DJ Expo 2008

The DJ Expo was at the Trump Taj Mahal. This year was much bigger as far as the size of the venue. There were a lot more vendors there than 2006. I did not make it in 2007 because of my house fire. I had a chance to talk to a few players in the digital media controller market. DMC’s is where it’s at now.

A few years ago at the Dj expo the Hercules controller came out on the market. Not with rave reviews but definitely pioneering the way. I did a review on it way back when and I posted some reservations about it. I talked with the rep at the booth about how far Hercules has come. She showed me the new design versus the old design. Nice to see they kept improving on it.

Compared the new design the old one looked like a Tonka toy. The new Hercules controller uses the Virtual Vinyl DJ Hardware and Software Interface which is also the same software used my Numark has a lot more functions is clean and the faders, buttons and knobs have been given the breathing room they so much deserve.

It is also a lot more intuitive. Although I was telling the rep coming from off the street and looking at it things are not clearly marked and there is visual separation of buttons/knob section and the fader/wheel section like the last model. The new design has a stainless steel effect and everything runs together. But as far as stability and reliability they have made some major improvements.

I walked around a bit more on the outskirts of the main floor to visit the not so prominent vendors like Rane and M-Audio. Now M-Audio had a very nice controller in the Torq Xponent. A simple design with touch sensitive control wheels to scratch and mix like a real turntable. Access to the samples and effects features was easy enough and implementing them into a mix was plausible. As a gift I received the Numark DMC2 system and its sample interface looked very similar to Xponents. It got me wondering how much of the designs these manufacturers rip off of each other.

Everyone is getting into the controller business. Numark has several controllers and just released another one called the NS7. I did not see the Stanton booth at the DJ expo or maybe I overlooked it. But I wanted to test their SC system. It allows you to have complete and total control from the mixer of the software system. Kinda like the Rane TTM 57 but more versatility in my opinion.

I talked to the distributor from Rane and he said that they sold out by the afternoon and had to take orders. They were giving some great discounts and DJ's know that Rane makes some of the best mixers on the market. Rane TTM 57SL Performance Mixer with Serato Scratch LIVE Software

Pioneer of course had the biggest booth at the DJ expo with the VJ sets and their newest arrivals in the MEP-7000(Multi-Entertainment Player), SEP-CI and the Pioneer SVM-1000 Audio and Video Mixer. The SEP-CI is a pure controller like the Numark DMC but with a rock solid design and look and feel. The DMC2 is still a little "toyish". But I guess I really can’t compare the two.

Overall I enjoyed myself at the Dj expo. I did not do the full expo with the breakout sessions but I spent about 3 hours on the floor on day 2 and I stayed until closing talking to the Hercules rep. All the visitors and vendors enjoyed about a 30 to 40 minute set from the first DJ himself Grand Master Flash.

Photos from the expo

Grand Master Flash using Native Instruments TRAKTOR SCRATCH Digital DJ System

B-girl DJ with a fat gold chain

Pioneer HDJ1000

Pioneer MEP-7000

M-Audio Torq

M-Audio Xponent

Past DJ Expos

DJ Expo 2006
DJ Expo 2005

Recommended Products From the Expo

Numark CUE DJ Software

Numark DMC2 Professional Rackmount DJ Software Controller

Pioneer SVM-1000 Audio and Video Mixer

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DJ Tips

It's Gettin' Hard To Get Vinyl...
by DJ.LU

Bringing The Old To The New
By GrandMaster Skillz
YouTube.com/skillmix

With the average kid
deeming songs from the old school 'wack', not realizing that a great percentage of new hip hop and R&B stem from old school songs: like Lloyd's "You" single, featuring Lil'Wanye that's a sample from Spandau Ballet's hit single, "True", also sampled by the group PM Dawn--I advise djs to crate a set that gives a musical history lesson; show them where these hot beats come from.

Lloyd Bank's "Help" is nothing but a slowed down "Top Billing" beat. Being a DJ is more than simply playing what everybody wants to hear--let's surprise them, and give them the unexpected. take em back, bring em forward. Make them talk
about you days after the party, recalling how they never heard an dj flip and mix beats the way you did. Oh, my bad, but this tip is for the dj's who use either vinyl or Serato.

The Most Ignored DJ Rule:
By GrandMaster Skillz
Youtube.com/skillmix

One of the most
overlooked rule of the DJ art form is a DJ drinking, or allowing someone to
drink near or around his gear. It doesn't matter what type of liquid it is,
water, soda, juice, beer or whatever--it is a bad habit having it sat near your DJ gear.

If someone is passing you a soda or whatever--never allow them to pass it over your deck, but rather 'around the side of the table'. If you're drinking something 'sit it on something not near your gear', nor allow someone else to drink anything close to your gear.

No one would understand how important this is except--'YOU!', it's your gear, you paid for it, lugged it in to be played--don't allow anyone the exception to this most overlooked rule.

A tip for any up and coming DJ:
By Pedro Lebron aka DJ got game?

Don't waste your money on cheap gear.

Save a little more and buy gear worth your time, that way you have room to grow. You'll never learn to beat juggle or mix on a pair of numark TT 1610. Buy direct drive decks and a mixer with slope and reverse controls. You'll be better off this way...

Track Juggling and Scratching
by DJ Smooth

It can be easy after practicing night and day. Don't get fustrated, think about what you have to do and make sure you have the right equipment. Belt Drive turntables aren't going to get the job done.

Technics, nuff said
by Tony

If you're gonna get decks, go with technics. You will not be disappointed. Industry standard for over 3 decades. Suitable for ANY style of DJing. The motor power, durability, and pitch control is where you get your money's worth. Get 'em used: Ebay, pawnshop, a buy n sell, a local nightclub.

Looping
by DJ Cyco Si

To loop at the end of the vinyl put sticker on last bar which makes a loop.

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