How are CDJs connected to software?

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Posted by Chimney on Jan-01-2015 03:22:

How are CDJs connected to software?

Hey guys. I hope someone can help me by explaining what the role of CDJs are when using a software. Let me give you the following example: I'm an avid user of of Mixmeister, the software. How can I build a setup around this for club-playing?

I'm new at this, so be indulgent

Thanks.

Posted by miamitranceman on Jan-02-2015 15:27:

If you're talking Dvs software where you control it through CDJs, you'll need time coded CDs which allow you to sync the physical movement of the CDj platter adm pitch with the music playing on your computer. Traktor and serato have them, and I'd imagine your software does too.

Some of the more modern CDJs have native recognition of the big Dvs like serato and traktor which means you don't even need a time coded cd. It's just straight up built in as far as recognition of the software.

Hope that helps.

Posted by DJ Sarah H on Jan-02-2015 17:41:

The software you are using (mix meister) is not compatible for use with CDJs, from checking out their site, I can see no support for use with hardware controllers of any kind.

If you wish to use CDJs or other type of controllers then its really going to have to be Traktor or Serato that you use.

I happen to prefer Traktor and I control it with my CDJ 2000's
I don't use timecode CDs though, my CDJs are connected to my laptop with USB cables, one per CDJ, this allows traktor and the cdjs to talk to each other via HID (kinda like midi)
The CDJs are then connected to my mixer in the standard way, letting me use my mixer as normal.
I don't use Traktor for mixing at all, for me, its merely a visual representation of whats going on on the CDJs, I use Traktor to play my music files, set up cue points etc etc but mix as normal through the decks and mixer.

Posted by Chimney on Jan-03-2015 13:34:

quote:
Originally posted by DJ Sarah H
The software you are using (mix meister) is not compatible for use with CDJs, from checking out their site, I can see no support for use with hardware controllers of any kind.

If you wish to use CDJs or other type of controllers then its really going to have to be Traktor or Serato that you use.

I happen to prefer Traktor and I control it with my CDJ 2000's
I don't use timecode CDs though, my CDJs are connected to my laptop with USB cables, one per CDJ, this allows traktor and the cdjs to talk to each other via HID (kinda like midi)
The CDJs are then connected to my mixer in the standard way, letting me use my mixer as normal.
I don't use Traktor for mixing at all, for me, its merely a visual representation of whats going on on the CDJs, I use Traktor to play my music files, set up cue points etc etc but mix as normal through the decks and mixer.

Thanks a lot for the explanation.

So basically it's 2x CDJ-2000 -> USB -> laptop (with Traktor which is used to monitor the decks) -> connected to the mixer. I assume that when you use the treble on the mixer it moves on Traktor as well, in other words it's perfectly synced.

Another thing I'd like to ask: What interconnecting stuff do you use for these...as in, two USB slots for the CDJs to the laptop, then what kind of cables to connect the mixer to the CDJs?

Also, I don't really want to be some super-star DJ. If I have a laptop running Traktor, could I use solely laptop-> controler interface and music off an external hdd?

Thanks again.

Posted by DJ Sarah H on Jan-06-2015 17:46:

The CDJs are connected to the laptop running Traktor with 2 usb cables (1 per deck), the CDJs are connected to the mixer using standard audio (RCA/Phono) leads.
You use your mixer in the normal way as you would when mixing between 2 decks, the mixer section in Traktor will be disabled as its not needed.
(some mixers like mine (Behringer DDM 4000), can connect to Traktor and control the mixer section on Traktor but its really not needed)

You can play any file you like as long as its play in the Traktor software, from any source as long as its connected to the laptop, so external HDDs, key drives etc but they need to be connected to the laptop.

The USB cables to connect the CDJs to a laptop are the USB A to USB B type.