That's cool. It's funny how things like that just kind of take on a life of their own.
How well do you know your library?
- Thread starter Papa Deuce
- Start date
That's cool. It's funny how things like that just kind of take on a life of their own.
With a large library, it's very handy to have a computer inventory system to tell you if you have a song or not and where it is.
It's even more handy to not really care where the song is, but just be able to tell the computer that is the song I want to play and let the computer worry about where the file is physically located, which is just one of the things most dj software today does very well.
i use cds not computer so it very handy to know where the song is in my cases of cds
DjDennis
RIP- My Dad (2011), Sister (2013) and Mum (2017)
I am the same here - all CD based
but mine is 70/30 (70=know, 30=check)
I am amazed at how much I have and how much actually stays at home
oh and someone talking about lyrics
I posted awhile back a FREE lyrics software program you can download and keep
well if anyone needs it yell (I just have to find it first)
So then, are you saying that karaoke is gay? If it is not straight then it must be gay.
Sorry Joe and others, I tried to resist but I failed.
Not gay, just very festive...!
Actually I use the phrase to differentiate between Karaoke/Karaoke-Mix/and DJ events AND music.
Sounds like the PC is doing all of the thinking...
Sounds to me like the person is doing the thinking and the computer is doing the mundane work of keeping track of where the song physically is and playing it, which doesn't require thinking or reasoning, just requires memory.
Sounds to me like the person is doing the thinking and the computer is doing the mundane work of keeping track of where the song physically is and playing it, which doesn't require thinking or reasoning, just requires memory.
I added emoticons to take the sting out of my post, but I still meant it. What we don't use, we lose.
The impression I got from his post was that he not only doesn't know his library all that well ( which is ok- I have freely admitted to a lesser knowledge of my DJ library), but more importantly, doesn't care. "Click dependant".
A while back I posted a thread that asked the following (paraphrased):
"Excluding ALL equipment ( which includes PCs, Players, sound/light systems, music, etc..) that anyone with enough money could purchase, or making EVERYONE'S equipment and libraries equal: Why should a perspective client hire YOU over anyone else?"
Out of 1000+ forum members, only EIGHT gave original answers of any sort.
I run a disc based karaoke show. I know my library. I keep customer histories in my head. I run a slip based rotation. I load and play discs with virtually no dead air, and have the next ten pulled and ready on the felt. I set sound for each singer on the fly. I am also able to walk around and mingle with the crowd, gab new and nervous singers up, answer questions, and maybe even help with non-karaoke related issues.
I do all of this with absolutely NO DIFFICULTY, and actually enjoy it!
I know of very few who can do what I can today. As a matter of fact, many couldn't even run rotation ALONE without the PC.
What some people don't know is that I ran a PC based show for a year, and went BACK to discs.
One reason ( of many)was that the PC was making me lazy.
I had an experience years ago. I am one who does simple math rather quickly in my head. For some reason I started carrying and using a calculator. Within a month my mental math abilities had slowed down quite a bit.
What I see lately- despite all the claims of being "freed up" for other things- is PC DJs and Karaoke Hosts simply doing less and less.
Of course, many would say that's a good thing- less work and more pay, right?
The thing is, with everyone doing less, how will you stand out to perspective clients?
I only got 8 answers out of a thousand NOW. Imagine the future filled with equipment ( or should I say software) dependant DJs?
It's kind of like reading glasses. Though you don't want to strain your eyes to read, the fact is, the more that you use them, the worse your eyes get due to the focal muscles' lack of use. Atrophy. The answer is to use them as little as possible, and go for the strain once in awhile. That WILL slow the degradation. Use the mind as much as possible for the same reason.
The same goes for our DJ/Karaoke skills, because these skills - not equipment and music that anyone can buy-are the ONLY things that raise us above the competion.
The more that you depend on software, the less you will be able to do that's different. Remember, anyone can buy software too, and software is mass produced- the same for any who buy and use it.
In my humblest of opinions, of course.....
OK, ready......aim......
Joe,
I don't doubt your ability. I believe you are the not the average kind of host. I can tell quality is important to you. I honestly believe you are a better karaoke host than I.
I just disagree with you that the value you add has anything to do with the fact that you use discs. You are better because you run a better show. However, if using discs is easier for you, I am all for that.
I believe the value I add to a karaoke event is keeping things moving properly, keeping the flow, keeping people entertained between singers. A computer cannot do that. My computer simply makes the repetitive tasks quicker and easier for me.....and gives me more time to add value(as I see it) to the event. I have never had anyone tell me how good I am at loading discs in a player. I have had people tell me that I was a very fun and entertaining host. The Cd player didn't help much with that.
We do no weekly karaoke shows any more. Company wide we do about 25 karaoke shows a year. I probably do 3-4. I used to do 3 shows a week. We would always have disc players going bad, so we always had back ups. Today we have computer back ups.
I don't doubt your ability. I believe you are the not the average kind of host. I can tell quality is important to you. I honestly believe you are a better karaoke host than I.
I just disagree with you that the value you add has anything to do with the fact that you use discs. You are better because you run a better show. However, if using discs is easier for you, I am all for that.
I believe the value I add to a karaoke event is keeping things moving properly, keeping the flow, keeping people entertained between singers. A computer cannot do that. My computer simply makes the repetitive tasks quicker and easier for me.....and gives me more time to add value(as I see it) to the event. I have never had anyone tell me how good I am at loading discs in a player. I have had people tell me that I was a very fun and entertaining host. The Cd player didn't help much with that.
We do no weekly karaoke shows any more. Company wide we do about 25 karaoke shows a year. I probably do 3-4. I used to do 3 shows a week. We would always have disc players going bad, so we always had back ups. Today we have computer back ups.
You are really giving the computer WAAAAYYY too much credit. Anyone can use software, just like anyone can use a mass produced cd player and cds.
Be different!...Be special! But don't think your media choice is going to make you different or special.
If someone is being lazy, don't blame a computer. they need look in the mirror. There are a lot of things than can be done to make the evening more enjoyable for the guests.
computers we use dont think as you know.technology has come a far way and its much easier for many of us to utilize it in ways that help.there is no need for me to memorize or remember my library.i can simply tell anyone i have a specific music and when checked i might not have it but it can be obtained quickly with the age of technology.i remember the days when a sound system would take 10 guys half a day to hook up,then possibly another hr to run a sound check,it now takes 20 mins for some people.things have changed a whole lot Joe.i couldnt take a calculator to an exam,it would be called cheating.i chose a laptop over disc because its easy to carry around,the search button is your friend when you run a computer,there is no need to memorize lots of stuff,my day job takes up most of the memorySounds like the PC is doing all of the thinking...
1) Scott, I thank you for your kind words, but I merely claim to be a bit better than those hosts I see locally. Your dedication to your work leaves no doubt in my mind that you wouldn't do anything if you couldn't do it with quality.
2) Actually, I don't find that using discs is either easier OR harder than a PC- just different.
I agree that using discs isn't why I do well, it's NOT using a PC and keeping my mind sharp ( well, relatively speaking...:sqerr
that I credit. Believe me, I truly noticed the difference when I returned to discs.3) You are right- a computer can't keep people entertained between singers, that's our job- one I have plenty of time for though "discing" ( if I say it three times, can I keep it as a word?
).4) Just to be icky- I've have been extremely lucky. Though I have replaced players, I have never had one crash DURING a show- except when an open/close tray button gave out- and I used the other player exclusively ( I prefer running two singles to a multi-drawer). I mostly replaced to upgrade.
Don't worry, I KNOW they CAN crash, mine just didn't.
I pose a question: Since you you went PC, and have been "freed up", what tasks do you now perform that you never could before?
I'll bet YOU, Scott, really can't think of anything. Why? because as previously stated, I believe that you are an excellent DJ from what you and others have posted. To me, that means that you have ALWAYS been able to perform ALL of the tasks required. If that's true, then that "free" time is probably just that.... Again, only a guess. If you have been able to add something to your repertoire strictly because of PC usage, then of course, I'm wrong..... yeah, I know, hard to believe, but it's happened once or twice before...
two things standf out for me in process of the change over. Mind you "I havent been able to go in the door without my CD collection even though almost my whole library is on HD at this point. The ol' seperation phobia has still got ahold of me.
1.Immediate response to a song allows me to switch a song with the remaining 3-5 seconds of the playing song. This has proven over and over again to allow me to be nearly to the second on the fly.
2. I have some CDs which have identical sleeves and in one instance I must have loaded the wrong disc in the wrong sleeve. I was searching for a song to follow and with five seconds left I realized it was the wrong disc as I was cuing it past an intro. I hd to think quick but just didnt have tome to switch the discs and keep from having dead air in the midst of the first dance set. With an MP3 file I would have in fact cued the song title.
3. I have even more time to read the crowd and be more personable with requests etc. This spells a more bonding potential and has led to a couple referrals.
These are just a couple instances where I have seen the benefits of the switch. Now if I can just leave the discs at home for one whole gig I will be cured.
1.Immediate response to a song allows me to switch a song with the remaining 3-5 seconds of the playing song. This has proven over and over again to allow me to be nearly to the second on the fly.
2. I have some CDs which have identical sleeves and in one instance I must have loaded the wrong disc in the wrong sleeve. I was searching for a song to follow and with five seconds left I realized it was the wrong disc as I was cuing it past an intro. I hd to think quick but just didnt have tome to switch the discs and keep from having dead air in the midst of the first dance set. With an MP3 file I would have in fact cued the song title.
3. I have even more time to read the crowd and be more personable with requests etc. This spells a more bonding potential and has led to a couple referrals.
These are just a couple instances where I have seen the benefits of the switch. Now if I can just leave the discs at home for one whole gig I will be cured.
1) For me, no difference noticed.
2) Could have typo-ed an incorrect title just as easily - I sure have! :sqembarrassed:
3) Again, I guess it depends. I have the same amount of mingle time either way...
Wait! I got it! I must be AMAZING!
Nah.....Oh hell, I don't know....... In the end, I guess it's all in the comfort zone, as Scott said.
As for not carrying the discs, in a year of working PC, it took me almost 4 months to do it, and then only because I spent MORE money and time on a second lappy for back-up ( how many players could I have gotten for the cost of two PCs AND the worth of all of my time? Another reason I went back)
The PC is now way behind in karaoke tracks, as I stopped ripping to it a long time ago. I DO keep it up to speed for the DJ music, though. Less room taken for those files, of course, and compatible with ANY software that plays music, so what the heck.
Ripping and using Karaoke files is a whole other ballgame as far as space and software compatibility.
Yes, I generally know whether I have it. Occassionally, I find I owned it on a 12" or other vinyl and never replaced or copied it to a CD - so it's gone.
Example: Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off.
If it's TRULY an obscure tune then I would know that I do not own it. I specifically avoid buying outside the mainstream because it's not in the best interest of my bottom line.
Example: Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off.
If it's TRULY an obscure tune then I would know that I do not own it. I specifically avoid buying outside the mainstream because it's not in the best interest of my bottom line.
DjDennis
RIP- My Dad (2011), Sister (2013) and Mum (2017)
All of them gave great non- "equipment dependant" answers that showcased what makes THEM different.
The thing is, only 0.8 percent of the forum could ( or would) answer.
The point of that thread was ( and is) that ANYONE could BUY equipment and a library and learn the usage. One should KNOW what skills and talent one has (that CAN'T be bought) that puts them above or makes them different from the others- or if they have them at all. THESE are the true selling points, because anyone can match the others eventually.
This applies to the equipment dependant whether they be vinyl, disc, reel to reel, wax cylinder/gramophone, PC, iPOD, or wire recorder.
I have to admit, I suffered a huge loss in the last year when an external hard drive crashed and erased my entire library of about 70,000 songs. I have a few hundred CD's as back ups now and constantly growing. But with the new library climbing over 50,000 songs now. I do not know every single song I have. A quick search in seconds tell's me though if I have it or not. If you ask me by artist, I can almost always tell you right away if i have it. But I download entire collections at a time, for example, 81 beatles albums in one download. So knowing the song titles...sometimes I have to look. I download artists I've never even heard of in all different genre's, so knowing them all is impossible for me. As far as knowing what song to play next? That depends on the crowd, the requests and the mood.
BTW, in the interest of fairness, I should mention that when I get a few extra bucks I WILL be picking up one of those cute little Acer notebooks, and will be using it for no other purpose than to load KJ Pro and my master songbook data. THAT will be worth while, as my binder is wider than I am, and weighs almost as much.
Usage would be pretty much the same as the songbook, but scrolling instead of turning pages, and instant access by title, artist, disc#, and searches as keys are typed. Weighs about nothing. Of couse the book will stay in my trunk, but at least I won't have to carry it.
Gee, I'm getting so techno....
Usage would be pretty much the same as the songbook, but scrolling instead of turning pages, and instant access by title, artist, disc#, and searches as keys are typed. Weighs about nothing. Of couse the book will stay in my trunk, but at least I won't have to carry it.
Gee, I'm getting so techno....
I could not imagine taking all of that time to rip all of my cds and then not taking a little more time to make a back up hard drive. A hard drive crash should be a minor inconvienence, not a huge loss.