Going public / Vinyl vs. CD

[powerstruggle]

Ok.

So I've got some vinyl turntables that I've been mashing on in the bedroom, mainly for fun.

I want to start prac'ing and lining up to go public and to get some gigs out in the big wide world.

I'm thinking of keeping the vinyl turntables back at home for the laughs (and to make the studio look heaps cool bro) and buying some CDJ's and going compact.

It seems to me, that in the long run, it's easier to purchase decent MP3's (approx $2 each instead of 1 vinyl that costs about $17) and to make up loads of CD's to mix with when in clubs/bars than it would be to cart shitloads of vinyl around and to worry about breaking things when they leave the safety of my house. Not to mention I can pack-up the whole unit into 1 small case.

The other problem is, my vinyl collection is so assorted that it would be impossible for me to play a single gig that lasted longer than 20 minutes before hard house has hit into DNB which then fades into ambient hiphop mixed with hardstyle or something iregular.....


So am I right, that in wanting to go commercial with the most ease and budget, it would be better to stick with CD's and use CDJ's than it would be to worry about being a vinyl DJ (which seems to be alot more expensive to buy music for)..?

I'm looking at the pro's and con's and it seems like CD's are cheaper and easier..


Info? Advice? Vinyl vs. CD?

[macc4]

do you not prefer mixing with vinyl?

also, be careful where you put your heavy cd wallet or the fader caps may fly off randomly

[mcdoofus]

Info? Advice? Vinyl vs. CD?

Oh god

opens can of worms

[powerstruggle]

do you not prefer mixing with vinyl?

also, be careful where you put your heavy cd wallet or the fader caps may fly off randomly

Mixing with vinyl is great for the aesthetic side, but for ease of equipment movement and access of music it seems CDJ's and CD's tower over vinyl and vinyl turntables.

Oh god

opens can of worms

I'm talking about for ease of use commercially and from a financial viewpoint.

[macc4]

Mixing with vinyl is great for the aesthetic side, but for ease of equipment movement and access of music it seems CDJ's and CD's tower over vinyl and vinyl turntables.


vinyl sounds better

the amount of money you will spend on cdj's could buy plenty of vinyl, and carrying it around will help keep you fit

[pomrocks]

http://imeleon.com/photo/40/sleeping_kitten.jpg

i have nothing useful to add, so here's a pic of a kitten

[sd88me]

cant go wrong with CD's.
Much cheaper, much more compact and portable. Good sound quality.
Dont see much wrong with cd's.

I feel like this conversation is from 10 yrs ago lol...?

[mashedman]

well take into account that most places dont even have turntables at all/working these days, although the place i played at on the weekend had one. It worked perfectly :thumb:

[merv_clarke]

I would say get a DVS and a laptop. if you don't already own cdj then you will probably be able to pick up serato cheap on ebay or something now that the SL3 is out. That way you can keep mix with vinyl if you want and also have a laptop full of tracks and not have to bother burning cds. you can always use cdjs with serato/traktor if they dont have decent turntables at the venue

[Spicy]

vinyl is better than cd. also, do you guys reckon mp3s sound ok at 320kbps?

edit: but srsly go DVS. then just buy mp3s straight to your lap top, auto sync to your [traktor/serato/sicksuperautodjexpress version two point five] and laugh all the way to the bank. i bet you won't even have to beatmatch half the time!

[jabbajaws]

well take into account that most places dont even have turntables at all/working these days, although the place i played at on the weekend had one. It worked perfectly :thumb:

No?!!! really? a club had turntables?
what's next? mixer?

[Dr Bones]

I feel like this conversation is from 10 yrs ago lol...?

is it just that you've been on mars, in a hole in the ground, with your fingers in your ears, and your eyes tightly shut?

[pEAkeR_hAT]

Go with CDJ if you want to be mobile

I nearly stacked it in front of everyone last night by being a hero and carrying two crates of vinyl at once woo ! lol

[Funkedub]

well take into account that most places dont even have turntables at all/working these days, although the place i played at on the weekend had one. It worked perfectly :thumb:


last gig i played out there was no CDJs ... didn't bother the international on the bill one bit

[sd88me]

is it just that you've been on mars, in a hole in the ground, with your fingers in your ears, and your eyes tightly shut?

discussing the benefits of cd compared to vinyl? hardly a new concept...

[mashedman]

last gig i played out there was no CDJs ... didn't bother the international on the bill one bit
yes but is that the norm? i didn't realise the person asking the question was an international who could request what equipment he wanted and not someone just starting out.

But no, youre right...

[macc4]

I just read in a brisbane thread of a cd dj complaining that his set was shit because the cdj didn't display the track names!

so yeah, be careful, cdj's aren't as easy as people say

[Funkedub]

yes but is that the norm? i didn't realise the person asking the question was an international who could request what equipment he wanted and not someone just starting out.

But no, youre right...



not a matter of the international making requests ... just a fact of the matter with the musical style that dubplates still rules the roost with the major players


I never indicated anything about being "right" ... just highlighting a situation contrary to one already mentioned. relax guy :)

[jarrardscott]

the whole vinyl vs cds debate has died down alot since serato and traktor have come in.

stick with the times and get one of those programs in my opinion.

less carting and then its just your choice in what platform you prefer.

[Dr Bones]

discussing the benefits of cd compared to vinyl? hardly a new concept...

...and hardly one that you'd have to rewind ten years in order to hear the last of....

[Spicy]

but seriously dr bones, what would happen if we rewound 10 years?

ready?

vrlwrvlwrvwlrvwlrvlwrvlwrvlwlvrlwvrlwvlrlwlwl *sound of rewind*

................ i'm blue da ba dee da ba daiii...

[Dr Bones]

but seriously dr bones, what would happen if we rewound 10 years?

ready?

vrlwrvlwrvwlrvwlrvlwrvlwrvlwlvrlwvrlwvlrlwlwl *sound of rewind*

................ i'm blue da ba dee da ba daiii...

you know what that song always made me wonder?

if i had an uzi, just how many of the rounds i could insert into my own face before my motor skills stopped working and i died.

[ferretrock]

the whole vinyl vs cds debate has died down alot since serato and traktor have come in.

stick with the times and get one of those programs in my opinion.

less carting and then its just your choice in what platform you prefer.
I think this is your answer.

Having gone vinyl myself, DVS is constantly there at the back of my mind. CDJs ARE NOT.
If you only see yourself playing two-deck, there are plenty of reasonably priced options (from as cheap as ~ $200). Learning the basics of cueing on CDJs is a worthwhile thing, because, if nothing else, you can play with DVS at home and then just burn a few CDs for a gig and run off.
I, for one, don't understand why so few CD-DJs don't 'pack their bag', so to speak - they bring 1000 tracks, instead. If you are buying mp3s, burn 4 CDs (15 or so songs per CD, doubles of each CD) and you're set for a 60-90 minute set.

If you're interested in cheaper DVS solutions look at misspinky and mixxx. You'll need to buy appropriate hardware and DVS records, but the setup can be very cheap, if you want it to be.

[rthreeone]

I've been seeing around here people claiming that the TTs at clubs are always really fucked. How generalised is this statement, from those vinyl only guys that play regularly?

For me, my justification has always been that (going the industry standard route with 1200s, CDJ1000s would be the CD comparison) $1400 on a CD player, could get me about 70 records.

At which point i would still have to buy records coz i could only mix CD one way. So the cost of 2 CDJ1000s could get me about 130 records. That CDJ cost wouldn't include tracks either. So without applying calculus to get a more accurate answer, 2 industry standard CDJs and 150 tracks, or 150 tracks on wax and i get to keep soiling myself every time the stylus rides a new groove! ;D

[slackas]

The club i work in has a dedicated serato setup, and the turntables are fine. Just have to use your own styluss.

[powerstruggle]

I think (mainly to save money and time) I'll get a copy of serato and see how I go.

SL3 just came out so that's even more incentive.

I guess if clubs have vinyl turntables setup then all I need to cart around is the laptop and stylus, if anything.

[Eclerkid]

...and hardly one that you'd have to rewind ten years in order to hear the last of....

and one that we'll probably still be talking about in another 10 years!!! Vinyl V CD argument is as old as the CD. Was around along time before CDJs

[merv_clarke]

even if the club only has cdj you can still use them with serato infact one of my friends always uses cdjs with serato

[slackas]

I think (mainly to save money and time) I'll get a copy of serato and see how I go.

SL3 just came out so that's even more incentive.

I guess if clubs have vinyl turntables setup then all I need to cart around is the laptop and stylus, if anything.

Has dedicated desktop with serato running, so all you have to bring is your stylus + usb

Its not too hard to hook it up if they dont run it.

[ezywarp]

just bring 1 CD so you can mix out of the previous DJs set then set it up in yours.. Takes 2 seconds and saves one of those possible awkward situations where you bump the platter.