The Advantages of Being a Digital DJ With a DJ Console

Knowing what the advantages of being a digital DJ are can be very useful if you're starting to DJ today or thinking of transitioning finally from CDs and vinyl to digital.

Some people have referred to the digital music format disease and are displeased by what they perceive as low quality compression leading to disk jockeys increasing their volume levels to compensate.

For those from a vinyl and CD mixing background, who have had far more sets on real decks than anything else, this is an interesting point of view. Over the past few years, DJs have been using digital controllers in venues and it's been so convenient that they get used to it. It's pretty important for you to understand why a digital DJ has plenty of advantages and why it will inevitably end up taking over the DJing world completely. This can help some of you make choices in choosing your digital equipment when it comes to making decisions.

Why being a digital DJ is great

1. DJ Gear and music is easy to transport

Rather than carting crates of vinyl or CDs on public transport only to for your records and CDs to be stolen or scratched later on you have a neat little gig bag to take with you. The weight of your gear is manageable enough to carry on your shoulder (with the laptop included).

2. You can find your music instantly

Instead of rummaging through your crate and having a panic attack when you can't find what you need, finding music using a controller is easy. You either scan your organised playlists, type in the name of a tune or search in your hard drive. Whatever may happen, you can reach a wider selection of tunes at your fingertips in far less time.

3. You can carry as much music as you need

Any experienced DJ remembers a time when he or she either forgot the right music or simply didn't bring a good selection for the crowd.

Reading and reacting to the crowd in the right way is what makes the best DJs even better. Having instant rapid access to 100 times more tracks than you could possibly manage in non-digital format boosts your confidence and ability to adapt to different crowds. Now you just have to get to know your music.

4. You can take it out afterwards

Just like a new girlfriend, you can take your digital DJ controller gig bag out with you to a party or a club.

With a DJ controller you can play the best gigs and then join in the after party afterwards without having to worry about where to put your heavy gear and record bag.

5. Mixing is easier

It's true; mixing tracks is far easier using a USB controller.

Prior to the digital DJing age, disk jockeys would practice mixing for hours and hours before they could learn to beat match. The best disk jockeys would practice for 7 hours a day in their spare time. Nowadays, a DJ controller makes it much easier, freeing up resources for you to concentrate on finding new tracks, remixing and relooping current tracks and dropping effects.

There are many other advantages of being a digital DJ too, some which can help you to get DJ bookings in far less time.

This article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

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Digital Pianos - Buying One Today

The digital piano market is not the same as it was just ten years ago. New, unexpected brand names have emerged as quality competitors. Features that were once thought unobtainable for less than a couple thousand dollars are now available on keyboards for less than a few hundred dollars.

Why choose a digital piano?

If you've ever wanted to learn to play the piano, but budget and space are constraints for you, a basic digital piano with realistic weighted keys and piano tones could be just for you. Many modern electronic pianos fulfill this criteria and come with standard additional bonus features such as headphone connections, allowing recording of the tunes you play, additional instrumental tones, as well as layering or distorting tones with special effects. Of course, digital pianos require no tuning at all. All this makes it an extremely attractive option compared to the traditional acoustic piano.

Now more than ever is a great time to grab a digital piano as a suitable alternative to an upright acoustic or grand piano. Purists will insist to their deathbeds that nothing can ever quite match the authentic touch, weight, or resistance of the ivory keys, or the booming, resonant sound produced by the hammers of a traditional piano, but modern piano makers are certainly trying their best to prove these people wrong, and they seem to be succeeding more often than not.

What's the best brand?

Anyone looking for a modern piano today won't be left wanting for choice. From Yamaha to Casio to Roland to Korg to Kawai (interestingly, all are Japanese companies!), each brand has their own separate families of pianos. The list of differences (usually related to appearance or portability) between each family shrinks with each passing year. Expensive Yamaha Clavinova features can now be found in the more affordable and supposedly more basic Yamaha P-Series of pianos. It becomes almost pointless to keep up with the minute differences between each family of pianos, especially as the more basic entry-level pianos become increasingly more sophisticated over the years.

Yamaha used to be the "go-to" brand for general-purpose or entry-level pianos. If you wanted more realistic sound or feel, Korg and Roland were notoriously more expensive but definitely "worth it". The new kid on the block today, Casio, certainly seems to stick out like a sore thumb from the rest of the gang who've been in the music industry for quite a while.

Ask anyone what they think of when they hear the name "Casio", and exquisitely-designed pianos would be far from their mind. Electronic gadgets, calculators, watches, even toy plastic keyboards are more commonly associated with Casio. In recent years, however, Casio's new technological advancements in achieving an affordable level of touch and feel realism has catapulted it from the realm of toy keyboard assemblers to the big league of competitive piano manufacturers. That's not to say the other brands are sitting on their laurels, but Casio should most certainly not be discounted offhand when considering a purchase of a good piano today.

The beauty of the acoustic piano

The piano is no doubt a beautiful instrument, both aesthetically and acoustically. Perhaps nothing can ever truly beat the beauty and majesty of an acoustic piano and the respect it commands, whether at home or on stage. Digital pianos, however, have come a long way, and definitely deserve due consideration, especially as technology advances and they become ever more affordable.

The author maintains a site reviewing the most popular digital pianos in the market today at Digital Piano Reviews Blog Dot Com. He recommends the Casio Privia PX-130 Digital Piano for those interested in an affordable, portable entry-level piano. Those interested in a more fully-featured piano might consider reading the Yamaha P155 Digital Piano review instead.

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Traktor Kontrol S4 Review - Digital DJ Equipment

I cut through the hype to show you what's really important. For me, this boils down to user experience and sound quality. These are what sets good controllers apart from average ones.

I prefer seeing the production model tested by real pro DJs first before giving an opinion.

The Traktor Kontrol S4 by Native Instruments is similar in that it's also a fully integrated hardware and DJ software solution.

It's a great size for a DJ controller. Not too big to transport easily (unlike the Numark NS7) and big enough to look cool.

It also appears to be scalable enough for both beginner and pro DJs to use with confidence.

What advantage for you? Stability my friend. The last thing you want is for your DJ mixing software to get stuck in a set and embarrass you, leaving you red faced and having to reboot everything. With everyone laughing and pointing at you.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - the verdict

Pros This controller is great. For me, it's the fact that the DJ will enjoy him or herself and not get stressed and lost with the controls.

Having the 4 channel mixer is a massive plus.

I do think having a 24 bit sound card is a must and you should only be considering digital gear which has at least that.

It also looks extremely cool.

Cons

No scratching

I think that if you're a turntablists, you should consider using Serato as Traktor seem to be less adapted for turntablism.

Price isn't for everybody

The price is not low, but gets you good, high end material with reliable software that'll last you for the next 5 years at least, and probably more.

Have a look at it, see the user reviews and decide for yourself if it's really for you.

This article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

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Digital DJ Equipment - The Gear For Pro DJs, Beginners And The Rest

What is the digital DJ equipment?

To be a digital DJ, you can use a very smart piece of gear generally called the DJ controller or console that plugs into your laptop. It combines 2 decks and a mixer all in one and allows you to play digital (MP3, wave, wma, flac) directly from your Mac or PC.

It works with an advanced software which analyses your tracks, helps you cue them up and allows you to simulate real vinyl and CD decks.

Many of them have a built in range of sound effects and advanced tools making it easier for you not only to mix, but to easily find, loop and even remix on the fly to some extent.

So why not be a PC DJ and just use a laptop on its own?

Some of the new digital DJ equipment breed just use a laptop to mix. Typically, this could be a guy on a low budget, who's never DJed before, blagging his way to gigs with a cracked version of a mixing software on a PC.

Did I mention, he's got a ton of MP3s copied from other DJs playlists and downloaded from "somewhere" on the Internet?

These guys generally can get a few gigs thanks to their smart promotion tricks and sit smugly behind their PCs, mixing with a mouse.

Yuck.

The image isn't a great one. What people see is a chancer who's trying to be cool and who's DJing to try to get money and girls by preening around and using his mouse to mix.

It's what I refer to as a mouse DJ. My advice?

Don't become one of these guys. They tend not to last too long.

If you want real gigs, a name for yourself and above all some respect then invest some of your cash and get a decent controller at least.

Mastering the gear and learning the basics of mixing, even if it is assisted by BPM counters and wave forms will get you some credit.

Some vinyl DJs may still look down their noses at you but more about that later.

Seeing a cheapskate in the booth on a PC and cracked software with little else sends out a message that this guy is a fake imposter.

That's why you should get yourself some real gear.

Being ready to doll out a few hundred on a controller sets you apart from the mouse DJs.

What DJ controllers are recommended?

I'd like to recommend you 3 different models of USB controller. This should correspond to your budget. I can't control what budget you have, but I can suggest that you always invest more in your gear.

Why? Because I know that if you buy a cheap controller, you'll end up buying a better one later on down the road. The total cost is of course, higher than if you'd invested more at the start.

In addition to this, no one wants to be seen with a plastic toy in a club. If you're passionate about becoming a digital DJ, then you should splash out some more.

Using CDs or vinyl with MP3s. Is this still digital?

It's still possible to mix using digital music and keep on using vinyls or CDS. This means that you (according to some people) still look cooler.

Whether you do or not is a matter of opinion.

If you like using CDs or vinyls to mix but you want to make the most of the convenience MP3 or digital DJing offers then you still can.

How?

By using time coded vinyl or CD to mix.

So what are the advantages of digital DJing?

Deciding how to approach DJing is important. Is mixing with MP3s looked down on with disdain in the dubstep and d'n'b world? Let's say you fit in better with vinyls.

But mixing with MP3s is more acceptable in other environments.

It's an important decision to make for you. Read more with my article to help you decide if having digital DJ equipment is really for you.

This article and many more other DJ tips, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

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Digital Audio File Formats - Lossy Vs Lossless

We've come a long way from toting around cases of cassette tapes for our vehicles. While there's part of us that never wants to let go of that mix tape, or that Van Halen or Madonna collection, you can't ignore the fact that we've gone digital. Analog still has its place, even if it's just to revisit old times, but most of the audio and music we deal with now is in a digital format.

Not all digital audio is the same however; not only can it be found in variable compression formats but because we deal in so many different types of technology and how that data is read, there are numerous digital audio formats.

Those digital audio formats, also referred to as codecs (MP3, WMA, AAC, AIFF, etc.) are grouped into two different categories; Lossless and Lossy. Regardless of where it's grouped however, a codec is named such because of its overall function. Codec= compression + decompression of music into digital audio files.

Working with Lossless Codecs

With Lossless Codecs, every bit of the musical data and information that forms the overall audio file is maintained and preserved upon compression. That data is then stored for retrieval. When compared to other audio, lossless codecs offers up the highest audio fidelity with the crispest digital sound.

The unfortunate downside is that the files they create can become expansive and rather large. Depending on the size of your music server or drive, you could be limited with the number of songs you can store. As technology continues to advance however this is becoming less of an issue. Terabyte external drives and small portable drives and players exceeding 500 gigabytes will have little problem with storage capacity.

The most common Lossless Codecs:

Windows Media Lossless - this codec is built into newer versions of Windows Media Player software from Microsoft and is widely supported by a number of other media adapter systems.

Apple Lossless - Of course Microsoft has its competitor in Apple. This codec is included in the iTunes software and the Apple Lossless Encoder is their answer to the Windows Media Lossless.

Free Lossless Audio codec (FLAC) - Wherever there is something commercial there can often be found something free. As the name implies the FLAC is a codec that is free on the digital market. It's widely supported, and a few of the audio players that support the free codec includes the Sonos Digital Music System and Slim Devices (of course there are numerous others).

Working with Lossy Codecs:

When you're dealing with data compression, you can expect some loss of data. Lossy codecs discard some of the music information intentionally in order to reduce the size of the audio file. This is done for a variety of reasons including the reduction of overall size in order to allow more digital files to be stored. Likewise, size reduction makes it easy to move files over the web. To the human ear, listening to the music on a run of the mill audio system won't reveal much difference. If you play the sound through a quality sound or home theater system you can begin to pick up the subtle difference in quality and tone.

The most common Lossy Codecs:

MP3 - Also known as MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (Motion Picture Experts Group). As the concept of digital music grew, it was the mp3 that took over as the preferred format due to the great compression ratio. Because of its widespread acceptance, it's the most common digital music codec on PC's and digital music systems. Most equipment including Compact Disc players and digital file recorders/players are designed to read this codec. Proof is in the fact that most people refer to portable music devices "Mp3 players."

WMA - Windows Media Audio is the standard audio format used on the Windows operating system and Windows Media Player as well as compatible hardware. While it's possible to use a lossless version of WMA, most files use and rely on lossy compression systems.

AAC - While most audio formats can be read across different systems, even Mac, Apple Computers iTunes Store uses the Advanced Audio Codec (AAC) as the default codec for music that's been encoded using the iTunes app. Like Windows Media Audio, AAC files fall under the Lossy category. You can however access a lossless codec within the iTunes system known as Apple Lossless.

Other Common Formats

WAV files were a common format among PC users in the 90's and are still a widely used format. The quality of a.wav file is equivalent to that of a Compact Disc and is used by many audio professionals when recording and editing music. The downside is that.wav files are lossless and as such the files are very large in size. A.wav file is about 10 megabytes for every minute of audio, making it a poor choice when storing many songs on a small capacity audio player.

Like.wav files popular for PC users, the.aiff format is a popular lossless format for the Apple user. The format was developed by Apple in 1988 in conjunction with Electronic Arts and was widely used on the Amiga systems and Mac computers. Like.wav files, standard.aiff is used on the professional level with audio and video apps and, like.wav files, it is uncompressed leading to large files.

Choosing a codec

Which codec you ultimately choose depends on a few factors including where you get your music, the device you play your music on and of course your personal preference. Although most stores sold WMA and AAC formats because of the ability to digitally protect the files with DRM (digital rights management) encoding. Most stores nowadays have switched to the more generic MP3 audio file. MP3 files are not protected but are generally lesser quality files.

If you have a high quality sound system with high storage capacity you'll likely enjoy the fidelity offered by lossless codecs. If you pipe music through your stereo system from a computer you'll need to give some consideration to the software you use, as many have a limited number of supported codecs.

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