Laptop Djing

I've done some DJing using my laptop w/ MixMaster Pro but primarily at home, while in the clubs, I spin CDs. Advantage to laptop vs CD is no worries of skipping or lockups that can happen with CDJ decks.

With electronic music, there are more and more laptop bands coming out. Personally, I'm not interested in seeing a one-man show with his face buried in his screen and turning a few knobs on the mixer. Sure there's programs out there like Abelton Live which are killer for on the fly remixing/editting, but seeing these type of artist does not excite me.

MindCage
Mindless Faith
Deep6 Productions

call me ignorant if you like, because I am

but what is a cd dj with a planned setlist, who is just playing indie rock songs that dont need any fancy beat matching, really doing that will make a difference to the listener over just playing a cdr of the same setlist?

Originally posted by general grievous:
call me ignorant if you like, because I am

but what is a cd dj with a planned setlist, who is just playing indie rock songs that dont need any fancy beat matching, really doing that will make a difference to the listener over just playing a cdr of the same setlist?

nothing. but it'd be nice if the person playing the music played to the actual crowd at the bar/club/whatever instead of playing to the preconceived idea of the crowd in their head when they're recording that CDR at home.

Originally posted by SalParadise:

Originally posted by general grievous:
call me ignorant if you like, because I am

but what is a cd dj with a planned setlist, who is just playing indie rock songs that dont need any fancy beat matching, really doing that will make a difference to the listener over just playing a cdr of the same setlist?

nothing. but it'd be nice if the person playing the music played to the actual crowd at the bar/club/whatever instead of playing to the preconceived idea of the crowd in their head when they're recording that CDR at home.

Is this the 21st century indie version of John Henry vs the steam-powered hammer?

I think a spin-off is in order!

I dont know, but somehow, this is all Fatboy Slim's fault. I dont know how, but he must be behind this madness!

sometimes i doubt your commitment to sparkle motion!

I've tried pretty much all of the freeware stuff for OSX and they all blow. You 'll need a pretty fast powerbook to use the free version of traktor too. but if you're serious about it, you'll need to spend the money and pay. otherwise use iTunes like I do :)

As a DJ w/over 25 yrs experience, I say, if you say yr a DJ, yr a DJ!!

Yeah, I started playing vinyl, because there weren't any CDs yet. So what? I never learned to beatmix, because I was too lazy or something. Yeah, I primarily play indie rock kinda stuff, but even when I spin go-go or hippity hop, I just go from one track to the next.

If a DJ wants to prepare a mix prior to a gig, I can see how you might consider that cheating. I would definitely prefer to hear a DJ mix the tunes and sounds that strike his/her fancy on the spot, instead of stuff they decided prior to the gig, might work, at certain parts of the event.

In DJing indie rock, or any other form of music where yr not beatmixing, what the DJ is adding, aside from mixing good songs together, is getting the songs to overlap in a way that might be interesting to the audience. If the last :20 of one song sound good over the first :20 of the next song, that's what yr getting from a good DJ.

As I see it, if yr bringing some creativity to bear, that makes what yr doing an art, or at least a craft. If yr just playing a playlist, and not mixing the tunes in any creative way, I guess I might question any artisitic claims on yr part.

When I'm DJing, I frequently decide only what album (CD or LP, it's an album) I'm playing next. I'll audition tracks on the disk, to decide which one seems like it'll go best w/the tune currently playing, and play that track.

On software, what I want is DJ software that will allow me to audition the END of the song currently playing, as well as the beginning of any song I might want to play next, to see where might be the exact best spot to start the next track, so they overlap the best.

Please keep in mind when I use the term "best," I'm being completely subjective, and it's what I think is best for this particular time and place. i might think another song or a different amount of overlap is "perfect" on another occaision.

I am a DJ, I am what I play. I speak with my hands, and when you let me loose in a forum, I speak too much.

I'm out!

Tommy B

Originally posted by DJ Tommy B:

On software, what I want is DJ software that will allow me to audition the END of the song currently playing, as well as the beginning of any song I might want to play next, to see where might be the exact best spot to start the next track, so they overlap the best.

In order to be able to hear a seperate track on a Laptop requires a second soundcard, most high end DJ software has the capability of supporting two soundcards. And seeing as most builtin soundcards in laptops are crap, one needs to spend the money on an upgrade anyways. Will post links to such cards tomorrow….

For a DJ providing Ear Candy a preplanned playlist works for me, DJing for people out having fun requires choosing stuff on the fly to keep the party going…