What do you use and why?

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DJ Ricky B said:
I would say that over 90% of active DJs DO NOT Remember using equipment in the 1970s. I am 36, and even my first DJ gig at the age of 13, I was using 2 single disc CD Players and using CDs. I have no clue about the equipment DJs used in the 1970s except for the fact that I know it was all heavy, bulky, and a real PITA to transport around compared to standard equipment of the last 20 years.

Sure many of us know the music. That can be learned by doing a little research, and searching for the songs on Spotify IF the DJ does not have this music in their collection. A young DJ may not know THE BEST ways to program that music in a set, but they can at least obtain the songs, and play them.

Most 20 somethings don't know much about records, and if they did own cassettes, they were very young when they did so.

My nephew is 20. He told me he has never owned a Cassette. He barely owns any CDs. He grew up in the MP3 Player world. He has his ear buds in all the time.
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ittigger said:
My point is that you somehow claim that 90% of active DJ's do not remember the 70's or were not born yet.You're assuming that of every 1000 DJ's, 900 of them are 38 and younger. While I myself have also not used equipment manufactured in the 70's, I know exactly what a turntable is and how to use it (I still have a pair). I also know what a cassette deck is, as well as other media players used through the years and exactly how to use them. Many people in the public from 20-60 know what these are as well. How would the majority of people that are active in this field NOT know?

Today, you can find many DJ's using turntables (in a digital capacity) - which can be traced back to the 60's and 70's. Ross uses a digital vinyl setup. I have also. Turntables are currently still being sold - as are new records. Considering most of the older people already have this equipment (and possibly still have their records), who do you think is buying them?
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I got to agree with Tigger on this one. Vinyl is on a big comeback and a lot of artists are releasing on vinyl just not the fringe ones either. Justin Timberlake and Kendrick Lamar have two of the top 10 biggest selling albums on vinyl this year. The majority of vinyl collectors that are actively buying are in the 18-35 demo

From a personal standpoint I still have all my vinyl. 10,000 45's over 1500 albums I also have CD's and cassettes. I don't see cassettes making a comeback they were always a PITA. My second oldest will be 19 this month and buys vinyl regularly. She wanted a turntable for Xmas last year
 
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ittigger said:
My point is that you somehow claim that 90% of active DJ's do not remember the 70's or were not born yet.You're assuming...
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You both need to go back to school. Yes, someone born in 2000 would be 18 this year, however it's unlikely they remember much before the 4th grade. By that time all things audio/video had become computer-centric.

If they have any experience at all with devices preceding the iPod then it would owe to their hanger-on parents who couldn't let go of their worn out cassette tapes and space devouring CD collections. :) Children of aspiring DJs should probably be recognized as trauma victims due to their parent's PTSD obsession with long lost vinyl.
 
Jeff Romard said:
I got to agree with Tigger on this one. Vinyl is on a big comeback and a lot of artists are releasing on vinyl just not the fringe ones either. Justin Timberlake and Kendrick Lamar have two of the top 10 biggest selling albums on vinyl this year. The majority of vinyl collectors that are actively buying are in the 18-35 demo

From a personal standpoint I still have all my vinyl. 10,000 45's over 1500 albums I also have CD's and cassettes. I don't see cassettes making a comeback they were always a PITA. My second oldest will be 19 this month and buys vinyl regularly. She wanted a turntable for Xmas last year
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People aren't buying the vinyl to play. They are framing it as wall art. The only piece of gear I currently see being used with vinyl is a cordless drill. :)
 
Proformance said:
Alexa! .... what's a home stereo?
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Alexa! ...what's a camera?

Last trip to NY, I brought one of my Canon 5D cameras that does not have Live View. Asking other people to help with shots of our group, most of the "helpers" held the camera like a smart phone - they had no idea how to look through a viewfinder!
 
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As bizarre as it is to believe... there is definitely a huge throng of young people into vinyl... pressing it with only one existing factory left makes the price of fresh in the wrapper vinyl 40 to 50 bucks a record...and they are buying it... i have a friend...mid 20's...never dj'd in his life...i walk in his den and he has a technics 1200 set up and a wall shelf full of vinyl.... he didnt even really know why it had a pitch fader...lol

ive actually heard that cassettes are making a comeback as well amongst hipsters... me personally... im glad to be rid of it all...i have zero sentimental attachment to cassettes... i hated them then...and id surely hate them now

cc
 
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Yes definitely increase of people purchasing and doing stuff with vinyl. But it's a very small percent of the actual music which is sold. Maybe somewhere between 5 to 9%. There's no inter-structure anymore to produce vinyl in large quantities like they did in the 70s and 80s. It's like horses, there are plenty of people who have an use horses, but it's not the main stream and never will be again. It's like the new in thing. I have this discussion with my mom all the time.
I was there in the late 80’s at the New Music seminar when I thought they were going to tear Denon reps a part when they presented their first dual CD player. At that time I never thought I would give up my vinyl too. Now, I don't even own a turntable, had to borrow my moms turntable to play the records I have for sale.
 
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djcrazychris said:
LOL....any quick youtube search can have ya setting up a PA in minutes... infact most rental places include a link to their own youtube tutorial on pa set up... theres even videos for wire management...hint hint...lol

The only true way to stand out is to combine this storm of both simple and complex skills....with lights and sound...playlisting on the fly... and give them a carefree night of entertainment that leaves a lasting impression.

cc
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You said that but how many do you know that will do that? That's part of our job. The rest is doing our best to get people to have a good time at the event.
 
I remember using cassette tapes to record my mixes on and getting $10 for them. What about a reel to reel player. Remember those? What about a Soundcraftman amp? As a mobile DJ if you owned one of those you were top of the line in terms of being a DJ. Their amps were super expensive. I can go on.
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
I remember using cassette tapes to record my mixes on and getting $10 for them. What about a reel to reel player. Remember those? What about a Soundcraftman amp? As a mobile DJ if you owned one of those you were top of the line in terms of being a DJ. Their amps were super expensive. I can go on.
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Just a reminder for other readers .. you were NEVER legally allowed to just sell mixtapes, mix CDs, mix anythings. You needed, and still do, special licensing.
 
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steve149 said:
Just a reminder for other readers .. you were NEVER legally allowed to just sell mixtapes, mix CDs, mix anythings. You needed, and still do, special licensing.
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maybe, but we did it anyway....
 
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steve149 said:
Not all of us .. :)
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lol...i used to sell my masters for $500 each to several tape hustlers and websites.... it spread as far as japan... the mixtape game fizzled around 09 so i drifted away.... i was actually nominated for a Justo mixtape award in 06... they held the the ceremony at the Apollo...the place was filled with legitimate hip hop artists...and labels were well represented...

As much as it is illegal (try telling that to the hip hop labels who pushed their artists at every mixtape dj with any kind of name) it is a tradition in the hip hop community and is an important part of the dj culture.

cc
 
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Mixtape is also a general term which everyone used when creating compilation of songs. Even by those who werent DJs used the term. If you put your favorite songs from records on a tape to play in your car you made a mixtape, Before the Internet it was one way to get your name out. With DJs most were given away or they charged alittle to cover costs. One of my tapes ended in the hands of someone at a NYC radio & I ended up having my mixes on the air a couple of days later. As at the time the station was 1# I could pickup records directly from the labels in NYC. The relationship lasted at couple years. Those were some crazy times. Probably why I don't like paying to get into clubs or paying for music because back then I didn't.
 
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Proformance said:
People aren't buying the vinyl to play. They are framing it as wall art. The only piece of gear I currently see being used with vinyl is a cordless drill. :)
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I read the other day about one turntable manufacturer shipping 4000 a month last year. I'm wondering how many nails you need to hang one of them on a wall?

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
You said that but how many do you know that will do that? That's part of our job. The rest is doing our best to get people to have a good time at the event.
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You do realize that there are tutorials for everything on Youtube right? Some have millions of views. Here's a couple of the 17 Million or so google found on a search of "How to setup a PA". I didn't actually watch them so I'm not vouching for the quality but they are there in an abundance

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0WM986EFLE


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmHvvf8UKfs
 
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