Trainwrecks

[kINEkT]

I am just wondering why the standard of mixing has dropped so low. I would be completely embarrassed and kick myself off the decks if I went clackidy clack clackidy clack for more than 3 seconds. If a DJ corrects it quickly it shows even more skill and that is respectable. I remember the days where the entire crowd would disapprove of any lack in mixing skills. Most DJ's got the 3 strike your out rule and would get someone else in their place. I can't stress how imperative it is for us to impress the people who see us mixing so they want to come back for more.

A lot of the new kids are noticing the difference now between a DJ who can beatmatch and program a set compared to someone half assing it. The fans needs to be more demanding and pushy when it comes to the music they are PAYING to hear.

[Ryan]

I TOTALLY agree. I try to be very technical in my mixing and get pissed when it falls off. I don't like ANY clapping. Not even a second.

What brought this up? You see some shitty performance?

[kINEkT]

Nobody in particular but more as a whole.. been hearing about way too many people just all over the place. It kills the vibe of any party real quick.

[nawenipwod]

Good topic.

I reserve the term "trainwreck" for more gratuitous or prolonged mixing disasters. A little beat slippage should be expected/accepted I think, from most DJs (touring pros possibly excepted). It is an idiosyncrasy of turntable mixing, much like certain notes on certain instruments tend to be out of tune. I hear imprecision in virtually everyone's mixing.

Shit happens -- beats slip, records skip, beer gets spilled on the mixer. I don't think it's the end of the world when the beats slip out a bit, for a few seconds or even a bit longer. When it happens over & over in a distracting fashion, it's obviously a problem and it takes away from my enjoyment the music. At that point I start mentally criticizing the DJ's technique, rather than his/her track selection... :hahaha:

Still, we must bear in mind that a typical audience hasn't heard nearly as much EDM as most DJs and therefore their ears will not be as sensitive to the more minute imprecision that experienced DJs can pick out in someone else's mixing. So it is largely in our own heads, literally & figuratively.

All that said, I have not been impressed by the technical skill of very many DJs I have seen around here. Not to rain on anyone's parade, I am just used to SF standards -- which are pretty high even for small underground events. I wouldn't mind hearing some smoother local DJs.

[daemonseed]

there are to many people that are in the game of djing just to be a dj. i.e., hey everyone look at me, i'm a dj. im the shit blah blah blah

djing is an artform and art's source is inspiritational creativeness.

[TNess]

It depends on where your at and what your looking for. When I go to soul kitchen i know i'm gonna hear a trainwreck here and there but it doesn't bother me. The music there is still top notch house music spun by dj's for the love of house. They aren't there to show off thier skill but rather to involve the scene with more great music. When I see a big name top 10 Dj guy, i better here flawless mixing. cutting edge shit and in yo face choons!

[Biggstuff]

It depends on where your at and what your looking for. When I go to soul kitchen i know i'm gonna hear a trainwreck here and there but it doesn't bother me. The music there is still top notch house music spun by dj's for the love of house. They aren't there to show off thier skill but rather to involve the scene with more great music. When I see a big name top 10 Dj guy, i better here flawless mixing. cutting edge shit and in yo face choons!

nicely put, i agree with daemonseed too:thumbsup:

[kINEkT]

I am talking about events where people pay money to see a DJ

[hippiekid]

I agree 100 % on everyones views
Im not going to mention any names , but after taking a long break away from eveything in Vegas, and finally being convinced to attend a party i paid for i was very dissapointed.. The first 2 dj's booked wrecked almost every mix literaly , and blames it on the equiptmant , yet a UK dj only was off on 1 mix , and fixed it within 4 beats.. Now i dont know who goes on here anymore , but i know in no way was i flawless , and thought i was a good dj untill i had opportunity to travel and play with some really good talent that taught me a trick or 2.. With that said i brought some newbies to this party , whom have heard me play , and they could even notice how bad the dj's were mixing , then have the dj bragging how great the set was.. In my opinion dj's should be getting booked based on skill instead of who they know and polotics.. Or is our scene all about the drugs again ? I know back in the day it was - But back then there was great talent playing too where party kids went to see their fav dj , and drugs were just a bonus..
i say support your local dj.. Dont be afraid to give a pointer or 2 , and if they suk be honest about .. Construvctive critisism only helps a newbie dj improve..
Just my opinion..Anyone else agree ?

[VJA52]

playing ping pong with beats and getting sloppy is a trainwreck to me. Other variables of course......

[soundbwoy32]

Occasional trainwrecks can be expected, think i've had one live with just confusion but true bill Kevin, im hearing lots more nowdays rather than back in the day. Major problem is the difference between playing in your room and on a big rig, I remember that first time, scared me lol with the reverb over powering the monitors. Another reason for trainwrecks nowdays is the pattern of strictly producers hitting it big then getting bookings in from everywhere. Digitalism are a prime example of that, amazing live but their dj sets are terrible, was really dissapointed after being so hyped to see them.

As for programming I used to program every live set to the tee, mixing quick and droppin 25 odd choons in an hour, works great sometimes but I favor freestyle more so you can work the floor, read the crowd and know the perfect time to drop that unheard daft punk remix ( I got those aces!! )

[*TOXIC*]

My idol dj's were SPEEDY and MARK-ONE! TAaa-dowww

[fxbuddaman]

Why would anyone take the time to improve their skills and heaven forbid, practice when they get booked over and over again despite their proven track record of not being able to match a beat for over 3 seconds. Wow that was a run on sentence... Anyways maybe if promoters hold their dj's accountable ie not book them for a while there would be more incentive to get better...:|

[Tommy Danger]

It depends on where your at and what your looking for. When I go to soul kitchen i know i'm gonna hear a trainwreck here and there but it doesn't bother me. The music there is still top notch house music spun by dj's for the love of house. They aren't there to show off thier skill but rather to involve the scene with more great music. When I see a big name top 10 Dj guy, i better here flawless mixing. cutting edge shit and in yo face choons!

Exactly.

I will pay money to see a bunch of local DJs drop new music I haven't heard before, and from them I expect a "less-than-perfect" set....

But when I pay money to see Tiesto for the first time and he train wrecks the ENTIRE set, I'm pissed. When I hear a radio show with a popular DJ that I KNOW should be on top of his game and he isn't, I tune out the show forever.

[Stormbringer]

Still though....I would rather train wreck a whole set than use software like ableton that basically does the beat matching for you. I guess I have too much DJ integrity when it comes to the art of DJing. I am on the constant drive for perfection in mixing. If I use software like ableton, that means that I have quit in my 14 years search for perfect flawless mixing and DJing skills. Well, I never quit. Now, if you are not a trance DJ and you use it for tricks and things only...I guess that's your thing. But I feel that there is no reason why a hard trance DJ needs to use software like ableton. In fact, I have no respect for those trance DJs who do and have also lost respect for veteran trance DJs who use it, too. Grow some balls and risk non perfect mixes at a rave or club.

If you like to do tricks and you want to impress me, beat match at the same time. If you can do both, good, I will be impressed. Otherwise, if you go the ableton way, I see it almost as being as bad as me bringing in a mixed hard trance CD...plopping it in a CD player....thus doing neat little tricks, while the CD is playing, and acting like a dumb cheerleader when I'm not pushing buttons. Thus getting worshiped by newbie ravers, at the same time, for doing something that anyone can do if they just put some money down and read the damn manual on how to use the damn thing...or just by spending 5 to 10 minutes by using youtube...I just don't get people, today....I think it's time for me to retire....

....sorry if I got off the subject a little....To get back on, train wrecks shouldn't be acceptable if you are the DJ who is performing this feat....If you're a raver on the floor...One. Though, shitty sets do happen to the best of them. Catching a beat is OK as long as you don't do it for your entire set. I think if you have to catch a beat, three times in a set, you had a bad night.

[Supatype]

I mix and trainwreck all the time but I dont call myself a DJ and I dont want to charge people for what I do. Thats why I spin at home for friends and thats that. If you want to be a DJ then put the work in to earn the right to call yourself one. I have heard some real shit mixing and even trainwrecks go on for like 2 minutes with no attempt made to fix them. Its not exceptable and I was tempted to ask for my money back. I could just start booing loudly but I wonder how many people would know why I was booing and how many would think im just being an ass without cause. It hasnt been so bad lately though.

There are now schools that teach mixing and scratching so a trainwreck is just poor education with a self centered imagination. If being a DJ is about wanting to look good then you deserve no congratulations. Damn I should sober up and get back to work. I wish I had a cigarette.:hahaha:

[Detn8or]

There can be many sides of this debate...

First off, Most people I see use ableton do not use it to do the mixing for them. Ableton allows you to pretty much make live music on the fly. Sasha who is basically the pioneer of ableton (they fully sponsored him and created a mixer etc for him to tour with) uses ableton to make music and uses the original sample and loops that he creates to make live sets. I would hardly say he uses it to auto-mix. At the same time someone like Sasha, BT or whomever like that have a bank of original loops and samples made by themselves to use for a full set of new live material. Actually anyone who produces can use ableton to make music as almost a live set, or the term BT likes to use "Laptop Symphony".

This almost becomes the same debate as CDs to Vinyl.. CDJs can give you an advantage on vinyl just for the simple fact of having a accurate BPM counter. I used to be a vinyl snob and like anyone who knows anything about djing used to hate on cd djs. But at this stage in the game its all about technology and how you use it. The vinyl dj is still respected but is becoming a dinasour. In a way th EDM world has kinda come full circle in the way that back in the day it was all about what dj had the cuts... slappin stickers on the labels so know one knew what it was. If you had the bangin tunes you were the hot dj... well now its like that but in a different way... Artists are using new ways to make there sounds unique.

Basically bro, almost anyone nowadays can match a beat, its almost like learning a few chords on the guitar. No one is in awe about a great beatmatching dj anymore. Its all about what comes out of those speakers at this point that really sets off a crowd. There is always the stage presence, like Donald Glaude who can get away with murder mixing wise (he is a really good dj, dont get me wrong) but because he feeds off a crowd and knows how to pump everyone up it makes it a whole different experience. If you can pump out some sick ass tunes that no one has heard, I dont care how you are doing it you will set off the crowd.

[Ryan]

Basically bro, almost anyone nowadays can match a beat, its almost like learning a few chords on the guitar. No one is in awe about a great beatmatching dj anymore. Its all about what comes out of those speakers at this point that really sets off a crowd. There is always the stage presence, like Donald Glaude who can get away with murder mixing wise (he is a really good dj, dont get me wrong) but because he feeds off a crowd and knows how to pump everyone up it makes it a whole different experience. If you can pump out some sick ass tunes that no one has heard, I dont care how you are doing it you will set off the crowd.

This sums up my argument perfectly. Well said Mike.

I used to be against the whole Ableton thing as well but now it doesn't bother me. I honestly believe that anyone can master beat matching (even tho some people have trouble grasping it). It really isn't some super ability. Most DJs I know (including myself) can beat match a track in a matter of a few seconds. I often find myself with lots of down time on the decks. Ableton allows you to do SO MUCH with the music. When used right, the on the fly loops, effects, matched accapellas, and anything else you can think of can make Abelton a true live remixing platform. There are ways to manipulate the music on Abelton that just can't be done on the decks.

That being said, I don't have much respect for someone who just uses Abelton to mix.... but I hardly ever see someone doing that. I'll leave you with a pic of PVD's Serato wired into Ableton setup. There is NO WAY you can call this cheating.

http://saturdaynightsessions.com/sns/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/nyela07pvd.jpg

[DjMarkOne]

the last underground party i went to here in vegas, well lets just say that the amount of trainwrecks that happened that night were totally unacceptable imo. dont get me wrong, i give credit to where its truely due. some of the dj's that night dropped some sick shit and killed it, but the rest were very sub par on their mixing. i remember when our standard was way higher 8-9 years ago. i mean we did hear a few mixes slip off beat and once in a while heard a trainwreck (shit, im even guilty of at least a couple in my life time!!! haha). but its just seems that as of lately, the quality of the mixing has gone down hill and yet the kids that are supporting these parties are giving those dj's mad props too. and when i see that going on, im just like "WTF, ARE YOU SERIOUS????"

i dunno, another reason why i say this is because you walk into any club in vegas, the standard is always much higher compared to an underground event. so i guess im just used to hearing mixing that is 99% on point.

and yeah, and i totally agree with det8nor on his statement, anyone can beatmatch. but i think there has to be some effort on the dj's part to at least try and make smooth transitions between songs to keep the groove going, dontcha' think????

[Stormbringer]

This sums up my argument perfectly. Well said Mike.

I used to be against the whole Ableton thing as well but now it doesn't bother me. I honestly believe that anyone can master beat matching (even tho some people have trouble grasping it). It really isn't some super ability. Most DJs I know (including myself) can beat match a track in a matter of a few seconds. I often find myself with lots of down time on the decks. Ableton allows you to do SO MUCH with the music. When used right, the on the fly loops, effects, matched accapellas, and anything else you can think of can make Abelton a true live remixing platform. There are ways to manipulate the music on Abelton that just can't be done on the decks.

That being said, I don't have much respect for someone who just uses Abelton to mix.... but I hardly ever see someone doing that. I'll leave you with a pic of PVD's Serato wired into Ableton setup. There is NO WAY you can call this cheating.

http://saturdaynightsessions.com/sns/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/nyela07pvd.jpgIf beat matching is such an ease, why do I keep hearing and witnessing big time headliners train wreck all the time? And just because someone can beat match a couple of songs to together, that doesn't mean they can do it for hours and do it on a consistent basis. Yes, you are right, though. Being able to beat match is not the most important thing about being a DJ.

It's the music first. That is nothing new, today. That is why I considered Kai Macdonald aka Kai Traicid way better than PDV or Tiesto. He's got the best music AND he is flawless. I would rather hear a set of Kai's old music over PVD's and Tiesto's new trance, any day of the year! But one thing that do I demand of all DJs, in order for me take them seriously, is the ability to beat match without cheating. that's the first thing. Music next. Then flow of his set.

And seriously...do you really want to do loops and shit and layer other songs over awesome melodic trance?? That will piss me the fuck off if I'm on the floor and I hear a DJ doing that to an awesome tune! I'll come up there and beat his ass!! Don't care if it's Kai Tracid of PVD!! I'll beat their ass, too!! (lol..or try to...I can just see PVD beating the shit out of me at the DJ stand..8-))

But if your gonna do it and you want to impress me, beat match, too. The art of DJing is supposed to be a challenge...Not an ease. This challenge drives me and others like me. Other wise, if you're gonna cheat and have stuff do the beat matching for you, it would be like someone going to a 25 K run but instead of running the race, they just drive a car over the 25 k, instead... 8-) Yes, it was more easy...but would you take them seriously as a distant runner??

I wouldn't hate on ableton or serato if they just took the beat matching function away...

[JPaul]

Wow people are giving props to ableton! NICE!

[silo]

...



I wouldn't hate on ableton or serato if they just took the beat matching function away...

does serato have a beat matching function? as far as i know, it adds visual cues which are useful for precision mixing, but it doesn't match beats for you. i could be wrong about this though. i think a lot of people use serato for the convenience of acquiring/carrying/storing/locating digital files vs vinyl, not it's ability to match beats.

i haven't used it very much, but i feel ableton's best feature is it's ability to sync samples, loops, etc with tracks playing on vinyl, cd, serato, or whatever. in the hands of sasha, PVD, or probably any talented dj it creates incredible new opportunities for creativity. i wasn't aware people mixed entire sets of pre-recorded tracks with it. that does sound kind of lame.



djing is an artform and art's source is inspirational creativeness.

i agree that dj'ing [especially when done well] is an artform. it is artistic creativity expressed through ever evolving technology. at this point in time the bleeding edge of that technology is serato & ableton.

and to get myself back on topic....beatmatching should be a given. i don't mind a [quickly recovered] slip once in a while if the dj is actually doing something creative/technical beyond a simple, clean mix, but it better never turn into a 'shoes in the dryer', full on trainwreck....if you cannot at least beatmatch, you probably shouldn't be up there yet [but a lot of egos don't want to hear that]. it never ceases to amaze me to hear stories of headliners trainwrecking....wtf? if you truly love this music & have the privilege to play it for a living, that shit is unacceptable.


b@

[Detn8or]

...

does serato have a beat matching function?

If it does, like I said no one is using these programs for that reason. I mean Serato or Final Scratch have the same advantage as cdjs with beatcounters. But as anyone knows you never trust the beatcounter 100%, but use it as a quick guide. I started with vinyl so for me to look at beatcounters really messes me up more then help.

Ableton syncronizes not really beat matches (I could be wrong), Ableton allows you to remix or create tracks on the go so you have to be able to sync them, otherwise trying to beatmatch 8 channels at once would be near impossible.

Although what I would agree with is that artists that use extensive equipment, like PVD, Deadmau5, Crystal Method Live etc etc, I wouldnt really call a dj at that point, and is why they book them as live sets most the time. Because using ableton isnt really djing. Richie Hawtin did the decks efx and 909 tour, which was similar to Ableton in a way, but in no way would I ever say he cheats.

[JPaul]

Richie Hawtin uses what i use Traktor Scratch, He's been a pioneer and a HUGE supporter of Digital DJing for years, also ableton "Warps" anything you put into it samples/songs/whatever and then goes off of a master tempo that you set. And lets not forget the Infamous Daft Punk Live set.....all done with ableton.

[kINEkT]

Serato does not beatmatch for you and the bpm counter only gets you within 1bpm anyway. the hardest part of beat matching for most dj's is fine tuning that less than 1% pitch difference which will make the track go offbeat after 16 to 32 beats. no beat counter can help you in the fine tuning department.

Ableton live performances are only exciting if you create original music in the program. IF all you're doing is slicing up tracks other people made, it's not very exciting to me. I'd rather just hear it how the producer intended it to be heard.

[JPaul]

I saw pete tong at tabu and he's all ableton now, playing just straight tracks, and it was a great time not boring or dull. I'm sure no one even knew he was on ableton except my friend brandon and I.

[Detn8or]

Serato does not beatmatch for you and the bpm counter only gets you within 1bpm anyway. the hardest part of beat matching for most dj's is fine tuning that less than 1% pitch difference which will make the track go offbeat after 16 to 32 beats. no beat counter can help you in the fine tuning department.

Ableton live performances are only exciting if you create original music in the program. IF all you're doing is slicing up tracks other people made, it's not very exciting to me. I'd rather just hear it how the producer intended it to be heard.


Agreed... I havent seen a beatcounter accurate enough to trust yet..

and I agree about Ableton too, but most people that use it, use there own original material. Its not to easy to get things completely tracked out to use for ableton (as far as other peoples material).

And lets not forget the Infamous Daft Punk Live set.....all done with ableton.

Ohhh dont worry, I found a pic that will mak sure I never forget.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/mpuliz/1429694006_7ed625dd65_o.jpg

[silo]

...

that rig is sooo sick....i found a couple pics from other angles:

http://www.aparatoraro.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/daft-punk2.jpeg

http://silo.dj/images/misc/daft_rig2.jpg

http://silo.dj/images/misc/daft_rig1.jpg

http://www.motherjones.com/riff_blog/mojo-photo-daftpunkbehind.JPG

...

[JPaul]

seen all those its fucking amazing.......drool

[JPaul]

more fun ableton shit, cant wait to see this fucker in october again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8TSMYh9UCI

[Detn8or]

this guy actually designed some of the software for ableton himself for his helmet to sync with ableton

[JPaul]

ableton also has video sync bundled with it

[Stormbringer]

Here's my thing...Back when I started to DJ, there was really no need for Ableton because people went for the music, first, so they can dance their asses off. If the DJ rocked, then they would give him or her their dues. Now days, it seems that people don't go for the music, anymore. It's all about the DJ being first. Seriously. Look at that video that Paul posted! No one is dancing! WTF?? They're all worshiping a DJ that is doing something that ANY veteran DJ can do as long as they spend the money and time to buy Ableton and learn how to use it! I don't want to be rude but that video makes me sad. Now, if every song, at that event, is his own, then I stand corrected. Then they are giving him ups for creativity. I'll STFU. However, I see the same damn thing for Tiesto, too! But if Deadman (whatever his name is) is mixing in other people's music, well, it's easy blending in other songs, doing loops, and other tricks, if you don't have to worry about beat matching! All you have to worry about is timing and how to work the equipment! Any veteran DJ can figure that one out...

There still is no need, for Ableton, for me. If my music, alone, can't get people to move, then I need to buy different music. Oh, I can trick it up, on the tables, when I want to but why do it all the time in a set?? Once trick or two, in a set, is all that is really needed. Focus on great music the DJ is throwing down, not the DJ. Now, look at this video (watch the whole video)! You notice everyone is facing AWAY from the DJ, towards the lazers?? It's not all about the DJ in that club. It's more about the music he's pushing and the atmosphere of the club! That's how it should be! Now compare the two videos....Who's having more fun??...... I like the rig, in Paramount Park (the video), way more! My whole point?? There is no need to Ableton shit up (unless it's all your music, you made, and you can't beat match worth a fuck), as long as you are pushing awesome music with awesome beat matching and blending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-YpeYmBlu4

[CIted]

When I first moved out here, I noticed how much more acceptable this is out here, both at clubs and raves.

Its pretty scary compared to everywhere else ive played.

[JPaul]

Deadmau5 (how do you not know who he is and still like/know EDM) makes all his own tracks, he was like producer of the year on beatport along with a ton of other awards, he's a crazy ass producer, and for people dancing in that video, well i can barely tell cause its a kinda shit quality and far away, but i assure you theyre fucking get down on the ground! BTW no one is saying there is a need for ableton, it was just a thing that was brought up that DJs use, and the ones that were brought up that use it use it in amazing ways that you'ld NEVER be able to do with just a pair of tables.

[Detn8or]

Ableton is just another tool, and I dont think in any way that it is replacing decks. You do have to move forward with technology and the times. I am sad to say I do think vinyl will be a lost art soon.

I really think you should learn how ableton really works and watch closely how Deadmau5, Sasha or whomever uses it. They primarily use there own material and Im sure they get tracks from there friends as well. Using other tracks in Ableton isn't any different then you djing other peoples music.

[Supatype]

OK ive stayed out of this one cause I have almost no exp to talk on it but with these new schools such as the Scratch DJ academy teaching the basics of turntablism with vinyl. I hope that may spark some intrest in oldschool vinyl and diging for breaks. I have a soft spot for vinyl. It just seams more real and what about cover art? IDK i hope that Vinyl stays around. Anybody know what Mix Master Mike does or Z-Trip they still use vinyl right?

[Detn8or]

OK ive stayed out of this one cause I have almost no exp to talk on it but with these new schools such as the Scratch DJ academy teaching the basics of turntablism with vinyl. I hope that may spark some intrest in oldschool vinyl and diging for breaks. I have a soft spot for vinyl. It just seams more real and what about cover art? IDK i hope that Vinyl stays around. Anybody know what Mix Master Mike does or Z-Trip they still use vinyl right?

Im not sure, but I know Grand Master Flash, Craze and a bunch of old school and new school turntablist use Final Scratch or Serrato now. The art of djing wont really be lost with technology, because of serrato/final scratch and cdjs, but actually pressing vinyl I feel will go away.

[JPaul]

GMF uses traktor scratch with the time coded vinyl and i know z trip uses some computer program with vinyl.

[*TOXIC*]

I think the fact that almost all of America, already thinks they do not press vinyl anymore, is as low as it'll get. It will never stop, if shit can be bootlegged n pressed in the jungle, anyone can do it.

☼τ☼

[Detn8or]

I think the fact that almost all of America, already thinks they do not press vinyl anymore, is as low as it'll get. It will never stop, if shit can be bootlegged n pressed in the jungle, anyone can do it.

☼τ☼

I doubt artists continue to press vinyl in 5-10 years.. I dont ever think it will be gone 100% but eventually there will not be enough tunes on vinyl around to be able to really dj with vinyl.

[daemonseed]

choo choo

[silo]

...

i found an interesting article about richie hawtin's unconventional dj rig. it seems relevant to the [more interesting] direction this thread has taken since derailment.

...

http://www.beatportal.com/uploads/news/1218511479_richiehawtin_laptop.jpg

richie hawtin's opinion on beatmatching:

“One laptop is running Traktor DJ Studio 3 and the other is running Ableton Live,” he says.

“There’s so much new music to play with these days and my new set up allows me to take control of the music much more than, say, the typical DJ setup of 2 turntables and a sampler.

“With my current setup I can search inside of a track, find the parts I want to use and mix them.

“Now I don’t need to worry about outdated skills such as beatmatching and I can fully focus and concentrate my attention on more creative details of the mix.”

Unlike many Traktor-based DJs, Richie Hawtin doesn’t bother with timecoded CDs or vinyl and instead just uses the software’s sync function.

He also midi clocks Traktor and Ableton by having Traktor as the master.

“People say that beatmatching is the art of DJing, but I’m sorry, beatmatching isn’t really creative, it’s just a skill,” says Richie.

“Sure, you can be pretty creative just by beatmatching and cutting up records, but I prefer to spend my time in the DJ booth thinking about the construction of an interesting musical journey and less about timing two records together.”

...

video here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6n4cy_richie-hawtin-traktor-setup_music

part 1: http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/richie-hawtins-dj-setup/
part2 : http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/riche-hawtins-dj-set-up-revisited


b@

[JPaul]

Ya he's got a pretty nutty set up, he runs 4 decks at a time in traktor =X

I use traktor scratch with timecoded CDs and i fucking love it!

[silo]

...

i was surprised that he doesn't use the timecoded cds....that he just lets the software sync for him.


b@

[JPaul]

ya i think he used to, but now he can run 4 decks without actually needing 4 decks

[TNess]

evolve or die

[Joshua Adam]

omg... ableton ad nauseum

[Detn8or]

great article... I love the fact one of the masterminds of this game is so far ahead of everyone else.. "Now I don’t need to worry about outdated skills such as beatmatching....." fuckin classic!!