hi guys,

i do all sorts of gigs from 18th's to 80th's. One thing I often struggle with is updating music. i do not have the internet . I usually buy the latest now's to keep up to date with music but it is easy to fall behind as these are only out 3 times a year. I tried mastermix monthly's ( Not Pro disc) but found they were ok but contained some obscure music in amongst stuff that was great. So are there any discs i can purchase reasonably priced to keep up to date. I often read on here about new stuff being re mixed. such as a freemasons re mix. How can i get this stuff without internet access. I do intend to get internet access but possible after xmas. At most of my gigs i feel the music i play is fine but i am always looking for that bit xtra as i am sure most of you are.

Get the Internet man..Easiest way to get new tunes and not buy albums etc...

How are you positng on this forum then?

I agree, get the internet, iTunes & Napster will be a great help to you.

Confused now how your online with no internet?

Anyways

I agree here Itunes and Napster is probably your best bet - how ever i would consider the PRO disc monthly - always some cracking tunes on there.

I dont religiously update my music - if theres a tune that catches my attention (new or old) ill get it and add it to a playlist for an up and coming event.

If your after music from all era;s then id consider the likes of fleabay aswell, Do a search for JUKEBOX and theres loads of cd;s for sale which go really cheap, And the good thing there is there pretty decent albums IMHO


Are you a CD DJ or PCDJ?

I try to keep up to date by buying Mastermix ProDisc, but I'm not particularly happy with it - seeing that it is aimed at DJs, I find the selection offered pretty poor, with the majority of tracks useless and many of the biggest hits missed altogether so I'm looking at other alternatives.

Downloading seems to be a big problem too, what with DRM and so-on - I want to be able to download an mp3 (or wav) and burn my own libraries on CD, but so far no-one allows this to be done legally, and what's more, the quality of the music on offer is 'Ipod' quality - in other words 128 bitrate, which isn't really good enough for anything other than the worst quality PA systems.

I've abandoned the Now series, simply because I need the music before they come out.

Maybe he is online at work.
If so that will be why he cannot download music.

Jim

So whats the answer???


If downloads are crap quality, NOW is behind the releases and ProDj is pants, why don't we as DJ's tell ProDj to pull their finger out and give us what we want? Just an idea.

Tend to stay away from downloads unless desperate.

The 128 download quality doesn't sound as good through the pa.

If I need a track I can't find on cd straight away will use I Tunes
but hate there mp4 format of having to burn to cd and rip to mp3.

Saying that they now have some music at higher quality itunes plus
but the selection is very limited.

Would buy a lot more online if 320 quality was available.

Don't know if any of the audience at 1.00am would be able to tell the difference!!

Get the internet it's a must for research etc

I use Pro DJ to keep up to date combined with i-tunes which are good enough quality for me and far better than not having the track . Then I buy the now albums when they come out - simple as that

Not entirely true Andy, DRM is EASILY removed and enables burning. And NAPSTER downloads are 192 bitrate in windows media format which is higher quality than mp3, so possibly on par with an mp3 file of 220 bitrate. you just convert the WMA file to MP3 quick and easy !! or just burn it as wma if creating cd's

I agree Mick. Can you imagine been asked for the new Leona Lewis and replying "Mmmm ...sorry wont have that for 3 months". Yes we always buy the Now albums and use ITunes for new stuff

L8r

I stand corrected then - looks as if things may have improved a little in recent times.

But is burning to CD allowed legally?
Also, with Napster, doesn't your right to play the music expire when your subscription ends?

In reply to Swingcats & ProDisc:
"why don't we as DJ's tell ProDj to pull their finger out and give us what we want?"

Good idea, but how many of us feel the same way as I do about the musical content? Some may find the selection OK - I can't speak for others on this. I know there is bound to be a problem getting permission to include certain tracks, which is presumably why some are missed.
Also, they shift quite a few copies...

Maybe a poll is in order?

[quote name='Andy Westcott' date='Oct 27 2007, 11:08 AM' post='190923']
I stand corrected then - looks as if things may have improved a little in recent times.

If you need any help or advice PM me, im happy to advise, Not ENTIRELY sure about discussing it on the forum

But is burning to CD allowed legally?

Still many grey areas around legality

Also, with Napster, doesn't your right to play the music expire when your subscription ends?

Yes but that's gone when you remove the DRM

Not so grey area.

The thing is if you leave the DRM untouched you risk not being able to play a tune if the license hasn't been updated, which happens more and more regular.

Jim

I put every download plus all of my ripped cd's through this ............ http://www.platinumnotes.com/ The results are quite dramatic, a vast improvement. It gives you top quality sound regardless of the original quality. Well worth the investment.

Anybody else use it?

I tunes is great for the odd request like a wedding first dance that you dont have or wouldnt normaly have..

so yes you need the internet..


for the more upfront dance music places like beat port, track source etc all offer .wav or 320kbps down loads


if you like the real CD in your hand though look at white disc / CD pool

I don`t use whitedisc but today they sent me a demo disc with the hope I`ll sign up.. The offer price is £20 per month, £25 normally.

I won`t give you the email as you don`t have internet access so I`ll give you the phone No, 0845 4588780.

When I read your posts I always read them in a Terry Thomas voice over, mad!!! And yes I did mean to include the quote this time!


You know MP3 Fiesta ( Yes its illegal I know ) often has 240 -320 bit downloads, ironic ah chaps. Still sounds like its all illegal in one way or another, clap us in irons, to the tower! Why should anyone have to pay a licence to play MP3's if taken from your own payed for CD collection or paid for downloads. Further what happens if you buy a CD second hand off ebay or at a car boot. I digress

You can get tracks on ebay that aren't released yet (promos) but if you aren't on the web try 2nd hand music shops where people will have dumped their unwanted promo CDs, you should find the unreleased mixes you are looking for on these as well.

Also buy albums, then check out the release dates on amazon or hmv and check the radio playlists for an idea of what is up and coming. Then hey presto you can play the 'new single' off the album. e.g if you bought Kanye West's album you could be spinning 'Good Life'.

ok so this won't work for the 1st single I know!

If you want to burn to CD.. then just pay the 79p per track on Napster and its perfectly legal.

If you're paying the subscription and removing the DRM.. then thats no better than just getting the tracks from file sharing programs...

I was reading earlier today that iTunes are (or will soon be) giving the option to purchase the tune without DRM for about 20p more.

It is already available for some tracks and they also have a higher bitrate of 320kbps but is still in their AAC format

I would have no objection to paying a little more, especially if it's at a higher bitrate.
But I'd need to see the almost universal mp3 format used rather than AAC.

So - I don't rely on the internet for my music, but would if it suited me better.

Strangely in the Itunes player they give an option to right click on the track and convert to MP3

But that would produce an even greater quality drop by stripping out another whack of data.
It would need to be high bitrate mp3 direct from uncompressed audio.

As I said in a previous post if you invest in Platinum Notes, around $100 USD every track you have now plus every track you buy in the future, whether you down load it or by cd's will end up at 320 kbps.

If you use cd's then simply process your cd's through PN and then burn them onto a disc. I rip all mine at 128 with i tunes, put them through PN and end up with a great sound.

I've played a track that has been through PN followed by a track that has not, at a gig and the difference is very, very noticeable..... volume drop, quality, base and clarity.

I cannot speak highly enough of it.

thanks guys some interesting adv ice and thoughts. to jim yes i use net at work and i will be gerttin on line in new year. reason i'm not on line is that i ruined a computer downloading stuff a couple of years ago but im wiser to that now. i use cd's for djing and pc for karaoke. I do get music from Amazon but buy loads from car boots sales got all nows fron 24 on originals and most were 50p or £1 can't beat that. also a load of other stuffof all genres

I think it all depends on your core clients. If you play to a younger audience then they want the latest dance tracks but for me as a wedding DJ, the only new stuff I tend to buy is the latest Now Albums and the odd first dance track from I Tunes.

I used to buy stacks of new dance stuff and found I only got to play it a couple of times and was eating in to my profits so I stopped