return to tranceaddict TranceAddict Forums Archive > DJing / Production / Promotion > DJ Booth

Pages: [1] 2 
Spinning BOTH records and cds
View this Thread in Original format
thicket
I am pretty new to djing and like many of you I am in love with it. I own both records and cds but I currently mix with two cdj 100's, and a djm 500 mixer. I am thinking of adding a turntable to my set up (I have a crappy turntable and want to upgrade to a technics 1200 mk2) but I am wondering how hard it is to mix both records and cds simultaneously?

This is not to incite a records vs. cds war. I love music on all formats. I just want to know what the practical realities of trying to spin both at the same time are.
dartman
its not hard at all. obviously, its gonna take a bit of time to learn how to mix with the turntable, but once you figure that out its not hard to go back and forth between records and cds.
thicket
Thanks Dartman. Someone suggested downloading my vinyl using spindoctor or some other program than burning it onto cds but I would rather just add the table to my set up. In other posts I have read that if you start djing with cds it is much harder to make the transition to wax. Since I haven't spun records I don't know if this is true. When you cue a cd, you are lisening (and looking) for a specific frame. But when you are spinning a record what do you do when you find your cue point? I mean, it isn't like you can just press the pause/cue button?
Zombie0729
i do it every night.
dj_moonshine
quote:
Originally posted by thicket
But when you are spinning a record what do you do when you find your cue point? I mean, it isn't like you can just press the pause/cue button?


thats wat i wanted to know, im also thinking of buying decks soon. currently spin on cd's only. on cd's its hard to beatmatch 100%perfect bcuz i find that u always have to make adjustments, they never get settled. and if there isnt any pitch bend buttons (+/-), then its even harder to make adjustments with the jog wheel.
trancinchink
quote:
But when you are spinning a record what do you do when you find your cue point? I mean, it isn't like you can just press the pause/cue button?


well basically for records... you cue it with your hand and u listen and find the exact spot. then u can either hold it there with your hand or u can just stop the platter at that point. then when u feel like u want to mix in the next track.. you start the platter (if u stopped it in the first option) and then push off at the certain beat u want to start matching at and then use the pitch control to match the beats. other people also push the record slightly to speed it up or touch it slightly to slow it down in order to match beats. whichever method u like better u can use. its probably pretty similar to cds... i dunno why it would be much different. i lookin to buy 1 cd deck pretty soon..... hope its a smooth transition that way..:toothless
cryo
I've been using CDJ 100s for a year and a half or so and I'm used to it. I recently got my first MK5 and the first day was really tough and weird but I started to figure out how to work what I've learned using CDJs and applied it to vinyl and it gets better each day. Except the fact im 500 or so in debt to the parents. :(
dartman
i started out with cd players and used only cds for about two years before i got my MK2s. i got my turntables one at a time because i'm not made of money and it took me alittle while to get used to playing records but i've watched sooooo many djs spin vinyl that i had a really good idea of what was going on. if you already know how to beatmatch/ mix with cds then learning to play with vinyl is not really all that hard. i absolutely love having both cd players and turntables. i would totally recommend getting turntables if you're thinking about it.
thicket
I don't really see many other djs spinning cds and records (except for Lorin Bassnectar who is an absolute master!) but I really like the idea. Plus, I am finding that there are quite a few 12" singles that will simply never come out on cd. But again, I love the cdj's and don't want to give them up, just want to add to them.

So another tech question: when you stop the record, if you don't want to hold it in place what do you do turn the table off? I know, this might be a totally stupid question but have mercy on my noobie soul!
dartman
you can just hit the start/ stop button and stop it. if you turn off the turntable and its a 45rpm record then you have to make sure you hit the 45rpm button but if you just hit stop its good to go. usually if i am gonna have to wait abit before i bring in the new record i will just take the needle off the record and re cue it when i am ready to mix it in. this is of course after i have listened to it and set the pitch adjustment where it needs to be.

i read somewhere that when your playing a record the needle gets hot and if you stop it and let it sit in one place it can melt a tiny bit of the record. i dont really know for sure if this is true but it sounds possible and i'm like "why take the chance?"

rafale
quote:
Originally posted by dj_moonshine
..... on cd's its hard to beatmatch 100%perfect bcuz i find that u always have to make adjustments, they never get settled. and if there isnt any pitch bend buttons (+/-), then its even harder to make adjustments with the jog wheel.


Well actually its the same on decks u cant quite beatmatch 100%. It requires constant adjustments, however minor they may be. Regarding the pitch bend buttons, I've only seen them on software like Traktor. On actual decks u actually move the slider to 'bend' the pitch.

And thicket, do go out n get yourself a set of decks. It adds versatility to the media u spin.
thicket
Thanks everyone. It seems like I just need to get the turntable and start playing with it. I do have a pretty good feel for beatmatching with cds so from what it sounds the transition wont be too painful.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know why so many more singles are released on vinyl rather than cd?
CLICK TO RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Pages: [1] 2 
Privacy Statement