tunic
Hi all,
Just thought I'd share my experience from Saturday night with you :o)
Background: I've been DJnig for about 18 months now - got the bug by getting VDJ first, then the DJ Console mk1, then an external mixer and played my first house party all in quite a short space of time. However, I decided after that I wanted to learn the mechanics of DJing without computer first (if nothing else just so I could). I opted for CDJ100s because they were cheap and vinyl was too expensive.
Having practiced, I got a fair understanding for how it all worked and played a couple more house partys and warmed up a couple of times at a friend's electro night in London. I wouldn't say I was great - still a lot to learn - but did enough to get away with it.
Unfortunately I am the impatient sort and was frustrated by my lack of control with the CDJs - you really are limited to cueing up and going with CDJ100s. About 3 or 4 months ago I fired up VDJ again and immediately found an appreciation for it that I couldn't have know if I hadn't played on CDs for 12 months before. Having read quite a bit about TCV seeming to be the most popular choice of controller now, and people's opinions of the XP10s not being all that I sold my CDJ100s and replaced them with a pair of Technics 1200MK2s and some VDJ TCV (I'd previously bought a Maya44USB).
The first thing I noticed was the wow and flutter effect - which on second hand decks is probably slightly more severe than brand new ones. This was my first gripe - it means you can never get beat perfect mixes that you can leave without a reasonable amount of intervention - if nothing else than because obviously the pitch slider is analogue. My second issue with TCV occured the first time I played out at a venue - having to re-wire the decks, which were also being used by other DJs on the night, without a sound check, made it a stressful occaision. That evening went fine on the hole but it sowed the seeds of doubt. Also, my laptop suffers from performance issues with TCV as the demands on the CPU are quite high (though on the night it was fine thankfully)
Anyway, it was enough to get me thinking about a pure digital solution as it would give me more options for creative mixing. I stumbled across the Contour Shuttle Xpress controller mentioned in another post - and as they are pretty cheap bought one.
Shortly after a friend asked me to DJ at his 30th birthday which was going to be a big party so I happily agreed. I didn't get much time to practice before as I'd been away for my wedding and honeymoon and spent the first half of last week programming the controller exactly how I wanted it - but have come up with a good single controller solution (haven't bought a second one yet as not sure if you can run two, though I think you can).
Anyway, I played for 4.5 hours saturday night and it all went brilliantly - much better than I could have hoped. Without worries like the laptop suffering from performance, and with the visual aids CDJ gives in tune strucure I was able to play by far my best performance and able to concentrate on the music wholly. The party had over 60 people and seeing everyone going mad for it was great. It was fantastic experience that you just can't get at home. Playing out loud and to a crowd really shows what DJing is about and how powerful it is. For the record I played a mix of house and electro (the dirtier stuff getting the best reactions)
And finally, the best part - despite a hard core of London clubbers, I didn't receive one negative comment for using a laptop. Everyone focussed on the music and it made me realise that I was right to follow my instinct.
So in conclusion, thank you VDJ - it has rekindled my wavering doubts as to continue DJing or give up as an also ran. I've now been invited back to play at the London night (Tongue in Cheek) that I've played before. I'm not planning on playing massive gigs or even particuarly seriously, but as I love the music so much it will keep me playing for a long time to come.
As for the controller - it is very well made, and whilst the jog wheels are maybe a bit on the small side and without touch sensitive platters (similar to rackmount CDJs), it didn't matter. For £45, it is money well spent and I can recommend it as a backup or alternative to the DJ console or Control.
Sorry for the essay by the way ;o) (just wanted to let you all know!)
Just thought I'd share my experience from Saturday night with you :o)
Background: I've been DJnig for about 18 months now - got the bug by getting VDJ first, then the DJ Console mk1, then an external mixer and played my first house party all in quite a short space of time. However, I decided after that I wanted to learn the mechanics of DJing without computer first (if nothing else just so I could). I opted for CDJ100s because they were cheap and vinyl was too expensive.
Having practiced, I got a fair understanding for how it all worked and played a couple more house partys and warmed up a couple of times at a friend's electro night in London. I wouldn't say I was great - still a lot to learn - but did enough to get away with it.
Unfortunately I am the impatient sort and was frustrated by my lack of control with the CDJs - you really are limited to cueing up and going with CDJ100s. About 3 or 4 months ago I fired up VDJ again and immediately found an appreciation for it that I couldn't have know if I hadn't played on CDs for 12 months before. Having read quite a bit about TCV seeming to be the most popular choice of controller now, and people's opinions of the XP10s not being all that I sold my CDJ100s and replaced them with a pair of Technics 1200MK2s and some VDJ TCV (I'd previously bought a Maya44USB).
The first thing I noticed was the wow and flutter effect - which on second hand decks is probably slightly more severe than brand new ones. This was my first gripe - it means you can never get beat perfect mixes that you can leave without a reasonable amount of intervention - if nothing else than because obviously the pitch slider is analogue. My second issue with TCV occured the first time I played out at a venue - having to re-wire the decks, which were also being used by other DJs on the night, without a sound check, made it a stressful occaision. That evening went fine on the hole but it sowed the seeds of doubt. Also, my laptop suffers from performance issues with TCV as the demands on the CPU are quite high (though on the night it was fine thankfully)
Anyway, it was enough to get me thinking about a pure digital solution as it would give me more options for creative mixing. I stumbled across the Contour Shuttle Xpress controller mentioned in another post - and as they are pretty cheap bought one.
Shortly after a friend asked me to DJ at his 30th birthday which was going to be a big party so I happily agreed. I didn't get much time to practice before as I'd been away for my wedding and honeymoon and spent the first half of last week programming the controller exactly how I wanted it - but have come up with a good single controller solution (haven't bought a second one yet as not sure if you can run two, though I think you can).
Anyway, I played for 4.5 hours saturday night and it all went brilliantly - much better than I could have hoped. Without worries like the laptop suffering from performance, and with the visual aids CDJ gives in tune strucure I was able to play by far my best performance and able to concentrate on the music wholly. The party had over 60 people and seeing everyone going mad for it was great. It was fantastic experience that you just can't get at home. Playing out loud and to a crowd really shows what DJing is about and how powerful it is. For the record I played a mix of house and electro (the dirtier stuff getting the best reactions)
And finally, the best part - despite a hard core of London clubbers, I didn't receive one negative comment for using a laptop. Everyone focussed on the music and it made me realise that I was right to follow my instinct.
So in conclusion, thank you VDJ - it has rekindled my wavering doubts as to continue DJing or give up as an also ran. I've now been invited back to play at the London night (Tongue in Cheek) that I've played before. I'm not planning on playing massive gigs or even particuarly seriously, but as I love the music so much it will keep me playing for a long time to come.
As for the controller - it is very well made, and whilst the jog wheels are maybe a bit on the small side and without touch sensitive platters (similar to rackmount CDJs), it didn't matter. For £45, it is money well spent and I can recommend it as a backup or alternative to the DJ console or Control.
Sorry for the essay by the way ;o) (just wanted to let you all know!)
geposted Mon 19 Jun 06 @ 10:21 pm
A Man and His Music
Glad to see everything went well. Thanks for the review of the controller. I'm sure it will help others make a more informed choice.
geposted Mon 19 Jun 06 @ 11:00 pm
socross
I went through almost the same process you went through!
I started DJ-ing in the early 90's with vinyl, then later on with CD's, then finally to VDJ about 2 years ago. Once I got into VDJ, I tried the timecoded vinyls and while I liked the level of control, I had the same concerns you had.
Just recently I found the Contour Shuttle Pro, and after giving it a try, I sold my turntables! Now all I gig with is a laptop, mixer, firewire soundcard and the shuttle pro. No worrying about the club's system, no rewiring, just playing!
With so many programmable buttons and no lag, it's a great controller. The only thing I can't do anymore is scratch, and I don't do that anyways, so I'm really happy with the new setup.
I started DJ-ing in the early 90's with vinyl, then later on with CD's, then finally to VDJ about 2 years ago. Once I got into VDJ, I tried the timecoded vinyls and while I liked the level of control, I had the same concerns you had.
Just recently I found the Contour Shuttle Pro, and after giving it a try, I sold my turntables! Now all I gig with is a laptop, mixer, firewire soundcard and the shuttle pro. No worrying about the club's system, no rewiring, just playing!
With so many programmable buttons and no lag, it's a great controller. The only thing I can't do anymore is scratch, and I don't do that anyways, so I'm really happy with the new setup.
geposted Tue 20 Jun 06 @ 2:31 pm
tunic
Yep, I am tempted to get the Shuttle Pro now - using the extra buttons for looping and effects. By only fairly minor gripe is it doesn't seem to be able to press two button at the same time, well at least if one of them is a modifier (e.g. shift or control).
And of course not having a pitch slider - though currently I use Page up and down on the laptop. Of course, I'd use the additional buttons on the Pro if I get one. Incidentally, using buttons or keys rather than the traditional slider actually has some pretty big advantages - you have much much finer and more accurate control because you can specify increments of 1. This means once you have two tracks in time then they will stay that way (note: you need better than 0.1% accuracy for this anyway - another gripe I had with my old CDJs).
Glad someone else is on the same wavelength though :o)
And of course not having a pitch slider - though currently I use Page up and down on the laptop. Of course, I'd use the additional buttons on the Pro if I get one. Incidentally, using buttons or keys rather than the traditional slider actually has some pretty big advantages - you have much much finer and more accurate control because you can specify increments of 1. This means once you have two tracks in time then they will stay that way (note: you need better than 0.1% accuracy for this anyway - another gripe I had with my old CDJs).
Glad someone else is on the same wavelength though :o)
geposted Tue 20 Jun 06 @ 5:20 pm
npimpfellow
I'm interested in knowing how you set it up? can you map the shuttle directly through config>mappers ??? Or do you have to map the shuttle to each individual key and then that key to the controller.
Also, is there an easy way to setup the controller to jog forward and backwards?
Also, is there an easy way to setup the controller to jog forward and backwards?
geposted Sat 10 Jul 10 @ 12:45 am
fmartel
where i can find the informations, or mapping binding for the shuttle pro on Virtual DJ please ?
thanks
thanks
geposted Thu 09 Sep 10 @ 9:56 am