DJing top 40 at highschool parties using a controller and laptop after 6 months?

ayotex · Sep 22nd, 2010, 05:42 PM

whats good everyone?

So, basically, I've decided I definitely want to start DJ'ing, or atleast try. I love music and have been using FLstudio for a few months to produce some hardstyle and some techno remixes, but have never REALLY tried DJing.

I'm going to start with the MP3 and controller option, probably getting an S4 or maybe a mixtrack for a few months to see if i like it. I could see myself practicing 4 or more hours every day, except for on fridays and weekends of course :P. I would want to mix dance and techno but seeing as im in highschool i wouldnt really be able to spin anywhere, other than parties, and people would want top 40 hip hop, which i'm fine with, i'm just wondering how long of practicing would i need to be able to mix tracks well on a controller (well enough people would really like it).

I realize its impossible to give a good answer, but would 6 months be do-able?

Also, what are your opinions on a controller before CDJs or tables, seeing as i dont have a lot of cash on hand. After about a year i would consider switching to a xone 4d or 2 800's and a good mixer, right now i dont have the money.

thanks

J!SH! · Sep 22nd, 2010, 05:56 PM

there is no set time on how long til you get good

http://forums.di.fm/the-dj-booth/wan...tarted-199040/

ayotex · Sep 22nd, 2010, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J!SH!

there is no set time on how long til you get good

Yeah i know, just wondering if 6 months is reasonable with a controller

thanks but already read that thread

J!SH! · Sep 22nd, 2010, 08:51 PM

i dunno man, you said you made remixes then i guess you should understand beats n sheeeet. so.... maybe

should not post when tired

ayotex · Sep 22nd, 2010, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J!SH!

i dunno man, you said you made remixes then i guess you should understand beats n sheeeet. so.... maybe

should not post when tired

Haha yeah :P

Still wondering if a controller is my best option. I have around 1.2-1.5k to spend and i can either go controller or turntable... not sure what to do atm

J!SH! · Sep 22nd, 2010, 09:40 PM

well i posted a thread about that not long ago.

http://forums.di.fm/the-dj-booth/midi-or-cd-203773/

ajota_di · Sep 22nd, 2010, 09:50 PM

hey-

I'm coming from the opposite point of view- I've always made the music and stuff (and have done minor top40 djing) and I'm looking at the same thing.

IMO, if you've got 1.2k to blow, I'd suggest heading to a gear site (idjnow.com, 123dj.com to name a few) and checking out their bundles. Probably the most important thing you can do is get speakers. Believe me, you've got nice speaks, EVERYONE loves you. The indie bands need you, the other unknown djs need you, EVERYONE NEEDS YOU. Luckily enough for myself, my buddy/partner/drummer is my guy for sound XD. He's got the live gear and drumz, I've got all the instruments.

Buy a semi decent (but loud) PA. No need to go straight for the DX800, check out the Numark Mixtrack.

drevnir · Sep 23rd, 2010, 05:31 AM

Hey,

Sorry maybe I bit out of context, but I suggest you buy Vestax VCI300mk2 its abit cheaper then S4 and in my opinion will serve your purpose much better (since you want to spin hip hop for now). But if you think that S4 is exactly what you need then nvm about my advice.

Cheers!

ayotex · Sep 23rd, 2010, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajota_di

hey-

I'm coming from the opposite point of view- I've always made the music and stuff (and have done minor top40 djing) and I'm looking at the same thing.

IMO, if you've got 1.2k to blow, I'd suggest heading to a gear site (idjnow.com, 123dj.com to name a few) and checking out their bundles. Probably the most important thing you can do is get speakers. Believe me, you've got nice speaks, EVERYONE loves you. The indie bands need you, the other unknown djs need you, EVERYONE NEEDS YOU. Luckily enough for myself, my buddy/partner/drummer is my guy for sound XD. He's got the live gear and drumz, I've got all the instruments.

Buy a semi decent (but loud) PA. No need to go straight for the DX800, check out the Numark Mixtrack.

thanks, I was lookign at the mixtrack and some good speakers to start, wasn't sure about cheaping out on the controller through

Quote:

Originally Posted by drevnir

Hey,

Sorry maybe I bit out of context, but I suggest you buy Vestax VCI300mk2 its abit cheaper then S4 and in my opinion will serve your purpose much better (since you want to spin hip hop for now). But if you think that S4 is exactly what you need then nvm about my advice.

Cheers!

So I checked it out, it looks good, and leaves a lot left over for some decent speakers.

One thing i really like about the S4 though is the sample decks and the looping

Still wondering if i should just go for a relatively cheap mixer and 2 sl1200's

a2thenthony · Sep 23rd, 2010, 06:29 AM

I also want to DJ for my highschool.. but every kid that goes there only listens to Mainstream stuff like Rap/Bieber...

ajota_di · Sep 23rd, 2010, 06:55 AM

Did I say Mixtrack? I meant Mixdeck. If you've got the cash. For me, I'll be purchasing a mixtrack and some lights. Basically the mix deck is two DX400s and a mixer that works with midi. pretty cool stuff!

ayotex · Sep 23rd, 2010, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajota_di

Did I say Mixtrack? I meant Mixdeck. If you've got the cash. For me, I'll be purchasing a mixtrack and some lights. Basically the mix deck is two DX400s and a mixer that works with midi. pretty cool stuff!

Yeah def have the money for that then a few hundred for speakers. Thanks for the advice, I might get that because switching over to 800s later would be easy

ajota_di · Sep 23rd, 2010, 03:47 PM

kpodj.com/kpodj-just-laptop-custom-pack-p-101977.html is a good thing to check out if you want to buy it all now.

ayotex · Sep 23rd, 2010, 03:54 PM

Also looking for recommendations to speakers. Don't want to spend a whole ton, but want something good enough for a packed house party, ideas?

ajota_di · Sep 23rd, 2010, 06:40 PM

Well....

There are basically 2 different routes you can go.

Powered
or
Passive.

Powered:
All in one. These things are great, you literally plug each speaker into an outlet, connect them via XLR cable, and plug in your mixer's output into the speak's input. Generally, you're looking at... $200-300 each speaker + $7 for each XLR cable (usually one is all it takes). My band used the Bherrenger Eurolive B315A (375$) for a while. These things were fine for a while. We powered three or four shows, the speaks never peaked or anything, and we were pretty pleased (for the most part). About 6 months later, one of them blew out. This was... in... July? We sent it in in august and we STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT BACK. Still. apparently the part needs to ship from europe, and apparently we use 17th century shipping techniques. I dunno. Moral of the story? Don't by Bherrenger. The powered JBLs and EONS are classics too though.
Pros:
All in one, just plug and play
Cons:
Heavy as a a m0ther

and pricey per speak. also, for the most part, its just one speaker and a tweeter.

Passive:
These are the speakers you see everywhere. They can range anywhere from (used) 80$ to well over 1000$. they're big, bad, and beautiful. Makes your rack look more impressive XD. After our Eurolives broke, my drummer picked up a pair of Samson RS215s. Sound beautiful. Pricey though. they were about... $350 each. Paired with a 150$ poweramp, that kinda blew the budget.... but they sound far better than the eurolives. I love these speakers.
Pros:
Light as ever. Just kinda big. Passives aren't loaded up with the poweramp inside, so they are much nicer on the back.
Clear- You always have the option to upgrade the speakers apart from the poweramp (or vice versa)
Big- they can be a lot bigger without breaking the bank.
Cons:
Poweramp+passives= PRICE JUMP. there's honestly a point in the prices where passives are more expensive than powered just because of the poweramp.
Rack space- The poweramp WILL require a spot in your rack (or if you don't have one, under your rig or near by.
Cables- Not as simple here. Mixer>poweramp>speakers. sure, it's the same idea as with the powered, but speakons (the best kind of speaker cable) run about $50 a shot! go ebay for sure.

Overall, I'd check out the passives. You'll be able to use them longer. But be sure to check craigslist.com. They ALWAYS have stuff go for realllly cheap. super awesome.
They also do sell "mobile speaker sets" like the yamaha passport. these are passive, but include everything. If you're planning on those 800s, you might want to just get a passport. Remember though, if you don't have loud speakers nobody's going to hear that $800 dj rig! So find a good balance!

good luck!

ayotex · Sep 24th, 2010, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajota_di

Well....

There are basically 2 different routes you can go.

Powered
or
Passive.

Powered:
All in one. These things are great, you literally plug each speaker into an outlet, connect them via XLR cable, and plug in your mixer's output into the speak's input. Generally, you're looking at... $200-300 each speaker + $7 for each XLR cable (usually one is all it takes). My band used the Bherrenger Eurolive B315A (375$) for a while. These things were fine for a while. We powered three or four shows, the speaks never peaked or anything, and we were pretty pleased (for the most part). About 6 months later, one of them blew out. This was... in... July? We sent it in in august and we STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT BACK. Still. apparently the part needs to ship from europe, and apparently we use 17th century shipping techniques. I dunno. Moral of the story? Don't by Bherrenger. The powered JBLs and EONS are classics too though.
Pros:
All in one, just plug and play
Cons:
Heavy as a a m0ther

and pricey per speak. also, for the most part, its just one speaker and a tweeter.

Passive:
These are the speakers you see everywhere. They can range anywhere from (used) 80$ to well over 1000$. they're big, bad, and beautiful. Makes your rack look more impressive XD. After our Eurolives broke, my drummer picked up a pair of Samson RS215s. Sound beautiful. Pricey though. they were about... $350 each. Paired with a 150$ poweramp, that kinda blew the budget.... but they sound far better than the eurolives. I love these speakers.
Pros:
Light as ever. Just kinda big. Passives aren't loaded up with the poweramp inside, so they are much nicer on the back.
Clear- You always have the option to upgrade the speakers apart from the poweramp (or vice versa)
Big- they can be a lot bigger without breaking the bank.
Cons:
Poweramp+passives= PRICE JUMP. there's honestly a point in the prices where passives are more expensive than powered just because of the poweramp.
Rack space- The poweramp WILL require a spot in your rack (or if you don't have one, under your rig or near by.
Cables- Not as simple here. Mixer>poweramp>speakers. sure, it's the same idea as with the powered, but speakons (the best kind of speaker cable) run about $50 a shot! go ebay for sure.

Overall, I'd check out the passives. You'll be able to use them longer. But be sure to check craigslist.com. They ALWAYS have stuff go for realllly cheap. super awesome.
They also do sell "mobile speaker sets" like the yamaha passport. these are passive, but include everything. If you're planning on those 800s, you might want to just get a passport. Remember though, if you don't have loud speakers nobody's going to hear that $800 dj rig! So find a good balance!

good luck!

+rep if i knew how haha

I was looking at packages on 123dj with the mixdeck. 123dj.com/specials/mixdeckpower10.html is the basic. Everything from that point on is just a better set of speakers. Im wondering if that would be good enough? and if getting that package with those speakers is good for that price

With the mixdeck around $800 and those 2 speakers with the stands are about $400 separate.

Mainly my question is, are they too low quality?

ajota_di · Sep 24th, 2010, 05:22 PM

First (I forgot to ask) are you thinking about buying used?
If so check out cgi.ebay.com/NUMARK-MIXDECK-BARELY-USED-/270637623042?pt=DJ_Gear_Lighting&hash=item3f034267 02 If you're really into the mixdeck. It's a bit cheaper used, with same quality!

BUT ANYWAY...

Lets see the specs...
Frequency Response: 45Hz-20kHz
800 watts peak power
Crossover: Two-way full range 4000Hz 112dB octave
Impedance: 8 ohms

So here we've got (I'm assuming) one speaker that's powered (has the amp built in) and one that's passive (connects via speakon to the powered amp to run)

These are nifty, and really handy.

the 45hz low end is pretty good, it'll get the job done. Most speakers are in this range anyway, so no worries. (20hz is the normal range for headphones. If you want to test your speaks around the house I recommend getting the free "dog whistle" app on the app store and setting it to 20hz. This will get you aquainted with frequencies, which is handy if you're trying to eq out feedback. But that's another story

)

800 Watts Peak- You've probably got a 500-600 watt amp in that speaker. It won't distort, and it will probably get to a very loud volume (I'd say it's good for up to 150 people (max?)? My bass amp is 500watts RMS and for bigger shows (150+) we put it through the PA (but we also have drums.... XD )

Technical is a pretty decent brand... It's no fake ebay one, so you know you're getting something of moderate quality.

Overall, probably pretty decent. See if you can go to your local music store or, better yet, your local dj store to hear the speakers. Also, check out harmony central for reviews. They should have some good stuff out there

I would suggest using kpodj.com actually. just found this site... you can get pretty substantial discounts. (just sign up for the little nifty VIP thingy)

kpodj.com/technical-technical-stage-speaker-p-101962.html
These look good^
for the vip member they cost 349.70 (little bit more) but if you got the used mixdeck you'd be good.
The nice thing here too is you've got another mixer! (no cross faders here) so you can plug in a wireless system, a wired system, or whatever else.
Also,it's got an RCA out for recording (if you're into that), and a 5band eq

Bad news: 'round 50kg (i think...? doin' the conversion in my head lol)

So get a gear b****. Done.

I hope this helps!

Sep 22nd, 2010, 05:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
ayotex Junior Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 24	DJing top 40 at highschool parties using a controller and laptop after 6 months? whats good everyone? So, basically, I've decided I definitely want to start DJ'ing, or atleast try. I love music and have been using FLstudio for a few months to produce some hardstyle and some techno remixes, but have never REALLY tried DJing. I'm going to start with the MP3 and controller option, probably getting an S4 or maybe a mixtrack for a few months to see if i like it. I could see myself practicing 4 or more hours every day, except for on fridays and weekends of course :P. I would want to mix dance and techno but seeing as im in highschool i wouldnt really be able to spin anywhere, other than parties, and people would want top 40 hip hop, which i'm fine with, i'm just wondering how long of practicing would i need to be able to mix tracks well on a controller (well enough people would really like it). I realize its impossible to give a good answer, but would 6 months be do-able? Also, what are your opinions on a controller before CDJs or tables, seeing as i dont have a lot of cash on hand. After about a year i would consider switching to a xone 4d or 2 800's and a good mixer, right now i dont have the money. thanks

Sep 22nd, 2010, 05:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
J!SH! DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 2,832	there is no set time on how long til you get good http://forums.di.fm/the-dj-booth/wan...tarted-199040/ __________________ what does your music do for you? if you want to track me down outside of DI search jishua9

Sep 22nd, 2010, 08:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
J!SH! DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 2,832	i dunno man, you said you made remixes then i guess you should understand beats n sheeeet. so.... maybe should not post when tired __________________ what does your music do for you? if you want to track me down outside of DI search jishua9

Sep 22nd, 2010, 09:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
J!SH! DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 2,832	well i posted a thread about that not long ago. http://forums.di.fm/the-dj-booth/midi-or-cd-203773/ __________________ what does your music do for you? if you want to track me down outside of DI search jishua9

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Sep 22nd, 2010, 09:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
ajota_di Addict in Training Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA Posts: 8	hey- I'm coming from the opposite point of view- I've always made the music and stuff (and have done minor top40 djing) and I'm looking at the same thing. IMO, if you've got 1.2k to blow, I'd suggest heading to a gear site (idjnow.com, 123dj.com to name a few) and checking out their bundles. Probably the most important thing you can do is get speakers. Believe me, you've got nice speaks, EVERYONE loves you. The indie bands need you, the other unknown djs need you, EVERYONE NEEDS YOU. Luckily enough for myself, my buddy/partner/drummer is my guy for sound XD. He's got the live gear and drumz, I've got all the instruments. Buy a semi decent (but loud) PA. No need to go straight for the DX800, check out the Numark Mixtrack.

Sep 23rd, 2010, 05:31 AM	#8 (permalink)
drevnir Junior Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 42	Hey, Sorry maybe I bit out of context, but I suggest you buy Vestax VCI300mk2 its abit cheaper then S4 and in my opinion will serve your purpose much better (since you want to spin hip hop for now). But if you think that S4 is exactly what you need then nvm about my advice. Cheers!

Sep 23rd, 2010, 06:29 AM	#10 (permalink)
a2thenthony Senior Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Minnesota, USA Posts: 671	I also want to DJ for my highschool.. but every kid that goes there only listens to Mainstream stuff like Rap/Bieber...

Sep 23rd, 2010, 06:55 AM	#11 (permalink)
ajota_di Addict in Training Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA Posts: 8	Did I say Mixtrack? I meant Mixdeck. If you've got the cash. For me, I'll be purchasing a mixtrack and some lights. Basically the mix deck is two DX400s and a mixer that works with midi. pretty cool stuff!

Sep 23rd, 2010, 03:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
ajota_di Addict in Training Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA Posts: 8	kpodj.com/kpodj-just-laptop-custom-pack-p-101977.html is a good thing to check out if you want to buy it all now.

Sep 23rd, 2010, 03:54 PM	#14 (permalink)
ayotex Junior Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 24	Also looking for recommendations to speakers. Don't want to spend a whole ton, but want something good enough for a packed house party, ideas?

Sep 23rd, 2010, 06:40 PM	#15 (permalink)
ajota_di Addict in Training Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA Posts: 8	Well.... There are basically 2 different routes you can go. Powered or Passive. Powered: All in one. These things are great, you literally plug each speaker into an outlet, connect them via XLR cable, and plug in your mixer's output into the speak's input. Generally, you're looking at... $200-300 each speaker + $7 for each XLR cable (usually one is all it takes). My band used the Bherrenger Eurolive B315A (375$) for a while. These things were fine for a while. We powered three or four shows, the speaks never peaked or anything, and we were pretty pleased (for the most part). About 6 months later, one of them blew out. This was... in... July? We sent it in in august and we STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT BACK. Still. apparently the part needs to ship from europe, and apparently we use 17th century shipping techniques. I dunno. Moral of the story? Don't by Bherrenger. The powered JBLs and EONS are classics too though. Pros: All in one, just plug and play Cons: Heavy as a a m0ther and pricey per speak. also, for the most part, its just one speaker and a tweeter. Passive: These are the speakers you see everywhere. They can range anywhere from (used) 80$ to well over 1000$. they're big, bad, and beautiful. Makes your rack look more impressive XD. After our Eurolives broke, my drummer picked up a pair of Samson RS215s. Sound beautiful. Pricey though. they were about... $350 each. Paired with a 150$ poweramp, that kinda blew the budget.... but they sound far better than the eurolives. I love these speakers. Pros: Light as ever. Just kinda big. Passives aren't loaded up with the poweramp inside, so they are much nicer on the back. Clear- You always have the option to upgrade the speakers apart from the poweramp (or vice versa) Big- they can be a lot bigger without breaking the bank. Cons: Poweramp+passives= PRICE JUMP. there's honestly a point in the prices where passives are more expensive than powered just because of the poweramp. Rack space- The poweramp WILL require a spot in your rack (or if you don't have one, under your rig or near by. Cables- Not as simple here. Mixer>poweramp>speakers. sure, it's the same idea as with the powered, but speakons (the best kind of speaker cable) run about $50 a shot! go ebay for sure. Overall, I'd check out the passives. You'll be able to use them longer. But be sure to check craigslist.com. They ALWAYS have stuff go for realllly cheap. super awesome. They also do sell "mobile speaker sets" like the yamaha passport. these are passive, but include everything. If you're planning on those 800s, you might want to just get a passport. Remember though, if you don't have loud speakers nobody's going to hear that $800 dj rig! So find a good balance! good luck!

Sep 24th, 2010, 05:22 PM	#17 (permalink)
ajota_di Addict in Training Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA Posts: 8	First (I forgot to ask) are you thinking about buying used? If so check out cgi.ebay.com/NUMARK-MIXDECK-BARELY-USED-/270637623042?pt=DJ_Gear_Lighting&hash=item3f034267 02 If you're really into the mixdeck. It's a bit cheaper used, with same quality! BUT ANYWAY... Lets see the specs... Frequency Response: 45Hz-20kHz 800 watts peak power Crossover: Two-way full range 4000Hz 112dB octave Impedance: 8 ohms So here we've got (I'm assuming) one speaker that's powered (has the amp built in) and one that's passive (connects via speakon to the powered amp to run) These are nifty, and really handy. the 45hz low end is pretty good, it'll get the job done. Most speakers are in this range anyway, so no worries. (20hz is the normal range for headphones. If you want to test your speaks around the house I recommend getting the free "dog whistle" app on the app store and setting it to 20hz. This will get you aquainted with frequencies, which is handy if you're trying to eq out feedback. But that's another story ) 800 Watts Peak- You've probably got a 500-600 watt amp in that speaker. It won't distort, and it will probably get to a very loud volume (I'd say it's good for up to 150 people (max?)? My bass amp is 500watts RMS and for bigger shows (150+) we put it through the PA (but we also have drums.... XD ) Technical is a pretty decent brand... It's no fake ebay one, so you know you're getting something of moderate quality. Overall, probably pretty decent. See if you can go to your local music store or, better yet, your local dj store to hear the speakers. Also, check out harmony central for reviews. They should have some good stuff out there I would suggest using kpodj.com actually. just found this site... you can get pretty substantial discounts. (just sign up for the little nifty VIP thingy) kpodj.com/technical-technical-stage-speaker-p-101962.html These look good^ for the vip member they cost 349.70 (little bit more) but if you got the used mixdeck you'd be good. The nice thing here too is you've got another mixer! (no cross faders here) so you can plug in a wireless system, a wired system, or whatever else. Also,it's got an RCA out for recording (if you're into that), and a 5band eq Bad news: 'round 50kg (i think...? doin' the conversion in my head lol) So get a gear b****. Done. I hope this helps!