No matter what DJ software you use, there is one common variable that vinyl-emulation systems all rely on: needles. Normally, needles are the last things on your mind. Fidelity and cartridge specs are sometimes thought to be a trivial factor in the performance of the software. The common opinion is that, “As long as you have a good strong signal, then it does not matter what needle you use.” Although that is partially true, any regular user of multiple DJ carts will tell you that they all seem to feel or respond differently. That is, of course, a subjective observation and is dependent on a lot of variables that are hard to nail down. Now to further confuse the ranks of DJs, Ortofon has released a new DJ cartridge specifically aimed at the digital DJ market called the DigiTrack, which Ortofon claims to be a superior cartridge designed specifically for the digital realm. But what exactly makes one DJ cartridge better than the other? And how can we get optimal performance out of the needles we already have? Continue reading ‘How to pick a dj needle for Serato’
Archive for 2006
it seems like many of the tools and tricks of the digital DJ world are becoming more and more system exclusive with each company outdoing the other with fancy new gadgets. Unfortunately, unless you are willing to bring your entire personal rig to a gig or happen to be Paul van Dyk and can demand the gear that you need, your live shows are limited to the gear a club has installed. So, for instance, if your entire set is built around the features and effects found in a high-end mixer that very few clubs have, your set will be 100 percent about 10 percent of the time. Not good enough if you want to play with the big boys. It might be wise to have a few universal tricks up your sleeve that you can pull out at almost any gig with a piece of gear that you will find in nearly all DJ booths. Groupies, you may ask? No, Pioneer CDJ-1000s! Continue reading ‘Advanced CDJ-1000 Techniques’
The new remix article talks about techniques and possibilites using foot switches but I did not have the space to really go into detail. Here are some direct links and thoughts on some of the options you have for foot switches.
Continue reading ‘What foot switches should you buy for Serato?’
First of all, I want to remind everyone that these are all Mac only. Sorry PC folks. That being said, here are a few of the really useful scripts that I use every day to beef up I-tunes and help manage my dj collection. Please send me more of your own favorites, and I will post them here!
At the end of the day, no matter what any company tries to sell you, the songs you play make or break the dancefloor. All the cool tricks in the world don’t matter if you can’t get great songs. So where can you get those hot new tracks every week? Where can you get the special DJ remixes and dance tracks that keep your inspiration fresh and the crowds begging for more? Well, those remain the burning questions in this new era of DJing. The market is certainly growing, as new sites seem to pop up every day offering MP3 sales. There are more excellent shops than I have space to include, but here are a few that really stand out with great tunes and easy-to-use interfaces. Continue reading ‘“Where to Buy Digital Dance Tracks”’
_20090630202813.jpg)
Readers are Saying