I am considering becoming a mobile DJ. I would like to get someones opinion about transfering my CD music to my PC and run my show via MP3's from there. I personally feel that the flow would be much more managable with dual PC interface with just myself. I have about $7,000.00 I plan to invest once I decide to go forward. I am currently in the review and seek info stage. The area I live in the DJ's are charging from $300.00 to $400.00 a night from about 8:30 to 1:00 duration.
I have found only one DJ that has an awesome system. Very nice man, the only thang I saw wrong is that he kind of sticks to the older songs and very few new ones causing complaining among the younger crowd. Others carry about a 300 to 500 watt system and also stick to older songs, and have a personality of a dishrag.
I feel I have the right personality for this and it will be profitable.
sound advice from anyone, especially on equipment ould be greatly appreciated.
I am considering Crest amps but still have not decided on Speakers, crossover, CD Player (for back up) Equilizer, Lights etc. Any help in this area is greatly appreciated.

I am a digital dj / mp3 dj, I work in a Manhattan lounge. I don't scratch or jog; I simply mix a variety of music that is tailored to the clientelle-- the crowd loves having requests instantly filled-- and they get a kick out of seeing me scroll hundreds of songs at my fingertips. I carry literally 20,000 songs and in the rare case of not having a requested song, by the next night it is downloaded and included in my offerings. This could not be accomplished so efficiently and easily without the digital format. My entire recordcase is appx the size of a cigar box! I highly recommend the conversion

I am very keen in moving all my tunes (18+ years of vinyl) onto CD, to compliment the last 4 years of CD's that I have.

I have considered the option of going to MP3/PC usage, mainly because I'd love to turn up at a gig and not carry in 11 record boxes (14 until I started moving my vinyl over to CD).

My main concern being initial and long-term reliability of using a PC or laptop on the road. Also if something went wrong with my current system, I would be able to "rig something" - I've even got a spare, replaceable drive for my CD-decks. The ultimate nightmare must be to turn up to a gig with a mp3 laden laptop, and see "Boot Error" 30mins before the first dance. No cheap'n'cheerful backup play.

Although my CD-decks will play MP3's, there are no MP3 decks (yet, to my knowledge) that will allow the recent breakthru's in DJ'ing, to be used. EG: Seamless Loop, Seamless Splice, mixing two tracks off of the same CD at the same time etc. Apparently that will still be a long way off for Mp3's on professional hardware.

Gary, you share the same fears as me regarding a pc based system, having experienced the frequent re-boots required with any windows driven software I would be reluctant to trust anything driven under Windows with my music . Imagine a packed Dancefloor (Yes you do have to IMAGINE! ) on a Saturday night and Windows Crashes and you need to reboot . At best you'll be greeted my silence - at worst, Greeted by an Angry Crowd, not the best scenario in the world and not good for business or your reputation. Sadly most other (Reliable) operating systems need a degree in I.T to operate and there is little D.J software available for them!.

However, some of the features that you mentioned ARE now available, and there are lots of Software packages available to choose from, if you use a P.C / Laptop for your music.

One of the better software packages around at the moment can be downloaded from here:-

DJ SOFTWARE

It'll even mix two tracks for you

Dear Gary, Bill, & Chris, I spin anywhere from 5-10 hrs per night-- all mp3 -- no hitches. I also carry a backup portable harddrive (usb connected) but if you want an additional backup plan, simply keep your cd deck w cds in your car trunk -- and in case of system failure, simply unplug your laptop (which is a standard 1/8"plug in from pc side with rca connections to mixer) and plug in your cd deck. Everyone has encountered system probs whether it was vinyl, cd, or mp3 -- the saving grace is in the ability of the pro to handle it swiftly with confidence and poise -- remember, we are a special type of entertainer. DJ'ing is both an art and a science - the art is in our style and the science is in our abiity to trouble shoot technical gliches. If you are still leary, don't dive right in; just dip your toes--you may find that you experence a feeling of buoyancy in the mp3 pool! ----Wishing you all continued success- Joe

never trust your computer. mine just died, thats why i haven't been on for a while

QUOTE

never trust your computer. mine just died

You've not worn out another one!!!

We were wondering where you'd gone!

So I guess thats another vote for the "Against MP3 for D.J'ing" party?

I have used MP3's since 1997. Yes, reboots are a pain, that's why you carry a portable CD or an MP3 player with you. Burn one with 5 minute songs on it and by the time it is done playing, your computer is rebooted. You can also cary a couple of pre-mixed CDs for these emergency situations. When you upgrade your equipment, keep your old laptop, it may come in handy. Actually DJing w/ 2 laptops is much better - put in some wireless LAN cards and you've got a network. While songs are playing on one, you can pick the music you want to play on the other, esp, if people request something you've never heard before.

If one laptop fails, you always have a 2nd one to play music from. Also, get an external hard drive, so that you don't have to spend mucho $$ on the laptop hard drives.

Oh yeah, I am an IT guru by day, so I guess it's easier for me.

Try www.atomixmp3.com they're awesome!



DJ DIMA

hey chris another pc guru here then lol So far i havent managed to get mine to crash with anything like

Umm for that matter the best MP3 DJing package out there is PCDJ which can also be bundled with a Numark Controller which is actually a twin cd player control unit but coming out the back is a USB cable that u plug into ur p.c!!

O.k so there maybe a time where it might go **** up or crash but as eveyone says make copies, backup ur songs as u dont wanna be transfering them onto the hardrive again now do ya and then if possible the p.c ur using for your roadshow make sure its only got windows xp or whatever u prefer and the djing software and thats it!! nothing more then ur less likely to run into any probs with the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH

Hope this helps u all
Rick

Hi All,

I brought my self a nice new lap top just after christmas and installed PCDJ Red (Numark) on it and now have 15 gigs of music on it (Yes I have backed it all up ) I have used it since Jan and have not played one CD since. I still take out 1 CD Case and my dual Denon but dont need it. My Laptop has not crashed once on me. TOUCH WOOD!!!!!!!!!!

One question I have to mono my output via my headphone jack does anyone know of a good external sound card I can plug in my lap top to have 2 stero outputs???

Thanks

Gav

Hi DJGAVT

Umm a good external soundcard is the soundblaster audigy which uses the usb socket and hasloads and loads of ports on it!!

Check out the creative website and look for it on there

Hope this helps m8

Cheers

Rick

Blimey Rick - 2 visit's in less than 24 hours!! - people will be talking!

personally id go with cds. I know alot about computers but there is so much more than can go wrong I would not even risk it.

If you`re going to use a laptop for DJ work, then do just that. But don`t start using it for anything else.
Most PCs give trouble because they are crammed full of software of various types, from a veritable menagerie of software houses/writers, some good, some not-so-good and some downright diabolical.
It`s no wonder that poor ole Windoze has a coronary every now & then
--
I have a number of systems ranging from an old P133 desktop through Toshiba 1.3GHz laptop to my current best, Athlon 2000XP system.
Two of my systems are configured and used exclusively for music - one for some DJ work and the other used for MIDI, via a Yamaha keyboard and Boss sound module.
These two hardly ever give trouble despite one of them being quite ancient - [AMD-K6-2-300]
-
My Athlon system on the other hand is used for allsorts; business files, diary, graphics, video editing, the odd game, a bit of this and a bit of that. And it regularly complains by freezing or crashing.
Restoring Windows and binning some redundant software usually sorts it out for a while.
--
And I quite like BPM Studio for disco work, and also Otsjuke.

I can certainly see the logic in the above comments about buying/using a laptop solely for DJ'ing, and absolutely nothing else. EG: Not letting all those extra drivers, and registry entries detract the PC from doing its job.

However, that does mean that a £700(or more) laptop is then dedicated to the one task. Other DJ related tasks, such as invoicing my clients, keeping track of everything that my (rotten) Inland Revenue Self Assessment Tax Return is going to want to know about, SMS-mailshots to anyone who's text'd me requests at "so and so's" party two week ago etc, etc would have to be done on a 2nd PC.

I'm wondering therefore when one of the major players (no pun intended) is going to bring out a Pro DJ cd-deck with a MP3 harddrive on-board.

Denon came pretty close with their last two CD-decks, the 9000 double, and the 5000 dual (both of which still amaze me!). They both have user removable drives - you can swap them in about 2 minutes, even while the other cd-deck drive is playing out to the punters. The connectors on the rear of these drives are simply the same IDE cable that you'd see connecting the CD-ROM/DVD drives inside a full PC, to the Motherboard. As you know, on a PC the same cable connection can be used for harddrives. It's that close!

I don't see this idea being "years" away.

That way, you could still have all the reliability of a stand-alone cd-deck(s), but with the lack of record boxes and searching time, associated with latest technology.

I'm looking in the Far East at the moment for an OEM who can offer something like this, but not having much luck with enquiries - there are a lot who can offer their own versions of the Numark, but all rely on connection to Pc / laptop for storage .

I've just emailed several of my UK suppliers, asking if there is anything like this "in the pipeline", I'll publish their replies on here. I agree, that whoever introduces something like this would make a great deal of money, and if I did find something like this, then no doubt i'd do really good business.....well enough to replace the Vectra with a BMW like Mikeees'

I reckon that it'll be Denon or Pioneer who introduce something like this first but with a £2000+ price tag, then the other manufacturers will follow suit, but I still think that we are talking a few years time here , thats of course, providing the R.I.A.A don't prevent it from being released first!.

If you've read this thread, then please vote in this poll Dual Mp3 Player Poll

UPDATE:-

Here is one reply that i've got from a supplier R.E: A dedicated Twin MP3 Player:-

Dear Chris,

The problem with hard drives is the law. I can buy a product with a touch screen double hd but you need a hard disc dubbing licence . They will not give these out unless you can guarantee the safety of the material which is very difficult to provide ( a laugh when you can down load anything on a PC from the web) . I will keep you informed.


Also had a similar reply almost word for word from another Supplier on the same subject.

Could the "safety" of the material be "guaranteed" by the manufacturers putting a PIN number on the CD/MP3 deck.

This suggestion is more of a "loop hole" work-around, than an actually solution, but as you say given the "freedom" of downloads from Web to Harddrive...

In terms of Copyright infringment, no one should be allowed to own a Video recorder.

"Copyright BBC XXIII" etc

No, I think it's more along the lines of they expect you (The end user) and Me (The Supplier) to sign a disclaimer saying that you won't put it to any Illegal use!. Basically its a cop out that protects the manufacturer from any comeback.

The fact that I've now had three replies, almost identical in wording, suggests that they are reading from the same memo circulated directly or indirectly by the R.I.A.A. I don't think it's any secret anymore that the Manufacturers are obviously being "Warned Away" from this type of product.

The difference between "Mrs Jones' Son" downloading the latest Eminem Album from the 'net, and manufacturers producing state of the art hardware for £1000+ is the difference between pirating on a personal scale and those who sell their wares at the Car Boot Sale, Market Stall or the many computer fairs

Basically, the R.I.A.A will try and target the manufacturers of such Hardware, before taking action against young "William Jones" who just listens on his MP3 Player on the way to school.

By Preventing the manufacture of such a unit, they are preventing the D.J from using MP3 Pirated material on a commercial Scale (i.e Making money). Numark and several others have got around this by using a PC for storage, therefore Numark are NOT selling the Hard Drive itself

As for arguing the to$$ with the R.I.A.A then good luck!. Lawyers of Napster tried and failed, So did Audiogalaxy, and from reading some reports around the 'net - Kazaa is about to lose it's battle and close.

A similar battle is raging at the moment, regarding the New DVDR's from Pioneer and co - I suppose hitting the Hardware manufacturer of these devices is a sure fire way of keeping pirating underground, and this also applies to MP3 based D.J equipment.

But dont you find you end up borrowing your mates sisters friends 'Now 258.6' CD and copying it. Thats just as bad.

QUOTE (modo @ Apr 1 2003, 01:32 AM)

If you`re going to use a laptop for DJ work, then do just that. But don`t start using it for anything else. Most PCs give trouble because they are crammed full of software of various types, from a veritable menagerie of software houses/writers, some good, some not-so-good and some downright diabolical. It`s no wonder that poor ole Windoze has a coronary every now & then -- I have a number of systems ranging from an old P133 desktop through Toshiba 1.3GHz laptop to my current best, Athlon 2000XP system. Two of my systems are configured and used exclusively for music - one for some DJ work and the other used for MIDI, via a Yamaha keyboard and Boss sound module. These two hardly ever give trouble despite one of them being quite ancient - [AMD-K6-2-300] - My Athlon system on the other hand is used for allsorts; business files, diary, graphics, video editing, the odd game, a bit of this and a bit of that. And it regularly complains by freezing or crashing. Restoring Windows and binning some redundant software usually sorts it out for a while. -- And I quite like BPM Studio for disco work, and also Otsjuke.

hi modo nice to see your using otsjuke now called otsdj what a superb programme fo the mobile dj, do u use the auto dj much ,i find as long as your songs are all in line ready theres no need to press play yourself (unless you are mixing which otsjuke will eventually incorperate properly) apart from the first song at the beginning of the evening ,it cannot be made any easier thanks

This argument about the probability of a computer crashing is a load of tosh (excuse my harsh words)

If you optimise your machine properly for use with audio then you generally have no problems at all. Don't install rakes of software like virus checkers, you play MP3's which have been ripped from your own cd's - so you don't need it.

Disable power handling systems like ACPI, it can make your audio skip.

And remember, PC's may crash, but what if your fancy 800 quid dual cd players refuses to play cd's, or one of your faders begins to generate loads of static, or your amplifier cuts out for no reason, or you blow one of your speakers, or all the lamps in your lighting effects blow out....the PC crashing is just another thing to go wrong, these things happen, it's not an excuse to not use a PC.