Just getting into vinyl as a DJ [house, tech, deep, jackin, funk etc]
WestonParish
7 Posts
Greetings from Tempe, AZ all.
I am a proud new owner of a pair of Numark TTX turntables. Been DJing digitally for about 5 years now, starting with a simple laptop/mouse setup and now using a pair of Numark CDJ400s to put out mixes. Ever since I fell in love with DJing and house music, it has been my goal to get a pair of vinyl decks, but never had the proper money in place to get what I felt was necessary (1200s of course). Then, a hip hop DJ buddy of mine informed me he was selling his setup in order to upgrade. I jumped on the opportunity and scooped them up.
After I got the decks, I spent the rest of the afternoon hunting my area for record stores that actually had a selection of Electronic music, which as you probably all know is way too difficult to do these days. Guess it depends on the area you live in. I would imagine it is easier in LA/detroit/chicago/NYC. I was lucky enough to score a small stack (15-20) of records ranging from slow deep house, tech house, jackin house and trance-esque tracks from the early eighties to early 2000s. After I labeled them with their respective BPM, I threw together a small mix of 5-6 records just to see if I could get the beatmatching down as I have it on CDJs.
I was thrown for a loop. I successfully matched up the records with a mishap here and there, being my own worst critic felt kind of sloppy but it's the first time I am even attempting beatmatching on vinyl decks. Now after this short experience, CDJs and all digital DJing seems handicapped and extremely easy.
The satisfaction I got from mixing vinyl I can't even describe to you.. I fell in love with DJing all over again and felt so gratified by the feel, sound, smell (of old records), and tacticle response of vinyl. All these new controller based DJs really do not know what they are missing. It is a sad state of affairs when the influx of new technology and pop music come together to create a massive blob of what they call "EDM" artists/DJs, blasting improperly compressed bangers over huge sound systems at over priced festivals.
That's a rant for another time though..
I've been on the web searching around for articles and old websites on vinyl mixing, most of them having to do with either Vinyl making a comeback of sorts, or it's pros/cons vs a fully digital setup/CDJs. Finally I found a community dedicated specifically to vinyl and not restricted to certain genres.
I suppose this is more of an introductory post for myself, but also I wanted to share my story with other vinyl enthusiasts who would be just as excited as I am for me.
My plan is to get as much house vinyl as I can, exploring the back catelogs of tracks I've never even heard before, bringing them back to life. Ebay seems to be the best option as far as lot purchases of vinyl go, as the record stores near me have only one or two measly rows of vinyl that is simply labeled as 'electronic'.
I also want to get the traktor scratch pro DVS to integrate the feel of vinyl with the underground tracks I've obtained digitally.
So yea, vinyl, vinyl VINYL
I am a proud new owner of a pair of Numark TTX turntables. Been DJing digitally for about 5 years now, starting with a simple laptop/mouse setup and now using a pair of Numark CDJ400s to put out mixes. Ever since I fell in love with DJing and house music, it has been my goal to get a pair of vinyl decks, but never had the proper money in place to get what I felt was necessary (1200s of course). Then, a hip hop DJ buddy of mine informed me he was selling his setup in order to upgrade. I jumped on the opportunity and scooped them up.
After I got the decks, I spent the rest of the afternoon hunting my area for record stores that actually had a selection of Electronic music, which as you probably all know is way too difficult to do these days. Guess it depends on the area you live in. I would imagine it is easier in LA/detroit/chicago/NYC. I was lucky enough to score a small stack (15-20) of records ranging from slow deep house, tech house, jackin house and trance-esque tracks from the early eighties to early 2000s. After I labeled them with their respective BPM, I threw together a small mix of 5-6 records just to see if I could get the beatmatching down as I have it on CDJs.
I was thrown for a loop. I successfully matched up the records with a mishap here and there, being my own worst critic felt kind of sloppy but it's the first time I am even attempting beatmatching on vinyl decks. Now after this short experience, CDJs and all digital DJing seems handicapped and extremely easy.
The satisfaction I got from mixing vinyl I can't even describe to you.. I fell in love with DJing all over again and felt so gratified by the feel, sound, smell (of old records), and tacticle response of vinyl. All these new controller based DJs really do not know what they are missing. It is a sad state of affairs when the influx of new technology and pop music come together to create a massive blob of what they call "EDM" artists/DJs, blasting improperly compressed bangers over huge sound systems at over priced festivals.
That's a rant for another time though..
I've been on the web searching around for articles and old websites on vinyl mixing, most of them having to do with either Vinyl making a comeback of sorts, or it's pros/cons vs a fully digital setup/CDJs. Finally I found a community dedicated specifically to vinyl and not restricted to certain genres.
I suppose this is more of an introductory post for myself, but also I wanted to share my story with other vinyl enthusiasts who would be just as excited as I am for me.
My plan is to get as much house vinyl as I can, exploring the back catelogs of tracks I've never even heard before, bringing them back to life. Ebay seems to be the best option as far as lot purchases of vinyl go, as the record stores near me have only one or two measly rows of vinyl that is simply labeled as 'electronic'.
I also want to get the traktor scratch pro DVS to integrate the feel of vinyl with the underground tracks I've obtained digitally.
So yea, vinyl, vinyl VINYL
Comments
Have you checked Discogs for vinyl? It's not perfect, but you can get loads of electronic stuff there.
You should post a mix up here sometime.
My 2 cents...being your own worst critic is a very good thing. When you first start out it's a good idea to do blends over and over and over again until you really understand what the fuck you are doing and you feel comfortable with the act of blending one record into another...This might not make any sense but (if you really want to learn to blend well) taking the magic out of it is a good thing...in other words; practice with records you know, to the point that you're almost sick of the music. Lastly, a decent pair of headphones are a very worthwhile purchase. I'm not a big house guy, but I enjoy spinning it from time to time....Any questions, just post em' here.
I'm pumped to hear about a new comer that wanted 1200's. If you don't mind my asking, what made you want to go with turntables in 2014 and what brought you here?
@JectWon
I've gone through the process of learning DJing a couple times as I've changed mixing formats and styles so I'm no stranger to practicing endless hours every day just to get it down. I currently use a pair of Sony MDRV6, which are perfectly fine and all I really need is to upgrade the earpads due to bass leakage.
1200s/1210s are still on my future wish list as I am sure these TTX's will do me fine for a while. Time doesn't really mean anything to me as I'm not looking to make a huge millionaire profit from DJing. It is my life, my hobby, my soul and my heart. I will never do anything with as much passion and love as mixing. This passion in my mind at least, means to be all encompassed in the history of the craft, hense why my choice for getting vinyl in 2014.
In my eyes, vinyl is the creme de la creme of true DJing and turntablism. I slowly ramped up my monetary investment in the craft since I started with a laptop and a mouse. After I outgrew that and craved more options, I got a midi controller from a pawn shop that I mapped to buttons in traktor (EQ/volume/filter knobs and hot cues).
I used that setup for a while, then after being denied a gig or two because I was 'a laptop DJ', I got a fire under my ass and got a pair of CDJs and a mixer. More to prove to myself that this is my 'thing' and I will not be put down just because of the format. It does NOT matter what format, I will find a way to mix using it. This is still my common output of music as I don't have enough records to justify an hour or two long mix, and probably will continue to be until I get a digital/vinyl system like the traktor scratch pro.
I am first a musician (guitar, piano, choir etc), and a music buff. My love for DJing combines with these things and I end up wanting to lose myself in the complete history of the craft and art of mixing, turntablism, eventually scratching hip hop just because I love it so damn much.
Favourite shows? Movies? Games? Etc.
What song do you have on repeat?
Thriller or Off the Wall?
You wont be after you post up a mix here.
I take to the computer for all my entertainment needs so it can range from Scrubs, how i met your mother, to house of cards and orange is the new black. I enjoy dark comedies and intellectual suspense/drama.
Games wise I just got myself a ps3 and am working through Gran turismo 5, uncharted series, etc. I have only owned the 360 so now that the next gen is out all the ps3 classics will be cheap. Finally able to get to all these exclusives. Also game on PC but haven't played in a while due to other shit going on. Can't really dedicate time to MMOs anymore.
Song I have on repeat... there really isn't one track that stands above the rest, I curate my tracks in a way that sets a mood or energy and relate to each other in certain ways.. Genre wise I am liking some Jackin house lately, big bass.
@LaserWolf
I'm not that big of an MJ fan, certain tracks I like, certain I absolutely hate. He was a talented guy and I respect his body of work but nothing more than that. Sounds like some sort of an inside joke here on the forums looking at your post count and sign up date.
I am a perfectionist so it is doubtful I will be posting a mix on here until I deem it worthy of outside listening. Hardly anyone comments on soundcloud or facebook anyway. I'll need a proper record collection in order to create a journey of sound rather than just 'oh hey I have like 20 records let me smash them together for no reason'.
If you care to, you can catch some of my mixes at Soundcloud.com/elove8 and Soundcloud.com/westonparish - These were all done using my CDJ/mixer setup and range from disco to deep/tech/funky and progressive.
also: madrill vs war?
who you got?
Of course there are the classics which sounded good back then and still sound good today. It's on you to find these and it doesn't happen very often that you can buy these in lots.
If you plan to dj dance music to a discerning crowd in the future, it is inevitable that you buy new productions as well.
Btw it seems odd to me to combine progressive house, tech house and trancey stuff with deep house. But to each their own..
As mentioned before I'm passionate about house music period. Including all the old stuff. Of course there will always be turds and technology definitely has assisted music production, but there are gems and styles of house that just don't have the same soul anymore which are only obtainable by 12" singles. If not for playing out, for my own personal satisfaction of going through old vinyl and finding those old ass tracks I love. The stores I follow on eBay have offices here in AZ and in NYC, where the 'dance music' is literally house/deep/tech, no junk random electronica so there should be less crap and more stuff I'd like to use.
I am a very current DJ and get my underground tracks via online record pool service which allows me to stay up to date on sound but with my own personal unique tastes and creative process influcing the choices. No beatport top anything here.
You can listen to my latest mix here:
This starts with deep/tech/funky and leads into progressive tracks. Not necessarily mixing them together, but taking the spirit and energy of true progressive tracks and translating that into progressions between those sub genres of house leading to the latter half of the mix being mainly spacey/trancey prog. The point is not just shoving them all in one mix, but a mindful construction that makes musical sense and makes the listener feel the mix is 'going somewhere' rather than sticking to one subgenre the whole time. I also attempt to keep the keys of tracks in order, not clashing main riffs/basslines and moving up and down the scale.
Prog house is also what got me into the rave/underground side of electronic music so it has a special spot in my heart, which is the feeling I am trying to get back to and express through my mixes. My first purchases in that realm as a younger lad were albums like eiffel 65, alice deejay, darude etc.
I have already played out at a few local clubs in my area opening up the night. Those sets were not-so-underground/dark sounding tracks, more club friendly funky/disco based house, keeping the energy moving while not going over 125/126bpm.
@Sirius
Weston Parish is a moniker that I recently crafted to better channel my deeper/darker emotions. Also for marketing purposes. I am an Arizona native, to answer your question.
eLove8 is my first 'official' name, which I grew as a DJ with, so I feel when people look at that and know me personally, always remember older mixes that may not have been up to my current standards. I may reserve this name for more of uplifting trance sets or possibly DnB.
My name is Josh, though.
I love house music and many (not all) of its sub-genres.
Haven't had a chance to listen to your mixes yet.
I am at work and can post my personal examples of jackin' house later on - but DI.fm recently added a channel right in the vein of this subgenre I would recommend checking out.
http://www.di.fm/bassnjackinhouse
Major focus on the bassline which has a sound to it that specifically deep/tech does not.