Nearly mixing with a mac....

[sam.r]

Following on from another thread I am now looking to bin the decks and get up to date!

I'm looking for advice regarding getting my mac up and running to create a few playlists. (I just have a few questions if anyone can help?)

I need a sound card and was wondering if there is one suitable for the Air?

Also I am looking at getting Traktor as it seems easier to use than Apleton? That just leaves me to get a USB mixer (X-Session Pro - USB MIDI DJ Mixer Controller I have seen for £70) and away I go!!

The only stupid question I have is (apart from the above!) how you you control the speeds of track 1 and track 2 that you are mixing? I know you can do it on the program but is there some hardware to do this externally? I'm guessing you cant do it on the mixer I have listed?

[Don1]

Anyone who does this looks like they are checking their email, rather than DJ'ing.

Hate it, with an absolute passion.... but to answer your question, PVD uses Ableton with Final Scratch. I can really understand why having such a massive music collection would be useful sometimes, but CD's stop the need for it. Any kind of DJ should be able to beatmatch, and also know waht tunes go well together - why have a computer do it for you? You might was well let iTunes run a playlist...
Also, see below...

Someone on another forum said:

I personally use Final Scratch 2 with Traktor 3
but if you have a slow laptop I recommend Serato
Serato has a lower resource usage

Serato is geared more towards scratchers
while Final Scratch is for mixers

check both of them out in person and see which one you personally like

i love final scratch 2 with traktor 3
and it is an amazing combo



Edit: Since you have abelton the cool thing I like to do is, sync Traktor 3 with FS2 with Ableton via a virtual midi port. Traktor has a midi clock send feature that you can send to a midi port so that is a plus.

[sam.r]

Thanks for that.

I do agree with what you say I just dont want the hassle of updating my decks and the cost of buying vinyl..

CD mixers the way to go for a bed room dj?

[Technonotice]

sam.r said:

Thanks for that.

I do agree with what you say I just dont want the hassle of updating my decks and the cost of buying vinyl..

CD mixers the way to go for a bed room dj?

NOOOOOO, I had to sell my decks and regret the decision every day!


I also use traktor and found it works well with a decent midi controller and soundcard. Still getting to grips with abelton though

[sam.r]

Decks isnt an option as I would end up buying new ones and also I dont want to spend fortunes on Vinyl as my collection is quite small...

So what do you reccomend?

Midi Controller
Sound Card
Trackor

???

[Technonotice]

sam.r said:

Decks isnt an option as I would end up buying new ones and also I dont want to spend fortunes on Vinyl as my collection is quite small...

So what do you reccomend?

Midi Controller
Sound Card
Trackor

???

basic setup:

controller: http://www.djkit.co.uk/product.php?id=3024
+
Soundcard http://www.production-room.com/products/m-audio-fa...
+
traktor 3

controller with platter: http://www.discount-dj-equipment.co.uk/mixers/mixi...

check out this vid using the above controller:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-_EKfDXNJI

have a look for dj tech tools on youtube

[sam.r]

I was going to go for that controller as its had good reviews....

Only thing is the mixer - any slightly cheaper???

Also any clues if this will all work with the Mac Air? As it only hase 1 USB slot...

Thanks for your help

[Technonotice]

sam.r said:

I was going to go for that controller as its had good reviews....

Only thing is the mixer - any slightly cheaper???

Also any clues if this will all work with the Mac Air? As it only hase 1 USB slot...

Thanks for your help

The maudio mixer doubles up as controller, they go for about £70, maybe try ebay for a second hand one? Do you mean the soundcard? If so you need to spend as much as you can really.

A usb hub might work, or get a firewire sound card

usb hub: http://www.b2cmarket.net/z0003.html?currency=GBP

firewire soundcard: http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=firewir... <<< not sure how good that is though!

[sam.r]

No its the platter thing!!

I will go for that Sound card and Controller its just the Platter / mixer is out of my budget - can you reccomend a starter one??

[Technonotice]

sam.r said:

No its the platter thing!!

I will go for that Sound card and Controller its just the Platter / mixer is out of my budget - can you recommend a starter one??

the vestax controller with the plater is an alternative to the maudio usb mixer. It does the same thing but has more features. But traktor has lots of built in effects/features that you can assign to the knobs on the maudio mixer.

you can still cue up the tracks in the same fashion with the maudio device, the platter on the vestax just makes it more like using conventional decks.

http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR228658 <<<this cheap alternative looks quite poor tbh

Edited by Technonotice on Friday 13th March 12:37

[sam.r]

Thanks for your help.

[Mr Heathen]

If you must...

I'd also have a look at some of the models offered by Kontrol http://kontrolprodj.com/ The Kontrol One has a jog wheel & the KDJ-500 has a double jog wheel & plenty of assignable controls like the Vestax but is about half the price. Pretty rugged & well built also, we've had one out on tour for about 2 years & it's still going strong.

I also prefer Ableton Live http://www.ableton.com/ to Traktor, it definitely has more flexibility. It also seems more fluid & intuitive to me but that could just be personal preference I suppose...

Edited by Mr Heathen on Friday 13th March 16:33

Edited by Mr Heathen on Friday 13th March 16:41