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Mixxx?
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66 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
Possible, yes. The theory is all there. Practical? No. You do NOT want an experimental approach to DJing failing you in front of a live crowd of 300+ people (depending on where you play). Reliability is a huge reason why Traktor/SSL and OSX wins in the DJ market.
If you insist on running Linux, I would recommend Mixxx.
> I use VirtualDJ since it's the only DVS that works with my Stanton SCS.1 system.
This isn't related to samples, but have you considered Mixxx as a software option? It's an open-source program, offers timecoded vinyl control, and is a bit more feature-rich than VDJ. 4 decks for one thing.
The SCS.1 system is an officially supported controller, too.
For the love of god dude, you said it yourself: there's a million different threads like this. Do a quick search and look through them yourself instead of having other people repeat what was said in those threads. Believe it or not, your situation is not unique.
Look in the damn sidebar for information. If it's not there, search the subreddit. If no luck, search Google. It's not a lot of work and it isn't complicated.
Finally, I would recommend either the Pioneer DDJ-SB2 with Serato or the Traktor Kontrol S2 MK2 with Traktor, both only work on Mac and PC. Mixxx works on Linux but you're much better off using Serato or Traktor on a different OS.
DJing and producing are different activities. You don't need to DJ to produce music. Go to r/edmproduction
If you're still interested in DJing per se, check out programs like http://www.mixxx.org/ and watch some youtube videos by ellaskins on beatmatching
Or you might go for Ableton Live, it can be used for music production and live performance.
There are many different DVS programs for DJing and many different DAW programs for producing music. Go find them and decide which one you want.
While you go there, visit Beatport, Junodownload, and any other outlets for tunes that you can and load up.
Begin checking the new release sections weekly (you will be amazed at how much comes out in a week). Get a cheap USB controller and maybe download Mixxx (it's free).
Well... it depends on what sort of gear you have. SSL is pretty much a pure DVS, so if you don't have vinyl turntables or CDJs to work with it, it's useless. Traktor has a software mixer so you can map a lot more things to it and dj in the "tradtional" sense with just a controller.
If you're just looking into dj'ing, you can check out Mixxx, which is free.
tl;dr - Tell us your gear and we can help you better.
Mixxx is another option for software if you care about free open source software. It's not bad although it is definitely feature light compared to the paid programs; it does come with vinyl control and can be used with many MIDI controllers though, and it's community is fairly active.
I'm a little biased, but I'd start by downloading Mixxx: http://www.mixxx.org
It's free DJ software, and you can use it while you're learning all the basics before you decide if you want to get more committed to DJing and buy hardware.
The most important thing to learn is how to "beat match" without using any sort of auto-sync. Each song has a tempo we refer to as the BPM (beats per minute), and when you want to do a good mix, you try to match the BPM of the outgoing song with the BPM of the incoming song.
In Mixxx, you can adjust the BPM with the "pitch" slider (shortcut keys are F1/F2 or F5/F6). Try loading up two similar techno songs with clear beats and mess around with the pitch sliders. Once you have the tempo matched, you should nudge the incoming track forwards so that the songs are in phase (the beats occur at the same time). You can use F3/F4 or F7/F8 to do temporary pitch bends, which will nudge a track for you in Mixxx.
It only takes a paragraph to explain beat matching, but it'll take some time to master, so don't get frustrated. Using a separate headphone output is essential when trying to beatmatch too. The reason you'll want to learn to beatmatch by hand is because BPM detection and auto-sync don't always work properly (in any software or CDJs), so you'll need to know how to do it sooner or later.
There's a brief explanation of headphone cueing and other DJing stuff in the Mixxx manual, along with a full list of shortcut keys: http://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/manual#djing_with_mixxx
All you need is Mixxx
If you decide it's something you might want to continue with, you can graduate by picking up a controller and Traktor (or Serato, but Traktor is more popular for electronic music) or CDJs/turntables if you really want to commit.
If you have a laptop, I would download Mixxx or Virtual DJ as /u/Oremm suggested. Mess around a little, see if you enjoy dabbling with music that way. Once you decide you want to take the next step, you buy a controller. If you find out it's not really for you, then no money lost.
I know you had a budget set of $200, but with one of $200 you will be extremely limited. Stretch that to $250 and you can get a Pioneer DDJ-SB controller to get started. It has a built in sound card (you can route your audio out to speakers, and to your headphones as well), and comes with an Intro version of one of the most popular DJ softwares out there, Serato.
Mine was set up to operate Mixx. I could do crossfades, select songs, set up loops (and thus loop build-ups), and all kinds of other crazy stuff. There is no way I would have been able to do all that as smoothly with a keyboard.
No harm in trying Mixx, it's open-source and cross platform and FREE. Not sure if your controller is supported but you could always map it with the included controller mapping tool.
Something I mentioned in a thread on /r/DJs
>Disable all unneccessary programs from running when you boot your laptop. This includes disabling your wireless internet connection and any background processes like anti-virus software that eat up resources. Disabling Aero themes in Win 7 on the desktop and switching back to "Windows XP" style desktop can also help (but I've never had to go this far)
>Make sure you're connecting your controller via a USB 2.0 port. Disconnect all unnecessary USB peripherals like keyboards and mice.
>Make sure you're using the latest ASIO drivers and run all audio (inputs and outputs) through the controller (if it has a soundcard)
>Adjust latency until sound glitches, pops, crackles, etc disappear
>???
>Profit!
Edit: if you're a hobbyist and are trying to make use of an old laptop that's gathering dust it might be worth your while trying out a user friendly *nix OS and/or installing Mixxx - not only is it free, but I managed to get version 1.6.0 and 1.7.0 running on a netbook!
Assuming that the PPA is added to your source-list correctly: So first things first, from what I can acertain. you will need to type into terminal:
sudo apt-get update
In Ubuntu, this updates all the package lists, and gets a fresh list of all install-able software. (I hope I explained that right for all the nerds out there)
sudo apt-get install linux-alsa-driver-modules-2.6.35
This command will install the software "linux-alsa-driver-modules-2.6.35" You will most likely have to restart (I think?) as it's updating a part of the kernel.
.asoundrc is a file that should reside in your home folder. The folder with "your name" in the /home/ directory. If your using the Gnome user interface, open a the file manager, navigate to your home directory press Ctrl+H to unhide/rehide all the "dotfiles" which are the individual user/configuration files. I assume .asoundrc exists in your home folder already, if not, you will need to create the file, and copy and paste the configuration information in the dotted box into the .asoundrc file.
I hope I have explained this competently, as I am kind of just 'winging' it. Anyone else want to add anything?
It sounds like it is for pretty casual use, which means you prolly aren't interested in dropping $500+ on software for 1 or 2 ocasional mixes. A decent free mixing program is called "Mixxx". It is actually really decent for casual use and allows you to do almost as much as more powerful tools like Traktor Pro.
In a word, no. If you want to mix music, you need the means to play two songs at the same time (the mixer) and you need the means to adjust the pitch of the songs so that you can mix them on beat (turntables/DJ cd players). I mean, I'm sure there are some simple programs that will let you adjust the pitch of songs, so you could probably use your PC, but a run of the mill MP3 player isn't going to let you adjust pitch.
The set up that you're thinking about is going to be really junky imo. If your immediate goal is just to see if you like DJing, I recommend you go the software route, and maybe get yourself a cheap MIDI controller. The big name programs all have free trials, and there's even the open-source solution Mixxx. Numark has just announced this DJ 2 Go controller, which looks like a great solution for someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of money starting out.
I recommend going as cheap as possible to start, and then if you decide that it's something you want to do, save up and get some really high quality equipment. I know a guy who uses all Numark gear, and one of his CD players doesn't really work anymore, and his mixers all start acting pretty wonky after maybe a year or so. I spent more money than him on my gear, but it's all still working perfectly 7 years later.
Grab some free software: Mixxx - not the best, but not bad at all and free!
Learn the music you know and always be hunting for new stuff (or old stuff!).
Ultimately, your mixing skills aren't what will make you a killer DJ and they will come with time. It's all about knowing what to play and when.
So the best music player is Foobar 2000 it's the most customizable and powerful music player around. By default it's more functional than pretty but if you ever decide to make it your long term player you can customize it to look like anything.
It can definitely do crossfade, it was considered the highest player that outputs the highest quality audio, so flac support is of course.
If any player can allow editing or manipulating of the audio files length it'll be this one. I've not tried to do that myself, but there's hundreds of plugins you can get to do all sort of stuff.
I'll also recommend you a specialist dj player, there's a few 'auto dj' players that will beatmatch and mix tunes together to be more like a dj is mixing the songs rather than just crossfade overlapping with volume shifts. I can't rememebr which one I used previously, althoguhr I'm pretty sure it was a paid program, but some great rated free ones are: AutoDJ, Mixxx but if these don't suit you just look around there's a bunch of auto-dj programs that are pretty powerful and piss off a lot of professional djs.
For the software/controller part:
Without a budget it isn't really possible to answer your question, but I would say get the mixing side going first and then invest in PA speakers/lights. Just a rough estimate, but with DJ equipment, speakers and lights it will probably at least $1000, very likely more (without lights and PA I'd say ~300 upwards). It's better to invest in quality gear because the resale value is much higher plus it will last longer.
I don't know that much about speakers and light, but check out /r/mobileDJ and don't forget to use the search function! That said you probably won't come far without a budget.
If you want to try out DJing right away I recommend downloading Mixxx and play around a bit.
Per http://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/midi_controller_mapping_file_format
> The easiest way to create a new MIDI preset is by using the MIDI Learning Wizard in the Preferences > Controllers.
The tl;dr of how this works is you click a control in the screen, then move the control on your controller to map something. It's very intuitive and I think you'll be surprised how easy it is.
EDIT: Here is something quirky that I found regarding the mapping of buttons in particular, so if you map a button and it behaves strangely, you may want to check this out - https://www.reddit.com/r/Beatmatch/comments/2gv94r/no_stupid_questions_sept_2014/ckn2bqn
Hi,
sorry, but I have never used MediaMonkey, but here's my shortlist of software you should have a look at (if you haven't already):
- Clementine: Looks a bit similar to the screenshots of MediaMonkey I just googeled; Very powerful and feature rich, supports extensions
- Amarok (you've probably seen it already): Again very powerful - but I hate its design; Similar to Clementine
- Mixxx: Very nice DJing tool. Good for organisation as well. But you'll need to compile it on your own
I hope this already helped. If not: can you specify what functionality you are searching for?
Cheers!
VDJ maps can be found here.
http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/controllers.html
Also, cracking software, is frowned upon here. If you want free software, get Mixxx - http://mixxx.org
Here is the Mixxx hardware support page. http://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/hardware_compatibility
Also, this thing may work out of the box with mixvibes LE. Check if there is a code on the unit, or on a CD that came with it.
It's daunting at first but once you start building an understanding of music in general it becomes easier and easier to pull off.
I suggest starting out with DJing. It's not producing by today's standards but it teaches you how to mix 2 tracks, helps train your ear to keys and tempos, then you start thinking along the lines of frequencies, samples, and tempo naturally after a while.
- Mixx is a free open source DJ program.
- Virtual DJ is great and also free unless you want broadcasting options.
To contribute this time in a very easy and basic way: You could take this sample, drop it into a DJ program. Then find a nice loop within the song, run an equalizer on that deck to isolate the parts you want, then find a drum track in a different song or by a collaborator on deck 2 and then hit record to make it your own.
Can do a lot with 2 decks and the built in sampler/looper without overwhelming yourself. Once you get the hang of DJing I'd say move on to more advanced methods of producing beats like getting a DAW.
DJing is how hip hop started -- 2 turn tables and a microphone. The earliest producers were just trying to make the music anyway they could as music instruments were being removed from their schools. They'd take their record collections and some turn tables to the park, rewire the lights and hook up their sound systems. As time went on and hip hop exploded you started to see music gear designed for DJs and producers springing up on the consumer and professional market.
So there you have it, some advice and a history lesson. Hopefully this started you in the right direction. Feel free to ask any questions in a reply or PM.
Dude/dudet, you need to add crossfade to the feature list. I'm about to throw a huge party in a few weeks and will probably use grooveshark for it's cross fade feature.
Any other features (bpm matching, sample tweaks, etc) you can snag from Mixxx would be nice.
You can place multiple grid markers, to reset the otherwise-regular structure. If the beatgrid is "off", it doesn't stop a DJ from using the track, but it does mean that the dreaded Sync won't produce good results there, meaning fully manual beat-matching is necessary. (Sync basically makes beatgrids line up, and the results are only ever as good as the detected / hand-corrected / hand-made beatgrids it's using.)
If you're not a DJ, it might be best to grab Mixxx and have a play around with that (as it's open-source freeware) - it will help you a lot if you understand a bit more of what we're doing.
Tech support for VDJ is handled by VDJ's website. Of course, they know you're not entitled to any. So, yeah, ಠ_ಠ
A controller which comes with VDJ will most likely only come with the LE version. This would be a suitable point to consider if you wanted to head towards Traktor or Serato, too. (Nothing wrong with VDJ, but the Pro edition of Traktor is a lot cheaper!)
If you actually want free software, do it properly - go get Mixxx and see if anyone's done a mapping for your controller for it.
There is also Mixxx which is free. It's not the beefiest software around, but free is nice.
Ideally you'd want some sort of MIDI controller that has jog wheels (Numark Mixtrack Pro, Hercules RMX2, Native Instruments S2 come to mind) that you can map in your software. You might also consider CDJs, as it's what you're most likely to find in most clubs. (Numark NDX line is good and not overly expensive).
Yes. Learning to beatmatch will be a much better use of your time and the audio won't be destroyed (like you have noticed from timewarping). Mixxx is a fantastic free digital DJ program that works with any MIDI device.
Head over to [r/DJs](//reddit.com/r/DJs), there are a ton of answers to all the questions you're asking here.
Timewarping/beatgridding technology is nowhere near as good as a good beatmatcher, and if you can beatmatch you can play on anything.
Also I would strongly suggest using headphones to cue. The only DJs who don't always use headphones are turntablists (scratch performers).
I remember reading a while ago about a company (Hercules) supporting Linux. Found this in less than a minute on the Mixxx homepage:
http://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/hercules_dj_control_mp3_e2
Looks like that is the cheapest model. Hope that helps.
I would definitely look into some mixes if you want to. Check out BBC Essential Mix, famous DJ's and artists go on the radio show once a week and do/send in 2 hour sets. They're generally quite good. You can find the recordings usually posted around blogs or soundcloud by googling them.
Also maybe try looking into various mixes posted on this subreddit or around the web and see what you like. If you want to make your own you might want consider getting a free DJing software like Mixxx, but I'll tell you right now that it'll be very difficult if you don't have much knowledge about mixing.
If you want the cheapest intro possible, go download mixxx. Mouse and keyboard works, can take just about every controller out there.
If you want hardware right now, get yourself a ddj-400 or one of the mixtrack platinums. They'll set you back a few hundred, but it's easier to do when you have hardware controls in front of you. You'll also need music. A lot of music.
This sub is not about remixing or DJ mixing (but about professional music mixing, which is a different craft). But I'll give you a few pointers. For DJ mixing, you should look into something like Mixxx, Deckadance or rekordbox DJ. With that you can mix tracks, do scratching and a bit of basic sampling. If you want to jump into music production (creating beats, recording musical parts), you should look into FL Studio and Ableton Live.
Don't expect any of this to be easy, it could take literally months before you start getting the hang of it. Definitely not something you'll be able to pull out in a week after watching a handful of YouTube tutorials. Good luck.
Great question. I am currently also getting into the DJing side of things.
I got myself an external soundcard so I can preview music. I bought a Behringer UCA202, but you can buy cheaper ones.
Software: I trialed Traktor, Virtual DJ, but landed with the open source and free software MIXXX. http://www.mixxx.org/
It's really good and was the only one I got everything set up actually.
Don't know much about audio mixing but I have heard of mixx and it's free to download and use.
http://www.mixxx.org/manual/latest/chapters/installation.html
>sudo apt-add-repository ppa:mixxx/mixxx
>sudo apt-get update
>sudo apt-get install mixxx
Why not use their PPA?
http://www.mixxx.org/download/#stable
> Ubuntu Repositories:
> Ubuntu also provides a version of Mixxx which can be installed directly from the Ubuntu Software Centre. This version is usually woefully out of date; therefore using the PPA is preferable.
Mixxx is good, and free. SAM is ridiculously overpriced. http://www.mixxx.org/
That being said, please, dear God, the last thing SL needs is another bad DJ. Software, tips, training, those are all things that are surmountable. But, if you're asking for songs? Just don't. If you don't know what you want to be playing, you have no business being a DJ.
Use Virtual DJ or grab some tunes and mess around in this program http://www.mixxx.org/
You can search in this subreddit for information on beatmatching and other technical stuff you want to know. After playing around with mixing in that software you can then decide if you want to continue forward. Then the next step would be to grab some turntables or a dj controller and to start learn with one of those.
That's weird, it could be a issue with the USB port, the cable, the controller, or the software.
So, do you have another USB port spare to try?
(you may also want to try updating your drivers)
If that doesn't work, try another cable.
If that doesn't work, try the controller in another piece of software.
(There's a mapping for the DDJ SB to use in Mixxx here)
And if that doesn't work, there's a chance you just got 2 bad controllers :(
There's a freeware program called Mixx. I haven't tried it yet, but it's here: http://www.mixxx.org/ (confused this with a dj program. Sorry)
I would say Acid Music Studio 10 is very similar. The download version on Amazon (US) is $49.95 presently. It comes with a downloadable large amount of loops and is quite easy to use. Compared to ejay the interface is boring, but there is a lot more functionality there. You can use your vst instruments and fx. It can record midi from one channel to another, so you can use things like midi arpeggiators and alter the generated notes without using another program (something several major DAWs have problems with). I would not invest in Acid Pro 7 because most of its features have been incorporated in the music studio version, and the pro version hasn't been upgraded in (I have no idea when) IIRC I purchased it 5 or 6 years ago and it had been out for quite some time before that.
Possibly, but the Ergo has 14 bit controls instead of 7 bit which makes it more difficult. I could make a mapping file, but just don't have the time.
Here's a better idea, get Mixxx, or even better the latest Mixxx beta, it introduced 4 decks and FX. It's free, open source and does pretty much everything else Virtual DJ does. Be nice.
I've been working on some ideas for software mixing for the upcoming WOTS stream. Ideally, I'd like to be able to mix game audio, voice chat audio, and so forth.
For instance, is it possible to have my mic work for both chatting on my stream and doing in-game chat like Payday 2?
I also found this - http://www.mixxx.org/manual/latest/index.html which appears to work on Windows and with Jack.
It might also be a good idea to find a stream where someone is doing in-game voice to see if they're able to do both at once...
Download mixx and play around! It's open source so won't cost you anything and has a bpm analyzer to help with beat matching.
If you enjoy it, you can always look to buy a controller and take things from there.
Use the search bar, this is perhaps the easiest question to answer.
life isn't hard per se. it's nature. it's hard if you don't think about it the right way and fail to do the work needed. if you're unprepared, you'll get smacked in the face. who would go diving without knowing how to swim? everything good involves preparation.
it's more than "moments" of joys and more like phases. and the harder you work, the longer those good periods are. cancun, bora bora, dancing, music, life's aint all bad, infact, i'd argue it's a well balanced mix. we should be thankful we're not living in the ME/North Korea or some poor part of China. but even people in those areas find time to make music and enjoy life every now and then.
we have to remember that life is a dynamic system with ups and downs - people get sick, people die, political, economical and natural structures change and shift.
as to not being able to get good harder, get a program.
check this out, it's free http://www.mixxx.org/
make do till you can afford the proper stuff, but it'd be wiser to practice on cheap hardware while learning.
well, you can definitely still harmonic mix, but only if the records are exactly the same bpm and don't require any pitch adjustment to beatmatch. (or if they're exactly a semitone in pitch apart in BPM which is unlikely)
http://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/pitch_percentages_for_semitones_and_notes
my point is just because on analog gear pitch and tempo adjust together, it's VERY difficult to do actual, real harmonic mixing on key without going through an absurd amount of planning. I don't think most people are going to time their records to an exact BPM and write it on a sticker on the label along with the key, then carry around tables and a calculator to plan out mixes in key
...and Mixxx works with controllers if a person decides to take the next step and get hardware involved (the Home version of Virtual DJ is just a mouse-operated program).
Even something as simple as this. Crossfader, volume for left and right tracks, three track EQ, two sliders for effects (?) and four buttons mapped to whatever (effects, samples, or beat loops).
Hi dude. I use xwax, it's a minimal open source digital vinyl system. Currently it (mostly) doesn't support midi, so it's probably not what you're after. I use turntables, a mixer, an audio interface, and a few bits of midi gear, though they are generally not for DJing with.
Mixxx is almost certainly the program for you. It's rather like VDJ or Traktor, but free and libre open source software that runs natively on Linux.
According to this forum thread the Hercules is a class compliant midi device, and thus works with Linux. All class compliant midi devices work out of the box with Linux. If you're not sure about a controller, email the manufacturer asking if it is class compliant.
I do not know if the audio interface in that device works well under Linux. Best ask on the Mixxx forums.
This page on the Mixxx wiki is useful for information on hardware support with Mixxx and Linux.
Is he providing the software that he originally got with it? (If so, he may need to contact the company to sort out the licence transfer, if it's VDJ)
Even if he's not transferring software as part of the sale, you could ask him to use it on his laptop to demonstrate that the controller is working. You would then need to go buy software for yourself - or Mixxx is one legit free option. (You would need to find, or make, a mapping for whatever software you go with. Manufacturer's website may have some.)
Well don't be scared away from looking around. The Hercules RMX2 is another good one (I guess, lol I don't use controllers), but the main thing is that you want high resolution pitch faders which will help you when beatmatching. Most of the posts on here seem a bit subjective and biased towards the S2. I know a lot of people that find it isn't very good build quality. While I cannot comment out of experience with that hardware specifically, I have experienced problems with quality control issues on other pieces of Native Instruments hardware.
Also, it's good to note that it definitely not impossible to beatmatch on controllers w/o such faders, it's just easier with it. Numark makes good entry level gear. The Hercules RMX line seems to be popular and while the S2 is kind of expensive, it does give you room to grow and holds fairly high resale value. If you're not sure about dj'ing though, you might want to download Mixxx and fiddle around w/ your mouse/kb. Zero sense spending $400 some dollars on stuff you're not sure about, in my mind.
http://www.mixxx.org/ is free and open source. You can get it to work with controllers or timecoded vinyl.
I have an SCS.4DJ. Bought it for $500 at Best Buy. You can use it as a controller, but it has a build in linux computer so you can do everything right on the unit itself.
I've actually used DJ mixing software before for this exact purpose. Just create a 30 minute MP3 of your selected music (adjust depending on hold times), fade out music, insert the message every 30 seconds and fade the music back in.
I used MIXXX. It's free and only took about an hour of time to put the whole thing together.
At an absolute minimum, if you have an audio interface with a couple of stereo inputs, you could use a free program like Mixxx and some compatible control vinyl. This will sort of keep costs down - timecode vinyl is comparatively cheap - but you'll still need turntables of some kind.
This is actually the setup I use at home - two Technics 1200s with Serato control vinyl, an audio interface with a bunch of inputs, and Mixxx on an OSX laptop. I also put the two deck signals out from Mixxx into a basic mixer, but you don't have to do that; as you can crossfade in the software if you prefer.
It's not fancy because Mixxx and my mixer are not fancy (basic EQ, no real effects besides flanger), but I can scratch, nudge, and control pitch with vinyl, while playing with hotcues in software, all with my digital files, even tracks I've made myself. It rules.
When I first started playing with it, I bought a super-cheap record player from Goodwill, and a Serato record from the local record store, for a combined cost of about $40 US. I already had an interface. This was a great way to get started messing around with it, although the lack of a pitch fader was eventually a dealbreaker for actual DJing. But it was great fun to try scratching!
http://www.mixxx.org/ See if your device will hook up to this.
I Prefer virtual dj but this software has been fun to play with in the past. You don't need a controller to beat match, when you can emulate.
Well, as far as soundcards go, if you're really itching to get the cheapest equipment (but still reliable), you could buy two behringer UFO202's and duct tape 'em together for your soundcard setup, after having been modified using this technique. While looking fairly cheap, the sound quality and low latency while using these things is pretty damn good for spending ~$50.
These two may be a bit overkill, but I've heard good things about them. Both are DJing software, which can do everything you seem to be looking for and more. Also, both have *nix versions.
There's Mixxx - click the "Get Mixxx for other platforms" link - they have a repository set up for Ubuntu based distros.
Then there's BpmDJ.
Here's a slightly outdated list of other products too.
My starting setup:
2 Numark TTX-1 turntables with needles, used: $350
Numark 2-channel mixer, used: $30
Cables, control vinyl, etc new: ~$20
[xwax](//xwax.co.uk) and a computer I already own: free
I still use these turntables although I've had to repair one. There are similar deals on used CD decks, turntables, and mixers on Craigslist and Ebay if you keep your eye out. DJs are always selling gear.
If you prefer new gear, you could have a similar setup for slightly more:
- 2 Numark NDX400 CD decks: ~$380
or
2 Numark TT-200 or Stanton T-62B (entry level direct drive tables): ~$400
Entry-level 2-channel mixer by any major brand: ~$80
If you prefer a controller and already have a laptop:
Mixxx: Free
Mixvibes U-MIX 44 or ESI Maya 44 USB: $100
Entry-level mixer (hardware mixers are always better than software for several reasons): $80
Your choice of entry-level MIDI/USB/HID controller: ~$200
Take your pick!
Contrary to what many new DJs believe, DJ equipment is not expensive. Abelton and a computer and decent audio interface is much more expensive. All-in-one devices like the NS7 are much more expensive and less durable than a pair of decks and tunes. New DJs are totally getting sold on the marketing and the look and idea of this new technology when in reality it doesn't give you any advantage and locks you into one style of performance.
For free you could have the great program Mixxx that together with an inexpensive controller and used mixer (read: less than $200 easy) will give you all you need to DJ.
For $400 you could have 2 CD/mp3 decks with platters and a new 2-channel mixer that would be usable for playing out and very similar to what pros use.
I realize that this question is incredibly vague. I am interested in almost all types of electronic music, from trance, to goa psy, to dubstep, to ambient. I also understand that manipulating and creating this type of music can be very complicated. So, I was hoping to get an idea of a good starting point from someone with a little experience.
Right now, my "equipment" consists of my desktop PC and mixxx , an open source DJ program that should be sufficient to get an idea of beat matching etcetera.
I think it's hard to play Hip Hop well without using turntables, but that's just the luddite in me talking. You can use certain software with nothing but your computer, Ableton Live and Traktor come to mind immediately. The hands down cheapest way to get started (aside from cracked software) is with Mixxx.
As far as tutorials are concerned, I think the best thing you can possibly do is shell out a little dough for this book. It will cover everything you need to know about being a DJ, from equipment to mixing to reading a crowd to remixing to the proper way to enter a helicopter.
I am not familiar with traktor, but I would be willing to give it a go. The only programs I have used to DJ are mixxx and virtual DJ. Mixxx is great because it is free and runs on linux, but it lacks features and cannot do video...yet.
When was the last time you tried out virtual dj/ VDJ? They just came out with VDJ 7 and have improved alot of things. You can get a free trial version from their website. I like it because you can mix video, perhaps you can do the same thing with traktor? I will try it out if they have a trial version on their website. Once I build this computer of course.
Get a copy of traktor, a monkey can beat match and mix with it. It's expensive so try http://www.mixxx.org/ Depending on the type of music you are trying to mix I highly suggest you fake this, pre record it and pretend to dj. Good luck!