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CD or Vinyl? Whats the best way to start?

So, i have thought of this for a long time now, but i have been focusing on my music productions, to get that going. So now im on the right path, i was thinkng of buying som DJ gear.

Im not totally lost regarding mixing and using a Dj setup, but i have no background in this matter, so i wanted to check with you guys what you think is best and easy to start with, CD or a pair of Vinyls?

Thanks
C

1) vinyl
2) vinyl+serato
3) vinyl+serato+cdj's
4) vinyl+serato+cdj's+ableton

vinyl teaches you the raw art and its all gravy from there...

whatever you do, dont buy cheap equipment. i started w/ cheep stuff and a year later had to upgrade everything... i wish i would have bought quality from the start..

vinyl will die out in a few years so cdjs are a better investment. if your starting off maybe cdj200s but if you have the money get the 800s saves you having to upgrade in the future.

i think getting starter packages is stupid as your always going to upgrade so start at the top and learn to use the top hardware from the beginning. thats my biggest regret as i wasted about �1000 in different mixers then got the djm600 and i wouldnt want a new mixer.

dont listen to people saying its better to start basic it aint, your jsut going to regret the money you waste.

CDJ's + Serato.

That will save you tons of cash on vinyl.

quote:

Originally posted by DjWoody CDJ's + Serato. That will save you tons of cash on vinyl.

would a laptop not also be required for this setup?

haha another endless vinyl / cd thread...

but ya...vinyl is a waste of time..and MONEY if you ask me. Ya..it will teach you the art...but so will cd's.

You pay 10 dollars on average for one vinyl, and then there is shipping and you also have to HOPE AND PRAY that the vinyl is in good condition. Static pops...etc. Oh, and, you gotta worry about buying needles for your turntables, and if one of those breaks, there went 50 dollars at least.

You pay 2 dollars on average for a digital track that will not degrade over time and you never have to worry about the integrity of a digital track. How many times does a laser break on a cd player?

My vote...

Vinyl is dying and you can easily see why with my above reasons. Start with cd's and if you really get into the whole dj thing, get a laptop with serato so you easily organize your entire music library.

go to a dj store, and use both cd-j's and turntables. Or even better, try to find a friend that has either or. visualize yourself after what would be ideal for yourself.

personaly, i enjoy the feel, the spirit of vinyl. I like super high end cd-j's. but for one of those i can get used technics + serato + mixer. about to get serato scratch live.

i agree w/ msz... u can get the cdj's later but if you do get tt's make sure you get serato too because it will save you a lot of money in the long run (you can just play mp3/wav files instead of buying records for 10 bucks a pop).

ps you dont need a "laptop" for serato, but you do need some type of computer... mac or pc

If you already have a decent laptop, or computer, you could get two used 1200's, and Serato for less than one CDJ 1000.



Allen

id have a play around with both and see which you like better. it really comes down to personal preference. anyone thats saying "vinyl will be obsolete" in a couple of years is full of shit. yes, digital music is cheaper to buy, but vinyl still sounds better.

go with what you think is best. ignore the fanboys

quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN go with what you think is best. ignore the fanboys

very important advice there!

if u decide not to go with vinyl, as many do i will recommend not going with CDJ's go for serato or Final Scratch instead. they're both mp3's but in the long run its a lot better and cheaper (if thats what ur after)

My first setup was/is 2 CDJ-800 mk2s and 1 DJM-400...all quality and I haven't looked back. Vinyl mode on the 800 or 1000 gives you the "effect" of vinyl without the pain in the ass skipping, balancing, etc.

I suggest vinyls first, then cdjs.

Learn the basic 'art' first on vinyls, then decide whether you want to go cds later.

You never know. You might just stick with vinyls forever, contrary to popular switching to cds. (I use pure cds nowadays)

Yeah it might cost a lot to buy the turntables, but I just feel that learning the essentials on a vinyls does you good in the long run. (cds just don't have the same feel)

quote:

Originally posted by EvilTree I suggest vinyls first, then cdjs. Learn the basic 'art' first on vinyls, then decide whether you want to go cds later. You never know. You might just stick with vinyls forever, contrary to popular switching to cds. (I use pure cds nowadays) Yeah it might cost a lot to buy the turntables, but I just feel that learning the essentials on a vinyls does you good in the long run. (cds just don't have the same feel)

thing is...you dont need to know how a vinyl feels. AT ALL.

If you can learn on cds...and cds alone...and tear a club up with cds...who cares about how vinyl feels or if you have EVER TOUCHED a vinyl? YES, you can learn on cds, my friend had it down faster than i learned on vinyls.

quote:

Originally posted by EvilTree I suggest vinyls first, then cdjs. Learn the basic 'art' first on vinyls, then decide whether you want to go cds later. You never know. You might just stick with vinyls forever, contrary to popular switching to cds. (I use pure cds nowadays) Yeah it might cost a lot to buy the turntables, but I just feel that learning the essentials on a vinyls does you good in the long run. (cds just don't have the same feel)

Why have you suggested someone learn on vinyl when you even stopped using it yourself? Sorry if it sounds like I'm being a tool but it's a serious question.

Sure if you feel like paying out for say SL1200's now then spending again on CDJ's at a later stage then go for it. I'm not the clubber I used to be but on my trips to Passion I've not seen anyone using vinyl for a very long time. The only real plus point for vinyl seems to be nostalgia... If it's only the "feel" of vinyl thats a plus point then my take on it is what you've never tried you'll never miss

Buying music in mp3 format is cheaper than vinyl plus it's instant - you can get your fix any time of day or night.

Whatever you go with I agree with dj_kane - spend money on decent decks otherwise you will need to upgrade & if you decide mixing aint your bag there is always buyer for a pair of decent decks. having said that, you can get away with a cheaper mixer to start off with. I found that starting off a mixer wasn't so important as decent decks.

Thanks alot for all good rep�s.

A couple of questions though.

Is cdj�s a pair of Pioneer players? Is so, to expensive for me at the time.

Do i really need a software for dj�ng? Yes i have two computers, and i use Ableton as my main sequencer when producing.

Is Numark a bad first investment?

Thanks
C

quote:

Originally posted by substorm Is cdj�s a pair of Pioneer players? Is so, to expensive for me at the time.

It's a generic name for DJ CD players. Pioneer coined the phrase when they launched their CDJ range. It's exactly the same as when people say they are doing the hoovering, ie the Hoover name has become the universal name for vaccuum cleaners

No you don't have to use software for DJing although it is becoming popular to use it. If you already have Ableton you could use that to DJ with.

I've not used Numark CDJ's so hopefully someone out there can help you on that one

PS The Pioneer CDJ200's seem popular & are not too expensive, have you considered them? They have mp3 capability & a few FX thrown in too. Again, never used them myself but their name keeps getting mentioned.

If the price is in the same range as the Numark, i would take them! Cus i know that Pioneer is good, but i have also seen that alot use Numark!

Thanks
C

I bought me 2 TT's 2 years ago. The money I spend on vinyl was to damn much but it was so much fun. This year I bought Cd-players to save some cash. Now I buy most of the tunes at beatport etc but there is still enough stuff that only comes out on vinyl(Limited edition releases, remixes, rare tracks etc)so I just buy them on vinyl.
I've never regret that Ive started out with TT's because it's imo much more fun than CD's or clicking with a mouse on an laptop (spare me the arguments about MIDI-controls and such cause they're expensive as hell and still not "The real thing").
So if I were you, I would just start out with vinyl and upgrade your set-up one by one by adding Cdj's serato/Final scratch etc.

Choosing which format to buy depends a lot on what you are looking for in terms of DJing.

For me, I initially choose CDs because they were more cost-effective than vinyl. CDs are generally cheaper (with exceptions), digital downloads are A LOT cheaper, and it is much easier to troubleshoot CD problems than turntable problems. Plus I already had a sizable collection of tunes on CD, so it made sense to use a format that I already has music for.

Whatever you do, DON'T buy all-in-one packages that are advertised with two decks, a mixer, etc. They are junk pieces of equipment that you will want to replace within six months. Don't be like me and buy an Ion dual CD player w/2-channel Mixer built in, then realize that the 'instant start' is not so 'instant' and want CDJs a year later.

Also, don't 'cheat' no matter what you use. Basic beatmatching skills are essential in every format. Don't use the BPM tap/counter on your mixer. Learn to use your ears when mixing and you'll be better off in the long run.

I'm also using vinyl for, like Nickazz said, tracks that aren't available on download or at the CD shop. I can also find some real gems on vinyl for cheap, but the discs can get expensive if you're buying new tunes. Also you need to watch out for damaged and warped vinyl. Practically vinyl is not a wise option, although it definately has the 'cool' factor going for it.

yeah you already have ableton, y dont you just use that to dj? that would save you a lot of $.

quote:

Originally posted by discobiscuit yeah you already have ableton, y dont you just use that to dj? that would save you a lot of $.

True it would, but I think he's probably interested in doing the same thing I was a few months ago, actually moving beyond the computer and getting some real actual "traditional" gear and learning the full art and the "feel" of djing.

quote:

Originally posted by discobiscuit yeah you already have ableton, y dont you just use that to dj? that would save you a lot of $.

but yo uare not really learning how to mix here as its all beatmatched for you. i still use vinyl, was in hmv today and saw guiseppe ottiviani & marc van linden - until monday for �8.00 on vinyl i just purchased this last week for �1.25. huge savings when it comes to cdjs. at the minute i only have one cdj800 mk2 as said they are expensive. much more expensive in the uk than in the usa. this is why im in debt at the minute . although on a plus note i bought 5 tracks 2 days ago from audiojelly for �6 odds. which would have cost me around �40 on vinyl so the fee for the cdjs does pay dividends overall.

i was also in mixmaster records (a record shop in belfast) and there vinyl is become more scarce every week, i asked the guy why and he said people are all going digital now so their setting up a digital site and a record label to compete in the market. this confirmed my theory that vinyl will die out. i will alwasy keep my turntables but as someone mentioned, when was the last time you seen a dj use turntables. in cream, eden and pacha i saw them use laptops or cdjs.

you could get a set of cdj200s for around �700 uk, dont know the price elsewhere and this is the price of 2 TT's so if it were me the cdj200s would be the better option as you will save money in the long run.

wow this topic can be discussed over and over. i started with vinyl some 3000$$$ later i dont have money for any more dj equip. a lot of people will go for the cdjs or some form or software.see which one u like better. i was a vinyl addict vinyl till i leave the scene guy now its hard to keep them clean.and a major $$$ issue i want to get get cdjs

Wow, this topic is on fire... Thanks for all great advices, but im still a bit confused on what ill should buy, but it seems like i will do with the cd�0�7s.

However, i think that vinyl has a deeper and warmer feeling in the sound, but i will start with the cd�0�7s. But i will not use any software to it, cant really see why!?

quote:

True it would, but I think he's probably interested in doing the same thing I was a few months ago, actually moving beyond the computer and getting some real actual "traditional" gear and learning the full art and the "feel" of djing.

Yes, "spot on"! . I work so much with the computer, when mixing my tracks, and i know that it is good for dj��ng. However, i dont care to safe money, i want to learn it all!

Thanks again!

C

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