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 kiss_the_sky03
human being
Registered: 08/19/05
Posts: 1,428
Loc: where I want
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 DJ v.s Producer? 
#12004895 - 02/10/10 07:56 PM (14 years, 2 months ago) |
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Hello all,
I would like to eventually get into dj'ing and producing my own music. I want to find out what sort of money I'm looking at spending and which one of the two I should get into first. I will most likely start with whatever is cheaper. I understand when talking about musical equipment that "cheaper" is a relative thing. I understand these will be expensive investments.
So, Average price to get some decent dj gear?
Average price to get a decent production set-up?
Thanks!
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 lukeboots
fresh futuristic
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
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Well, you have the right idea with starting cheap -- spending too much money at the get-go can lead to severe disappointment when the gear isn't working out how you'd hoped.
What you decide to buy will largely depend on what you want to do. There isn't really a catch-all DJ setup or production set up, unfortunately (well, actually, fortunately.). if you have a friend with some gear, I would suggest watching them for a while and asking if you can try it out yourself.
These hobbies really do not have to be very expensive. Yes, it will be, over time, in the hundreds-of-dollars range (and what hobby isn't?), but you don't need to drop all your cash at once. I would actually advise against doing that -- it's likely to leave you confused and intimidated. Samplers, turntables (CD or vinyl or whatever), audio workstations like Reason/Live/Cubase, synthesizers, MIDI controllers, mixers -- these are all pretty in-depth devices. The things I listed are just the tip of the iceberg. Treat learning each piece of equipment you get like you would treat learning a new instrument, because ultimately, that's what they are!
But again, your first step is figuring out what you want to do (more in depth than just DJ or produce). Do you want to sample your own records? Do you want to write electronica? Do you want to beat-match and DJ live sets? Do you want to do all of these things? If so, what's the most important? Start with one idea and progress. You already have a computer (I think), perhaps you could start with a program like Fruityloops, Live, Reason, or anything else you think looks interesting. Those programs will allow you to produce your own music, functioning like many pieces of gear at once. Yes, they are expensive. But not much worse than any other equipment. And, of course, software is rarely bought on the internet. But you didn't get that idea from me. =]
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funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey
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kiss_the_sky03
human being
Registered: 08/19/05
Posts: 1,428
Loc: where I want
Last seen: 3 months, 8 days
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 Re: DJ v.s Producer? [Re: lukeboots]
#12005313 - 02/10/10 09:04 PM (14 years, 2 months ago) |
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Haha, wow! Thanks a lot. That was some great info. Yeah, I would like to do all of that stuff. Definitely going to have to figure it out.
I guess I would like to start off just trying to mix stuff that I enjoy in my room and eventually move on to producing my own stuff and mixing that
Edited by kiss_the_sky03 (02/10/10 09:07 PM)
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mycoprog
Modular Heretic
Registered: 01/12/06
Posts: 797
Loc: N. America
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he's got the right idea...
get reason, ableton, or whatever, and fuck around with that for a while.
next I would go for a midi controller or proper synth. i got a virus TI but they can be a little expensive....
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Burke Dennings
baby merchant
Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 81,641
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I was going to respond to this in depth, but LukeBoots did such a great job that there's not much more for me to say.
One thing that you need to consider though is your level of dedication. Are you DEFINITELY going to do the deejay/producer thing, you are 110% certain that you are going to do it? If the answer is yes, I recomment buying high quality equipment (it's expensive, but if you're truly dedicated, you'll buy it anyway) from the beginning. It's easier to learn on (which is a downside, cuz some times you gotta use someone elses siub-par gear), and having the better gear makes a huge difference.
If you're not too certain about your desire to deejay/produce beats, get cheaper stuff, get it ini increments, and practice. If you love it and get decent at it, upgrade to better hard/software. But if you weren't too into it after all, at least you won't have sunk an insane amount of monev in on it.
Deejaying can be frustrating at first. It's not too hard, but it still takes a certain skill level. If you have a production background, produce some of your own tunes and get familiar with them and other songs. Your deejaying will benefit from firmer understanding of song arrangement and composition, which allows for apprpriate timing, one of the things necessary to a good dj set.
Good luck with all this. 
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kiss_the_sky03
human being
Registered: 08/19/05
Posts: 1,428
Loc: where I want
Last seen: 3 months, 8 days
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Thank you so much for everyone's help. Got much better input than I was expecting.
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stefan
work in progress
Registered: 04/11/01
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Loc: The Netherlands
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there's free software around that you can use to produce music, but there's also free mixing software... so both equally cheap if you look at it this way...
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ShroomDoom
Friend of the Medicine
Registered: 06/07/04
Posts: 4,435
Loc: A Psychedelic State 
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Re: DJ v.s Producer? [Re: stefan]
#12032488 - 02/15/10 08:02 AM (14 years, 2 months ago) |
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djing and producing are complementary. being good at one skill enhances the other. The better you dj the better your ability to produce, mix, and master and the better producer you are the more your dj sets will flow and come alive with feeling. Aslo i notice producers seem to EQ better when djing.
learning to be adept at both will prove really useful.
I would learn to dj first just to get a feel for important things like timing, key, tempo, musical structure, ect.
Quote:
So, Average price to get some decent dj gear?
decent as in up to standards of professional djs? you are looking at a grand at least.... probably two. its a serious investment. you need turntables and a laptop with time key software like serato, or cdjs. plus you will need a decent mixer which is going to be expensive as well. The technology is moving by leaps and bounds so you need to drop some serious cash if you are serious about this hobby. and note i said hobby, its totally for fun man.
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Average price to get a decent production set-up?
this can be expensive depending on how far you are willing to go. Analog synthesizers are not cheap at all. Many producers use VST and plug ins with a Digital Audio Workstation or DAW because soft/virtual synths can be just as powerful as real ones and are cheap if you get your software pirated. if you pay for the software you are looking at :
$199 for Pro Tools
$299 for Reason 4
$399 for Ableton live 8
$199 for Fl studio 9
And in addition to the software you will need a midi controller
i have the oxygen 8 from M-audio and its only 99$ at most places. You will also need decent headphones (at least 70$) and studio monitors as well as a good sound card to plug all your shit into. also an audio interface helps.
this shits expensive man. no wonder i am so broke lol
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Romantican
MindSet
Registered: 04/07/07
Posts: 241
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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If you're looking to play live. Go for ableton. If you're looking for a good producing software, go for Logic or Protools. If you go either way, get reason anyway. The Rewire ability allows you to use the sounds in either program but reason's audio processing sucks ass.
You should definitely go for a midi-controller. I have the Akai MPC-49, although anything with keys can work. You don't have to go big to make good music though! Just remember that its about what YOU want it to sound like, and understanding some mixing techniques and audio theory makes your music sound ten times better!
All in all, if you want programs though.....go to demonoid dude...haha
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lukeboots
fresh futuristic
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nice advice romantican
reason's audio processing really does suck. it's bizarre. after you've used it, you can actually tell who's exporting their tracks directly from reason and who's not. that's kinda lame!
Quote:
ShroomDoom said:
Quote:
So, Average price to get some decent dj gear?
decent as in up to standards of professional djs? you are looking at a grand at least.... probably two. its a serious investment. you need turntables and a laptop with time key software like serato, or cdjs. plus you will need a decent mixer which is going to be expensive as well. The technology is moving by leaps and bounds so you need to drop some serious cash if you are serious about this hobby. and note i said hobby, its totally for fun man.
OP -- you really don't need to spend anywhere near that to get a DJ set up. buy things used! trying to keep up with the technology will break your bank account and you'll have loads of gear you don't use sitting around, and you'll never have learned how to use any of it well...
Quote:
Quote:
Average price to get a decent production set-up?
And in addition to the software you will need a midi controller
i have the oxygen 8 from M-audio and its only 99$ at most places. You will also need decent headphones (at least 70$) and studio monitors as well as a good sound card to plug all your shit into. also an audio interface helps.
this shits expensive man. no wonder i am so broke lol
you really don't need all that to get started. you certainly don't need to buy studio monitors. that's hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, and as a noob, the extra frequencies you'll gain will be largely unnoticed. wait until you know you love the hobby before you spend a lot of money.
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funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey
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DJ_avocado
SardinoBambino
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Posts: 743
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Re: DJ v.s Producer? [Re: lukeboots]
#12050400 - 02/17/10 08:51 PM (14 years, 1 month ago) |
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I wouldn't get anything used unless you know what to look for in the equipment and you know that it is 100% working. Warranties are great also! Depending on how much $ you want to throw down for equipment and sounds, and how much skills you have, and.......
...there are lots of factors in Dj costs and prices, if you're lookin to get professional, invest in the cheapest pair of vinyl turntables and dip your toes in mixing, scratching, matching, timing, etc. THEN invest in a good set up, maybe a $1000-$2000.
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lukeboots
fresh futuristic
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
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Yeah, good point about the used stuff. I meant to imply that it can be a good idea to buy used gear from an actual store front, where you can try the gear and talk to someone about it. Not craigslist.
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funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey
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ShroomDoom
Friend of the Medicine
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Posts: 4,435
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Re: DJ v.s Producer? [Re: lukeboots]
#12052266 - 02/18/10 06:43 AM (14 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
lukeboots said:
nice advice romantican
reason's audio processing really does suck. it's bizarre. after you've used it, you can actually tell who's exporting their tracks directly from reason and who's not. that's kinda lame!
i think Reason is a powerful tool with Rewire. I just treat it as another pack of softsynths to use in Cubase. Combinators and thor are the shit for making kicks and basslines from scratch. But yes you can def tell tracks that are made totally in reason sound....not as good. not to mention no support for VST or plugin. I thought for sure propellerhead would have been wise enough to implement that in this version.
oh well that's why theres rewire to import everything into FL, Ableton, Cubase ect.
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Romantican
MindSet
Registered: 04/07/07
Posts: 241
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Meh, when you look at it Reason is still a ridiculous product. If you want something that does it all then go pick up "record". It's made by propeller head but allows you to process real audio waves instead of straight midi. It also have a better audio processor and a new arrange window that functions a bit like logic.
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tak
geo's henchman
Registered: 11/20/00
Posts: 3,776
Loc: nowhereland
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Quote:
ShroomDoom said:
But yes you can def tell tracks that are made totally in reason sound....not as good. not to mention no support for VST or plugin. I thought for sure propellerhead would have been wise enough to implement that in this version.
I think this really depends on the person behind the keyboard more than it does the software. There is no reason you cannot get the same exact results with reason as you would any other program. And I think the idea of VST's go completely against what reason is designed to be, so don't be shocked when you never see VST support.
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The DJ's took pills to stay awake and play for seven days.
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Romantican
MindSet
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Re: DJ v.s Producer? [Re: tak]
#12061836 - 02/19/10 07:21 PM (14 years, 1 month ago) |
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Naw dude, you can make a good song in whatever program you want, but Reason's audio processor just isn't as good as logics, pro-tools, or ableton. Reason just bounces songs with lower grade audio quality than other DAWs regardless of mixing techniques. This doesn't mean reason blows, just that it has its pitfalls; however, in combination with another DAW you make up for those problems and have amazing results.
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