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Topic: Connecting Ipod - Page: 1

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Hi Everyone.

I recently did a wedding and the best man asked me if I could play a track from his Iphone, I said no problem but had trouble connecting it as it crashed Virtual DJ 8. The way Virtual DJ 8 is setup is as follows. Mixer is a Denon MC6000 MK2

Master channel 1& 2
headphones 3 & 4
Line in 1 channel 1 & 2
Line In 2 channel 3 & 4

I do not own a Ipod so I cannot try it again, but I have been asked in the past to connect one while doing my shows, so If anyone can offer some advice on setup that would be great.
 
Posted Tue 07 Apr 15 @ 10:52 am
VDJ 8 should not be involved in any way, or crash anything.
On the MC6000 select (top center 4 knobs) a channel that you're not using, and set it to either LINE 1, or 2, depending on where you input the phone. Then use that channels mixer controls. Mobiles phones have a very low output so you may need the gain for that channel turning way up. Remember to return things to normal after use.
The Dennon MC6000 has a built in hardware mixer!

Notes: I suspect you have set "line in's" in VDJ, don't, use the hardware, not software mixer.
If you want to show off you can use two CDJ's fed into the Denon whilst still controlling VDJ.
 
DJMikeJames wrote :
but I have been asked in the past to connect one while doing my shows,


I have a different take on this. No, no, no. I do not need help doing any gig. If it is a private gig, I get all request from my client, before the gig. The one track someone brings up, will not make the gig a bigger success. If it was that important, I would have it. I have contentunlimited, and 4 websites open, to buy any music I need. Under no circumstances, will I plug any equipment, into my setup. In my club, I have idiots asking if I could play a cd, or thumb drive, or their phones. My response is not very nice. Think about it, would you go into a kitchen and ask a chef to use a different spice, in one of his meals? You would be lucky, if you get out of the kitchen alive. These people are selfish, and I don't have a problem telling them that. Bigron1 gave you the correct setup, if you need to hook up your own equipment.
 
This is why I use an external hardware mixer. While I agree with AMaHM's logic, and approach, I sometimes do sound for a person that wants to use his iPod, don't ask me why (control freaks are never easy to figure out). Using a hardware mixer would have bypassed your problem.
 
I have a MC6000, and a little Alto mixer I carry with me. This gives me the options to do anything that I need, and for back up. I don't have a problem if the gig calls for me to be the sound guy, and do them all the time. That is different, and we are prepared for it. I just think it is insulting, disrespectful, rude, selfish, and just plain stupid, to approach a DJ, with any equipment to attach to their setup. Do I have a help me sign stuck to my forehead? If it's grandmas favorite song, I know this in advance. No, I do not have to accommodate every request, given to me. Again, if the song was that important, I would have it.
 
Hi TearEmUp, I repeat the Denon can be used simply as a 4 channel hardware mixer! NO MIDI! But you can assign two channels to VDJ, and two to CDJ's or whatever. The DDJ SX is the same. All the top controllers are likely to be the same except those from Native Instuments.
 
Hi A Man and His Music, I have had people from Brazil to Russia using their phones to play songs on my system. It has been an education. I welcome constructive suggestions from my customers. They tend to be intelligent, and often make excellent song choices which are instinctively in key.

Dealing with idiots is alway's a nightmare best avoided.
 
Bigron1, I understand your point, but don't agree with it. The good part about this is, we don't have to agree. If you feel you need help and an on the job education, I don't have an issue with that. With 48 years of education and practice in this profession, I do not need an education from a customer who has never done what I do. My job is to please the majority of people in the room, not cater to some individual whose only concerned with their agenda. People have continued to hire me, because I know what I'm doing. I treat this profession, just like my others. I am also a biochemist and a cosmetologist. I would not allow someone to tell me to use their equipment, while I'm removing the skull on a rat, or coloring someone's hair. When I need an education, I take a course, or ask someone before I try it out on my clients. I learn something new everyday, but connecting an ipod, while I am in the mix, is teaching me what? How to connect an ipod? I have Brazilians, Russians, Ukrainians, Arabs, Indians, and a slew of other nationalities in my club, every night. If they have a request, and it's not boring, I will play it (money helps things along also). However, these request must not be offensive, to others in the club. How do you filter that out? Ain't nobody got time for dat. I mean, how many phones are you willing to connect, during the night for your education? So, you are taking all comers? That's not what I do for a living. Also, the problem with idiots, you can't avoid them. I have learned how to deal with them. Your solution teaching him how to connect equipment, was correct. I am just saying he should not have to.

Also, you said "They tend to be intelligent, and often make excellent song choices which are instinctively in key." I can't tell if this is sarcasm or your belief. I am fine with it either way, but that is not the case over here.
 
"Also, you said "They tend to be intelligent, and often make excellent song choices which are instinctively in key." I can't tell if this is sarcasm or your belief. I am fine with it either way, but that is not the case over here."

No it's not sarcasm, it's just a fact, my customers have included at least one important CEO, an excellent singing circuit court judge, and plenty of rich people (of the more intelligent sort, as opposed to gangsters). I supply the music "they want", sometimes I get it wrong, and then am glad of their guidance. In my world I don't tell people what music they like, they tell me by their age, appearance, behaviour, and speech.

You work in a club, whilst I work everywhere, including homes.
They pay me to play the music which makes them happy, and then in return they bring happiness into my life.
I know its a difficult balance, if their not happy, then they will make my life difficult, and I certainly won't get paid an extra little bonus!

We're doing a different job.
 
It would seem I have opened up a can of worms with this thread. I have been a DJ for over 25 years have a database of over 31,000 songs, but on the very odd occasion get asked for songs that I have never heard of and it's then they offer me alternatives ie Ipod or Phone. Believe me when I hear these songs I am glad that I don't have them, But to keep my public happy I am quite happy to play their requests, It is their party after all. If th songs they ask for contain any bad language they are not played period and think bad language used in pop or rap songs is disgraceful.
 
The thing is..if you're doing a wedding, and the bride (or other important guest) decides she wants a song, then play it!
If you have not got it, then get it!
The other guests will understand even if it's a terrible song, anyway you can tell them to who it is dedicated.

Use your judgement to determine how many requests you can accommodate from less important people without spoiling the event.
Grade these requests, and lose those that you think are bad songs.

A point to make is that groups of people adopt songs for whatever reason, and the response to such a song might be surprising.
For example I often work for a cricket club, and Dreadlock Holiday is essential. If you don't know why listen to the lyrics.

Only people who are important to the event get to plug a phone in!

Make it clear on the mic who chose the song.

If all the girls are on the dance floor I often pass a radio mic to the "gang" leader, and then they pass it around, and sing along with the classics, only for a little bit of course.

"My job is to please the majority of people in the room, not cater to some individual" Your job is do your best for the entity that hired your services. That may, or may not conform to your rigid statement, and attitude.
 
TearEmUp wrote :
This is why I use an external hardware mixer. While I agree with AMaHM's logic, and approach, I sometimes do sound for a person that wants to use his iPod, don't ask me why (control freaks are never easy to figure out). Using a hardware mixer would have bypassed your problem.


Co-Sign... I always have an external mixer. Mine is capable of 8 inputs...for my backup iPod, in the event my laptop crashes and for people that have songs on their phones, etc...
 
I use a Peavey PV12 with built in effects to supplement my controller.
 
My primary source of income, comes from mobile work. This includes everything from corporate events, weddings, house parties, department stores, birthday, bar mitzvahs, and anything else that requires music, video and karaoke. My club work is the cherry on top, and keeps me on top of my game. As stated, I believe in being prepared, and meet with my clients before hand, so that I have all important request. I also have contentunlimited and 4 video sites open, in case I have to buy a request. I also subscribe to Realplayer, Beatport, Primecuts, and will use Youtube to search for a request. I even let clients type in request, if I don't understand them. I do ethnic events, where I get the music from the client before the gig. I do not see a scenario where a client or guest can have a request, that I cannot get. If it's that important, then I should have it. As DJs, our clients and guest are the reasons we are able to make a living. We just have different ways of doing it. Your method works great for you, I just take a different approach. As long as the client is happy, all is good.
 
Agreed.
Keep the Customer happy!
That is the bottom line.
There may be many ways to achieve that end.
 
I don't have as much of an issue with connectiing another audio source, I have an issue with the quality of their songs. I find that a lot of people have low bitrate music that sounds okay on their little speaker or ear buds. But, when its on a PA, it's no longer a good sound. I feel that content unlimited has provided the best solution for me, second to that would be itunes or Amazon in a pinch. If the song isn't on any of those, the requester usually says "yeah, it's hard to find, how about ????". Like above, I will use their audio source if I am just their to PA. If I'm the audio source for the event, then it's my responsibility to make sure the sound is at the quality I require.
 
If the sound quality from their phone is poor, and you point it out, then it just makes your vastly superior sound quality look great!
Bad v Good.
I know alot about sound quality, and mp3's.

Variety is the key word!
 
That may work for the few people that are noticing that you have connected someone else's audio source. However, for the other people listening and not watching, they just hear bad audio. When they think about hiring a DJ for their own gig, they may remember the bad, and not the good.
Even when I provide PA, and the performer has pre recorded tracks they want to use, I try to get them ahead of time to test them out. I've recieved files from choir directors that have a good ear, but still send me 128 bit bid band or orchestral files. Because I had this ahead of time, I was able to rectify it before the gig.
For the requests, downloading them and prelistening before putting them live is always my practice.

I'm not trying to discourage you from doing it your way. To each his own. I'm offering a view that you may not have thought of.
 
The things I'm suggesting are for parties, not impersonal large clubs.
I don't use a rigid framework, almost anything goes, I don't mind making mistakes because its live!.
We have too much bland perfection nowadays.
A contrast between the two poles is good.

"However, for the other people listening and not watching"
You don't use a microphone?
 
I don't perform in large clubs.
I am a mobile DJ and live sound reinforcement provider. Wedding, backyard parties, company events, and dance parties.
I use the microphone sparingly. Announcements and such for weddings or small parties. Hype work for a dance party. A lot of mic work at charity events. Dance parties I am spinning electro house in a freestyle type arrangement. I don't premake a set. I have a general idea of what I will play and pick the music as the crowd and night flow. For those I don't even do requests.

The other general mobile work where I take request is what I'm refering to. I would use my own software or subscriptions to locate a request and obtain it so that I could pre listen to it. This is for quality assurance and to try and avoid issues like what was experienced with the software crashing. Also, as above, most of my kit is hardware. I have a backup audio source ready to fade in if something happens with the software.

Again, I'm not faulting or attacking you, it's just how I feel I should provide a service if people are paying me to do something.
 
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