anyone got any advice?

I love denons, the 3500’s are the shit

I just got my first set of decks a month ago. They’re Pioneer and it’s the set that comes in the battle kit… I know, lame ass box set… It turns out they’re sturdy little direct drive decks with amazing pitch control.. be it a bit limited in range. The only complaints I have are that the needles are absolute crap and the sliders on the mixer are super stiff. I forgot to mention, they’re super cheep.

I need acapella from

ralph falcon – i need somone

im knew to this so i dont know if im in the right place lol

I’d recommend CDJ’s as well. Turntables are great if you want to scratch and if you have Serato but it may cost more – especially if you don’t already have a laptop.

keep it real

Start off with directdrive turntables & 3/4 channel and build from there.

You’ll get a feel of your wants/needs after that.

If you’re already making beats you’ll probably want to play them – get final scratch or similar so you can play vinyls and your tunes.

I play out over in the UK, when your playing an all night set (6 hours) vinyl becomes to bulky I find, CDJ’s are the way forward and any decent club you play in should have an install including CDJ’s these days

It depends on what you are wanting to play. You could always go the Serato route…..or….cds…either way just get good stuff. No sense in getting some cheap ish and have it not hold up on you. I would suggest…2 technic 1200’s, Rane TTM 56 mixer, and some M447 needles….that’s if you are trying to go with a turntablist, party rocker feel. This setup is really designed for the scratch dj that also knows how to throw down a dope party set. If you are more into House or electronic music in general….stay with the Technic 1200’s for sure. As for a mixer….maybe check into Pioneer ones.

i bought my cdj-800s in 2003 and they still run like a champ. if you are making your own beats I’d say atleast go cdj800 or better and whatever mixer u got make sure its gotta real loose fader and atleast hi-mid-low eq’s and you’re pretty much good 2 go, I’ve made over 27 mixtapes in my career and done evrything from grimey houseparties to celebrity afterparties to strip clubs, and I’m still runnin the same 2 tables. Dont get me wrong..I LOVE the sound of vinyl, but its just so much more to carry and its hard getting stuff pressed rather then just burning it to a cd in less then 5 min at your own home, plus you can carry like 400 cds in the space it would take you to carry 30 vinyls, just think, atleast half of your audience should be femalez right?, do you really think females care if u spinnin vinyl or cd? or do you think they’d rather hear that song you happened to bring cuz u got like 50x more storage space for music w/cds? think $$$ and how u are gonna be makin it playa, this is almost 2008, things gotta change eventually to the DIGITAL age… I believe if u can manually mix (not virtual dj pc bull-ish) and you keep your crowd movin, no1 can hate on you 4 anything cuz u’r duin your job

use cdj’s so you don’t have to have vinyl pressed to play your own productions

Well, for me my dad got me into Djing since he has been Djing for quite a while now. I recommend that you first get some money because to be a good DJ, you have to have good equipment.

Also, Let’s face it, there is a lot to learn when you start anything new. Becoming a DJ is no exception. You’ll have to know about cartridges, needles, mixers and tables. You’ll need to learn what pitch and tempo is and how to scratch or beatmix. In many peoples opinions, the best possible way to learn all of the aspects of becoming a DJ is watch someone. Find a mentor or someone to study under. A lot of DJs are willing to lend a hand to people trying to get into the art in exchange for helping carry gear at a gig perhaps. Maybe you can wash their car every week in exchange for some hands on training. The best way to become a DJ is to learn from a DJ hands on.

There aren’t many schools that will teach you how to become a DJ. The art of being a DJ is more of an underground movement. Nightclubs, parties, weddings, there are many events where DJs can show off their skills, but you’ll rarely see it taught in a classroom. The best DJ teachers are the ones with the experience. The DJs who have been mixing and spinning for many successful years. The art of scratching may be overrated by some as well. Some DJs just don’t have a need to do it. If you plan on becoming a DJ for weddings, the bride and groom probably don’t want to hear a DJ scratching away. They just want the music to keep playing all night. It all depends on what kind of DJ you plan to become. If you want to battle, or DJ at hot night clubs or hip-hop grooves, you will probably want to learn how to scratch. When you decide to become a DJ, don’t be afraid to try everything, the more talents you have, the more job opportunities are available.

The single greatest piece of advice that can be given to someone starting out is — PRACTICE! Many aspects of DJing are reasonably intuitive and will present themselves the more you practice. The core of being this sort of entertainer is being able to work your music. Learn your songs well, and get your beatmixing down solid. A natural progression will start from there.

From my experience and listening to other professional DJs, I’ve learned that most decisions are personal choices which only you can make. If you find yourself unsure about what direction you want to take, examine both for yourself. Its not nearly as easy as someone telling you "decision X is the best way to go," but you will be much more confident in your choice and will have much less room for bad decisions. The first few questions you have to ask yourself are common amongst beginners.

1. Do I really want to do this?
This may seem like a terribly odd question to be asking, but it is something that you need to evaluate carefully. DJing requires a lot of time, energy, money, and patience. If you aren’t sure you have these sort of facilities, avoid making any commitments until you are sure.

2. What sort of equipment do I need to start with?
If you aren’t sure about whether this is something you want to seriously pursue — don’t buy anything. Find a friend who’ll let you use their equipment and practice on it a bit. (Don’t forget to take them out to dinner in exchange!) Once you’re sure you want to get into this some more, be ready to drop serious money on gear. Professional level gear should run you about $1000 to get started. This will include either a pair of turntables or a pair of CD players, and a mixer. You can use a home stereo as your amps and speakers while you get started. If you aren’t sure that you’re going to be doing this for the long haul and can’t drop $1000 for equipment, then skimp as much as you can and save for the real stuff once you’re sure. This means getting turntables with minimum features (ie: Gemini XL-BD10’s) and a simple mixer. If you’re going to spin CDs, this becomes tough real quick… the minimum priced pitch control CD decks are from Gemini and cost about $250 a piece. They are good starter decks, but moving up to better CD players in the future is something to seriously consider. Bottom line: Spend the least you can if you aren’t sure. Buy the real stuff as soon as you can afford it and are sure that’s the direction you want to take. And don’t forget to buy a pair of good headphones! You can get them from Circuit City or similar stores for about $40 for a decent pair.

DJs – Equipment You’ll Need/Skills/Tips and Tricks

If you wanna be a DJ, you’ve got to have the right mixing equipment.

1. The music (vinyl records, CDs, MP3s). You need a LOT of music to DJ. You will get many requests while you DJ and many people will be let down if you dont have their favorite tunes. Remember, the music you get all depends on they type of Dj you are planning on becoming. I’m a Club and events DJ so I need songs for weddings as well as current songs. A good music library to start DJing would be around 5,000 songs. But 10,000 is recommended.
2. Two turntables (or decks).
3. A sound system for amplifying the music, like portable speakers.
4. A mixer to mix the sounds from the two decks.
5. Microphone and Lights, Lights are very important because they create a dance-able atmosphere. Laserz are good too, but they bother some peoples eyes so I would recommend them.
6. Headphones to listen to one recording while the other is playing.
7. Other types of equipment can be added, like samplers, drum machines and laptop computers. I would also recommend and MP3 player like an iPod, they can hold a ton of music and also they make searching for music real easy and quick. Also, if you get a laptop and then get a song request you don’t have, you can easily download it on the spot. Very useful if you really need the song.
8. A means of transporting all your equipment, like a pickup truck or a rental van.
9. Mixing Programs – these are great for making premade mixes before parties, that way you have the whole party on one song/mix and you wont have to worry about transitions and songs. It would be good to go over this mix once made, to make sure their are no mistakes. This also useful to cut through the boring parts of music, or the common breaks in techno music.
10. Learn about all genres of music. Often you may know of a couple hit songs in a few genres but that is not enough. Try going to sites that try to help independent labels. Often these sites have songs that are free and therefore you are able to sample before downloading. Also make sure you learn about all the hit songs in most genres because those will be the ones that the crowd recognizes and most likely they will like it if it’s a hit.
11.Download all of the music you think four out of five people like and can be danced to. By doing this it encourages even those who don’t particularly like the song to go with the flow and dance to it.
12.Play a song you think a group of friends might like. If eighty percent or more say they liked it then you correctly associated the song to the group.
13.Develop your charisma. Try to be a someone that attracts attention in a good way when necessary. Also know when to step back and let the group dynamic take over. Constantly vying for attention will make people uncomfortable.
14.Learn party games designed for a memorable experience while eliminating a large number of people last.
15.Take requests for songs to play and if you don’t know a song just look it up on your laptop or ipod. If you still can’t find the song then don’t play it.
16.Focus more on learning the danceable genres of music vs. say emo rock which as most people familiar with the style will tell you is strictly for listening to.
17. Another good peice of quipment one you start getting a decent income from DJing is to get a mobile projector. That way you can display videos and DJ at the same time.
18.Divide different styles into different sections. Put the slower songs at the beginning, eating time, and at the end. The jazzy songs go at the middle of the party, while the heavier songs go after meal time and before it.
19.Do not try to get a party involved at lunch as this is when people just want talk and eat.
20.Never play a majority of fast songs at a wedding. This will take away from the specialness of it.
21.Do not play a majority of slow songs at a gathering of kids. They will get bored fast.
22. Your primary goal should always be to satisfy the person who pays for the DJ service. Even if he/she is a jerk.

Also, their are some styles in which you should DJ and ask the person who payed what he/she wants.

• Strictly Sophisticated. The reserved, "prim & proper" low key style.
Basically, no talking on the microphone except for any planned introductions or required announcements. Talking is done in a clear, monotone type voice. This style allows for strict time-lines and pre-formatted music programs.

• Pleasant and Nice. The "most requested style".
Smile, say nice things, do any introductions and your approved "asked for" announcements. Talking is done in a positive "today is your special day" type voice. Everything done in good taste, nothing cheesy. This style offers the most flexibility during the reception. Plus, more song requests from family, wedding party and guests could get played.

• Interactive and Fun. The high energy "party style".
Similar to a club/bar DJ actively motivating people for dancing & celebrating. Talking is usually done in a very upbeat "this is the greatest day of your life!" type voice. Dance music would be designed to put and keep people on the dance floor, meaning there’s a good chance that fewer requests from family, wedding party and guests would get played.

• Strictly Sophisticated to start. Then later, Pleasant and Nice.
The "play it safe style", avoiding any chance that your DJ might be considered obnoxious.

Okay, so you have all your equipment but were do you start?

After practicing with your equipment, Ask a friend who has a party that you were invited to if you can do a free gig there. This will allow you to observe the crowd’s reaction to you. Contact your local youth and leisure service and see if they are planning to run any events. If not, see what else they can suggest within your local region. Look out in your local library and papers for events, go to local schools to see if they are having any parties and volunteer to DJ for them. Look around, or ask relatives if they are having Birthday parties, weddings, or general parties and are in need of a DJ.If DJing is right for you then begin to get a few small gigs at a price much lower than an experienced DJ would charge. A few ideas are a senior center dance in which you will be exposed to different music tastes than yours, a dance at a local youth center such as the Boys and Girls Club, and maybe a company gathering.

Their are many opportunities in the DJing world. Once you are a serious DJ with many years experience you can go to local clubs and see if they are looking to hire a DJ. After the smaller gigs if you still want to do it then partner with a few people and start your own business or work for an existing one.

Later you can build yourself up from their and even go to DJ for big time celebrities. The possibilities are endless.

Once you have made contacts then try and publicize yourself and get gigs. Remember that everyone has to start from the bottom, so try and take anything that if offered to you and you never know what might result.

Hope you enjoyed this.

And one more thing, always remember to have fun. =]

Without hi-jacking this post…Skyline Ace has officially* posted the longest topic.

*[size size=59:29okrasz]as far as I know.[/size:29okrasz]