Re: good mixer

[steevio]

Full kill eq'ing sounds really rubbish to me. I don't own a full kill mixer but I never go past the 9 o'clock position with my eq's. If I still need more I bring the fader down. It just sounds much smoother to my ears.

but with full kill EQs you have the option if you want it. i effectively use full kill all the time but i do it with filters. its much more musical.

with vinyl its probably more important because its harder to find tunes that are in exactly the same key, and mixing out of key bass just sounds minging.

[simonb]

i experienced way too much politics as a dj. The first time I ever played live, I was shitting it, had practiced for hours/weeks/years in my bedroom. Had put a set up together with Ableton and a controller.

My mate had booked one of the uni bars for us to do a night. Second track this woman comes up shouting about how we're ruining her night and she can't hear her conversation and all this other crap. My friend came over and explained how hard I'd worked, and she eventually calmed down and partially apologised. But her friend on leaving gave me the wanker sign for literally no reason.

I'd like to say things improved but this territoriality plagued 2/3rds of my djing experiences, and sometimes even more intensely than this.

I'm infinitely happier just doing my own little thing and not doing it for anybody else.

I've had a fair few similar experiences and it's really demoralising but if you really want to be a DJ you just have to take it on the chin and try your best to get better gigs with more accommodating crowds. I feel like after years of no gigs or crap ones like that I'm finally starting to move in the right direction and get the "right" gigs, it can take a while though. Then once you're in the "scene" there's no doubt politics there too but in my experience of local underground house/techno most people are in it for the right reasons and willing to help, it's just a case of getting to know them and proving yourself. I guess overall you have to put in the work and that's not just practising, it's going out a lot and getting to know people even if it means going out when you'd maybe rather have a quiet night in producing or hanging out with good friends (unless you're one of these lucky people whose best friends are also their music buddies!), and doing what it takes to get your name out whether it's starting a night, a label, doing radio, whatever works where you are or preferably as many things as possible. In the meantime crap gigs are part of it, I know it feels pretty horrible to put lots of time and money into finding and buying great music, practising, etc and then have a group of girls tell you, in colourful language, that you're sh!t and they just want to hear Mumford and Sons but unless you're one of the lucky ones who just falls into getting good gigs then it's par for the course...

[lem]

but with full kill EQs you have the option if you want it. i effectively use full kill all the time but i do it with filters. its much more musical.

I think filters are much smoother because you are varying the frequency. I especially like being able to cut the really low sub frequencies but leaving the upper bass region intact. Thats what I was trying to achieve by just taking the low eq down a notch and adjusting the channel fader a little. Obviously its important that your tunes gel together to be able to do this properly, but thats one thing I loved about Djing was finding those tracks that really gelled together.

[Robot Criminal]

second on the Ecler. I have the 4.0 and it's superb

[ray parry]

I ended up getting the Ecler Nuo 2.0. Great little mixer, much better sound quality then my old Xone32.

[jackbrazzo]

I've had a fair few similar experiences and it's really demoralising but if you really want to be a DJ you just have to take it on the chin and try your best to get better gigs with more accommodating crowds

This.

I agree with Simon, I've been playing gigs for some time, in various venues. When I was younger i used to get in a right hissy because girls/boys wanted me to play some random RnB act, R Kelly etc. Best one was recently - Have you got any Boney M?

Maybe because its I am a bit older now, but everytime I do a gig and view it as a privilege. Even if I do a wedding I see it as a positive challenge. What do they want?, what can I bring to the party?, I even do corporate gigs from time to time, again I ask myself the same question.
I did Cargo (London) last night - Just the warmup but was excellent, but I apply the same questions for that Cargo gig (where I can have a free reign) that I would do for any other gig that I get.

Re Mixer- I've got the Vestax PCV-275 at the moment. Very Nice. and cheap

[ray parry]

Cargo has to be one of the worst clubs I have ever played at. Everything about that place is just terrible. cheesy club hip hop in one room and underground dance music in the other is just asking for trouble. Once a friend of mine was playing and the owner tried to kick him off because he was apparently playing a track that had no melody in. I dont know for sure, but it seems like its just run by a load of rich kids who have no idea about anything.

Getting asked for stuff happens even at the best clubs. Like someone else said you just have to take it on the chin. Someone the other week was shouting 'boring' at me whilst I was playing despite the other 200 people dancing away happily. I lifted it a tiny bit and then they were happy.

[jackbrazzo]

Cargo has to be one of the worst clubs I have ever played at. Everything about that place is just terrible

Really? F1 system in there and nicely sized. Its not perfect but most venues arent.
I enjoy playing there, the sound is fantastic in the main room.

Go up to Dalston and barring The Nest and Basing House what venue is there that can complete with it as far as sound goes?