DJ VooDoo
this message is for the manufactors of the hercules console and virtual dj. my name is jonathan and i have been a Dj for 12 years. I have seen the progression from records to cd to mp3s. i believe you have made a move in the right direction. i have a big circle of dj friends and had them test it and evaluate the dj console. we share the same feeling of enthusiams of what this could be but also some fears of the let down others have made by backing out after thrown their hat into the ring. all of the djs that i have had use the dj console have all shared the postives and negitives. i am going to list the both and i will eagerly be waiting for a response if in infact you do read this.
positives:
1. we all liked the idea of having an all in one console that will allow you to manipulate the mp3s and having a built in fader to mix them.
2. only having to tote a notepad and small console is a huge plus.
3. sticking to a simular lay out of the control panel of a dual cd deck player is also a plus since a lot of djs took the step from records to cds it is helpful to make the next transition as uncomplicated as possible.
negatives:
1. the small layout of the of the console we found was a huge negative. everything is so close together. most djs actually wouldn't mind if it went a little longer in length.
2. the durability of the console was in question. some of the people made comments of it being more toyish than something that will last. if you were to take the step towards making it more durable they expressed they wouldn't mind paying a little bit more for it.
3. the angle of the console, it should be angled more towards the user even if the angled cover is applied.
4. if their is going to be a second generation of the dj console there sould be some assigned buttons to operate the fx and samples, although you can access it with the keys on the on notepad it is quicker and less confusing if it was on the next console.
5. the keys seemed stiff and sometimes unresponsive. not sure if that is a hardware or software issue.
6. a master key/tempo lock. more and more dual cd decks are utilizing this feature. all though you do have this feature and when you change the pitch of the song you can not hear the change but when you use the jog wheels to slow down or speed up an mp3 to match you can hear it drastically. huge downside
7. have the inputs and outputs in the front lower bottom except for the headphone jack.
i'm not sure what your intentions were for this when you first designed it. if you intended this for the occasional home user then i guess you made a good product but if you are really looking to create a product that will be embraced by the dj community i have made this post in a effort to help you. i am very excited to see what the future holds for the dj console. i hope you don't think this is a bashing session that is not my intention. if you are going to respond, please email me @ sandstorm04@comcast.net thank you Dj VooDoo.
positives:
1. we all liked the idea of having an all in one console that will allow you to manipulate the mp3s and having a built in fader to mix them.
2. only having to tote a notepad and small console is a huge plus.
3. sticking to a simular lay out of the control panel of a dual cd deck player is also a plus since a lot of djs took the step from records to cds it is helpful to make the next transition as uncomplicated as possible.
negatives:
1. the small layout of the of the console we found was a huge negative. everything is so close together. most djs actually wouldn't mind if it went a little longer in length.
2. the durability of the console was in question. some of the people made comments of it being more toyish than something that will last. if you were to take the step towards making it more durable they expressed they wouldn't mind paying a little bit more for it.
3. the angle of the console, it should be angled more towards the user even if the angled cover is applied.
4. if their is going to be a second generation of the dj console there sould be some assigned buttons to operate the fx and samples, although you can access it with the keys on the on notepad it is quicker and less confusing if it was on the next console.
5. the keys seemed stiff and sometimes unresponsive. not sure if that is a hardware or software issue.
6. a master key/tempo lock. more and more dual cd decks are utilizing this feature. all though you do have this feature and when you change the pitch of the song you can not hear the change but when you use the jog wheels to slow down or speed up an mp3 to match you can hear it drastically. huge downside
7. have the inputs and outputs in the front lower bottom except for the headphone jack.
i'm not sure what your intentions were for this when you first designed it. if you intended this for the occasional home user then i guess you made a good product but if you are really looking to create a product that will be embraced by the dj community i have made this post in a effort to help you. i am very excited to see what the future holds for the dj console. i hope you don't think this is a bashing session that is not my intention. if you are going to respond, please email me @ sandstorm04@comcast.net thank you Dj VooDoo.
Posted Mon 04 Oct 04 @ 3:03 am
bagpuss
Hi,
In case your unaware, the hercules dj console isn't a product associated with virtual dj, it is a low level controller that is merely compaitable with the software. See the "products" section of this site for a look at the more proffesional/expensive solutions...
You'd be better with 2X xp10's hooked up to an external mixer. and the other controller that's used to trigger samples.
Personally i'd never use the hercules as a mixer, it is far too small as you say, and too light for my liking, I use a proffessional mixer useing the outputs from the hercules, then the hercules is used only for the soundcard, jogs, pitch etc.
Used this way you can't fault the hercules for what it offers in relation to the price you pay. I agree that the hercules is a nice device and I would pay £500 for a more proffesional model, whether that will happen I can't say.., But the hercules is aimed at the consumer market..
But in some strange/new way.., the hercules with the virtual dj software.., is actually alot more powerful than the majority of cd players, the features you get and what can be pulled off is a serious threat to more serious/expensive hardware.., like cd players...
The xp10's or timecode is the more serious hardware on offer at present, and from what I understand it is very good.
But the contoller your reffering too never aimed to be the what you ask of it..., "it's an entry level solution", and at best can have a place in a gig environment.., but only if it's used appropiately, in conjunction with an external mixer, and not depended on.
The issue over the key lock function and pitch, well personally I prefer the natural sound of music being pitched up or down but virtual dj does have this feature, I reccomend you turn it off, and go for the old fashioned option, at least till it's developed more, but it's no easy task.., so it may take a while.
Anything else I can help you with?, ;).
In case your unaware, the hercules dj console isn't a product associated with virtual dj, it is a low level controller that is merely compaitable with the software. See the "products" section of this site for a look at the more proffesional/expensive solutions...
You'd be better with 2X xp10's hooked up to an external mixer. and the other controller that's used to trigger samples.
Personally i'd never use the hercules as a mixer, it is far too small as you say, and too light for my liking, I use a proffessional mixer useing the outputs from the hercules, then the hercules is used only for the soundcard, jogs, pitch etc.
Used this way you can't fault the hercules for what it offers in relation to the price you pay. I agree that the hercules is a nice device and I would pay £500 for a more proffesional model, whether that will happen I can't say.., But the hercules is aimed at the consumer market..
But in some strange/new way.., the hercules with the virtual dj software.., is actually alot more powerful than the majority of cd players, the features you get and what can be pulled off is a serious threat to more serious/expensive hardware.., like cd players...
The xp10's or timecode is the more serious hardware on offer at present, and from what I understand it is very good.
But the contoller your reffering too never aimed to be the what you ask of it..., "it's an entry level solution", and at best can have a place in a gig environment.., but only if it's used appropiately, in conjunction with an external mixer, and not depended on.
The issue over the key lock function and pitch, well personally I prefer the natural sound of music being pitched up or down but virtual dj does have this feature, I reccomend you turn it off, and go for the old fashioned option, at least till it's developed more, but it's no easy task.., so it may take a while.
Anything else I can help you with?, ;).
Posted Mon 04 Oct 04 @ 12:34 pm
DJ VooDoo
I am very pleased with Virtual Dj as a software program. Maybe i am asking more of the hercules then what it is intended for. My goal was to let Hercules know there is a demand for a serious console out there and i know a lot of djs that would love to see the next generation of the dj console as a serious hardware for professional djs ( if there is one ). thanks for the advise but if i'm am going to carry around a mixer then i might as well lug my cd players with. Maybe i will just have to invest in cd mp3 players. because i hve been looking far and wide and i see no dj console in sight that will meet the demand as of yet.
Posted Tue 05 Oct 04 @ 1:18 am
bagpuss
Well most venues in my town have there own mixers, so I guess your a mobile dj, right?.
At the moment even with a good controller you can't escape the need for an external mixer, becasue the controllers aren't ment for that purpose, they are used to activate functions, rather than as a mixer. I see what your saying, the hercules though is a nice concept, but for it to meet our needs, it would have to been designed at a much bigger cost...
I think your best bet right now is to do as i'm doing.., practice on vdj alot and get all those mp3's organised nicely, try useing the hercules with a mixer (if you haven't already), I think that's a must.
But mainly you should be patient, this is very young and some dj's are only just switching on to it, I mean the more influential dj's, The hardware will come, thick and fast, but time is what we are waiting for...
Even the dj sasha is useing mp3's now to mix, and he's designing his own controller for it, it sounds very much like what your looking for, I doubt it will reach the consumer market though.
It will be when the fancy hardware comes, that dj's start making the transition in the thousands.., right now it's only just catching on...
trust me ;).
At the moment even with a good controller you can't escape the need for an external mixer, becasue the controllers aren't ment for that purpose, they are used to activate functions, rather than as a mixer. I see what your saying, the hercules though is a nice concept, but for it to meet our needs, it would have to been designed at a much bigger cost...
I think your best bet right now is to do as i'm doing.., practice on vdj alot and get all those mp3's organised nicely, try useing the hercules with a mixer (if you haven't already), I think that's a must.
But mainly you should be patient, this is very young and some dj's are only just switching on to it, I mean the more influential dj's, The hardware will come, thick and fast, but time is what we are waiting for...
Even the dj sasha is useing mp3's now to mix, and he's designing his own controller for it, it sounds very much like what your looking for, I doubt it will reach the consumer market though.
It will be when the fancy hardware comes, that dj's start making the transition in the thousands.., right now it's only just catching on...
trust me ;).
Posted Tue 05 Oct 04 @ 2:12 am