My parents think I’m way too young for a bucket list, but I’m thinking ahead.
For now, I’ll be content simply to add items to the list, rather than actually check things off my list.
Not near the top of my bucket list (but not near the bottom, either) is this rather odd desire to be a disc jockey. Seriously. Call it a fetish, but I’m the Thomas family odd duck in that regard.
There are two kinds of disc jockeys. Those who rule at clubs, and those on the air in radio. I’ve seen both, and never tried either one, but I figure if Megan Taylor can make a living at it, maybe I could give it a try. Someday.
In the meantime, I’m practicing on my Mac using– drum roll, please… Djay, from the Mac App Store. Between you and me, being a djay is actually more difficult than it looks, despite using a Mac app that mimics a club setup.
First, the eye candy. This is how your Mac helps you to become a disc jockey.
Looks complicated, no? It is.
Djay is also fun. It pulls in music from iTunes and doesn’t just play one song after another. It’s a smart app which can match harmonies from one song to another.
You can pre-cue via headphones and add a live microphone for club DJ practice. There’s all kinds of built-in audio effects, including echo, bit crusher, gate, and more. Each song can have multiple cue points.
Automatic volume normalization is built-in, too, with high-quality scratching effects (easier said than done). Pretty much whatever plays in iTunes will play in Djay.
The interface feels busy at first, and it is a bit complicated. Who needs audio wave forms in a DJ setup? And what’s with the records? I’ve never used a record. CDs? Yes. But no records.
Some of the audio knobs are designed to imitate an audio control setup, but are not as easy to operate using a Mac.
Otherwise, Djay is a bunch of fun, and might just be the start of a future career for you and your Mac. Watch out, DJ Megan. Divine Missy T is waiting in the wings.
While I use Djay on my iPad, it’s mainly as a backup. But on my MacBook Pro when I Djay a folk dance class for three hours plus, I use Fidelity Media’s Megaseg Pro, also available from the App Store. It’s rock solid with all the features of Djay, plus more. An less expensive Lite version is available, and while it’s not as pretty, Megaseg’s a true pro application.
Wow! Great minds think alike. I’ve always wanted to be a DJ but I figured it required expensive equipment, lots of experience, and a few lucky breaks. Looks like I can use my Mac to gain some experience.
i use Itunes and the plugin accuBeatMix the best tool to fade and just jump to any place with smooth Transitions. But you have to get BPMer a tool to analyze your music selection. And for the slackers the Tool askthedj is King!
you cant get it all from wildbits.com.
I am a Mac Dj since 1999 with Soundjam and it works!