to ask!
//Zablar
What equipment you need is really up to you, do you want a simple, small controller? Want to use CD players? Maybe you want to use turntables? These day's there is no such thing as "club standard", there are so many different setups and to be honest, who could care less about what gear some one is using, the point of DJ'ing is to keep the listeners happy. Some clubs do got their own gear in the booth for the DJ to use (in many cases yes it is CDPlayers and a Mixer), though some clubs allow you to bring your own gear.
Before you decide to buy gear, plese check out this video, it's a simple "how to mix with keyboard and mouse" tutorial which teach u the basics of mixing (this is the HardCore genre but it applies to all genres basicly). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ulp6eGu2Uw Before I bought my first peace of gear I tried VDJ free version with keyboard and mouse until I decided, this is what I want to do. It's money down the drain if 1 month after you bought your gear loose interest in DJ'ing.
What gear should you get then? Once again it depends really on what type of dj you want to be and what you want. There are basicly 3 different setups people start off with:
*CD Players and a mixer (Can ether use regular CDs or TimeCodes with VDJ(TimeCodes allow you to controll the MP3 in VDJ)
*TurnTables and a mixer (Can play regular vinyl or use timecodes with VDJ)
*Midicontroller (The cheapest way to go but can only be used with the software, e.g. VDJ)
I recomend you to buy a controller for starters, yes you maybe want to replace that one later on but Ive seen so many DJ's buying expensive stuff then later on get bored and loose interest. Thats just money down the drain.
Cheap controllers I recomend (which you can use in clubs but lateron maybe want to replace like I did) and are the best bang for the buck is these two:
*Numark Mixtrack Pro (2 channels - I started off with this one)
*Hercules RMX (2 channels)
(This is just my opinion, other people might say otherwice)
Want to spend a bit more money for a Midicontroller that you wont outgrow so fast? These are my (current) recomendations:
*Numark N4 (4 channels)
*Denon MC6000 (4 channels - the MC3000 got two channels)
*Numark NS6 (4 channels)
*Reloop Terminal Mix 4 (4 channels - Terminal Mix 2 got two channels)
*Numark Mixdeck (Regular Mixdeck got two channels, Mixdeck Quad got four, this controller can also play CD's)
*Numark NS7 (2 channels + has a vinyl feal to it)
If you want to go the CD/TurnTable way there will be a lot more cash involved, I will soon update this thread to give you some recomendations of mixers, cdplayers and turntables. Any questions? Feel free to ask!
//Zablar
Posted Wed 29 Aug 12 @ 4:44 pm
Zablar
EDIT: *Mistake when editing*
Posted Wed 29 Aug 12 @ 5:02 pm
groovindj
Zablar wrote :
Midicontroller can only be used with the software
Not true.
There are some controllers that can function as standalone mixers, and also some (but not many) that work as mixers & playback devices.
Posted Wed 29 Aug 12 @ 5:27 pm
Zablar
groovindj wrote :
Not true.
There are some controllers that can function as standalone mixers, and also some (but not many) that work as mixers & playback devices.
There are some controllers that can function as standalone mixers, and also some (but not many) that work as mixers & playback devices.
yeah noticed, also found a few other mistakes, forgot to mention the MC6000 also works as a external mixer, same with mixdeck. Cant edit the post though, lol
Posted Wed 29 Aug 12 @ 5:52 pm
danielsr2006
Nice of you to take the time to put this out. Im sure many newcomers will benefit from it.
Regards
Regards
Posted Wed 29 Aug 12 @ 8:41 pm
Zablar
Thanks, yeah I hope this thread can help out many new DJ's looking for gear. Ofc there are more hardware out there that are good but I cant really mention every peace of hardware out there. These are selected from my own experience (time to time checking out hardware in stores) but also from other peoples experience, what they had to say about it (using the best information I can get).
Had the time to write an other part, it's a shame I cant edit the first post though to add this info but hopefully people will scroll down.
Wanna be a turntablist? There are a few things you should know first, when going down this path there is a lot more cash involved. You will also get heavy gear which means you probably need to buy cases if you are going to travel with them (which adds extra costs) unlike controlers. Even though this might sound expensive, you can end up spending less money then you would do on a CD setup.
When buying a turntable, you need to make sure it is a direct-drive turntable and not beltdrive (beltdrive is good when playing reckords/riping records, direct-drive on the other hand is much stronger and has a much better response, overall better for DJ'ing).
Cheaper turntables I recomend, keep in mind that you will most definitely buy better ones later on if you stick to turntables:
*Numark TT 500
*Stanton T.92
(Once again keep in mind, these turntables are okay for beginners but they are so easy to outgrow)
The upcoming turntables are more expencive but you cant go wrong with any of them. They all are made for DJ's and are used by professional DJ's:
*Technics SL-1200/SL-1210 (Rated to be the most durable and reliable turntables ever - Discontinued - Less torque)
*Stanton STR8.150/ST.150 (Strongest torque motor on the market - Comes with a straight or bent arm - Still in production)
*Reloop RP-6000 MK6 (Strongest torque motor on the market - Still in production)
*Vestax PDX-3000 MK2 (Digital torque simulator - Still in production - Doesnt come with a cartridge)
*Numark TTXUSB (Builtin BPM Counter - Comes with USB - Still in production - Doesnt come with a cartridge)
In the next part I will write about cartridges, Vinyl Timecodes, Audiointerfaces and 2channel mixers. Any questions? Feel free to ask!
Had the time to write an other part, it's a shame I cant edit the first post though to add this info but hopefully people will scroll down.
Wanna be a turntablist? There are a few things you should know first, when going down this path there is a lot more cash involved. You will also get heavy gear which means you probably need to buy cases if you are going to travel with them (which adds extra costs) unlike controlers. Even though this might sound expensive, you can end up spending less money then you would do on a CD setup.
When buying a turntable, you need to make sure it is a direct-drive turntable and not beltdrive (beltdrive is good when playing reckords/riping records, direct-drive on the other hand is much stronger and has a much better response, overall better for DJ'ing).
Cheaper turntables I recomend, keep in mind that you will most definitely buy better ones later on if you stick to turntables:
*Numark TT 500
*Stanton T.92
(Once again keep in mind, these turntables are okay for beginners but they are so easy to outgrow)
The upcoming turntables are more expencive but you cant go wrong with any of them. They all are made for DJ's and are used by professional DJ's:
*Technics SL-1200/SL-1210 (Rated to be the most durable and reliable turntables ever - Discontinued - Less torque)
*Stanton STR8.150/ST.150 (Strongest torque motor on the market - Comes with a straight or bent arm - Still in production)
*Reloop RP-6000 MK6 (Strongest torque motor on the market - Still in production)
*Vestax PDX-3000 MK2 (Digital torque simulator - Still in production - Doesnt come with a cartridge)
*Numark TTXUSB (Builtin BPM Counter - Comes with USB - Still in production - Doesnt come with a cartridge)
In the next part I will write about cartridges, Vinyl Timecodes, Audiointerfaces and 2channel mixers. Any questions? Feel free to ask!
Posted Thu 30 Aug 12 @ 8:32 am
groovindj
The place for this is really in the VDJ wiki area. Then it can be updated.
Posted Thu 30 Aug 12 @ 9:12 am
youngdoe803
I want to go the cd player and mixer route. Any suggestions?
Posted Tue 04 Sep 12 @ 7:04 pm
groovindj
First question - what's your budget?
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 6:38 am
youngdoe803
On second hand" i thibk i want the turntables. Either the stanton st 150 or the technics. Should i get the curved or str8 handle. My buget is somewhere around $1500 give or take I guess. If i get the turntables can i still use virtual dj and scratch ect? And do i have to buy records? Or can i just use the vdj? Can you explain yime codes to me? I really want to get the technique of djing down. Thats why i want the turntables. Can you also explain what the difference between the technics and the stanton would be??
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 11:06 am
Support staff
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 11:12 am
youngdoe803
Sorry so many questions
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 11:14 am
groovindj
You don't need turntables to "learn the technique of DJing".
If your goal is to learn turntablism (i.e. advanced scratching and cutting) then yes using real full size turntables is the way to learn, but if you're just planning on mixing songs together then CDs or a computer based controller is just as effective.
If your goal is to learn turntablism (i.e. advanced scratching and cutting) then yes using real full size turntables is the way to learn, but if you're just planning on mixing songs together then CDs or a computer based controller is just as effective.
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 11:23 am
youngdoe803
Oh.. one more question... can you let me know what type of mixer i need? And whats the diff between 2 channel and 4 channel?? Thank you! And thank you to the guy above for sharing this forum w me when I posted about my laptop!
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 11:25 am
youngdoe803
Yes, thats what i want to learn. The scratching and cutting.
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 11:44 am
groovindj
Well if you're going to go down the turntablism route, then those DJs usually prefer a small (in width) mixer so that they can get the decks as close together as possible.
This usually means a two channel mixer, and these DJs like to have a highly configurable crossfader - so a mixer that either has lots of adjustments for the crossfader settings, or one that can have the crossfader replaced with an Innofader (for example).
The difference between a two channel mixer and a four channel one........???? One has more channels than the other!
This usually means a two channel mixer, and these DJs like to have a highly configurable crossfader - so a mixer that either has lots of adjustments for the crossfader settings, or one that can have the crossfader replaced with an Innofader (for example).
The difference between a two channel mixer and a four channel one........???? One has more channels than the other!
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 12:40 pm
youngdoe803
Lol. I mean what are channels though. I have to get use to this lingo. The crossfader fades out the music. I know that much. Any suggestions on the tables though?? The difference between the stanton st. 150 and the technic 2500 or 2510?
Posted Wed 05 Sep 12 @ 3:20 pm
groovindj
I see you need to do some reading on how mixers work...
You should be able to find plenty of info on the WWW. Or even go to a local store and ask!
The Technics SL1200/SL1210 decks are the classics - the "industry standard", so they will be the easiest to find, and will last you a lifetime.
You should be able to find plenty of info on the WWW. Or even go to a local store and ask!
The Technics SL1200/SL1210 decks are the classics - the "industry standard", so they will be the easiest to find, and will last you a lifetime.
Posted Thu 06 Sep 12 @ 5:57 am
danielsr2006
Yes do some research first. You don't want to end up with a bunch of equipment that you have no idea of what to do with..
Posted Thu 06 Sep 12 @ 9:55 am
Zablar
@youngdoe803 the gear is really up to you, ive seen people do some sick scratching on controllers and cdplayers to. Why people who scratch/beatjuggle usually go for turntables with timecodes is because of the big platter and the fact that timecodes still emulates vinyl better then HID and MIDI.
The bigest difference between the technics and the stantons are the torque, the motor of the stantons are extremely strong compared to the technics.
Difference between 2 channels and 4 channels, a 2 channel mixer allow you to use 2 sources of music, 4 channel mixer allow you to use 4 and etc. Although you can use more sources through same channel but the problem is you only get one fader per channel to controll its volume.
But yeah do some research like daniel sais, you should really think about what type of dj you want to be before choosing your gear.
The bigest difference between the technics and the stantons are the torque, the motor of the stantons are extremely strong compared to the technics.
Difference between 2 channels and 4 channels, a 2 channel mixer allow you to use 2 sources of music, 4 channel mixer allow you to use 4 and etc. Although you can use more sources through same channel but the problem is you only get one fader per channel to controll its volume.
But yeah do some research like daniel sais, you should really think about what type of dj you want to be before choosing your gear.
Posted Fri 07 Sep 12 @ 6:54 am
