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dj software
- Thread starter mihas
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Go download the demo for Traktor Pro at http://www.native-instruments.com/newreleases/en/products/dj/traktor-pro/
Definitely another vote for Live here, I'm just about to pull the trigger on Ableton Suite 8 and an Echo Audiofire 2 for this very purpose.
If you don't fancy that, I'd recommend checking out Torq. You CAN control the program with vinyl or CD decks but you don't have to.
JC
If you don't fancy that, I'd recommend checking out Torq. You CAN control the program with vinyl or CD decks but you don't have to.
JC
I would suggest Traktor as well. To use any DJ program effectively, you'll also need an external audio interface, so you can listen to the cued track in headphones. Torq with Connectiv is a good buy right now. I've seen it for only $250.
I wouldn't suggest Ableton Live as a DJ program, as it doesn't even remotely resemble traditional DJing. It's an excellent DAW, though.
I wouldn't suggest Ableton Live as a DJ program, as it doesn't even remotely resemble traditional DJing. It's an excellent DAW, though.
It is to me. I think every DJ should learn traditional beatmatching before delving into something like Live.
Learn the basics: beatmatching, phrasematching, keymatching. Then go crazy.
Live is great for multiple tracks, samples, and live beats. It's extremely useful if you want to edit tracks, sample tracks, and create tracks. But for someone new, who wants to learn two-deck mixing, it's overpowered, over complicated, time consuming, and eliminates a fundamental element of DJing. IMO, it's more suited to a Live PA.
I understand that school of thought but don't agree with it. From my point of view, beatmatching in a set is time spent when I could be doing something else, such as mixing in multiple tracks, or in the case of Ableton, cue-ing in loops of instrumentation played on the fly with synths or guitar. However I also think that using a program like Ableton JUST to beatmatch is boring as hell, almost considering it "cheating". I also think that regardless of what you're doing a set with, (Decks, Ableton etc), tune selection is the most important factor. You could do a fantastic set technically, mixing in 3 tunes at a time, adding loops all over the place, scratching and whatever, but if the crowd hate it, its crap. End of story.
Each to their own though. This has been, and could still be, discussed to death. For the purposes of this thread though, you're probably right. Ableton would be overkill for a beginner.
JC
We're basically saying the same thing. Live is an amazing tool, but for a beginner, I would suggest some more traditional software. 
Actually it's a great place to learn these concepts. There are two parts to beatmatching... first part is knowing how to count the beats and the basic music theory and the second is actually getting good at using the pitch slider and your hand to physically match the tempo's of two tracks. I've found that for people with no musical back ground, they learn the theory (counting, matching 1 & 3s, or 2's & 4's) much easier with ableton. First of all, warping is just an overglorified version of counting out and labelling the beat in a track. And the way you warp correctly is to match your track to the metronome, so you have to learn how to count the beat and then make sure its matched up with the click track. That's beatmatching right there, in a visual easy to learn method. Now when they have a go on decks they'll know what they're trying to do and it will just be a matter of maniuplating vinyl...
Phrase matching? Anybody who has used the loop function to find a good 2/4/8 etc bar loop in a track has done this, without even knowing it.
Key matching? I think a big advantage here is that you can put a vsti instrument and then all your clips right next to each other in the same app which is very convenient. And labeling the key of every track is as easy as changing the file name.
Just my 2 cents, from being heavily invested in both methods of DJ'ing