CD turntables-your opinion!

[OshnSoul]

Hey- I know I may be out of the *loop* here, but when I first started going to parties, once in a while I'd see dj's with cd turntables- rarely used by themselves- more as an added portion to their already-vinyl-setup of mixing. My question is: what do you think about djs who do it all from cd turntables & mixer? If you are a dj- do you or would you do it? Is it worth the money in the long run? I wanna get a feel of how the scene has changed (if any)-if ppl are still hard with the tradition of vinyl or are they expanding their horizons? In a way I love the idea of the roots of vinyl spinning, yet it can get so expensive- I have sooo many cds and also have the technology available to download & burn stuff. Looking at some of the newer cd turntables with their incredible diversity of functions (for example: Pioneer CDJ-1000 MK 2) So- hope you'll clue me in here- let me know what you think- thanks a bunch!
http://www.pioneerprodj.com/index.asp

[iwillbenothing]

i think cdj's are great, nothing wrong with em at all in my opinion. it gives you a chance to get your hands on some rare stuff, and to experiment with some of your own creations as well. only thing that bugs me about em is the fact that dj's can totally bootleg any tracks they want for free off the net and then play them at parties without the producer's permission. that's just stupid.

just make sure you talk to people before you use their stuff in a set if it's a burned cd, and you'll have a nice mix of unique material that most dj's don't have access to. personally i don't find it quite as fun as spinning records, just because you don't get the hands on experience with cd's that you do with vinyl, so when i use cdj's i like to set a couple up along with a set of tables if there is room, you can't beat that, it's the best of both worlds.

[kristinachilds]

i like cdjs for the sole purpose of playing unreleased stuff that's not available on vinyl. i'm a traditionalist, and much prefer records to cds.

however, there's a good trade off if i get to play kick ass music that few others have. it's worth it, but i usually only play with one cdj. i don't mix with two.

[bluesubmarine]

I am a CD DJ. I spin only CDs. Do you have a turntable? Yes, I have. What do you use it for? I use it for record some vinyls into my PC and burn to CDs. CD spining is cool! I just love to being a CD DJ!!

[VMaxxed]

Nothing wrong with it at all. Go for it.

The only beef I have with dj's using cd's is they usually don't allow for the change in dynamics and adjust the eq. Cd's have a higher s/n ratio and dynamic range, many recorder much 'hotter' and the dj doesn't realize the upper freqs can get painful.

[Suckafoou]

Ambiant heads have a hard time finding music on vinyl.
so word cds are good.

[djowns]

Stealing music IS a crime... I don't respect it when your directly robbing artists of their hard work! They rock for your own shit or other stuff you have permission for, but stealing music I just can't respect. Support the scene!

[OshnSoul]

I definately appreciate all your feedback and opinions. I haven't been in the scene for a few years, but wanted to get into it and start DJing. There was wonderful pointers and advice on here. THANKS!

VMaxxed: "The only beef I have with dj's using cd's is they usually don't allow for the change in dynamics and adjust the eq. Cd's have a higher s/n ratio and dynamic range, many recorder much 'hotter' and the dj doesn't realize the upper freqs can get painful." Can you explain more?

TheLiquid1: By no means would I "steal" music- I would in fact ask permission and would only take samples. I already have tons of CDs to work with- lots of techno, and also tribal drums, spiritual, ambient, and melodic stuff- I am leaning towards trance & jungle- it really gets me in the mood. Thanks, tho- I do respect the scene and do not intend to violate the artists. :)

[kristinachilds]

i think maxxed is saying that cdjs have a tendency not to watch their eqs and leave the highs turned up so loud it makes your ears bleed.

vinyl junkies do that, too - i think it has more to do with the individual than the medium. these are the same cats that play the whole night with the mixer in the red.

i hate those guys.

[dj metro]

i think using cd's is alright, but only in certain context. there are a lot of people that call themselves dj's that press play on the cd player, and fade the next song in when the previous one is over.

to me, that isn't a dj.

now, if i were to spin cd's at all i would invest in final scratch and purchase the optional cd player adaptor for it so i could control the cd with my turntables. to me, that would allow me to keep it old school with the new school and i could use some of my own original track remixes to throw in the mix. i can't exactly afford to have a remix of mine pressed to vinyl just for my own personal use.

so yea. cd players can serve a good purpose, depending on how you use them. but, i am against downloading music for free to burn to cd for use when you dj. it is fucked up, cause i spend hella cash on records, keep it legal, and support the artists that help me make part of my living.

i do download music for my listening pleasure sometimes, but will never use it to dj somewhere and make a profit.

as far as dj's that spin in the red, i keep my levels to the first red led and adjust my EQ's accordingly. since my mixer is crappy, i have some issues but love it when i can use a rane or djm when i spin away from my home. it makes my mixing sounds a little better.

[Katapult]

if you are looking for a genre that has a greater number of djs spinning cds, check out psytrance-there is a load of artists that will do cd only sets. you may even be able to find a few that mix off of variable pitch DATs.

Don't worry about what others think is the cool thing to play on. Get good music where you can and mix that on whatever medium it comes on.

[djowns]

Originally posted by Katapult

Don't worry about what others think is the cool thing to play on. Get good music where you can and mix that on whatever medium it comes on.

But stealing music is still wrong! If you got permission or it's out there to be shared, RAD... otherwise thievery is weak sauce.

[Dj X-Zit]

Well to tell you the truth if you use cd decks or not really depends a lot on the type of music you would be spinning.

For example--NEVER use CD decks if its like drum and bass or breaks--thats just not right.


I personally have only seen them used with psy trance/goa...the idea is that they are portable and you can bring them with you to the desert in isreal and play psy trance ior something like that----
Also another idea for the cd decks is sort of interesting...the music called "goa" or psy trance partly originates from india and that surronding HOT climate--according to what I ahve heard is that wheneever they tried to play goa on vinyl in the desert it got so hot that the records melted--so they went to cds--much more compact--cheaper--and can get the music for free. Theres a lot of psy trance on mp3.com, and if you like illegal shit just get infected mushrooms stuff off of Kazaa.

From what I have seen cd decks are mosly a psy trance thing...never seen them used with other types of music.

Hope this info helps a bit.


Peace,
Will
AKA: DJ X-Zit

[Sky Scream]

It's really boring to watch CD DJ's. I'm pretty sure that's the only advantage to vinyl DJing, aside from personal preference as to the ease of use.

But seriously. It's really boring. As a DJ, one's function is pretty much to bring a "performance" element to otherwise being somewhat of a jukebox. It's fun to watch the physical motions of playing with records and diving for new tracks in bins and stuff like that. Using CD's kind of voids that (which I think is one of the main draws about DJing anyways), but if you're not trying to pep up an audience with showmanship or whatever, I suppose CD's may serve as a way to make a more musically eclectic set, if maybe a more boring one in other regards.

[kristinachilds]

Originally posted by TheLiquid1


But stealing music is still wrong! If you got permission or it's out there to be shared, RAD... otherwise thievery is weak sauce. who said anything about stealing music?? dude, albums come on cd's too, you know.

[kristinachilds]

Originally posted by Dj X-Zit
and if you like illegal shit just get infected mushrooms stuff off of Kazaa.that's REALLY fucking lame. don't advocate theivery. sharing programs that you wouldn't be able to afford ANYWAY is one thing (as long as you buy it when you CAN afford it) but music is so cheap nowadyas, that just pisses me off. pay your fucking 99 cents on apple music or wherever.

[OshnSoul]

Hey guys, thank you. I know I am not worrying about what others think- but for an audience perspective I wanted to get a feel of what the scene favors. I can understand all of your opinions and points- it was a discussion my husband & I had- but I always felt like if I were to just have cd turntables that I would seem boring or that I am not following DJ roots.
Like I said, I would want to spin jungle and trance. I wouldn't be boring, no matter what, tho- I would always like to be the Donald Glaude of Trance or Jungle. hehe
But I would definately not let it get boring and I would keep the flow going with crazy beatz and cool effects- the newest cd turntables now you can do a whole lot more with- ya sure, with buttons, instead of a needle- hey, needles can get costly. So I just want to get different ideas from different ppl, but I am still set on using cds. Maybe down the road have one vinyl turntable, but I also plan on producing with my husband and having a tight mixer to make things livelier. I wanna make it fun for the audience, but want it to make sense for me.
And I don't know why ppl keep talking about stealing music- I don't like it myself- I do download a little for my own personal pleasure, but as far as using it to mix I would only take samples and I would ask first of the artist. As far as beats go, I plan to produce a lot of my own. I love the idea of original work. It's fun and maybe someday others will spin it! :)
So, anyway- I value all your input- thanks. Gimme some time to practice and I am sure you will see Loren Skye up there someday! LOVE YA!

[Dj X-Zit]

un ya thats why infected mushroom actually has some sample tracks on their website...lol

I'm personally not a theif--sorry if it sounded like suggesting, 'm not advocating anything--or suggesting.

Peace,
Will
AKA: Dj X-Zit

[Katapult]

Originally posted by Dj X-Zit


For example--NEVER use CD decks if its like drum and bass or breaks--thats just not right.



don't be so closed minded about them. I know ak1200, as well as other dnb artitsts use them.

[Katapult]

Originally posted by OshnSoul
Hey guys, thank you. I know I am not worrying about what others think- but for an audience perspective I wanted to get a feel of what the scene favors.

The audience favors dope tracks and tight mixing. If someone decides they aren't gonna go to a show because they hear the artist isn't going to play on turntables, well then, that person is a fucking stuckup jackhole who doesn't deserve anything but a glowstick shoved up their ass, cracked and shook.

If you can't look past the medium I am playing on, don't come out to my shows. I don't want you there.

Katapult

PS. Oshn, this isn't directed at you. I am just going bonkers reading some of these posts and thought your quote was pertinent for my post.

[OshnSoul]

Katapult- hey, i totally agree with you- lol- maybe not in those exact words- but in general. That's how I felt- I was curious as to the scene nowadays- seems like even a lot of the atmosphere has changed. I have so much respect for many of you on here- very true to yourselves, together, and friendly.
QUOTE: If you can't look past the medium I am playing on, don't come out to my shows. I don't want you there.:ENDQUOTE

That is the attitude I would bring in- I feel that there is so much I can do with cd turntables as there is vinyl- it's just different. I love the roots of the dj sninning vinyl, but determing what would work for me- that's what matters- just as long as I am not going to bore anyone. That's not being a true dj to me. TrueDJing=the way you do it (i.e. with heart & soul & pure energy) , not what you do it with. :)

[Dj X-Zit]

Originally posted by Katapult


don't be so closed minded about them. I know ak1200, as well as other dnb artitsts use them.

really? Thats pretty cool...especially that ak1200 uses them,

Thats interesting...cool

[djowns]

Originally posted by kristinachilds
who said anything about stealing music?? dude, albums come on cd's too, you know.


Come one now, you and I both know CDJ's (I assume you do too)., and they're far from 100% legitimate about it. Besides that how much of the good shit comes out on CD as singles CD's, espescially jungle or ragga. The electronic music industry jsut isn't geared to CDJs!


On the whole DnB artists note your silly... Evol intent, one of the raddest groups of stateside producers, use ONLY CDJ's and play only THEIR tracks.

[Jikkenteki]

Like Katapult I have no problem with CDJs at all. The psy-trance scene in particular is on the verge of basically going all CDJ, although I think it will be a couple more years still. In Japan, where I cut my teeth on the psy scene so to speak, it is simplt common course for all DJ set ups to have two turntables and two CDjs. Whatever meduim works, use it (provided you actually bought the music and didn't download it). Personally the my favorite DJ set I have seen was done of pitch variable DAT so the medium really only matters to people who buy into the religion of vinyl, cd, or whatever the case might be.

I also agree that downloading mp3s, burning them and spinning those is a shitty thing to do. The obvious reason is that you are not putting back into the scene and not supporting the artists and small labels who are making the music you love. There is a secondary issue here mmost of burn and go DJs don't notice on their home stereos is that music burned from MP3 is seriously lacking in sonic quality (you are removing like 80% of the audio information after all). This might be ok at home, but on a bit system it sounds terrible. Flat and muddy. I experimented with this at a few small parties in Japan (including high bit rates) and I swore I'd never mix something pulled off of mp3 again, it sounded awful (btw, these were not hijacked mp3s, but stuff from sources that were either things I bought, or people who were ok with their music being downloaded). The difference is noticable enough that several of the big party organizers in Japan and elsewhere now will not allow DJs to spin if they are spinning from all CDRs, since it is most likely they are simply spinning stuff they didn't pay for and stuff that will sound terrible.

But provided you are using media from a legitimate source that sounds good, it shouldn't matter what you use.

[Jikkenteki]

As a side note on the whole CDJ units and Goa thing. Actually CD units where introduced rather late into the scene there. Originally alot of the people there actually used plain old cassette walkmans. The heat and sand did play something of an issue regarding wax, but mostly it was that it was a very mobile fluid sort of scene and people didn't have alot of money for wax and good decks, coupled with the fact that the stuff was heavy too. When people got a little more money, portable high quality DAT players (which are pitchable) became the norm and there are people who still use them to this day (I know Domino and Dimitri do, and I know Simon Posford, AKA Hallucinogen, did use them as well. Not so sure about now though). CDJ units have become popular in psy simply because of the costs of printing good quality vinyl. Psy-trance doesn't sell as well as its more progressive cousins and there are alot of artists, so it is easier for most labels to print primarily on CD these days, hence the shift toward the CDJ in the genre....

[matytek]

i use cd's. in fact, its really annoying if their isnt a cdplayer at a gig. (i have one, but its dying).

i spin about halk and half, and always keep two records spinning, as it keeps kids from asking questions.

[djriverjazz]

I love spinning with cds. I'm a resident DJ in a local club and do decent sized events pretty regularly entirely with cds. The main reason I'm into them is because I can do a totally unique set every time I spin with tons of new tracks--and I don't have to steal them off of file sharing programs. Nowadays, there are lots of legal sites that offer thousands of tracks--with permision from and royalties to the artists and labels ( www.e-music.com , www.mp3.com , etc.)
One thing I'll say though, If you really want to learn to spin, I do suggest starting with vinyl because its terribly difficult to go back to after using high-end cd decks--enough so that you might not every get it down with vinyl if you start with cds.

There will always be a few DJ's standing in the back corner or leaning over the decks suspeciously or judgementally, but when you've got a whole floor full of people groovin' their asses off, who cares?
Have fun.
Have fun.

[kristinachilds]

Originally posted by TheLiquid1
Come one now, you and I both know CDJ's (I assume you do too)., and they're far from 100% legitimate about it.i'm sure there are those who steal music. the way your post was worded it seemed like you were saying that by oshnsoul asking about cds he (she?) was planning on stealing music to do so. i just wanted to point out that you're not always guilty by association


as far as the whole cd vs. vinyl goes: in the beginning there was reel to reel tape. what the hell were they thinking by changing to record players???? where's the tradition in that?!

/sarcasm

[and mark farina plays a lot with cds. sometimes whole sets]

[OshnSoul]

thanks, christina- ya, ever since I posted, people just assumed that I would "steal"- guess I should have clarified.
And, everyone has their own opinion on cdj's- no biggie, I really don't care- I obviously know its alright and that it would make more sense for me.
Like I said, if a dj puts heart & soul & energy into it, it doesn't matter what they do it on.

[Sheepdog]

So wait, why is there a DJ discussion in the Production forum? My answer is, take that money you would have spent on CDJs and a mixer, and spend it on a traditional instrument or synth and maybe some lessons (to support other poor musicians).

Real musicians are at least 100x sexier than disc jockeys.

-- Matt

[OshnSoul]

Sheepdog- so, you're saying that in order to be "sexy" you must be a "real musician", which would not include CDJ's....hmmm, I value your opinion. This is something I have pondered over for a while- but I came up with a wonderful idea. I plan on producing music with my husband- then start cdj-ing with one vinyl turntable along and a 909, spinning a lot of our work. I think I am set and have taken in so much from this board, that the overall scene is cool with it and it works for me.
Possible the CDJs that don't do much aren't true musicians, that's why I plan to avoid that completely.
Thanks for your opinion, but I think that judgement may be rather harsh. Wow- I didn't know "sexy" came into play when it comes to music......
And what's this about taking lessons? I hope that may be targeted to people in general, as u don't know that I have been a musician all my life. This is just a new realm for me in which I know I can put my mind to it and excel at it- isn't that sexy?
Again, I appreciate your reply.

[Sheepdog]

Naw, I'm really just trying to herd people away from just DJ'ing and into actual musicianship, so yes the response was more generalized than personal. I don't really give a rodent's posterior about sexiness and I also have no bias against any particular technology. I too have looked into DJ technlogies to complement my efforts as a producer. I invested in a used Final Scratch setup as a means of taking my tracks with me to gigs where all they can support is a turntable setup. Of course, I could eliminate the need for using turntables all together and just play using Ableton Live but you know how the kids are these days, they'd rather see someone spinning rather than typing on a laptop. Instead of playing the completed songs through Final Scratch, I plan on playing layers through it so I can rebuild my songs on the fly to give them a sort of performance uniqueness. CDJs would also be an extremely practical means to this end. In the electronic music realm, it makes sense to have multiple methods of playing out your music so you're not limited to promoters and venues that can support your dream live show.

-- Matt

[Tasty]

cdj's are a wonderful tool.

i think it would be beneficial to be conversant w/ both turntables, and cdj's.

vinyl is very sensitive to temperature, whereas cd's are a bit more forgiving in heat.

a good example - cd turntables are wonderful in desert. why? you have all of your music in this compact format. your cd won't melt as fast as vinyl would in those situations.

able to mix music that is not readily on vinyl format.

correct me if I'm wrong here....

when slowing down/ speeding up the tempo on a cd, it does not alter the tonal pitch of the music (like vinyl does).

you can't sratch your cd's w/ your laser, as needles do on vinyl. much more conducive for spinning while in a heavily inebriated state.

[mass kwon]

they are great, saves mad loot on dubs, and i have found that djs are more likely to test my tracks out cuz they dont have to spend 30$ on a dub.vinyl love is primarily nostalgic imho

[corbettfields]

General agreement re: great for unreleased material, etc

my $0.02 gets me this though

1) MP3s sound horrible on a big system; for god sake have GOOD QUALITY CDs and players! SACVD/DVD- Audio in future will help

2) Sensible peopel are starting to do things to help sound quality of CDs on big systems - Stanton V1 and A&H Xone having valve pre-amps on there lien inputs... but these are very expensive... I think we need to push CD companies to add signal processing to "warm" the sound as much as possible

cheers

d

[Tasty]

Originally posted by corbettfields
General agreement re: great for unreleased material, etc

my $0.02 gets me this though

1) MP3s sound horrible on a big system; for god sake have GOOD QUALITY CDs and players! SACVD/DVD- Audio in future will help

2) Sensible peopel are starting to do things to help sound quality of CDs on big systems - Stanton V1 and A&H Xone having valve pre-amps on there lien inputs... but these are very expensive... I think we need to push CD companies to add signal processing to "warm" the sound as much as possible

cheers

d

agreed. it would help getting that 'warm' analog bassy sound, on large sound systems.

[petey pablo]

Posted by Metro: i think using cd's is alright, but only in certain context. there are a lot of people that call themselves dj's that press play on the cd player, and fade the next song in when the previous one is over.

Am I missing something here or is that definitely what a dj does? Infact some of the best djs I have ever heard do that with records and cds because they are playing music that isn't really that mixable...

What do I agree with? When Matt said "Have Fun Have Fun" up above^^

Has anybody used one of those shitty little American DJ CDJs? I'm thinking about getting one (I only want to play a few cds so I don't want to buy one of those expensive ones and I heard these go for just around $100 now!)

[vinyltap]

fucking wankers.don't see...feel.

[eric n]

i can play cds just as tough or tougher than vinyl. there is a stigma amongst some close-minded fools that cds aren't "real" mixing but watch anyone who really knows how to use cdjs and you'll see that's BS.

don't get me wrong, i love and prefer vinyl but there's something to be said for the ease of setup and the tempo-control-without-changing-pitch that cdjs add to the table.

also i don't advocate STEALING music but it's nice to be able to back up a record you bought on a cd so if it gets scratched you can still use it.

and petey pablo- i have used the amdj's. they work ok but the lasers go out way faster than pioneers, they don't read some burnt cds and the buttons give out prematurely as well. but i do a lot of heavy mixin, maybe they'd hold up better for you.

[The Dowlz]

Stritcly for dubs.

[vinyltap]

maybe you'll notice that digital music just doesn't sound as good as analog.but if you can't tell the difference that's your loss.DIE DIGITAL BITCHES DIE!!!hahahaha.

[PulpMind]

maybe you'll notice that digital music just doesn't sound as good as analog.but if you can't tell the difference that's your loss

in a DJ / turntable sense, that simply is NOT true. Vinyl sounds worse than a CD. There are other forms of analog that are much better than CD (reel to reel, for instance), but vinyl is not one of them.
The main factor in this is the phono pre-amp in 99.99% of all DJ mixers. It's a cheap piece of shit. A real outboard phono preamp should cost between $50-100. The ones used in DJ mixers are CHEAP, and they sound cheap. The only mixers that are somewhat acceptable are the Xones and high end Ranes.
Granted, MP3s at lower bit rates leave something to be desired, but if we're talking pure CD audio, it just can't be beat (except with maybe DATs=)

Shu'kran,
- Jesiah -
professional sound guy for high end, high fidelity sound system

[vinyltap]

the sound spectrum of vinyl is not only wider but inherently smoother than digital sound.do your homework.

[Charlie Deep]

I don't understand why some people say that entertainment value is lost when a DJ plays CDs. It takes the same skills to mix CDs as it does to mix vinyl records. Also, if you play CDs, you have to know your songs really well, for you can't see the track length (in analog form) and where the breakdowns are.

Another point to be made is that carrying a book of CDs is alot easier on the back and shoulders than carrying a crate of records. Not everyone has the luxury of having a DJ ho to carry their records for them. :cool:

[forrest303]

why the hell are you watching the fucking dj?

just dance god damn it...quit being a trainspotting WHORE and fucking dance...or did you forget your purpose in going DANCING?

i sold my mk3s and am buying pioneer cdj-100s. i spin slow breaks, downtemp, Dn'B and hip hop on them...

fuck records...my record bitches don't want to carry that shit!

besides, finding "cd bitches" is a hell of a lot easier

:P

[vinyltap]

i don't care if you bang rocks and bottles together,if it sounds good,play that shit ! but the question did ask my "opinion" on the subject.nothing personal.i love vinyl, before the music(not that i don't love the music too).i've always been into records, even before i started mixing.cd's are the natural enemy of records(and my cat).vinyl=coke.cd's=new coke."they're not heavy...they're my records" and anyone i trust to carry them deserves a better title than "bitch".peace.

[Charlie Deep]

Originally posted by vinyltap
"they're not heavy...they're my records" and anyone i trust to carry them deserves a better title than "bitch".
How about, "filthy, record-carrying, slut bag"???

[vinyltap]

actually that's not bad!

[OshnSoul]

Besides all the bashing, thanks goes out to those who are closed-minded, as well as those who are open-minded. And Thank you to those who appreciate DJ's by checking their technique out while they spin- I do all the time. Then I dance!

[TKNOFNK]

Can you pump a cd above your head and hype up a crowd??

Can you remember how stoked you got the last time an international dj showed up at the party with nothing but a zip up cd case?

Can you search two years for an out of press cd, finally find it, and then make it your prized posession?? Making every time you play it special, because you know it has rocked crowds, and blown mind after mind...........how much satisfaction comes from downloading something??

Can you go to a thrift store and find a small collection of white label cd's that someones mom unknowingly donated to the church??

have you ever gone digging for cd's and found a classic that kept you smiling for a week???

Im not trying to knock cd dj's, if youve got some skill, and more importantly a passion for what youre doing, than props. CD decks are great for producers who want to try out new material, but keep in mind, its just not the same seeing a dj play a set of cds. Most cd dj's will tell you different, but take a few minutes next time and ask the audiance what they think.

Music, like style naturally recycles itself. If you dont know where somethings coming from, then you dont know where its going. We are fortunate to have a single medium (Vinyl) that has captured every type of music since the begining of the modern music era.

Buy vinyl, learn some history, produce the future!!

[spectralmonkey]

psy trance and ambient are not well represented on vinyl. hence my transition to cds.

vinyl is too expensive.
i went to a shop the other day and found a track i already have, and a remix of the same track for 8.99 . the cd compilation that it came on was 11.99, and the track they released on record was imo the weakest link. why would i spend 9 dollars to get a song and a half when i could get 9 songs for 12?

when they release vinyl they usually dont put all the songs on that are on the cd release.
vinyl is too expensive. (also shipping vinyl costs way more!)
you cant play vinyl in direct sunlight.
you cant play vinyl when the floor is bouncing.
you cant play vinyl when its windy.
you cant play vinyl on uneven surfaces.
you cant play vinyl at +/- 100% pitch!
you cant loop vinyl.
you cant set exact cue points on vinyl.
you cannot carry 400 records.
you cannot copy your vinyl in case it gets damaged.
you cannot easily write your own track and later that day play it on vinyl unless youre rich and have a plate cutter.

i wont even get into it about poor needles and the cost of needles...

oh and my cd players have yet to skip in the 2 years of constant use.

i have no more to say.

i have 900 records that hold down the corner of my house nicely, and when im 50 i will be thrilled to put on a record as i sip lemonade on my porch.

but for now, cds are my medium of choice.
good luck all you black crack addicts,

[dj_r2]

Anthing equiptment to use for music and for the people is always a PLUS!!

Even Stanton Scratch are being use these days.

Nothing is wrong using besides the standard 2 turntables and a mixer.

If you can please the crowd , GO FOR IT!!!

[Katapult]

Originally posted by TKNOFNK
Can you pump a cd above your head and hype up a crowd??

why would holding a record hype up the crowd any more than just pumping your fist in the air as long as you are playing dope tracks and you are interacting with the crowd anyways?

Can you remember how stoked you got the last time an international dj showed up at the party with nothing but a zip up cd case?

Hell Yea

Can you search two years for an out of press cd, finally find it, and then make it your prized posession?? Making every time you play it special, because you know it has rocked crowds, and blown mind after mind...........

I just found and bought a cd online that I have been searching for for 10 years after loosing it in a move. Tell me that aint special

Can you go to a thrift store and find a small collection of white label cd's that someones mom unknowingly donated to the church??

Why do they have to be white labels? Play what you like. Play what makes the crowd move. The people you are playing for arent' going to care where you got your music from. But then again, I have never come across white labels at a church rummage sale.

have you ever gone digging for cd's and found a classic that kept you smiling for a week???

Finding that cd online that I thought I would never be able to replace still has me smiling.

[Iokera]

I don't really care about roots or whatever... but the fact that you're making music, with other people's music is a big thing. And being given the oportunity to just download what you want on mp3s and put it on cds kind of puts a threat to the one thing holding the comerce of vynil alive. I'm all for file sharing, but to then use those shared files in a mix is kind of like stealing... I'm not for taking other people's things and using them for my own gain, unless I paid for the song.

[djCritter]

Originally posted by dj metro
i think using cd's is alright, but only in certain context. there are a lot of people that call themselves dj's that press play on the cd player, and fade the next song in when the previous one is over.

to me, that isn't a dj.

i do download music for my listening pleasure sometimes, but will never use it to dj somewhere and make a profit.

word.

[OshnSoul]

ah, i feel i warm sense of medium, here. Some like it, some dont- it works good for some music, not for others. My theory now: there are pros and cons to it- for me, the pros are much greater. Vinyl is awesome, but if I were to spin, I would use cds. I wouldn't just push buttons to allow one song fade into another- I would fit in my own works into it and....well, have fun! Ooh, I can't wait- I have things boiling and in the works now- its a matter of saving up for a 909, cd turntables & equipment!
I have learned a lot from this thread- but now more so engaged in and respecting cdj's, as well as regular dj's. Again, I say: it's not what you spin with, its how you spin it. :)

[connor]

This has been a great range of opinions so far!!

Sound issues aside (i don't know enough for sure, other than I've been rocked equally as hard in terms of hearing GREAT sound out of a system by both vinyl and cd djs), you can get SUPER technical with cdjs.

with cdjs you can be beatmatched and queued in 30 seconds, even if you don't know the track so well (but never spin something you don't know, unless you're crazy and/or confident in the flow).. This means you can jump around on the incoming track and get various threads of the new track working into the current song. Of course possible on vinyl, but there is some serious technical spaces that cdjs can inhabit and vinyl just can't find..
Of course, i'll probably be mauled for saying that but... hey!! do what you want. Someone said it just right earlier. A real dj is about the music and the energy of a crowd and should not be defined by the medium..

Connor

[dj plantlife]

Ever seen Ming & FS, ya'll?

nuff said...

[OshnSoul]

Well, getting cdj's is closer than I thought- Uncle Sam is being mighty kind to us in the fact that we will get 2- $400 income refund checks from the IRS for our kids, plus we get a $1200 HUD refund from selling our house. So, woohoo!
We went to Guitar Center the other day so we could mess with the cdj-800's there- OMG- even those are tight, but we might get the new Pioneer MKII's...more expensive, but would be worth it in the long-run....anywho, wondering what mixer would be best- any input here?

[Tekmatic]

in regards to the sound difference between analog and digital media sources, keep in mind, that once your sound goes out over a 50,000 watt sound system, you really can't tell the difference.

Also, if anyone was around to see the Skribble & Glaude 2x4 last year, they will be able to tell you how hard a CD DJ can rock a party!

some of the new cd players out there, that provide for "vinyl touch" are a really slick way to go.

Personally, i have an AMDJ CD player in addition to my 1200's. It's great for playing bootleg and mashup cuts into a set. As far as stealing music goes.... there are MANY respected 'big-name' dj's who play stolen music. take pete tong, and just about everyone else who plays on Radio One. They are always having bootlegs tossed their way. The tacks used in those cut-ups was definitely NOT licensed. If I can find a track on vinyl, then i'll buy it. But like i said, many remixes found on the internet never make it to record stores.

[corbettfields]

Originally posted by Charlie Deep
I don't understand why some people say that entertainment value is lost when a DJ plays CDs. It takes the same skills to mix CDs as it does to mix vinyl records. Also, if you play CDs, you have to know your songs really well, for you can't see the track length (in analog form) and where the breakdowns are.

Another point to be made is that carrying a book of CDs is alot easier on the back and shoulders than carrying a crate of records. Not everyone has the luxury of having a DJ ho to carry their records for them. :cool:

Charlie, that's not quite true on the CDJ1000s - the little display shows where the breakdowns etc are coming!

but i agree, same skills in general..... For Example, is anyone here gonna say Roger Sanchez cant spin?!?!?

The key is still CD-Rs though... seems to me that top notch DJs play vinyl if available, and CD-Rs of un released stuff

[DJMystic79]

at first i wasn't to fond of the cd players being used but now there are some mixes out there that you can only put on a cd turntable. anyways as long as the crowd likes it then i say go for it.

[dreamchild]

cd's use lasers. +500 points for that.

you just cant step to the laser technology.

[ADD]

its cool but i think vinyl or saronto is the best......