How to be a DJ

Friday, 21 June 2013

What's the secret to sounding great as a DJ on online radio?

The arrival of radio on the internet has meant that many more stations are now being heard. Competition is in some respects fierce.
Content, as they say, is king. As an online radio presenter, you've got to be the best of the best. But how do the top radio presenters sound so natural and yet interesting. What's their secret? Is it just talent?
The answer is hard work and yes a bit of talent. Behind the scenes preparation has to be done. Preparation behind the scenes is the key. Chris Evans, the UK's Radio 2 national breakfast DJ, believes every link needs has to have essentials such as a beginning, a middle and an end.

But preparing links in a middle of the show is hard. Imagine a ticking clock, a microphone staring at you and your station manager on the other end of his radio.
So here's the key. Write down links before the show is going out. They don't have to be fully scripted but can just be a few ad lib notes. This is much easier to do then making when something up on the spot.
If you are stuck for link ideas, just look around you. Talk about your personal life in general. This could be about going to school or busy roads near you. But what content do you put into your links? Look around you, talk about personal life. Observation will help produce really good content for links.
The secret to sounding like a pro as an online radio DJ, preparation. <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software

Thursday, 20 June 2013

The Best Program to Automatically iTunes Delete Duplicates!

Are you manually erasing all of your duplicates!? Automatically have it done for you with this program, (CLICK HERE FOR THE iTunes Clean Up PROGRAM!) and stop listening to all of those songs over and OVER! iTunes Delete Duplicates! Ok, when you are in one of your iTunes Delete Duplicate modes. Just think happy thoughts of a program that will delete these duplicates for you!!!!! I know how crazy am I to not want to sit around all day on iTunes deleting duplicates? No, this can be a simple task and I will tell you why! My friend is a DJ and she tends to get way to many duplicates in here iTunes library, and often time does not have time to fix this problem! BUT I hate it so I went on a mission to find a solution to this problem. It didn't take me as long as I thought either! I found a great solution, as apposed to when I myself go into iTunes delete duplicate mode! Who has time for that right?
What else does this wonderful program do anyway? This program will actually go through your iTunes account and fix your song names as well! I am excited to say that when she came home to find that I had single handedly cleaned up her iTunes by myself with my own two hands (and a very lovely iTunes delete duplicate tool) she was quite happy with me! So what else can you look forward to getting with this tool? Well, besides these first few problems that I have already explained the solution to, there is another plus to using this program! It fills in the artist name, and INFORMATION!!! If you are like my little DJ friend, you will love this program too! Here is the program: /Fix-iTunes-Music <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

iTunes Organizer, Program that Automatically Organizes iTunes Library

iTunes organizer, how to organizer your iTunes, what the problem is with all of the programs out there that are supposed to help you automatically organize your iTunes library. So I am a DJ, which means my iTunes library always a mess and I can't stand that. So at some point I had to start looking for different programs that were going to help me automatically organize my iTunes library because I just don't have enough time in the day to do this. I set out looking for programs one afternoon and you know how that goes. You type one wrong word into google and pretty soon you are looking at the most expensive programs, with the least amount of help. So I started trying different programs to see if I could find one that was going do a few things.
Here is what I wanted the iTunes Organizer to do. I wanted it to automatically delete duplicate songs, and I wanted it to delete the worst copy of the two. As a DJ this is important because you need to bring your best music! I wanted the iTunes organizer to automatically fill in missing album information. Again, this is very important for me, because I have to be able to find music that people request and fast! I wanted the iTunes organizer to automatically name songs that I uploaded and were miss labeled "Track" instead of the real song name! I could spend days looking for the right song when they are all called "Track". I wanted a few other things but I would have settled for one program that did all of these things no questions asked! Thankfully after a few days of trial and error with some of the programs that said they did all of that, but actually didn't do any of that. I found a program that did ev
erything I wanted my iTunes organizer to do! Learn more about the program here: /iTunes_Organizer <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Skeuomorphic User Interface Design: What is skeuomorphic user interface design?

What is skeuomorphic user interface design?
By definition a skeuomorph is a derivative object that is designed in such a way as to retain the structure of the original object. As such skeuomorphs tend to feature purely decorative elements that are made to resemble the design or structure of elements that were essential in the original. They can be physical objects but they also have a major role in user interface design, which is getting more and more pronounced with the so-called "post-PC" devices such as the iPad. Apple is very much at the forefront of the Skeuomorphic user interface design approach having made QuickTime 4.0 resemble an actual consumer electronics product over a decade ago complete with a brushed metal look. A storied example from the time was the implementation of a dial to adjust volume just like on a Walkman, for example. This works well when holding a Walkman in the palm of your hand but looses practicality when using a mouse on a GUI. Another great example of skeuomorphic user interface desig
n is with the virtual keyboard of the iPad which features bumps on the F and J keys. These bumps obviously can't be felt when fingering an iPad so have no practical purpose.
What are examples of successful skeuomorphic UI design?
The resurgence of skeuomorphic user interface design as a UI design paradigm owes a lot to the introduction of the iPhone. Native apps such as Notes and Voice recorder all sport skeuomorphic UI designs with the former resembling a notepad and the latter looking like a vintage microphone with an old-school volume dial rather than LED volume meters that are used in modern audio recording equipment. This skeuomorphic user interface design approach is proving to be particularly en vogue amongst audio applications. Jonas Eriksson's 76 Synthesizer features knobs and audio cords that can be inserted into polished brass slots. Just a screenshot of the user interface design makes you want to start playing around with it and lets you know you'll be manipulating sounds. Korg's iMS-20 iPad application (a recreation of the (physical) MS-20 synthesizer) is the same but even includes a musical keyboard and modulation wheel. Admittedly the user interface design is busy and might be overwh
elming for the average user but musicians who have used a similar synthesizer should be able to pick up the iPad app and create right away. The same can't be said about traditional audio workstations where they would have to learn what and where their options are. The same can be said of the Djay app which looks like an actual mixing deck.

What are some pitfalls of skeuomorphic user interface design?
Skeuomorphic user interface designs work well with multi-touch interfaces of tablets which take advantage of our evolution as a species by working intuitively. On the desktop where the input devices are invariably the mouse (or trackpad of some kind) paired with a keyboard the situation becomes a bit more problematic. Previously I mentioned how a volume dial on a computer screen just simply doesn't work as well as on a Walkman in the palm of your hand. The latest iteration of Mac OS X, Lion, features a couple controversial skeuomorphic user interface designs in the shape of the new iCal and Address Book applications. According to Kaishinlab there are 5 major things to look out for when creating skeuomorphic user interface designs:
Potential False Affordance: Since skeuomorphic UI designs mimic real world objects users will be inclined to expect that they work accordingly. The new Address Book in Lion looks like an actual book but you can't go through your contacts by turning pages. This discrepancy is bound to cause frustration. This is the UI design version of Tennis' unforced error.
Visual Noise: Filling a user interface design with more and more detail might make it more visually interesting but this all adds to the traffic or noise of a UI design. In the end it is just more user interface design elements crying out for attention. The faux stitching in iCal has no added value and even if it weren't there users would not all of a sudden not realize that they are dealing with a calendar app!
Functional Limitations: Creating skeuomorphic user interface designs imposes limits due to the fact that you are trying to mimic a distinct look. The new Address Book does away with the practical three-pane user interface design for a new UI design that shows less information and is more cumbersome to use simply because the user interface design team at Apple thought their app would look cuter if it looked like an actual book.
User Disorientation & Alienation: This is tied to potential false affordance as users who are used to a standard way of operating a user interface design have to come to grips with alien interactions.
In other words skeuomorphic user interface design is a growing trend but UI designers need to make sure that aesthetics do not trump usability. <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software

Monday, 17 June 2013

Learn How to DJ Mix Like a Pro

DJing has become a musical art form in its own right. If you want to learn how to DJ professionally there is a lot to learn and you will want to refer to some of the resources mentioned later in this article. However if you just want to learn the basics of spinning and mixing your own tunes then this article will get you on your way to learn how to DJ mix like a Pro.
Lets begin with the definition of a DJ or "Disk Jockey". The original meaning of DJ is someone who selects music and plays it for an audience. The DJ may perform on the radio, on TV, at a party, at a Rave, in a club or today even in a stadium setting with thousands of fans watching. Originally this was done with vinyl records on a turntable but today it is done with all sorts of media either alone or in various combinations including:
Vinyl Records on multiple turntables
CD players
MP3 players
iPod/iphone
Laptop computers controlling DJ mixing Software
How to DJ Mix:
A typical DJ setup today consists two sound sources such as two turntables and a mixer. The DJ can monitor one record on a headphone while the other record is playing so he/she can set it up to begin playing at a specific point when the other record stops.

The mixer has a fader switch that allows the DJ to smoothly transition between the two decks and to control the various sound elements such as volume, EQ, Bass,Treble etc. A basic system will just have a simple mixer and two "Platters" as the record turntables are known.
CD based systems will have a pair of CD Decks instead of turntables and a mixer. In addition these units typically have whats called a "Jog wheel" that emulates a vinyl record deck. This can be used to control the music and can be run forward and backward to get a "scratching" effect. With the advent of MP3 players and the iPod music player it is common to see these music sources included in the mixer units.
An ipod dock is becoming commonly available in many models of dj equipment. Typically there would be two decks a mixer and an iPod deck allowing the DJ to play tunes from the ipod & the decks or to record his performances to the ipod itself.
Learn How to DJ:
More sophisticated DJ units known as "software controllers" connect to a laptop computer via a fast USB MIDI interface that is running specialized DJ software. The music is stored on the laptop & the controls on the mixer/deck unit control the software & thus the music. These units typically have "platters" with actual vinyl records that give the DJ the tactile feel of a vinyl record with the advantages of digital control. There are many manufacturers of complete DJ Systems. One of my favorites is Numark. They provide a full range of different types of DJ equipment including:
dj in a box
iBattlePack
Total Computer DJ in a Box
Mixdeck
Mixtrack
Ns7
Some of the common techniques & terminology used by the DJ include:
Scratching
Cueing
Looping
Virtual needle drops
BPM
Beat Matching
There are a number of DJ software packages available that can be used by a variety of different DJ systems. They include:
Serato Itch
Serato Scratch Live
Numark Cue
Virtual DJ
Traktor
Mix meister
I have provided a link below that will show you the different types of DJ equipment available. The cost of DJ equipment varies greatly depending on the type and quality you are after, it can range anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. You can learn how to DJ mix like a pro. <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software

Sunday, 16 June 2013

Exclusive Tips On How To Become A Top DJ

With the overwhelming success of the MTV's Jersey Shore and an evolution of partying like never before, DJ's are in high demand; so much that the demand far outweighs the supply of good DJ's. If you want to know how to become a DJ (which is short for Disc jockey), you'll come to find that the most difficult task will be buying your own equipment. It won't be difficult for any reason other than DJ equipment is expensive; and to be a good DJ, you'll need good equipment. Good DJ'ing equipment is known to cost well in the thousands; mainly because you have to buy many different pieces of equipment. If you're on a budget, you may want to mix and match components of different qualities and price ranges. Probably the most expensive piece of equipment that you'll need to buy will be a mixer. Sound mixers vary from make and model. Their price depends heavily on their features and quality. Sounds mixers range from a few hundred to a few thousand do
llars. If you're new to the DJ'ing business, I recommend that you only spend as little as possible. It's often thought that the more expensive the mixer the better but often the cheaper mixers work just as well.
 It's best to wait until you get some cash flowing in before you start spending thousands on pieces of equipment. This is because you don't know how business will be. To get started and save some money, you'll want to check out some big names in mixing and audio equipment like Aiwa, Numark, Gemini & Akai. They are known to produce some good quality DJ'ing equipment. After The Mixer, You Need A�
After the mixer you'll need a quality turntable. This can be a daunting task as there are many different kinds of turntables to choose from. You need to decide whether you want to go traditional or new school with your DJ'ing. If you are into vinyl, then you should go with a traditional DJ turntable. If consider yourself a "new school" DJ, you'll find it a lot easier to get started. Being able to use MP3's, you'll have a wide selection of turntables, that often resemble the traditional ones, to choose from. In general, turntables tend to be more expensive than plain players, but there are some good quality ones available for just under $400. There is even a choice to buy a direct drive turntable, but you'll have to spend a little more money for one of those. Most DJs prefer turntables over plain players because they play records faster and there's no lag. Players are a lot cheaper than turntables but come with less features that you may need to keep
the crowd jumping. The best DJs are the ones that live through the music and turntables. Those are the ones who like to scratch and spin records. You'll probably never see a top DJ use a player only because there's no skill needed. It just puts out sound like your basic CD or DVD player. If you're new to DJ'ing, you should not spend too much on equipment; and one item you'll be able to save some cash on are speakers. You'll need speakers for live events. In the beginning, you can rent speakers for events but if you want to save money in the long run, you'll need to invest in some. The price of speakers depends on the brand name and their output. Some small woofer speakers can cost less than $100. DJ In a Box Packages Save Money!! If you are new to DJ'ing, you might want to consider buying what's known as a DJ pack. These packages come with everything you'll need to start DJ'ing. For the record, usin
g cheap DJ equipment is only recommended for new DJs. When you start getting gigs and make some money, you should consider buying more advanced equipment. It's not buying at that point but investing in you; the business. <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software

Saturday, 15 June 2013

Top Dj Equipment and Set List Resources

A Mobile DJ is an entertainer that travels to locations to provide entertainment for a specific event. Where will you see a Mobile DJ? You'll see a Mobile DJ providing entertainment for Birthday Parties, Sweet 16's, Bar-Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, Class Reunions, Graduation Parties, Corporate Parties, etc.
Mobile DJ's (somewhat of an oxymoron before the turn of the 21st century) weren't so mobile. You would see 2 large turntables, a big mixer, big amplifier, big speakers, huge heavy crates full of 78's, lots of wires, and just too much stuff and not easily mobile. Although Big Club DJ's and some "old school" DJ's still love spinning on turntables, it's just not efficient for a typical Event DJ. As technology gets smaller and more efficient, DJ'ing equipment is becoming much easier to transport, set-up, and operate.
The DJ's that use the larger turntable systems look and sound amazing while beat mixing but you won't see many of them DJ'ing smaller events that may just require some background music. A kid with an iPod, with a good playlist, and speakers can probably provide decent songs while a big turntable mixing system is just overkill. A good mobile DJ with the right equipment can be very profitable and successful at these events and can even begin building a reputable DJ business. As the business builds, and gigs begin to accumulate, it's important to have DJ equipment that is reliable, easy to set-up, and effective.
When looking for reliable equipment as a Mobile DJ, it's important to look for "name" brands. Even with name brands, a DJ has a choice between lower quality-lower prices, higher-quality, higher-prices. For MP3 and CD Players, names like Gemini and American Audio are cheaper "name" brands but they are lower in quality than Denon or Pioneer. Numark, previously a mid-level quality company has been reaching new technology (check out Newmarks, NS7FX) that is beginning to compete with the big boys.
Here are some of the most popular Dual CD/MP3 Players with example-averaged prices being used by DJ's: Gemini CDMP-6000 ($399.95), Gemini CDX-2400 Rackmount ($170.00), American Audio CK 1000 Table Top Dual ($399.00), American Audio Velocity Professional Dual ($599.00), Numark CD Mix-1 Dual (199.00), Numark CDN22 Rack Mount Dual CD Player (149.00), Denon DN-D6000 Dual CD MP3 Player ($850.00), Pioneer CMX-3000 Dual Rackmount CD Player ($1,000).
You can obviously see a price difference but you will experience a noticeable difference in quality between a cd controller selling for $200 as opposed to the Pioneer CMX for a grand.

Some Mobile DJ's have even decided to make their set-up even more mobile by doing away with CD's and purchasing MP3 Players that have external hard drive or iPod connections. I run all my parties with MP3's no CD's. Although I have a Denon 4500 CD player in my system, it is only used if someone has cd they want me to play.
Here are some of the most popular MP3 players with example averaged prices. Numark's IDJ Mixing Console for iPod ($160.00), Numark's IDJ2 DJ Console for the IPod and External Hard Drive connections ($399.00), Numark's D2 Director Mass Storage Player and Manager, Denon DN-HD2500 Hard Disk Media ($599.00), Pioneer MEP-7000 Professional Media Player with CD Decks ($1400).
Some of these units can be used as controllers for popular Laptop Mixing Software like Traktor, Virtual DJ, PCDC, and Serato Scratch. There are popular controllers like the Vestax VCI-100MV Mixvibes Edition DJ Controller that is specifically designed to control laptop software. Numark's NS7 DJ ($1300.00) is getting some big attention from Serato users.
If DJ'ing on a laptop, consider using that laptop solely for DJ'ing. Other programs or files on the laptop can slow the necessary processing speed.
Once a Mobile DJ has a player, now a good mixer has to be considered. Again, there are good name brands with lower quality-lower prices and good name brands with higher quality-higher prices. Behringer is a dependable brand on the lower end. Consider the Behringer DX626 Pro Mixer ($100.00), Vestax PMC-280 4 Channel DJ Mixer With Digital Effects ($499.00), Denon DN-X1100 4 Channel DJ Mixer ($700.00), or the Pioneer DJM-800 Professional Mixer ($1,700.00). A Mobile DJ can't go wrong with any of these selections but the pricier mixers do offer more features like effects, more mic inputs, talk over, etc.
Once a Player is selected, and a Mixer is selected, all that's left are some good powerful speakers. The best type of speakers a mobile DJ can use is Active/Powered Speakers. Passive speakers would require an amplifier or a powered mixer with more weight added to the rig. A DJ can run an XLR cable out of the mixers, plug directly into the powered speakers, plug the speakers in, and voile, sound!
There are a few decent companies that I could suggest. Here are a few products: Behringer Eurolive B208D Active PA ($180.00), American Audio XSP-10A Powered Speaker ($200.00). Here are the companies that I highly recommend: Mackie, JBL, and RCF. Mackie SRM450 v2 Active PA ($500.00), Mackie SRM350 v2 Active, JBL EON515 450 Watt 15" Powered ($800.00), JBL PRX535 3 Way 15" ($1000.00), RCF ART312A or RCFART315A Powered Speakers 15" ($1100.00).
A Mobile DJ should have a pretty simple Set-up. At this point we have discussed a Media Player (CD/MP3 or only MP3), Mixer, and Powered Speakers. This is all the equipment that is necessary for Mobile DJ.
A good case with a sturdy rack should be considered as well ($200-$400). The Player and Mixer will be screwed down on the top, and in the front of the rack you'll have the dual cd decks (if a cd player is purchased) and a power strip to plug everything in. Now the rig is; 2 speakers, the case with all the components all safe and secured, a bag with wires (xlr cables, rca cables, etc.), and speaker poles.
Now all you'll need is music and set lists. Besides learning how the equipment works, this is the hardest part of DJ'ing. Good set lists and great music is what separates good DJs from bad DJs no matter how expensive or elaborate their equipment is. Djs who have been entertaining for a long time have learned from experience what songs work for specific sets.
Where do new DJs or Intermediate DJs go to learn set-mixes that work? A website has been developed for Event/Mobile DJs to give DJs immediate access to Set lists for all types of parties; Weddings, Birthdays, Kids, Sweet 16's, Graduations, and great mixes for popular dance music, updated monthly. It can also be a resource site for DJ's to go and get all types of helpful tips, how-to's, and information, song programming techniques, and event forms.
Being a mobile DJ is fun, exciting, and very profitable! As technology gets smaller and easier to use,more and more people will be trying to master DJ'ing. Technology is only half of the skill. The other half of being a great Mobile DJ is knowing your music and being confident in your set lists. Having Good Equipment and great Musical programming will make a great Mobile DJ in the 21st century. The right training could really help. You can get some great dj tricks and tips at DJ Masterminds and get your musical set lists and dj equipment ideas at MixesThatWork <a href="http://iautoblog.com">iAutoblog</a> the premier <a href="http://iautoblog.com">autoblogger</a> software