Does your play style change when you use CDJs?

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Does your play style change when you use CDJs?
Posted on: 06.05.2013 by William Muccio
Im one of the few residents that uses MIDI, and i usually get put down by other, older residents scolding me on how real djs use cdjs bla bla, not the point of the thread. I use midi cause it improves my performance su much, having visual references i can mix songs so that intros of one son overlap perfectly with the drop of the other one and so on, sadly i havent been able to achieve this with cdjs and i dont want to risk my job. When i use cdjs i find myself playing one track to the end, where i just play the outro with the intro of the next and so on. Recently i noticed that all the other local djs do this aswell, they just use large mashups instead of individual tracks. Should i bother trying to learn cdjs as well as i know midi or do i continue doing my midi?
Doreen Schurle
07.05.2013
Originally Posted by Dhinojosa94
Im one of the few residents that uses MIDI, and i usually get put down by other, older residents scolding me on how real djs use cdjs bla bla, not the point of the thread.
Tell them to fuck off.

Originally Posted by Dhinojosa94
When i use cdjs i find myself playing one track to the end, where i just play the outro with the intro of the next and so on. Recently i noticed that all the other local djs do this aswell, they just use large mashups instead of individual tracks.
Then they're not DJs, they're human jukeboxes. Search this community for "A-->B mixing" and you'll see countless other threads with two camps of people; those who say that A-->B mixing is what DJing is all about, and those who believe DJing has evolved beyond that. Sounds like your other residents are in the former camp, and you're in the latter.

Personally, I believe A-->B mixing is just 1 step away from putting on a megamix, and anyone who does it when they play live should just sell their gear and quit. Unfortunately for CDJ users, that's pretty much all they CAN do, so they bash MIDI users because they're terrified about losing their jobs; case in point.

Just ignore them, and if anyone ever asks you why your sets are so much better than the other residents, explain to them its because you use a controller and software, which gives you more functionality.
Augustine Mitzen
07.05.2013		pussy.
William Muccio
07.05.2013
Originally Posted by djmetalgear
Fk those "real DJs" that rag on u. I use an s4 strictly cause I live in center city and apartments are small so Space is limited. And if any DJ ever said anything to me to my face, I'd have no problem putting them in there place.

Thing is, I use my s4 as CDJs without an interface. I have my laptop about a foot to my right so I only look at it to select tracks. I don't even bother with wave forms.

Learn how a song is constructed. Build up, breakdown, sections, and learn how to find where the "one" is just by listening. Not by looking. This is why phrasing is important.
Im a producer myself, i know how to "feel" the track taking cues from the song to know where the middle of the intro is and stuff, i guess since im just breaking in im too nervouse to mess it up on a cdj id rather play it safe
Dione Haimes
07.05.2013		better on CDJs, because your listening closer to the music rather than watching the waveform,

saying that im quite bad for looking at the waveform on 1k+'s, but only glancing
Merideth Garnder
07.05.2013		Nope.....with newer CDJs I still have waveforms, loops, and hot cues. It's the same as Traktor without the computer. Get with the program and invest in Rekordbox and learn how to use it.

Unless you're one of those MIDI controller DJs that like to use a beatmasher effect every bar.....jk....seriously though....don't if you do.
Julissa Serrone
07.05.2013
Originally Posted by slinkydisc
Are people dancing when you play do they look happy 99% of the audience does not care if you using a laptop or cdj's or vinyl.
No but plenty of club owners do.

I this turning into another CDJ vs controller argument. Say what you will, but there's plenty of places that you simply CAN NOT bring a controller for various reasons - not allowed, doesn't fit, etc. Having said that Im sure there's also plenty of places that you can....but that means without knowing how to play on CDJ's you're limited on where you can play, and if that happens then Yes, step up your game and learn. There's tons you can do on CDJ's these days.
Meaghan Machold
07.05.2013
Originally Posted by johney
then you need to step your game up.
yes, that is true. while its shitty to rip on someone cause they use a controller... ur not actually DJing when your using wave forms, your more so playing tetris, trying to fit things together.
Augustine Mitzen
07.05.2013
Originally Posted by Dhinojosa94
Im one of the few residents that uses MIDI, and i usually get put down by other, older residents scolding me on how real djs use cdjs bla bla, not the point of the thread. I use midi cause it improves my performance su much, having visual references i can mix songs so that intros of one son overlap perfectly with the drop of the other one and so on, sadly i havent been able to achieve this with cdjs and i dont want to risk my job. When i use cdjs i find myself playing one track to the end, where i just play the outro with the intro of the next and so on. Recently i noticed that all the other local djs do this aswell, they just use large mashups instead of individual tracks. Should i bother trying to learn cdjs as well as i know midi or do i continue doing my midi?
then you need to step your game up.
Bryon Taglieri
07.05.2013		Are people dancing when you play do they look happy 99% of the audience does not care if you using a laptop or cdj's or vinyl.
Brunilda Kora
07.05.2013		Nice post.

It's not WHAT you're using, but HOW you're using it that matters.
Meaghan Machold
07.05.2013		Fk those "real DJs" that rag on u. I use an s4 strictly cause I live in center city and apartments are small so Space is limited. And if any DJ ever said anything to me to my face, I'd have no problem putting them in there place.

Thing is, I use my s4 as CDJs without an interface. I have my laptop about a foot to my right so I only look at it to select tracks. I don't even bother with wave forms.

Learn how a song is constructed. Build up, breakdown, sections, and learn how to find where the "one" is just by listening. Not by looking. This is why phrasing is important.
Brunilda Kora
07.05.2013
I use midi cause it improves my performance su much, having visual references i can mix songs so that intros of one son overlap perfectly with the drop of the other one and so on,
DJ's do this without visual aids. That's the difference between DJ'ing and someone that plays records.
Rita Debar
07.05.2013
Originally Posted by dayvue
Question: Does your play style change when you use CDJ's

Absolutely. When I use turntables (with serato), my mixing style is much more in-your-face and brazen, often involving scratching, cutting, and quick mixes. With CDJ's, I tend to have much more smooth mixes. This is because with CDJ's, I can mash the cue button and get a track to start exactly when I want, whereas with turntables you must back-cue a song and "throw" it in on the downbeat.
Serato has cue points as well. Are you using absolute or relative mode?
Vernie Kuam
07.05.2013		Question: Does your play style change when you use CDJ's

Absolutely. When I use turntables (with serato), my mixing style is much more in-your-face and brazen, often involving scratching, cutting, and quick mixes. With CDJ's, I tend to have much more smooth mixes. This is because with CDJ's, I can mash the cue button and get a track to start exactly when I want, whereas with turntables you must back-cue a song and "throw" it in on the downbeat.
Emelina Chillson
06.05.2013		Memorize your tunes bruv. Visualize the counts in your head.
Yong Aptekar
06.05.2013		You have to learn your tracks inside and out. If you rely on waveforms only, you won't train your brain to lock onto the audio cues in a track letting you know what's coming up. Keep using your controller, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but try to turn your monitor off, or cover up your screen so that you aren't looking at it.
This trick works for learning to match by ear as well, you cover the BPM and figure it out yourself.
And don't let those dudes beat you up too much, once upon a time they were the odd ones out, as cdjs were just coming on the scene, and if you didn't mix with vinyl, you were a toy. Use what you like, but learn to use it well.
Emelina Paglia
06.05.2013		I started off using a software and now I'm using CDJs, which I can use a software with, but I don't.

I understand why you're saying that using a MIDI controller improves your mixes. It's more convenient and faster. I've been there, I just switched to CDJs because it was a personal choice. I just want to learn and mix without relying on a software. With lots of practice eventually you'll reach that same level. You just need to learn your music. I believe it will benefit you in the long run if you learn using CDJs, but you don't have to. It's like learning how to drive manual, you don't need to know but it is better to know.
Marjorie Fallucca
06.05.2013		It sounds like you and 'all the other local dj's' need to learn your tracks better and spend more time practising.

Learning to use CDJ's would be advantageous if you plan to continue to play out if you feel it is an issue for you.

The styles of mixing you refer to can be achieved on any medium, and are some of the basics of djing and knowing your tracks well.
Adrienne Wilcoxen
06.05.2013		I usually use Serato on turntables and used to use a VCI 100 with Traktor and the major difference I find between them and CDJs is that I always spend too much time look for a certain track on CDJs cause I have to flick through all my CDs and find the right one. However, the newer CDJs have USB link input, which I dig the shit out of.
Alphonso Deitchman
06.05.2013		If by MIDI you mean a huge all-in-one controller then yes, it would be a good idea to start using CDJs instead. You can connect them to software and add in a small modular MIDI controller to "improve your performance".

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