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Computers

ALRIGHT! im ready to become or at least start becoming a DJ. Im going to need to learn how first so i thought id invest in a comp. Im goin to buy FL studio and other software and i wanna get a new computer. what would you guys reccomend? Many people tell me Macintosh's but ive heard PC's do just fine. I cant choose between the two. Also what would you reccomend my computer have? (HD space, Ram, etc

Fruity Loops isn't DJ Material

Turntables - Technics
Mixer - DJM 707/909

Computer:
XP 2800+ or Higher - Would Recommend a AMD64
1gig of DDR PC4000
200gig 7200RPM HDD <--can get those like $50 now
M-Audio Sound Card
Decent Video Card - Nvidia

my computer in my studio is:

3ghz p4 (hyper threading)
1gig DDRam
120gig 7200(might be regreting not getting a 10000) HD
Echo MIA MIDI (sound card)
and i forget the video card but it has dual output for both my monitors

i've been using it for 8 monthes, perfect for me only thing i need now is another HD.

if i could recomend anything it would be to have the computer on a dual boot(1 for all ur production material and the other for normal use). that way anything u d/l or mess around w/ on one boot won't affect the other.

Tell ya what, my next computer will be an Apple Powerbook, I'm sick of using shitty Winblows, when it comes to music Macs are just much better at it.

You can get more powerful PCs but its still got ONE MAJOR FLAW, you'll be running Winblows, if only all these good apps ran on Linux, I'd be fine.

The only time I like Winblows is after I finished formatting my computer.

/rant

DJing = playing music, not making it. decide what you want to do; play it, or make it?

quote:

Originally posted by A83 Fruity Loops isn't DJ Material Turntables - Technics Mixer - DJM 707/909 Computer: XP 2800+ or Higher - Would Recommend a AMD64 1gig of DDR PC4000 200gig 7200RPM HDD <--can get those like $50 now M-Audio Sound Card Decent Video Card - Nvidia

I'm going to think that your going to buy a Computer???

Then ask for a computer that supports 'SATA' Because over the years, you may want a Faster RPM from 7200 to 10,000

Optional but I find it Easier, A Midi Controller(Keyboard) 25 or 49 Keys

M-Audio

or

Novation

I DJ on my pc (XP1700@2600, 512mb pc3200, 200gb hdd, Hercules Game Theater XP 5.1 souncard) using traktor and its perfect. I could If I wanted use CD's but whats the point when I have the tracks backed up on my pc. Might aswell DJ off mp3. Lower sound quality but its not that noticable.

I can cue tracks up in my wireless headphones. I use the rear channel on my soundcard for that. The front channel on the souncard runs the main channel. Thats connected to my hifi amp and bookshelves. Its exactly the same as DJ'in on my decks but without them lol.

ive done better mixes on my pc with traktor than ive done on my decks. But then ive been using traker for years now and only been spinning on decks around a year.

for the PC id say get a large HDD. 2x sata 120gigs raided with and a 200gig as backup. you want really the fastest hdd's you can buy for the quickest file transfers. If your moving large files around (which you will be when working with large 1gb+ WAV files).

Ram your gonna need at least 512mb. 1gig ram would be much better tho for multitaking. Id recommend PC3200 or faster.

CPU might aswell be a amd64. they have more cache than the AMD XP's. If you do get an XP make sure its a Barton and not a thoughbred. Bartons are the quicker AMD XP's. You could choose an intel setup but its more expensive, If you do however A P4 3gig or faster would be fine. If you got the money you could get an Intel Xeon.

Do you know and PC builders? Cos really you should be lookign at getting a custom PC built. You get exactly what you want that way. It can also get very expensive.

If you just wanna do DJ'in on a PC then you can get by like I have with my XP2600. But if you really think your gonna go into music production etc then get ready to spent a fair bit.

Also Ive forgotten to mention what do you intent on using for speakers? PC speakers are ok. but not the best thing to use. Do you have an amp and monitors? Also headphones?

ALot to think about

i use FL and it's good, but hte amount of clicking / lack of many sounds leaves me frustrated. and you def. cant use it live.

my computer, however, rocks hardcore.

ive got a modded dell XPS. about 2 1/2 grand.

quote:

Originally posted by tu_face DJing = playing music, not making it. decide what you want to do; play it, or make it?

yea maybe 10 years ago, but if a new DJ wants to make it these days, he/she better be producing as well as spinning good shit or your never leaving your bedroom.

in some cases true. but i am of the firm belief that if you are a good enough DJ (as in not a mediocre average every day DJ) then you can get out the bedroom quite easily. to get your name big, obviously production helps your name out a bit, but there are plenty of amazing DJ's who have hardly ever touched production, and even those that have done a little made their name DJing, a few names of the top of my head include matt hardwick, eddie halliwell, zabiela.

besides which, my post was oriented more towards my moderation duties than that i.e. if he wants information about production, his thread is useless here

quote:

Originally posted by tu_face in some cases true. but i am of the firm belief that if you are a good enough DJ (as in not a mediocre average every day DJ) then you can get out the bedroom quite easily. to get your name big, obviously production helps your name out a bit, but there are plenty of amazing DJ's who have hardly ever touched production, and even those that have done a little made their name DJing, a few names of the top of my head include matt hardwick, eddie halliwell, zabiela. besides which, my post was oriented more towards my moderation duties than that i.e. if he wants information about production, his thread is useless here

I wouldn't lump Zabiela in there with them. he's a young kid and has put out quite a few big tracks.

on topic, I don't really know how FL and a new computer are going to help you learn how to dj. Pick up some cd decks and a mixer and start practicing.

quote:

Originally posted by KiNeTiC ENeRgY yea maybe 10 years ago, but if a new DJ wants to make it these days, he/she better be producing as well as spinning good shit or your never leaving your bedroom.

I disagree. Maybe if you strive to become one of the 10 best dj's in the world you may _need_ to produce. You can still somewhat make it as a dj without producing.

I would however condone producing or atleast do some remixing to learn about music, it will in the end benefit you as a DJ.

quote:

Originally posted by zizack on topic, I don't really know how FL and a new computer are going to help you learn how to dj. Pick up some cd decks and a mixer and start practicing.

I actually found going from mixing on a pc to decks a lot easier to. thanks to traktor I already knew how to beat match. I knew how to keep a mix in beat longer than 1 min, cueing, x-fading etc so as soon as I jumped on a set of decks I had pretty much mastered it. Just took a little time to adjust.

I also have traktor on a P3 550, 512mb ram and a SB live 4.1 and It runs fine (runs on a channel on the mixer so I can mix vinyl to mp3's/CD's or play loops/vocals etc). You dont actually need the fastest you can buy for mixing. Producing on the other hand its a better to have faster. SO this guy could prob just run it off the pc he uses to go online and just purchase a decent soundcard (could even be done with onboard 4.1) get some headphones and a dj program and your sorted. once hes learned beat matching, understanding bars, x-fading on the pc he will be well on his way when he buys some decks.

haha you guys should see my custom keyboard I done for traktor. looks well gay but it works!

Definitely get a mac powerbook. it may cost more, but is much more reliable and it will serve you through production, live, recording (built-in audio input). IMO macs were designed for muscians. Most people just say that they look cool..thats why all DJs are using them, but I have had experience on both Windows and Mac, and strongly reccomend it.

quote:

Originally posted by bass.exe Definitely get a mac powerbook. it may cost more, but is much more reliable and it will serve you through production, live, recording (built-in audio input). IMO macs were designed for muscians. Most people just say that they look cool..thats why all DJs are using them, but I have had experience on both Windows and Mac, and strongly reccomend it.

I agree but I think the choice of software available on PC's is far more varied. Most software is written for windows..

I would strongly recomend a G5 processor by Apple, dual if possible. You will be so satified with the results, 64 bit processsing, up to 8 gigs of ram, i rarley if EVER get a freeze or crash on my mac. I highly recomend an Apple.

quote:

Originally posted by trancecadet I agree but I think the choice of software available on PC's is far more varied. Most software is written for windows..

no. when it comes to music related software or graphic/video software, the software available for mac is the same as that available for windows, perhaps even more choice and on top of that works way better.

quote:

i use FL and it's good, but hte amount of clicking / lack of many sounds leaves me frustrated. and you def. cant use it live.

you definitely can use it live. if you are experiencing pops and crackles it will mean 1 of 2 things:

1) your ASIO drivers are overloaded. in which case you'll need to increase the size of the ASIO buffer. if you have hit the maximum ASIO buffer size - seriously, stop triggering so plugins simultaneously. bounce down all your synths and reimport into the project as wavs (after a little tidying up in, for example, soundforge).

2) your CPU is overloaded. in which case you are running too many synths and effect processes in realtime. render stuff for crying out loud. sure you wont be able to play the actual notes but for anything that is played at superhuman time (32nds and 64ths at 140 bpm +) render the plain sound from the synth and effect the sample live! use your imagination!

as for the 'lack of sounds' you seriously arent looking hard enough. there are millions and millions of sounds you can import into FL Studio. ive got thousands of pretty decent totally free ones off the net. like from meanbeat.co.uk. or dorumalaia.com. not to mention the tens of thousands of sample libraries and akai sample cds etc than you can buy...

also to the original poster of this thread. fl studio is a production tool. you cant really DJ with it. well you sort o can cuz it does have pitch mods which you can assign to sliders and it does have a variable tempo that can be changed in realtime and a start and cue function. but seriously you will be making more work for yourself using fl studio to DJ when its designed more to write tunes. if you wanna beatmatch stuff, traktor is a much better bet.

EDIT: we arent going on a mac versus pc thing again?

seriously. personaly perference. you like playing games in your spare time? dont get a mac. you hate windows explorer crashing or glitching randomly, often taking your work down with it? go get a mac. you dont have the money to buy a mac? get a cheaper PC. you dont like the million and one security flaws in windows? you see where this is leading?

i have a PC. its not that great. it wasnt that expensive. i knew what i was getting myself in for. and it sure as hell is more stable than windows 98 - the OS i was on before windows XP. so really its not that big a deal. if buying a mac makes you feel you are more professional and a better musician artist as a result of going with apple, then go for it. but alot of that is in your head. you arent gonna be better at anything using one over the other. worksman. tools.

quote:

you dont like the million and one security flaws in windows?

Get Windows 2000 or server 2003... minimal crashes, minimal security issues. XP is horrible.

quote:

Originally posted by Benjamin B Get Windows 2000 or server 2003... minimal crashes, minimal security issues. XP is horrible.

server 2003 is a waste of money if he aint gonna use the added networking tools that are with 2003. Better off using XP with sp2 which server 2003 is no different to really.

Who the hell wants to hack a individual? man hackers have better things to do like hack servers (prob another good reason not to run server 2003?). Use a decent firewall, antivirus/trojan and spy checker and keep upto date with ms updates you cant go far wrong.

Anyway why is XP horrible? since xp runs like 2k but without all the fancy themes. which can be removed and turned back to default. and 2003 is essentially a server version of xp but again without the themes. 2003 does have theme support though. its just disabled.

Also Ive had XP pro installed since around jan 2002. Ive never had to reinstall. I never get crashes/lockups. I even run an overclocked cpu, ram and gfx card. So if anything id be increasing my chance of something going wrong. Dunno why ppl diss XP so much. Never had a problem with it and ive screwed with it loads.

why do I have a feeling the threadstarter has gone?

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