Advice really appreciated - getting decks for my 11 yr old

[John Clees]

In all fairness he is only 11. Either way it's going to cost you the parent a ton of money whatever format!

since you also love music.. i'd say get some decent turntables (that you can always sell later) and a mildly shitty mixer : and both of you have fun playing around.

going digital is a nice addition later (if) the want is there. so grow into that : if that is the case as well as upgrade the mixer at a much later time..

[ChrisCV]

nah....

surely the main aim is practicality, cost and also testing the water...

computer setup, you can get an idea of if the whipper is into it cheaply whilst its also very practical to acquire music... don't forget he's only 11... if he gets into, shows some spark etc... then going turntables, cdjs, fancy digital are the options to grow into...

also... if you're saying you being militant on "real" djs must know how to beatmatch because that's all dj'ing is... then you can still do that on a digital format... as they try to emulate dj equipment... the concept is still the same on any format... you listen and make them go in time by speeding up or slowing down... doesn't really matter if you use a vinyl platter, a cd platter, or a midi platter...

like with any instruments such as pianos you don't get em going on 18th century hand made antique grand pianos... you buy em a cheapo keyboard or piano... its practical, cost affective - ideal for testing the water.

[roland]

True fact, it's written in the bible

it's a fact in everyones mind.. imo guys like you who play digitally and buy every single mp3 are the small small minority..

if its a question of money then ur fooked coz unless u want to keep buying him vinyl at 6 pounds...

the computer route would mean its cheaper and accessible to get music... whilst vinyl is great... its tough and very expensive... as a kid growing up it was so annoying not being able to get some vinyl as i had no money...

if everyone really thinks of buying every single mp3 when having a digital setup.. vinyl isn't much more expensive than digital.. if you're buying wav digital is even more expensive.. and comparing a 4 track vinyl with four 1,56 mp3s the difference is ridiculously small.. if you also consider the additional costs of a digital setup you have to buy several hundred mp3s to be even at first.. so with a digital setup there is no saving of costs (in the first years) unless you download music from blogs.. given that everyone who recommends a digital setup is arguing with a big saving of costs shows how naturally people intend to get music from blogs when having a digital setup...

[patrick bateman]

I like the idea that you think that people playing digitally automatically buys all 3/4 tracks of a release. Where do you get that from?

[ChrisCV]

the computer route would mean its cheaper and accessible to get music... whilst vinyl is great... its tough and very expensive... as a kid growing up it was so annoying not being able to get some vinyl as i had no money...

if everyone really thinks of buying every single mp3 when having a digital setup.. vinyl isn't much more expensive than digital.. if you're buying wav digital is even more expensive.. and comparing a 4 track vinyl with four 1,56 mp3s the difference is ridiculously small.. if you also consider the additional costs of a digital setup you have to buy several hundred mp3s to be even at first.. so with a digital setup there is no saving of costs (in the first years) unless you download music from blogs.. given that everyone who recommends a digital setup is arguing with a big saving of costs shows how naturally people intend to get music from blogs when having a digital setup...

yes because every vinyl comes with 4 tracks or more to make it great value for money... and no one ever likes to release one sided pressings at £10 or more a go....

at the end of the day.. mp3 is more practical and flexible... it allows you to pick and choose, however flush you're feeling... so if you buy all 4 tracks from an ep its still cheaper than vinyl.. or you can buy only the track you need at a quarter of the price for a whole ep..... or if its a one sided vinyl release... the £6 for the vinyl version vs the mp3 release at 1.50 or whatever is considerably cheaper...

but again that isn't just the main reason.. .the guy said he already has a considerable music collection already in mp3 format... so that's already a great starting point for his kid to plunder...

then you mention the additional setup costs for digital? what additional setup costs? you can get digital starter packs for sub £200, that vestax typhoon thing with traktor light is £199 from DJstore... you'll get the power of tracktor, plus a dj interface where you can still beatmatch like a normal dj...

whilst at the same store the cheapest turntable/mixer package was coming in at £300.. some terrible Numark mixer and some barely direct drive stanton turntables...

so i see that as the digital setup being £100 cheaper than the decks route... which will buy you 70 odd mp3s before you've even bought any vinyl... and that's in addition to all the free tunes you're gonna get from the blogs!!!!!! winners if you ask me....

also in setup comparison... the digital one probs has more longevity compared to the basic decks mixer setup... as once you've learnt to beatmatch... things get a little boring.. you want some buttons to press innit....

comparatively cheaper, flexible, in the long run more cost effective, great starting point with a music collection already, a more powerful setup, practical...

it just adds up... there's no point going against all of that just so your 11 year old kid can touch a bit of etched plastic.

[Themis]

if there are really setups for 200, i would buy it for a 11 year old

[roland]

I like the idea that you think that people playing digitally automatically buys all 3/4 tracks of a release. Where do you get that from?

i didn't say everyone.. but most of the people who have a digital setup in their bedrooms.. that's a big argument for digital.. you can play mp3s and if you want to, you can even get them for free ^^ =))

if you think everyone who buys a digital setup is entirely buying mp3s in online stores you're naive =) you really think all the customers of the thousand blogs are just downloading the tracks in order to put them on their ipods?? you really think no one is spinning these tracks.. ?? seriously c'mon

@ chris..

i'm not talking about any vestax or numark setup.. honestly i don't know that stuff.. i'm talking about a standard digital setup.. traktor+laptop.. the additional costs of these two things are so high.. even when comparing an mp3 to a €10 single sided vinyl (which is a ridiculous comparison cause the big majority of records is not single sided and if so, these tracks are not available digitally^^) you have to buy several 100 mp3s to cover the costs of the additional gear..

and what you've all forgotten is that these vinyls have a value after you purchased them.. and what's the value of purchased mp3s ?

edit:

the digital one probs has more longevity compared to the basic decks mixer setup... as once you've learnt to beatmatch... things get a little boring.. you want some buttons to press innit..

it doesn't get boring when you've learned to beatchmatch... actually this is when the mixing starts.. but you've just named the major argument for digital setups.. it's easier to play decent sets cause you have several buttons^^ and instead of learning to mix one record into the other we all just beatmatch the tracks .. put both faders up and start pressing buttons..
but that's not my understanding of a dj and i don't pay to see people doing that..

our viewpoints are just million miles away from each other.. i googled that vestax thing you said..



i don't even know what to say about such gear.. it's okay for apres ski parties but has nothing to do with deejaying as i understand it..

[patrick bateman]

I like the idea that you think that people playing digitally automatically buys all 3/4 tracks of a release. Where do you get that from?

i didn't say everyone.. but most of the people who have a digital setup in their bedrooms.. that's a big argument for digital.. you can play mp3s and if you want to, you can even get them for free ^^ =))

if you think everyone who buys a digital setup is entirely buying mp3s in online stores you're naive =) you really think all the customers of the thousand blogs are just downloading the tracks in order to put them on their ipods?? you really think no one is spinning these tracks.. ?? seriously c'mon

You are putting words in my mouth I never said...
I was ONLY reflecting on your points regarding that people who play digitally AND buy their tracks, buy all of the tracks of each release, and therefore the economic point in getting a digital system was gone...
That was what I was talking about (and you also).