The "Removing The CD Player" Debate

It's all about the equipment

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Mr Awesomer
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#1 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed May 30, 2007 12:30 pm

Why do you need the CD players? Ditch 'em and use the space on the rack for things you will actually need.
Reuben Brown
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#2 Post by djstarr » Wed May 30, 2007 12:59 pm

GuruReuben wrote:Why do you need the CD players? Ditch 'em and use the space on the rack for things you will actually need.
A lot [well at least one] of Martin's favorite blues DJs are still on CDs. We got really nice laptop bags as part of DJ'ing Denver Lindy Exchange (thanks William!). That's a big hint I think.

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#3 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed May 30, 2007 1:43 pm

djstarr wrote:
GuruReuben wrote:Why do you need the CD players? Ditch 'em and use the space on the rack for things you will actually need.
A lot [well at least one] of Martin's favorite blues DJs are still on CDs. We got really nice laptop bags as part of DJ'ing Denver Lindy Exchange (thanks William!). That's a big hint I think.
Then they need to get with the program. There is no excuss to still be using CDs.
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#4 Post by GemZombie » Wed May 30, 2007 5:05 pm

GuruReuben wrote:
djstarr wrote:
GuruReuben wrote:Why do you need the CD players? Ditch 'em and use the space on the rack for things you will actually need.
A lot [well at least one] of Martin's favorite blues DJs are still on CDs. We got really nice laptop bags as part of DJ'ing Denver Lindy Exchange (thanks William!). That's a big hint I think.
Then they need to get with the program. There is no excuss to still be using CDs.


I've been saying that for years, back when people used to think I wasn't a real DJ because I was using a laptop.

*sigh*

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#5 Post by djstarr » Thu May 31, 2007 12:54 pm

GuruReuben wrote: Then they need to get with the program. There is no excuss to still be using CDs.
yeah the time is definitely coming when there will be no CD player available unless you bring your own. Last year I had to buy CD cleaners for one of our major venues since no one was using the player and it was starting to skip all the time. The other venue the changer sticks and it keeps getting more and more difficult to use CDs.

Martin - do you consider this an option to not offer a CD player with your setup?

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#6 Post by LindyChef » Thu May 31, 2007 3:29 pm

As much as I love high tech equipment, a CD player is a must have, not only because of the technical distasters that can occur, but because many of my favorite DJs still use CDs.

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#7 Post by Mr Awesomer » Thu May 31, 2007 3:46 pm

Well if you keep coddling them they'll never progress.
They'll thank you for it later.
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#8 Post by SoundInMotionDJ » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:10 am

GuruReuben wrote:Then they need to get with the program. There is no excuss to still be using CDs.
Yes, there is. Even a frugal "computer based DJ system" will cost hundreds of dollars. The time to rip in a CD collection is not trivial. Add in the cost of better sound cards, DJ software, external hard drives, backup systems, etc, etc, etc - and CD s begin to look a whole lot better.

Given the amount of time and $$$ involved in building a computer based solution, and the average "pay" of a DJ who caters to dancers (be they Lindy, WCS, C&W, salsa, etc, etc) - it is understandable why someone would choose to continue using CDs. If I did not have a "mobile DJ" business to offset equipment purchases, I would still be using CDs.

That said, I have been fully computer based for more than three years - and I was in transition for about 18 months before that. At this point, CDs feel so "last century." :wink:

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#9 Post by Mr Awesomer » Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:32 am

Most everyone these days has a computer... and most of those people typically just get a laptop. It's not as though you have to invest in a computer that's used solely for DJing... it's an investment in a computer that you can use on a daily basis.

Better sound cards, external hard drives and backup systems are niceties... not requirements. So is paid for DJing software. There are a number of free software solutions that perfectly suit the needs of a non-mixing DJ.

As for ripping music, it's not that bad. You swap out a disc every 15 minutes or so and click a few buttons. In the meantime you go about your daily business. And, it's a ONE TIME process. Adding music as you buy new CDs becomes trivial.

Lastly, in the long run, the benefits of being computer based FAR out weigh the few hurtles it takes to get there. Traveling around the country carring a laptop that weighs 5 pounds compared to huge books of CDs that weigh 20 pounds is a god sent... not to mention the fact that you're also basicly carring around your own CD players, mixers and pre-amps. Then we could go on and on about the benefits of having ALL your music right at your finger tips.

But sometimes it takes a little kick in the butt to get people there... like taking away their CD players... which is why I said they'd thank him later. Interestingly enough, it was an events lack of CD players at one particular dance that finally convinced me I needed to get on the laptop. One you do, you never look back.
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#10 Post by kitkat » Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:36 am

Reuben, shut up.

You are generalizing your own experience to a lot more people than you really should be generalizing it to.

There are a damn lot of talented song-pickers (that is, DJs) who have no reason to get a laptop other than DJing and who, therefore, don't get one.

Filtering out those people by not having CD players available because--ooooooh, REUBEN BROWN!--thinks that everyone's life is just like his and those whose aren't are somehow not with a program rather than simply with a program that makes more sense for their lives would do nothing but hurt the quality of music that gets played at swing dance nights.

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#11 Post by Mr Awesomer » Fri Jun 01, 2007 1:09 pm

It's not so much about filtering them out, it's about making them even better.
Yes, I'll say it, if you're a good CD DJ, DJing from a computer WILL make you better... and even more so make your DJing experience more enjoyable.
I'm also finding your hostility a little odd, but I have no desire to get into that.
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#12 Post by LindyChef » Fri Jun 01, 2007 2:36 pm

By that logic, I should also not coddle the vinyl Djs by not providing any phono hookups into my setup.

Reuben, Katie is right in saying that you're generalizing your experience to others. In fact, one of the DJs that I know that will be using this CD player has a laptop and has not expressed a desire to use his laptop to play CDs and I'm not going to push any ideology onto him. Some people just have their personal preferences and to call them, basically, luddites is unfair, especially when they are so easily acommodated.

I could make the argument that DJing off of CDs makes you better. Typically you'll have the liner notes with you, a CD in a CD player will force you to listen more critically to the music you have (because it's more time consuming to switch it out).

A laptop is a tool, nothing more. I've seen awesome DJs use them and I've seen some absolute craptastic DJs use them. In fact, I'd say a majority of the poor DJs that I've seen DJ off of laptops ... it gives them too many opportunities to think way too much about their sets and cue up crap in advance.

Oh, and thanks for splitting this thread off :)

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#13 Post by djstarr » Fri Jun 01, 2007 2:40 pm

GuruReuben wrote:Most everyone these days has a computer... and most of those people typically just get a laptop. It's not as though you have to invest in a computer that's used solely for DJing... it's an investment in a computer that you can use on a daily basis.
I'm in the IT field and have always been supplied with computers; I have a laptop at work and can do everything on it with the exception of using it for DJing, since our work network scans for music files which are not allowed on our systems. [although they provide me a DVD player with the laptop and I can listen to CDs at work so I always thought this rule odd].

I had no reason to get a laptop except for DJ'ing, so it took me a while to want to make the investment, which is substantial in terms of money and time to convert music ESPECIALLY if you have been DJ'ing for a while and have a big collection built up.

So I fully understand why some people are on CDs still, however the writing is on the wall, and the DJs who DJ a lot and want to continue should start planning to convert.

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#14 Post by Mr Awesomer » Fri Jun 01, 2007 2:53 pm

LindyChef wrote:By that logic, I should also not coddle the vinyl Djs by not providing any phono hookups into my setup.
Playing vinyl is about obtaining a certain sound that can't be reproduced by playing CDs or MP3s.
LindyChef wrote:especially when they are so easily acommodated.
I just don't see purchasing a dual deck CD player, having it take up space on a rack, having to lug it around all the time, among other things... an easy accommodation. :?


Fine, maybe I'm too much of a progressionist... but as Brenda points out... the writing is on the wall.
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#15 Post by LindyChef » Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:03 pm

GuruReuben wrote:
LindyChef wrote:By that logic, I should also not coddle the vinyl Djs by not providing any phono hookups into my setup.
Playing vinyl is about obtaining a certain sound that can't be reproduced by playing CDs or MP3s.
Who said anything about MP3s? Vinyl DJs could always rip their collections via a USB turntable and store their LPs in a lossless format ... they should get with the program ;)

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