laptop DJ's

[dahkter]

Hey guys,
I know two of you are doing some laptop DJ work. After 17 years of being 100% vinyl, I'm considering making the move. I am now carless, so the idea of moving vinyl in a rental car is kind of a buzzkill.
I was wondering what's working for you guys. I like the idea of the Behringer BCDJ200 (or whatever it's called) to control Serato or Live or one of the DJ programs. I know H&R has it, wondering how it's working out.
And I know LDB is using Live in the club, wondering what you're triggering that with (Axiom25?)? Any pros/cons?
I also like the idea of hooking up a controller to tap out some live drums, that's something I do on my MPC all the time.
Thanks,
Jay

 

[KurtisRich]

It depends on what you're going for. If you're going to be DJ'n consistently doing gigs, I say Serato is the choice of weapon. You can also incorporate that with Live. Live is a good for doing remixes and live mashups. You can use any midi controller with it to do any kind of function. You just gotta map it out manually.


Trust me.... going digital is the best move you'll ever make. Less strain on your back from carrying all those crates to gigs. I've used vinyls before... now... i go strictly digital. It's much easier to organize. I remember those nights after DJ'n and i see all my records scatter everywhere in different sleeves and some that aren't even in their sleeves. You don't have to worry about that problem going digital. I've been using Serato with Live for about almost 3 years now and I love it.

 

[LDB]

Hey guys,
I know two of you are doing some laptop DJ work. After 17 years of being 100% vinyl, I'm considering making the move. I am now carless, so the idea of moving vinyl in a rental car is kind of a buzzkill.
I was wondering what's working for you guys. I like the idea of the Behringer BCDJ200 (or whatever it's called) to control Serato or Live or one of the DJ programs. I know H&R has it, wondering how it's working out.
And I know LDB is using Live in the club, wondering what you're triggering that with (Axiom25?)? Any pros/cons?
I also like the idea of hooking up a controller to tap out some live drums, that's something I do on my MPC all the time.
Thanks,
Jay

I use Ableton, Virtual Dj and Serato....depends on what mode I'm in and the club.

Right now I'm really feeling Virtual DJ though. Way more features than serato and the ability to spin video with out breaking the bank on that Serato video mixer.

I have a BCD3000 and Vestax VCI-100 that I use with virtual DJ. I use the BCD when I spin time coded vinyl and the Vestax when I share the stage with my other DJ homie. The vestax have touch sensitive wheels that work identical to vinyl minus you having to slightly push off the record. With the vestax all u have to do is lift your fingers off the wheel when cutting and the record spins up on it's own.

 

[dahkter]

Thanks Guys.
Hey Kurtis - can you use Live and Serato simultaneously, or do you need to switch back and forth?
LDB - I know the BCD has audio in/out and the VCI does not. Other than that, how's the feel/functionality/responsiveness of the two? I'll probably go down to Guitar Center over the weekend, hwoever curious of your experiences.
Thanks,
Jay

 

[LDB]

Thanks Guys.
Hey Kurtis - can you use Live and Serato simultaneously, or do you need to switch back and forth?
LDB - I know the BCD has audio in/out and the VCI does not. Other than that, how's the feel/functionality/responsiveness of the two? I'll probably go down to Guitar Center over the weekend, hwoever curious of your experiences.
Thanks,
Jay

With Virtual dj u have to have a midi controller for the functions. The BCD3000 works great with it and so does the Vestax vci100, Of course you need a midi controller with live as well but you can use a regular keyboard controller, I use my Axiom 25. You can use one, two or all three if you have adequate sound cards because I still go into a regular dj mixer with all three if I set up that way. I have an 8 channel Pioneer Dj mixer that I feed everything into. When i use Serato my controller is the Pioneer dj mixer, when I use Virtual dj it's either the BCD or the Vestax. If it's Live it's the Axiom...all connected audio out to the a channel of my main mixer.

RMX is a great midi controller for virtual dj as well...one of my homeboyz has one. But if you want the feel of turntablizm with a midi controller without using turntables the only thing close is the Vestax joint. If the Vestax wheels where as big as vinly I'd never take my turntables anywhere!

 

[dahkter]

I have a two channel Pioneer DJ mixer with XLR outs, it is loud and clear. Is the output on the Behringer loud enough for plugging into a Club Sound System, or is it weak?
I'm wondering if I can get by with Behringer and Laptop to get started...

 

[LDB]

I have a two channel Pioneer DJ mixer with XLR outs, it is loud and clear. Is the output on the Behringer loud enough for plugging into a Club Sound System, or is it weak?
I'm wondering if I can get by with Behringer and Laptop to get started...

With which DJ Program?

 

[dahkter]

I'm going to try out some different DJ programs this week. I'm looking forward to trying them out, I'll post some feedback once I take them for a test drive...

 

[KurtisRich]

Thanks Guys.
Hey Kurtis - can you use Live and Serato simultaneously, or do you need to switch back and forth?
Jay

well you have to think that it's 2 different programs and yes i use them both simultaneously. Just make sure your mixer has an extra audio input if hear the sounds from Live. I have a Vesta Pmc 07 mixer so hook up the audio output from my laptop into the mixer and I'm all set. With Live, I have the keys mapped out on my midi controller so I don't have to switch screens back and forth. I make a preset template load it up before the gig and all I have to do is use my midi controller to trigger sounds and etc. Just make sure you remember the keys you mapped out the sounds to.

With serato, I just do straight up mixes, cuts, and etc.

 

[H&R]

I use the BCD3000 w/NI Traktor and I love it ... All my MP3's easily organized in folders,
I only have to toucht he laptop to drop the song in the deck, everything else is done
fromt he controller ... Mixing, Scratching, EQ's, Pitch Bend, FXs, etc all hands on with
the controller ... I've done a few parties with it smooth no problems.

If your a big vinyl fan though I suggest you go with serato and time coded vinyls with
using real turn tables instead of small controllers ... You'll mix, scratch, etc on a real turn
table, with real vinyl and a mixer just like normal except that you'll be dropping songs on
the decks on the laptop instead of switching vinyl.

 

[dahkter]

I use the BCD3000 w/NI Traktor and I love it ... All my MP3's easily organized in folders,
I only have to toucht he laptop to drop the song in the deck, everything else is done
fromt he controller ... Mixing, Scratching, EQ's, Pitch Bend, FXs, etc all hands on with
the controller ... I've done a few parties with it smooth no problems.

If your a big vinyl fan though I suggest you go with serato and time coded vinyls with
using real turn tables instead of small controllers ... You'll mix, scratch, etc on a real turn
table, with real vinyl and a mixer just like normal except that you'll be dropping songs on
the decks on the laptop instead of switching vinyl.

Thanks Man,

Couple questions - is the audio out signal on the BCD3000 loud and clean enough to rock a party? I remember from my djing days starting out with Gemini mixers, they had no power at all, even on 10. Once I got a Vestax, the sound was clean and loud. Wondering how the Behringer compares.

What kind of laptop are you using it with? How is the latency/responsiveness?

One other question - how's the scratching/response with BCD and Traktor?

Regarding Serato, I plan to go there eventually, however if the place has no turntables, i don't feel like carrying around my decks anymore, I'd rather bring a laptop and controller.

 

[LDB]

Traktor is heavily used. I have it as well. I don't particularly like it though.

The BCD volume it just fine. Loudness doesn't really depend on it though. It depends on the system that you're going into. You still need to be going out of it into an amp'd system for superior sound quality and volume. Most clubs have that.

If you're doing venues that don't they obviously don't have speakers either.

For detailed kutz and scratching you'll be better served with a turntable set up. The only other controller that will get you "very close" to what you can do on turntables is the Vestax vci100, they have the only wheels that simulate turntablism with descent size wheels and feel. Of course you'll need an external sound card but it's well worth it. The vestax and virutal dj in my opinion, is the ultimate midi only dj rig. You won't have one complaint with that set up.

 

[dahkter]

Thanks LDB. I agree that would be a nice setup. The VCI300 is also pretty fresh, although twice as much as the VCI100 and four times as much as the Behringer...

 

[LDB]

Thanks LDB. I agree that would be a nice setup. The VCI300 is also pretty fresh, although twice as much as the VCI100 and four times as much as the Behringer...

Start off with the Behringer3k and Virtual dj. Then graduate up to the vci-100 and then add your turntables after that.

Virutal DJ is a beast...I'm telling u. I've already sold virtual dj set ups to a few local clubs. With the ability to spin music video's out the box with no extra gear, it can't be beat. Video spinning will B the next big thing...trust me on that. Too many clubs have all these plasma screens. If you can show them how they can better use them you'll have job security as a DJ.

Everybody and there brother has Serato or the ability to spin MP3's, very few DJ's fuck with video. You have to think ahead in the DJ business homie....venture into things most are not doing!

 

[H&R]

Drama i've tried the BCD3 with virtual dj and I cant get it to scratch right no matter
how many times I try to set up the midi or with downloadable files ... I believe the pitch
shift controlling wouldn't work right from the controller either.

Do you have a template file you could give me ?

 

[LDB]

Drama i've tried the BCD3 with virtual dj and I cant get it to scratch right no matter
how many times I try to set up the midi or with downloadable files ... I believe the pitch
shift controlling wouldn't work right from the controller either.

Do you have a template file you could give me ?

I have a legit copy of Virtual DJ. They have a few templates on line that work fine. I just don't like the movement of the wheels on the BCD. You can do simple shit but nothing complex with them.

I can send you the one I use. Let me dig it up and upload it and I'll send you the link.

Oh yea, one problem with the BCD is the mic jack. Shit doesn't work well or at all in most cases. I can do without that as long as I have my regular DJ mixer. And there are new drivers for the BCD on Behringer's website. Before the new drivers the BCD would not work with Vista. Now it's suppose to work better with XP and Vista.

 

[DJFANTOM]

my vote is for the vestax vci 300. the vci 100 and virtual dj or traktor is my 2nd vote and is pretty much the same thing buuuut. the vci 300 is the updated version of the vci 100 and it comes with serato itch which is a custom serato scratch like program made specificaly for it, so its plug and play and garunteed stable. ive been spinning vinyl for over 12 years. switched to serato finaly about almost a year ago when i started djing again after a 2 year hiatus. i love serato scratch live with my 1210's at home and in the club and ealmost as equaly with my denon cd turntables for mobile gigs and pio's in the club but for smaller gigs or gigs you have to bring gear to a club and you still want that super stable serato experience and good vinyl emulation the vci 300 and itch is the winner. i demoed it at remix hotel nyc this past summer and fell in love. hopefully i can get it my self soon.

 

[Ruimixx]

After seeing this clip, I'm almost a believer in the Hercules controller. (For the hobbyist/cheap asses,,,me.)

 

[Formant024]

^^^ he aint scratching, he que-ing with a fade-in

 

[DJFANTOM]

After seeing this clip, I'm almost a believer in the Hercules controller. (For the hobbyist/cheap asses,,,me.)

YouTube - South Rakkas Hip Hop Set 1of 2 DJ Dow Jones

still want a hercules....



like i said. vci 300 ftw