Using an external mixer means that you’ve got clear dedicated hardware control and independent outputs for everything imaginable. There are, however, many instances where external mixing can be advantageous. This makes perfect sense, in those environments all-in-one internal mixing is often preferred. While being more affordable and convenient, the S4 and related devices are usually spotted at small bars, mobile gigs, and most of all, in the bedroom. There are some examples of all-in-one controllers such as the Pioneer DJJ-SX or Traktor S4 in use on major stages or clubs, but they are the exception rather than the rule. While the deck of choice has evolved from turntables to CDJs, and now controllers, one element still remains relatively constant – the stand alone mixer. While many top acts request their own specific brands and models of mixers, you will almost always find a good mixer on the rider. If your setup is modular and can use any hardware mixer as the center console, then you can easily adapt to most club environments without requiring all of your own gear at every show. Often the most ergonomic, convenient, and sound system-friendly way of playing a set is to play off of that mixer. In a club, the monitor and master sound systems are already pre-wired into a house mixer that is usually placed dead center in the booth. For the purposes of this article, we will be focused on the demands and needs of those environments. REALITIES OF PLAYING IN A CLUBĪs with any gear purchase or workflow decision, it makes sense to think about your most common use case.įor many DJs, home sets mixed with the occasional mobile gig are a common stage, however almost everyone finds themselves in a bar or club at some point. Mixing internally is summing all of the channels inside of the software and sending the combined audio as a stereo mix out to speakers and/or headphones, often through a controller’s built-in sound card. Each channel is summed together (gain, effects, levels) on the hardware mixer, with internal controls limited to transport and effects are used. Mixing externally is routing all decks out of your DJ software to individual channels on a mixer, usually via an external soundcard. INTERNALLY: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?īefore we discuss why so many DJs mix externally, what does “mixing externally” even mean? Why is this? What benefits do hardware mixers have over internal software mixing and which style is right for you? In today’s article I hope to cover both types of mixers and then some. Even though a big chunk of DJ product sales are going towards all-in-one controllers like the Pioneer DDJ-SX or the Kontrol S4, many of the DJs you will see live these days still rely on traditional DJ mixers in lieu of mixing inside the computer.
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