How do i record a live DJ set onto my macbook pro?

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I do appreciate that this question will have been asked before. I am online using a 2G dongle so my connection is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.


I have been DJing for about 20 years with a 6 year sabbatical between 2000 when i gave up as i swore i would never use CD decks (haha) Then in 2006(ish) i got the bug again.

I have two Pioneer CDJ800’s and a Pioneer DJM500 mixer. I downloaded Audacity to record a set and i could hear cars starting in the back ground and the set sounds like it was recorded in an empty room as the sound it very bad and echoey.

I know you can use Garageband to record a set, how do i do this?

I know there are tutorials on youtube but a 2 min video takes 30 mins to load so any info on what leads to attach where and what settings to use in garageband to get a decent quality sounding two hour live mix will make me a very happy chappie as i need a demo out there for gigs around South East Asia.


Thanks and sorry for asking a question that will have been asked a tonne of times.
 
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MacBookPro 11,2 <--DAW!!!
I'd suggest you look into getting an external audio interface. I'm using M-Audio's FireWire audiophile for djing with my 1200's and dj mixer and record my mixes in Audacity or mostly in LIVE! on my MBP.
 
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Bahja
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I'd suggest you look into getting an external audio interface. I'm using M-Audio's FireWire audiophile for djing with my 1200's and dj mixer and record my mixes in Audacity or mostly in LIVE! on my MBP.

Thanks for the reply. How much would that cost me?
 
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Anyone else have any tips for me please.............................
 
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Mac Mini 1.25Ghz G4 1gb RAM, Mac Pro G5 Dual 1.8GHz 4GB RAM, MacBook Air 1.6 GHz Core2 Duo 2GB RAM
I have two Pioneer CDJ800’s and a Pioneer DJM500 mixer. I downloaded Audacity to record a set and i could hear cars starting in the back ground and the set sounds like it was recorded in an empty room as the sound it very bad and echoey.

Sounds like your system prefs meant that you were recording through the built in mic on the MBP.

As the other poster said, you want to look into an audio interface, they start from about $100 second hand.

usb audio interface, Musical Instruments, Computers Networking. Great deals on eBay!

If you get one with two stereo inputs, you can hook right and left turntables up to seperate channels, this would allow you to edit after the fact....(not that you ever make mistakes I'm sure;D)

An interface with only one stereo in mean you would connect your mixer into the interface in, then the interface into your computer. I would use the "booth monitor" outs on the back of the mixer, allowing you to keep your "Master out" connected to your speakers.

Then in your DAW search through the preferences to make sure you are getting your audio from the interface not from the internal mic.

Hope this helps.
 
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Bahja
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Sounds like your system prefs meant that you were recording through the built in mic on the MBP.

As the other poster said, you want to look into an audio interface, they start from about $100 second hand.

usb audio interface, Musical Instruments, Computers Networking. Great deals on eBay!

If you get one with two stereo inputs, you can hook right and left turntables up to seperate channels, this would allow you to edit after the fact....(not that you ever make mistakes I'm sure;D)

An interface with only one stereo in mean you would connect your mixer into the interface in, then the interface into your computer. I would use the "booth monitor" outs on the back of the mixer, allowing you to keep your "Master out" connected to your speakers.

Then in your DAW search through the preferences to make sure you are getting your audio from the interface not from the internal mic.

Hope this helps.


Thanks for the reply mate.

I am Scottish and live in Thailand. Unfortunately credit card transactions from Thailand are not allowed on most sites because we have the highest rate of credit card fraud in the World. That also means i do not want to use my credit card online from here :(

I would never edit my mixes as i want them raw so i can see where i go wrong.

With the ultra basic set up i have now is it possible to record a set with no background noise etc?

Basically i have the chance of gigs at the full moon parties and clubs around Thailand but i do not have a raw recorded mix available to upload for the promoters and clubs.

All of them have said that they just want a basic mix of the stuff i would play (house, tech house, funky house and vocal house) and to make sure i can pick a tune and mix properly............
 
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Mac Mini 1.25Ghz G4 1gb RAM, Mac Pro G5 Dual 1.8GHz 4GB RAM, MacBook Air 1.6 GHz Core2 Duo 2GB RAM
I don't know if the MBP has a line in anywhere. If it does, send the audio from your booth monitor connection on the back of your mixer into the line in, and once again, make sure that your preferences have you recording from the line in rather than the internal mic.
In garage band: Garageband/preferences/audio midi/audio input....then if you have a line in it should come up there i'm guessing.

The critical thing is to get the audio into the computer directly otherwise you have ZERO chance of making the mix sound even half reasonable, you will pick up lots of ambient noise, cars, farting etc.
 
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Bahja
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I don't know if the MBP has a line in anywhere. If it does, send the audio from your booth monitor connection on the back of your mixer into the line in, and once again, make sure that your preferences have you recording from the line in rather than the internal mic.
In garage band: Garageband/preferences/audio midi/audio input....then if you have a line in it should come up there i'm guessing.

The critical thing is to get the audio into the computer directly otherwise you have ZERO chance of making the mix sound even half reasonable, you will pick up lots of ambient noise, cars, farting etc.


Thanks mate. I recorded a set the other day through garage band and it sounds fine.
 
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I know traktor will let you record live sets. Thats what i use on my macbook pro. If you have it partitioned with windows PCDJ DEX will do the same
 
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To the OG, I was in the same boat with you when I said i would never use CDJ's. Then 2005 rolled around and I was like I have so many cds and what not I rather just get them. So I ended up getting the Denon CDJ1000 then after awhile I switched over to using Serato Scratch Live which you can record within the program. Its a lossless quality which is great

Like others said, to get an audio interface. You can also use programs like Scratch Live or Traktor Pro

If you ever get a better connections my youtube channel is

YouTube - DjKraZakaThaPurpZ's Channel
 
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Bahja
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To the OG, I was in the same boat with you when I said i would never use CDJ's. Then 2005 rolled around and I was like I have so many cds and what not I rather just get them. So I ended up getting the Denon CDJ1000 then after awhile I switched over to using Serato Scratch Live which you can record within the program. Its a lossless quality which is great

Like others said, to get an audio interface. You can also use programs like Scratch Live or Traktor Pro

If you ever get a better connections my youtube channel is

YouTube - DjKraZakaThaPurpZ's Channel


Thanks. I have traktor now.

But for the mean time i am going to stick to using CD's untill i am 100% confident with the mixing again. I got a 5 might a week gig now in the town i live that has big prospects.

Can't wait............
 
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Congrats with your gig...I need to move out my town to blow up...Ive been giving my mixes out to people and they like'em they all tell me i should be playing at clubs...
 
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Bahja
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Congrats with your gig...I need to move out my town to blow up...Ive been giving my mixes out to people and they like'em they all tell me i should be playing at clubs...


I live in Thailand and it’s a friends bar. I don’t want to say too much now as i don’t want to put any bad luck onto myself lol.

But things look positive.

The thing is now mate, anyone can DJ with a laptop and traktor etc. I started in 1989 on good old technics. Then stopped about 2000 when CDJ’s took off. Then when i made the permanent move to Thailand in 2005 i got into it again and bought CDJ 800’s. I do have traktor but i am gonna use the CD’s for the moment as i think it’s far to easy with traktor. The thing bloody beat matches for you. I still like quing the track up and getting the bpm set by hand.
 
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Hi I had this trouble, as the macbook pro has one audio port but it has two functions, audio input and audio output, this is what you need to do to record in audacity:

Go to
-system preferences
-Then sound
-Then set 'use audio port for' to 'sound input'

Then go to audacity and select preferences and set the 'device' under 'recording' to built-in input.
 
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Bahja
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Hi I had this trouble, as the macbook pro has one audio port but it has two functions, audio input and audio output, this is what you need to do to record in audacity:

Go to
-system preferences
-Then sound
-Then set 'use audio port for' to 'sound input'

Then go to audacity and select preferences and set the 'device' under 'recording' to built-in input.


Yeah got it all sorted thanks
 

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