Should I move to Serato/Scratch Live/Traktor Scratch?

[crow]

After moving to hardware a few months ago and enjoying the thrill from the sweet manual beatmatching, I came to realize that this is too much of a hassle... Too much in a sense that I need to burn burn burn!

See, if you haven't heard my sets by now, you wouldn't know that I'm a DJ that constantly plays old tunes. My sets are usually a balance between fresh releases and old gems. Don't care much for what people have to say about playing new tracks all the tune... ANYWAYS, I've got a huge collection of old tracks and new ones are being released like peanuts. That's problem numero uno! Problemo numero dos is the fact that I mix strictly harmonically. Burning new good releases on CDs are always going to be in different keys and when I come to mix them, it disrupts my "flow" in the set.

I'd rather have everything right in front of me and to be loaded easily without me thinking about my next transition and tracks.

So does these 2 problems quality me to get Serato and such software? And what hardware requirements do I need in order for them to work with Serato and such?

[Fawzi]

Amateur question:
What's harmonic mixing?

[Raneem]

^ Harmonic mixing is based on Tracks' Keys..
For example: If track X has a key of Am, it's better to mix it with a track Y that has also the same key, Am, or another key that fits with it.
This gives a better flow in the transitions.

[Fawzi]

^Ahhh... I didnt know that there was something as "strictly harmonic"... I though that all transitions took into account the bpm and the key of both tracks, and that the differences were in cross-fading or cutting or something else...

[Icepick]

Crow : i feel you on the burn burn burn thing its pretty annoying BUT what you can do is use rewritable cds, so for a show you use specific tracks and then next you erase and use it again ... now Serato is a pretty expensive piece of software which comes with its special controller for pc use...and last time i checked, which is around a month back the hardware/software bundle costs around 950-1000$ in Lebanon...
So basicly my advice is stay on hardware and burn the necessairy...Mixed In Key is good help!


Hope this clears a bit !


Ps: Ronaldo , you can play by the books and you can be out of the ordinary...no specific rules in DJ'ing, just guildelines...mixing in key is one of those guildelines which you can follow for a better flow in sets...mostly trance..

[Fawzi]

^Crow's problem isnt the trouble he gets from burning, it's that keys gets distorted AFTER he burns them on a cd

[Icepick]

^Keys dont get distorted while burning lol...he said he is facing problems having a lot of good releases on hand and not being able to coordinate the keys with the hassel of burning the cds and whatnot..

[Raneem]

^.... since software gives him the key of each track

[crow]

I use Mixed In Key. You guys are missing the point. Problem 2 relies on problem 1. I'm really thinking of getting Serato. Do I have to buy an external soundcard btw? And what mixers support it?

[3aly]

^what version of Mixed in Key are you using?? not that it matters, i just wana know!

anyway, no, i dont think you would need an external soundcard other than the one that comes with it (if a soundcard is included in that blackbox/dongle)... all you'll need is the software and the dongle itself along with some SSL cds... why dont you check the serato scratch live forums for a better answer on that!

burning cds is a hassle, i agree.. but the only reason i have not switched to SSL is for the reason that i can control the quality of my tracks much more efficiently..

I feel that with SSL i'll just be playing whatever track i have downloaded even if it isn't that great, but when i burn everything, i make sure i ONLY burn the stuff i love and thus, limiting what i play to only that!!!

crow.. i dont honestly see what keys have to do with this but if you are having problems harmonically mixing... why dony you include the key after the title of the track on ur cd sleeves.. and u can even organize cds depending on "mood", "bpm" or whatever you see fit! oh.. and every mixer supports it as long as you have two channels

PS: SSL shouldn't cost you more than $500USD

[Icepick]

^Oke so the place i saw is a rip off xD! they charge 950$ for it !

[Nesta]

This is what I Do.. I note the key of each track on my CD so i can play them harmonically.. bala serato bala ballout. Cd's for life. Don't complicate things mate

[DIONYSOS]

[crow]

[DIONYSOS]

The quality of the tracks that you take with you to gigs to choose from. He's saying that if you're burning CDs, you'll only burn the very best tracks given the cost and time, which makes your selection pool higher in quality. I agree with this point.