I'm going to be a DJ, should I know anything more about it? - General

I don't see why you bought a brand new macbook though. How do you be a [b]Disk Jockey[/b] when there are no disks involved? [media]http://makemoney357.com/uploaded_images/how-much-money-do-disc-jockeys-make-789342.jpg[/media]

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Why would you get mixers if you didn't get at least a pair of fucking turntables.

This sounds like the OP just looked up "DJ Equipment" in google and got every device he could grab just right before he signed the contract to his "first gig". No. Scratch that. AFTER he got the "contract".

[QUOTE=rampageturke;25440409]I don't see why you bought a brand new macbook though. How do you be a [b]Disk Jockey[/b] when there are no disks involved? [media]http://makemoney357.com/uploaded_images/how-much-money-do-disc-jockeys-make-789342.jpg[/media][/QUOTE] I didn't buy a MacBook for DJing, its my main computer.

Do I even want to know what these "good speakers" are?

[QUOTE=nubscaper;25440495]Do I even want to know what these "good speakers" are?[/QUOTE] Probably a pair of old PC speakers.

The term "DJ" is too loosely thrown around now.

If you're Michael Keaton's son, you need to be bisexual to be a DJ

[QUOTE=rampageturke;25440409]I don't see why you bought a brand new macbook though. How do you be a [b]Disk Jockey[/b] when there are no disks involved? [media]http://makemoney357.com/uploaded_images/how-much-money-do-disc-jockeys-make-789342.jpg[/media][/QUOTE] becuz MACS r OMG SUpaahh!!! for muzik and potatochop :downs: But seriously OP, you're going to make a massive arse out of yourself at this "gig". You have no idea what you are doing at all it seems. Research and practice as a hobby before trying to make it a job.

Ditch the macbook.

Lets not turn this into a macs vs PCs thing.

OP, what about your audio interface? Does it even have the 4 line outs you are using there? Generally, you never need more than 2 decks. Actual mixing via the GUI is horrible so you will kind of need a mixer for that. That is, given you have 2 line outputs. A better variant would be a controller that enables you to use the software mixer just like a real one and is also a lot better to work with than a mouse. Seeing as you're just really playing mainstream stuff though, you could as well set up a playlist in iTunes and let the random button do it's magic.

Ok so it seems like you're not a real DJ. You just play records and hype the crowd, seems like it'd be should be easy.

I'm really confused, are you saying your equipment is essentially a pair of crossfaders? I'm not going to diss VirtualDJ, I go to a lot of raves where people use it on their laptops and do a damn good job, they can't do a lot but in terms of flat DJing it works. I'm using Ableton Live, not really a DJ program but it does the trick if you know how, I'm using an Akai APC40 connected to my Toshiba Satellite Pro a200 laptop outputting to either a 400 watt or 1.2 Kilowatt sound system. I'm just saying you'll need a lot, it's taken me years to get to where I am with my equipment and a lot of my skill (learning is easy, perfecting takes forever). If you want to know anything then I could show you some stuff, just PM me or summank.

[QUOTE=Kai365;25440894]I'm really confused, are you saying your equipment is essentially a pair of crossfaders? I'm not going to diss VirtualDJ, I go to a lot of raves where people use it on their laptops and do a damn good job, they can't do a lot but in terms of flat DJing it works. I'm using Ableton Live, not really a DJ program but it does the trick if you know how, I'm using an Akai APC40 connected to my Toshiba Satellite Pro a200 laptop outputting to either a 400 watt or 1.2 Kilowatt sound system. I'm just saying you'll need a lot, it's taken me years to get to where I am with my equipment and a lot of my skill (learning is easy, perfecting takes forever). If you want to know anything then I could show you some stuff, just PM me or summank.[/QUOTE] I'm in the same boat as him. Slightly different hardware setup, but I use ableton to mix live tracks. I started out with virtual DJ and a shitty console but I've worked my way up and learned about this kind of stuff for about 5 or 6 years now. I started as a bedroom DJ but now I'm actually doing some gigs, opening for people, etc. Its definitely fun and rewarding but it's a LOT of work.

Upload a video of you practicing, I'm sure many people would be able to give you advice from watching/listening to it.

Remember, its 10% skill, 90% what you play that counts. You can be the best damn beatmixer ever, but if you're playing hardstyle at a wedding with lots of old women, you're shit.

So you are basically beat mixing songs, something that most software can do automatically. I recomend learning how to create your own mixes, now I don't mean taking a few songs and just making nice transitions, which can sound great, but really only for something to put on your mp3 player whilst jogging. Create a beat, cut songs, mix genres, people seem to like mixing r&b with techno according to the top 40. Im not talking just sampling a song, creating a beat from scratch and all that. All you need to do is mix up an already popular song with another one, and if it's good, people will shit themselves. The equipment you have is pretty much for making transitions between songs, that's all good for normal djing, but people will love it if you have your own mashups of songs they already like.

[QUOTE=Ragy;25440076]You and every other little teenager who gets this little idea in their head from listening to too much music. It will pass.[/QUOTE] That's fucking retarded advice. How the hell do you think those musicians get to where they are? EVERYONE starts off as a shitty talentless kid who can't play anything. But through practise, dedication and perseverance, they manage to get in a band, write some music, get themselves noticed locally, get labelled, and if they try hard enough and make good enough music break the underground and get well known. Everyone is shit when they start. There's a difference between OP and others: He's actually doing it. At least he has a chance at getting somewhere, unlike those who just sit on their ass dreaming about how amazing it would be to be in a big famous band and getting nowhere. I mean yeah he doesn't seem to have a clue but if he tries and learns then he will.

[QUOTE=shaunyboyy;25439864]buy a already mixed cd, put it in deck. press play. viola, instant dj. no one will notice the difference, just play around with some un-used knobs on the mixer to make it look like you are doing somthing.[/QUOTE] this is what i do whenever i need cash

Macs are bad.

Start out with mixing some existing songs (or make your own) with ableton, fruityloops ect this is how you learn how music works and be able to mix them on the fly during a gig.