Re: New PC based loop/mixing tools

["Devious D_MasterMixer" <dj_devious_d@hotmail.com>]

Hey Back,

 I am a Dj, and I do Play one.... but I digress. I already know about the Mixman DM2, it was previewed at the NAMM in Florida this past March, and it is a "cute" piece of equipment. I have been on the fence about getting one, since it is very limited in the sound sources it can use as loops. This thing interfaces with the Mixman Software, and it uses Mixman .trk files as loops. That limits you in creativity, if you wanted to use your own loops. Now you can use your own loops, if you have ReCycle 1.7, which will convert your .wav files to .trk files, to be used in Mixman, but no one at Mixman ever tells you about that, and I wonder why ? Oh, it's being manufactured by Mattel, so go figure. It's not very durable, and kinda reminds me of Mattel's Sensonic Drums (man you really have to be old skool to remember those things). If you mix at home, it's cool, but on the road, in a gig, - Beware ! But I digress again.

I live in the Chicago area, and my occupation (I am a Computer Consultant), has me trapped here for a while, but if you wish I could trade, or preview some of my original loops ! I use everything from ACID 3.0, Fruity Loops 3, Sound Forge 5.0, ReCycle 1.7 and a slew of synth creators... so maybe we can talk ? I am experimenting with hooking up my MIDI keyboard to my PC, and using Cakewalk SONAR, to produce some original tracks.... are ya feeling me ? Just think MIDI loops, that can be incorporated in ACID 3.0 - that's a new feature... I would be UNSTOPPABLE !, but I digress.

I can feel that sway on that comment about "live musicians" and Dj's. It does become complicated, since the Dj feeds of the beat, whether he is scratching behind you, or underlying a beat. Musicians - doing it live, change tempo, keys at a whim, and those key and tempo changes can screw with a Dj's timing, making him look really bad. Just think of the JB's. James Brown changes keys, tempos and all kind of shidz in studio session, that would wipe out a Dj... well some Dj's that is.

Hey,

I'm not a DJ (don't even play on on TV) but if I were, this seems a

sweet little tool for looping:

http://www.mixman.com/html_h/dm2.html

Screw CDs. If you're in the digital domain, why not just deal with the

source file? Word.

Also, I've got a question: I'm interested in collaborating with a DJ.

Not one that just mixes tracks, but one that is much more about pulling

samples from a lot of different sources and making something new. My

job would be to supply guitar, synths and other wacky devices to the

mix. Anyway, every DJ I talk to seems to be against playing with real

musicians for some reason. I've heard things like, "when you bring a

musician into a show, it gets a lot more complicated." and "I like to

have full control of the music." The one DJ I've met that's played with

me IS a musician (classically trained double bass) but she more or less

just fades tracks into each other, adjusting pitch and tempo so they

blend nicely. I'm hoping for a lot more sound collage.

Any comments? If you're in the SF Bay area and would like to get

together, mail me off the list. I'm into a very wide range of music.

Mark

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