About DJ'ing

Hi, I've recently decided to take on DJ'ing and I've learned a lot through reading. I plan to use winamp with the shoutcast dsp plug in. I was told by a friend that'd be best.

My question is... do the property owners provide the host stream? If not, what do you use? Most of what I found to host you pay for. I just didn't see SL DJ's paying for a host I guess. Does that make sense? My brain is a little bit fried.

I don't DJ unless the owner has a stream. I don't do it often enough that it justifies having my own stream, and more than likely a club has thier own as well. If they don't, to me it's like passing the buck onto people who work for you instead of taking responsibility for ir.

There are some places that require you to have one of your own. If you do freelance DJing (for things such as weddings, parties, etc.) you might look into getting your own, but you do need to work enough just to cover the cost of your stream.

There's a Shoutcast store in world.
They have 'short term' stream rentals (for a day, I think), that are quite reasonable.
That'd be a good way to try out as a DJ before committing to long term stream rental.

Thanks Seola! So when you do DJ for a club you just put their host into the plug in?

I used SAM broadcaster, never touched WinAmp, though I know it could be done. I wouldn't be able to give a good answer on that one for WinAmp.

Hi Apple,
As a longtime dj of second life there are a few options you can do. One would be DJing in a club that provides the stream for you. Second would be renting the stream per day like suggested, how ever I wouldnt go this route. Another is you can actualy get your own stream at a pretty reasonable price for X amount of dollars per month. I have found though that having my own stream vs using someone elses was alot easier on both me and the people involved. It gave me a wider range of customers to Dj for and if needed or if I wanted to, I could take on last minute jobs.

If you have any questions feel free to IM me in world.

Stormy Wilde

Yeah, I'm with Stormy. Having your own stream available in your back pocket is definitely beneficial. It is all going to depend on where you want to DJ.

Pros:
* Can DJ anywhere
* Can use to practice and DJ for friends before you get real bookings
* Can fetch more money from the person hiring

Cons:
* Can't play anywhere...but, if you're only DJing at places that have a stream, there's no need for your own
* Costs money... you'll need to DJ enough to make pay and tips to break even
* Can't practice for friends, you can only go out and ask for gigs with 0 experience

Contact me inworld if you need to rent a stream:
they're roughly around $150L for a few hours, $500L for a day, $4000L for a month
there are also plently of people with astronomical stream costs (I've heard from $8000L to $150USD). these are just people that are trying to upcharge to the people that don't know where to get a stream.

Also be warned there are a lot of DJ's in SL, so getting a job can be very tricky.

I myself DJ and am told I am really good, however trying to get jobs that pay, instead of tips only is very hard

and tips are slim since SL took stipends away from free accounts and reduced stipends for the premium account holders

All I can say is good luck, do not set your sights too high and have fun

what would I use for DJ'ing on my own land using a Mac?

On your own land and with a mac you would still need a stream, how ever the winamp or sam broadcaster would not be an option, there is a relativly inexpensive program called Nicecast, just google it and it should be the first program that comes up.

As far as where to get streams from, there are some places in world that rent streams by the day, or you can search all over for the web. Becareful of the really cheap ones you find though, you would most likely be sharing bandwidth and run into many problems, i have had this.

Personaly, the station I am with and I know many others in Second Life go with catalistpro.com the owner of the company has actualy DJ'ed both in Sl and in RL so he knows what a beating we can put these streams through.

If you have any questions feel free to IM me in world
~Stormy Wilde

Nicecast on a Mac. 5 out of 5 stars!

Just a reminder as it's a newbie mistake for alot of DJs. If hosting off your own PC remember your bandwidth! Most home connections cannot play SL even at low rate and support a full mainland sim. I think when I tried in grange I managed 20 listeners on a 128K stream with SL on low settings before users reported "popping and other noises." which are caused by maked out bandwidth. Since then I have been looking for a stream provider myself that I think is really cheap and worth the costs to host for my place.

Djing at 128kbps is pretty useless when it comes to SL, you can Dj at mp3pro 64kbps in SL and the sound quality will still be just as good and you wont use a ton of bandwidth on your server.

now see that I did not know. I was told 128K was the speed to use so that will help out alot. ^_^

Dearly Darlings,

On the listening side I wish most of you would speak more slowly and enunciate clearly. I often find myself saying, "What on earth did he/she say?"

Ever Yours,

Mrs. Showdog Tiger

come hear me sometime showdog.. hehe
you will not be saying what did she say....but you might say... OMG did she just say that!?!?!?! LOL

I have been told that ppl like my style because it is... real... well I dunno how else to be

so a tip to any DJ new or otherwise, just be yourself on the air, ppl can tell if you are tying to fake a radio voice or sound sexy or anything like that

just be you... have fun and enjoy what you are doing

Amen, hopefully they can find a buddy to help set the mic levels, sometimes the music overpowers them.

A GREAT headset is worth a million bucks with DJ's. I often do my speaking, then mute my program and run the stream on SL (it's usually 20-30 seconds behind real time) to make sure my voice is relatively close to the music.

Oh god, and those DJ's who play sound effects... especially that blow your speakers out after straining to hear thier voice....

Well I can say for the people who use Sam3 for Djing, if they are having problems with a quiet Mic, go to File > Config >Audio Mixer Pipeline and in the row for Mixer click on the AGC button, it will bring up another window and in that window on the left side there is going tobe a button labled "Bypass All" , if it is lit up and green, click it to turn it off, then click on OK and close the windows and go back up to File > Save Config

You will sound much clearer and not so quiet.

~Stormy

Ok I just downloaded the Sam 3 but I am like Really new to the whole DJ thing how does it all work If anyone has info for me I would like to know it all

Thanks so Much
You can IM me in World under Mia Maine if you like

Hi there. I understand all about getting a stream from the comments here but does anyone use Traktor to DJ in SL? I think there's a 'webcast' option in my Traktor Studio, although I've never used it myself. Cheers.

What if I already have my own domain on the web (thus FTP access to it and such)? Can I just install the server software on THAT server and run SAM3 at my end, with the stream coming out from the server I own? I don't plan on DJing a whole lot, so I don't expect to blow away whatever limit I have on bandwidth at the server side...

Pretty much no web host will allow you to do that, unless they happen to provide Shoutcast / Icecast streaming service as part of the package (or they might possibly carry it as a chargable extra).

The sort of hosting where you will be able and allowed to install and run a persistent server process like Shoutcast is extraordinarily rare and usually relatively expensive. If you had this sort of hosting, you would know it. If you really do "own the server" as you say, then you can do this - but it's pretty probable that you're really sharing the actual server with a bunch of other customers.

As far as properly live-DJing goes, just having a website running on a webserver won't cut it - they're not the same technology. (You *could* link to static MP3 audio files sitting on your webspace, but then that's not live and your listeners will start from the beginning of the file when they arrive / hit Play)

In RL I am, and have been a DJ, for over 30 years. I have done some Radio work, club work and perdominately I have been a Wedding DJ in Canada (infact I am doing a RL wedding this Saturday).

I also am a webcaster and have my own stream, as well as cast on another station. To be honest, it is not hard to setup...however it can be expensive to have your own stream.

First off, streaming from your own computer just will not cut it. Seriously. You cannot support as many listeners as someone who is on a dedicated server on a OC12 or OC3 backbone. Most home servers can barely support 8 listeners. So thinking you can do a popular club with a DSL or Cable connection is wrong as I have been in some places where there was 20-50 people in them. And the basic home connection just will not cut it.

I have a dedicated server that I use....gives me 850GB transfer a month of which I allow 400GB for my webradio/stream. I cast in Winamp at 128k and occasionally at 64kbps AAC +. The only people who would have problems hearing you when using a 128kbps stream are those on a dialup connection for the most part. To accommodate those folks, you could cast at 64kbps AAC+ and those on dialup should have no problem hearing you....however remember that SL does not support dialup connections.

Getting a GOOD piece of DJ software also helps. I use OtsDJ (I am also an Admin on their support forum) loaded with clsoe to 20,000 titles to do my shows. I am lucky in that I have more than one computer so I can have my OtsDJ box running independant of the box I have Winamp on. My DJ setup basically is OtsDJ box connected to mixer....microphone (TOA D60) into mixer (Behringer 1832FX) ....and from mixer out to Winamp box and then to my server.....or server I am casting into.

With my setup, I get good clean sound from music and microphone. I also can handle upto 3 simultaneous streams (one to my server, one to a 2nd web radio server, and one to SL) with little problem. I do however have a 10MB/1MB cable connection. You should have at least a 256mb constant upload speed to avoid drops etc. just for a single stream.

When talking on your microphone, ALWAYS turn down or turn off your own local sound system so you do not get feedback or echo. Also remember that typically the delay with Shoutcast is 20 to 30 seconds so when you say something, take that into account. Also remember that not everyone in the club is ACTUALLY listening to you. Some go in, turn their avatars onto the dance floor, and are watching Seinfeld as they chat. Seriously.

If possible....before you actually webcast, listen to your levels and tweak as necessary. My OtsDJ is eq'd etc so that a person "Should" be able to listen with their EQ flat (most people never adjust their EQ in Winamp etc) and in SL the feed you hear is coming to you Flat EQ.

Stay tuned into your group. Get into the event. When in radio, or DJing in RL, to really get into a gig, DJ's will stand...believe it or not.....there is a HUGE difference in how you feel the music you are playing and respond to the audience when standing. Seriously.

Music. Do you have enough to actually do the gig? Can you do a variety of music styles or are you limited either by choice or necessity. Although you DO hear RL DJ's repeating music at a gig, it is usually because they lack experience or they simply do not have enough to do the gig properly. If in doubt...either back out politely from the gig...or reduce the rate you are willing to work for.

As well, downloaded music DOES NOT cut it if you are DJing for money...RL or SL. Seriously. There is just too much inconsistency in the rips (some are CBR, some are VBR, some are just plain BAD) and that can affect your overall show quality. Ever download a song and it has pops and squeals or is not complete? That is often the case with music downloads

Now....I say all the above as only pointers for those looking to DJ in SL. I myself have not been hired to DJ in SL, although I do play the music for events at The Tyger's Den Fun Pub & Tiki Bar and also do a show that is webcasted into Club WARP on Sunday evenings. What I am speaking from is my experience as a real-life former radio/club and currently working mobile DJ and webcaster. So there may be some who will disagree with my comments, and others who will find this useful information.

Now for pay. Most of the time you will be paid on average $200 Linden plus tips. Depending on your experience, you can make as much as $500 Linden for a 2 hour gig.

In regards to the tips. Ask the club/bar owner if you are using their tip jar (which typically gives the owner a percentage) or if you can use your own. If you can use your own tip jar, make sure it is visible and don't forget to take it with you at the end of the evening!!

Another thought....sometimes you will be asked to provide your own DJ gear. If this is the case, factor that into your rate. If I am providing the DJ booth, I will expect to be compensated as I would be in RL. In RL, where the booth/DJ gear is supplied, the DJ gets between $100 and $200 USD for 4 to 5 hours. But when supplying the gear, that rate is 4 times (yes I said FOUR times) the rate without the DJ gear.

Questions? Either PM here or IM me In World.

TD

btw...webcasting at 64kbps Stereo AAC+ today and this evening for those who want to hear an example of the sound that the lower bandwidth use of AAC+ sounds like. http://www.gemsupermix.com:8200

Off topic slightly.


Dear Dj's

shut up n play music

Thanks


Nothing worse then a dj who talks more then they play, whats even worse dj's who think they can sing and try to 'add' to the music with thier own voices.....zomgz

/me * Nod's *

Nice insight Tygers Dagger , I too have been a DJ most of my adult life , on first logging into SL i thought " OMGZ ..I WANNA START A CLUB " ..... then seen what was involved and backed away pretty sharpish.

Many moons have passed and still feel the itch to stream a live set to SL but just not got round to doing a live gig as yet .

I used Streamload and upped a few 2 hour set's ( breakbeats ) and streamed them to my island ... that was pretty cool ... but i would still love to do a full on hand's in the air session... just to show some of the joker's in SL a thing or two about how's the big boy's do it

I might drop by your place Tygers , You sould like you know what your talking about .

To the OP ... take note ...be ready to be laughed out the door if you burn


Ps ... club owners .... lets have some breakbeat gig's .... ABBA is just not hip