Lets talk a little bit about DJing with mp3s and using dj software to mix. As you know, mp3 is a very common standard format, though there are many more formats to choose from. There’s really nothing wrong with DJing with mp3. Many will tell you that it’s not cool to DJ with mp3. I will tell you now, It’s way cool. Not only is it cool but it’s also and easy option if your the type who travels constantly. The days of carrying around heavy record bags and even CD bags are slowly fading away. All you need these days are basically a simple back pack to carry your laptop and probably your portable hard drive.
Firstly, mp3 formats are available for download on hundreds of sites. Some free and some paid. I will not get into those free sites for reasons you already know of. Here are a couple of sites that I personally use to get many of my songs.
- Beatport -
Ok, so those a just a couple of sites I use to buy my stuff. There are many more sites out there. A simple google search will do. When you get into those sites, they offer a few options on download formats. As I stated above, most common will be the mp3 format. Here’s a screen shot of my crate. Have a look on the right side where it shows the format options for downloading.
Now, why I chose mp3 is because they are cheaper and easier to carry around. Unlike vinyls and don’t get me wrong, I love vinyls (I have loads of them at home, where I still listen to them), they offer easier portability whether you burn them onto cds or use a software. I remember, I used to order vinyls online and had to wait for weeks for them to arrive. I just couldn’t wait for them. Now, a few clicks and it’s on my desktop, ready to be played. The other benefit is that you can burn your mp3 files directly onto a cd and directly play them on almost all CDJs out there. The newer models now allow you to play mp3 formatted cds. Isn’t that awesome?!
I’ll be talking about dj software on my future post. Till then, see you soon and take care!
