Digital DJing In Clubs

[hoppuspears]

Hey guys ive been djing for a bit with a bcd2000 and few shots on cdj's

Just wondering are people using Midi controlers in Clubs yet... Usually when i got clubs theres technics and cdj's setup. In the case you were gunna dj with ur own digitall gear what would happen. Any news on this whole seen live would be cool?

[Marc Us]

i have a mate who spins off his laptop with a midi control. i think he patches that into 1ch of the club mixer.

new pioneer mixer DJM800? (the black one) can midi assign its knobs/faders. dont know if its quick/easy but again not all clubs have this awesome mixer

[hoppuspears]

But there deffintly getting out there? Like if i rocked up to a club with a alptop and a midicontroller people wouldnt be like wtf?

[DJ Fusion]

So long as you didn't spend your set looking like you're checking your email.

[DJ D one]

^^lol

[hoppuspears]

Haha deffintly wouldnt. Be sotra cool if you could set up wirless and download request's during the night :)

[DJ D one]

^^Seen that.

D1

[funkyant]

Or download insults to hurl at people making requests...

[spandexxx]

still contemplating taking my laptop to gigs, issues like having nowere to put it, not having access to the imputs on the mixer, idiots spilling drinks on laptop etc worry me... :S

[Bumpy]

Sam La More takes his laptop to his gigs.. i guess he just plugs it into the mixer.. and uses ableton

[stubs]

Be sotra cool if you could set up wirless and download porn during the night
fixed

[Funkedub]

But there deffintly getting out there? Like if i rocked up to a club with a alptop and a midicontroller people wouldnt be like wtf?

Generally when people book an act they'll have an idea if you're being booked as a live act there'll be some gear involved to be setup. quite simply ... you just need to talk to the promoter about your requirments

[blahblahblah]

Id love to DJ out with Ableton.

I've got 2 midi controllers & a Mac Book Pro .. so setup wise it's Shit-hot .. but Id still worry that if something went wrong I wouldn't be able to continue !!! .. So i've invested in CDJ800's & a mixer .. so Ableton being my first passion ! Im going to learn the CDJ craft .. with vision to fuse the two methods together to create a better set. Im pretty confident with Ableton .. but just need time on the CDJ's ! Promoters may ask you though .. do you know CDJ's or Vinyl .. just incase ??

I remember being in Gullivers Irish Bar at the end of Koh San Rd .. in Bangkok & a mate requested Jimmy Barns .. Working class man hahaha .. the guy shook his head. 15 minutes later we hear working class man play !!! we go back to the DJ booth to see whats doing and there is a little thai guy sitting behind the DJ with Limewire loaded hahah downloaded about 20 tracks !!!! gotta love Thailand !!!

[hoppuspears]

What midi controlers are you using?


In the bcd you have a analog input i always have a ipoid conected to with a mix of songs. So if the computer ever crashed id just start playing the ipod. Yep thered be 10 seconds silence but most people wouldnt care.

[blahblahblah]

I have an Xsession UC-17 for effects, beat repeats on Acapella's etc

I then have an M-Audio Trigger Finger for firing off samples, acapellas .. beatrepeats .. clips etc.

[oliosky]

What midi controlers are you using?


In the bcd you have a analog input i always have a ipoid conected to with a mix of songs. So if the computer ever crashed id just start playing the ipod. Yep thered be 10 seconds silence but most people wouldnt care.


Thing is though dude, the BCDs analog inputs still need USB power to work AFAIK...:?

[Bekay]

while I love using abelton etc.. I just don't find it as fun or interesting to watch as someone on the decks

[blahblahblah]

while I love using abelton etc.. I just don't find it as fun or interesting to watch as someone on the decks

Personal opinion

there will always be this debate ;)

Im learning to mix on CDJ's aswell .. so plan to fuse both into a set.

[samwiseb]

Thing is though dude, the BCDs analog inputs still need USB power to work AFAIK...:?

The BCD3000 connects to 240V, dunno about the 2000 though.

[oliosky]

The 2000 runs on 240V as well, however I "think" that the unit can't be simply used as a basic mixer, using the analog inputs, without the software running... Should your computer crash, you're still fucked.

[samwiseb]

Just plug your ipod into the clubs mixer :)

[DRi_2004XL]

What midi controlers are you using?


In the bcd you have a analog input i always have a ipoid conected to with a mix of songs. So if the computer ever crashed id just start playing the ipod. Yep thered be 10 seconds silence but most people wouldnt care.

iPod? Why not just have a couple of CD-R's on hand?

[samwiseb]

Because when your computer shits itself it wont play CD's :) And the midi controller doesn't do shit until the OS has loaded it.

[blahblahblah]

Because when your computer shits itself it wont play CD's :) And the midi controller doesn't do shit until the OS has loaded it.

I think he means for the CDJ's ...

The reason I bought CDJ's was to not only learn to mix conventially .. but yeah to have a fall back if for some reason Ableton or my Mac died.

I cannot imagine to many clubs not having a CDJ sitting there .. in which you could throw a cd in.

[DRi_2004XL]

Because when your computer shits itself it wont play CD's :) And the midi controller doesn't do shit until the OS has loaded it.
My question isnt targetting hoppuspears so much as challenging the inclusion of an iPod in the setup. In the last ten years ive been poking around behind the booth i've seen CDJ's come from rather ungainly novelty to the status quo, and being a live act using all gear and methods possible im obviously down with Ableton. Thing is even i find the idea of seeing an iPod a complete discgrace in a club. Even with the legitimacy of laptop performing, i think there is a requirement for DJ's to be able to mix in some other form, if not requirement then cultural expecatation. I dont like DJing much myself, i get really bored and want my live gear around me, but even i can make two tracks mix together on a CDJ that is so conveniently telling me the BPM, and thats not even considering the possibility of having "backup cd-rs" of tracks you can mix in your sleep.

People, including me, would freak out seeing a laptop artist crash, and then stick an iPod in. Its taking the piss. Only live acts get to do things like that to save their ass :P WTF is a DJ doing in a club if they cant mix?


The reason I bought CDJ's was to not only learn to mix conventially .. but yeah to have a fall back if for some reason Ableton or my Mac died. I cannot imagine to many clubs not having a CDJ sitting there .. in which you could throw a cd in.
This sentiment i respect. Given the laptop performance style is quite well accepted these days, though sniped at by purists still, it has a momentum that will see it as just another tool in a few years. Having said that i still think its disrespectful and leaving oneself open to ridicule to enter a club with NO MIXING SKILLS AT ALL and take the calculated and personal preferenced risk of playing on a laptop.