drumnbass.be forum » DJ booth » DJ Gear » Where to start? Where to start? Author Post den_bert unregistered Hey everyone, I started producing DNB tunes about a year ago (FL, Reason,..). I dont use any hardware, except for my PC offcourse. But I want to take it to a new level and do some DJ'ing too. I wondered what I should buy first? I figured out that I'll need a Midi Keyboard, Turntables, Mixer,...?? I dont have a big budget (+-400€). Thanks in advance, 07-02-2009 10:23 BattleDrone 2161... the future. Registration Date: 30-12-2005 Posts: 6,413 Helpfulness rating:  Try to learn some pitch mixing first using your pc and some DJ software. Keep practicing a lot and don't use any wizards or tools supplied by the software (BMP matchers, BMP monitoring, auto mixing, ...) because they make you lazy and turntables don't have them anyway. This way you can find out if DJing is the thing you love and see if it worth your precious money. While practicing, save up some more money so you don't have to buy some cheap ass crap turntables or a lame mixer (e.g. Numark low end crap) Once you can do it real well you can go out an buy hardware. __ Check my soundcloud (exclusive tracks on there) 12-02-2009 09:29 Muad'Dib Andrejnalin Registration Date: 02-12-2003 Posts: 4,197 Helpfulness rating:  BattleDrone gave you an excellent advice about how to learn to beatmatch etc. You should buy turntables if you plan mixing on vinyl or mixing digitally with Serato (or similar). I would go for digital DJ equipment, because I strongly believe in digital DJ stuff. If you decide to go digital, some cheap mixing console should be enough for you to grab the basics. Something like Hercules mkII usb or Numark Total Control. You won't be able to scratch, of course, but that I count into advanced skills. If you go pro, and want to remain digital, check the options like Numark NS7, two turntables and Serato, etc. And, most importantly, you ought to have fun DJing and love the music. I hate DJs that do it just for the money. __ Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link: http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473 There is no such thing without its opposite -Bene Gesserit 17-02-2009 03:16 Yawn Sponsor Registration Date: 25-01-2005 Posts: 1,185 Helpfulness rating:  quote: Originally posted by BattleDrone While practicing, save up some more money so you don't have to buy some cheap ass crap turntables or a lame mixer (e.g. Numark low end crap) I learnt on a pair of low end KAM direct drives and the cheapest of cheap Numark 'blue dog' mixer. Get good on crap stuff, then when you some awesome turntables you'll be laughing Numark TTX1 turntables are well worth it for when you step up, they might not be technics but they're a dam sight cheaper and still awesome decks. 23-02-2009 16:30 Sundancer Cool Producer Registration Date: 27-09-2008 Posts: 120 Helpfulness rating:  I don't think you can consider starting DJing with 400 euros. Even if you buy the absolute cheapest (and shittest) gear and you fit in 400 euros, you need to spend a few hundred of euros on records only. And trust me, it's like a habit, once you started you want more and more Instead with that money it would be smarter to invest in some production gear. Buy a MIDI keyboard, audio card, and maybe some cheap monitors. __ Add me up on MySpace (link changed): myspace.com/SundancerDnb 23-02-2009 17:52 Muad'Dib Andrejnalin Registration Date: 02-12-2003 Posts: 4,197 Helpfulness rating:  Why are everyone so up and about vinyl mixing and DJing?! I have a laptop, which I use for production, too, and I have an USB console. And thousands of mp3s. And I am still a DJ. Doesn't have to be that expensive, that's my point. __ Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link: http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473 There is no such thing without its opposite -Bene Gesserit 23-02-2009 18:12 Yawn Sponsor Registration Date: 25-01-2005 Posts: 1,185 Helpfulness rating:  [quote]Originally posted by Sundancer And trust me, it's like a habit, once you started you want more and more quote] indeed. be prepared to spend hundreds, if not thousands on records. I'm not against Mp3 Djing but still there's something about a piece of vinyl...... What program do you use Mud'Dib? 23-02-2009 18:55 Gregg Wicked Producer Registration Date: 16-05-2007 Posts: 417 Helpfulness rating:  Over here they don’t consider mp3 djing to be „real djing“. Possibly because it’s a half arsed way of doing it letting some software cope with the major works like synchronisation and blah. I personally don’t mind too much wheather it’s done with a turntable or software (if it sounds good it sounds good), but the real art of djing is getting lost when you decide to go for the second way imo. Software is a good way to start tho and you should really consider beginning with that before buying anything harware-ish. 23-02-2009 19:02 Pytchlocka [ » K | R | Y | P | T | O | P | H | Y | T | E™ « ] Registration Date: 25-07-2008 Posts: 146 I've tried a program called MixMeister. Its pretty nice. Like a half assed version of Ableton lol. But its pretty nice, especially if you get the Mixmeister Control Mixer. 23-02-2009 19:04 Gregg Wicked Producer Registration Date: 16-05-2007 Posts: 417 Helpfulness rating:  I recommend native instrument's traktor 23-02-2009 19:08 Muad'Dib Andrejnalin Registration Date: 02-12-2003 Posts: 4,197 Helpfulness rating:  quote: Originally posted by Yawn [quote]Originally posted by Sundancer And trust me, it's like a habit, once you started you want more and more quote] indeed. be prepared to spend hundreds, if not thousands on records. I'm not against Mp3 Djing but still there's something about a piece of vinyl...... What program do you use Mud'Dib? I use Virtual DJ. I can assure you all that a real enthusiast will learn to beat-match and everything else, being the 'real dj'. Virtual DJ always mixes up the BPM counts of the tunes, so I have to mix them by ear, and I am no worse than any other vinyl dj. The thing is, instead of wasting 80% time on beat-matching, you can be wasting 20% of the time on that, and use the rest to think and modulate your mix. PS Can't believe people, this is my 3,314th post. I really can't help myself, been seeing Pi everywhere I look. Maybe 500 times in the last 2 months. __ Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link: http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473 There is no such thing without its opposite -Bene Gesserit 24-02-2009 03:05 Yawn Sponsor Registration Date: 25-01-2005 Posts: 1,185 Helpfulness rating:  quote: Originally posted by Muad'Dib PS Can't believe people, this is my 3,314th post. I really can't help myself, been seeing Pi everywhere I look. Maybe 500 times in the last 2 months. Mental...... 500 times that's a lot dude, but Im intrigued though........ on topic..... beatmatching is obviously the biggest skill a DJ has to learn, as well as knowing his records and which to mix together at what time to create great sets, so yeah whether it's vinyl or MP3 the principles of what makes a good DJ are the same. It essentially all comes back to the age old argument of hardware vs software, analog vs digital, old vs new....... 24-02-2009 09:57 den_bert unregistered Thx for the advice, i really appreciate it. I'll try Traktor, learning to use it will keep me busy for a very long time. And i'm buying a midi keyboard + cheap mixer(maybe second hand, dindnt figured that out yet). I know my budget is really small, but im a lazy 17 year old student and its all i have atm. 08-03-2009 16:18 demure mastication fo de nation Registration Date: 22-01-2009 Posts: 921 Helpfulness rating:  tbh i bin curious about the whole djing thing but neva got round to actuallly doing it but this thread as been quite helpfull i got traktor 2 but its not really that hands on but i appreciate what ur saying about the beat matchin and pitch stuff though gonna keep messing with it and see how well i do 08-03-2009 21:04 TuffDread Mr. Tuff Registration Date: 26-04-2005 Posts: 216 Helpfulness rating:  It is possible to get setup with 400 euros. Look at buying some secondhand turntables from ebay. People list them on there for collection only due to the size and weight and you could get a bargain as this severly limits the market. Technics typically go for around £300 a set and sometimes with mixer, obviously you will then need to buy some vinyl but this builds up over time. You can get a few vinyls to start with and learn to beat match. If you havn't already tried to mix I'd also give it a go first as it may not be your thing and you may not enjoy it, you may love it like the rest of us! __ 17-12-2010 21:09 pusha waveform molester Registration Date: 07-01-2010 Posts: 757 Helpfulness rating:  i cant believe there are so many posts in this thread about producers who dont own decks no matter how good or shit the decks maybe . YOUR MAKING DRUM AND BASS. i would never have dreamed of making drum n bass if i couldnt mix , imagine you are making tracks , someone notices your tracks says sweet not bad beats wanna play at one of our nights we do for promotion and you turn round and say i've never been on a turntable before ,......... ok then joker see you later or something along these lines is probably what you would hear learning to produce before you can mix seems like a very alien concept to me , maybe im off me head but i know hundreds who would agree with me ....... right rant over if you havent got turntable go on ebay like tuff said get a little technics 1210s mk2's deal second hand your looking at £400 top end or if your going down the digital route go on ebay and get some pioneer cdj400's and if you have saved up any more money since post some kind of allen and heath mixer solid build quality with penny and giles standard crossfader __ buy the ticket take the ride 19-12-2010 22:55 P.T.J Sponsor Registration Date: 20-01-2011 Posts: 18 Totally agree with pusha here. I used to own turntables and a mixer years ago (early nineties, man I feel old just thinking about it!). Anyway life got in the way and I stopped making music until about 4 years ago. While I have been able to do this with the usual kit (midi key, DAW, monitors etc.) felt that something was missing. You guessed it, Djing. I know that there is a lot of different opinions regarding vinyl, CD and Mp3 and also the the equipment used but I decided to choose something that allowed me to play with the very basics while still enjoy the craft. I purchased a cheap Hercules controller mainly for fun and inspiration as I don't see myself ever being allowed into a club booth to spin. My point is that it helps hone in your production skills having to listen and mix other peoples tracks. Sure you could just listen to your Mp3's walking around town but thats a passive way of analysing music, mixing tunes forces me to think about the music eg, Key, phrases, BPM, breakdowns etc etc. I know that this is an old thread but hope this helps out others pondering the same question. Even just a simple controller like mine has unleashed new ideas. 23-01-2011 23:55 Muad'Dib Andrejnalin Registration Date: 02-12-2003 Posts: 4,197 Helpfulness rating:  I actually started learning composition and production, and then turned to DJing. I have to say DJing is requirement, at least for now. But I value the creativity I put into a new song far higher than mixing songs. __ Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link: http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473 There is no such thing without its opposite -Bene Gesserit 01-02-2011 03:20 pusha waveform molester Registration Date: 07-01-2010 Posts: 757 Helpfulness rating:  But mixing taught me one of the first major things you should get your head around 16 bar progressions . I remember when I posted a question about neuro dropping on 48 bars or 64 and u left the comment saying I've never thought about this , I think mixing before hand sets u up better to go out and make the music u want to make __ buy the ticket take the ride 25-03-2011 19:26 drumnbass.be forum » DJ booth » DJ Gear » Where to start?