djrobsd
I have been at this DJ thing for a year. Around Christmas time last year, I purchased Atomix, with a pipe dream that I was going to be a "computer DJ".
I have made some great mix CD's for my friends to listen to, and have had a lot of fun playing with Atomix.
However, I have sent a demo of the program to several of my DJ friends who have been DJing in night clubs for 5-10 years. Hands down, none of them liked the software, and they told me that it is far more accurate to mix with real equipment.
So, taking their advice, I went out and purchased a Pioneer DJM300 (with the BPM counters on it), and a Denon 2100 dual CD player. And of course, I still have my Sony MDR-V700DJ headphones, which I was already using with Atomix.
Painfully, I have to date burned 115 of my MP3's to CD. I have been practicing at home on the Denon for quite a bit of time, and have done 3 gigs now with the Denon. Hands down, I prefer real equipment over software mixing, after having the oportunity to work with both.
Most people in this forum will disagree with me, but I can tell you that the "auto mixing" is a crutch for any DJ trying to learn the ropes and develop their DJ skills. I am so glad I broke free from this, and had the oportunity to learn on real equipment.
Now I can go anywhere, and use anyone's equipment, and just bring my little Odyssey case with all the best hits in it, and play for hours to a nice group of people who enjoy my music. I don't have to worry about bringing my own laptop or hauling my computer with me and hooking it into the system.
The precision and accuracy of using turntables or dual CD decks is far greater then working with a piece of computer software to do your mixes. Quality wise, I would argue that the sound quality is also better.
However, there is still a good place in my life for Atomix. When I want to make mix CD's for my friends, I still appreciate the convenience of using Atomix to make those CD's, because I simply create the mix, and burn it straight to CD without having to worry.
So, I look forward to the next version of Atomix, and will continue to look at the future of software mixing, but for me, for now, traditional equipment is the only way to go.
I have made some great mix CD's for my friends to listen to, and have had a lot of fun playing with Atomix.
However, I have sent a demo of the program to several of my DJ friends who have been DJing in night clubs for 5-10 years. Hands down, none of them liked the software, and they told me that it is far more accurate to mix with real equipment.
So, taking their advice, I went out and purchased a Pioneer DJM300 (with the BPM counters on it), and a Denon 2100 dual CD player. And of course, I still have my Sony MDR-V700DJ headphones, which I was already using with Atomix.
Painfully, I have to date burned 115 of my MP3's to CD. I have been practicing at home on the Denon for quite a bit of time, and have done 3 gigs now with the Denon. Hands down, I prefer real equipment over software mixing, after having the oportunity to work with both.
Most people in this forum will disagree with me, but I can tell you that the "auto mixing" is a crutch for any DJ trying to learn the ropes and develop their DJ skills. I am so glad I broke free from this, and had the oportunity to learn on real equipment.
Now I can go anywhere, and use anyone's equipment, and just bring my little Odyssey case with all the best hits in it, and play for hours to a nice group of people who enjoy my music. I don't have to worry about bringing my own laptop or hauling my computer with me and hooking it into the system.
The precision and accuracy of using turntables or dual CD decks is far greater then working with a piece of computer software to do your mixes. Quality wise, I would argue that the sound quality is also better.
However, there is still a good place in my life for Atomix. When I want to make mix CD's for my friends, I still appreciate the convenience of using Atomix to make those CD's, because I simply create the mix, and burn it straight to CD without having to worry.
So, I look forward to the next version of Atomix, and will continue to look at the future of software mixing, but for me, for now, traditional equipment is the only way to go.
Inviato Mon 23 Jul 01 @ 1:48 am
Natrually, we're all entitled to our opinions. As someone who has been a DJ for almost 20 years, I feel qualified to toss in my $.02 here...
Firstly, while most of your DJ friends will prefer real CD players over software, I'll bet that 9 out of 10 of them also prefer vinyl over CD's. This is something I've never understood. CD's offer far more flexibility in terms of what you can do - lock in your que point and return to it instantly, loop segments (I know - some mixers have samplers built in tho), output time code, etc. Couple this with the fact that I can make my own CD's on my computer; kind of tough to make your own 12" records unless you have a record lathe... and I don't know too many people that have one! ;o)
Now then, why do I prefer Atomix MP3 over real equiptment? Portability for one thing! Wait till you've started doing gigs for a few years and start lugging cases and cases of CD's to gigs (don't even get me started about how bad this sucks to haul around vinyl!). With Atomix MP3, I can have TENS of thousands of songs in a single box. AND I can search the entire database to locate a particular song in a split second. I drag and drop them onto the playlist and they are cued and ready to mix. The old way, half my time was spent between mixing and searching thru CD's to find the next song I wanted to play. NOW I'll pull that same song up in less then a second, have it cued and I can concentrate on my MIX and doing lights and interacting with the crowd. It really is a revolutionary tool. So much so that the first gig I ever used it at, it felt awkward to suddenly have all this free time I never had before! But I quickly started to take advantage of this and make my light show better and better.
But the single reason I like Atomix MP3 over real equiptment - the visual beat indicators! Much more then a couple of flashing LED's - I can view the amplitude of the signal BEFORE it plays! This has saved my butt from a bad mix many a time when mixing music I'm not familiar with since I can tell if a loud, abrupt transition is coming up or a soft transition.
Albeit, to really get the most out of this program, you NEED 2 seperate sound cards and an external mixing desk IMO. At the very least, a single sound card with the mono mix coming out one side and the mono cue for your head phones on the other. I bet if your friends ran it like this and played with it for a few hours, they would start to like it more and more. Then again, maybe not!
Now with this I will agree with you - auto mix is a crutch. I *never* use it. Its a wothless feature to me that seems to fuck up more then it works. The auto beat matching however rocks! This isn't perfect either tho, so you still need head phones to preview your mix.
The only real CON I have about Atomix - it is software running on a computer! As such, it is prone to crash or hang like any other windows software (this hasn't happened to me yet under windows 2000). Hard drives do fail, Windows CAN become corrupted and refuse to boot. At a paying gig, this could spell disaster! You NEED to have either an identical backup system with a cloned hard drive, or a couple cheap CD players and a couple dozen CD's. Obviously, the first solution is the best, because if your going to have CD's anyway, some would argue "Why bother with the computer in the first place?"
Ahh well, to each their own as they say!
Firstly, while most of your DJ friends will prefer real CD players over software, I'll bet that 9 out of 10 of them also prefer vinyl over CD's. This is something I've never understood. CD's offer far more flexibility in terms of what you can do - lock in your que point and return to it instantly, loop segments (I know - some mixers have samplers built in tho), output time code, etc. Couple this with the fact that I can make my own CD's on my computer; kind of tough to make your own 12" records unless you have a record lathe... and I don't know too many people that have one! ;o)
Now then, why do I prefer Atomix MP3 over real equiptment? Portability for one thing! Wait till you've started doing gigs for a few years and start lugging cases and cases of CD's to gigs (don't even get me started about how bad this sucks to haul around vinyl!). With Atomix MP3, I can have TENS of thousands of songs in a single box. AND I can search the entire database to locate a particular song in a split second. I drag and drop them onto the playlist and they are cued and ready to mix. The old way, half my time was spent between mixing and searching thru CD's to find the next song I wanted to play. NOW I'll pull that same song up in less then a second, have it cued and I can concentrate on my MIX and doing lights and interacting with the crowd. It really is a revolutionary tool. So much so that the first gig I ever used it at, it felt awkward to suddenly have all this free time I never had before! But I quickly started to take advantage of this and make my light show better and better.
But the single reason I like Atomix MP3 over real equiptment - the visual beat indicators! Much more then a couple of flashing LED's - I can view the amplitude of the signal BEFORE it plays! This has saved my butt from a bad mix many a time when mixing music I'm not familiar with since I can tell if a loud, abrupt transition is coming up or a soft transition.
Albeit, to really get the most out of this program, you NEED 2 seperate sound cards and an external mixing desk IMO. At the very least, a single sound card with the mono mix coming out one side and the mono cue for your head phones on the other. I bet if your friends ran it like this and played with it for a few hours, they would start to like it more and more. Then again, maybe not!
Now with this I will agree with you - auto mix is a crutch. I *never* use it. Its a wothless feature to me that seems to fuck up more then it works. The auto beat matching however rocks! This isn't perfect either tho, so you still need head phones to preview your mix.
The only real CON I have about Atomix - it is software running on a computer! As such, it is prone to crash or hang like any other windows software (this hasn't happened to me yet under windows 2000). Hard drives do fail, Windows CAN become corrupted and refuse to boot. At a paying gig, this could spell disaster! You NEED to have either an identical backup system with a cloned hard drive, or a couple cheap CD players and a couple dozen CD's. Obviously, the first solution is the best, because if your going to have CD's anyway, some would argue "Why bother with the computer in the first place?"
Ahh well, to each their own as they say!
Inviato Mon 23 Jul 01 @ 11:15 am
dj2nv
ive had atomix (FULL VERSION) since March, and it has taught me EVERYTHING about djing, from beat mixing by ear to drop mixing etc... I dont think i could have been taught any better on decks or CD-players, however im about to buy myself some 1200mkII's or 1210s...
There are a couple of main points why..
(1) I enjoy using Vinyl more then Mp3
(2) Sound quality is better on vinyl (so I personally think)
(3) A sony Vaio, or any decent laptop will cost me at least $3500 (aus), so when u compare prices TT's r cheaper..
(4) when i get gigs @ clubs, 1200's will almost always be there.
(5) The leagality of Music... Take the Song "all you DJ's" by nick skitz, it was only ever put on vinyl. I downloaded a mp3 copy of it from http://www.clubmp3s.com, and it sounds like shit, and its an illegal copy (well, not anymore.. i bought the vinyl today), so i cant play it anywhere that ppl will check my music.
They are just a couple of many reasons why im getting my decks....
But i will still wait around for V2.... Shit happens, it might be released before 2005.. But my computer will be too slow to run it anyway...
Peace,
.::DJ2NV::.
There are a couple of main points why..
(1) I enjoy using Vinyl more then Mp3
(2) Sound quality is better on vinyl (so I personally think)
(3) A sony Vaio, or any decent laptop will cost me at least $3500 (aus), so when u compare prices TT's r cheaper..
(4) when i get gigs @ clubs, 1200's will almost always be there.
(5) The leagality of Music... Take the Song "all you DJ's" by nick skitz, it was only ever put on vinyl. I downloaded a mp3 copy of it from http://www.clubmp3s.com, and it sounds like shit, and its an illegal copy (well, not anymore.. i bought the vinyl today), so i cant play it anywhere that ppl will check my music.
They are just a couple of many reasons why im getting my decks....
But i will still wait around for V2.... Shit happens, it might be released before 2005.. But my computer will be too slow to run it anyway...
Peace,
.::DJ2NV::.
Inviato Mon 23 Jul 01 @ 11:40 am
papalok
Hmmm...sup' all,
Firstly, I will say that atomix is a dope program. It's fun to use and whips out some phat mixes. Secondly, I can see why using cd decks might be preferable to atomix. But the shortcoming that both methods possess is the ability to manipulate the music like good ole tables and vinyl. You are never gonna flare, chirp, crab, drum, or juggle with either medium and that's the real. Yes, mixing is great, but what about the next level of DJing. Oh, and sure, you have songs on your machine that you will probably never find on vinyl and that seriously sucks (unless you got 5 G's), and there, I can see the validation for atomix or cd decks. But, what about the vinyl? It's a truly tangible medium that you can see and touch and is not just some 0's and 1's. It's real. And furthermore, anyone who claims to be an audiophile has got to love that warm hum of the vinyl and the crinkles and crackles that come along with it. So yes, atomix and cd's are dope, but they pale in comparison to vinyl for the reasons stated above and many, many more...
peace and have fun,
papalok
Firstly, I will say that atomix is a dope program. It's fun to use and whips out some phat mixes. Secondly, I can see why using cd decks might be preferable to atomix. But the shortcoming that both methods possess is the ability to manipulate the music like good ole tables and vinyl. You are never gonna flare, chirp, crab, drum, or juggle with either medium and that's the real. Yes, mixing is great, but what about the next level of DJing. Oh, and sure, you have songs on your machine that you will probably never find on vinyl and that seriously sucks (unless you got 5 G's), and there, I can see the validation for atomix or cd decks. But, what about the vinyl? It's a truly tangible medium that you can see and touch and is not just some 0's and 1's. It's real. And furthermore, anyone who claims to be an audiophile has got to love that warm hum of the vinyl and the crinkles and crackles that come along with it. So yes, atomix and cd's are dope, but they pale in comparison to vinyl for the reasons stated above and many, many more...
peace and have fun,
papalok
Inviato Mon 23 Jul 01 @ 8:37 pm
Saint_James
Ok, my turn!
Atomix is a great tool, I use it for myself sometimes when I need the versatility of music selection, and it does free up your eyes, and hands to be able to concentrate on other details (as mentioned..lights,crowd,etc..). It also is an awesome tool for training new dj's. It teaches people what to listen for.. unfortunately most people aren't born with a dj's ear. It's a great starting point.
I can't really comment on cd's, as I've never used the things. So that's my dissertation on cd's.. I don't know.
Vinyl. Enough said... it's my personal choice, because.. well I like it. I like the way the crowd reacts when they see me back there workin the decks. I like the interactivity of it, it keeps me in the music, 'cause I'm working it constantly. Sure, you have to lug it around... but there's a downfall to everything.
To me the bottom line is... the music. Are people dancing? Is the crowd into it? These are all just mediums to put on a show... what ever too you use, it (hopefully) is what suits you best. I'm not a dj because it's easy, and I'm not in it for the money, I'm in it because there is NOTHING like hearing the crowd scream and applaud when you make that kick ass transition and the dance floor packs... standing room only, and they're turning away people at the door. How ever you're doing it... keep on doing it!!
Saint James
Atomix is a great tool, I use it for myself sometimes when I need the versatility of music selection, and it does free up your eyes, and hands to be able to concentrate on other details (as mentioned..lights,crowd,etc..). It also is an awesome tool for training new dj's. It teaches people what to listen for.. unfortunately most people aren't born with a dj's ear. It's a great starting point.
I can't really comment on cd's, as I've never used the things. So that's my dissertation on cd's.. I don't know.
Vinyl. Enough said... it's my personal choice, because.. well I like it. I like the way the crowd reacts when they see me back there workin the decks. I like the interactivity of it, it keeps me in the music, 'cause I'm working it constantly. Sure, you have to lug it around... but there's a downfall to everything.
To me the bottom line is... the music. Are people dancing? Is the crowd into it? These are all just mediums to put on a show... what ever too you use, it (hopefully) is what suits you best. I'm not a dj because it's easy, and I'm not in it for the money, I'm in it because there is NOTHING like hearing the crowd scream and applaud when you make that kick ass transition and the dance floor packs... standing room only, and they're turning away people at the door. How ever you're doing it... keep on doing it!!
Saint James
Inviato Tue 24 Jul 01 @ 7:50 pm
DJ Rick
Been a DJ for 14 years, I too fear change. However if I didn't keep an open mind I'd still be carrying 300 pieces of 12" vinyl, and 2 heavy ass 1200 turntables. I took a laptop to a gig for the first time 2 weeks ago, since then I have used it about a dozen times. OK, honestly I still keep the CD player on and a CD cued, but I haven't needed it for the last 6 or so gigs. Your friends who are "DJ's" will soon be buying this product, or one like it. Now when I go out, I keep 10 "must play" CD's with me, I really doubt if I'll ever need them again. Someday I'll actually leave the CD's at home. I DJ at least 5 times a week, usually 6. This is definately the way to go.
Inviato Fri 27 Jul 01 @ 1:44 am
dj2nv
thats what i used to think....
.::DJ2NV::.
.::DJ2NV::.
Inviato Sat 28 Jul 01 @ 8:14 am
Some people are forgetting the fact that equipment or software doesn't select good songs for a set or audience. I doubt that's gonna change in near future. I know lot of people who hate mp3 and can't even think of someone playing them on partys instead of vinyl.
Ofcourse if a dj is going to play some pre-planned set of exact style or making a mix cd, it's no problem doing it with vinyls.. Also vinyl gives ability to do nice tricks for variety of music styles.
But i think the most important are the songs themselves..
Ofcourse if a dj is going to play some pre-planned set of exact style or making a mix cd, it's no problem doing it with vinyls.. Also vinyl gives ability to do nice tricks for variety of music styles.
But i think the most important are the songs themselves..
Inviato Mon 30 Jul 01 @ 3:27 pm