puchaleplay http://www.puchaleplay.com Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:56:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Online DJ Scratch Schools Comparison: Which Is Right For You? http://www.puchaleplay.com/online-dj-scratch-schools-comparison-which-is-right-for-you.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/online-dj-scratch-schools-comparison-which-is-right-for-you.html#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:56:49 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1920 wpid scratchschoolheader Online DJ Scratch Schools Comparison: Which Is Right For You?

An awesome DJ set rarely comes down to which equipment you use – it’s singularly about the sound you deliver.  That is, unless you want to scratch. The tools of the turntablism trade are relatively simple, the techniques have evolved at a glacial pace compared with other DJ disciplines, but it’s an artform that is anything but simple to master. So where does the budding DMC turntablist champion go to get the very best education on “cuttin’ it up rough”? In this article, we look at some of the online resources out there that will build those flares, tame your crabs and keep those chirps tight.

We’re looking at four of the more popular scratch academies available online and at a price that most people can afford. When looking at each school we compared at curriculum structure, quality of the training content being offered, school features and value for money.

The bottom line is that each of the schools listed in this article are covered because they have something significant to offer.  As to which school is right for you is going to depend on how you learn and how much you can afford.

Studio Scratches started in 2009 and is the creation of Emma Short-E Short or just DJ Short-E (not to be confused with LA’s DJ Shortee who we interviewed a few months back).  Studio Scratches offers no nonsense scratch tutorials for beginners and intermediates. The videos are clean and simple and focus exclusively on the techniques required to master the core skills. You are also able to download audio files with beats that that are designed to make for good tracks to scratch along to. In addition to the scratch tutorial videos there are videos of guest DJ routines and interviews.

wpid 3951245385505628470132128465969646507927n 640x360 Online DJ Scratch Schools Comparison: Which Is Right For You?

While we liked the clean and simple design of the site, the use of WordPress and a chronological blog format isn’t ideal for a first time scratcher working their way through the basics. The site also appears to be in transition so it’s hard to tell if what we saw will remain in place long term. We were intrigued by the “digital skipless records” on offer through the Studio Scratches Bandcamp page and understand that an eBook and new set of videos are in the works. Studio Scratches is clearly a labor of love and having garnered more than 4,000 subscribers on its accompanying YouTube channel, it’s clear to see that Short-E has developed a healthy fan base for her work.

URL: http://www.studioscratches.com/
Founded: 2009
Tuition Cost: FREE

Our Verdict: Studio Scratches offers lessons which are clear and concise and will appeal to DJs looking for a site that offers more than just video clips, without hammering the pocket.

TurntableU is the work of Icey Ice of the legendary Beat Junkies.  Unlike many of the other scratch schools which feature a single DJ, Turntable U boasts an impressive and diverse roster of turntablists offering a variety of how-to videos organized into beginner, intermediate and advanced semesters.  Another difference with TurntableU is that it is not exclusively scratch focused. The beginner semester begins with some extremely entry level techniques such as counting beats and bars and dropping on the one.

 

For us, the lessons were a little hit-and-miss and greatly varied based on the instructor.  The curriculum initially appeared to be well-organized with different semesters, but lessons jump around between scratching, mixing, and items like “programming for the radio.” It’s clear the intention is to deliver a more rounded DJ education, but we think this site still needs some refinement and re-organization.

URL: http://turntableu.com/
Founded: 2009
Where is it based?: LA
Cost: Packages of courses ranging from $6.99 to $85.99
Number of Students: Several thousand

Our Verdict:  Some great content can be found at TurntableU –  depending on what you are looking to learn, there may be a TurntableU package that works for you but it’s worth noting that there are more effective learning options out there for less.

You would assume that if anyone was going to own the business of teaching the world turntablism, it would be DJ Qbert. And you would be right. QBert’s Skratch University offers a comprehensive curriculum from beginner to “I don’t ever see myself being able to do that.” In addition to the training videos there is a forum, chat box, a large collection of beats to download, behind the scenes footage of Qberts shows, and “Master Classes” from Qbert and his turntablist friends, including Tyra from Saigon.

 

What sets Qbert apart from the others is the “Video Exchange”.  Students can upload videos of their scratch practice and ask for general feedback on their technique or advice on specific scratches they are learning. We uploaded a very basic video looking for general feedback and got a written response in a few weeks. Some of the videos students upload get a video response from Qbert. The site is extremely friendly, with lots of students posting videos and beats for others to download or comment on.  San Diego’s Theareohsee and Paris based DJ Claim are two QSU students well worth checking out .

The one thing that does somewhat hinder a student’s ability to get the most from the site is Qbert’s use of the hamster style where the crossfader is reversed.  If you scratch with the standard fader configuration, everything that Qbert teaches is essentially backwards. This might not be an issue for some people, but it does provide an extra challenge for the non-hamster scratchers out there.

URL: http://www.qbertskratchuniversity.com/
Founded: 2009
Where is it based?: The SF Bay Area
Cost: $90/ 3 months
Number of Students: Not available

Our Verdict: At $90 for three months, it’s a serious investment that will only appeal to those who are serious about getting their scratching skills up to par.  For those who do decide to spend the money, there is no shortage of content which is delivered on a highly active site. You will also laugh a good deal more than you would expect.

Browse through the DJ TechTools forum or any other DJ discussion board and you’ll invariably stumble across multiple discussions about the best place to learn to scratch. It’s nearly impossible to avoid being referred to DJ Angelo’s YouTube channel, and for good reason.  After scrolling through some of Angelo’s more recent uploads, you’ll find sixteen scratch tutorials that we think are some of the best out there today.

wpid dj angelo 2 Online DJ Scratch Schools Comparison: Which Is Right For You?

Angelo takes you from the absolute basics to some more advanced techniques, covering tone arm alignment, needle modifications, beat juggling and everything in between. Many of the videos break down the scratches with more detail than anyone else we have mentioned in this article and Angelo even includes practice patterns for viewers to perfect. Considering these videos are freely available on Youtube, it’s difficult to find a resource that offers this level of detail at a price anyone with an internet connection can afford. If we had to find something that we weren’t so thrilled about, it would be the fact that there are only sixteen tutorials. It’s been a year since the first series was released and as of time-of-writing there is no news as whether we can expect a second series.

We asked DJ Angelo a few questions about his tutorial series.

DJTT: What prompted you to start putting these videos together?

DJ Angelo: I freelanced as a DJ tutor and community music practitioner coordinating urban music projects around the UK. This type of work really throws you in at the deep end but after teaching maybe 150 different classes over 3-4 years, I gained the experience and the confidence to teach anyone.

There were plenty of scratching tutorials on YouTube already but a lot of them frustrated me. Many of the tutors would glance over or miss out crucial information and it’s unfortunately in a lot of turntablist’s nature to show-off their skills rather than break things down in small steps understandable for beginners. I knew (…) I would have to make the most informative tutorials I could and teach in my own personal way. I spent weeks planning the content for my first tutorial (and after about 1000 takes!), I uploaded Turntable Tutorial 1 and waited nervously for feedback from the unforgiving YouTube community! Thankfully, it was received well and this gave me the encouragement to continue.

DJTT: You are no doubt getting requests for more tutorials – what’s the most common request and have there been any odd ones?

DJ Angelo: One of the most common tutorial requests I get is “how do I put together a routine”. As a teacher, this is a very difficult one to approach but I’m currently giving it some thought. And one of the most common questions I get asked is “how long will it take for me to get good?”. I don’t even know where to start with questions like that!

DJTT: What’s next?

DJ Angelo: I’ve been developing a product behind the scenes for a few months which I hope to release this year. It’s all a bit top secret for now but I can say it’s not a DVD. Stay tuned to my website and social networks to stay up to date.

DJTT: Final thoughts?

DJ Angelo: I just want to say a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone around the world who appreciates and supports my work. It’s a beautiful thing how this artform transcends so many different boundaries. I had no idea how popular my videos would become but I’m truly blessed to be able to share something I’m passionate about with so many people who actually care. But remember, a lot of DJs like myself grew up without tutorials or free resources so please continue to appreciate, support, and never take the generosity and hard work of others for granted.

URL: http://www.youtube.com/user/DJAngeloUK
Cost: FREE

Our Verdict: 2.5 million upload views and nearly 18,000 subscribers attest to DJ Angelo’s effectiveness. We recommend starting here before you begin handing over money to the pay sites.

Each of these online resources have a great deal to offer, and as with most things, you get what you pay for.  If you are dipping your toe into the world of turntablism, you should use DJ Angelo’s channel to perfect your core skills. From there, the next step has to be Qbert’s Skratch University where you will an unrivaled amount of content, like-minded scratchaholics, and frequently Qbert himself!

While we concentrated on more easily accessible online scratch school resources, there are a number of other ways to get educated. Stephen Webber’s book, “Turntable Technique: The Art of the DJ” and has been in print for more than ten years. The book covers both basic DJ skills as well as the more theoretical principals of scratching. Multiple versions of the book are available (including Kindle) and some ship with a two piece vinyl set which works in concert with the exercises laid out in the book.  “Spin Now! The DJ Starter Handbook” by DJ Shortee will appeal to those just getting started and are looking for guidance on taking their first steps to scratching and mixing.

This article would be remiss to ignore the 800 pound gorilla of DJ Education, Dubspot. We did not include it in this article as we plan on diving into what the school has to offer at a later date.

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/online-dj-scratch-schools-comparison-which-is-right-for-you.html/feed 0 Mixed In Key Mashup: DJTT Staff Review http://www.puchaleplay.com/mixed-in-key-mashup-djtt-staff-review.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/mixed-in-key-mashup-djtt-staff-review.html#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:38:49 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1912 wpid mashupheader Mixed In Key Mashup: DJTT Staff Review

Released to the public earlier this week, Mixed In Key’s Mashup is a new simple audio program designed around the creation of super simple key-matched mashups. In addition to taking a look at the software’s features and foibles, we challenged some of the DJTT staff to try and make their own mashups with the tool in under ten minutes – read on for the results and reviews.

The process of getting started with Mashup is super simple. First, drag the tracks that you want to mash up or consider mashing up into the lower panel of the program, and it analyzes them, revealing the BPM (and once you’ve started a project, the Harmonic Compatibility). When you choose a song to start with, you drag it into the top window, and it lays it out on a beatgrid. Below, all of the other songs that you’ve analyzed then display a “Harmonic Compatibility” – essentially how close they match in key to your project on a scale of 0 – 100.

wpid mashupharmoniccomp Mixed In Key Mashup: DJTT Staff ReviewTaste aside, Guetta is determined to highly compatible.

Mashup gives you some very simple editing tools to get your idea into place.  You can adjust track BPMs and phase correct songs on an entire-song basis, as well as adjust four different envelopes (three band EQ and track volume) per track. That’s about where the editing tools end – and it’s at this point that we realized that this tool is by no means a replacement for professional DAWs, nor is it a replacement for a standard audio editor like Audacity or Cool Edit Pro.

wpid mashupdoesnotequals Mixed In Key Mashup: DJTT Staff ReviewApples and Oranges, folks.

What Mashup does really well is help budding producers conceptualize their ideas, or allow veterans to quickly play around with mashing two tracks together. It’s fun, but don’t expect to become the next Hood Internet after using this software. Quite honestly, we think it would make an awesome mobile app – mashing songs on the go, please!

So we decided to challenge ourselves – myself, Zach and Mitch each had a crack at the program to see what we could whip up in less than ten minutes (the official Mashup webpage claims one can get a mashup rolling in just 5 minutes). We set a few basic rules for ourselves, and then got to work! Our results and impressions of the software are below.

Disclaimer from participants: It’s worth noting that these most certainly aren’t the best mashups in the world – we don’t claim to be world-class mashup producers, and especially considering we were only allowed ten minutes sitting down with a brand new piece of software. Although we’re sure that you’ll point out exactly what is and isn’t awesome about our mashups in the comments. We love you.

The Rules:

Less than ten minutes editing the actual mashup (more allowed for key analysis).Can’t have used the software before.No acapellas!No additional editing besides silence trimming.

Production Experience: Minimal at best.


Mashup Title: Why Do You Get Naked?
Tracks Used: A1 Bassline – Why Do You / Hot Dolla ft. Shawty Redd – Get Naked
Talk About Making The Mashup: It felt like a really simple version of Mix Meister, just watered down. The autokey/BPM detection is nice, which allowed for easy trial and error of ideas. I knew going into the process that the program was brand new and not a complete DAW solution, so my expectations were relatively low.

Liked:

Simple alignmentSmart detectionSpeed of idea trial

What Could Be Better:

Allow exporting into a more feature-filled DAWMight be fun as a tablet appCouldn’t slice tracks – I’m guessing because it’s just referencing files, not saving a full project file.When zoomedNeed “save as” option for project files for making new variations

Production Experience: Intermediate

Mashup Title: London Fly Son!
Tracks Used: The Clash – London Calling / Blondes – Spanish Fly (Brenmar Remix)
Talk About The Process: The workflow is enjoyable… however limited. The interface is nice due to this lacking though, nice and simple. With zero experience with the program I was able to figure it out in 2 minutes. Everything dragged and dropped right in, but the program had difficulty processing MP4 files. (Editor’s Note: This is probably iTunes’ fault.) Other than that, it is primarily self explanatory.

Liked:

SimplicitySmooth zooming functionality

What Could Be Better:

Absolutely needs the ability to adjust phase sectionally (ie. in my mashup, The Clash – London Calling being played by a live drummer somewhat out of phase) requires minute adjustments at different points in the “mashing” track.More adjustment options besides volume and EQ, like simple FX, maybe a reverse or gater.

Production Experience: Beginner

Mashup Title: Funky Big Booties
Tracks Used: Notorious BIG – Big Booty Hoes / Koan Sound – Funk Blaster
Talk About Making The Mashup: I found it very easy to use, but very limited. Needs a few more features to convince me to use it regularly.
Liked:

What Could Be Better:

Adding the ability to warp or beatgrid different sections of the tracks.Wanted to use cut, copy, and paste on tracks!

Mixed in Key Mashup is available now on Mac or PC for $39. For more information, visit their official page.
Think you’ve got the ultimate mashup? Show it off in the comments.

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/mixed-in-key-mashup-djtt-staff-review.html/feed 0 PowerTools Contest Winners http://www.puchaleplay.com/powertools-contest-winners.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/powertools-contest-winners.html#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:21:49 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1907 wpid powertoolsheader PowerTools Contest Winners

The DJTT labs are crazy this month!  We finally had a chance to watch all of the videos submitted to our PowerTools remix competition and now it’s time to announce the winner of the contest. I was completely blown away by the response to this contest – every entry had some amazing qualities, and the final count was over 65 entries!

This video hit a few points perfectly, and for that reason it was an obvious winner:

1) Musical arrangement. The overal style, feel and progression of the live remix was spot on. It was simply a great little track. I was especially pleased that he sat back and let each sample breathe without trying to overplay.  All of the powertools samples were used really well and the final result sounded like a very polished mix that could be released.

2) Creativity. There were a number of creative uses of controls in the video including pitch on the line fader and other custom mapping tricks. We really liked that all control surfaces had become such a custom instrument.

3) Performance. The scratching, button mashing and cuts were all on point and well executed. It was the mix of techniques, all with solid timing, that really sold me on this performance.

For these reasons, myself and our entire staff decided this was the clear winner. We’re proud to award the grand prize to DJ Berik – great work!

- Ean Golden

Audiences love the unexpected, so we were pleased to see a young duo use Powertools and DJ software in a jam style mash up of DJ and drummer.  Hesh and Josh took the samples and arranged their own 100% live session. Even though some of the other videos might have been better played, I really liked that they went for it and tried a challenging concept. Our recommendation for future videos – let’s see some more screencapture! It makes watching a performance way more fun for the YouTube viewers if they can learn exactly what is going on.

We’re excited to award these two guys our second place prize, $50 worth of Chroma Caps and the full PowerTools packs.

Josuepalma has an awesome Ableton setup, with two Launchpads and an iPad controller between them as the primary feedback monitor. In his video, he does a great job of making a remix that is focused around the PowerTools themselves, and he successfully blends live production and performance in a clever way that separated him from the pack!  Our biggest recommendation for next time is to make sure to record your playback internally – audio quality often can make or break an epic video!

Just Greg, we’re putting you in our honorable mentions because your character shines through the video. You might not have the best technical performance, you might not have the fanciest gear in the world, but you know what you do have? Lasers, a cowboy hat, and tunes that aren’t house or Skrillex. Your video was a refreshing change of pace, and we look forward to seeing more of your antics in the future.

DJ Silence has pads galore- three M-Audio Trigger Fingers and an Akai LPD8 – and he uses them well. We’re glad to give him an honorable mention for rocking a solid set with great structure, overall performance, and beat-synced video editing.

Our thanks to everyonewho submitted an official video to our contest – know that we did take the time to watch every single entry, and keep up the great work. We’ll continue to do more awesome contests like this in the future that give you all an opportunity to test your DJ mettle while getting a chance to win awesome gear.

Want to watch all of the videos entered in the contest for yourself? They’re all available for watching here on YouTube.

]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/powertools-contest-winners.html/feed 0 The VCI-100′s Last Hurrah: New Traktor Pro 2 Overlay http://www.puchaleplay.com/the-vci-100%e2%80%b2s-last-hurrah-new-traktor-pro-2-overlay.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/the-vci-100%e2%80%b2s-last-hurrah-new-traktor-pro-2-overlay.html#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:46:49 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1904 wpid vci100tp2overlay The VCI 100′s Last Hurrah: New Traktor Pro 2 Overlay

The VCI-100 might be dead, but we’ve got good news for all our faithful VCI-100 users. After some persistent requests from our passionate forum community, we decided to produce one final overlay to accommodate the official DJ Techtools VCI-100SE v4 mapping, designed for Traktor Pro 2.

wpid vci100 r deck v4 cu 640x426 The VCI 100′s Last Hurrah: New Traktor Pro 2 Overlay

For a little historical background, it’s been five years since Vestax’s VCI-100 was released and nearly four years since the DJ Techtools modded VCI-100 SE/Arcade controllers came to life. We even officially announced the controller’s death last year in this article. However, these tanks continue to be used and loved by a large array of  both new and longtime DJs, many of whom are still active in the VCI-100 section of our forum.

As a result of these users’ passion for the VCI-100, DJ Techtools received a lot of requests to create a new mapping for Traktor Pro 2 when the new software was announced in early 2011 and shortly after we released a new V4 mapping that allowed use of the new TPro2 features such as the Loop Recorder and Sample Decks, leveraging them in an interesting fashion. Along the way, some other mapping features were also revamped, including a slight change to the FX routing in Fader FX mode that allow some of our popular Midi Fighter Classic mappings to integrate more smoothly with the VCI-100 (a common request).

All in all, the V4 mapping was well received and we were happy to give our dedicated community another reason to keep jamming out on the VCI-100 before relegating it to storage. However, providing a new mapping alone simply wasn’t enough, and soon after a forum driven outcry for a new overlay began. Well, without further ado, the new overlay is now here!

wpid vci100 v3 vs v4 640x384 The VCI 100′s Last Hurrah: New Traktor Pro 2 Overlay

The new VCI-100SE V4 Overlay went back to its roots and sports the DJ Techtools’ standard blue text instead of the gold text common to all older V3 overlays.

There are Standard and Arcade versions of the overlay available in our webstore now here for just $29.99. Check them out and get ‘em while they last!

Lastly, I want to personally thank all of the dedicated VCI-100 users in our forum who have enjoyed the V4 mapping and made this overlay a reality. Without your perseverance and undying support for this beast of a controller, this would have never happened. You guys rock!

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/the-vci-100%e2%80%b2s-last-hurrah-new-traktor-pro-2-overlay.html/feed 0 Exclusive In Depth Look: Smithson Martin KS-1974 http://www.puchaleplay.com/exclusive-in-depth-look-smithson-martin-ks-1974.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/exclusive-in-depth-look-smithson-martin-ks-1974.html#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:14:49 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1899 wpid prodiks1974 Exclusive In Depth Look: Smithson Martin KS 1974

The Smithson Martin KS1974 is one of the more interesting products at this year’s NAMM show, because it’s a really laterally thought out product. What the guys at Smithson Martin are doing is bringing touch capability to your workflow without having to make any sacrifices to the raw power of your existing software setup. We had a chance to take an in-depth look, and a video overview and interview with Alan Smithson himself- click through to watch!

What we love:

Touch screen design brought to your existing softwareHighly configurable overlaysConstant developmentThe look

What we don’t:

Price!The nagging sensation that all you’re buying is a screen

Price: $2500

Availability: Not quite yet, but very soon (end of January, fingers crossed)

The KS1974 has no audio interface, no embedded computer, nothing but a screen in a cool looking box. We were a little surprised about this considering the price, but were told that the whole point of the KS1974 is to augment your setup – and what’s a setup without a computer or sound card? We can definitely see the logic – but it would still be nice to have everything totally embedded so that the unit was all that was needed.

Why not just use an iPad? Well, iPads are nowhere near as powerful as the computer you’re used to running Traktor, Live, or Scratch Live on for a start. The KS1974 is a way of translating your existingworkflow into a touch based environment, and doing it totally head on; using an iPad as a touch controller to control your computer defeats the object of the design that Smithson Martin want to realise – a single screen, single interface, and single hub. Of course, your existing controllers will play just fine with the KS1974, because it’s the same software you’ve always used sitting underneath the Emulator software.

Emulator is actually a very clever way to tackle the issue of making software that’s designed for mouse or external control work with touch. You create an interface that overlays your software, and assign MIDI values to the controls as you add them. This way you can learn them in software and suddenly you have controls that are actually usable. That’s not the clever bit, though: in order to see things like waveforms, you can cut sections of your overlay out so that there are little windows through to the underlying software. This allows Smithson Martin to neatly sidestep and potential licencing issues and give you their controls but the software you’re using’s GUI.

wpid prodiks19742 Exclusive In Depth Look: Smithson Martin KS 1974

The software’s being updated too; we were told about new features like animated GIF support which sounded a little gimmicky but maybe there’ll be ways we haven’t yet thought of to utilise them creatively, as well as modular ‘instrument’ tools for interface creation. The ability of Emulator to be updated parallel to the music software that it controls means that you’re not going to be obsoleted in a month when the new version of your favourite software comes out with cool new features.

Why not just buy the touch screen that Smithson Martin are using? The guys concede that you definitely could, and if you wanted the absolute cheapest way to get Emulator to feature in your setup, it does seem like a viable option. You’d also have to think about how it should be angled, housed, deal with cable tangle, and so on though – and all that in mind, suddenly it doesn’t seem like such an attractive proposition compared to getting something off the shelf.

The KS1974 isn’t for everyone. To be honest, it’s probably not for most people, but the thing with boutique projects like this is that for the comparatively small number that Smithson Martin can make, there will be takers for whom it’s absolutely everything they’ve been looking for.

What do you think- will Smithson Martin be getting your hard earned, is it too expensive, or is it just not something that interests you?

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  • ks1974 on ipad
]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/exclusive-in-depth-look-smithson-martin-ks-1974.html/feed 0 How to Get A DJ Job at a Club http://www.puchaleplay.com/how-to-get-a-dj-job-at-a-club.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/how-to-get-a-dj-job-at-a-club.html#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:28:01 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1889 wpid djtiesto032 300x193 How to Get A DJ Job at a Club

Making the jump from amateur to professional is a big step. Do you have what it takes?

If you’ve progressed beyond the level of beginner and you’re ready to take your game to the next level, then you need to read this guide.  If you think you can mix good music that makes people want to party, then it’s time to make the jump to being a professional DJ.

Clubs and bars are some of the most obvious spots to launch your DJ career. Of course, no club will hire you without experience, so you’ve gotta start from the bottom and work your way up.

Consider going after mobile DJ gigs, like weddings and private parties. This will generate decent income and give you further credibility as a professional DJ. Look on Craigslist for DJ gigs. There’s almost always something out there.

Don’t expect the stars to align for you: you may have to plan gigs around your college schedule, stay out later than usual, or do other inconvenient things. This is normal. Many DJs get their start in college, and nobody has an empty schedule.

However, this will all be worth it in the end. You’ll gain valuable connections, develop a name for yourself, and gain fans. Consider handing out your best mix on CDs at your gigs. Guests (especially inebriated ones) love free stuff. Hopefully, they’ll bring your mix home, listen to it, and share it with Facebook or play it in their car.

After that, simply start applying at clubs. Managers like to hear how you sound, so prepare another, better mix to bring in to interviews. Use your network of connections. Ask around. Talk with DJs after their shows are over.

One of the best ways to build connections is by joining a DJ club at your school. At my university, the DJ club gets paid very well  to handle school events, like dances and parties. This will also put you in close contact with like-minded people and enhance your skills and credibility as a party DJ.

Expect to spend around $1000 on adequate DJ equipment. Spending money on good equipment now will reduce your costs in the future. Consider the Technics 1200 for your turntable.

Don’t quit your day job (yet). While semi-professional DJs can make decent money from one gig, this is not a reliable source of income. Until you reach the big leagues, you’re going to need to support yourself – and your equipment costs – with a real job.

Keep your eyes on the prize.  With perseverance you can become a mainstay at your local club. Read our list of Club DJ Tips and Tricks that will help solidify your job and make audiences beg to have you back.

Also, remember tips that apply to any job application. Call the manager back a few days later, be professional and courteous, etc. etc. Don’t forget to spread resumes around. Getting a DJ gig at a seedy bar is better than getting no DJ gig at all!

No related posts.

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/how-to-get-a-dj-job-at-a-club.html/feed 0 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio http://www.puchaleplay.com/how-to-make-dubstep-songs-in-fl-studio.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/how-to-make-dubstep-songs-in-fl-studio.html#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:45:01 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1886 wpid 5 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

Whether you hate it or love it, Dubstep is becoming more well-known every day. In fact, the genre is so popular that Dubstep remixes now appear within hours of a new song’s release.

Ever wondered how to make your own Dubstep? I mean, how hard can it be? Drop some random movie quote at the start, prepare a sweet drop, and get that bass wobbling? It’s actually a little more difficult than that.

Our step by step guide will show you how to use FL Studio to create your own sick dubstep mix.

Oh, and if you want to avoid all these complicated steps, and use a program that was created for beginner Dubstep producers... It’s called DubTurbo, and it is famous for its ease-of-use and affordability. See how it ranks up against other leading software programs in our review, or go to the Official DubTurbo website for more information. It’s way cheaper and less complicated that FL Studio, which we’ll be using for this guide

I haven’t scared you away yet? Good. Keep reading.

You will need:

1 hourFL Studio 8Sytrus VSTCakewalk’s Z3TA+

Open a blank song in FL Studio.  Select the sequencer and add a Sytrus to it. Put it on a mixer channel. Next, open the preset CERBERA SAW.

wpid 1 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

Next, we make a melody on the Sytrus channel and assign a Fruity Fast LP to the FX slot on the Sytrus mixer channel to create a foundation for the wobble.

wpid 2 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

Now comes the important part: making the actual wobble. Right-click on the cut-off knob and click on the ‘edit events’ option. An automation window will pop up. The lower the cut-off filter is, the less high-end, or treble, the sound will become. This occurs because the program is filtering the treble out of the song, leaving only the bass.

wpid 4 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

We’ve got a wobble. Now, we have to define it. Create an LFO by pressing Alt+0. The section ‘value’ will define how high the wobble will go (basically, it defines the highest point to apply to the wobble).

The value ‘range’ will define how low the cut-off goes at the lowest point.

‘Speed’ defines how fast the cut-off transitions between low and high.

When you right click the speed dial, a number of steps appear. If you leave the box that says ‘End’ ticked, we can alter the end of the wobble. This means that over the length of the wobble you can set it to go faster, higher, or lower.

You can also use ‘Z3ta+’ to modify the wobbly bass line. Z3ta + is a VST that includes a Modulation Matrix (meaning that we can make the wobble inside of the VST).  We used Cakewalks Z3ta+ (with the preset Thump Bass in Bank C).

First, load the VST into the sequencer. Ensure that it’s not on the same channel as the Sytrus.

Next, open up the VST dashboard and load the preset into the top right corner.

wpid 7 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

Next, assign the LFO to the cut-off filter in the Modulation Matrix in the bottom left corner of Z3ta+. Look for the ‘Source’ column and select LFO1. Then, look at the Range column and make sure the value is high, but not all the way to the left. Leave the ‘Curve’ and ‘Control’ columns blank.

Finally, change the column marked ‘Destination’ to ‘All Filters Cutoff’.

wpid 8 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

Now we get to properly define the wobble. Look at the top right corner of the Cakewalk Z3ta+ VST for a section called Low Frequency Oscillators. This is where we define the sound of the wobble. I recommend using a Sine for the Wave 1 value, while leaving the rest as default. You can hear the wobble begin when you turn on Wave 1. To change the speed, change the ‘Sync’, which is equivalent to speed on the Sytrus LFO. Basically, the lower the number, the faster the wobble.

To change the sound even more, add another wave to the ‘Wave 2′ box.

wpid 9 How to make Dubstep Songs in FL Studio

Polish up the beat. Add some final, finishing touches like drums, sirens, beat boxes, or whatever. Many Dubstep songs start out with random movie lines, or a line from a movie. Use your creativity!

Congratulations. You’ve just made a Dubstep beat.

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/how-to-make-dubstep-songs-in-fl-studio.html/feed 0 New DJ TV show: Simon Cowell’s X Factor for DJs http://www.puchaleplay.com/new-dj-tv-show-simon-cowells-x-factor-for-djs.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/new-dj-tv-show-simon-cowells-x-factor-for-djs.html#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:18:53 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1856 wpid X FACTOR FRONT New DJ TV show: Simon Cowell’s X Factor for DJs New DJ TV show: Simon Cowell’s X Factor for DJs

Today Simon Cowell announced he will be producing a new show in the search for great talent: DJ X Factor.  Following the success of the first season of X Factor, Simon shifts his focus with the help of Will Smith to what he calls “the new breed of rockstars”. Boom or Bust for Djing? Here is our take..

wpid 20120122gold coastfamphoto 640x228 New DJ TV show: Simon Cowell’s X Factor for DJs

Photo by Lia Holland: Bassnectar at the Gold Coast

I passionately believe that DJs should do more performing in their sets. Audiences want to be a part of a real show and see their musical heros push themselves to the absolute limits. We hope and expect to really see great DJ chops in 3 main areas:

Musical talent: Pressing play on a song wont be enough. Timing, musicality and the ability to transform tunes we love will be critical to win.Great music selection: On national TV it wont be just about picking the most popular tracks, but sharing the perfect song for each moment – and that’s the heart of DJing.Diversity reigns supreme.I imagine that they may use an American Idol-style format where DJs are given specific songs each week to work with. In this case, DJs with the ability to get creative with ALL music will get the most love from the crowds.

While a DJ TV show is potentially cheesy on the surface, this could be the perfect opportunity to showcase real talent in our field. Personally, I am seriously considering entering to represent  all the djs in this community that care about the craft more than big names or giant crowds. Simon’s right, with dance music blowing up, DJs are the new rock stars. The only problem- we haven’t seen many DJs on the national stage with real rockstar talent. This show may just change that.

Now over to you: 

Who should the judges be?What  DJs do you really want to see enter this thing?What kind of format would really work?

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/new-dj-tv-show-simon-cowells-x-factor-for-djs.html/feed 0 Traktor 2.5 and Kontrol F1 Announced By Native Instruments http://www.puchaleplay.com/traktor-2-5-and-kontrol-f1-announced-by-native-instruments.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/traktor-2-5-and-kontrol-f1-announced-by-native-instruments.html#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:18:53 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1851 Traktor 2.5 and Kontrol F1 Announced By Native Instrumentswpid traktor kontrol f1 announcement1 Traktor 2.5 and Kontrol F1 Announced By Native Instruments

Native Instruments had a party last night to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Traktor, and there they unveiled their powerful new version of Traktor as well as the new piece of hardware we’ve been waiting to learn more about, the Traktor Kontrol F1. Read more about NI CEO Daniel Haver’s semi-official announcement last night!

NI CEO Daniel Haver in front of Traktor Pro 2.5, holding a Kontrol F1

Editor’s Note: Looks like the video of the official announcement got taken down from YouTube, but you can get the idea from the screencap above.

We’ll have complete details on both the Kontrol F1 and Traktor 2.5 later this week, but for now we’re excited to see that Traktor is taking things to the next level with Ableton-style clip launching and performance modes that will continue to drive innovation in the DJ software world. In the video that was taken down, Daniel Haver refers to the new Traktor F1 and Traktor 2.5 Remix Decks as a package and feature set that he calls “Ableton-in-a-DJ-way”. Here’s his words from Saturday night:

So those of you that like Ableton but actually didn’t feel that it’s quite a DJ product, (…) this is it. We take the whole production clipping aspect right into a DJ application, and these pads light up in just the same color as the cells in the Remix Decks.

The new Traktor Remix decks mentioned in the video seem to be a promising step forward, and hopefully they’ll be completely open for intense mappings on not only the F1, but also on other controllers. In case you missed their official teaser video of the F1 and some of the Remix Deck features, check it out below.

Also mentioned during this announcement, the Kontrol F1 is set to drop early April, and that will most likely be concurrent with the release of Traktor 2.5. We talked to some folks at Native Instruments about the new software and they told us:

There are new Remix Decks set in a 4 by 4 configuration of clip launching units.The sync mechanism for the loops has been totally revamped.The software is expected to drop some time around April concurrently with the F1 controllerNo word yet on if this will be a paid or free upgrade.

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/traktor-2-5-and-kontrol-f1-announced-by-native-instruments.html/feed 0 Details Revealed On Numark MPC DJ and 4Trak Controllers http://www.puchaleplay.com/details-revealed-on-numark-mpc-dj-and-4trak-controllers.html http://www.puchaleplay.com/details-revealed-on-numark-mpc-dj-and-4trak-controllers.html#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:31:53 +0000 http://www.puchaleplay.com/?p=1847 Details Revealed On Numark MPC DJ and 4Trak Controllers

Yes, the picture we posted earlier this week of the MPC DJ was very much real, and we’ve got a full look at what the prototype unit looks like. Additionally, we took a quick look at the brand new Numark 4Trak controller, designed to be Numark’s flagship Traktor controller, in response to users who were dissapointed with the NS6/7 mappings for Native Instrument’s DJ software.

So it looks like the MPC DJ isn’t quite ready for prime time, but they’re most certainly looking for feedback. What are your thoughts on it? If you were a product designer, what would you do?

Here’s the complete stats on the Numark 4Trak:

 

Manufacturer: Numark
Product Name : 4Trak
Price: $1099
Release Date: Q1 2012 – within a few weeks!
Key Feature: Sensible Traktor-oriented mapping and controller layout

12-knob FX Kommand Console with FX unit and Filter controlsSuper high-res jogwheels with two-color LED ringsBrushed aluminum top contributes to all-around solid build qualityStrip search working well in Traktor

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]]> http://www.puchaleplay.com/details-revealed-on-numark-mpc-dj-and-4trak-controllers.html/feed 0