When I started DJing I used vinyl. Loved (still love) every thing about it. From digging, dusty fingers, the smell of the sleeves, local record shops, dropping the needle, finding the right groove, cueing/ mixing by ear. I was at first against using Serato. I felt like it never taught anybody who used it first before vinyl. I've had friends who used it when they started, but didn't know where the 1st, 2nd, or 5th song on a record album would be. Really bugged me. I now use Serato with a controller. If I could afford another turntable and Scratch Live or Serato DJ I would to keep it as close to vinyl as possible. I have no problem with using digital now. I learned everything I needed to know from vinyl. Used to do gigs with vinyl too. All sorts of fun but tiring as hell. If you want to start DJing/ turntablism. Go with vinyl first. Like with what every body else said before. It teaches you many things. After that I could care less what you use. Learn the history, the roots, the stuggle, the skills of DJing. The history is etched in the grooves.
Vinyl sounds live and pure its that true sound of music crisp and clear. I just did a party two days ago and brang all my vinyl the people were amazed and loved it the sound carried out excellent. The reason why i love vinyl is beacause its that original authentic sound that truly speaks to your soul. But all n all no matter what form music is played on. if it sounds good and is making everyone feel good thats all that matters, music comes in many different forms always respect it.
I love the sound of vinyl, but when you’re playing out you do want to make sure that you can soundcheck and that there’s an engineer who knows how to set the system up for your vinyl. Most places are so used to digital that their system is set up for digital and that can be horrible for a vinyl DJ. I remember when I was still on real vinyl and I had to play a lot of sets between DJs who all played on (the first) CDJs and most times my sound would suffer enormously.
Tons of new music coming out of vinyl everyday. My wallet can't keep up. I don't see any reason to play anything but wax, but that's just because I enjoy it so much and love to keep the old school methods alive. Big up DJ TLM!!
You're so right man, so damn right! Musical Knowledge, skills, creativity, originality & flavor! Many people just can't get that. djTLMtv you're the man!
My point is: if you feel that using vinyl is what you want to do, just do it! Don't knock other people for using other equipment. I do agree that it's important for new DJ's to know (and respect) the history and if people want to get into turntablism i will always tell them to start with turntables. My favorite weapon is the turntable, but i choose to use it with serato scratch live because i also love new technology.
I've been djing over 12 years, and DJed on all types of systems, I love technology... and i love the comfort in knowing i can go into ANY club and not be afraid of if they have a midi controller, cdjs, turntables, serato or combination and i can still get down. It's like you said @djTLM it's all about great music, creativity and skills -
Nice to see a video of this topic! I've a big passion for collecting Vinyls. The feeling of holding your music in hand and can handle it however you want is incredible for me. So in my way mixing with vinyl is a great way to work with my vinylcollection. Every Vinylset is an own project. In addition I love to see spinning vinyls. :-)
I agree. You can use the technology to become more creative, if you're a good DJ. If you're not a good DJ the technology can only help you to mix tracks
I'm a Hip Hop DJ and there's a lot of good music being released that's not available on vinyl. Did you say that you press your own vinyl? That's dope! But the 'new music' argument is just one of the reasons i choose to use serato. I love the fact that it allows me to take advantage of the newer technology. I can still DJ with turntables AND i can use cue points, loops, effects, samples and all that good stuff.
I do feel that you can tell the difference between a DJ who learned to DJ the traditional way and DJ's who learned started with the new technology. They are the ones who get real creative with the new tech. It can get confusing with genres (and 100000 sub genres) nowadays so i try to avoid thinking in genres and just look for music i like
I need to check out london again! Keep digging in the crates. It's one of the best things about vinyl. Whenever i get the chance to do it i spend a couple of hours in one of the little record stores we have left and search for classic soul and funk joints. Sometimes i find some amazing Hip Hop classics too.
I have used absolutely every medium. I began on turntables and a mixer, and then went to midi, then tried CD players (CDJ 2000Nexus), and now I'm using a DVS (Traktor Scratch). It's truly whatever you prefer. There are small differences in layouts and functionality between Traktor and Serato, but none of them are better or worse than the other.
Bro I’m still on vinyl for me it’s my preference.I love it it’s my passion I’m old an school dj ..My younger brother he loves his serato stuff that’s all good I’m amazed what technology has done.I respect all DJ’s no matter what the use, just don’t like the ones who play for fame!! You can see the dj’d who play with passion and those who don’t. Two weeks ago I played an all Vinyl gig and it people where amazed at seeing a dj use vinyl sure made me feel good and see happy people enjoying!
I AGREE WITH YOU MY MAN; IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MAN (DJ). ONE KEY REASON KEEPING THE TEMPO GOING, IF YOUR NOT A GOOD DJ YOU WILL BOMB THE PARTY; IF THE TEMPO DROPS THE MOOD OF THE PARTY WILL DROP TOO. YES THE COMPUTER HELPS YOU, BUT IF YOU PICK THE WRONG SONGS, WRONG TEMPOS, WRONG VERSIONS, MUNCHKINIZE THE VOCALS, THE MIX WILL BOMB AND THE DANCE FLOOR WILL CLEAR (BAD DJ)
@Gamtal That's the beauty of systems like serato. Turntable DJ's like myself now have the same technical options as the CD DJ's (cue points, loops, effects, sampler, etc) and we don't have to carry all those crates anymore! :)
@civicdoc True, when it comes to rocking a party it's all about track selection and connecting with your crowd, but i do feel that adding a little turntablism here and there can take 'party rocking' to the next level. And it's mostly the (former) turntable DJ's who have the turntablism skills
@djKingSoloNY I agree 100% I think the turntable is fundamental for beat juggling and heavy turntablism. I know a couple of DJ's who can beat juggle with CDJ's and they all started with turntables. If you just want to mix and do a little bit of scratching, you can start with any type of equipment, but if you really want to go all out with turntablism i reccomend starting with turntables. The only thing out now that comes real close to feeling like a real turntable is the Numark NS7 (and V7)
I don't agree, but understand where you're coming from, but even if you look at it as "replacing skills with tech", that is still only the beatmatching part of it and DJ'ing is so much more than beatmatching. That still leaves you room to show that you are a better DJ by having a better track selection, knowing when you should switch songs, reading the crowd better and maybe add a little bit of turntablism. You can't make the laptop do that.
Most people don't even know which equipment the DJ is using. They are interested in the result, in other words, the set itself. Therefore it doesn't matter how you will do the "job", as long as you delivery a good result to the crowd.
This subject reminds me of the age old argument in the auto enthusiast community, automatic or manual transmission. Automatics now days can shift faster and accelerate better than manuals but there is something about rowing your own gears in a manual transmission that give you that extra connection to the car. Thats how I feel about vanilla, but with the new technology djs can do so much more, but I still love watching a DJ mixing amd scratching with vynil, swapping records and all. Takes alot of physical work and stamina to do that, but I also can't ignore some of the crazy things that can be done with this digital technology either, amd no matter what you use, you still have to know how to time the 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and parts of each song so it transitions smoothly so the "groove isn't interrupted and the people dancing have to get back in step to the beat. Whether you use digital or vinyl you still have to know that amd nail the timing just right. It's an art amd I respect either format even though I have a soft spot for vynil. Same with a car, you still have to know how to drive because it won't drive itself for the most part lol.
Thanks for getting back! I just realized I don't often go to clubs but when I do I hear the familiar tricks and tweeks but online and buying mix cds from mainstream trance, progressive house types such as Global Underground they do nothing with the music but go from one to the next.
I hear ya... Me personally, I will always lug my vinyls around. I just downsize some of them, and put more tracks on cd's. Can neva do that laptop thing. You also gotta check out Sven Vath...Guy ONLY spins with records, and travels worldwide. Spinning for 100,000 fans. Amazing, I respect dj's that spin analog still like Vath, Gareth Emery, Armin Van Buuren, Eddie Halliwell, Danny Krivit and I even respect Carl Cox, He does laptop small events. Huge events... vinyl & cd's. Ya gotta keep it real!
You pretty much hit the nail in the head. The equipment doesn't make the DJ, the DJ makes the equipment. The only thing I can say is that I do know of some "new" artists that do press their stuff on vinyl, and I love them for it haha. But definately, it's all about YOU and the skills YOU bring to the table. 100%.
You don't think Serato and Traktor vinyl simulation is good? Most turntablists seem to be able to do just about all the tricks and techniques with their control vinyl that they could do with 'normal' vinyl. It feels pretty good to me too
The reason so many people who use vinyl and even people who use cdj's nowadays say you're not keepin it "real" if you use a midi controller is for the simple fact they've used that technology for the duration of their dj career and don't wanna change because their comfortable with it. As you said being a good dj is all about skills, musical knowledge, creativity n originality, and that don't come on a laptop or a midi controller.
You made a good point. I used to carry about 8 very large crates of vinyl until someone stole my turntable setup. Thats when I switched over to using cds. Then later I decided to use a dj program. Started with mixmeister that does all the mixing and blending for you but that got boring. Then I decided to do more research to see what all the other djs were doing. I settled on traktor. I now have a pair of cortex hdtt 5000 digital turntables. I really like them. Almost like real turhtables.
For me I use Serato Itch with a Numark NS7. I used to do vinyl but with digital, I don't have to carrry around all those crates. More convenant plus I don't care what people say, it still takes skill to do all the tricks. Original to Digital DJ's know this. What we use still gives the feel for vinyl. Just don't have to flip them. Looking forward to your tutorials. I learn alot from just what you do now.
@CLUBBER1969 Yeah, if you use Serato from a turntablist/DJ perspective it's just a tool that allows you to still use turntables, but at the same time be able to compete with the cd and laptop dj's (because now you also have the cue points and loops and more tracks). DJ Premier, Jazzy Jeff, Cash Money and turntablists like the X-ecutioners have been using Serato now for a couple of years too. It makes no sense to travel the world with crates of records anymore
When it comes down to listening to music, i love to listen to music while driving in a car with a good system. So in that case it would be a CD or USB drive. I would always prefer wav, but a good MP3 will do. Albums do have the 'warmer' sound and if i'm at home i also listen to music on vinyl,
great to see you back djTLM... you really are one of the most creative DJ's on youtube... im using traktor scratch duo and im really stepping my game up because i watched you and other DVS djs that are rippin the shit out of it... im 24 now, i bought my first DVS 3 years ago, i did not have the money when i was younger to buy myself a couple of TT's and a whole bunch of vinyl, even though i wanted, so i just lived with the times and bought what i could afford at the time. tnx for the vids,peace
In regards to the crashing I agree completely. A properly setup DVS system shouldn't crash especially if its a respectable program such as Traktor or Serato. With Macs you can pretty much plug and play and never experience a crash. PCs require a bit of tuning before you use a DVS system. I run a latency monitor to check my CPU usage if I DJ with a mac. If your CPU usage is to high you could experience audio drop outs or potentially a crash.
That's a bold statement right there buddy. I said: "All the new music that's coming out nowadays is not being released on vinyl. Back in the days everything was released on vinyl, DJ's got their vinyl promos before the official release and it was all good. If i wanna play new music, it's not gonna be on vinyl, cause it's not being pressed. Record labels are not spending money on pressing promos when they can just send you an email with the new stuff"
I love how honest you are keeping it... Even though you are a Scratch DJ. Myself I am a Wedding DJ so scratching is not all that called for unless it is your speciailty... Thanks for keeping it real....
I never regarded myself as a dj, I had two turntables, a mixer and a nice setup, but I enjoyed collecting the vinyl, it just made sense to have a setup to go with it. However recently I started taking the turntablism aspect more seriously, and so I bought the Traktor A6.
I've been there too with carrying heavy crates of vinyl. I used to carry 9 large crates of records then I changed to cds when my turntables got jacked from my apartment when I was out of town. I now own 2 midi controllers. a vci 300mk2 and a numark 4trak. I like them both because I can be proficient on both serato and traktor. Technology is amazing because all of my music is on my that I have is on my external hard drive which is equivalent to the 9 crates of records.
Yo! DJ TLM , ur one of the few DJs that talk it straight!! THE crowd dont care one bit wat the heck u using as long as their dancing n rock ing to the beat ur THE BOSS!!!
@fredxable It all depends on what you want from your equipment. Are you happy with your vci-300? Is it missing certain functions that you would like to have on a controller? These are things to think about.
You can buy some new music on vinyl, but a lot of the Hip Hop and R&B i play just isn't released on vinyl. A scratch DJ doesn't need a lot of records to do a showcase, but i'm a club DJ so i do need a lot of music. Of course i've seen DST cut up Rockit. That scratch break was the inspiration for a lot of the great turntablists. That's classic. To me, the turntable is #1, but i don't judge a persons ability by looking at his equipment. It's all about skills, selection & creativity.
TLM YOUR ARE THE MAN! Just got into your vids and I feel I've been missing out. On the topic, I'm a vinyl head! Been spinning for 4 yrs mostly in the bedroom. Haven't gigged much so carrying crates and crates hasn't been much of an issue for me. I have often played for 2 hours and 80 12" serve me just fine and it's a nice little work out. But I have serato also and looking into picking up a MIDI controller (options should be a DJs best friend). I'm not knocking the tech. Play on playaz.
i'm new to djing and i agree u. i'm old school i used to mix cassettes back when there wasn't cds. but mixing is nothing new to me the new technology is tho, now i see dj's with laptops and that to me blew my mind when i seen that. people need to realize it's a new era and these kids coming up now don't know about vinyl records they only know about cd's ipods ect. these kids are going to use new technology not the old. me i want to learn both old and new styles of djing. i have two stanton 30's turntables and a radioshack 4 ch, mixer that i found at a pawn shop. right now it's for learning and practicing, mixing is my thing the one thing i didn't forget is how to beatmatch songs so thats a plus for me. but i say do u. (old or new ).
I DJ with reggae & dub on vinyl, i buy mostly represses but some originals. I feel that with this genre of music it is important to keep the vinyl alive, not only because music of this genre is repressed a lot, but also because it is where, in my opinion, the vinyl craze started. I agree that it is wise to look after vinyl if you have a lot of originals and duplates, however, with represses being available more and more, it is a good prompt to carry on using vinyl. CONTINUED...
Bro, I really appreciate your humble spirit to take the time to make these very informative and detailed videos. It's really helped me as I'm fairly new to the DJ scene. Much RESPECT Dj TML!!!...
@TheRealPrimeXample You mean the Kontrol S4 right? Haven't tried it, but it did have some dope functions! Once again, it all depends on what functions you're looking for. The S4 uses traktor and you're using traktor now so that's an easy transition for you
THATS B/S!!! I Use NS7 because it the most like the Technics and Crates. I say that because there are soooo many chooses for every one weather they are old or new DJ'd. speaking of crates, 1 Square full crates of vinyl weighs about 50- 75lbs. i was caring 4 to 5 crates to a gig. not to mention if you had to flight to another city $$$ in shipping both ways. my laptop is under 7lbs. and i carry ALL MY music. NO-Brainer!!! evolve or die like the dinosaurs.
A very wise man, I love vinyl for its feel & sound, it makes your music seem like more. in many ways it cant be beaten, your tunes aren't just files on a pc that seem to have no substance. but cdj's & virtual Vinyl programs open up new possibilities for creativeness,
Big up djTLM from Hungary!!! I personally use the Numark Mixtrack Pro with Traktor and all I can say it was the best and cheapest solution to get into actual "digital scratching" and mixing. (Yes this is my actual first set,)
@NoEgg4u My DJ set (at home) was plugged in to my Focusrite Saffire Pro-10, but it died a couple of weeks ago. I'm getting a Focusrite Scarlet 8i6 asap. I record mixes with Cubase. If i'm just converting i use Adobe Audition. I save the files as wav (16 or 24 bit) or mp3 (44.1, 320kbps). Even though good vinyl has a more organic, warmer sound it doesn't matter. 99% of the people in the club would not notice the difference. We're dealing with people who download their music from TH-cam ;)
Imagine this: DJ 1 has totally prepared his set at home, so every record in his crate has been placed in the right order. He has the bpm written on the sleeves of his vinyl. He plays his set without checking the crowd & they don't really feel his set. Now it's my turn. I put my Serato vinyl on the turntables, i do a freestyle set, read the crowd during every track to see if they like what i'm selecting, i add some turntablism & kill it. Are you going to have more respect for DJ 1?
A dj is a dj. It’s just like the music industry. I love old school because it’s what I grew up on and some of the new stuff from my generation. Regardless a dj should be able to use what he/she wants to play music/perform. Technology is growing. I love using my turntables, but I get sick of having to buy new needles. I’m probably gonna end up getting a pair of cdjs soon or look into that phase hardware.
i agree with you brother! i started with a pioneer SR to get the hang of it and recently i bought a stanton t62 and a behringer mixer, this way i use a turntable in one chanell and my controller as a kind of cdj plugged into another chanell of the behringer mixer. what do you think? i want to learn how to vynil beat match and maybe in the future scratching. (im a house and techno dj)
I use my vinyl for home use and partys for friends ect because it gives off a warmer feel for me but I agree if your playing a club go digital because you don't have all the worry with needles breaking jumping the vinyl you can loop sertain sections of songs and all these things so I vote vinyl for home use and small sociable events and digital for bigger events peace x
@wavejumpinseadoo It all depends on how you treat your vinyl. Some DJ's would throw their vinyl around during their sets and would end up with a big pile of records on top of each other with no sleeves. Your vinyl won't like that ;) Scratching will wear your vinyl down, but it also depends on the kind of needle you use and how much you scratch with the same part of the record. A simple scratch with a good needle won't destroy your vinyl that quick
Respect man !, ik draaide vroeger altijd met vinyl maar ben sinds kort ook overgestapt op timecode. Zeer tevreden van en je hebt nog altijd de vinyl feeling.
"Skills,musical knowledge,creativity, originality-none of that can be found in a lap top. A real DJ is not defined by the equipment he uses." I LIKE this guy !!!!!
This may only apply to this genre of music because i still don't see much American hip-hop repressed, only some UK hip-hop. But it is always something you can take pride in, and make a name for yourself with at clubs when you play a vinyl which is rare, original, really good, and hasn't been repressed, you can RULE the dance. This side of the concept of vinyl is where i feel it is much more important in the underground music scene.
@CLUBBER1969 So just to clear things up; i DJ with turntables and Serato Scratch Live or with a controller (like my NS7) and Serato Itch. Is that what you mean when you're talking about "laptop DJ's"?
Started with cdjs ..cant get on with digital ...just started collecting early house music on vinyl and really enjoy the process of actually buying a physical product and seein it, holding it..puttin the needle on the record .the list goes on . Now i cant wait to learn how to match the records together and already considering looking to buy some technics decks once ive sold my cdjs ....i think iam old school and apreciate the art form of dj ing with vinyl , theres just something special about vinyl in my opinion . Or may be i should be movin with the times ......na not for me ....big respect to you by the way your videoes are superb ...ive learn a lot !!!
Some of it, but a lot isn't. I tested a whole list of new songs i have and amazon had almost none of them. Prices were kinda crazy too. I saw 12's for 12 dollars and that does not include shipping to Amsterdam! Back in the days i would go to the record store every saturday for the new imports and i would receive the promo's from the labels. The record stores are all gone and the labels are not pressing the promo's. At least not here in The Netherlands.
The jogs on the current Native Instruments controllers (Kontrol S2+S4) are apparently really good for scratch manipulation, along with the current ver of Traktor Pro. I own an S2 but don't have the vinyl background to judge it myself, and I'm not all that in to scratching.
Yes, anybody can DJ with a laptop nowadays. I've been to parties (weddings, house parties, etc) where that's all the DJ uses. I've even lost gigs to DJs that only use laptop because they have lower the prices so much that I can't compete with them. Most people don't care about the equipment you use. They care about the music and about how much it's gonna cost them.
I've only been DJing for 4 years now, and my opinion on the vinyl vs. digital debate is that a DJ should start out using vinyl. It teaches you to beatmatch without having a visual aid(like Serato), however, once you have that down you could then use a program like Serato. The thing that's important is that if you are to have a crash or malfunction you have a back up so you aren't standing there looking like an idiot in front of a crowd of people.
@CLUBBER1969 Yup, that's my collection. I agree 100% that people who want to get into the whole DJ thing take the time to study the art, but i believe everyone should choose the equipment that feels the most comfortable to them. I won't judge anyone on their equipment, but rather on their set. Because that's what counts.
So, it you didn't have to worry about carrying any equipment or records, etc., for your own listening pleasure, which media would be your choice, digital or LP and why?
I would love to still get vinyl, but honestly, stuff becomes impossible to find, or like TLM is saying, it just not pressed anymore. I'm using Serato and I've got no complaints. Plus, you've got instant doubles without the cost. Ted Twis
What hardware are you using to convert your old vinyl to digital? What file format are you using for the digital file? What sampling rate and bit rate are you using? . I assume you are aware that vinyl pressings (if you stumble across a pressing done right) sound superior to digital? . But I agree with you not wanting to carry crates of records.
I started out on Vinyl back in the early 90s on Technics 1800s, however, its was hard back then to get all the music on vinyl unless you lived a big as city. I'm a straight DVS on Turntables and Serato is like a third hand. I can do on Vinyl what I can do DVS. I still do not look at controller djs the same though. Maybe it will come with time. Love video TLM!
I use a midi controller to DJ, but I have mapped buttons so that I can use one ofthe faders as a "jog wheel" and I have a slider for pitch control. I have my software just show the "library" so I am essentially syncing "analog" since I'm just using my ears
And your point about laptops crashing isn't that strong either. Yes, a laptop could crash, but if you treat your equipment right it will not happen that easy. It happened to me once in 7 or 8 years! I played with real vinyl for over 12 years before i started using a dvs (final scratch and then serato) so i think i can decide for myself what would be the "better way to go" (for me).
Exactly what I was thinking, I mean it is not like you could listen to vinyl when you are jogging even if you wanted to, right? =) I am definitely going to upgrade my record player as I get more into it as the base model I got will probably not sound much better than the one with the bird in Flintstones cartoon. Thanks for the feedback!
@CLUBBER1969 Between 1998 and 2004 i visited Fat Beats, Beat Street (my favorite) and a couple of other NY stores as much as possible, but i live in Amsterdam so it wasn't the cheapest trip :) To be honest, most of the house DJ's i know use the cdj's, but none of them use cd's. They prepare their sets with Pioneer Rekordbox and either bring a usb drive or an sd card or use serato and i can't blame them. It's easier to find your music and add tracks to your sets and you don't waste cdr's
I see where you are coming from. Quality is important. I just don't agree with you that new music sucks. Yes, there's a lot of bad shit being released, but (in my opinion) there's also a lot of good music coming out. Funny that you mention Kurtis Blow (legend!). Digging and finding vinyl is always fun. I was his DJ last weekend when he did a show here in The Netherlands with Kurtis Blow JR (his son). They brought the music for their show on a usb drive and i played it with serato.
@djTLM Thats true that alot of music isnt released on vinyl. If I,m in the record store and I tell them I need a certain record. They order it for me and i have it with in a couple days. The owners of the record store that I go to are very serious about their vinyl, and keep people coming back.
That's what's up! To all DJ's joining the discussion; let us know what you use. For me it's Serato Scratch Live with turntables and Serato Itch with a Numark NS7
Big up TLM, i've been a fan since I saw your first NS7 video. I too have the NS7FX but i'm considering switching to the Pioneer DDJ-t1 b/c Serato is pretty much standing still. There hasn't been an update to itch for the NS7 in months and personally I need 4 decks and more effects. Hopefully, you'll get your hands on a DDJ-T1 and share your thoughts.
After years of lugging around heavy ass technics turntables with cases and crates of records.... then lugging around just the heavy turntables when serato came out...Im about to make it even easier for myself....Im buying the Pioneer DDJSX.You're right. I could not care less about what haters have to say about my transition or the "realness" of it. I am keeping it real. REAL SMART. ADAPT OR...BREAK YOUR BACK. lol
When I started DJing I used vinyl. Loved (still love) every thing about it. From digging, dusty fingers, the smell of the sleeves, local record shops, dropping the needle, finding the right groove, cueing/ mixing by ear. I was at first against using Serato. I felt like it never taught anybody who used it first before vinyl. I've had friends who used it when they started, but didn't know where the 1st, 2nd, or 5th song on a record album would be. Really bugged me. I now use Serato with a controller. If I could afford another turntable and Scratch Live or Serato DJ I would to keep it as close to vinyl as possible. I have no problem with using digital now. I learned everything I needed to know from vinyl. Used to do gigs with vinyl too. All sorts of fun but tiring as hell. If you want to start DJing/ turntablism. Go with vinyl first. Like with what every body else said before. It teaches you many things. After that I could care less what you use. Learn the history, the roots, the stuggle, the skills of DJing. The history is etched in the grooves.
Vinyl sounds live and pure its that true sound of music crisp and clear. I just did a party two days ago and brang all my vinyl the people were amazed and loved it the sound carried out excellent. The reason why i love vinyl is beacause its that original authentic sound that truly speaks to your soul. But all n all no matter what form music is played on. if it sounds good and is making everyone feel good thats all that matters, music comes in many different forms always respect it.
I love the sound of vinyl, but when you’re playing out you do want to make sure that you can soundcheck and that there’s an engineer who knows how to set the system up for your vinyl. Most places are so used to digital that their system is set up for digital and that can be horrible for a vinyl DJ. I remember when I was still on real vinyl and I had to play a lot of sets between DJs who all played on (the first) CDJs and most times my sound would suffer enormously.
Tons of new music coming out of vinyl everyday. My wallet can't keep up. I don't see any reason to play anything but wax, but that's just because I enjoy it so much and love to keep the old school methods alive. Big up DJ TLM!!
You're so right man, so damn right! Musical Knowledge, skills, creativity, originality & flavor! Many people just can't get that. djTLMtv you're the man!
My point is: if you feel that using vinyl is what you want to do, just do it! Don't knock other people for using other equipment. I do agree that it's important for new DJ's to know (and respect) the history and if people want to get into turntablism i will always tell them to start with turntables. My favorite weapon is the turntable, but i choose to use it with serato scratch live because i also love new technology.
"I'm doing this for me & not for you..."
Truer words have never been spoken.
Yes, it's all about having fun so do what feels best for you!
I've been djing over 12 years, and DJed on all types of systems, I love technology... and i love the comfort in knowing i can go into ANY club and not be afraid of if they have a midi controller, cdjs, turntables, serato or combination and i can still get down.
It's like you said @djTLM it's all about great music, creativity and skills -
Nice to see a video of this topic! I've a big passion for collecting Vinyls. The feeling of holding your music in hand and can handle it however you want is incredible for me. So in my way mixing with vinyl is a great way to work with my vinylcollection. Every Vinylset is an own project. In addition I love to see spinning vinyls. :-)
I agree. You can use the technology to become more creative, if you're a good DJ. If you're not a good DJ the technology can only help you to mix tracks
You are right. You should never feel you have to impress old heads by using turntables. Only do it if you feel it would help you become a better DJ.
You can use any genre for scratching. It's all about finding the right sounds to scratch
"I could probably bust they ass when it comes to vinyl!" Love it TLM!
I'm a Hip Hop DJ and there's a lot of good music being released that's not available on vinyl. Did you say that you press your own vinyl? That's dope! But the 'new music' argument is just one of the reasons i choose to use serato. I love the fact that it allows me to take advantage of the newer technology. I can still DJ with turntables AND i can use cue points, loops, effects, samples and all that good stuff.
I do feel that you can tell the difference between a DJ who learned to DJ the traditional way and DJ's who learned started with the new technology. They are the ones who get real creative with the new tech.
It can get confusing with genres (and 100000 sub genres) nowadays so i try to avoid thinking in genres and just look for music i like
I will also add... knowing how to read a crowd, program music On-the-Fly or for a pre-programed set.@TLM- Keep the knowledge coming.
I need to check out london again! Keep digging in the crates. It's one of the best things about vinyl. Whenever i get the chance to do it i spend a couple of hours in one of the little record stores we have left and search for classic soul and funk joints. Sometimes i find some amazing Hip Hop classics too.
I have used absolutely every medium. I began on turntables and a mixer, and then went to midi, then tried CD players (CDJ 2000Nexus), and now I'm using a DVS (Traktor Scratch). It's truly whatever you prefer.
There are small differences in layouts and functionality between Traktor and Serato, but none of them are better or worse than the other.
i think the one advantage of vinyl over digital is the sound quality its sounds warmer, especially is the music has live interments
Bro I’m still on vinyl for me it’s my preference.I love it it’s my passion I’m old an school dj ..My younger brother he loves his serato stuff that’s all good I’m amazed what technology has done.I respect all DJ’s no matter what the use, just don’t like the ones who play for fame!! You can see the dj’d who play with passion and those who don’t.
Two weeks ago I played an all
Vinyl gig and it people where amazed at seeing a dj use vinyl sure made me feel good and see happy people enjoying!
I AGREE WITH YOU MY MAN; IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MAN (DJ). ONE KEY REASON KEEPING THE TEMPO GOING, IF YOUR NOT A GOOD DJ YOU WILL BOMB THE PARTY; IF THE TEMPO DROPS THE MOOD OF THE PARTY WILL DROP TOO. YES THE COMPUTER HELPS YOU, BUT IF YOU PICK THE WRONG SONGS, WRONG TEMPOS, WRONG VERSIONS, MUNCHKINIZE THE VOCALS, THE MIX WILL BOMB AND THE DANCE FLOOR WILL CLEAR (BAD DJ)
That's a personal choice. Both systems are very good, but they have their own 'style' so you should really test both
That is still one of my favorite facts. All tracks double without the cost
@Gamtal That's the beauty of systems like serato. Turntable DJ's like myself now have the same technical options as the CD DJ's (cue points, loops, effects, sampler, etc) and we don't have to carry all those crates anymore! :)
@civicdoc True, when it comes to rocking a party it's all about track selection and connecting with your crowd, but i do feel that adding a little turntablism here and there can take 'party rocking' to the next level. And it's mostly the (former) turntable DJ's who have the turntablism skills
@djKingSoloNY I agree 100% I think the turntable is fundamental for beat juggling and heavy turntablism. I know a couple of DJ's who can beat juggle with CDJ's and they all started with turntables.
If you just want to mix and do a little bit of scratching, you can start with any type of equipment, but if you really want to go all out with turntablism i reccomend starting with turntables. The only thing out now that comes real close to feeling like a real turntable is the Numark NS7 (and V7)
I don't agree, but understand where you're coming from, but even if you look at it as "replacing skills with tech", that is still only the beatmatching part of it and DJ'ing is so much more than beatmatching.
That still leaves you room to show that you are a better DJ by having a better track selection, knowing when you should switch songs, reading the crowd better and maybe add a little bit of turntablism. You can't make the laptop do that.
Most people don't even know which equipment the DJ is using. They are interested in the result, in other words, the set itself. Therefore it doesn't matter how you will do the "job", as long as you delivery a good result to the crowd.
This subject reminds me of the age old argument in the auto enthusiast community, automatic or manual transmission. Automatics now days can shift faster and accelerate better than manuals but there is something about rowing your own gears in a manual transmission that give you that extra connection to the car. Thats how I feel about vanilla, but with the new technology djs can do so much more, but I still love watching a DJ mixing amd scratching with vynil, swapping records and all. Takes alot of physical work and stamina to do that, but I also can't ignore some of the crazy things that can be done with this digital technology either, amd no matter what you use, you still have to know how to time the 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and parts of each song so it transitions smoothly so the "groove isn't interrupted and the people dancing have to get back in step to the beat. Whether you use digital or vinyl you still have to know that amd nail the timing just right. It's an art amd I respect either format even though I have a soft spot for vynil. Same with a car, you still have to know how to drive because it won't drive itself for the most part lol.
Thanks for getting back! I just realized I don't often go to clubs but when I do I hear the familiar tricks and tweeks but online and buying mix cds from mainstream trance, progressive house types such as Global Underground they do nothing with the music but go from one to the next.
I hear ya... Me personally, I will always lug my vinyls around. I just downsize some of them, and put more tracks on cd's. Can neva do that laptop thing. You also gotta check out Sven Vath...Guy ONLY spins with records, and travels worldwide. Spinning for 100,000 fans. Amazing, I respect dj's that spin analog still like Vath, Gareth Emery, Armin Van Buuren, Eddie Halliwell, Danny Krivit and I even respect Carl Cox, He does laptop small events. Huge events... vinyl & cd's. Ya gotta keep it real!
You pretty much hit the nail in the head. The equipment doesn't make the DJ, the DJ makes the equipment. The only thing I can say is that I do know of some "new" artists that do press their stuff on vinyl, and I love them for it haha. But definately, it's all about YOU and the skills YOU bring to the table. 100%.
You don't think Serato and Traktor vinyl simulation is good? Most turntablists seem to be able to do just about all the tricks and techniques with their control vinyl that they could do with 'normal' vinyl. It feels pretty good to me too
I'm new to the game of digital DJing and it's good to see this video from a pro like yourself... Thanks for the motivation!
from 1:45 to 2:44 is the realest talk you will ever hear!!!! Word up!!!!
The reason so many people who use vinyl and even people who use cdj's nowadays say you're not keepin it "real" if you use a midi controller is for the simple fact they've used that technology for the duration of their dj career and don't wanna change because their comfortable with it. As you said being a good dj is all about skills, musical knowledge, creativity n originality, and that don't come on a laptop or a midi controller.
You made a good point. I used to carry about 8 very large crates of vinyl until someone stole my turntable setup. Thats when I switched over to using cds. Then later I decided to use a dj program. Started with mixmeister that does all the mixing and blending for you but that got boring. Then I decided to do more research to see what all the other djs were doing. I settled on traktor. I now have a pair of cortex hdtt 5000 digital turntables. I really like them. Almost like real turhtables.
I like you're explanation. I'm a old DJ using vynil. Thanks for keeping real!
For me I use Serato Itch with a Numark NS7. I used to do vinyl but with digital, I don't have to carrry around all those crates. More convenant plus I don't care what people say, it still takes skill to do all the tricks. Original to Digital DJ's know this. What we use still gives the feel for vinyl. Just don't have to flip them. Looking forward to your tutorials. I learn alot from just what you do now.
@CLUBBER1969 Yeah, if you use Serato from a turntablist/DJ perspective it's just a tool that allows you to still use turntables, but at the same time be able to compete with the cd and laptop dj's (because now you also have the cue points and loops and more tracks). DJ Premier, Jazzy Jeff, Cash Money and turntablists like the X-ecutioners have been using Serato now for a couple of years too. It makes no sense to travel the world with crates of records anymore
When it comes down to listening to music, i love to listen to music while driving in a car with a good system. So in that case it would be a CD or USB drive. I would always prefer wav, but a good MP3 will do. Albums do have the 'warmer' sound and if i'm at home i also listen to music on vinyl,
great to see you back djTLM... you really are one of the most creative DJ's on youtube... im using traktor scratch duo and im really stepping my game up because i watched you and other DVS djs that are rippin the shit out of it... im 24 now, i bought my first DVS 3 years ago, i did not have the money when i was younger to buy myself a couple of TT's and a whole bunch of vinyl, even though i wanted, so i just lived with the times and bought what i could afford at the time. tnx for the vids,peace
In regards to the crashing I agree completely. A properly setup DVS system shouldn't crash especially if its a respectable program such as Traktor or Serato. With Macs you can pretty much plug and play and never experience a crash. PCs require a bit of tuning before you use a DVS system. I run a latency monitor to check my CPU usage if I DJ with a mac. If your CPU usage is to high you could experience audio drop outs or potentially a crash.
That's a bold statement right there buddy. I said:
"All the new music that's coming out nowadays is not being released on vinyl. Back in the days everything was released on vinyl, DJ's got their vinyl promos before the official release and it was all good. If i wanna play new music, it's not gonna be on vinyl, cause it's not being pressed. Record labels are not spending money on pressing promos when they can just send you an email with the new stuff"
I love how honest you are keeping it... Even though you are a Scratch DJ. Myself I am a Wedding DJ so scratching is not all that called for unless it is your speciailty... Thanks for keeping it real....
I never regarded myself as a dj, I had two turntables, a mixer and a nice setup, but I enjoyed collecting the vinyl, it just made sense to have a setup to go with it. However recently I started taking the turntablism aspect more seriously, and so I bought the Traktor A6.
I've been there too with carrying heavy crates of vinyl. I used to carry 9 large crates of records then I changed to cds when my turntables got jacked from my apartment when I was out of town. I now own 2 midi controllers. a vci 300mk2 and a numark 4trak. I like them both because I can be proficient on both serato and traktor. Technology is amazing because all of my music is on my that I have is on my external hard drive which is equivalent to the 9 crates of records.
Yo! DJ TLM , ur one of the few DJs that talk it straight!! THE crowd dont care one bit wat the heck u using as long as their dancing n rock ing to the beat ur THE BOSS!!!
You're so engaging that I came back to your first video so I can watch all of them successively.
@fredxable It all depends on what you want from your equipment. Are you happy with your vci-300? Is it missing certain functions that you would like to have on a controller? These are things to think about.
You can buy some new music on vinyl, but a lot of the Hip Hop and R&B i play just isn't released on vinyl.
A scratch DJ doesn't need a lot of records to do a showcase, but i'm a club DJ so i do need a lot of music.
Of course i've seen DST cut up Rockit. That scratch break was the inspiration for a lot of the great turntablists. That's classic.
To me, the turntable is #1, but i don't judge a persons ability by looking at his equipment. It's all about skills, selection & creativity.
TLM YOUR ARE THE MAN! Just got into your vids and I feel I've been missing out. On the topic, I'm a vinyl head! Been spinning for 4 yrs mostly in the bedroom. Haven't gigged much so carrying crates and crates hasn't been much of an issue for me. I have often played for 2 hours and 80 12" serve me just fine and it's a nice little work out. But I have serato also and looking into picking up a MIDI controller (options should be a DJs best friend). I'm not knocking the tech. Play on playaz.
I live in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). I'm talking about Hip Hop and R&B music
I still use vinyl and always will but I have found myself using pcdj a bit more over the last year but I always go back to vinyl
i'm new to djing and i agree u. i'm old school i used to mix cassettes back when there wasn't cds. but mixing is nothing new to me the new technology is tho, now i see dj's with laptops and that to me blew my mind when i seen that. people need to realize it's a new era and these kids coming up now don't know about vinyl records they only know about cd's ipods ect. these kids are going to use new technology not the old. me i want to learn both old and new styles of djing. i have two stanton 30's turntables and a radioshack 4 ch, mixer that i found at a pawn shop. right now it's for learning and practicing, mixing is my thing the one thing i didn't forget is how to beatmatch songs so thats a plus for me. but i say do u. (old or new ).
I DJ with reggae & dub on vinyl, i buy mostly represses but some originals. I feel that with this genre of music it is important to keep the vinyl alive, not only because music of this genre is repressed a lot, but also because it is where, in my opinion, the vinyl craze started. I agree that it is wise to look after vinyl if you have a lot of originals and duplates, however, with represses being available more and more, it is a good prompt to carry on using vinyl. CONTINUED...
Bro, I really appreciate your humble spirit to take the time to make these very informative and detailed videos. It's really helped me as I'm fairly new to the DJ scene. Much RESPECT Dj TML!!!...
@TheRealPrimeXample You mean the Kontrol S4 right? Haven't tried it, but it did have some dope functions! Once again, it all depends on what functions you're looking for. The S4 uses traktor and you're using traktor now so that's an easy transition for you
THATS B/S!!! I Use NS7 because it the most like the Technics and Crates. I say that because there are soooo many chooses for every one weather they are old or new DJ'd. speaking of crates, 1 Square full crates of vinyl weighs about 50- 75lbs. i was caring 4 to 5 crates to a gig. not to mention if you had to flight to another city $$$ in shipping both ways. my laptop is under 7lbs. and i carry ALL MY music. NO-Brainer!!! evolve or die like the dinosaurs.
A very wise man, I love vinyl for its feel & sound, it makes your music seem like more. in many ways it cant be beaten, your tunes aren't just files on a pc that seem to have no substance. but cdj's & virtual Vinyl programs open up new possibilities for creativeness,
Big up djTLM from Hungary!!!
I personally use the Numark Mixtrack Pro with Traktor and all I can say it was the best and cheapest solution to get into actual "digital scratching" and mixing. (Yes this is my actual first set,)
@NoEgg4u My DJ set (at home) was plugged in to my Focusrite Saffire Pro-10, but it died a couple of weeks ago. I'm getting a Focusrite Scarlet 8i6 asap.
I record mixes with Cubase. If i'm just converting i use Adobe Audition.
I save the files as wav (16 or 24 bit) or mp3 (44.1, 320kbps).
Even though good vinyl has a more organic, warmer sound it doesn't matter. 99% of the people in the club would not notice the difference. We're dealing with people who download their music from TH-cam ;)
Imagine this:
DJ 1 has totally prepared his set at home, so every record in his crate has been placed in the right order. He has the bpm written on the sleeves of his vinyl. He plays his set without checking the crowd & they don't really feel his set.
Now it's my turn. I put my Serato vinyl on the turntables, i do a freestyle set, read the crowd during every track to see if they like what i'm selecting, i add some turntablism & kill it.
Are you going to have more respect for DJ 1?
The new music gets released on vinyl... Just go look on amazon.
A dj is a dj. It’s just like the music industry. I love old school because it’s what I grew up on and some of the new stuff from my generation. Regardless a dj should be able to use what he/she wants to play music/perform. Technology is growing. I love using my turntables, but I get sick of having to buy new needles. I’m probably gonna end up getting a pair of cdjs soon or look into that phase hardware.
Yeah, Phase looks to be exactly what we need to end the needle issues
i agree with you brother! i started with a pioneer SR to get the hang of it and recently i bought a stanton t62 and a behringer mixer, this way i use a turntable in one chanell and my controller as a kind of cdj plugged into another chanell of the behringer mixer. what do you think? i want to learn how to vynil beat match and maybe in the future scratching. (im a house and techno dj)
I use my vinyl for home use and partys for friends ect because it gives off a warmer feel for me but I agree if your playing a club go digital because you don't have all the worry with needles breaking jumping the vinyl you can loop sertain sections of songs and all these things so I vote vinyl for home use and small sociable events and digital for bigger events peace x
@wavejumpinseadoo It all depends on how you treat your vinyl. Some DJ's would throw their vinyl around during their sets and would end up with a big pile of records on top of each other with no sleeves. Your vinyl won't like that ;) Scratching will wear your vinyl down, but it also depends on the kind of needle you use and how much you scratch with the same part of the record. A simple scratch with a good needle won't destroy your vinyl that quick
Nothing compares to the feeling of a turntable
Respect man !, ik draaide vroeger altijd met vinyl maar ben sinds kort ook overgestapt op timecode. Zeer tevreden van en je hebt nog altijd de vinyl feeling.
I used Cubase, Audition, Audacity and Sound Forge. Depended on the computer i was using ;)
"Skills,musical knowledge,creativity, originality-none of that can be found in a lap top.
A real DJ is not defined by the equipment he uses." I LIKE this guy !!!!!
This may only apply to this genre of music because i still don't see much American hip-hop repressed, only some UK hip-hop. But it is always something you can take pride in, and make a name for yourself with at clubs when you play a vinyl which is rare, original, really good, and hasn't been repressed, you can RULE the dance. This side of the concept of vinyl is where i feel it is much more important in the underground music scene.
@CLUBBER1969 So just to clear things up; i DJ with turntables and Serato Scratch Live or with a controller (like my NS7) and Serato Itch. Is that what you mean when you're talking about "laptop DJ's"?
Started with cdjs ..cant get on with digital ...just started collecting early house music on vinyl and really enjoy the process of actually buying a physical product and seein it, holding it..puttin the needle on the record .the list goes on . Now i cant wait to learn how to match the records together and already considering looking to buy some technics decks once ive sold my cdjs ....i think iam old school and apreciate the art form of dj ing with vinyl , theres just something special about vinyl in my opinion . Or may be i should be movin with the times ......na not for me ....big respect to you by the way your videoes are superb ...ive learn a lot !!!
Some of it, but a lot isn't. I tested a whole list of new songs i have and amazon had almost none of them. Prices were kinda crazy too. I saw 12's for 12 dollars and that does not include shipping to Amsterdam!
Back in the days i would go to the record store every saturday for the new imports and i would receive the promo's from the labels. The record stores are all gone and the labels are not pressing the promo's. At least not here in The Netherlands.
Facts. You still have to know the skills.
The jogs on the current Native Instruments controllers (Kontrol S2+S4) are apparently really good for scratch manipulation, along with the current ver of Traktor Pro. I own an S2 but don't have the vinyl background to judge it myself, and I'm not all that in to scratching.
Yes, anybody can DJ with a laptop nowadays. I've been to parties (weddings, house parties, etc) where that's all the DJ uses. I've even lost gigs to DJs that only use laptop because they have lower the prices so much that I can't compete with them. Most people don't care about the equipment you use. They care about the music and about how much it's gonna cost them.
I've only been DJing for 4 years now, and my opinion on the vinyl vs. digital debate is that a DJ should start out using vinyl. It teaches you to beatmatch without having a visual aid(like Serato), however, once you have that down you could then use a program like Serato. The thing that's important is that if you are to have a crash or malfunction you have a back up so you aren't standing there looking like an idiot in front of a crowd of people.
@CLUBBER1969 Yup, that's my collection. I agree 100% that people who want to get into the whole DJ thing take the time to study the art, but i believe everyone should choose the equipment that feels the most comfortable to them. I won't judge anyone on their equipment, but rather on their set. Because that's what counts.
So, it you didn't have to worry about carrying any equipment or records, etc., for your own listening pleasure, which media would be your choice, digital or LP and why?
@Ellmatic09 That's what i love about the NS7. It has that vinyl feel
Question man, since you've switched to serato, do you still mix it up on vinyl or does it just sit on all the wall now. Amazing collection btw!
I would love to still get vinyl, but honestly, stuff becomes impossible to find, or like TLM is saying, it just not pressed anymore. I'm using Serato and I've got no complaints. Plus, you've got instant doubles without the cost.
Ted Twis
What hardware are you using to convert your old vinyl to digital?
What file format are you using for the digital file?
What sampling rate and bit rate are you using?
.
I assume you are aware that vinyl pressings (if you stumble across a pressing done right) sound superior to digital?
.
But I agree with you not wanting to carry crates of records.
I started out on Vinyl back in the early 90s on Technics 1800s, however, its was hard back then to get all the music on vinyl unless you lived a big as city. I'm a straight DVS on Turntables and Serato is like a third hand. I can do on Vinyl what I can do DVS. I still do not look at controller djs the same though. Maybe it will come with time. Love video TLM!
YOU ROCK MAN!, best argument ever about who is a real DJ!
I use a midi controller to DJ, but I have mapped buttons so that I can use one ofthe faders as a "jog wheel" and I have a slider for pitch control. I have my software just show the "library" so I am essentially syncing "analog" since I'm just using my ears
although there are now companies such as denon that are making cdj's were the turntable spins and you can also place custom 7" vinyls on em.
And your point about laptops crashing isn't that strong either. Yes, a laptop could crash, but if you treat your equipment right it will not happen that easy. It happened to me once in 7 or 8 years! I played with real vinyl for over 12 years before i started using a dvs (final scratch and then serato) so i think i can decide for myself what would be the "better way to go" (for me).
Exactly what I was thinking, I mean it is not like you could listen to vinyl when you are jogging even if you wanted to, right? =) I am definitely going to upgrade my record player as I get more into it as the base model I got will probably not sound much better than the one with the bird in Flintstones cartoon. Thanks for the feedback!
No, i was talking about a 12", not an album. 12 dollars for an album would be a great price!
@CLUBBER1969 Between 1998 and 2004 i visited Fat Beats, Beat Street (my favorite) and a couple of other NY stores as much as possible, but i live in Amsterdam so it wasn't the cheapest trip :)
To be honest, most of the house DJ's i know use the cdj's, but none of them use cd's. They prepare their sets with Pioneer Rekordbox and either bring a usb drive or an sd card or use serato and i can't blame them. It's easier to find your music and add tracks to your sets and you don't waste cdr's
I see where you are coming from. Quality is important. I just don't agree with you that new music sucks. Yes, there's a lot of bad
shit being released, but (in my opinion) there's also a lot of good music coming out. Funny that you mention Kurtis Blow (legend!). Digging and finding vinyl is always fun. I was his DJ last weekend when he did a show here in The Netherlands with Kurtis Blow JR (his son). They brought the music for their show on a usb drive and i played it with serato.
Cool. The software isn't that important. The quality of the soundcard/audio interface in your computer is more important.
@djTLM Thats true that alot of music isnt released on vinyl. If I,m in the record store and I tell them I need a certain record. They order it for me and i have it with in a couple days. The owners of the record store that I go to are very serious about their vinyl, and keep people coming back.
That's what's up! To all DJ's joining the discussion; let us know what you use.
For me it's Serato Scratch Live with turntables and Serato Itch with a Numark NS7
Big up TLM, i've been a fan since I saw your first NS7 video. I too have the NS7FX but i'm considering switching to the Pioneer DDJ-t1 b/c Serato is pretty much standing still. There hasn't been an update to itch for the NS7 in months and personally I need 4 decks and more effects. Hopefully, you'll get your hands on a DDJ-T1 and share your thoughts.
After years of lugging around heavy ass technics turntables with cases and crates of records.... then lugging around just the heavy turntables when serato came out...Im about to make it even easier for myself....Im buying the Pioneer DDJSX.You're right. I could not care less about what haters have to say about my transition or the "realness" of it. I am keeping it real. REAL SMART. ADAPT OR...BREAK YOUR BACK. lol