New DJ Setup: Out with Old, In with the New

For the past 6 - 8 months I have been back and forth on the internet searching for the latest and greatest DJ equipment for my new setup.  Since 2010 I have been using the Numark NS7FX but I am beyond tired of using it.  Plus it weights almost 70 lbs in a case so I didn't feel like carrying that thing in the DJ booth anymore so I sold just recently to a beginner DJ.  Don't get me wrong the NS7 is a great machine and for people who don't know how to DJ or never used vinyl to DJ, it's probably the best midi controller on the market for DJs.  But for me, I had to get to vinyl.  If you check out every club DJ they are pretty much using Technics 1200s.  They are the prototype for all turntables but in my opinion the new Stanton 150s blow them out.  Also you will see them using the always reliable Shure M44-7s as well.  In my opinion again, the new Ortofon S-120s are the best needs for digital djing software but M44s are the best on real vinyl.  After several months of reading reviews, renting equipment, and trips to Guitar Center I made up my mind about what I want and I decided to share it with you all.  Take a look and tell me what you think.

HP Smart Buy Business Backpack.

Has the same durability and functionality of any DJ bag and way cheaper.

Rane 62Z
Best Mixer on the market for Serato DJs.




10 Pair of Serato Vinyl
You can never have enough of these plus you can match your outfit or occasion.




Pioneer HDJ-2000-W Headphones
Best Headphones for DJs.  Better sound quality than Beats but not for the everyday listener.  Purely a professional grade set of headphones.




2 Odyssey Black Label Coffins




1 Odyssey Black Label Mixer Coffin




2 Ortofon CC S-120 Kits
Best Needles for Serato




Novation Dicers




Dr. Suzuki White Slipmats
Since I can't find white Serato Vinyl I will use clear over white slipmats.




Akai RPM3 Monitors
Something to place in front of me to help me mix.




White Odyssey LStandMWHT
The most versatile laptop stand on the market.  It has every feature a DJ needs and wants.




2 Stanton STR8.150 Turntables
The best turntables on the market with the highest torque.  Better than a 1200 and cheaper.

So there you have it.  Check out my gear and tell me what you think and tell what you use.

One Love,

IAMDJDK
www.iamdjdk.com

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6 Ways To Transition Between DJ Sets

Courtesy of DJ Tech Tools.

Have you ever found yourself trying to switch between two DJs that are sharing the same USB mixer, sound card or DVS interface? It’s a common problem in live scenarios, and having a few handy tools up your sleeve can help make a hairy switch seamless. DJTT comes to the rescue with six of our own creative ways to swap laptops while keeping the music rolling.

Ideally, you should have access to a Pioneer CDJ-1000 and be ready to go with a few longish mix CDs with at least 10-20 minutes of continuous music. Unfortunately, things never seem to go smoothly, so it often pays to be prepared with a solid backup plan. This seems to be especially true with Serato DJs who often rely on the same Serato interface the club has connected. Traktor DJs can also benefit by sharing sound cards and preventing any mid-set cable confusion.

Sometimes promoters will just let the music end between DJs to allow the next guy to plug in his computer and cue up the first song. While this can acknowledge the change over and create a natural break in the night, we generally prefer to keep the energy moving.

BIG TIP: If you are playing before someone it is considered courteous to do one-  if not all – of the following: 

• Remove your headphones and walk away from the mixer at the beginning of your last song (dont stand and twiddle knobs, leaving the next poor guy with less than a minute to mix)
• Pick a final song that is as long as possible
• Bring down the energy a bit with the last tracks and create some space for the next DJ to bring it back up at their own pace.
• Don’t dramatically change the tempo suddenly or put on track that doesn’t fit the mood or genre of the night.

HERE ARE THE 6 TIPS PRESENTED IN THE VIDEO

1. The iPod/iPhone Third Deck 

Use an app like the Red Bull BPM DJ app, which has high-quality beatmatching features so you can mix into your iPhone and then let the other DJ remove their computer from the equation.

2. The Roll Loop 

Many mixers now have a “Roll” effect that grabs a small sample and repeats it like a short loop. Just set the length of the roll to the longest possible (usually 8 or more counts) and you can save a full loop of the playing song into memory on the mixer. One DJ TechTools reader suggested also setting the BPM of the effects at 1/2 the natural value. 61 instead of 122 for example, and then you can get a full 16 counts!

With a “Roll” saved on the mixer, the last DJ can unplug and the sound card is now free!

3. The Magic Scratch! 

We love the new Nexus “Noise” color effect. When combined with the crossfader and an echo, it produces a very believable scratch sound that comes from the mixer and requires no sound input. You can use the noise as a transitionary element to fill the gap between DJs for a dramatic and musical effect.

4. The Improv Echo Freeze

No mixers are equipped with the infamous echo freeze by default, but you can approximate it with some quick effects parameter tweeking.

• Set an echo on the down beat
• Kill the playing song
• Quickly lengthen the echo to its longest value – often 1/1

This should keep the echo rolling for at least 10-20 seconds, which can sometimes be long enough to swap computers.

5. Dual Sound Cards

Check out the mixer installed at the club. Chances are higher than ever these days that it might have a sound card installed that you can use. If you are lucky and there is a Rane Sixty Two or Sixty Eight, those mixers are actually equipped with two discrete sound cards, so both DJs can be plugged in at the same time. This makes switching over a breeze.

6. Double-Sided Control Vinyl 

It always surprises me that many DVS DJs don’t realize there is double-sided control vinyl with an analogue song on one side and control vinyl on the other. This is the way I see most well-prepared Serato Scratch Live DJs switch between computers: by relying on good old fashioned analogue signals!  Stokyo stocks a wide range of Serato pressings with music on one side.

Here are some handy links to some of the gear mentioned in the video:

• Rane Sixty-Two mixer review (dual USB port mixer in the video)
• Pioneer DJM-900 mixer review (white noise scratch)
• Red Bull BPM Pro DJ app (iPhone app in the video)
• Donut Shop vinyl (J. Dilla / Serato timecode vinyl)

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For March ONLY!!!!
Buy 4 Boat Party Tickets and get the 5th FREE!!!
Go to http://iamdjdkent.eventbrite.com, purchase 4 tickets and the 5th will be emailed to you.

One Luv,

IAMDJDK
www.iamdjdk.com

First Friday ATX

First Friday ATX Presents Aries Suite with Guest DJ; DJ Hella Yella, April 5th

Also don't forget
Pure: All White Boat Party
May 25th
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First Friday ATX

First Friday ATX and DoUwannaParty.com Presents... "Seduction" Friday, March 1st at TheUpper Decks 301 Barton Springs Road Austin TX!!!Donte GoDj Dontizl Shepard will be in the MIX!!!!— with Ray Medearis, Andre Artis and Donte GoDj Dontizl Shepard.