bagpuss
To me the XP10 Is a must, Firstly because I don't have a headphone cueing facility with my current set up (using laptop with included soundcard), secoundly because a hands on expirence with vdj will be amazing, it would be like having a laptop and cd decks(working together) which in my eyes is the ultimate set up, superficiallyand practically, stable and open up more doors to even more creative mixing to give a better perormance, however the inclusion of a cd player is amiss in the xp10, which I understand will suit some, but I would like to see the inclusion of a single cd player on each xp10 in the futre models regardless of the exrta money,
Think that if your laptop crashes you could comence play immediately from the loaded xp10, that is a major selling point, because I would never go to a big club with just my laptp and vdj, i'm sorry but no way, the stakes are too high regardless of vdj's great stability, the laptop is a secound thing that could go down,
personally i would like to go armed with my laptop, headphones, and one or two controllers (whatevers best or needed) I would like a back-up system of some kind included with that hardware, maybe like i said with cd players integrated with the conrollers or some storage on the device, enough to hold 5,10,50 mp3's for example,
What do You guys think realistically is the ideal solution? ( for a portable dj setup)
Regards
Think that if your laptop crashes you could comence play immediately from the loaded xp10, that is a major selling point, because I would never go to a big club with just my laptp and vdj, i'm sorry but no way, the stakes are too high regardless of vdj's great stability, the laptop is a secound thing that could go down,
personally i would like to go armed with my laptop, headphones, and one or two controllers (whatevers best or needed) I would like a back-up system of some kind included with that hardware, maybe like i said with cd players integrated with the conrollers or some storage on the device, enough to hold 5,10,50 mp3's for example,
What do You guys think realistically is the ideal solution? ( for a portable dj setup)
Regards
geposted Tue 15 Jun 04 @ 8:02 pm
DJ Rick
I see what you are saying, but I must tell you, that some months ago, I pulled my CD players from my bar consoles. I've used virtualDJ crash free 3-5 times every week ever since just before the release of version 1.0.
NOT 1 SINGLE CRASH!
however, a single CD player built into the XP-10 controller would indeed be very cool.
OK, in my private event console I still have my DENON 2600. But I only carry 6 CD's anyway.
NOT 1 SINGLE CRASH!
however, a single CD player built into the XP-10 controller would indeed be very cool.
OK, in my private event console I still have my DENON 2600. But I only carry 6 CD's anyway.
geposted Tue 15 Jun 04 @ 8:31 pm
bagpuss
Yes, I would only carry a few cd's just to play while i recover the software or my laptop,but A back-up system is important, and it would be a comfort to myself and any hireing club owner who will ask, what if your computer crashes or goes down?, the party must go on.....,
And yes XP10 is crying for cd capabilities.....
And yes XP10 is crying for cd capabilities.....
geposted Tue 15 Jun 04 @ 9:25 pm
wyworg
the price is very top if the xp10 whit cd... i prefer only the xp10
geposted Tue 15 Jun 04 @ 9:42 pm
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
Most clubs & pubs have a dj mixer there for you, or you carry your own to the gig.
The solution might also be a mini-disk player, iPod or cd-walkman that you have as a backup...
Because most DJ-mixer have 3-4 line-in inputs, letting you have 2 for your laptop (if a 5.1 or dual soundcard setup) and 1 for back-up player (mini-disk or other)..
And bring ONE cd with a finished mix or two for about 10 mins (would be more than enough time to recover pc)
Been thinking of crash back-up myself, although VDJ have NEVER crashed (REALLY!!!)
Wouldn't that work? Because I really don't think XP10 is going to build a cd player into it, even if its a great idea :)
But I like the idea :)
Dj in norway
The solution might also be a mini-disk player, iPod or cd-walkman that you have as a backup...
Because most DJ-mixer have 3-4 line-in inputs, letting you have 2 for your laptop (if a 5.1 or dual soundcard setup) and 1 for back-up player (mini-disk or other)..
And bring ONE cd with a finished mix or two for about 10 mins (would be more than enough time to recover pc)
Been thinking of crash back-up myself, although VDJ have NEVER crashed (REALLY!!!)
Wouldn't that work? Because I really don't think XP10 is going to build a cd player into it, even if its a great idea :)
But I like the idea :)
Dj in norway
geposted Tue 15 Jun 04 @ 9:45 pm
digijoc-Mele
I have finished short ~10min mix sets for each of the genres I play on a Sony NetMD and a single CD. This is backup. If I am in a club they usually have a CD player as input to one of the LINE INs on the mixer and I will pause the genres I am working in on the CD player as I work the night just in case (paraniod [:o)) you may laugh now !.
In other situations where there is no CD player, I use the MiniDisk.
I think loading up the XP10 with a player is too much and will also drive the price up.
In other situations where there is no CD player, I use the MiniDisk.
I think loading up the XP10 with a player is too much and will also drive the price up.
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 2:10 am
bagpuss
So When You arrive at the club with your laptop your plug it into the mixer?, Which cable/s are needed for that, At the moment i'm using a stereo jack that goes straight out of th laptop output into left and right channels of the amplifer, Please explain me a bit, sure it's very simple..... :)
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 10:37 am
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
hi bagpuss...
thats just it.. :)
You need 2 cables..
2x minijack to phono cables.
Minijack into your soundcard, phono into the line-in at the mixer.
Thats all...
(well almost all, as 90% of mixers have phono line-in. There are a few with XLR line-in, in those cases you need a mini-jack to XLR cable)
When it comes to cables, a standard cable would do fine.
But you might wanna consider using a little money on them, getting pro cables, that are isolated for external interference (from power supply etc) - with "gold" plugs. Don't know if this actually does something, but it seems like the dynamics of the music is a bit better with more pro cables...
:)
Dj in norway
thats just it.. :)
You need 2 cables..
2x minijack to phono cables.
Minijack into your soundcard, phono into the line-in at the mixer.
Thats all...
(well almost all, as 90% of mixers have phono line-in. There are a few with XLR line-in, in those cases you need a mini-jack to XLR cable)
When it comes to cables, a standard cable would do fine.
But you might wanna consider using a little money on them, getting pro cables, that are isolated for external interference (from power supply etc) - with "gold" plugs. Don't know if this actually does something, but it seems like the dynamics of the music is a bit better with more pro cables...
:)
Dj in norway
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 12:53 pm
djzero
i'd much rather see a version of the XP-10 without the soundcard built in especially for those of us who have already forked out for a good soundcard. i'm sure this would reduce the cost of the product significantly
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 1:25 pm
digijoc-Mele
Because there are only usually a couple of USB ports on a laptop and although you could invest in a USB Hub, if you are already using a USB Soundcard there could be a tradeoff with the number of things you are trying to accomodate in USB ports, so the soundcard in the XP-10 is ok in my opinion.
May be asking for 2 much to have 2 styles, one with and one without soundcard option [:o)
May be asking for 2 much to have 2 styles, one with and one without soundcard option [:o)
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 3:45 pm
bagpuss
Hi again Dj Norway,
Remember our good discusson on mp3 organising, well I am using the system that I explained to you but now I would like your opinion (considering i'm ot currentely using shortcuts, 2000 dance goes into 2000 dance, that simple)
I've just bought whole load of early nineties dance music (which is about as good as dance gets!), now i'm thinking that this could go into old skool or nineties dance, note that some songs that i've bought i already have in my old skool folder although their nineties dance,
Some old skool is a nice dance sound that fits well into nineties dance, whereas some of it gets a bit heavy, strange and a bit too electronic.
Advice needed........
Maybe i'll put all my nineties old skool into my nineties dance, and my late 80's old skool into a new 80's dance folder...
Remember our good discusson on mp3 organising, well I am using the system that I explained to you but now I would like your opinion (considering i'm ot currentely using shortcuts, 2000 dance goes into 2000 dance, that simple)
I've just bought whole load of early nineties dance music (which is about as good as dance gets!), now i'm thinking that this could go into old skool or nineties dance, note that some songs that i've bought i already have in my old skool folder although their nineties dance,
Some old skool is a nice dance sound that fits well into nineties dance, whereas some of it gets a bit heavy, strange and a bit too electronic.
Advice needed........
Maybe i'll put all my nineties old skool into my nineties dance, and my late 80's old skool into a new 80's dance folder...
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 9:30 pm
bagpuss
another thing i would like to ask whilst on the subject of XP10, and that's is there ny news?, a date?.
Would be good to know as that's the missing part of my dj career!, will be ace.
Also could someone tell me the "other" controllers that are compaitable, where I can read about them, if there good and more importantely how much they are supported by the best dj sofware around... VDJ,
Of course I know about the hercules but not for me,
Cheers
Would be good to know as that's the missing part of my dj career!, will be ace.
Also could someone tell me the "other" controllers that are compaitable, where I can read about them, if there good and more importantely how much they are supported by the best dj sofware around... VDJ,
Of course I know about the hercules but not for me,
Cheers
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 9:36 pm
Dj Morris
If you read here you can see that they will be aviable on July.
http://www.virtualdj.com/products/hardware.html
http://www.virtualdj.com/products/hardware.html
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 9:42 pm
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
Hi agian Bagpuss....
I see Morris anwered the last question, so XP10 should be here shortly :)
When it comes to MP3's, I got my system that works well for me, but don't know if u like it the same way.. :)
But anyway, this is what I would do...
Make a "DANCE" folder
And as subfolders to DANCE folder I would make:
- New dance (or 2000 dance or something like that)
- 90's dance
- 80's dance
One feature that is REALLY nice when having sub-folders, is that you can fokus on 90dance if thats the topic of the night, but also if any dance would be good to play for the night, just right-click on the main "DANCE" folder, and select "recurse" - and ALL the files from all the sub-folders will show in the "DANCE" folder :) nice feature...
That's the way I organize :) easy to adapt to the settings and theme for the night.... some gigs might want you to play 80's dance, other gigs all kinda dance... :)
Dj In Norway
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 9:48 pm
bagpuss
Thanks Bud, I wasn't aware of that feature and i'm such a big user of vdj, thanks for that, is a great feature and i'll sure use it!, The database is also great for searches and anyone who comes to my house is so shocked when they see ho fast i can play the song that they asked for, They would say do you have that new song of britney spp........, and there it is, get on!.
I understand your concept, basically the same as mine, basic, methodical and works. tryed putting all my songs in one folder and got very messy and i knew it would never work for me in a club, especially as the database feature is the same...
so really all old dance (late 80's - early 90's) is old skool, so considering i know my musc I shouldn't worry about having an old skool folder. 70's 80's, 90's, 2000's, and new dance is all that's needed,
I understand your concept, basically the same as mine, basic, methodical and works. tryed putting all my songs in one folder and got very messy and i knew it would never work for me in a club, especially as the database feature is the same...
so really all old dance (late 80's - early 90's) is old skool, so considering i know my musc I shouldn't worry about having an old skool folder. 70's 80's, 90's, 2000's, and new dance is all that's needed,
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 10:14 pm
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
Sounds good :)
The database is nice, for searching, but if you got several 1000 songs, it sure gets messy to use for a gig :)
thats way I organize into folders, subfolders... so we think the same way.. :)
Having for example a 80's pop folder, and sticking to that for a 80's theme night - makes u have to deal with only the 80's song - easily sorted for bmp - for example. :) start at about a 90bmp and build up to 120-130 for later night dance-floor take off... works like a charm :) lol
and software DJ beats the h.. out of finding a song on a particular cd...hehe... It's like you say, Briney sp.... GOT IT!!!! LOL :) that's what I like about pc-dj-ing .... and also the weight, not having to carry 2 full cases of cd's :)
The database is nice, for searching, but if you got several 1000 songs, it sure gets messy to use for a gig :)
thats way I organize into folders, subfolders... so we think the same way.. :)
Having for example a 80's pop folder, and sticking to that for a 80's theme night - makes u have to deal with only the 80's song - easily sorted for bmp - for example. :) start at about a 90bmp and build up to 120-130 for later night dance-floor take off... works like a charm :) lol
and software DJ beats the h.. out of finding a song on a particular cd...hehe... It's like you say, Briney sp.... GOT IT!!!! LOL :) that's what I like about pc-dj-ing .... and also the weight, not having to carry 2 full cases of cd's :)
geposted Wed 16 Jun 04 @ 10:37 pm
Another thing Dj in norway,
is that i've had confusion when sorting by date, for example adamski - killer, is always on 80's cd's, but it came out in 1990,
Also there's many songs that are quite old like black box - Ride on time and it's dated 2000 or 2001, when i thought it was mid nineties, strange, maybe a re-release for many old skool tracks?
is that i've had confusion when sorting by date, for example adamski - killer, is always on 80's cd's, but it came out in 1990,
Also there's many songs that are quite old like black box - Ride on time and it's dated 2000 or 2001, when i thought it was mid nineties, strange, maybe a re-release for many old skool tracks?
geposted Thu 17 Jun 04 @ 5:28 pm
DJ Rick
I have 26,000 songs. I have gone to great lengths to properly name them. lately I have been going back and changing the naming parameters.
artist (cd title XX) - Song name XXXX
XX = track number
XXXX = year
this way I can search by year. If I'm doing strictly an 80's night, I can do a search for 198 everything from the 80's is then displayed.
If I'm doing something like a class reunion for the class of 1985, I simply search for 1985, and everything from that year is displayed.
Plus every re-mix has the word mix like 12" mix, or Hot Tracks Mix. If I'm working a dance set, I can search just the word mix, and all of the re-mixes are displayed, I sort them by BPM and go nuts.
Right now perhaps a little less than half of my songs have the year on them. It'll take months to finish. But once it's done, it'll be done forever.
My folders are organized simply a, b, c... all by either the artist's first name, or the name of the band or group (without the word "the" of course.
Properly maintaining the music library is just about a full time job by itself. I probably spend 20 hours + a week on adding new CD's, and re-naming some of the old ones. But doing this helps me know exactly what I have, and where it is. Thank Goodness for the VDJ search engine.
Of course, 15 years of DJ experience helps a little.
artist (cd title XX) - Song name XXXX
XX = track number
XXXX = year
this way I can search by year. If I'm doing strictly an 80's night, I can do a search for 198 everything from the 80's is then displayed.
If I'm doing something like a class reunion for the class of 1985, I simply search for 1985, and everything from that year is displayed.
Plus every re-mix has the word mix like 12" mix, or Hot Tracks Mix. If I'm working a dance set, I can search just the word mix, and all of the re-mixes are displayed, I sort them by BPM and go nuts.
Right now perhaps a little less than half of my songs have the year on them. It'll take months to finish. But once it's done, it'll be done forever.
My folders are organized simply a, b, c... all by either the artist's first name, or the name of the band or group (without the word "the" of course.
Properly maintaining the music library is just about a full time job by itself. I probably spend 20 hours + a week on adding new CD's, and re-naming some of the old ones. But doing this helps me know exactly what I have, and where it is. Thank Goodness for the VDJ search engine.
Of course, 15 years of DJ experience helps a little.
geposted Thu 17 Jun 04 @ 5:44 pm
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
Hi Bagpuss & Rick....
There will be songs that are kinda in a gray area.. I have seen that too ':) and "Ride On Time" is such a song... I would put it in the 90's folder, even though it may have been released in 2000 (not sure)... but it belongs in the 90's dance, because of its very typical 90's dance sound.. I think...
Adamski is surly a 80's sound (is it really from 90's?).... and I would put in in 80's... The "gray area" songs are usually one year or two in the "wrong time area" - but still, Ride on Time is 90's in my ears :)
And Rick - very nice collection system you have!! actually I have started myself kinda like you do (a lot of work, but worth it...)
For example :
4 Non Blondes - What's up (1993).mp3
Faithless - God is a DJ (1998).mp3
I've started work on this - got 8.000 songs (and growing) - so its a bit of work...
well, actually I just do this for the 80's and 90's music... why?
(1) because every time I play this kinda music, say a 80's night - there will be people asking me when it was released, as they remember the song, and wonder
(2) As Rick, I can search for a spesific year, sort by year etc
I love the data-base search - it's one of the BIGGEST advantages over having regular CD's! Fast find of right songs...
So any more search options are warmly welcomed from me :) I use it alot ... :)
Dj in Norway
There will be songs that are kinda in a gray area.. I have seen that too ':) and "Ride On Time" is such a song... I would put it in the 90's folder, even though it may have been released in 2000 (not sure)... but it belongs in the 90's dance, because of its very typical 90's dance sound.. I think...
Adamski is surly a 80's sound (is it really from 90's?).... and I would put in in 80's... The "gray area" songs are usually one year or two in the "wrong time area" - but still, Ride on Time is 90's in my ears :)
And Rick - very nice collection system you have!! actually I have started myself kinda like you do (a lot of work, but worth it...)
For example :
4 Non Blondes - What's up (1993).mp3
Faithless - God is a DJ (1998).mp3
I've started work on this - got 8.000 songs (and growing) - so its a bit of work...
well, actually I just do this for the 80's and 90's music... why?
(1) because every time I play this kinda music, say a 80's night - there will be people asking me when it was released, as they remember the song, and wonder
(2) As Rick, I can search for a spesific year, sort by year etc
I love the data-base search - it's one of the BIGGEST advantages over having regular CD's! Fast find of right songs...
So any more search options are warmly welcomed from me :) I use it alot ... :)
Dj in Norway
geposted Thu 17 Jun 04 @ 6:36 pm
Hi Guys,
Adamski is 80's, that's where it belongs, late 80's dance, but the release date was 1990, so it could be in either depending on how nerdy you want to be, but 80's yea.
And I think ride on time was re-released, unless it was early 2000's, can't see it though, but that's th date on the cd.....
I don't think I will go as far as adding the years in as it's a lot of time and searching through all my old cd's, but I think it's a good idea, with a big collection Rick do you have a certain standard or level of popularity a song has to meet before you store it on your hardrive, For example whe i went through all my old nineties cd's, there was lot of crap...., and I didn't add it all, firstly because much is unsuitable for the environment i wish to play in and secoundly because it's so bad and unknown it would expand my libary very quickly (if i did that) and it would become caos,
so maybe I could stretch to 2000 songs with my current cd collection, but my wining archive only warrants 1000, I don't know ho much you can understand this?, you'll always get a nerd who has a song in mind you haven't heard of and a "i'll keep everything attitude" would be good for, it could be worthwhile to have a unwanted folder, just for searches or in case you find out you was wrong about a song you didn't like!
Another thing when using genres is how do you determine 80's pop from 80's dance, there are some extremely fine lines believe me....., I have some old skool music in my 90's folder but it's too heavy and way out, a bit bad in some cases, so with such unknown songs that wouldn't sit well on a nineties night or 90's session, i'll move such tracks into underground old skool, like i would with r'n'b in a pop folder
The bottom line is that the only person who it matters to is you as it's not for the world to see or use, so as long as we know what we're doing that's all that matters, either way any organisation on a computer(even carried out by a novice) is more accesible than cd's, so it's all good, I think we are just perfectionists :)
My system is:
(and currentely being changed) , brackets are for your benefit!
MUSIC COLLECTION
1) Pop & Chart ( any chart hit or popular songs,exept dance)
1) New! ( any fresh pop, regardless of quality(isn't any!)
2) 2000's ( any 2000 pop, some bad scraped)
3) 90's ( only classics and quality music present)
4) 80's ( see above)
5) 70's ( see 90's)
6) 60's ( dul but see 90's)
2) Dance Styles (my House special, like the chinese)
1) Comercial Dance (all known dance music):
1) New! (any new dance)
2) 2000's
3) 90's
4) 80's
5) Remixes (all dance remixes of pop, existing dance)
2) House ( any good house music, underground)
3) Latin House (because it's great for dancing, nice music)
4) Hard House ( for those who want to go crazy, bk etc)
5) Trance ( good underground trance, some chilled trance)
6) Old Skool ( any old skool that isn't right in 90's, way out)
3) Other Genres ( additional styles, used rarely but kept in case, needs to be built on)
1) Chill out
2) Reggae
3) Swing
Underneath all the brackets you'll find any affective, simple and methodical set up,
any comments or advice appreciated, :)
Adamski is 80's, that's where it belongs, late 80's dance, but the release date was 1990, so it could be in either depending on how nerdy you want to be, but 80's yea.
And I think ride on time was re-released, unless it was early 2000's, can't see it though, but that's th date on the cd.....
I don't think I will go as far as adding the years in as it's a lot of time and searching through all my old cd's, but I think it's a good idea, with a big collection Rick do you have a certain standard or level of popularity a song has to meet before you store it on your hardrive, For example whe i went through all my old nineties cd's, there was lot of crap...., and I didn't add it all, firstly because much is unsuitable for the environment i wish to play in and secoundly because it's so bad and unknown it would expand my libary very quickly (if i did that) and it would become caos,
so maybe I could stretch to 2000 songs with my current cd collection, but my wining archive only warrants 1000, I don't know ho much you can understand this?, you'll always get a nerd who has a song in mind you haven't heard of and a "i'll keep everything attitude" would be good for, it could be worthwhile to have a unwanted folder, just for searches or in case you find out you was wrong about a song you didn't like!
Another thing when using genres is how do you determine 80's pop from 80's dance, there are some extremely fine lines believe me....., I have some old skool music in my 90's folder but it's too heavy and way out, a bit bad in some cases, so with such unknown songs that wouldn't sit well on a nineties night or 90's session, i'll move such tracks into underground old skool, like i would with r'n'b in a pop folder
The bottom line is that the only person who it matters to is you as it's not for the world to see or use, so as long as we know what we're doing that's all that matters, either way any organisation on a computer(even carried out by a novice) is more accesible than cd's, so it's all good, I think we are just perfectionists :)
My system is:
(and currentely being changed) , brackets are for your benefit!
MUSIC COLLECTION
1) Pop & Chart ( any chart hit or popular songs,exept dance)
1) New! ( any fresh pop, regardless of quality(isn't any!)
2) 2000's ( any 2000 pop, some bad scraped)
3) 90's ( only classics and quality music present)
4) 80's ( see above)
5) 70's ( see 90's)
6) 60's ( dul but see 90's)
2) Dance Styles (my House special, like the chinese)
1) Comercial Dance (all known dance music):
1) New! (any new dance)
2) 2000's
3) 90's
4) 80's
5) Remixes (all dance remixes of pop, existing dance)
2) House ( any good house music, underground)
3) Latin House (because it's great for dancing, nice music)
4) Hard House ( for those who want to go crazy, bk etc)
5) Trance ( good underground trance, some chilled trance)
6) Old Skool ( any old skool that isn't right in 90's, way out)
3) Other Genres ( additional styles, used rarely but kept in case, needs to be built on)
1) Chill out
2) Reggae
3) Swing
Underneath all the brackets you'll find any affective, simple and methodical set up,
any comments or advice appreciated, :)
geposted Fri 18 Jun 04 @ 12:03 pm
