My New Setup

Well, I did it. I made the switch from standalone to software-driven DJ hardware. Numark had a rebate deal on the V7 over the holidays and I couldn't pass it up. Not only am I getting a check for $200, I'm also getting a free case valued at $200.

I sold my Denon DN-S1000 setup on Craigs. I bought a V7 and then went after an X5. The X5 is Numark's companion mixer for the V7 and typically sells for $400+ but some dude had one on Amazon marketplace — in brand new condition — for $300. I got real lucky with that one.

Now I am left with having to pick up a second V7 and a laptop to run it all. These purchases are probably not going to happen for a while; I've got lots of other financial priorities to block me on that front. But hopefully in due time.

Numark's V7 runs Serato Itch and provides a whole mess of effects options, definitely more than my Denons gave me.

Here's the V7 in action:



In the meantime I am running this setup through a dual core Pentium tower. Not very portable but until I can get myself a decent laptop it will have to do. Also, a single V7 unit is like having two decks in one — there's a second "virtual" deck in the unit — but it is a little unnatural for me. I miss the feel of being able to put my hands on two separate decks at any given time. This "Deck A" and "Deck B" switching is kind of obnoxious. So yeah, I will be hunting for a second V7 at one point.

I am hoping that by summer I will have everything in place so I can get back out there — 100% digital from here on — to do some gigs.

Spring Is In The Air

And that means the start of my busy season! Parties will be ramping up once again and I am very much looking forward to spinning!

If you're thinking about having a get together, let me know. I'm affordable and I guarantee you'll have a freaking fantastic time!

Head over to my DJ blog for updates and more info...

The Sanity In-Store Was Awesome

Head over to my DJ blog for info and pics...

Mobile DJing To The Next Level

Bass in the balls. That's a good thing. You should always face the crowd though. I am inclined to label this a FAIL.

Now THIS...

THIS is a WIN IMO...


Scion partnered with Pioneer to develop this custom xB. Can you imagine having a party and this thing shows up? Your party fun multiplies by 12,000. Damn that would be awesome.

Here are some other DJ-style vehicles. Cool or just plain ol' stupid? You be the judge...

Custom Made Daft Punk Suits

Earlier this year a couple of guys made their own Daft Punk suits -- and then threw a bitchin' party. Too awesome for words, so watch the clip:

God that is amazing.

Click here for the Instructable on how to make your own Daft Punk suits and helmets!

In-Store This Saturday Night

This Saturday, September 12th from 5pm to 9pm, I'll be doing an in-store for Sanity, an upscale clothing boutique in Chagrin Falls. I'll be spinning House, Chill, Progressive and Trance. Should be fun, hope to see you there!

Sanity Website

Sanity Anniversary Event

My DJ Blog

Insanely Amazing DJ With A.D.D. Mixes 4 Tracks Simultaneously

Holy crap, this dude kicks ass. His name is BI33SON. Not sure how to pronounce it but that's his name.

Anyway, play the video.



You'll notice he's mixing with four virtual decks via Traktor — a feat not to be attempted unless you have your shit together in a big way. And check out his macbook... instead of the Apple icon, he has his name on the front. I think he did it with bright white printer paper and a blacklight; at least that's what they're saying on the boards. Damn!

Clueless Guy Asks Stupid Question In DJ Forum

Since I DJ on the side, I visit DJForums.com on a regular basis to read all sorts of interesting stuff. I gain a lot of insight and tips on how to become a better DJ. In any case, I thought this post was funny for a couple of reasons. For one thing, the kid is a little naive about social interaction. Secondly, well... just click to read his post and the response below it.

Click image for larger view

Electric Zoo

Man, I'd love to go to this on Labor Day weekend. So many big names... Armin Van Buuren, Deadmau5, Kaskade, David Guetta, Markus Schulz, ATB, Benny Benassi, Robbie Rivera... JESUS!!

Alas, my funds are quite dehydrated. F#*K.

Quixpin iPhone App Gives You (Virtual) DJ Gear For Your Pocket

ommfg, how cool.

This post goes out to my very good friend Ben, who has always wanted to screw around with DJ gear but hesitated, primarily due to the high cost involved. It's an iPhone app called Quixpin.

Obviously an iPhone app isn't going to take the place of a full, physical DJ setup (for many reasons which I don't want to get into right now), but still — in an emergency situation or if you and your friends decide to throw an impromptu party, this could act as an awesome substitute.

Ben, now you can buy an iPhone. And this app. And you will know whether or not DeeJaying is something you wanna continue with. Supa dope.

Check out these video demos:





For more on Quixpin, click here.

To visit the official Quixonic website or to purchase the Quixpin iPhone app, click here.

Thanks to Skrathworx

My DJ Logo

You might be thinking I'm too old to have a DJ name, especially one like this. But ya know what? Who cares. I don't really analyze stuff like this, I just pull the trigger. I love to DJ and since I can make a few bucks doing it then all the better.

And I need a name people will remember. So what the hell, Special Sauce it is.

If you're planning a party and you want to elevate it to an awesome level, rule #1 is and always will be: hire a DJ. Seriously, even if it's not me, remember to follow rule #1: hire a DJ.

So if you're thinking of throwing something together and you live in the Cleveland area, give me a shout. I do all styles of music except country (god I hate country). And if you're into disco, house or electronica, those are some styles that can really get your guests moving! Let me know what you like! Don't have a lot of money? Give me a call and we'll work something out. I can be reached at the email addy above, or leave a comment below. I will work hard to please your guests, and my rates are nearly half what many others charge! Cheers!

Got Ten Minutes? Listen To Some Of The Best Club Music You Will Ever Hear

I mean it.

Besides, it's fun to watch. You'll see.

My DJ Setup

I discovered a shockingly enjoyable, new hobby last year... something I never expected to have fun with... something I never thought could take the place of my beloved drums: DeeJaying.

This is pretty much my current setup:

(2) Denon DN-S1000 Digital Turntables

(1) Denon DN-X100 Scratch Mixer

Beatmatching is something I absolutely fell in love with -- and I got bit when I wasn't even looking (I think it happened when I was checking out electronica on YouTube). In case you're not sure WTF I'm talking about, beatmatching is the art of matching beats and blending songs together as seamlessly as possible. I'm not really into scratching (the particular sound has always annoyed me for the most part), just matching beats. Almost like the beautiful girl you once saw roaming your neighborhood, for me, beatmatching was there all these years... I just never knew it.

Here's one of my favorite amateur disc jockeys, DJ Ama, out of Fort Lauderdale:

There's more DJ Ama here and here.

And it's a lot harder than she makes it look. Being a good DJ takes good timing, an ear for detail, the ability to multitask, a lot of practice, and -- above all else -- a true love of music.

Not everyone is into electronic music and I can understand that; the BPMs (beats per minute) for many of the songs are ridiculously similar. And they're supposed to be.

I might add that, for someone like me (an open-minded music fan on the verge of A.D.D.), electronic music is extremely satisfying to listen to... and even more satisfying to spin! And you know what? I don't give a f%#k if you think this music is crazy or gay or whatever... all I know is, when I get into a zone and feel the music there are few words to describe it. Yeah that might sound corny to you but it's true. The only thing that ever came close is when I played out during my hard rock/metal band days.

Now when it comes to gear, Pioneer is the industry standard, that is true. But I will say this, Denon makes some nice gear also. The equipment I have is pretty much Denon's bottom-of-the-barrel stuff but it is feature-packed and does a great job. I bought the DN-S1000's off of eBay, used, for about $175 a piece (retail is $300 ea). The mixer cost me another $150. Five hundred bucks got me a working set up, so it was not what you might call a huge investment. In fact I've already pulled enough gigs to pay for the gear so the rest is gravy.

A full-on, top-of-the-line Pioneer setup (like the one in DJ Ama's video above) would run at least $3,000 if not $4,000. So I'm doing this on the cheap. But again, the Denon units have a bunch of awesome features built-in: sampling, looping, a (sort of half-ass) scratch function, and some nice effects like echo and reverb. And the actual sound quality is pristine.

I'll chime-in later at one point with more details. I'm also planning on recording a video mix later this summer so stay tuned. Oh and if you need a DJ, leave a comment below or just shoot an email to the address at the top of this page. Cheers

I Love This Picture

And everything it stands for.