Random question, say you got offered to do a gig somewhere like a club or what not. Could you just rock up with a laptop with your tunes and a controller like a Traktor S4 or would you have to use their equipment (decks/cdjs). Maybe a stupid question but not long started out so apologize for the derp question.
Mixing with a laptop and controller.
- Thread starter FoulMouth
- Start date
Careful with this one, an S4 is by no means a tiny controller and it can be a pain in the arse to fit it into a booth along with the rest of the gear.
My best advice is to check out the booth a few nights before you play there, the size is the biggest problem, ensure you have ample room. Dont rock up 10 mins before your set and start complaining that you need more room, you'll look like a dick.
also, this is a very important one; DO NOT rest your controller on top of any other gear without some form of protection/padding/etc. You dont wanna be the guy who bent the tonearm on one of the decks and fucked up the night for the rest of the DJ's.
Other than that, take backups. CD's, Vinyl & USB if you have them. You never know what you'll be faced with when you eventually get up behind the decks, but you need to be able to keep the party rockin no matter what. What happens if some bitch pours beer on your laptop because you didnt have her fave song? After humiliating her and getting her kicked out, you need a backup plan.
My best advice is to check out the booth a few nights before you play there, the size is the biggest problem, ensure you have ample room. Dont rock up 10 mins before your set and start complaining that you need more room, you'll look like a dick.
also, this is a very important one; DO NOT rest your controller on top of any other gear without some form of protection/padding/etc. You dont wanna be the guy who bent the tonearm on one of the decks and fucked up the night for the rest of the DJ's.
Other than that, take backups. CD's, Vinyl & USB if you have them. You never know what you'll be faced with when you eventually get up behind the decks, but you need to be able to keep the party rockin no matter what. What happens if some bitch pours beer on your laptop because you didnt have her fave song? After humiliating her and getting her kicked out, you need a backup plan.
Some sound advice there, didn't even think of that lol. Thanks for the replies guys 
I guess it comes down to researching myself but I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a smaller controller or something should the time come where I'm djing a venue.
I guess it comes down to researching myself but I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a smaller controller or something should the time come where I'm djing a venue.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2010
- Location
- Room 2 @ Fabric
Or get cdj's or 1210's?
Seeing people turn up to a club and start setting up their controller annoys me so much. First because 9 times out of 10 they fuck everything up for the person before/after them by getting fiddle happy with cables/switches, and second because i know if i hang around there im in for a set full of sync button mashing. Hence why i leave immediately.
Seeing people turn up to a club and start setting up their controller annoys me so much. First because 9 times out of 10 they fuck everything up for the person before/after them by getting fiddle happy with cables/switches, and second because i know if i hang around there im in for a set full of sync button mashing. Hence why i leave immediately.
You don't even need cdjs to be good on them tbh. Turn off all the assists in Traktor (including auto gain), change the pitch sensitivity to 2% and bang some paper over the top of the monitor. Learn to mix like that then you'll be able to jump on cdjs rather than being hassle with your controller
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2010
- Location
- Room 2 @ Fabric
On top of that you can pick up a pair of cdj's about the same price as any kind of (supposedly) decent controller.
good cdjs cost A LOT more than a controller, but really whats been said before, i haven't got cdjs either, but when playing out I always just take my cds with me, first time was a bit wonky but second time its pretty much the same as on a laptop, you can practice beatmatching by just turning off the bpm counter and not using sync (most cdjs have bpm counter anyways, but i would'nt rely on them because they jump around a lot and can be inaccurate)
otherwise i'd just talk with the guy who booked you? tell him that you're gonna come with a controller and that should be that
otherwise i'd just talk with the guy who booked you? tell him that you're gonna come with a controller and that should be that
2%? seriously? i'm mixing at like 178 and i can't even reach that if the tunes 174. on top of that i have no gain knob on my controller