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-- What do you think is the future of Djing? Is it CDJs Or Laptops?
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| Originally posted by Aresum WHATEVER WORKS! Technology is always changing and growing, so it's whatever the dj is comfortable with. |
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| Originally posted by Clovis I like to dance facing the other way at clubs. Particularly with girls. |
Ableton is scary: It's not as straight forward as CDJs or Turntables.
You'll have to read a manual, and it's not for kids either.
"Turntable DJing is the only REAL way of DJing!"
Sorta, kinda, not really. If you want to use history as a measure of authenticity then beat matching does not apply.
"Ableton is cheating cuz you don't beatmatch!"
Yeah, so that 10 years of practicing only beatmatching to become the beatmatching king went down the drain. I know you would like to think people came to hear your beatmatching but let's be honest: there were good drink specials!
Other challenging ways of DJing:
See how many times you can mashup Cotton Eyed Joe with a 50 Cent Song before someone comes up and punches you in the face.
Move Sliders and Pots with just your elbows or your mouth.
Quickly switch out during an acapella to your own singing and see how many people you can fool.
Put on a premade mix and see how long it takes management to realize the DJ is missing. Try to DJ at 3 clubs at the same time.
Pick a random person out of the crowd and give them a 3 minute crash course on DJing. Walk away and try to correct their mistakes via sign language.
"Laptop DJs are so boring to watch."
Why are you watching the DJs? I can't keep my eyes off of the gogo dancers. Maybe your back alley hillbilly christian rave sunday hour doesn't have that, so in defense there are several interesting midi controllers that can be used that in my opinion look way cooler than the old wheels of steel. If you really can't keep your eyes off of a vinyl DJ, Serato is teaming with Ableton! Woot.
This conversation doesn't really matter.
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| Originally posted by Beatflux Ableton is scary: It's not as straight forward as CDJs or Turntables. You'll have to read a manual, and it's not for kids either. |
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| Originally posted by BOOsTER what's so scary about Ableton? I learnt it inside out myself, without touching the manual ever...and I'm no geek either! |
not really, Ableton is not rocket science, you just have to get used to the different "way of thinking" behind it.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by BOOsTER what's so scary about Ableton? I learnt it inside out myself, without touching the manual ever...and I'm no geek either! |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Beatflux Are you on abletonlivedj.com forums? I'm sure they would welcome an expert such as yourself. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Beatflux Are you on abletonlivedj.com forums? I'm sure they would welcome an expert such as yourself. |
I like watching DJ's twist knobs pretending to look busy.
Jay
def laptops I mean djing is always moving with technology. Does anyone use belt drive tts anymore? Nope and we will be saying the same thing about tts and cdjs someday. CDs will be gone sooner than you think.
I have yet to use laptops and midi to Dj but I'm looking forward to it. I'm just waiting for the right time to make my transition I don't have the time or money right now...
i would think more production style and eventually i think people will be able to buy tracks in parts.
I think that both can coexist. CDJs can do some things that you could not really do with a laptop. and vice versa.
I think that you should use both together.
cds 4 life dawg
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| Originally posted by msz cds 4 life dawg |
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| Originally posted by boris_the_bear i honestly loved to watch the DJ perform. a man staring at his laptop is not the best experience. yeah, technology rules but I'd still like to see some perfect vinyl mixing over a rack of midi's any day. it's like going to an piano concert and watching the pianist play his iPod. there is obviously no out-of-this-world magic in mixing vinyl but it still is an art that some perform quite well and some do not |
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| Originally posted by archaudio I have more respect for somebody who is working harder to accomplish a task. Its more fun and makes it more challenging. That's the difference! |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by archaudio I have more respect for somebody who is working harder to accomplish a task. Its more fun and makes it more challenging. That's the difference! |
Two mac minis and a midicontroller/mixer with screen and mousepad.
if you're actually having fun using a laptop HATS OFF TO YOU.
why not making sets in Ableton in advance and just press play on the party? as if every dj would "react" to the crowd. You also could reduce the entrance fee that way because you don't have a dj hanging around...
...I really hate that szenario...
my vote goes for vinyl/cdjs + serato (+ possible ableton implementation, if you know how to use it properly)
i think it is in the manner you use it. You are a performer. How would you feel watching a singer looking ata laptop. There are ways to not be a douche and still use technology.
Buy a mirror, look at yourself and rate how much of a douche you look like. You can even videotape it and show a few friends. If the friends say you look 40 % douche like, they probably mean 70% and i would re evaluate your process.
I am pretty sure more people understand that djs don't make music from the 2 magical turntables. They won't be confused by not seing the turntable. And if they are actually paying attention to what you are doing(the technicall stuff), then you obviously aren't doing a good job. People that dance don't care. And the people that care can't dance and probably have small cocks.
I think the most important thing to consider is that nobody wants to dance for that lame highschool nerd kid that decided to make some friends and dj. So try your hardest not to look like a douche and everyone will be happy.
And keep your laptop to the side. Unless you are hideous and are trying to hide your face , you are risking alot by having such equipment exposed. You wil have assholes trying to press the mac button on the front.
It's up to the DJ to do the job any way they see fit. People can vote with their feet.
DJs choice on the tracks.
DJs choice on the equipment.
Nothing wrong with using computers to play music. Why not, lots of it was made by a guy sitting at a desk clicking a mouse.
"I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name
No one recognized me, I didn't look the same
But it's all right now, I've learned my lesson well.
You see, you can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself ..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_exY9ptMbA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_Party_(Rick_Nelson_song)
Personally I think laptop sets (ableton or otherwise) just don;t stand up to CDJ's (or especially vinyl) - I've said it a number of times on here so rather than retype I'll just copy and paste: (apologies in advance for the long post 
)
About 2/3 years ago when the whole DVS thing exploded, I posted in various threads about how the use of the laptop detracted from the DJ'ing performance, and how I feel that from laptops sets that I've done and witnessed vs CDJ sets, the night, the music , the mixing (etc.) was so much better. Loads of people argued saying laptops don't detract from the performance and how there are so much more possibilities with laptop (blah blah blah) and now people seem to be saying the same thing.
Granted, they let you have a much larger library of tracks at your figertips and some of the features are nice but I have still never seen a laptop set that was better than even a mediocre CDJ ot Vinyl set.
I've always noticed that gigs l've witnessed or done with a laptop (not out of choice) are susub par compared to cdj or vinyl sets. There is something about a dj having to look at a computer screen that destroys the dj performance part of it and detracts from the feeling of the set, and again, therefore the performance. For the dj's that are incredibly passive when djing, it doesn't matter as much but is still noticeable. That staring at the screen just removes them from the crowd, and it shows.
Also, on another note, I WOULD NEVER just bring a laptop and DVS system for a gig - you always have to take CD's anyway in case there is a problem so why bother with a laptop in the first place. Yeah don't get me wrong, dvs have their benefits but even serato isn't stable 100% of the time and when you're getting paid to play you just can't take that risk IMO. The only system I've used intesively is serato and even that has gone down ocasionally. Combine that with the extra performance aspects of CD's and that's why I prefer (along with many others now it seems) tactile CD or vinyl djing.
It's more fluid and in touch with the performance that makes all the difference in the world.
It's not about the "visual impact" at all, it's the fact that I feel and have witnessed that when a DJ that is looking at a screen, rather than just working the decks/mixer, they are not as connected to music or crowds as one who isn't. It's not about how they look to a crowd but how they interact with the music, and therefore how that music affects the crowd. That's all that matters as far as I'm concerned. It;s the fact that as a dj, you have to look at a screen, which completely disconnects you from the club, the crowd - everything else.
What I'm saying is, It's got nothing to do with how they look when using a laptop, it's that using a laptop detracts from their performance as a DJ and negatively affects the musical performance.
Not that I'm a big fan or anything, but I remember Roger Sanchez putting it well:
"Dj'ing is something I can't recreate in the studio - it's like I'm a conduit for the energy of the crowd and I feed off that energy, something I can't do elsewhere" (or something to that effect anyway).
I'm not slamming anyone who uses a DVS - sometimes it's useful and sounds great, but I'd prefer to play with CD's or vinyl anyday, and whenever I do it's a better performance. Something about that tactile relationship while DJing makes the mixing, the music and my connection to the music better. I'm just saying I've noticed this for a long time in other people and have even done blind tests - it's always the CDJ or Vinyl sets I prefer.
I'll gibve you an exact example - everytime I've ever heard Carl Cox play, he plays so much better when he leaves the laptop out. I've got at least 5 points of references for this in 3 different countries/clubs. So maybe that's just one DJ that gives a better performance (not visually but musically), but again seeing a lot of DJ's over the years, the "hands on" sets are always better and as I speak to more people about this I get more people concurring.
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