HELP! - Bright ideas needed - (mp3 DJing - ugh)

[Khazul]

OK - so some mates are thinking of throwing a big new year party and muttering about me DJing for a large part of it - something I havnt done for years, apart when pissed and on other peoples rigs - seems some idiots actually like my inane frigging around.

So these days I have stacks of CDs, mp3s etc, a computer and no DJIng rig whatsoever these days, nor any of my old vinyl.

Any bright ideas for a decent computer based system that can run of MP3s, allows for fine speed control (for matching) and includes or works with a useful hardware controller for the job?

I have no current plans to buy a CD/MP3 rig, though hiring my be an option - Pioneer DJM600/800+CD decks rig for eg as Im vaguely familar with them.

But anyway - Ive been think for a while about options for getting back into mix cds, remixing etc so wondering if there exists these day a viable software approach for MP3s. My #1 need is good hand on cntrol and very fine pitch control - I like to do long transitions sometimes and dont like to have to mess around with pitch all the time once im synced (as you do with most CD decks with their crappy jumpy pitch controls).

Oh yeh - justy to throw another spanner inthe works - would be nice if such software could output a midi beat clock via a midi interface - might make some use of the MD and TI on the night as I doing a couple of tracks for it and may decide to do parts of them live and otherwise add a bit of MD looping abuse.

All ears for ideas

ta all (god help me...)

[Gopal]

Um...Everything you are trying to do is possible but it's not worth the investment for one night out.

For example combining Ableton, Serato Scratch and a redsound beat extractor, I can achieve all those things you've mentioned above in the studio, but you aren't gonna be able to hire all that stuff for a night.

Have a think about using Ableton for most of it...but you will probably have to scrap the hardware integration idea.

[theMusicMan]

I bought my lad one of these for his 16th birthday this year. It mixes MP3's, crossfades, splits, ff/rw, tempo changes etc - and does all this from under direct or Laptop control... is a super thing I feel for the price.

http://www.behringer.com/BCD2000/index.cfm?lang=ENG

[ledge]

traktor dj studio does everything your after but if you don't want to use the key board to control it you need a midi controller of some sort.

But it isn't cheap.

[Khazul]

I would definately need a good controller of some kind - you know me - hate directly intereracting with computers - allways prefer the right hardware insterfaces instead

Will take a look at tracktor... ta - wonder if that behringer controller (above) can be used with it...

Big question I gues is it something That will remain useful for long term, mix CDs etc - else not worth spending loot on it....

[AlexHall74]

Bro, you NEED to check out Virtual DJ!!!

http://www.virtualdj.com

It does all you ask and more. It's user interface kills Traktor and Serrato and PCDJ. It does alot more too ala samples, FX, etc. You can even control video with it and mix video like MP3s! Kick ass!

There are a few different options of licensure and hence different tiers of cost.

Honestly, you do not even need a MIDI controller to do a one night stand with this app. It is so damn easy and intuitive.

(1) Buy the basic package
(2) What type of soundcard are you using? If only a RealTek or onboard soundcard you cannot cue. 2 soundcards is the way to go.

If you have only one soundcard get an iGriffin <Google for it> as it is a very inexpensive but effective USB soundcard with 1/8" stereo in/out. This device will let you send your main outs to your friends home stereo system and allow ytou to CUE through the iGriffin.

NOTE: For the main outs you can also get a 1/8"->RCA pair crossover cable ($15 U.S.) and then connect that to the TAPE IN of any mixer, then send the sound to a PA system or Active Speakers.

Virtual Dj is the only software package that superimposes both sound waves of 2 tracks on top of each other, in different colors. The benefit of this is that you can "see" the big waves of each track and really fine tune a crossfade in a hurry if you have to.

I have a small DJ business here, and I use VDJ with a Maya 44 mkii soundcard (4in/4out, 1/4" TRS connectors/PCI card) so I can send one output to my headphones and the other I use a stereo splitter and go right out to my Carvin PM15A active speakers. The inputs of the Maya 44 can be used to receive timecode from your 1200s if you have the VDJ timecoded vinyls ($40 for 2). Or, you can buy a really nice PCDJ DAC3 MIDI controller (about $350) to control all of the functions of VDJ from an interface that is just like using 2 CD players.

Download the demo now and give it a whirl. You will shit your pants with glee because it is so fun, so easy, and so powerful a program.

Feel free to shout at me if you need any more info.

Regards,

-Alex

[Khazul]

Cheers mate

Not a one night stand really - more a kick off - get back to my roots kind of thing - I got conned into it while pissed and thought why the hell not - lol

For sound card - Ill be using some ASIO thing - probably one of my DAW firewire interfaces.

Wasnt sure about the auto bpm stuff - Im used to doing it by ear on a split cue to my headphones - just tried the NI package - for a bit - OMG - thats cheating - lol

On hardware control - I do need some hardware control though cos of the way I like to mix - cant be messing with EQ and faders with a mouse at the same time - I tend to stick with the channel faders and EQ rather than use the cross fader for anything other than rapid switching beats while in sync - cant do any of that with a mouse...

Also do need the BPM out so save tapping out tempos on the MD - its nice but can be a pain to sync it up sometimes...

Anyway - wil take a look at that as well - never realised how DJing has also changed so much... been a very long time apart from the occasional ad-hoc night...

[Gopal]

Originally Posted by Khazul

- never realised how DJing has also changed so much... been a very long time apart from the occasional ad-hoc night...

It hasn't, that's not DJing

[AlexHall74]

If you want hardware control there is also the option of getting a Numark CM200 USB mixer.

It has several inputs, 2 of which are USB direct from a computer, no soundcard required, pretty cool!

That way you have all the hardware control you're used to and only have to use the mouse for track selection and any samples/FX you want to trigger.

The firewire ASIO soundcard is a good thing to have in any case.

[Khazul]

Just tried Virtual DJ - it seems to lack alot of the useful features of tracktor - detailed info on songs, BPM etc...

Though as you you say - *alot* closer to the basics - very easy to cue up and if I just manually pitch tweak to get a target BPM - then I seem to get very good lock with the MD without bothering with midi sync (I wish Cubase could remain that tight...??? - wtf is it with DAWs these days...). The BPM engine in it and beat indicators allmost let you get away without a split cue monitor - nice when you really know the two tracks.

With an external mixer - this may actually suit me alot better - kind of feels closer to what Im used to.


On USB mixer - I wouldnt touch USB audio with a barge pole - LOL - we all know that story around here

Will be running everything out via my Firewire audio interface (have upto 16 channels @ 2.5ms latency) - and it looks like into an external DJ mixer as my main mixer is a digital with motorised faders which is crap for DJing - would fry the motors

Any suggestion for a decent 4 channel hardware mixer that doesnt sound like shit and has nice deep EQs? The two mixers I am most used these days to are pioneer DJM600 and more recently the DJM800 as a mate has one - dont want to spend that much though of course - unless a 600 comes up cheap second hand and the faders are still ok.