dj's showing up with thumb drives.

[dj $hy]

still, tho can you pull up mp3? do the programs have a BUMBAWHEEL button. if not, that would be a heavy addition eh?

No thats what I'm talking about LOL

Is that like a BUMBAFINGER @ DMZ?

[digital]

still, tho can you pull up mp3? do the programs have a BUMBAWHEEL button. if not, that would be a heavy addition eh?

Err, yes you can.

[gizzmo]

ok, so, after finally coming on to the board I see this thread. I'd like to open by saying I wouldn't have been made aware of dubstep without sapphic beats doing ableton sets Secondly, I wouldn't be able to keep up with dnb, dubstep, house, techno, hip-hop without bleep, beatport, itunes, etc. I use serato every gig and I am still working the decks, I actually plan on purchasing a couple of cdj's so I can use the looping functions/efx for furthering the artform. I agree with everyone on here who has said anything about if ya got the technology use it. As far as Torq goes, the midi is cool but the 16 Bit and shoddy drivers aren't Save a couple hundred more dollas and get Serato!!!!! You'll be much happier. mp3s don't have the greatest sound quality so to drop to 16 bit on top of that is just silly

[ramadanman]

on this issue of sound quality

i'd be surprised if ANYONE here could tell the difference in sound quality between a WAV and a 320kpbs MP3, let alone a 16bit wav and a 24bit wav.

bare in mind that most producers will export a 16bit wav in the first place and take that to the mastering studios!

[cody]

still, tho can you pull up mp3? do the programs have a BUMBAWHEEL button. if not, that would be a heavy addition eh?

Err, yes you can.

Like err, cool.

[*decibella~~]

I can totally understand this new digital musical technology.....

The cost (cheaper than cuttin dubs) and the Quality (ALOT better then vinyl)

BUT im strictly from the old skool and think that if your a DJ its about tuntables and vinyl. The sound is so much more raw.
Jus like when production went all digital from analouge, the sounds jus not the same, too clinical and clean.........
Like cody said, actually going to a record shop chillin there, meeting people, and buying records is all part of the DJ culture, sitting at home and downloading, i just dont see the appeal. And mixing from a laptop, please, thats just total bollox to me.

im reppin decks and dubs all the way

x x x

[boomnoise]

the medium is the massage?

[parson]

don't ya know thats why you see ladies sittin on the bass bins

[djshiva]

Yes m8 but isnt ableton used for taking "parts" of your track and mixing them together?

So how would say me be able to do that if I didnt make the track I'm playing, I just have an mp3...

When ppl on this thread say MP3 I assume they mean Serato or Tracktor, not some creative software PRODUCERS use to mix up the parts of their productions. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I just get the impression that ppl who dont know (and should) say oh its easy, not beat matching involved. That’s just ignorant and in this day and ages ppl should know the technology that is supporting their scene!

If ppl use ableton to mix other ppls tracks then that’s just sad, where is the skill involved in pushing a button... I bought Serato cos I wanted to mix my MP3's but without losing the record and mixing feel, they were my ONLY reasons for buying it, not cos it has a sync button. Been mixing 15yrs, I can beat match fine thanks!

well, to clarify, yes, you can mix other people's tunes in ableton. yes it syncs them after you do the work to make that happen. and no, it doesn't inherently make you less creative or less skilled, it just frees you up to do other little creative bits. and with ableton, you can basically jam live, cue up tracks, be spontaneous, cue up tunes before you drop them, add effects and should you so desire, make drum loops and add textures or synth bits as you play.

and while some use it because they are lazy and do not want to mix, some use it because we find we can really bring the level up a notch by reworking tunes, cutting loops and just generally getting silly. anyone who tells me that is not creative has their head firmly inserted in their ass.

pardon if i get a little defensive about it. i have been spinning, on decks, with vinyl, for 12 years. i know how to beatmatch (well) and i know how to dj (well). i just decided to try new elements and found it is a lot of fun.

actually, i will add a quote i read earlier in this thread, because it summed it all up to me.

"the electric guitar will destroy music."

music, djing and performance will survive as long as creativity is involved in the process. fear does nothing but cause needless debates. we should spend less time debating the merits of technology in djing, and more time making tunes and putting them in the mix whichever way we see fit.

firstly i dont really like ableton in the mix coz dont you have to have the entire set planned out in advance?

no. you don't. some lazy fucks line their whole set up in arrange and then just play with knobs and THAT is laziness to me. in the session view, you can set up a cue channel, listen and drop whatever tune you want, whenever you want. you can even loop a tune on the fly, if you really dig a bit in, say the middle...loop that, drop some dub echo on it for fun, geek out for a little, unloop it and let the bass drop, then go through your collection, pick a tune that works with it, cue it up and give it a listen to make sure, and then drop that fucker in. i have been djing on vinyl for so long, i would get bored if i did not have the option to drop tunes on the fly.

the thing is, live was made with live performance in mind, so the ability to be spontaneous is actually its STRONG point.

[metalboxproducts]

the thing is, live was made with live performance in mind, so the ability to be spontaneous is actually its STRONG point.

[[b]racket]

Ahhh man this thread is giving me proper jokes

How can ppl on here (and some who really should know) think that just cos you mix mp3's its synced for ya.

cus if u use ableton it is

You still have to do a large amount of prep work though. It ain't like you rip your vinyl staright into Live and its already synced for you.

I have spent hours recording and warping tracks in Ableton for a dubstep set which i'm probably never gonna play cos I love vinyl too much...The option is there for me though.

[konehed]

big up ya thumbstickles

[metalboxproducts]

Ahhh man this thread is giving me proper jokes

How can ppl on here (and some who really should know) think that just cos you mix mp3's its synced for ya.

cus if u use ableton it is

You still have to do a large amount of prep work though. It ain't like you rip your vinyl staright into Live and its already synced for you.

I have spent hours recording and warping tracks in Ableton for a dubstep set which i'm probably never gonna play cos I love vinyl too much...The option is there for me though.

I find it quite haed to sync some tracks to be honest. It does take a while to do it. I think a lot of people are under the misconception that it requires no work and it just syns automaticlly. Wish it fuckind did..

[konehed]

ive spent hundreds more hours working with live than i ever did with vinyl

far more satisfying as well although the physical act of vinyl dj'ing can be quite satisfying

the sonic possibilites of ableton are light years beyond what 2 or 3 decks and a mixer can do...

[[b]racket]

the sonic possibilites of ableton are light years beyond what 2 or 3 decks and a mixer can do...

This is the main reson why i would move to using Live more - that and the fact that carrying the record bag is taking its toll.

Plus i would still being buying the vinyl and encoding it myself. I don't buy files...

[djshiva]

i love being able to have as many "decks" as i want! and not dragging around a 50 lb. bag. i still have to do that with my techno, but hey...may as well cut the back problems in half when i can...

and i do buy files when they are available, simply because i do not have to deal with turntable drift. makes warping easier. sometimes tho, ya just gotta rip the vinyl...

[pompende]

firstly i dont really like ableton in the mix coz dont you have to have the entire set planned out in advance?

No, you don't. If that was the case I'd be hating on it!

ah! cheers for the clarify!


@sapphicbeats
dont think anyone is going on about fear or saying that digital djing cant be creative. i think that some people just really like vinyl.
i love massaging it.
really, though, 12 years, i cant speak to that. I guess i can check back in 10yr and you can tell me how many of those mp3s you still have and then i can tell you whether or not ive gotten bored of vinyl.

[djshiva]

firstly i dont really like ableton in the mix coz dont you have to have the entire set planned out in advance?

No, you don't. If that was the case I'd be hating on it!

ah! cheers for the clarify!


@sapphicbeats
dont think anyone is going on about fear or saying that digital djing cant be creative. i think that some people just really like vinyl.
i love massaging it.
really, though, 12 years, i cant speak to that. I guess i can check back in 10yr and you can tell me how many of those mp3s you still have and then i can tell you whether or not ive gotten bored of vinyl.

oh believe me, i will never bore of vinyl. i still spin records more often than i use ableton...don't misunderstand me on that. i love the smell of it, the breaking of the vinyl wrap for the first time, the feel of the grooves under my fingers, the dots on the side of the platter...all of it. for pete's sake, i have the pitch dots from a technics turntable tattooed on my arm! vinyl is in my life to stay. i just want to expand on what i can do with it. that's really at the heart of it all.

[mudda]

A topic latecomer as ever...

For the past 6 years I've only ever used 2 decks and a mixer. That's not to say I prefer that particular method of mixing records but it's the only way I know. Until I bought my beloved 1210s I wasn't able to be creative with vinyl, and so until I get hold of a MacBook Pro and some software I won't be going down that road.

However, there are many aspects of Ableton, Final Scratch, Serrato or Traktor that I really want to try (given the time, money or opportunity).

As long as what you gain in terms of portability and flexibility (and the sheer ability to make/download tunes 30 minutes before a set and still play it out) is maintained in good selection and mixing, then i don't see the problem. Horses for courses INNART.

I saw Jazzy Jeff play a 90 minute set off his Final Scratch-loaded PowerMac, 2 decks and a mixer and it didn't take anything away from his skills.

Oh, and for the record, Ben UFO spins his vinyl off the top of milk churners being rotated by maids, adjusting the volume with connecting strips of leather. Ye Olde School.

[djl]

The other skill you have to learn apart from beatmatching is playing out to a live audience. You need to be able to read the crowd and keep them dancing or if some people look like they are knackered you bring it down a bit etc. The people who get into a 'zone' like youngsta or geeneus are good at feeling the atmosphere in a room and, connecting with the crowd, and then taking them somewhere else. The real top djs are good at this. Don't think it matters what equipment you use to do that.