Good day!
I could use some advice on selecting a DJ controller, but beware, I’m a very strange DJ … 
Started and still DJ’ing with 2 generic midi controllers, midi fighter twisters, that I already possessed to use with Ableton Live. I hate the cross fader, really. DJ’ing is fun for me because of the stem technology that I use like mixing tracks with Live.
Some points that I’m considering:
- I use the looper a lot, but in a quantised way, don’t need super-duper pads for that. I could continue using a twister for this.
- I would like to start tracks more tight, the twister push functions are not accurate enough, pads would be ideal.
- No pots, only encoders, to be able to flexibly use all possible (re-set) settings when e.g. loading a track. And to not be limited in experimenting with alternative mappings.
- No sliders/faders, see above, and turning knobs are just fine from ergonomic perspective I think. Faders don’t have encoder form anyway and hence just take-up valuable space.
- I think I could do without a jog wheel, but maybe don’t realise what I’m missing. I don’t scratch. I could buy something with a jog wheel on it, but not needed.
- Form factor. Something like a reloop mixtour with the faders chopped off or a traktor X1. Or even something more mainstream. But the limitation of having only 4 rotators per deck is problematic, probably would need the added twister for flexibility, which would introduce significant ergonomic challenges when positioned ‘far away’.
- Already using a separate audio interface when I don’t stream.
My fear is that this is a difficult set of requirements to combine… Thinking of these options:
- Add a small controller with pads for starting the tracks but could only find the Christmas tree type with too many pads …
- Configure a modular midi controller to add to the twisters, e.g. for mixing and transport. But even considering I would use encoders iso pots, this is still crazy expensive. For creating the first option with this, I did not find the right form (yet) …
Advice or idea’s, as far out of the box as possible, very welcome!
Cheers, Bart.
A question about pot / encoder rotator choices that I don’t understand or miss the point of.
Why are 270 degree absolute pots still used? For instance, for EQ and stems, either direct or through EQ preference. It renders the Deck setting to reset after loading a new track useless, and if you would like to map them directly to the stems, it even resets by default (the last time I checked but long time ago …). But the point is that a relative encoder is way more flexible and only would raise the costs a bit, but not dramatically.
I would seriously consider getting a mixon 8 pro if it had relative encoders everywhere, even if it would be more expensive. Also the high-end DDJ’s have pots.
Be frustrated with me or educate this baby DJ please.
Why don’t you consider adding a Midi Fighter Spectra to your existing Midi Fighter Twister setup. This would give you the precise pad control. I personally use both of these as a portable setup with an iPad sometimes.
As for your pot/encoder question, I personally like pots with clearly defined end points and center detents for EQ controls so I can tell, by feel alone, when I’m at full EQ kill and at center.
Hi @Slak_Jaw, thanks, yes, adding another controller like that was my first approach, but it also has a drawback. There are more buttons than I need, and it is too big to place under the twister where the unused buttons would be in the way. If I would go on with this generic concept, I now only need 4 pads or buttons extra to better start a track for more tight and precise control. I don’t need the 12 other buttons. If you use the generic controllers for loops, effects or anything not related to transport and mixing, the layout is not very important, and the matrix form will work well. But I now see that for transport and mixing you need a combination of accurate buttons and rotators to do the job, preferably in a certain layout. I could do that with a small button controller with just 4 buttons, but cannot find something like that.
So that is where controllers like the Traktor X1 or even a mixon 8 come in. I understand the preference for the feel of pots, but I like to reset volume and EQ/stems when loading a track. That doesn’t work well with the physical position of pots and sliders. For the encoders just the indicator leds flip back, easy, but physical positions of pots and sliders …
How do you deal with that?
Cheers, Bart.
