Simplifying setup. Suggestions?
Simplifying setup. Suggestions? Posted on: 16.08.2013 by Maryalice Zwahlen Hi guys,for the past few years I have been using the following setup in the club: -- TRAKTOR PRO I -- MacBook Pro 13" -- Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP (via Firewire) -- 2 Midifighters, one for each deck -- External mixer provided at club. There is a whole lot of cabling involved in this setup and I am trying to simplify things as the setup is taking too long (approx. 10 minutes depending on how much space there is in the booth). As much as I love using the MF to control my decks I am believeing about moving away from them to Traktor Scratch with Timecoded CDs and still use one MF for Loops and FX. But this is only an idea so far. What would you do to simplify without using an all-in-one unit, not keen on that??? | |
| Hellen Mindrup 16.08.2013 |
Originally Posted by NoizeImpact
All in all, since I've implemented this little bagging system my evening mares of installing and uninstalling has become a breeze. Plus I get to laugh at all my friends and other DJs who struggle with their cables and such. |
| Maryalice Zwahlen 16.08.2013 | Hi guys, for the past few years I have been using the following setup in the club: -- TRAKTOR PRO I -- MacBook Pro 13" -- Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP (via Firewire) -- 2 Midifighters, one for each deck -- External mixer provided at club. There is a whole lot of cabling involved in this setup and I am trying to simplify things as the setup is taking too long (approx. 10 minutes depending on how much space there is in the booth). As much as I love using the MF to control my decks I am believeing about moving away from them to Traktor Scratch with Timecoded CDs and still use one MF for Loops and FX. But this is only an idea so far. What would you do to simplify without using an all-in-one unit, not keen on that??? |
| Alphonso Deitchman 18.08.2013 | With a Traktor sound card and your MFs you can plug into the club mixer and get the music going straight away, then add timecode control afterwards if needed. So as long as your computer doesn't take ages to boot up you should be started within a minute or two. |
| Maryalice Zwahlen 18.08.2013 | im still very happy using the external mixer and rather moving away from the club gear
even more by using a z1 i actually want to move closer to it (maybe "it" being the more traditional form of djing). in a tiny booth 10 minutes of throwing cables around is actually quite a while, given that djs playing on cds only tuck in a cd or their usb sticks, it is not exactly short having to spend ten minutes and needing quite a bit of space for the setup. this sounds like a valid option, getting the traktor scratch pro packet with the audio 6 and then maybe slowly building towards a timecoded cd/vinyl setup, thanks for that suggestino mrg12eg. are you using more than than two mfs? if on mac which usb hubs are you using? |
| Jeffrey Akinsanya 17.08.2013 | i cant believe you only use 2 midi fighters.. i believe if you get a z1 its a downgrade in terms of soundcard compared to your focusrite imo get a scratch certified soundcard then you'll have the choice of using timecode or just midi.... just add TT or CDJ's. |
| Doreen Schurle 18.08.2013 | Timecode will mean MORE cables, not less. Not to mention its bloody pointless in this day and age (unless you're a turntablist). The ultimate simple setup would be a Z1 and your MIDI fighters; 4 cables total, although you could build a small coffin for them and have the MIDI fighters and Z1 already connected to your laptop. When you arrive at the club, you open the lid, plug an RCA cable from the back of the coffin into the mixer, and away you go. Personally, I feel anyone who moans about it taking 10 minutes to set up is either new to DJing, or has forgotten what it was like in the olden days when you used to have to make 4 trips from your car to the booth just to carry your vinyl, let alone your TTs and mixer. |
| Maryalice Zwahlen 17.08.2013 | great video, thanks for linking that up in this thread. changed bag content, pre-connected cables to interface and mfs as well as power cables to hub that only needs to be plugged in into one power point, very good points raised. the snake i have done before already, great help. however i am believeing about moving away from the firewire interface. i have used it in combinations with macbook pro and traktor pro without problems for three years, however now on new macbook with traktor pro, traktor has died twice in under a year. alternative would be usb audio interface by native instruments and powered usb hub for both mfs. |
| Hellen Mindrup 16.08.2013 |
Originally Posted by NoizeImpact
All in all, since I've implemented this little bagging system my evening mares of installing and uninstalling has become a breeze. Plus I get to laugh at all my friends and other DJs who struggle with their cables and such. |
| Maryalice Zwahlen 16.08.2013 | okay guys, maybe you are right, will reconsider the options. however does anyone use a timecoded cd setup with mfs??? |
| Janella Gripe 16.08.2013 | Try to pack you dj-bag as efficient as possible, so you can continue using your beloved midifighters. It will be much easier to set-up your rig. E.G.: Make a cable snake with all your necessary cables wrapped together. This video will help you a lot |
| Ashanti Andreacchio 16.08.2013 | also to get any of the data from timecode to communicate with traktor you need an USB cable from the Audio 6 to your computer |
| Alphonso Deitchman 16.08.2013 | For timecode you need to connect the CDJ RCAs into the A6, and then connect more RCAs from the A6 to the mixer. You'll still need to connect power to your laptop so I can't see how the setup will get that much simpler. |
| Maryalice Zwahlen 16.08.2013 | at this stage i need: 2 x 2monojacks - rca (coming out of the soundcard into the mixer) firewire cable from soundcard to laptop two usb cables for mfs soundcard and laptop both require power, most of the time i need an additional extension cable plus adapter. with scratch and audio 6 i go into the cdjs, need no power for soundcard and no usb cables, dont you believe? |
| Ashanti Andreacchio 16.08.2013 | Not sure if timecode will simplify your setup. I will require a scratch certified sound card or mixer. If the clubs you play have certified mixers it would simplify if not it means a you need an Audio 6 or 10 sound card and more cables to hook up. |
| Alphonso Deitchman 16.08.2013 | Does that setup really take that long? 1 USB cable per Midi Fighter, and you don't even need a hub since you're using Firewire. |
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