| Author
|
CDJs Vs Digital Djing
|
Shiranui
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
116
Posts :
1219
Posted : Jul 27, 2011 08:50
|
Honestly I feel like "djing" as we think of it is disappearing, slowly but surely.
Live-remixing and editing is becoming so easy that soon everyone will be doing that instead of traditional mixing.
|
|
|
willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
93
Posts :
2822
Posted : Jul 27, 2011 09:48
|
I don't think that's true.
I could easily do mashups of my favorite tunes, as you say it is relatively easy to do in Ableton.
I haven't done it yet. I'm much more interested in mixing or producing, remixing/mashing up will continue to grow and proliferate but DJing will never vanish 
 If you want to make an apple pie from scratch...you must first invent the universe
www.soundcloud.com/tasp
www.soundcloud.com/kinematic-records |
|
|
|
Login
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
65
Posts :
1707
Posted : Jul 27, 2011 22:00
|
What I find unique about djing is its interaction with the crowd:
DJ's present new or undiscovered music to the public.
DJ set on the fly are a unique experience that is made of the crowd and mood at that particular moment.
A good dj should interact with the dancefloor, read if the people want to dance more, or rest or simple listen, guide it all night so it can reach sunrise moving etc etc
THe "now what its next?" feeling you have while dancing to a traditional dj set is quite exciting, and then the dj surprises you.
"The dedication to repetition — the search for nirvana in a single held tone or an endlessly cycling rhythm — is one of electronic music's noblest gestures." |
|
|
|
Ellon
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
56
Posts :
1223
Posted : Jul 29, 2011 15:40
|
Quote:
|
On 2011-07-27 08:50, Shiranui wrote:
Honestly I feel like "djing" as we think of it is disappearing, slowly but surely.
|
|
Can you explain this statement??? In what way mixing with tracktor+controller is "less" noble than with vinyls or cdj???
It's amazing how people try to find ways to differentiate from other's....some time ago i played in a place with D&B DJs and they were sniffing me down because i was about to play with a laptop and a controller...
alot of non-talented people hide behind these dogmas...sets with no soul, music selection based on what you can actually mix and so on....
sorry for the bitterness, it was not directed at you but i know so many "old-school" Djs that defend these rules and really suck as creative artists....the process can never be more important than the end...for the beholder!!!
https://soundcloud.com/arglebarglemusic
http://soundcloud.com/turvytopsy
http://soundcloud.com/capecodplatform |
|
|
|
Astral Brain Tentacles
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
7
Posted : Aug 13, 2011 09:33
|
My 2 cents...
my own perceived advantages and disadvantages of both and some points to consider.
Portability
-----------
It is easier to carry a folder of CDs rather than a laptop. While this may not always be the case, for example I can imagine some one could carry a large CD case and this could be larger than a small netbook, but for the most case, and in my own experience it is easier to carry just CDs to a gig rather than all the equipment to have a laptop setup. I carry a laptop, laptop AC, USB cable for external harddisk, harddisk, harddisk AC, sound card, cable for soundcard, AC for sound card, power adapter, sometimes an extension cord just to be sure, and then cables to connect the soundcard to the mixer (4 of them and also some backup cables). All of these things need to be with me. If one is missing the setup falls on its face.
Speed of searching for tracks
-----------------------------
While one should know how their folder is organised, I think the search feature of a computer is an advantage over the cd-wallet.
It may be quicker to find tracks on your computer.
The "its not possible to mix 2 tracks from
the same CD problem"
------------------------------------------
If you are playing with CDs, and the next track you want to play is on the same CD, you cant take out the CD and put it in the other deck while it is playing. One way of getting around this is to have 2 copies of the same CD, or to have quite dis-similar music on the same CD, or alternatively, at the expense of space, money, time and sanity, one song per CD. Going from one track to any other on a computer should never be a problem.
Organisation and mixing into similar tracks
-------------------------------------------
On a computer it is easy to arrange tracks to see which fit in terms of tempo, key or any other data you wish at assign. One can arrange lists of tracks on a computer with the click of a mouse. It is easy to quickly get a list of all tracks that have the same tempo and key for example.
Issues relating to storing large numbers of
zeros and ones
-------------------------------------------
It seems to me that there is no full proof way of storing large amounts of data. I advise you have multiple copies of your tunes regardless of where and how they are stored.
I currently have multiple hard-drives with copies of my collection on each one. It is however quite hard to manage a large collection I have found. This may just be a software and/or hardware issue. I backup my entire collection to each of my separate back-up drives.
I have currently run into a problem where a track is listed as missing. It is in the database but points to a track that is not there ... It seems as if the track is deleted... does this mean the harddrive is broken? Or the track has been accidentally deleted? Have i backup the absence of the track and its now completely lost... ? i hope not ... ideally I think I would backup to optical media, or ideally to harddisks say once perweek and they would go into archive. Each week i would copy the entire collection to new disks.. This is for from practical though. Perhaps backing up to optical discs had advantages. Regardless, it is some what of a pain to think about and is not easy for me to do... Does any one know of a software sollution... ? The software would analyse the collection for errors and then make a back up copy with out overwriting already backed up tunes to save time ... but then again you want to back up new comments and such .... endless ...
Multiple points of failure on the computer
------------------------------------------
While only one thing on either setup can break the sound, I feel as if there are more ways in which a computer can fuck-up, or in a related way, you can forget a part of your setup. It must be noted: its a pain in the arse to setup a computer and a mess of cables and trouble shoot while tripping balls! Back on track: while if your cds are stuffed, the sound will stop, there are more points of failure on the computer... all the following must work: all power cables, all audio cables, the computer it self and its drives, your sound card and the software must run perfect and not crash.
Learning curve
--------------
I think it is technically more difficult to dj with a computer rather than cds and different knowledge and skills are required just to maintain the hardware. Dealing with operating systems.. upgrades... knowing what computer to buy, backing up data etc. etc. etc.
there are other points relating to what you can do on a laptop in regards to loops and effects and what not that i dont use. For me I used a laptop because it seems reasonable and effective to store my music on harddiscs rather than optical media. I really have no idea though ... Im currently thinking of atlease backing up to CDs. It is somewhat of a daunting task burning and labeling dozens of cds and learning the location of each song. perhaps some sort of database of the location would be effective.
I guess i view these things in a rather technical way.
I have spent quite some time thinking like this and spent some time experimenting with DJing with cassette tapes and MiniDiscs.
The way we store audio will no doubt change with time and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. |
|
|
|
Dennis the menace
Moderator
Started Topics :
128
Posts :
2899
Posted : Aug 13, 2011 21:45
|
I had a gig 3 weeks ago where i brought my music on a 8 gb SD Card, its small enough to fit in my wallet.
I plugged it in one of the cd players and could access the music from both cdj's. I could search the trax, i had my playlists, hotcues and hotloops stored
Plug and play is the shit!
|
|
|
|
willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
93
Posts :
2822
Posted : Aug 14, 2011 10:23
|
I have to admit, that is pretty fucking awesome.
I went out to a party 2 weekends ago and I was one of 3 DJs going - really small outdoor thing, like 15 people.
Brought almost every piece of gear I own....except the fucking laptop cable.
SOOOOO pissed - I had opened the party and was just getting into a nice groove when *warning - 5% battery* came up and I realized...fuck....it's not here.
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch...you must first invent the universe
www.soundcloud.com/tasp
www.soundcloud.com/kinematic-records |
|
|
|
untilthereislight
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
31
Posts :
240
Posted : Aug 14, 2011 21:28
|
|
willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
93
Posts :
2822
Posted : Aug 15, 2011 00:47
|
|
Shiranui
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
116
Posts :
1219
Posted : Aug 15, 2011 10:10
|
Quote:
|
On 2011-07-29 15:40, Ellon wrote:
Can you explain this statement??? In what way mixing with tracktor+controller is "less" noble than with vinyls or cdj???
|
|
When did I say that? I said that what we traditionally think of as "DJing" is being replaced with live remixing.
PS: if you are a laptop DJ, buy a bag just for DJing, and buy an extra of every cable you need and leave them in that bag all the time.
So you have two of every cable and adapter (power, USB, audio etc), and one lives in your gig bag and the other lives in your home/studio. |
|
|
|
mudpeople
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
113
Posts :
1785
Posted : Aug 20, 2011 19:18
|
Nobility?! PAH.
I just want to rock, maaaan, have a good time dancin' to choonz that MOVE me, y'know? How what does who where when don't make no nevermind if'n it 'Does It' for me. Know'm'sayin?
. |
|
|
|
zafer
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
65
Posts :
290
Posted : Aug 21, 2011 19:01
|
digital djing it's simply pushing the limits further and further and nowadays we can hardly see the limit between live act and djing
creative djs are way more live than classic live acts and i'm not talking of ableton live usesd for djing, that's simply a limitless creative world apart, and i also think it's the logical evolution for me.
for exemple traktor pro2: 2 decks , 8 sample decks: that already is a weapon of mass distraction, on top of it if you have some line in left on soundcard or mixer and get to midi sync traktor to your synth your done.
it's a whole world of possibilities and potential that is offered us, something that a couple of years ago was beyond imagination and very user friendly.
to me all this pointless and dogmatic discussion digital vs real djing (lol...) looks like beeing afraid of change and being disturbed by loosing the hardly achieved status quo of dj, because at the end the final point of 99% of against digital individuals is: that's not djing anyone can do this (not said but meant: only we the oldschool ones are the real ones)
the only discussion making any sense is the quite different, warmer, punchier and unachievable vynil sound
|
|
|
|
Login
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
65
Posts :
1707
Posted : Aug 23, 2011 00:21
|
A good track doesnt need a buch of efx or samples played on top to move the dancefloor.
in reality there was never a need for more technlogy in djing, as opossed to production. It still enough to play two good track well mixed.
The crowd will dance till their death if you keep droping good tunes.
"The dedication to repetition — the search for nirvana in a single held tone or an endlessly cycling rhythm — is one of electronic music's noblest gestures." |
|
|
|
Gooahead
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
9
Posted : Aug 23, 2011 01:25
|
|
I am a budding DJ. Mostly I have been playing with Tractor, but now I bought a mixer and CD players. I want to learn to beatmix, and I feel more comfortable with the discs. |
|
|
|
zafer
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
65
Posts :
290
Posted : Aug 24, 2011 17:00
|
Quote:
|
On 2011-08-23 00:21, Login wrote:
A good track doesnt need a buch of efx or samples played on top to move the dancefloor.
|
|
i'm sharing your point of view, but i still think we can look further for development and creative expression:
-psy tracks are mainly highly complex and have sounds filling the whole spectrum , with very elaborate melodies and patterns succeeding "frenetically"
-therefore it's like the proverb of the glass filled with stones: even if filled to the top with big stones there's still place for smaller stones, after that still place for sand, after that still place for water, after that you can still dissolute sugar or salt in the water.
minimal music only has bigger stones and the glass is maybe filled 50% so you have a lot of room left for further elaboration (fx , samples, loops) without saturating the the song and having too much stuff going on without harmony
it's only about your skills in finding something more that will interact good with the contents of the glass and not spill out, and for this you need tools like samplers, loopers, fx
it's also about having fun djing, action and excitement in developing your own soundcrafting skills in mixing.
as you said a good track doesn't need anything more to it to rock the floor , tracks i like most have an history going on, a beginning and an ending. They take you to a trip and they're worth being played from A to Z, so you have this 4-5 minutes between tracks where you can prepare the transition to the next track and there you go with loops and fx
on the other hand you can just kill tracks mixing the next one every 2-3 minutes but that's not my cup of tea
in the end it's all about fun and passion, have fun, enjoy yourself and keep the floor happy - no rules no boundaries, turn on-tune in-drop out |
|
|
|
|
