So now there seems to be a huge wave of DJs taking the next step in terms of technology with computer programs, such as traktor, ableton live, etc.

They also combine other effects kits and mixers and use them all in combination to their laptops... I recently watched that video where Hawtin explains his Traktor and Xone:3D set up and it looked really interesting.

My problem is, I dont understand how all this shit works! like with the laptop+mixer combo are you actually que'ing up the tracks and pressing play to drop it in or is it all pre-programmed on the computer program? how does beatmatching work? etc.

Can someone please explain to me in basic, plain english how all this shit works? I want to eventually upgrade my setup to this sort of this but the whole concept is totally foreign to me. Someone please fill me in!

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by teufel-man So now there seems to be a huge wave of DJs taking the next step in terms of technology with computer programs, such as traktor, ableton live, etc. They also combine other effects kits and mixers and use them all in combination to their laptops... I recently watched that video where Hawtin explains his Traktor and Xone:3D set up and it looked really interesting. My problem is, I dont understand how all this shit works! like with the laptop+mixer combo are you actually que'ing up the tracks and pressing play to drop it in or is it all pre-programmed on the computer program? how does beatmatching work? etc. Can someone please explain to me in basic, plain english how all this shit works? I want to eventually upgrade my setup to this sort of this but the whole concept is totally foreign to me. Someone please fill me in! Thanks!

In plain basic English:

Use the search button at the top of this forum! It has been covered a thousand times, and there is a wealth of information here.

Search for threads containing the systems you mention above.

Then search youtube for videos containing those words as well.

Then go to a audio/dj store and ask to demo some of it, get a salesperson to explain it to you.

You need to read, watch and try a whole lot then come back and ask some opinions, from users.

It's all really straightforward and each system differ in terms of their functions and how they work. You can do it all in software (just with keyboard and mouse), or a combination of software and a controller, or you can use a DVS which uses turntables or CD decks in conjunction with software.

What I'm trying to say, is do the research yourself - you will learn so much more and find little bits of info that you can never get just by asking someone to tell you how this all works.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN What I'm trying to say, is do the research yourself - you will learn so much more and find little bits of info that you can never get just by asking someone to tell you how this all works.

First of all, I can never find what I am looking for using the search function on here....

Second of all, I have done some of my own research and watched videos on it etc. and obviously I see them playing music on their laptop and then using them mixer etc. bla bla bla... but I just want someone to explain to me in simple terms what is actually going on.

I dont know why everyone on here acts like they are way too busy/important to answer these type of questions. I am pretty sure someone on here (ie. you) could probably just give me a little 4 sentence explanation that would be far more clear and easy than me doing 10 hours of research + going to stores and talking to salepeople and demo'ing these thing. I have been looking this shit up for a while and still dont know how the basics work (ie. cueing, beatmatching, and just playing tracks in general), all I see is them having multiple tracks going on their latop and then fucking around with the mixer.

I am not asking for a description of every function... just a basic explanation of what is actually happening between your computer/computer program, and the mixer

quote:

Originally posted by teufel-man First of all, I can never find what I am looking for using the search function on here....

Maby you need to practice using the search a bit more?

Just kidding.

Basically if you know how it work "traditionally", you can get the same workings from the "new style" of doing things and continue doing things the same way as before.

On top of this you get an unlimited (well, basically) amount of other options you can take advantage of. So, for example, if you want, you can do some extra work beforehand by properly processing your tracks, and then have them much more easily or even completely automatically beatmatched and you can concentrate on everything else (be it ladies/boozing or getting creative with your music). This is the most interesting part of this new technology, since effectively only limit is your imagination. Say you want to play four tracks simultaneously dropping parts from them, just do it. You could do it with traditional equipment, but it is much easier to mess that one up, and messing up is bad for the dancefloor. :P

I'd say that no-one really does (at least shouldn't do) complete sets pre-planned, so making everything ready beforehand - while possible in some environments - is not what most people are doing.

quote:

Originally posted by teufel-man First of all, I can never find what I am looking for using the search function on here.... Second of all, I have done some of my own research and watched videos on it etc. and obviously I see them playing music on their laptop and then using them mixer etc. bla bla bla... but I just want someone to explain to me in simple terms what is actually going on. I dont know why everyone on here acts like they are way too busy/important to answer these type of questions. I am pretty sure someone on here (ie. you) could probably just give me a little 4 sentence explanation that would be far more clear and easy than me doing 10 hours of research + going to stores and talking to salepeople and demo'ing these thing. I have been looking this shit up for a while and still dont know how the basics work (ie. cueing, beatmatching, and just playing tracks in general), all I see is them having multiple tracks going on their latop and then fucking around with the mixer. I am not asking for a description of every function... just a basic explanation of what is actually happening between your computer/computer program, and the mixer

I actually kind of did, in the last sentences of my post.

What you're asking is for someone to explain how various (and quite different) system work, in a couple of sentences. People don't "act" like they're too busy or important - it's just you have no idea of the amounts of muppets (not you) that come on here going "can someone who's spent years learning this shit the hard way, please show me easy way to do what you do because I just can't be bothered to look or haven't thought of searching". Seriously, it drives a lot of people on here crazy, and there is no need for it. How do you think we all found out about these things?

I see that you've done your homework - I'm honestly not having a go, but you're question is A: very broad and is difficult to answer in 4 sentences or less and B: all of how this technology works is actually on the manufacturers websites, often in videos.

I'll explain again though: some systems work by just letting you cue up tracks and manipulating (cue, speed, fx etc.) them all in a software environment.

Some do the same but you manipulate the tracks (cue, speed, fx) with a dedicated controller.

The other type is software that is manpulated with a control mechanism used with a turntable or cd deck (with timecoded vinyl or cd's etc.).

really I could go in to long winded specifics of each system but it's all on their websites in plain english and videos.

Also, did you try searching youtube for things like serato tutorial or traktor tutorial etc? because I just did and there are shit loads, again in plain english.

It's really not that difficult to find out about this stuff, just look for it - it's lazy not to.

I also think you're over-thinking the whole thing. These systems (apart from really Ableton for live sets) are all based off the very basic pinciples of djing, except that you use a computer to play the track, and either your mouse, a controller or a DVS system to maniputale the audio.

Umm.. Just remove my post and leave RANN's post since it actually does the job of effectively answering the question.

This should be copied and pasted everytime someone asks such.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN

So basically, the laptop+program just acts like the CDJs... except you press play with a mouse?..... I thought it was a little more exciting than this!

quote:

Originally posted by teufel-man So basically, the laptop+program just acts like the CDJs... except you press play with a mouse?..... I thought it was a little more exciting than this!

Ok. Did you actually READ either of our posts? Please do so and follow the hints DJ RANN gave you. THEN after that, if you have more questions, come back and ask them.

Since now it seems like wasted time because obviously you really didn't even try to get it at all. Way to go.

well in plain English there is no beatmatching live, that's done before hand. As Hawtin explains in his Traktor demo, he's cueing and effectively looping snippets of tracks (4 decks available) on the fly.
+EFX

Takes the focus off of beatmatching and more on track selection, layering, and emphasis on dynamics of the mix.

Less work, more play

darn I just restated what everyone else said :P

quote:

Originally posted by jpgrdnr well in plain English there is no beatmatching live, that's done before hand. As Hawtin explains in his Traktor demo, he's cueing and effectively looping snippets of tracks (4 decks available) on the fly. +EFX Takes the focus off of beatmatching and more on track selection, layering, and emphasis on dynamics of the mix. Less work, more play darn I just restated what everyone else said :P

It used to be that djs would go out and play vinyl. When the cdjs got better the labels stooped cutting acetates and started burning cdrs to send to djs to promote their tunes.
Djs would have to go out to cut acetates to play in the club. This got expensive so a lot of them where forced to switch to cds. Sasha wouldn't. He would spin his paycheck on acetates for his delta heavy tour.
Meanwhile Ritchie Hawtin was already using FS and was experimenting with the idea of live reediting of the already repetitive music he plays on the fly.

So sasha made the ''Maven unit'' to play in clubs and hawtin started using ableton live to sync video with sound.
Paul van dyk and BT followed the trend.

They all lived happily ever after.

quote:

Originally posted by ovv Ok. Did you actually READ either of our posts? Please do so and follow the hints DJ RANN gave you. THEN after that, if you have more questions, come back and ask them. Since now it seems like wasted time because obviously you really didn't even try to get it at all. Way to go.

Yes I did read the posts you jackass.... I am just trying to figure out how the basic procedures are done through these computer programs....

I was always under the impression that you sorta pre-arranged your tracks so that it automatically drops in at a certain point... because when I watched the richie video he just seem to be moving up faders and new beats would come in.

Basically the main thing I am trying to figure out is.... how do you control the tracks on your computer... I realise that you can hook up time-encoded vinyl/cdjs up and just do it like you would otherwise... but can it be done through a mixer/midi controller (ie. Xone:3d)

All I want to know is, when Richie is using his traktor + Xone:3d set up.... is he controling the tracks on the computer through the mixer? (not EQ'ing) Does the Xone:3d allow you to 'press play' and 'cue' on the mixer, or do you have to use you computer mouse and click 'play' on the computer.... and btw I have watched traktor tutorials and they are usually about more advanced things than I am asking about here....

The reason I am asking is because i would hate to have to drop a track in using a computer mouse. Also, how do you pitch bend if you drop it in slightly out of synch, and do you adjust the pitch while mixing if it isnt perfectly beatmatched (or are these programs flawless in terms of beatmatching. I just want to know if these functions must be done on the computer (ie. keyboard and mouse) assuming you are only using computer+mixer/midi controller

You guys need to ease up here and stop giving me such a hard time, I honestly just dont understand how the computer+mixer combo works and information online isnt about such basic activities!

quote:

Originally posted by teufel-man Yes I did read the posts you jackass.... I am just trying to figure out how the basic procedures are done through these computer programs.... I was always under the impression that you sorta pre-arranged your tracks so that it automatically drops in at a certain point... because when I watched the richie video he just seem to be moving up faders and new beats would come in. Basically the main thing I am trying to figure out is.... how do you control the tracks on your computer... I realise that you can hook up time-encoded vinyl/cdjs up and just do it like you would otherwise... but can it be done through a mixer/midi controller (ie. Xone:3d) All I want to know is, when Richie is using his traktor + Xone:3d set up.... is he controling the tracks on the computer through the mixer? (not EQ'ing) Does the Xone:3d allow you to 'press play' and 'cue' on the mixer, or do you have to use you computer mouse and click 'play' on the computer.... and btw I have watched traktor tutorials and they are usually about more advanced things than I am asking about here.... The reason I am asking is because i would hate to have to drop a track in using a computer mouse. Also, how do you pitch bend if you drop it in slightly out of synch, and do you adjust the pitch while mixing if it isnt perfectly beatmatched (or are these programs flawless in terms of beatmatching. I just want to know if these functions must be done on the computer (ie. keyboard and mouse) assuming you are only using computer+mixer/midi controller You guys need to ease up here and stop giving me such a hard time, I honestly just dont understand how the computer+mixer combo works and information online isnt about such basic activities!

I'm sorry if you feel we are having a crack at you, but really, please read my posts. I have explained everything you need to know, and if you need more specific advice then you're at the point that you need to go and use it for yourself.

Also, that richie hawtin video is a bad staring point for someone who knows as little as you do about this. He is right at the upper end in terms of technology usage and you are trying to figure out the basics from that - not a good idea. For a start, as explained in that video, he doesn't beatmatch himself, and a lot of the time he's doing 4 deck mixing.

I'm not being rude - you're kind of watching Micheal Schumacher win an F1 race and then asking us how to ride your bike for the first time (but you haven't bought a bike yet).

The youtube tutorials (in fact the first one that comes up when you type Traktor Tutorial in Youtube) covers the absolute beginner basics like how to cue up using a controller and tempo manipulation.

You're asking questions that have either been covered in these posts (please just read what we've posted) or are covered in the tutorials or on the manufacturers websites.

Seriously, If you read these posts and watch the videos, you really won't be asking these questions.

Last edited by DJ RANN on Oct-10-2008 at 03:28