DJs?

[arem]

i'd love to get a crash course in DJing and beatmatching.

since im not in a band right now and don't assume im going to be, i'd really like to learn just the basics so i can open some of the shows that play locally, crowd hype mostly.

can anyone point me in the right direction? i'd have to get equipment i know, but im very interested.

DJing isn't something you can learn without getting your hands on some turntables. The hardest part to learn physically is coordinating your hands and ears, and there's no way to fake the mechanics of it (at least not until you know how to do it already). You can't pick it up by watching videos, so befriend someone with equipment and bribe them to let you get on their tables. It's like any other instrument, you have to put in time to sound good.

[Analyst]

Been DJing since 1997 but have taken a two-year break since moving overseas. All my gear and records are now in storage back in the mid-atlantic.

Pretty standard set up:

2X Technic 1200s (10 yrs)

Vestax PMC-07

Ortofons DJ S

Started playing drum&bass/jungle and eventually moved to breaks. Played out at some small private parties but mostly just resigned to just being a bedroom DJ.

I miss hunting for records back in the day at Music Now/Yoshitoshi/12" Dance Records in DC and 611 in Phili. Used to also order from 3 Beat (UK) and Breakbeat Science in NYC.

[thelaststarfighter]

started dj'ing when i was 14, numark tt1650s and a low end vestax pmc mixer. stopped for a while and started producing, now getting back.

setup is digital now: traktor, behringer bmc2000, korg padkontrol.

using controllers to keep myself busy live instead of just clicking.

hopefull gonna start opening shows in chicago soon

[Guest JAFAR]

I Dj with a friend. We simply use our own tracks and play them live on the mac with ableton and mix them with a couple of the newest remixes coming out before our shows (Van she, kissy sell out, VNDLSM, etc). We use a KP3 for effects and its really a fun tool but we also use a midi controller for better filters or equalizers. We also have a VJ always with us wich really attracts people to our shows. We only begun last summer and still havent made enough money to get the best things on the market, maybe soon.

[AK47]

I have a Numark IDJ2, I bought it because I always listen to my ipod and I wanted to start DJing. I dont know anyone who djs with turntables around my area and I didn't have the money for a pair of technics but I have always been interested. I also dont have the time or money for vinyl. Its really fun I played at my friends basement party and it kicked ass!

[mike lowrey]

I've been a bedroom dj (or, well, living room) for the past 6-7 years, not a very good mixer or scratcher, mostly just playing.

I've only played a few events and parties but love to do it though, just haven't had much time and opportunities. and my record collection is really small, sold most stuff at some point, got some stuff, sold some again... now I have a few dozen albums and singles. I've started collecting more indie/rock stuff, especially singles.

used to have Stanton decks, now Technics with a Stanton mixer.

[onemancult]

a laptop running whatever and a mouse and whatever midi controller is lying around.

i dont call myself a dj.

[seraphim]

II play minimal techno twice a week and dnb on wednesdays.

'you call your music minimal, but ah i call it simple'

www.myspace.com/ladywaks

currently waiting on getting a free pair of technics repaired.

[emaze]

I'm a dj/producer right now, working at three spots in the NYC. (Love, Room Service, & Apt.) I use to work for a number of years at the mecca of Deep house music Club Shelter. That's where I got my schooling on Classics, disco, and Paradise Garage music. I spin a bit of everything...

2 technic's 1200 turntables

Urei 1620 mixer

Vestax 05 q-bert mixer

Serato

Ableton

Logic Platinum

Pro Tools

MPC 2000

Mac 12inch Labtop

and thousands of records in my apt. and in storage...

[xcoldricex]

bedroom dj. started off scratching in the mid-90s. did some stuff in college, did some small places in asia. maybe doing stuff again for fun.

2 1200m3d - modded to straight arms haha

rane ttm56

serato

been through most of the older vestax mixers 05, 05isp, 06isp, 07, etc. the rane owns all of them.

[soraanaam]

bedroom dj. started off scratching in the mid-90s. did some stuff in college, did some small places in asia. maybe doing stuff again for fun.

same here, where in asia though? I was mostly in china

[Tisswat]

I DJ'ed in some clubs and parties in Amsterdam from around '94 to 2000 but I got fed up with kissing ass and pushing demo tapes. I played house and techno - anything ranging from Masters at Work, Todd Terry and European club to Carl Craig, Dave Clarke and Cari Lekebusch. I haven't touched the decks in years. I was featured on Dutch television once, but I didn't tape it (bummer!). Still have all the old flyers from the parties I played and I treasure my vinyl collection. There's some good stuff in there.

A pair of SL1200s and a Dateq mixer was my favorite setup. I'd love to have a set in my living room again, but I don't have enough space now. It's on my list though.

[Analyst]

I'm a dj/producer right now, working at three spots in the NYC. (Love, Room Service, & Apt.) I use to work for a number of years at the mecca of Deep house music Club Shelter. That's where I got my schooling on Classics, disco, and Paradise Garage music. I spin a bit of everything...

2 technic's 1200 turntables

Urei 1620 mixer

Vestax 05 q-bert mixer

Serato

Ableton

Logic Platinum

Pro Tools

MPC 2000

Mac 12inch Labtop

and thousands of records in my apt. and in storage...

Is this when Shelter was being thrown at Club Vinyl? I used to go to the Body and Soul parties there on Sunday afternoon to hear Francois K play deep/tribal/classic house. This is way back in the day.

[emaze]

Is this when Shelter was being thrown at Club Vinyl? I used to go to the Body and Soul parties there on Sunday afternoon to hear Francois K play deep/tribal/classic house. This is way back in the day.

-yeah good ol' club vinyl, how I miss that space...I also worked when they moved to club speed in midtown. now shelter is down the block from my apt. downtown... but I never go there.

Body N' Soul is doing a reunion party MKL weekend here...

[xcoldricex]

Started playing drum&bass/jungle and eventually moved to breaks. Played out at some small private parties but mostly just resigned to just being a bedroom DJ.

I miss hunting for records back in the day at Music Now/Yoshitoshi/12" Dance Records in DC and 611 in Phili. Used to also order from 3 Beat (UK) and Breakbeat Science in NYC.

damn didn't know you were a dj too. next time in in bkk we definitely have to meet up - i should've went to chiangmai last year for NYE...

i used to shop at all those places too... used to be into dnb but never played it at a club or anything. i should get into breaks though - wanna pm me some good stuff to get?

[emaze]

xcoldricex... if you're ever in NYC you should check out The Secret Night of Science party. It's a monthly DnB party in NYC started by DJ DB.

[DaBestSpoona]

bedroom dj, not so much since I got married

1200s

ttm56

serato

macbook pro

mostly 90's hiphop, reggae, and bossa nova

[jeepster]

DJing isn't something you can learn without getting your hands on some turntables. The hardest part to learn physically is coordinating your hands and ears, and there's no way to fake the mechanics of it (at least not until you know how to do it already). You can't pick it up by watching videos, so befriend someone with equipment and bribe them to let you get on their tables. It's like any other instrument, you have to put in time to sound good.

i actually just got some tables and a mixer from a friend who doesn't use them, strictly to borrow and experiment with until i can get my own, so i'm gonna learn the basics from a friend who does small time stuff, nothing special. think they're stanton's. i'm gonna try and master the basics (i mean basic) over the next two months cause i've been offered to open up for Cobra Starship (not my thing) at the local teen center in late january, so i wanna at least know how to do a proper live mix.

[xcoldricex]

xcoldricex... if you're ever in NYC you should check out The Secret Night of Science party. It's a monthly DnB party in NYC started by DJ DB.

when is it in dec.?

[Yakboy Equals Nurturer]

Been DJing since the early- to mid-90s. Used to play in clubs and bars before moving to NYC, but these days I generally just spin at home or at the occasional house party. The scene here seemed to have so many more people who wanted it more and I always had a day job to pay the rent. Still kind of miss it though, despite the fact that at the last club I played at I got into a fist fight in the DJ booth and the promoter ripped me off

Tastes have moved around over the years and depending on mood I'll drop anything from acid house, Chicago house and Detroit techno to old school rave, darkcore and early jungle to 2-step, grime and dubstep to bleepy German shit to dub. I genuinely don't think I'd still love music as much as I do now if I hadn't spent time DJing. No matter how shitty a mood I might be in, going record shopping or digging through my crates and mixing for an hour or two never fails to cheer me up. Have never been able to scratch for shit, although I'm sure I could've put more of an effort into practicing

[djonno]

ive been "bedroom" djing for about 6-7 months now and have gotten pretty damn good at it. right now im in the process of finding a place to play.

i mix mostly trance and deep or tech trance, but im trying to get into dnb. i want to find a good place to dl some good dnb sets though, so i can get a good sense of whats going on in dnb mixing. (anyone with some good recommendations for such a place, speak up)

equipz:

2 x numark pro tt2

1 x behringer vmx

[emaze]

when is it in dec.?

Dec. 7 (friday)

http://www.musicislove.net/dec07.html

[TheBrokeDJ]

ahhhhh, i was waiting for a thread like this.

was a bedroom dj for 2 years. finally started playing out about 2 years ago. just house parties and college gigs. jump on the decks every now and then when i leech onto one of my friend's gigs at a more established club or bar. spin mostly hip hop, since my roots were in turntablism, but i'd rather get into electro....

2 numark tt-x

vestax pmc05 v3

2 shure m44-7

serato

dell 700m

who spins in nyc?

[yea!]

i spin down here in florida at a few spots, one monthly party a few friends and i throw, and most of my time is spent bedroom deejaying for the last 3 years.

i just picked up serato, it's fucking nuts. i've been spinning on 2 pioneer cdj200's and a djm800 mixer mainly. i've got 2 vestax pdx2000's that are now back into rotation due to serato, cdj's are getting sold. but fuck, i've been "spinning" in ableton lately and i'm thinking about bringing it live with a uc33 or something. institubes style. it's just too sick.

[Tisswat]

I got into a fist fight in the DJ booth

This reminds me of something similar that happened to me too once. I think it was 97. I was playing at an after party around 10 in the morning. Some French bar tender or PA guy or whatever came up in the booth. He started going through the pile of jackets yelling "I lost my passporrrrt!!" I couldn't reach my records because of him, so I told him to move. He jumped up and grabbed my throat yelling in my face that he just lost everything he had. What the fuck? Luckily other people stepped in and told him to get the fuck out of the DJ booth. After he left empty handed and everyone just started laughing. I still don't know what that was all about. Maybe he lost a kilo coke in there or something. Or maybe he just shouldn't do drugs.

Man I got really tired of playing at after parties with 90% of the people out of their minds. It gets so annoying when you are sober yourself.

I still miss DJ'ing everyday though.

[jeepster]

anyone know a good US online store where i could find good 12" singles (for example Klaxons Atlantis to Interzone) for reasonable prices? it doesn't have to be necessarily online, but i can't get into the city with ease to go record shopping often. thanks for any help.

[Eccles]

Dunno about Klaxons but Turntable Lab is a good online store

[jeepster]

Dunno about Klaxons but Turntable Lab is a good online store

i poked around there last night. i'll delve deeper now. thanks.

[Eccles]

If you fancy ordering from further afield some good UK stores are Piccadilly and Phonica where I get most of my vynil and I think have the sort of stuff your looking for

[jeepster]

well the problem is, im paying a lot more since its UK, which is never too cool when you're a broke ass kid like me