CD Spinning DJs...sinners?

[funketeer]

I get the sense that there's a snubby attitude from vinyl-spinning-djs towards cd-spinning-djs...

1. - is it an insult to play cds at a club?

2. - does anyone care?

3. - does it matter what the source is if the music sounds good?

4. - how do you feel about DJs spinning CDs?

Share your thoughts, I'd really like to know what you think.

peace and chicken grease

FUNKETEER

[spinstar]

1. it's not an insult

2. only if the CD has a scratch and skips

3. no, it does not matter

4. vinyl has a better feel when beat matching, and is more revered because of its rich tradition and history. however, nowadays DJs are using MP3s, CDs, drum machines, keybords, lap tops...

[saintjohn]

Originally posted by funketeer

- does it matter what the source is if the music sounds good?

not all cd decks are created equal. some suffer from ugly sound degradation whenever pitched up or (especially) down. they still sell well, though, so i guess the djs buying them either don't care or don't notice.

vinyl certainly has limitations, but cds aren't perfect, either. both the discs and the players can fail in the most sudden and dramatic ways. as long as the clubs have more than two cd decks, though, reliability is a non-issue (unless the superstar cd dj forgets to keep a disc loaded in deck 3, just in case).

cd technology allows djs to loop, edit, and basically remix tracks on the fly. it gives djs more control over certain musical elements. unfortunately, this power isn't always put to good use. too many people seem to think that their instant re-arrangement of some song is somehow better than the original mix, even though the original was the result of hours and hours of careful studio work.

some vinyl purists do resent the ease with which cd djs can manipulate tracks, but the main criticism seems to be the auto-beatmatching feature found on a growing number of dual-deck units. djs who depend solely on such circuitry are a sad bunch. even if the auto-locking works perfectly (hah), the track phrasing is usually out-of-sync. technology hasn't replaced the trained ear, at least not yet.

finally, i know of at least one south florida dj who spins his own pre-mixed cds. he cuts and pastes an hour's worth of thunderpuss-style anthems together on his pc (with the breakdowns edited out), then just crossfades between discs once an hour. so, does it matter what the source is if the music sounds good?

you tell me.

[arturoantunes]

Nowadays many djs are using cds over vinyl for several reasons:

1.) Its easier to send/burn new music from your pc or laptop and be used right away. Lets say a producer wants to send a track to X over in Ibiza, he will just send it via mp3 or put it into a server where it can be downloaded. Fresh Meat !

2.) With the introduction into the market of equipment like the the Pioneer DJ 1000, many effects, looops, etc etc can be created with a certain track. (Desyn, Zabiela, Phil K, Mojo are masters with the 1000)

3.) Transportation and weight. Djs are tired of loosing their record box and be left with nothing to play. Having to go home and call all its contacts, requesting replacement / new music. plus...its just easier to put your cd album into your hand luggage instead of waiting for hours for your record box to come out the luggage belt ...(.if it appears.)..and then carrying a 40lb+ box in one arm.

These are all valid arguments.... but I personally prefer to stick to vinyl.

[spinstar]

a matter of first aid... every DJ should bring CDs to a gig.

what if one of the needles break, or tuntables break...

Edgar V spun CD + vinyl at ultra.....

[fliptoniaaa]

we must remember everything evolves....there will be a day when we say mad do u remember when we used to spin c.d's...

as long as technology keeps on moving we have to keep moving with it....but u should always respect where it came from...so therefore u should at least learn the fundamentals of the craft

[funketeer]

Any tips on a good CD club deck? Not that I'm looking into buying...I'm just super-duper-curious....

peace

FUNKETEER

[fliptoniaaa]

u can get the donon i posted in the other thread about spinning...

let me tell u something about those auto beat matchers if u use that ur a retard....first they dont work all that well....my numark has that built in and if i would go by that thing i would totally mess up my mixes....sometimes i look at it just to look and its like 3beats off ....theres no better beat matcher than the ear.....i would love to get better at record mixing, once u get the concept of mixing its the same thing on record or cd at least the fundamentals....but as stated...i have a mortgage, wife, and 2 kids....i really cant afford to get record players, and then have to buy records every week....burning is so much more economical for me....but if any1 has seen turntablist...those guys r out of hand...id love to learn how to do that, but it takes lots of time and money...but i will always salute the purist

[eddie3]

of djs use cds (JP, junior, DT)

but the big djs dont over-do it. I know DT just uses them for loops and wierd noises and shit. I've seen JP pop a cd out in da booth b4 and i heard that vasquez uses them as well.

PPL think its cheesy, but i think the main thing depends on the MIX itself.

cds are super easy to carry(just felt like adding that in)

[thepulse]

or an insult.

However, I prefer vinyl myself. But due to the limitations of vinyl I guess its perfectly fine to use cds especially if you are looping etc. or if the track is unreleased and only available via cd. Also carrying a lot of vinyl can be a drag. That said, I think it is a sin for jocks to have a library consistly mostly of cds they burned by downloading music for free, or copying from another person's library. You should BUY music and support the industry you are in.

Sound quality of downloads vary as well so check your music that is burned. I do convert a lot of my vinyl to CD for carrying purposes but I do it with a digital connection from the Denon digital table. Finally, just my preference again, but I still believe a hot new piece of vinyl sounds a lot warmer than cd.

PEACE

[mrmatas2277]

i think Djs that solely spin cds ARE looked down upon...but if a dj use both, that the way to go...some tracks are made on CDR before being pressed and thats how they are first distributed at first...but vinyl has a special place in djs hearts...and it will always will...just my .02 cents

[mrmatas2277]

Originally posted by thepulse

just my preference again, but I still believe a hot new piece of vinyl sounds a lot warmer than cd.

[obby]

I could almost guarantee that allot of the bootleg mixes that I land on vinyl would be very difficult to land on CD. Unless you have someone like me who is constantly converting my vinyl's into MP3 format in order to share with the world using file sharing softwares such as Kazzaa or BearShare.

In other words, I'll stick to my wax and continue to land bootleg promos months before they are found on CD.

OBBY

[Guest saleen351]

spinning trance is the real sin....

[andrewthomas]

EVERY dj uses cds these days

even the big ones

unless they playing techno ofcoarse...

but some ur favs as deep dish,picotto,lawler,zebelia, oscar g, roland and even cheeselinni all play cds..

why well for one simple fact is that not all record stores carry every track,

sometimes djs get music from friends and colligues on cd and thats what they gotta play it off.

me myself i have more tracks on cd then i do vinyl, why?, because i cant find my style in local shops and sometimes shipping from overseas gets pricey, so i settle with cds..

[lextcy]

doesn't matter to me if its vinyl or a cd as long as the mixes are on time and the songs jam! the dj is the one who has to make us feel the energy and when your on the dance floor most clubbers don't even know the difference.

:clap2:

[funketeer]

Originally posted by lextcy

doesn't matter to me if its vinyl or a cd as long as the mixes are on time and the songs jam! the dj is the one who has to make us feel the energy and when your on the dance floor most clubbers don't even know the difference.

:clap2:

[thepulse]

without the dj's knowledge, I read this on a website. I guess its coming to DJs using software and computers, myself I could never even trust cds not to skip, at least now they have the buffers on cd deck, Vinyl is trustworthy. I don't think I could ever trust a computer. anyway, here it is: LOL, I found it amusing.) What type of music do you spin?

Well, let\'s get one thing straight. I don\'t actually spin on turntables, but I do live mixing on

my computer using a program that involves using the same beat-matching skills required on tables.

So, I suppose you can call me a \"MP3/Digital DJ\" for now until I actually afford my own tables.

But anyway, back to the question... I mix a lot of Florida style breaks and trance (hard and

uplifting). But lately I\'ve become strongly interested in funky house and some of the dancey

stuff. We\'ll see if I get into that...(Hehe).

What do you think, I think first of all the computer doesn't require the same skills as turntables or cds, being able to cut, paste and look at a wave display, go back and re-edit until its right, it all better be perfect. With Cds and turntables you have one shot, you can't go back and correct it. Its an art form, not to mention the showmanship of turntables, I like to see a jock working tables, I can't imagine seeing a jock working a laptop, you might mistake him for the light guy, LOL.

[Shadowz]

to be honest, i do feel a little cheated when i 'catch' a dj that i thought was really good- spinning ONLY cd's. there is a warmth that comes into the sound off of vinyl. cd's are great for effects and loops. but at least mix it up...

[thepulse]

here is a test: take a record, new or in really good condition, put it on one channel with a good stylus, then take a version of the same record on cd, play them at the same level, with no eq at all (flat) and tell me which one you would rather here. I do it to people all the time, without them knowing which one is which, and they always pick the vinyl. Its like this, digital is great for the different ways you can minipulate it differently than vinyl, and we all know its easier to transport cds. But Music and sound waves are naturally ANALOG(turntable) and the grooves on the record reflect this more closely, Digital(CD) is a sequence of ones and zeros, and will NEVER match vinyl on the warmth issue. Now they are coming out with those super cds or whatever, just another way to make $, they knew when they set the sampling rate at 44100khz for cds when they first did it, that it was substandard, but do sample at higher rates was too expensive, now the cost comes down and they expect you to replace cds with super cds, give me a break. And how clear does it have to be? if it doesn't crack pop and skip, its good enough for me. I mean you really can't hear imperfections in your car, house or club, unless they are major. only in a headphone or studio do you have that kind of listening environment. NUFF Said. Here is an interesting tidbit from a non dj, I saw an interview on Letterman I think with Matt Dillon, and he also talked about how he has records and turntable shipped when he is shooting movies, "because of the true sound and the warmth"

Vinyl-Tough, Tested, Trusted.

Save The Vinyl

[sgtfury]

gotta give my two cents on this one:

i come from the old, old school. back in the day..one of the "skills" of a DJ was finding vinyl. i saw larry levan at the paradise garage in NYC and that guy would literally travel to europe to find vinyl. its too easy nowdays, DJs can download shit off the computer...for free...sure its more convienent, but i think something is sorely lost.

sometimes newer and faster isnt always better.

[Shadowz]

thanks for the info pulse, i had not heard about the higher kHz cd's.

i have to agree with you to sgt. fury...

[thepulse]

if the cds are higher khz, but they are supposed to be improved in some way, I'm not into cds, so I have to read up on it. I agree on the finding vinyl, That used to separate jocks, now a hard working jock finding vinyl has to deal with the kid down the block downloading it. But jocks that hunt for vinyl still come up with stuff not available on line.