WHAT DO I NEED TO PERFORM LIVE

GK · Post by GK » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:58 pm

Hello everyone,

Bedroom djing is just find , but what happens when i need to go play at some bar/club/whatever ?

My only equipment is my laptop .

i Imagine for starters i need a GOOD QUALITY EXT sound card .. maybe with 4rca outs , and then a Mixer...

192bps mp3'z will do the job ? Or the sound in a LOUD soundsystem will suck?...

I need your professional experience and wisdom! Thanks!

GK · Post by GK » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:16 pm

ChiDJ · Post by **ChiDJ** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:01 pm

Get some records....

learn to mix.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:10 pm

No need for records! (Unless you're a turntablist... very different matter).

My 11 year old son figured how to beat-match with records in 10 minutes. IMO, it's an antiquated, simple "look at me" circus skill that gives DJs something to do other than flipping through their records, and will soon only be practised by those without the technical ability, skill, talent, and foresight to realize the potential of computers and Live. I personally wouldn't want to bank my future career on using record players (talented turntablists excepted).

All you need to start is your laptop. Get to know your computer and Live inside and out. Listen to lots of other mixes, even the ones you don't necessarily like. You can pick up lots of good tips and tricks. Mold your own style rather than just copying what everyone else is doing. If you hear an effect you like, figure out how to do it. Chances are you can do it right within Live.

If you warp your tracks and know them, there's no need to cue. If you want to, there are tons of interfaces out there, and most of them have probably been discussed on this forum.

MP3s vary hugely. Don't judge by bitrate only. It also depends on the content and the final intended result. You probably won't find many MP3s used for studio work, but live work is less demanding on quality. I personally never use MP3s less than 192kbps, and that's only when I don't have access to the AIFF/WAV. All of my Live files are AIFFs, even the ones that start as MP3s.

Hope that helps!

Klinikal · Post by **Klinikal** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:52 pm

You need the best quality mp3's as you can - I recommend 320kbps.

Also think about buying some good MIDI controller if you want to make some tweaks to the sound, live.

And If You are serious about DJing go for vinyl records - I think It's the only true DJ experience. There are tons of kids jamming around with laptops these days but none of them can properly beat much by ear. They are using beatdetectors, warping etc. It's not right.

densma · Post by **densma** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:02 pm

who cares--vinyl will disapear oneday... now there's already many true turntable emulation. embrace the new technologies bc makes life easier.

Klinikal wrote:You need the best quality mp3's as you can - I recommend 320kbps.

Also think about buying some good MIDI controller if you want to make some tweaks to the sound, live.

And If You are serious about DJing go for vinyl records - I think It's the only true DJ experience. There are tons of kids jamming around with laptops these days but none of them can properly beat much by ear. They are using beatdetectors, warping etc. It's not right.

ChiDJ · Post by **ChiDJ** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:34 pm

hambone1 wrote:No need for records! (Unless you're a turntablist... very different matter).

My 11 year old son figured how to beat-match with records in 10 minutes. IMO, it's an antiquated, simple "look at me" circus skill that gives DJs something to do other than flipping through their records, and will soon only be practised by those without the technical ability, skill, talent, and foresight to realize the potential of computers and Live. I personally wouldn't want to bank my future career on using record players (talented turntablists excepted).

All you need to start is your laptop. Get to know your computer and Live inside and out. Listen to lots of other mixes, even the ones you don't necessarily like. You can pick up lots of good tips and tricks. Mold your own style rather than just copying what everyone else is doing. If you hear an effect you like, figure out how to do it. Chances are you can do it right within Live.

If you warp your tracks and know them, there's no need to cue. If you want to, there are tons of interfaces out there, and most of them have probably been discussed on this forum.

MP3s vary hugely. Don't judge by bitrate only. It also depends on the content and the final intended result. You probably won't find many MP3s used for studio work, but live work is less demanding on quality. I personally never use MP3s less than 192kbps, and that's only when I don't have access to the AIFF/WAV. All of my Live files are AIFFs, even the ones that start as MP3s.

Hope that helps!

Hambone,

woah! I was just being cheeky. I love LIVE and use both.

can we kiss and make up? xoxxox

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:34 pm

Klinikal wrote: There are tons of kids jamming around with laptops these days but none of them can properly beat much by ear. They are using beatdetectors, warping etc. It's not right.

You damn punks get of my lawn!
Damn kids with their blips and blops. In my day it was all technics round here, look at it now these laptops have moved in. This used to be a nice neighbourhood with decent, respectable vinyl.
etc.

And in 15 years when everyone starts using holo-haptic interfaces to stream AV into the infospheric audience ... that will be bad too huh?

Alvin Toffler said "anyone who has a cutting edge job in 1997 will find themselves obsolete in 2007" (paraphrasing). It's the future shock effect.

Vinyl DJs are still fun& entertaining, but they are similar to a trad jazz band in my mind, IE historically interesting rather than modern.

Klinikal · Post by **Klinikal** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:39 pm

Good one Angstrom

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:49 pm

ChiDJ wrote:Hambone,

woah! I was just being cheeky. I love LIVE and use both.

can we kiss and make up? xoxxox

xoxxox

Good point about a MIDI controller from Klinikal. Get one, and learn it inside and out, too. You don't have to spend a fortune on it. After poo-pooing Behringer (bad experiences in the past), I bought a BCR2000. Fantastic bit of kit! (Might just want a backup if your job depends on it, though...)

Klinikal · Post by **Klinikal** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:59 pm

There are also typical controllers for DJ use (with build in souncard i think) like Hercules DJ Console.

GK · Post by GK » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:14 pm

thanks everyone!

so it's all about learning Live inside-out and getting a midi controller... [and a usb ext soundcard of course..]

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:26 pm

densma wrote:who cares--vinyl will disapear oneday... now there's already many true turntable emulation. embrace the new technologies bc makes life easier.

Klinikal wrote:You need the best quality mp3's as you can - I recommend 320kbps.

Also think about buying some good MIDI controller if you want to make some tweaks to the sound, live.

And If You are serious about DJing go for vinyl records - I think It's the only true DJ experience. There are tons of kids jamming around with laptops these days but none of them can properly beat much by ear. They are using beatdetectors, warping etc. It's not right.

Vinyl will never disappear. It is an art form just as the music itself. Do I want to own all my music on vinyl? No... but if it is worth owning in a solid form I want Vinyl. It is the ritual that will not die!

GK · Post by GK » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:27 pm

please lets dont make this topic an mp3-vinyl debate!?/...

JAMM · Post by **JAMM** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:38 pm

you need to play tuner what people start dancing. You can beatmatch till ya drop but no-one cares what you do if the music is bad. Don,t make the DJ to important, parties i Dj-ed most people are only interested in having a good time and wanna dance on good music