I don't take ANYONE here too seriously .... including myself.
Yup!The thing I hear most often with DJs that are just learning to beat mix is jacking the phrasing way up. Knowing how long your choruses and intros are is important in making it sound smooth. Just getting the tempo right doesn't make the phrasing right.
Yes, listen, count the beats and watch the clock right? Some people check their heart rate the same way. You can do the counting for 15 seconds then multiply by 4 too.
I use the sync button but I make sure everything sounds right thru headphones. Hitting sync doesn't always work the way you want it to
Okay, I'm convinced. I gotta get me some of this "real DJ software". I've never gotten to have ANY of this fun with winamp.
I personally wouldn't use Winamp because it's just too much work but I do believe in the KISS principle and Winamp fits the bill there. I use MixMeister which is one step above Winamp.
I guess we have to break it to our 60 or so clients a year we aren't real DJ's Rick
I can make the same argument for Mixvibes Cross DJ - dead nuts reliable - but unfortunately (like WinAmp) looks like it is turning into abandonware.The big issue though is reliability. I've never had a SINGLE case of winamp crashing on me. I've had machine crashes, but never a player crash.
The big issue though is reliability. Before becoming a DJ, I used it for about 3 years while I was a soloact musician, for a total of about 13 years that I've been using it. In all that time, I've never had a SINGLE case of winamp crashing on me.
I can make the same argument for Mixvibes Cross DJ - dead nuts reliable - but unfortunately (like WinAmp) looks like it is turning into abandonware.
All those things you mentioned, and more, can be done with VDJ, and people without your smarts run it every day without problems. Personally, for me, I never had faith in WinAmp when it was loaded with plugins - which I had to do to alter Tempo. Altering BPM is necessary when mixing, but I also deliberately slow down a lot of the Salsa I play, without the older Latinos even aware that I'm doing it, which requires good sounding "time stretching".
There were many iterations of WinAmp, many Skins, and many Plugins. Perhaps you could walk us through exactly how you have it set up.
Unlike many on here DJing is not self entertainment for Rick, it’s a job and the simplest most uncomplicated way to get it done makes much more sense in that situationNot really worth it. Most everyone here is already using "real DJ software" and wouldn't dream of going backwards to Winamp. I admit, it's on borrowed time with me as well. The video stuff is what's going to drive me back to actual DJ software. As for winamp setup, I don't fool with special skins and minimize plug-ins. I've lived without tempo shifting this long and don't really see a big need for it. The biggest keys to me that make it work is having the track-to-track crossfade. At 8 seconds it pretty much handles 90% of the transitions smoothly and without me having to think about it. The little crossfade setting for when a track stops (.5-1 seconds) also keeps me from having an abrupt change when I jump from one track to a different one (i.e. a sucky song is clearing my dance floor). I try to keep things simple and I have a regular stream of clients who sing my praises (right or wrong). I see little value in trying to wow anybody for the handful of people who ever come around to the back of my booth.
Not everyone wants or even likes that, so maybe we cater to a different segment.I mean how are you guys matching beats? Or creating that nightclub experience for the clients demanding such. How are you layering a completely different sound over another to surprise guests out of nowhere... but more importantly, how are you keeping people dancing on beat without scratching their heads trying to get on beat or looking confused over each 8 second transition. These are the standout things that people notice. .
No offense... but who "doesn't like" beatmatching? Is there someone that has straight up said they want the songs to play out till the end and then have a gap or slowly fade in the other song? In fact I have had clients on numerous occasions ask if we beatmatch or "mix the songs so the beats dont stop", but no one ever request the opposite.Not everyone wants or even likes that, so maybe we cater to a different segment.
No offense... but who "doesn't like" beatmatching? Is there someone that has straight up said they want the songs to play out till the end and then have a gap or slowly fade in the other song? In fact I have had clients on numerous occasions ask if we beatmatch or "mix the songs so the beats dont stop", but no one ever request the opposite.
Beatmatching is not even meant to be noticed... Whats more noticeable is when guests have to stop every 2-3 minutes to give the dj the look of whats happening. Granted not EVERY moment calls for beatmatching... but during the actual dancing segments, its such a powerful tool to keep the momentum and energy going without and stops.
We all aim to get better at our craft... this right here is the best thing that a dj could possibly learn skill wise... cuz in reality what other skill are we really showcasing that no one else can do.
beat or looking confused over each 8 second transition.
No offense... but who "doesn't like" beatmatching? Is there someone that has straight up said they want the songs to play out till the end and then have a gap or slowly fade in the other song? In fact I have had clients on numerous occasions ask if we beatmatch or "mix the songs so the beats dont stop", but no one ever request the opposite.
Beatmatching is not even meant to be noticed... Whats more noticeable is when guests have to stop every 2-3 minutes to give the dj the look of whats happening. Granted not EVERY moment calls for beatmatching... but during the actual dancing segments, its such a powerful tool to keep the momentum and energy going without and stops.
We all aim to get better at our craft... this right here is the best thing that a dj could possibly learn skill wise... cuz in reality what other skill are we really showcasing that no one else can do.
Wasn't so much beat matching or song transitioning .. my clients like that too, it's more of the overlaying and "completely different sounds" and in most cases, the nightclub experience, that doesn't do well with my audiences (save for an occasionaly school aged crowd).No offense... but who "doesn't like" beatmatching? Is there someone that has straight up said they want the songs to play out till the end and then have a gap or slowly fade in the other song? In fact I have had clients on numerous occasions ask if we beatmatch or "mix the songs so the beats dont stop", but no one ever request the opposite.
Beatmatching is not even meant to be noticed... Whats more noticeable is when guests have to stop every 2-3 minutes to give the dj the look of whats happening. Granted not EVERY moment calls for beatmatching... but during the actual dancing segments, its such a powerful tool to keep the momentum and energy going without and stops.
We all aim to get better at our craft... this right here is the best thing that a dj could possibly learn skill wise... cuz in reality what other skill are we really showcasing that no one else can do.