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Aspiring DJ Who Needs Help
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| [NFC]Wave |
Ok. I know this is going to anger a lot of ppl, but please read this with an open mind.
I love music. It is my utmost passion. I have always wanted to be a DJ. Back in high school I DJ'd for a couple dances and large parties using my computer. Now I know I'm going to be flammed for using illegal music, but that is not the case. I have a stack of 1000+ CD's that I have collected over the years. I have ripped each of them onto the computer and have converted them all into MP3 format.
Now, I have continued to have the passion for music and have recently gotten into mixing. I am using a program called Mix Meister Pro 5 to beatmix and throw songs together for a more live track mix feal.
I am a classically trained musician who knows his stuff on beat patterns and key frequencies so that is not an issue.
What I ultimately want to do is get some tables and work that way. The thing is, I don't want to buy vinyl (please don't flame, hear me out) I just want to use the tracks off my computer. I have heard FinalScratch is the way to go but there are other programs in the works. I have done some searching through here and read up on what you guys have to say.
Is it possible to do private mixing with such programs as FinalScratch? Can you really learn how to mix on tables with a program like FinalScratch or should you lean first through vinyl?
I know this is a stretch b'c I know how dedicated a lot of you are to vinyl (and I understand, I just can't afford to purchase hunderds of vinyl albums where I already have the music here to work with)
What do you suggest I do? Should I bother getting tables? Or should I go out for some CD mixers? If so, what do you guys recommend either way?
Sorry for the long thread, I just know how good you guys are and how dedicated you guys are to your music and would like some professional advice.
Thanks
- Chris |
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| Dirk W. |
| Chris, it's not a stupid question nor is it one you should be flamed for. The thing is this is a multipart question that is all based purely on opinion and budget. My friend who is a professional DJ swears by Final Scratch ever since its release. He loves being able to use vinyl to work with his MP3 collection. I, personally have only owned and use turntables and vinyl. I haven't experimented with Final Scratch. The guy knows his stuff though and he loves it. Naturally, he learned off of real vinyl though. A good pair of CD Decks would be the expensive route to take in your little quest. Turntables and Final Scratch would be a cheaper route. I am anxious to buy Final Scratch or something of it's equivalent soon. I am travelling to Mexico City next weekend to play and I will be able to finally use Final Scratch. I will let you know what I think of it. So, if you want to go the CD route you're going to have a bulkier load to carry around (all the burned cds) and its more expensive. If you're going the Final Scratch route, you will just have a laptop with mp3s. The choice is completely yours. Don't worry about people flaming you on here. They only do it when you ask a genuinely stupid question, bring up the Pioneer / Rane debate, illegal mp3 debate.... wait, yea, watch your ass. They're looking for excuses ;) Hope this helped. |
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| trancinchink |
| well.. technically final scratch is the same thing as vinyl cuz you are using special coded vinyls to play the music off your computer. i think final scratch is still the only one out right now but rane serato is coming soon and suposedly thats supposed to be more stable that final scratch. your decision should probably rest on what kind of computer system you have and if it can handle the program. some people run fs fine others don't. cdjs work to if you just want to burn all ur music to cds. but honestly, think of it this way. lets say you buy final scratch or the new program by rane. you still need to invest in tables and a mixer in order to use that. so why dont you take that 300-400 for the program and drop it all on vinyl. you can easily buy 40-50 vinyls with that kind of money. otherwise.... just buy cd decks and a mixer so your money spending stops there.... temporarily. |
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| `pr0digy |
| If your not going to buy vinyl, I'd seriously look into using CDJ's. If you do go the "Final Scratch" route, I'd wait a bit until we hear some reviews of Rane's product, which is supposed to be better. |
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| auujay |
A few things.
You can learn on FinalScratch just fine. It really is just like using vinyl except the backspins sound like ass.
Because you already have a computer (as long as it is fast) I would recommend FinalScratch. Or at least on of these laptop based mixing programs with a vinyl interface. Rane Sareto Scratch Live being the other one. Personally I would wait a few weeks until the Rane verison is shipping and see how people compare the two. Some people think it is going to be perfect but I am skeptical as it is still the first version. I mean everyone thought FS was perfect too when their only exposure to it was from movie clips and convention demos. Just wait and see before you make this kind of investment.
As for it being cheaper than CD decks... I am not so sure. I mean it is $500 + TTs. You think you can get a pair of CDJ800s for about the same, and backspins will probably sound better :)
EDIT - If you go with FS you will need to get TTs and a mixer. If you decide to get CDJs you will still need a mixer. As for getting TTs and not getting FS and getting vinyl instead..... think about it, that does not make any sense. Seriously how long does 40 new records last you, I mean it is really not that many. |
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| Vlad |
| If you have everything on CD, than just use CDJ's. If your inclined to use your computer as well, than use it, but use it in collaboration with the CDJ's. |
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| auujay |
| Of course you can even get the CD adator kit and use FS with your CDJs. |
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| dJohn |
Like other people said. it's not a stupid question at all.
So reading after your post, I noticed some points that you emphasized. You don't want to use vinyl, but use tables and a mixer.
The best sugestion would be to get some tables and mixer(a mixer is going to be required regardless for home mixing) and start out with vinyl...even if it's not alot, try copping a few vinyls and mess around with them. At least this way, you'll have a 'feel' for vinyl manipulation, because turntablism with vinyl or FS, and CDJing all rely on the fundamental technique of cueing up and releasing discs at certain points while maintaing pitch control. Draggin and dropping tracks in a sequencing software environement is a MUCH different feel and method than vinyl and CDs.
At this point, it would be sensible to focus on a certain method for time and money purposes...although it's possible to incorporate and learn all 3, the most deterent factor about that is of course, the money. So play around with your choices and see what your most comfortable with. With new products like CD decks and FS coming out, it's almost expected to see a combination of old school style vinyl use with new methods and components...some only go with CD decks, like Eric Morillo, or Paul van Dyk's case, using FS only with his G4 laptop.
Good luck. |
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| skytribe |
| Bear in mind, of course, that the CD's you have are likely not licenced for public broadcast. Vinyl (generally speaking) is sold with a licence forpublic performance. CD's from your local store are not, making it just as illegal (and unethical) to play them as downloaded mp3s. Check the insert or the back cover of the CDs you have, and you'll likely see "Not licenced for public performance." |
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| Freak |
| quote: | Originally posted by skytribe
Bear in mind, of course, that the CD's you have are likely not licenced for public broadcast. Vinyl (generally speaking) is sold with a licence forpublic performance. CD's from your local store are not, making it just as illegal (and unethical) to play them as downloaded mp3s. Check the insert or the back cover of the CDs you have, and you'll likely see "Not licenced for public performance." |
wrong
Clubs/bars, in fact anywhere that performs or plays music in public has to pay a fee to have a licence- that licence gives them the right to play music-regardless of format.
All music sold in stores- be it vinyl, CDs, mini disc whatever, will have 'not for public performance' on it somewhere (this includes promos)
By having the licence at the venue, it overrides this, as on their turf it is licensed and legal- as long as you own an original copy somewhere.
As long as you are purely ripping your purchased cds onto your pc, then it is perfectly legal (as long as you dont distribute them or pirate them for others). |
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| nrjizer |
Since you already have the CD's and since it's probably hopeless to sway you to good old fashoned vinyl, I stronly reccomend a pair of excellent CDJ's over Final Scratch. By the time you buy a laptop ($1000-1200) and the software itself ($500) you've almost got the price of 2 Pioneer CDJ-1000 MK2's ($1000 each, $2k a pair). The Pioneer's have an insane amount of features and tricks you can do with them. Just listen to a James Zabiela set.
The one upside to vinyl decks + final scratch is that if you get serious about spinning, you can go ahead and start buying records. Once you start getting paid for your mixes you outta be playing tracks you've paid for, its only fair (not that I'm flaming you at all for having all your mp3's, for which theres nothing wrong with having, but once you start to profit off other peoples music its only just to have paid for it). You can find a lot more tracks on vinyl than you can on CD. Of course, by that time, if you go with CDJ's first, you only have to drop about $900 for a pair of new decks and needles.
But, if you go with FS now, you'll be paying $1200-1500 for the Turntables/Needles/Mixer, plus $1000 for a laptop and $500 for FS. Thats already about $3000. And if you ever did want the delicious CDJ's down the line you'd be dropping another $2k for them. So that's $5000 total.
Now, if you went for the CDJ's now, not only will you get to play all your mp3's, but you already have the uber cool CDJ's with all their uber cool tricks to use for later. Together with a mixer they'd cost about $2500, so you're already coming out with an extra $500 in your pocket. And if you ever wanted to go big and start spinning vinyl, all it would cost would be another $1000-ish for the decks and needles, so you come out with turntables AND CDJ's for about $3500, as opposed to $5000 by getting FS first.
Go with the CDJ's man, for sure :D |
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| chesco |
Honestly i don't see why some of us have to spend thousands a year buying vinyl, and some can just STEAL the music off the internet.. I have a cdj myself, but if i can get a tune on vinyl i'd much rather do that. I really only use my cdj for playing rare tunes that are only available in cd format or unreleased tunes that i can download.(once the tune comes out i will buy it tho').
It's not my place to tell you what to do, but thats my view on the matter anyway
;) |
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