Whack DJ's lately

Tag One The Fader Fiend wrote:

mastasteez wrote:DJ Qbert advises to have the tone arm weight set to it's heaviest setting but if I do this the sound is terrible. My TT doesn't have a height-adjustable tone arm so I wondered if this is the cause?

It could be, I would try scaling it back till you get a semi-perfect balance between sound and tracking, try going backward in decrements of 0.5 grams you should find a sweet spot. If you can't find a sweet spot then shoot me a pm and I experiment some setting on my tonearm for you to try out

Cheers big Tag. I have it set quite light to give the best sound but I obviously have to be more careful when practicing cutting in. The sound is not pleasant at all when set any closer than midway. I'm sure Qbert's set up doesn't sound anything like why mine does when set up how he has his.

@Tag it was this guy...





Maybe he was having an off day but he def threw the crowd some duds

Regarding question number 1:
The DJ's I came up with used to put a penny on top of the needle to weigh it down. Those were old turntables. Newer turntables are more precise and some needles are made for scratching. So I would need to know more about your equipment.
I am unorthodox as I use two different turntables and different needles in each one. My Stanton cartridge came with a weight you can screw on to the top. I use that deck on my left hand as I am not as delicate with that hand as I am with the right hand. That left hand deck also has more a slightly deeper bass tone.
As you play with the records and get a feel for it you must decide if you need a weight or not.

Second question:
Both. In Jamaica wher I spent many years of my life the best DJ's made their own records called dub-plates. If you went to a show you would hear mixing (not scratching) and you would hear unique versions of songs. Wyclef paid homage by making an album and he did a Kenny Rogers Dub-plate as a filler on one of his albums. So it was all about having a different version of a song in your arsenal so that no other DJ could trump you in a battle. So you played a hot tune, the next DJ played a remix of the hot tune, you pulled out an unrealeased private version of that tune recorded just for you. This helped make the crowds know what was coming next season to the radio. Because if the crowds went wild then you knew the track was likely to be a success for the none party going crowd.

In the US I used to be amazed by DJ Cash Money. If you don't know look up one of his sets on Youtube. He was the creator of the alternator scratch. Jazzy Jeff gets credit for it but it was Cash. They settled the dispute years later at FootWork a now legendary spot that was short lived in the 90's owned by my close friend Rich Medina (DJ Big Rich)
If you want to hear how parties used to be rocked please do yourself a favor and look up DJ Ghetto. He was robbed in a now infamous DMC DJ contest. Ghetto was the best DJ I ever knew.
Cheers,
Ian

That's Boogie Blind. Must have been a VERY off night.

mastasteez wrote:Cheers big Tag. I have it set quite light to give the best sound but I obviously have to be more careful when practicing cutting in. The sound is not pleasant at all when set any closer than midway. I'm sure Qbert's set up doesn't sound anything like why mine does when set up how he has his.

Sounds like it could be your cartridge choice, what you rocking on the turntable? I remember you saying but I can't remember Also I assume you got the bass eq turned down on your mixer to avoid the horrible bass rumble sound you get when your scratching. Also have you messed about turning the mid and treble eq down? As some cartridges are harsher then others sound wise

CHOPFYT wrote:Maybe he was having an off day but he def threw the crowd some duds

Seen Boogie Blind twice live on his own and once when he was apart of the X-Ecutioners and he was spot on, so I'm guessing it was a off day.

Ian Canefire wrote:If you want to hear how parties used to be rocked please do yourself a favor and look up DJ Ghetto. He was robbed in a now infamous DMC DJ contest.

Do you know if he released any mixtapes back in the day Ian? Was 11 when I saw my first DMC VHS and the DJ Ghetto set blew my mind.

Yeah I guess so...to be fair i probly had a can and a smoke too many by the time they got on

Best way to go to live gigs Chopfyt

I got out long ago because I knew I was`nt good enough to ever win a DMC battle.LOL

Good topic,made me think of when I had a pair of MK 1210`s BLACK joints.My dumb a$$ sold them after a breakup and I never got another pair.I got a cheap Gemini direct drive with one foot missing,pitch knob missing.LOL I use it for sampling/listening to vinyl.

Got all these doubles of vinyl clogging up the crib.I keep holding out hope that I will get two cheap turntables and a mixer and re-live my glory days.

Long live the DJ!!! especially when he has all the skills under his belt.

S.I.C.K THE DRUMGOD wrote:I keep holding out hope that I will get two cheap turntables and a mixer and re-live my glory days

What do you have in mind?

^^^
Let the laughter ensue.LOL

This is yours truly around 89.Peep the gheri curl cap and DEMON ATTACK poster in the background.LOL

As you can see I actually lived this culture from day one.

@TAG

I`m content making beats when I get some money to burn I will reach out about a affordable set up.

Edi..t it probably was around 86-87 because the Real Roxanne is in the picture.

@ S.I.C.K. that pic gives you much B-boy street cred.
Biggup!

CaneFire

Ian Canefire wrote:@ S.I.C.K. that pic gives you much B-boy street cred.
Biggup!

CaneFire

^^^
Self Ether at it`s finest.LOL Once I piss some weirdo off,this pic will be used against me.But I`m ready for it though.

Everybody was wack growing up at some point.But the love of music was always there.

That would make a dope cover of a tape!