so, i havent been djing consistently over the last couple of years, due mostly to not having any free time to do so. recently i've decided to get back into it, and since everything has gone digital over the last couple of years, i sold my tables and picked up a pair of used cdjs.

i've found the transition to be a bit tougher than i imagined. mixing is nowhere near as easy, as i cant seem to pitch bend like i could on a pair of techs. i can do perfect mixes on turntables, but cdjs i am having to concentrate ALOT to get a smooth mix. its slowly getting a bit easier, but i'd still appreciate any insight onto how others have coped with the switch, and any good techniques for smooth mixing with cd decks

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

I am in the same boat as you, I love my cd decks though cause they have a pitch bend function. What decks are you using and maybe I cna help you find a feature that simulates the manual hand messing with the rec on the platter.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

i'm using cdj 1000s, and i wasnt talking about a pitch bend button, i mean ptich bending using the pitch slider...on techs its easy and very smooth. if the track you are mixing in is behind the track playing, you pitch it up alot to catch it up, then you lower the pitch back down to keep the beats matched. by far the best way of mixing. the problem is i cant seem to do it consistently on cdjs. the lack of resistance on the slider itself may be the problem.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

Welcome to the world of cue button, it is your savior learn to love it.

This is how I blend using my cd decks.

Cue up a frame right before the drum hits in a 4/4 sequence. This is the most important part because the better you cue the better you can learn to beatmatch. So what you do is drop the track on a beat so you can beatmatch, see if it is faster/slower... etc.

Then if you see that it got too far off to fast bring it back to cue and match it up again and fine tune it depending it it is faster or slower.

Hope this has helped. Lemme know if you need anything else.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

yes the cue slider has less resistance...so it is a little trickier at times...

the other trick is to use the jog wheel to nudge..small amounts won't bend the pitch enough to hear the difference...

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

if i am reading this correctly, you like to catch up or slow down using the pitch slider on vinyl. usually, people do this because it can sound smoother than manually increasing the speed with your finger on the record.

well.. unless you are using your cdj in vinyl mode and only touching the top of the platter, this problem is gone.

using it in cdj mode or using only the side of the platter essentially do what you are asking for. spinning it one way increases the pitch my some set ammount.... and the other way decreases it. the faster you spin it, the more the change... you need to adjust to using the platter instead of the slider.

then again.. after not djing for a while.. maybe you are just out of practice :)

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=dstar]the problem is i cant seem to do it consistently on cdjs. the lack of resistance on the slider itself may be the problem.[/quote]

That was a big problem with me too. I wish it would have some resistance. But using the platter helps to fix that...and the cue button does in a way too. But the cue only helps really after you've already got the damn thing in sync. You've still gotta get that pitch control right. I've noticed that to help with the resistance problem. I usually place my thumb on the bottom of the slider quite hard that way it adds the resistance that helps me get where I need to be.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

I hate cdj's but that is what I mix with now. I feel like a traitor to my own kind. I also feel strange clicking on buttons and not touching a piece of vinyl. Though it is still fun, nothing beats the classic feel. You just gotta practice, took me months to adapt. There are some beautiful things you can do in the digital world that you could never do in the vinyl. So it has it's pros & cons. Stick with it, practice daily, and before you know it the rest is history.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

all the cool kids are using Ableton Live ;)

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

I'm ten times cooler than they are and I'm not using it...live...yet. I am using it for production. Very nice piece of gear.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

so im guessing no one really knows how to modify the pitch control on cdjs to get more resistence, i dont think anyone likes how easy it is to move.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

...........

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=Lrn]so im guessing no one really knows how to modify the pitch control on cdjs to get more resistence, i dont think anyone likes how easy it is to move.[/quote]

well, the jog wheel is supposed to help alleviate that a bit for those who seriously ride the pitch...a quick spin nudges the track enough to catch up, but unless you crank it, won't alleviate the pitch to hear the bend.

You can also dependent on your model, pitch select it to 6%, so it only moves a small fraction vs. .1% at a time..that'll help things a little.

But beyond all that, it's just getting used to the particular model you have...

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

well im used to it but id rather have the pitch controller stiff like my 1200s

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=Lrn]well im used to it but id rather have the pitch controller stiff like my 1200s[/quote]

have you tried Final Scratch? a friend got one of those and he's quite happy with it. he travels with his notebook, about 20 vinyls and he plays with the 1200 whenever he is.. the newest tracks, unreleased stuff, no problem.. he's got everything on his computer, and uses the FS interface with the 1200s :)

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

why is that when you make a loop on the cdj-1000mk2s mix in the drum loop take it out of the loop its out by miles even though you have had it mixed in for the last 2 mins of the track....help

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=digitaldan72]why is that when you make a loop on the cdj-1000mk2s mix in the drum loop take it out of the loop its out by miles even though you have had it mixed in for the last 2 mins of the track....help[/quote]

i stopped using the loop function on my cdjs a while back because of that exact reason, when you make a loop manually, i found it really hard to get the bpm on your loop is exactly the same as the rest of the unlooped track so when you exit a loop that youve matched with another track, your beat match gets way off...if that makes any sense at all.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=Lrn]i stopped using the loop function on my cdjs a while back because of that exact reason, when you make a loop manually, i found it really hard to get the bpm on your loop is exactly the same as the rest of the unlooped track so when you exit a loop that youve matched with another track, your beat match gets way off...if that makes any sense at all.[/quote]

it does to me.....well we'll never know!

just off to pioneers cdj forum to chat to the anoraks about all this:lol:

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

let us know what you find out... i constantly find my loops quicker in tempo than what it was to begin with. either we're a little off in our loops or the jackyls at pioneer didn't do a very good job when creating the loop function.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

im preety sure its because the 4/4 loop you make is not set EXACTLY the same to the tracks origainal tempo

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

^ but i thought i was perfect. :p

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

i was told its easier to lean on cdj's and switch to vinyl than vise versa ;)

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

i really like my cdjs had them for about 3 months now, cue points i think are really cool, they help my pay much more attention to the next track rather then getting stuck on beat matching

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=superEGO72]if i am reading this correctly, you like to catch up or slow down using the pitch slider on vinyl. usually, people do this because it can sound smoother than manually increasing the speed with your finger on the record.

well.. unless you are using your cdj in vinyl mode and only touching the top of the platter, this problem is gone.

using it in cdj mode or using only the side of the platter essentially do what you are asking for. spinning it one way increases the pitch my some set ammount.... and the other way decreases it. the faster you spin it, the more the change... you need to adjust to using the platter instead of the slider.

then again.. after not djing for a while.. maybe you are just out of practice :)[/quote]

ya i understand how it works, i just dont like having to 'finger fuck' the record (or in this case the cd) to get a good mix. gonna have to get used to it, i suppose...

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=dstar]ya i understand how it works, i just dont like having to 'finger fuck' the record (or in this case the cd) to get a good mix. gonna have to get used to it, i suppose...[/quote]

:lol:

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

you could always buy some denons, as they have the pitch bend buttons which in my mind are way easier to use than that jog wheel. But just like anything else...after a while you do get used to it.

Re: difficulty switching from turntables to cdjs

[quote=jeffrey collins]you could always buy some denons, as they have the pitch bend buttons which in my mind are way easier to use than that jog wheel. But just like anything else...after a while you do get used to it.[/quote]

That's why I love my Denon's, and for the record I though he said 3500's... Yeah I said 3000's and I am mistaken, I also didn't like the 3000's only because I would snap the band connecting the platter and such...