Few Questions

[conCuss]

heya :3

I get a few questions , can somebody help us out here?

1) so your playing at a party, do you mix your music before or do you have a specific lineup of music and mix it on the spot? do you make sure you have enough music to last the party?

2) What programs do you guys use to organize your music? and how do you do it?\

3) what is a midi controller? and what does it have to do with mixing music

thanks x

[andyman]

Hey bud,

I'm a bit out of the loop, but to answer your questions:

- I always mixed on the spot. You can read the crowd better, and control the vibe rather than playing something that may not suit.

- iTunes or Rekordbox did the job for me.

- A midi controller is essentially a bit of hardware that you can hook up to a computer and play bau5 tunes.

[Mitch]

1) You need to have a lot more music than what the party goes for. The DJs job is to choose the right songs to play at the right time at the party, and mix accordingly. So at any time you're only planning a few tracks ahead.

2) i use itunes & rekordbox then copy my music to usb to take to the club. However people using midi controllers tend to use the dj software that they use with their midi controller

3) a midi controller, as andyman said, is a bit of hardware you hook up to your computer and allows you to control DJ software in a friendly manner (play bau5 tunes)

[conCuss]

So with the Midi Controller, what does it do to the music?

[russell]

So with the Midi Controller, what does it do to the music?

It controls the software (traktor, serato etc.) you are using. ie: play, cue, loop, etc etc...

[conCuss]

So with the Midi Controller, what does it do to the music?

It controls the software (traktor, serato etc.) you are using. ie: play, cue, loop, etc etc...

Ahk , If you have a DJ controller , is the Midi controller something on the side?

[Mitch]

DJ controller = midi controller

[Gandy]

So with the Midi Controller, what does it do to the music?

It controls the software (traktor, serato etc.) you are using. ie: play, cue, loop, etc etc...

Ahk , If you have a DJ controller , is the Midi controller something on the side?

as mitch said midi controller = dj controller 99% of the time

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface and connectors and allows a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers and other related devices to connect and communicate with one another.

MIDI carries event messages that specify notation, pitch and velocity, control signals for parameters such as volume, vibrato, audio panning and cues, and clock signals that set and synchronize tempo between multiple devices

So a MIDI controller (which is a dj controller 99% of the time eg. Native Intruments Traktor Kontrol S4, Pioneer DDJ-SX etc) connects to your laptop/pc and controls all the desired functions of the djing/music through software (eg traktor/serato/rekordbox).

you can use cdjs/mixer without a laptop because they are the actual physical hardware that manipulates all the pitch/volume/cue points as opposed to a controller which can only manipulate those things by going through software on a laptop.

thats why you will hear ppl who have contollers "laptop djs" (sometimes in a derogatory manner) because without the laptop/software controllers are nothing but expensive drink holders/door stops

i rambled on there for a bit and hopefully didnt confuse you too much

[djrhysj]

I use serato to organise my music into genres mainly, and then I have other folders i.e. "bogan stuff" for epic drunk sing alongs (you can imagine), and it's never a good idea to mix somethin gbefore the gig, this eliminates the flexibility of playing as per the crowds reactions

[conCuss]

Really quickly with MIDI controllers, dont they do the same a dj controller would?

[russell]

DJ controller = midi controller

[GREMM1S]

Same thing really, the only slight difference may be something like a traktor s4 being called a dj controlle whilst an launchpad or maschine is considerer a midi controller.

I always mix on the spot but have an idea of what im going to play.

I organise my music on rekordbox and then export to usb.

[overit]

1) so your playing at a party, do you mix your music before or do you have a specific lineup of music and mix it on the spot? do you make sure you have enough music to last the party?

The real skill to DJing lies in guessing what people want to hear next. It is called "reading the crowd."

2) What programs do you guys use to organize your music? and how do you do it?\

I use Itunes as I can have the same song in multiple playlists, I have playlists for Genre, Feel, Mood. DJ software such as Traktor and Serato will read your itunes playlists too.

3) what is a midi controller? and what does it have to do with mixing music

A midi controller is any device which has buttons etc on it and which can control software. It is what you sue to play and mix your music.

If a midi controller has 2 platters it is often called a DJ controller, but it is still a midi controller. Eg Numark NS6, Denon MC3000, Pioneer DDJt-1.

You can use a DJ/Midi controller to control software such as Traktor, Serato.

You can add an additional midi Controller such as a launchpad, akai lpd8 etc to control more functions on the software if your DJ/Midi controller doesn't have enough buttons for you.

[conCuss]

Thanks alot boys, means alot

Gremmis do you export to your usb because you are using a CD-DJ? not laptop?

also what does rekordbox do tho?

[SolDios]

Gremmis is a CDJ man so he used rekord box so it gives him all the correct information on the CDJ's

Unless your using CDJ's with usb, don't worry about rekord box.

Also my input on the original questions:

1) so your playing at a party, do you mix your music before or do you have a specific lineup of music and mix it on the spot? do you make sure you have enough music to last the party?

I can safely say 99% of us here have just a collection of music organised into genre's, We play a song and pick another that fit's into the previous song well, and that wall suit the crowd. So it's pretty much just made up as we go along.

2) What programs do you guys use to organize your music? and how do you do it?\

Itunes, I generally just sort by Genre, then Key.

3) what is a midi controller? and what does it have to do with mixing music

Allows you to control software to start, cue, fade between songs ect... Also IMO a DJ controller is usually just a midi controller made for dj'ing specifically, e.g. jog wheels, faders, 3ch EQ and such.

[eggssell]

i think all your other questions are clearly answered above.

but just to add some new info re: organising music

i use trainspotter (note i use tsp w/ tt's). and yeh organise under "genres". the reason it is genre-ish as opposed to strictly genre is i put tracks that feel kinda the same in the same folder. so some tracks end up in multiple buckets.

some of my folders:

hippity - hip hop

bassy - heavy bass tracks which can range from dnb, breaks, dubstep. just where a dirty heavy bass is prominent

hip pop - r&b-ish hip hop

rockstar - punk, ska and rock tracks

funk house - funk house or any edm that has a funky feel (bass and keys)

disco disco - disco

gangsta gangsta - gangster rap

vocal - dance or breaks tracks with a prominent vocal part. mostly female hooks

breaks - breaks

BBB (booty bass & breaks) - ghetto tech, booty breaks, baltimore bass, drrty rap tracks etc.

ragga - anything that has a carribean feel from edm to hip hop to straight up reggae

paatii - party or club tracks, uptempo tracks

wonka - electro tracks that have that wonk sound

[GREMM1S]

Thanks alot boys, means alot

Gremmis do you export to your usb because you are using a CD-DJ? not laptop?

also what does rekordbox do tho?

Yeah man i use CDJ's with usbs.

The easiest way to describe rekordbox is that its like itunes.

You make playlists and it analyses your music then you sync it to a usb stick like you do a phone or ipod on itunes.

[eggssell]

oh yeh what good about trainspotter is the dynamic playlists (basically smart playlists but they actually work!) and the custom tagging which is then searchable in traktor

http://www.tspotter.net/

[russell]

oh yeh what good about trainspotter is the dynamic playlists (basically smart playlists but they actually work!) and the custom tagging which is then searchable in traktor

http://www.tspotter.net/

like the sound of this.

[conCuss]

thanks boys !