The Disc Jockey Thread!

for those about to rock

for those about to rock

Likes Dirt
Alright, here's a gravedig for you all. I'm pretty sure it hasn't been mentioned already.

I'm getting quite keen on djing but, as a poor uni student, I am unable to afford a mixer and turntables. I have been playing around with Virtual Dj but I am after something more tangable to get me going. I have been looking at the Tonium Pacemaker and was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with one. From what I've read, it's pretty handy but I'd like to get some good reviews before I consider laying down the coin for one.

Cheers,

Pete.
 
E

Emmett

Likes Dirt
I'd suggest that there are much better options available for that sort of money. I think you would be better off with something a little more tactile (ie buttons, faders and knobs) with a whole lot less layers. How do you change three parameters at the same time with the Pacemaker? It all sounds a little too hard for my liking...

For the amount you are looking at spending there are plenty of bargains to be had in the controller world. I know Lightsounds (Brisbane) had a whole heap of stuff on sale last weekend. I use a Vestax VCM 600 which they had for $600...

There are a whole heap of all-in-one controllers now which include parameters for transport, mixing, effects and come with a built in sound card. Something to cost in is an external soundcard if your controller does not come with one. I use a Native Instruments Audio 2 and it costs around $175. You can't mix without one on most computers. Some brands of controllers to look out for that you may be able to afford are Vestax, Novation and Native Instruments.

As an example, this would be far better for you than the Pacemaker:
https://www.storedj.com.au/products/NOV-TWITCH

Not sure how much you do and don't know, but all of these controllers can be completely remapped to suit your needs.

Just drop a line if you need anymore advice ;)
 
indica

indica

Serial flasher
I bought my BCD 3000 for $150 2nd hand, works fine, has soundcard - we all know how to get software
 
Josh Seksy

Josh Seksy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'm sure its been covered before,

But can someone recomend a decent, inexpensive beginners set of decks, to do some mixing/dj playing on?

I'm only wanting to have a play at home, and if i like it, I'll upgrade.

Don't need an amp/speakers so to speak, just computer speakers & headphones for the meantime, if I'm keen I'll invest.

I've seen this on ebay...

Numark

Which uses the laptop as well, looks good, and not overly large/complicated.

Thoughts?
Anything I should look for/look out for?

Second hand?

Cheers,
 
indica

indica

Serial flasher
Numark is good.
You need to consider the fact you may need a soundcard in the mixer.... 3mm out from a laptop wont be great for listening.
My BCD3000 as i stated was 2nd hand for $150 and has an inbuilt soundcard. I broadcast on the interwebz and it works quite well.
You need to be able to listen to the sound from the mixer in order to cue the next track - does that numark have a headphone out put?
 
for those about to rock

for those about to rock

Likes Dirt
Emmett said:
I'd suggest that there are much better options available for that sort of money. I think you would be better off with something a little more tactile (ie buttons, faders and knobs) with a whole lot less layers. How do you change three parameters at the same time with the Pacemaker? It all sounds a little too hard for my liking...

For the amount you are looking at spending there are plenty of bargains to be had in the controller world. I know Lightsounds (Brisbane) had a whole heap of stuff on sale last weekend. I use a Vestax VCM 600 which they had for $600...

There are a whole heap of all-in-one controllers now which include parameters for transport, mixing, effects and come with a built in sound card. Something to cost in is an external soundcard if your controller does not come with one. I use a Native Instruments Audio 2 and it costs around $175. You can't mix without one on most computers. Some brands of controllers to look out for that you may be able to afford are Vestax, Novation and Native Instruments.

As an example, this would be far better for you than the Pacemaker:
https://www.storedj.com.au/products/NOV-TWITCH

Not sure how much you do and don't know, but all of these controllers can be completely remapped to suit your needs.

Just drop a line if you need anymore advice ;)
Click to expand...
I had considered a controller but I'd prefer to move away from the computer, however it might be the way to go for the moment. You do use them to control software don't you?

EDIT:
indica said:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Behringer-BCD3000-Great-Quality-w-all-required-cords-/330553493057

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BEHRINGER-BCD-3000-/280659359708
Click to expand...
I like the look of something like that. And it's more my kind of price. I am far from being serious about it so I don't want to spend too much but those look sweet.
 
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Hew

Hew

Likes Dirt
I liked it dude.

I'm bored and its 2am so I'll make a 10 min Angerfist mash in honour of seeing them last night . :)
 
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for those about to rock

for those about to rock

Likes Dirt
This is a bit of a gravedig, but this is the best place for my queries...

A couple of weeks ago I got a Numark Mixtrack Pro controller and have been using it with Virtual DJ 7 ever since. Now, after a fair bit of practice both with and without the controller, I feel I have got the skills to start doing some gigs. However, my problem is publicity. How do I get my name out there?

Back home there is often a few parties, especially getting to this time of the year, and there are very few DJ's. As far as I know, there is only one who actually mixes rather than just plays songs off an iPod and he has a pretty regular gig at one of the local pubs. However it is these dudes, who do a pretty mediocre job, that are getting the gigs. Now, I'm not saying I'm the best out there, but I know I am good enough, if not better than those other guys, for a gig. I offered the Yr 12's from my old school that I'd do their formal for free because it's the school but they took this other guy, one of their fellow students and shit DJ's, who was asking $300.

The only real reason this guy gets all the gigs is because people know him as the only dj.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong; I just don't know.

I upload mixes and post them onto Facebook, but the only people who listen are the few (7) people who regularly check out my stuff. I considered making a page on Facebook, but I would rather not use my name and I am not overly confident about the DJ name I came up with, DJ Xenolith, as I feel I will get mocked. I suppose I should just balls up and do it...

Anyway, I considered getting a small batch of business cards made up with contact details and stuff like a Facebook or Soundcloud page but is this a good idea?

Some help would be insanely appreciated.

P.S. Anyone who is in the Ballarat and Ararat area that needs a DJ, shoot me a pm :friendly_wink:.

P.P.S. If you want to know what Xenolith stands for, google it. I'd rather not ruin the cool sounding name with the otherwise geeky meaning.
 
indica

indica

Serial flasher
Pain in the arse trying to get gigs and I really don't know how you would go about it.
I worked for about 10 years and earnt good money. You need to get to know some people and play for free, think of it as a hobby rather than a job and you have a chance. Burn mixes to disc and hand them out?
Just be persistent and keep talking to the people than run the places you want to play. Or approach a pub and offer to play for nothing unless turnover increases on the night you are playing.
If it is more a club thing you are interested in get to know the promoter - you will need an ABN too as they don't like paying cash a lot of the time.
All the best.
 
for those about to rock

for those about to rock

Likes Dirt
indica said:
Pain in the arse trying to get gigs and I really don't know how you would go about it.
I worked for about 10 years and earnt good money. You need to get to know some people and play for free, think of it as a hobby rather than a job and you have a chance. Burn mixes to disc and hand them out?
Just be persistent and keep talking to the people than run the places you want to play. Or approach a pub and offer to play for nothing unless turnover increases on the night you are playing.
If it is more a club thing you are interested in get to know the promoter - you will need an ABN too as they don't like paying cash a lot of the time.
All the best.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice. Maybe I'll approach one of the small local pubs and see if they would like a DJ one saturday or something. Thanks once again.
 
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