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ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT DIGITAL DJ CONTROLLERS ???

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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
im looking into buying one, and my friend has the taktor s4, and told me he would have gotten the s2 if the store had it. so i initially wanted to get that but dont really feel like dropping $600 on it.

so do you guys know of a cheaper (money wise) controller that still has most of the same features as the s2? I was looking at this one:

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/numark-numark-computer-ipod-dj-system-idj3-idj3/10150267.aspx?path=65cf9eb734a13f907aa91e66ca9311dden02

which seems to be okay, but I would like some experienced input

thanks !
Oct 13 2011 3:52PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
I don't DJ myself but I know enough about controllers and Dj controllers to make some recommendations.

FIRST AND FOREMOST. NEVER trust future shop for anything audio related. Find a good local store and stick to it. Tom Lee is usually my go-to place, but St. John's Musical Instruments and Long-McQuade are pretty big too. All of those places will have a recording section and DJ equipment. They also all have websites, so check out controllers on there.

Second, what kind of music are you mixing? What do you want to do? Why are you buying this?
A lot of performers now don't even DJ, in the traditional sense of disk jockeying.

I'm guessing based on your post that you don't know too much about computer music - thats ok. Above all, don't spend stupid amounts of money on gear you won't be able to figure out how to use. Thats how you get demotivated. Buy something cheap, simple, and start having fun. You really don't need to invest that much into a DJ controller. Sure having the S4 would be awesome, but its pretty fucking useless unless you know exactly how it works.
Oct 13 2011 4:36PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
oh wow, thanks.

I plan on starting out with mixing house/electro whatever the exact name is nowadays mostly, and hip hop/rap. you know, just something to get me actually into it. in the future if things go well it would be really dope to TRY (emphasis on try) to make a house song using Reason 4.0. ive never tried that before.

I know how to use an s4, i use my buddy's and he's had it for a while now and was able to teach me how to use it. im sure if i wanted to do more than i know now, it wouldnt be hard to learn with all the ressources available to me. but i do not know enough about the market for controllers to make a confident decision on what to buy for myself, for cheap, and thats why im asking NS. dont know why you thought i dont know much about computer music..

Oct 13 2011 6:19PM
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alexat955
Posts: 2732 - Karma: 112
i have a numark mixtrack pro that I really like. its not gonna be as nice as the one your friend has but i just use it to DJ parties in my dorm and stuff so it works for me. its still sort of a toy dj controller for people who want to just get started or mess around with mixing.
Oct 13 2011 6:40PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
and i would only be buying the controller there, not asking for advice. i just dont want to pay for shipping if i buy it online. i would assume buying that same controller at futureshop as opposed to one of the stores you listed makes no difference
Oct 13 2011 7:05PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
Futureshop vs. Tom Lee etc makes no difference, except that supporting future shop is like buying your outerwear from Burton. The more money you put into your local music shops, the better they get. So support them!

No offense... But you don't know very much about computer music. I don't mean you don't know the difference between dubstep and house or something, I mean the actual processes behind the music. And you'll find that out very quickly if you ever open up reason and try to make a filthy bassline, or if you don't get a controller that automaps. It just takes time man, I had no idea what I was doing a couple years ago when I picked up Logic Studio. I hardly even used it until this summer/last year a bit.

A few other things you'll need for DJing are an external soundcard, monitors (as in speakers), and some nice headphones. These are all essential, except maybe the monitors. But you'll need those later for sure.

As for the S4... It doesn't really matter if you know how to use it, whats more important is the software. But if you're using the S4 then I'm assuming you're using traktor. Just buy a controller that has a similar layout but is cheaper, and program all your effects and such onto it. Its really easy if you know what you're doing already. I can't tell you what to buy, just make sure your ipod and your headphones don't plug into it, and that it has a USB cable, and you should be good. Numark makes a whole bunch of great lower end controllers.
Oct 13 2011 9:18PM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
S2 is good, I'm lookign to pick it up within the year. For you though, I recommend the Numark Mixtrack Pro. I've used one a bit and i've always really really liked it.
Oct 13 2011 9:36PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
i know you are trying to help me but you are offending me. you have assumed quite a few things in your couple of posts. i have said nothing about " a filthy baseline" and in fact that sounds like a mockery. and i do understand how difficult it is to create music (hence the extreme emphasis on "try to make music" a couple posts ago), so please dont assume that i dont understand things in such an arrogant manner.

my dad was a dj back in the day with vinyl, and he has an amp thats only a couple years old and four 12 inch subs with tweeters. so yes i do have what i need, minus the headphones but i already knew that.

i know that controllers only run on certain programs, and the numark one i posted from the futureshop link is compatible with multiple programs. but the one i posted has an ipod dock which i thought might be useful if my friends want to play a song off their iphone, but ive never seen a dock on a controller before. you say to stay away from those? why?


Oct 13 2011 10:21PM
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Justin.B
Posts: 2257 - Karma: 721
mixtrack/mixtrack pro is a great starter controller and at a kickass price, I'd reccomend it to a beginner/intermediate like yourself for sure.
Oct 13 2011 11:24PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
ya thats one of the ones i was looking at that i liked. any opinion on getting a refurbished one?

http://www.numark.com/mixtrack
Oct 13 2011 11:29PM
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Justin.B
Posts: 2257 - Karma: 721
^do it, i started mixing about a year ago with it, got it for 50$ off my buddy who was upgrading to an ns7 and it was definitely worth it, ive seen them go for 100-150 refurbed. ive since upgraded however the mixtrack definitely worked fine once mapped well. it synced up to vdj perfect assuming thats what youll be using, as well as traktor pro which i use and just plugs right into the usb2.0 port on your laptop/pc. hope this helps
Oct 13 2011 11:39PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
dope thanks. you have any thoughts on the new ipod dock numark has put on one of their controllers? is it worth getting instead?
Oct 13 2011 11:47PM
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las.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 1,455
YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTER MUSIC, YOU WILL FAIL.

Seriously though, there are basically no boundaries for a beginner when it comes to controllers. Higher end models may seem more complex initially, but getting the hang of what buttons do what etc. takes minimal time & effort. Perfecting it is the hard part (just like anything). Throw yourself in the deep end if you have the money, it will pay off.

My choice of controller: VCI-400 (due to come out in the new year). If you're looking for a controller that will dominate the market, this is it. Gonna pre-order that shit asap (special edition ftw). Has DVS inputs too which is a major plus. Which leads me onto my next point.....

GET DECKS FIRST/TOO. Yes, it will cost a lot of money. But learning on analogue equipment and understanding how to beatmatch properly etc will help you immensely. If you're tight on cash, skip this step. If you can afford it, take my word for it.

A few links to help you on your journey:

http://www.djtechtools.com/
http://www.eangolden.com/

Ean golden is pretty much the godfather of controllerism. Listen to what he says.
Oct 14 2011 1:48AM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
im just going to ignore the first sentence cause my meter is going all wacko


i know how to beat match already and ive used my friends s4 without any problems. and my dad used to be a dj, so yes ive used analogue before, actually my dad wants me to get this controller because he would like to try the new digital stuff.

i dont want something ridiculously high end, i just want something respectable, that would do well for either an intermediate or cheap expert. in the future, i do not plan on going to clubs to play, i just want to play for my friends parties. and i am a student so yes im looking to save money. so i would like to skip any "beginner steps" because i do know that the high end controllers have the same basic functions as beginner ones so its not hard to ignore the advanced controls while i get used to things again

so i dont think ill need the vci 400 but maybe the vci 300 or vci 300 mkii would be better for me. whats your opinion on those two?

as for the djtechtools site, thank you. i didnt know about that site and it will definitely help


Oct 14 2011 11:14AM
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alexat955
Posts: 2732 - Karma: 112
dont get one with an ipod dock
Oct 14 2011 1:44PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
why though? i know someone already said not to
Oct 14 2011 3:37PM
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Kevski
Posts: 7056 - Karma: 2,785
If you could get your hands on a vci-100 that would be pretty perfect. DJtechtools has incredible support for that controller, and its build quality is the closest you'll find to a much higher level controller (metal body, nice feeling faders and knobs, etc.). If you get big into effects you'll want another controller to complement it, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

Now what do you mean by saying you don't know much about computer music? Like do you listen to electronic music at all? House, trance, electro-house, dubstep, D&B, etc.? Because that's probably the most important thing about DJing. Finding good danceable music and weaving it into a seamless mix.
Oct 14 2011 9:07PM
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las.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 1,455
i was more making fun of the fact someone is referring to electronic music as "computer" music.

yeah sorry, i should have read the thread thoroughly before posting. that's good that you're familiar with the basics, definitely take advantage of your dads equipment.

yep gotcha, didn't mean to sound condescending, my bad.

and they are decent, but like Kevski said, i would go for the vci-100. solid controller, and techtools has massive support for it.

if you do go for the 100, take a look at the firmware Ean Golden developed for it (v 1.3). the mappings are extremely helpful (and fun).
Oct 14 2011 10:29PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
Ah okay ill look around for the vci 100 then thanks!

and i never said i "dont know muh about computer music" lol. the deadbeatz guy said that. i dont exactly know where he got that from cause i never said anything that would lead him to think so. all i did was ask about a controller hah.

what i mean is i have the music part of the whole deal down, i just need the controller.

thanks for the input !
Oct 14 2011 10:56PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
haha no worries, i was in a bad mood when i responded to your post because of that deadbeatz guy and maadd hmwk, my bad about the vibe i gave

but ya ill start lurking on the djtechtools site for some info. OH, is the vci 100 compatible with multiple programs? or just one specific one? cause ive read that the vci 300 is compatible with lots, where as some other companies make theirs to be solely compatible with their software

thanks for the help btw !
Oct 14 2011 11:01PM
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Justin.B
Posts: 2257 - Karma: 721
as for your ipod deck earlier, don't go for that, the ipod slot is so unnecessary and you'll never use it, not to mention the quality the ipod gives is not nearly as good as it should be.

the way controllers work, or midi controllers anyways (which the vci-100 is), is if a program is midi compliant than your piece of hardware can be mapped to that software. So technically, yes it will work with most programs however you'll have to find maps online or build your own maps which allows for your controller to do exactly what you want in that specific program. the vci100 is another great controller but once again, like whoever it was saying earlier don't necessarily limit yourself to a beginner controller especially if you know the basics of using one. Guaranteed you'll end up using your smaller controller for a month or 2 and wish you had more flexibility with what you can do with the board.
Oct 14 2011 11:41PM
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Kevski
Posts: 7056 - Karma: 2,785
Haha oops, I was in a cough-syrup induced high and didn't really read through the thread thoroughly.


And like the other person said, yeah it can work in pretty much any program. I could control ableton with my vci 100 if I wanted to. You can download mappings for certain programs (there are tons available for traktor) and play around with them however you want.

One way to expand once you've got the basics is to upgrade to a more complicated controller, but the other way is to add fun midi controllers on the side and have a bunch of extra controls at your fingertips. The midi fighter, for example, is a super fun add on. Who doesn't like mashing away at arcade buttons?
Oct 15 2011 12:42AM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
THANK YOU haha. i was waiting for someone to answer that with a reason lol.

and ya i understand the mapping thing i think. just basically you can customize it so that a certain knob controls a certain function on the program? and ill keep looking for another one controller. what do you suggest i get?
Oct 15 2011 11:15AM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
and i have no idea why i keep picking on deadbeatz when its panojibber that i meant. haha woops
Oct 15 2011 11:17AM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
No offense but its really obvious that you don't know very much at all. I said that because you gave us next to no information on your experience in your OP, and I made an assumption so I could give you some information that I thought would help you. Then you got all pissed off because you think you're a DJ, and can't stand someone trying to give you some good advice. I'm sorry I offended you, but you're not going to get anywhere if you can't swallow your pride and be open to a little advice. Honestly if you knew anything you wouldn't have made this thread, because you would have chosen your setup based off what you know/planned out/want.
Oct 15 2011 3:32PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
lol.

i never said anything about thinking im a dj? you claimed that i know "nothing about computer music", which isnt true. i never boasted about how much i knew about all of this, you were the one who decided to judge me and decide to TELL me the way you felt about me. next time keep your assumptions to yourself and just give advice .


PS. stop prefacing your assumptions by "no offense" cause you really arent fooling anyone
PPS. no offense, but you kinda havent helped me at all in this thread
Oct 15 2011 6:37PM
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las.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 1,455
OH THE IRONY
Oct 15 2011 8:37PM
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Justin.B
Posts: 2257 - Karma: 721
you got it, it gets really complicated when you get into setting max's and min's and values and such but youll learn as you go.

I really have no suggestions for you unless you have some specs you need, i mean the vci100-400 series is great, the numark mixtrack or total control or something like that would be good if youre looking for something smaller. if youre looking for something a little nicer the numark ns7 or pioneer s1 are both awesome controllers as well its just all about preference, what you want on your board, and most importantly budget :p
Oct 15 2011 10:47PM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
i enjoy reading your posts.

and Justin.B , ya ill have to do some more research on what exactly each controller offers. i used my buddies s4 tonight, and basically all i would expect in a controller are the treb, mid and bass knobs, the cue buttons, (the thing that makes a certain number of bars repeat) and the tempo sliders (along with the basic faders, turntables and play buttons). i dont know the specific names of these things, i only know how to use them lol. i am new to this and i have learned a bit from my buddy, and hopefully ill be able to learn more once i actually buy a controller and record some mixes.

thanks for the help again pomlkab and Justin.B
Oct 16 2011 3:07AM
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Kevski
Posts: 7056 - Karma: 2,785
Almost any controller will do that. But there are some that will do pretty much nothing more. And the feel of the knobs/sliders/buttons/jog wheels will be different on every controller. It would probably be a good thing to go into your local music store and check them out even if you don't want to buy it there.
Oct 16 2011 4:01AM
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AnanasXpress
Posts: 141 - Karma: 51
I would recommend the S4, it feels like everything on it is such high quality and the layout is perfect, it being made by Traktor and all! I tried my friends Numark Mixtrack pro, or whatever its called and really hated the feel of it in comparison.
Oct 16 2011 6:22AM
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WorthDaMoney
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 741
perfect, thanks man
Oct 16 2011 12:26PM
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