Beginner dj's using digital?

[ABHELLRAZOR]

I just want some input from people on this site about what they think about beginners and using digital setups, DVS, Midi Controllers?
a lot of people on other forums would say your best of to start with CDJ's or SL1200's?
I've been using mixxx since October 09 with a Midi Controller, would it be worth the time to quit like this and start from scratch and learn the traditional way?
Or am I better off to continue mixing like this cause it's what I already know and digital is the future of the scene.
Keep in mind I'm just mixing for the fun of it I'm not looking for club gigs but if I had the oppurtunity to Dj in a club I would take it.

Thanks.

[albert]

I think it really depends on what you want to do with your mixing in the future. If your MIDI controller is keeping you happy, stick with it - Don't ditch your gear just because of what other people say. A lot of DJs have preconceived notions that you have to pass through some sort of turntable right of passage, as if you can't mix unless you've played with them, but it's all just nonsense.

I don't think you have anything to gain by using CDJs or a turntable over Mixxx, unless you want to dig into scratching. When I started DJing, I bought turntables because I really just wanted to learn how to scratch really well, and I didn't even really care for beatmixing for a long time. Now though, all I do is beatmixing (using Mixxx), and I don't really bother scratching. In fact, my turntables have been sitting in a closet on the other side of the country for the last year and a half. I can't say I miss their bulkiness, as MIDI controllers + my laptop are way more portable.

Some professional DJs prefer lugging CDJs around because they're dependable. You can use Mixxx's vinyl control (or any other DVS) with CDJs to take advantage of your MP3 collection, but if your laptop breaks in the middle of your set, you can still just use the CDJs with regular CDs (or MP3 CDs). That added level of safety is what makes those appealing to people who DJ often. That said, I still know tons of people who DJ with just their laptop and a MIDI controller (or turntables), and would use their iPod as a backup in case their laptop broke.

Mixing is just mixing. It doesn't matter whether you're using turntables, CDJs, or software like Mixxx. Mixxx is cool because you get free upgrades, whereas your CDJs and turntables are stuck with the hardware features that they have. That fact, plus the customizability of MIDI controllers is what really makes Mixxx appealing to me.

Hope this helps! Just remember that even Paul van Dyk was a beginner DJ at one time...

Albert

[ABHELLRAZOR]

That helped a ton, Thanks Albert.


Edit: So yesterday I had a Chance to try out a pair of CDJ 2000's and a Pioneer mixer without using a DVS, it was really fancy and had alot of neat features but I felt so lost using them, I can see my self sticking to controllers I'll probably upgrade cause I've had a few issues with the built in soundcard my BCD-3000 has but for the time being it has served me well, and will continue to be used by me until I can afford another controller.

[jocampo]

I am with Albert on this. What is really important is what you like now or what would you like to do in a future. I strongly believe that traditional vinyl consoles are going to be history in 5 or 10 years but that is just an opinion. Technology is moving forward and I do not discard the idea of getting "true" scratching feeling just using digital music; no one imagine mp3 was going rule the music industry now ... so, no one knows for sure if vinyl console will survive or not. But again, do what makes you feel comfortable and that should be your rule in life, including work

[ABHELLRAZOR]

I'm going to keep it digital, personal music players are all digital, car stereos are going digital, theres really no reason to step back in technology I'm having a hard time choosing a midi controller cause I would like something a bit bigger but thats minor detail, and it's not like I'm being invited to play on CDJ's so is there really a need to know how to use them?


I like Mixxx alot it's simple to use, it's cool that if you know how to code you can make upgrades, I like how good the relationship between the developers and users is and that us users are able to suggest features that we would like to see in the program, with big name software if something goes wrong they usually just give you a faq list to help you trouble shoot, with Mixxx the developers give you honest answers and help trouble shoot, and a good bonus about Mixxx is that it's free.

[reilz81]

im not gonna say its wrong to do anything as a beginner, when i first started all i did was produce in fruityloops. As it was called then and played what id made from scratch, then i got myself a djlab2 cause i couldnt afford the best of the range. Which came with stantons cant remember the model which might show how long its been since i played around with them. But i mostly got them so i could learn from them and what teqniques you needed to use them, to apply that to my producing, and a bit later i got some cdj1000 mk3s. Which are beautiful there huge though take up most of my desk lol. But i now apply what i learnt with vinyl to those cause there isnt alot of differences, the only differences are things that help you that vinyl cant do, well cant do easily and when it comes to any mixing its good to have atleast some knoledge of what has been incase your gear throughs you a curly, and you need to think quick. i think thats the only reson alot recommend vinyl because if u can mix on the hardest then you can mix on pretty much anything.

[jay_uk]

For me I find using digital quite simple. It only took a little while to make the transition to DJ'ing virtually, ie no physical feel or visual clues from the vinyl. However I do believe though that if i had never had the past 10 years experience of using a basic two turntable and mixer setup and learning to beatmatch in this manner then I would find it very daunting. Lots of options on the controllers, not to mention that fact that you do need to be fairly computer savvy imho. Latency issues, file formats, etc.