How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

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mint clad
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How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by mint clad »

I tried my hand at DJ'ing again recently and I had a super fun time with it. My friend was over with his super expensive Serato setup with the controller and everything (not the version that uses actual turntables). I don't know how much that whole setup costs but I'm sure it's not cheap. Ideally I wanna be able to just go to a place with a laptop or a USB stick and a DJ "controller" and just be able to play some songs. No real frills like FX or anything necessary, just the ability to alter tempo and beat match, etc.

Is there any kind of cheap controller I can buy that will allow me to do this? Or do all controllers require some sort of proprietary software that therefore drives the cost of entry up a lot? I already have a laptop and headphones, not worried about acquiring a PA system at the moment. By cheap I mean ~$300 or even less lol I'm so broke right now

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calum666
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by calum666 »

Most controllers you buy will come with software, whether its serato, traktor or virtual dj ect. They all pretty much do the same thing. If the software wasn't there the controller would have nothing to control. Your other option would be to buy some cdj's and a mixer as separates. There are lots of budget controllers out there though, with some type of software, most likely the lite edition if its as cheap controller.

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willemb
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by willemb »

I havent tried it yet, but i quite like the look of this one:

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/dj-lighti ... ller-black

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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

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Planar
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Planar »

Sound lab belt drives and the shittiest mixer known to man. It's how real men start.

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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by mattie »

I had Kam belt drives,it felt like some sort of plate balancing djing hybrid.I couldn't believe how much easier my life got with Technics.

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atom_output
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by atom_output »

maybe something more custom

like ableton live lite + novation launchpad + bcr2000 (everything 2nd hand of course)

mint clad
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by mint clad »

Hey this is very cool and informative article, thank you for sharing.

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mainst09
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by mainst09 »

Planar wrote:Sound lab belt drives and the shittiest mixer known to man. It's how real men start.

i'm thinking in doing that actually. get some shitty belt turntables and then when i have money buy some technics,i mean belt turntables are shit but you learn how to beatmatch properly there!
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Planar
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Planar »

Save up and get the Technics, Pedro. You're right, it will make you better (belt drives are the reason I learnt to beatmatch with the pitch slider), but you'll end up getting the technics anyway.

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Wiu
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Wiu »

Planar wrote:Sound lab belt drives and the shittiest mixer known to man. It's how real men start.
LOL

I started with direct drive Soundlabs. I swear they had the lowest torque motors ever created.
Thank you for the laughs, debate, new music found, production tips etc etc over the years. I wish Subsekt and everyone all the best for the future. Wiu.

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Hades
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Hades »

some of my first DJ'ing gigs were private parties where I had to make sure there was a sound system.
I took 4 hi-fi speakers, one old amp that could send out to both speakers.
2 ghetto-blasters, 2 mini-jack to 2xRCA cables that went from the headphones out from the ghetto-blasters to the inputs from my mixer, output from my mixer to the hi-fi amp.

in the shithole town I used to live in, a pair of technics was more rare than a short post by Hades
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Contort »

Planar wrote:Sound lab belt drives and the shittiest mixer known to man. It's how real men start.
And don't count on a mid EQ or faders that function before inches of movement!

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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Twilitez »

You can go much lower then 'under 300': http://uk.novationmusic.com/midi-controllers/nocturn

The barebones setup is there if you linked it to traktor or whatever, and whats more, all knobs are saved in a profile that spans 16 pages if im correct, so if you would be willing to 'flip' through them while using it you could actually assign over 200 things. The build quality is very decent for the size and price.

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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by disparate »

Contort wrote:
Planar wrote:Sound lab belt drives and the shittiest mixer known to man. It's how real men start.
And don't count on a mid EQ or faders that function before inches of movement!
Haha, these faders are pretty much an on-off switch.

It can't be the same getting into DJing these days. I was fortunate to save up enough paper round money for direct drive Geminis but still :D

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Thumper
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Thumper »

Planar wrote:Sound lab belt drives and the shittiest mixer known to man. It's how real men start.
Quoted for truth.

Belt drive limit decks. Horrible. but if you can mix on them you can mix on anything.
Contort wrote: And don't count on a mid EQ or faders that function before inches of movement!
I can't even remember the make of my first mixer, just that it had a yellow and black colour scheme - like a warning to stay away. I think the EQ section was just for show. It certainly made no difference to the sound. The faders were so loose you could bring in a track by sneezing near them, and they actually rattled if you played anything with heavy bass.

Does anyone actually still make belt driven DJ tables anymore?

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simon_marklar
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by simon_marklar »

you want cheap?

tape deck mixing!

youtu.be/088AWsTtTFU
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Hades
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Hades »

simon_marklar wrote:you want cheap?

tape deck mixing!

youtu.be/088AWsTtTFU

when I first started DJ'ing I had to use tapes with tracks I recorded from the radio,
it was simply impossible to pay for all the CD's (decks were nowhere to be found in the shithole town I grew up in) of all the music I played.
I mean I was 15 and broke as hell cause I just bought my first synth.
Rather funny using those tapes cause you had to make sure you were mixing the tracks in & out fast enough so you wouldn't hear some dumb-ass radio DJ's talk-over voice... :lol:

but using 2 "ghettoblasters" or whatever you wanna call those portable players, I did a lot of parties with just 2 of those and using the headphones jack out connected to my mixer.
I rather loved it, to be honest.
It fucking worked, and it didn't cost shit.

I don't get the nostalgic feeling for tape though.
I mean, there's a real (mini) tape revival going on in ambient land, where they do a release of 100 tapes or something.
Pff, tapes sucked, all the fast forward and rewind, I fucking hated it.
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Hades
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by Hades »

ow man, my current status, hahahahahaha
<<
that's gotta be a classic ! :lol:

thank you ICN, ya cunt !
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mint clad
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Re: How to get into DJ'ing (cheaply)

Post by mint clad »

Hades wrote:(decks were nowhere to be found in the shithole town I grew up in)
Order online


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