Pretty cool. I almost always use relative mode also, I rarely use absolute mode.

I seriously can not see how people use relative mode. Everytime I use it I get frustrated that I can't pick up the needle and move to a spot in the song. I guess you to set some cue points if you use relative!

im totaly confused on what he is doing

Nice vid. I stay in Absolute Mode.

When I first got SSL I always used Absolute, but since my boy showed me the possibilites with Relative, I use that mostly (except when rocking doubles, I always use Absolute with that). Relative mode is great for quick mixing, which like another thread pointed out, is a must in NYC clubs (depends on the crowd, but it's rare you can rock a full song).

Dope, I like the way he was triggering the sounds on the Amerie record on the second video.

Who' ever really rocked the whole song,..2 verses and you break da fuck out....unless that shit really hits.

Yheah videos were tight first dudes movin' right along

i use relative almost exculsively also. and anewsome is right, cue points are the key. plus its great for preventing cue burn on the record.

great demos. just curious, whats the benefit of using relative mode?? i've never really used it, so i have no idea what it can do. i always stay in absolute mode, and drop the needles just like if they were the original vinyls. i guess i never really played around with relative mode, so i have no idea what it can do.

hmmmm...that set sounds familiar. That was the same set he did on POWER 106 down here in So cali.

cue points, censor, looping, instant doubles....

and he still doesn't sound all that hot. Blah

how come dj am is playing the same set he played on 106?
i know that shit had to be programmed. but none less, that set rocked.

whats the best way to get some advise on how to utilize relative mode to the fullest?? it seems cool how you can rock doubles that quick, i'd be willing to use it more if i knew how too.

its cool that he is using the software in ways i wouldn't think of... but i don't see all the hype on this.,.. i hear beat juggling and trick mixing that sounds better than this everyday, and without the advantage of a computer

not really feelin the pressing keys to drop sections of a track, don't use realtive much mainly due to the loosing the needle drop abillity...

but will probably use it more once I switch to the newer version of software to use the loop feature...

Relative > Everything. Ive used it from the day I got it. 1983 heads are missing out using absolute

its that simple gentlemen and female dj's (if there is any)(that use Serato).. you set markers on your cues... and your turntables become from an ordinary instrument to a virtual instrument!... I only use my absolute mode when I want to go to the begining of the track if I dont have a cue for that,.. just by switching from F2 to F1 and Vice/Versa,.. its even easier if you put stickers to label them or all three so you wont press the wrong one by accident,.. it could happen!.. But pay attention to where your needle is going.. cuz you can get carried away and when you don't realize it, you are at the end of the control record trying to load a song,..careful because it won't!! Then you're gonna be sweatin that you cant load a track and start blaming Serato for problems with the program.. lol!
Since the first day I got Serato about close to a year ago I started with relative mode,.. plus you're needles wont skip,.. unless you're a total heavy hander!.. remember Turntables are a delicate instrument,.. you gotta have finesse,.. its an Art!... PEACE!!

what I meant by this is that.. the .mp3 will load but it wont play!!.. I think!.. anyway you get the idea!!..

ha .. it says I posted the comment @ 1:35pm,.. when in Los Angeles it 5:35am well now it 5:37am,.. talk about you all are having Lunch while I am having breakfast!... PEACE!

Thanx for the videos SAM! Very Cool indeed! I have never checked out realative mode...beacuse I like to drop my needles....but I will def. give it a try when I install 1.5!
Do you have any more vids?

i use relative mode only, just the pitch drift is annoying

Wit relative mode you hust have to hit "i" for left deck and "k" for right deck to jump to the beginning of the song (its the temp cue point).

Relative mode cause pitch drift?? I play a lot of house and I do pretty long mixes, so pitch drift is a pretty big issue with me.

Ye I was delighted when they brought that feature out in 1.4 I think it was

Niral you will notice the drift (pitch drift is the wrong word here) if you scratch a lot or your record is worn.

I like these kinds of posts!

Thanks for confirming this Sam. After listening to his mixes a few months back I figured Relative mode was the only way he could drop all those songs that fast. I like what he did with the Montell & Game joints... How he was searching for songs while scratching - that was hot.

To those who haven't used the other modes, I would suggest exploring every option they can with SSL and their computers. You can't learn everything overnight, but take it slow and check it all out. If SSL changed your life that much, Relative mode can change the way you use SSL.

I like using both Absolute and Relative.

Using rel mode makes you really lazy. I experience this while recording a mixtape at home, instead of cueing back etc. I switched to rel and hit a button.

i can't believe this dude is considered one of the hottest dj's on the planet....

while i can appreciate relative mode for the creativity it allows - obviously some pretty amazing stuff is possible when you can manipulate the cue points - for me, i feel better using absolute mode.

more videos please :)

I think he uses the same set because it is SAFE. He cant fuck up a set that he knows like the back of his hand...... I've never seen the dude live, but I have heard him do that same set at least 3 times now at different places, that pretty wack if you ask me, if he was the BEST DJ out there like he is getting labeled, he would come fresh everytime.......

Do you know how often these big name DJs rock the same set over and over and freaking over. There is a reason the shit sounds tight,.. because they've done the exact set 50 damn times. You're listening and you say damn,.. he put those two songs together flawless or he quick mixed those 5 songs flawless. Well there's a reason,.. because he's been practicing that exact set until he worked it out completely.

My sets never sound like that because I personally get bored playing the same set 50 times. 70% of the time when you hear me,. you're hearing me put together two songs that I've never even mixed together before.

That AM mix was hot, but if you think he came up with that mix on the spot,.. you're crazy.

Z-Trip too. I dig Z-Trip but I know for a fact when he does a radio tour, he'll play a set live that he's done many times before. I heard him on a few different stations in one week and every station was basically the same set.

Same here. If you gotta play the same songs each week (its not that you change our whole repertoire each week) anything else will make you get bored thus fall aslee ;)

I am a few weeks into using serato and I am still pulling up the record to change it...old habits die hard....

I love that, I dont care if its lazy its so much quicker, im always in rel mode so I dont need to even need to switch modes. I was playing normal records around a friends last week for the first time really since I got ssl and it just made me realise how much I love serato and relative mode in particular, so much unnecessary shit and restrictions playing normal records.

Hahah. Flawless and tight. Not AM in my book. If he sounds like that with that much practice... maybe he needs to practice those sets a little more... or stop drinking if he was tipsy.

and the funniest thing is... that hey, It's Serato! If you really are doing that same set over and over...

JUST EDIT all those songs in ONE LOOOOONG TRACK. Seriously.

So sixxx, let see if understand this correctly. You're not a big fan of DJ AM,.. am I right?

Has he converted yet? When I heard about serato, he was the first DJ I thougth about that could benefit from it.

No he probably will never switch to SSL, at least I don't think so. But he could benefit from it a great deal. My point was that he does the same sets over and over and over...

I use Asolute mode, so I don't have to touch my computer. I use Relative mode sometimes for scratching. Usually my computer is not that close to me and also I hated watching Dj's go to their computer every few seconds to hit a key pad, so I strayed away from it for a personal preferance. I will probably use it when the 57 comes out.

I'm been saving all of my cue burnt records, so I can finally use the b side without hassle.

I'm sure Z will which someday, he's not against it. But to switch takes time to program everything and I doubt he wants to come out until he is on point or on another level.

S

so when AM rocks doubles he basically looks at the ssl display to know where he is at right?

I am with sixxx here, in the video where he demonstrates the cue usage he is far far away from being tight :( Thats not a general statement about him, cause his Power 106 mix was ok and relatively (pun...) tight, but this one.. nahh.

But his ideas sound interesting.

cool thread guys, good to see all the feedback. i've only used absolute mode since i purchased ssl mainly because its the closest to real vinyl, which i've always used. i understand why people stick to absolute mode, the same reason i do, but i've been spinnin for too long, and i realize i'm never gonna be a dj qbert, so i'm trying to maximize ssl's potential and learn how to use it too its fullest. i'm still kinda unclear on what relative mode can offer, i guess it allows you to get to specific cue points on your records, by simply pushin a hot key on your computer?? is that right?? i'll play with it more this afternoon and see what i can figure out on it, but any advise on using relative mode is appreciated. thanks

I'm not a fan of any DJ or artist. They're just regular people like you and me. He's just not that great like everyone seems to make him out to be.

In his defense, he wasn't using headphones in the cue demo video. Plus he was mixing a live song (the sample from "1 Thing") and we all know how it is mixing records that are made from live instruments. Plus it's a demo... he's basically showing us the stuff you can do in Relative, not how great a DJ he is.

I do agree with sixxx that he's just a regular guy. Most importantly to me, he seems humble. If everyone bigged him up and he was a Kanye West about it, THEN I'd call him an asshole.

Well put Sixxx.

I didn't actually watch the video, but my point was he is able to put together killer sets because he does them over and over and over. For some reason the video doesn't play for me.

Sixxx, no disrespect but I'll tell you what makes DJ AM great. The fact that everyone that hears him DJ says he's great. If these people have no clue what it takes to be a good DJ, or they can't see that he really is not that good,.. does that make him a worse DJ? Only to people who know what a good DJ really is,.. which is a very small percentage of people compared to the masses. The fact that the guy sucks really doesn't matter.

It would matter to me if I were him,.. I'd at least try to get my game up so that when people like sixxx hear me play, they gimme props. But if the guy is the most popular, best played and most sought after DJ in LA and Vegas,.. do you really think he gives a crap that his skills are not up to the level of other DJs? You think the club owners and promoter charging $20-$30 a head and $15 for vodka drinks, really care that he is not that good?

Commercialism vs Idealism. Nice topic. Let the flame war start :)

call me jealous, but i hate it when club goers talk all this jazz about dj am. don't get me wrong, he's doing his thing and gettin paid well for it, but damm, some of his mixes are questionable. oh well, he paid his dues and got the right breaks, i'd trade places with him.

I really do not get the hype about this guy. Enough said.

You guys have obviously not been to LAX and seen the crowd there. Club goers care about this kind of stuff. When you have all the hottest celebrities in Hollywood in one spot, listening to one guy DJ,.. people get a little euphoric and equate all the people there with him. Trust me,.. I've been to the dead club with a bunch of nobody's and a DJ who is just killing it on the 1's and twos (I recently saw one of the best DJs at a dead club). Of course that guy is better than AM but obviously did not get the breaks AM did or whatever. So at that point, who do you really think is gonna get more run in the press, clubgoers minds, internet dj rankings, promoters radar, club owners radar, etc. Of course they are gonna take note that Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxxx, Nick Lachey, Mike Tyson and Jessica Alba were ALL at LAX AT THE SAME TIME.

Don't tell me that crap doesn't matter cuz it does. So Mark, that's where the hype about this guy comes from. I don't really think it's all that hard to get. If all you ever see and hear are these mediocre mix tapes and fairly lame videos, I can see how it might be hard to understand though.

yo Sam, was it really that "dark" at that club in the booth....dang, i'd be too scared to play that much on the lappy keyboard. u guys should come out with glow in tha dark sticker labels.

I wouldnt call 1Thing a "live" record. its a loop, steady tempo.

Mike, the Macs have a feature which makes sure that the keyboard lights up from the background once you are in a dark environment.

"If a million people said it, does it make it true?" --

I have two words besides the above quote to prove my point....

Laffy Taffy

whoa. i did not know that.

hmmmmm.... i wonder if i can McGuyver my Dell and put LEDs behind my keys.

I guess the moral of this thread is that most people are dumb sheep that don't know shit from apple butter. (As if we didn't already know this).

Sixxx,.. so if I offer you skills on one hand and fame, cash, chicks and celebrity on the other hand,.. you'd take the skills? Now that's keepin it real man. I'd take all that other stuff in a heartbeat.

^^ good stuff

No wonder you had a hard time understanding how AM did the Power mix live... you really need to break out of your comfort zone and test out all the abilities of the Serato program. Relative mode will make you a fresher DJ, period. You can do things quicker and more efficient in Relative mode by setting cues. It also saves a TON of wear & tear on your control vinyls. I can't imagine going back to Absolute mode...

And whether any of you like AM as a DJ or not, the point of the post was to show what the program is capable of when relative mode is being utilized to its fullest...

You guys really need to get away from all the hating and constant dissection of everything AM does. You guys are worse than a women's knitting circle.

wtF is 'apple butter'?

From en.wikipedia.org :



Sounds delish! ^_^

I need apple butter

( scratchlive.net )
I cant afford eating apple butter with my stomach.

yeah it sounds good alright... I might have to get my girlfriend to try making some. ^_^

i was skeptical about if AM could live up to the hype until i saw him at body english in vegas. i was there with a couple DJs (one of them his homie, who got us in, so he won't count) but the other a well respected, technically sound turntablist and party rocker and i gotta say, we were both really impressed with his a) selection b) mixing c) overall skills. he had the whole place feeling like a rap video times 1,000 and all this on a Sunday.

we're all entitled to our opinions, so i thought i'd add mine in there.

as for using relative mode...still not quite comfortable with it yet, but the cue points are dope for sure.

Man...I can't believe you guys....lol

wait...apple butter or apple bottom :)

In the 2nd video, he first played the sample source of "1 Thing" and then he went into Amerie's "1 Thing." Listen closer. Him hitting the cue points all those times are from the sample source (left turntable), not the steady loop sampled by Rich Harrison.

Apple butter is that shit. Get some.

what's apple bottom? some physiological condition?

apple bottom is a type of denim jeans that women wear. Usually big booty girls.

Apple bottoms are what sir mixalot was talkin about in that 1 hit wonder.

Apple bottom? Melon breasts? :) A wellformed butt, which reminds you of the shape of apples.

Hm...

Jeans for women with big asses by Nelly. www.applebottoms.com

Oh, and it's "Oh, Calcutta" by The Meters. www.discogs.com

Nelly's clothing line.

dj am rocks... period... if you say otherwise you haven't seen him live... don't let you ears decieve you...

skip

the fact that you can rock Serato out like a sampler in relative mode wins it for me.

I would actually love to become prroficient at using relative mode. But two things keep me from doing it,.. a.) having the time to set cue points on all my joints to make it worthwhile,.. and b.) feeling like less of a dj in relative mode.

Then again, I've caved to everything else in order to keep up. I mean, multitracking mixes, voice over drops on mixtapes, using ssl in the first place, using loops live, using effects, and on and on. And now relative mode. I'll admit it,.. you can do stuff in relative mode that you simply can not do in absolute.

When I was in the serato booth at NAMM, I saw dude (forget his name), using the keypad to "drum" a beat. He had set cue one on a kick and cue two on a snare. Drumming a beat live with keys while the vinyl spins. It was dope as hell, didn't really feel like DJing though. But it was possible with relative mode.

Yeah, I'll bitch about it but I'll probably end up using it like everything else.

It's stuff like ^^this^^ that makes you think twice about any DJ. Just like an MC... you hear the words, but when you hear something else it makes it that much hotter.

apple-butter-rugs

LOL!

You can earn fame, cash and celebrity status if you have skills and use them correctly. You can't lose your skills but you can become poor and a nobody in a heartbeat.

Anyway, I don't think AM sucks. I think he can rock a crowd; no doubt about that. But, his skills are not in pair with his fame.

Furthermore, I don't hate the guy and I don't know the guy personally to speak of his humbleness or lack thereof. All I said is that he didn't sound that hot by the videos that were posted regardless of his live performances.

I'm not "hating or disacting everything AM does".

Wow... Well, let me say this. I don't think I am better then ANY DJ out there at ALL. I ain't shit. I am a DJ like everyone on this board and I NEVER said "I rule" or that I am better then anyone. People hate or love on ALL of us and there's nothing we can do. I just accept it cause I know I am 100% powerless over others actions. So, all I really CAN worry about in life is my side of the street. I just keep DJing and doing what I think sounds good or will rock a crowd. I am straight up the LUCKIEST guy alive. If I had my job that I have now, or not, I feel that way. 8 years ago I was strung out on crack in my apartment with no power, no phone and barf stains all over the floor. I almost sold my turntables at one point! But SOMEONE wanted me to live. And I made it out alive. All I can do is say THANK YOU G0D everyday that I am living and getting to DJ in front of people. And on top of that, I get paid to do what I would be doing for free anyway. THAT ROOLZ!

I really respect the honesty here if its in my favor or not cause you guys know a lot more then I do. I'm straight up flattered as fuck your even talking about me lol So, all that said.. I'm going back to practice! Jesus, I will be 33 years old on March 30th and I still practice everyday since I had tables. Being a DJ ROOLZ!

By the way, in regards to the last post. I like to focus on the TRUTH in life... Fame, cash and status... has absolutely NOTHING to do with who anyone is AS A PERSON. All that is outside shit that is shallow and shows what you got, not who you are. I like toys and status like the next dude, but I like to look at WHO I AM not what I got. I sponsor 6 kids and help them to stay sober. I don't litter. I try to be unselfish everyday and do some shit that helps someone else and does not benefit me at all. I try to be 100% honest in everything I do and I THANK G0D I am alive everyday. And none of that makes me better or worse. It just makes me ME.

HAHAH SORRY to get all serious but I guess I am in the mood. So hate, love... KEEP IT REAL! I am going to cut

DJ AM,

You sir get major props on your post. I can honestly say that your view of DJ'ing and life seems down to earth as fuck. Stay grounded.

Told you man... I don't know dude either, but I read an interview of him and you could just tell how humble he is. Mad props & respect due.

DJ AM............


AA Tradition # 11

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

That is one of the most level-headed comments I've ever heard from a DJ. Good post.

Isn't it funny when you read the tabloids while in line at the supermarket and think who the hell buys and reads this stuff. Haha, so close to home.

I also read an interview on AM and definitly made me respect him as a person, which in turn reflect on his DJing. Can't hang with assholes.

S

Hey AM, I met you @ Stereo one night a while back when you came on after Doug Grayson. This dude is just as humble in person and just as nasty. When will you be in NYC again?

Now, that is a good human being right there.
Stay strong, mad props to ya !!!

to those that use relative mode?
are you constantly using the mouse to click to get to your cue points faster?

im still new to SSL but i like absolute cus i cant move the needle to where i want to be cus i had to do with normal records.

use the # keys on your laptop to jump to the cues

illipse-
i use the keyboard shortcuts to go through cuepoints, and on some songs i have two exact copies of the song so i have 10 cue points. i also use an external keypad, and have been trying to figure out how to work with my trigger finger and midistroke. i think relative mode just opens so many doors. i was going to do a post about what mode is everyone using, but i guess this kinda does it.

and one comment on adam's post, its so important to keep everything in perspective, and to treat everyone with respect and carry one's self with a level of professionalism. we all love this stuff, and there's so much we can learn from each other, both on the music end and hopefully in life. and really good to see everyone reacting positive to his post.

ok, off my little pulpit...

Great thread. Very civilized, respectful, open, honest, and well said.

We're all passionate about this shit...as can be seen here.

i think this is the frist civilized thread i have read

i like it

^^^Yheah, cause I haven't posted yet.

haha

good shit. hopefully this will make people realize that we're all DJs trying to spin records, entertain people, make a buck or two and keep it moving.

on another note, i'm hooked on relative mode.

The problem you'd run into if you tried that is that your Dell's keys are probably opaque. One of those USB-powered gooseneck LED lights would probably work better for you.

WOW.. I musta read this paragraph like 10x. That's real talk right there. Great post overall..

Two of my good friends (both DJ's, both relatively well-known in their scene) basically committed slow-motion suicide with drug use in the last couple of years, so I'm very glad to hear of someone who got themself out of that hole.

I can't even begin to express how upsetting it is to meet some fresh-faced person out at the club who just turned 21 (or maybe just got their ID), then to see them again perhaps a year or two later and see the results of them having discovered "party drugs".

I hope with your experiences you're able to positively affect some people through your example.

The litter line was hilarious also...

What feature ? What feature ? Pray tell....I NEED to know!

DJ Mark-

yeah man, drugs are a terrible beast. a waitress at the spot i do the booking at and play on a regular basis just lost to drugs. it's really sad to see somebody with so much life fall victim to drugs and lose their life.

and think about using relative with TTM57... a dream come true :)

BTW, the only thing i miss in relative is needle drop, or better to say, the ability to cue a point inmediately, or to pre-listen the track at any spot.

i think TTM57 should add a controller to move fast within the track, like some kind of dial.

i mean, when you move the dial, the track moves quickly. lets say you move a half rotation, then you jump to the mid of the track. and so on...

DJ AM, my respects to you. the most important thing for a dj is to rock the crowd, and you really rock the crowd with your djing skills! have you ever tryed the new instant doubles feature? it allows you to make amazing things...

*bowing down*

yo DJ AM, man, the simple fact that you were able to break out of that living hell is a blessing to sing about every single day that you wake up in tha morning :)

You will be 33 years old on March 30th and u r sponsoring 6 kids to stay sober... not only u r touching the lives of those 6 kids, u r also bringing joy to the family and friends of those 6 kids...AND u DJ.

Keep up the good work!

(this thread/post reminds me of those Birthday cards or Get Well Soon cards that u pass around at work so everyone can sign and say a little blurb or greeting :)

- dj Mike Coquilla

ps. looking forward to more mixes (audio & video)... rel mode is on my "to do list"

yo Mark, thanks for that tip... i keep forgetting about that USB lighting gooseneck LED.

this is a great concept, but as alcoholics were liars, cheats, and thieves, who ever says they practice all of aa's principles in all there affairs is lying straight through there teeth.

"I do 10,11,12, every day so i dont need to do another 4th and 5th" <= YOUR BULLSHIT

also, probably 95% of the people that read it have no Fing clue what is means to sponsor somebody. i sponsor 3 people. im 22. so what?

i mean if someone wants to break there anonymity thats fine,but dont throw my name in the mix unless you know its cool.

fuck, AM almost sold his tables....i fucking pawned my 2 m3d's and ttm54i and corcord NCS nite club for a fat sack of meth. worst decision i ever made. still makes me shake my head.....

lol. k, sleep time.

Sobriety is awesome.

See ya!

Oh yeah, also,

its great to see sucessfull people sponsor and remember where they came from. my sponsor is a famous musician (sorta like a famous DJ) and still maintains his humility through sponsorship and H and I panels, and comitments.

Oh yeah baby.

Props to DJ AM for his honest post.

Its nice to be important, but its more important to be nice.

what time is it in germany?

Noon. Time for philosophy ;) Thats why I posted that deep statement before. Haha :)

lol
german philosopher, dude i gots to get to bed, my life is so unmanagable

respect to am. he does his thing. relative mode rules. serato rules. 1.

Lorrence, dont worry, its the first "normal" day for days... last week I went to bed average 5 in the morning, some days I went to bed at 10 in the morning. Good to see the daylight again :)

Damn, all of the hatin' IMMEDIATELY stopped when AM jumped on the boards... *_*

I didnt see hating before. Criticism still stands there. You can be the wackest dj and be the nicest person, no correlation.

Call it whatever u want. There isn't anymore "critiscm" since the post. But at the same time we are here to speak on dj topics. So at some point somebody has to catch it.

I've only heard the one Dj AM mix someone posted a while ago here. I thought it was dope. So I give him props.

sounds sympathic :))

hey nik - what's up with the mac keyboard backlighting feature?!?

People are entitlted to their opinions. AM came and cleared up some things. You gotta respect that about him, bottom line. I think Common put it best on "1999" when he said "if I don't like, I don't like it, that don't mean that I'm hating." Words to live by seriously.

Some of my best friends are DJ's that play music I loathe and detest.

iLL, what do you mean with "whats up" with it?

That's fine. And I respect everyone's opinion here. So I'll just leave it alone just out of respect...

Since I was on a plane when this DJ AM lovefest broke out, I'm gonna get back to hatin'. Fuck DJ AM. Just kidding,.. if you remember, I was one of the people respecting the guy for doing his thing. I've never had the chance to see him live so I can't say where his skills are. But I will tell you it took some big nuts to come on here and post anything, especially when half of the posts in this thread are calling him out for having no skills.

I've never said the guy had no skills, I've always said his mixes were pretty dope from what I've heard but that it sounded like it was not possible live (not without multi-tracking or pre-mixed edits, not even in relative mode).

You got that "it took some big nuts" part right. If it was me, I wouldn't have said sh*t. I would have been questioning myself... Then later on tonight go spin at LAX, rock that joint and collect anotha $20,000!!!

sometimes i wonder how DJ Splyce woulda responded on his thread --> www.scratchlive.net

DJ AM is sponsoring the following 6 kids:

DJ_Mike_Coquilla
Nik39
click
anewsome
Sam


and of course... let's not forget chirpflare

:P



---

I don't know if this question got answered or not, but some Macs have a light sensor that tells the computer... "hey, buddy, turn the damn keyboard lights on" <--- Just like that with some weird accent though. :)

Dang, busted.

:)

i wonder if chirp is actually on-line here, but undercover with an alias handle?

Nah, I don't think so. It's not enough bullsh*t going on here now. He would have exposed himself by now one way or another.

oh, nik, i meant how does it work? i've never seen/heard of this feature...unless i misunderstood you, you said macs have a feature to backlight the keyboard?

IMO Relative Mode takes DJing to another level and not a necessarily good level. Most will say that your sets wont sound natural but this natural feeling is soon to be gone. To say the least we are now rocking MP3s as vinyl and using echos and flanger effects live on the spot. Now Realitive Mode will make us sound like a ridiculous multi-tracked mixtape but live as well. Its up to you how you are gonna sound in the end.

Its funny how in this thread more people are realizing the AM isnt all hes cracked up to be, but in the previous AM thread everyone was bowing down to him.

I'll go with sixxx on this one. He dosen't suck but hes not what people say he is, he caught a lucky break. Just being able to honestly say that you DJ'ed Tom Cruises' birthday party will throw you more gigs than you can swallow. Hanging around with Nicole Richie will up your game too. Just like if a celeb wears a piece of clothing or drives car car- its an instant cult following from the masses. Would I switch places with AM? Who wouldnt?

BTW bring back chripflare he made me laugh on the serious board patrolled by the illegal Mp3 police...

i too miss the chirpflare days too. dude was so ridiculously over the top he cracked my ass up. i gotta admit though, at first i was like "who is this clown?"

Taken from www.kernelthread.com <- click:

Funny that people are asking about this feature description.

wow...wonder why they wouldn't make that feature more widely known?

anyway, thank you nik for that information, i appreciate it.

oh. now i know why i never heard of this feature. powerbook only. not included on the lowly ibook...

once you go relative you never go back dj scotty boy from vegas got me hooked on it the amount of extra touches you can do in a song are great for example if ur playing hiphop and there is a part accapella on the track you can stutter it with cue points make ur own breaks i work at a club where the dj booths are located right off the dance floor so they sometimes get bumped granted we are in a somewhat protected by the walls if someone bumps the booth wall hard enough records used to skip in relative it can withstand more shock

"8 years ago I was strung out on crack in my apartment with no power, no phone and barf stains all over the floor"

I've read this quote in 5 other magazine articles/interviews with him.

Most of us mix the way we like to...and when we hear mixes or scratches that are opposite/same we quickly judge them for better or worse. Serato picked AM for a reason; Not because he was the best in the world, but the best to market their product. His people skills, scatching ability, and crowd rocking ability was ideal...for them. I haven't heard him except fro in the demo videos from NAMM and he sounds dope as anyone else...so whats the problem? Im sure a lot of you are better/worse than him, but it just doesn't matter.

We picked him? Huh?

I think he got AM confused with that A-Trak wallpaper when he flying that HUGE ass Serato banner.

Yeah I probably confused the two, but you must admit the quote above is a strong statement

Serato picks people...I thought DJ's choose for themselves. If serato wasn't the best, then no one would use it. You notice AM scratching on the left turntable mostly in the video, with relative mode you can send the track to the right turntable if you are a left scratch dominate or do it the other way. I just noticed that...really some next level stuff. imho. He is so fast on the keys and que's, I almost didn't notice...props to the homie AM

i know i def do, and i feel like im cheating almost

Who cares if you are cheating if it sounds goods. People at the clubs don't always see what you are doing, so who really cares.
The only thing that is bad is that it takes some time to cue all of your songs with the cue points. And its not even that bad. With a click of a button you have a cue.

Last time I checked, these features were here for a reason...if you dont use them...I guess that's just your fault.

So to all you guys who mostly use relative mode. Do you pre-plan your sets like it seems DJ AM does or do you do everything on the fly?

I started using relative mode a few months back and I like it now. It took some getting use to tho. And I never preplan any sets. I just get up there and go for broke!

I'm sure everyone who is hating on dude is better then AM right? I havent seen the cat live but I've heard his radio mix and its pretty entertaining, and for the fact that it was done live, its pretty damn clean too imo. Some of you all might not like the track selection, the scratching, or anything else you can criticize, but that's him.
Let AM do AM and you do you. If the dude gets paid a grip for what he does, more power to him. There's alot of other cats out there who can't mix a record but get paid a shit load...if you wanna voice your complaints/frustrations, start there.

AM's mix was dope .... can someone post another one ?
Planned or not, it rocks.

You have a good point, but at the same time why is it when people say they don't like somethin or someone, they're hating? I've never had or never will understand that seriously. It's like saying because you have an opinion about somethin you're hating.

i've always rocked absolute but i've been messing with relative and it seems to give you more things to play with. Its sort of like having a CDJ's options.

Thats true Ransom, why is not liking something hating??? I never thought of that one.

Sometimes it irks me when people say that. I don't like what they like and I'm hating.

that's a pretty cool laptop stand there (in the remix hotel video). any info on that?

Ok, so I was just on DJ Ryme's myspace page, checking out some pictures of his setup. What I noticed was it was similar to most SSL DJs setups. Two turntables and a mixer right in front of you and the laptop off to the side,.. and sometimes waaaaayyyy off to the side.

The thing about relative mode is, you gotta have the laptop close by. It's gotta be close to your decks cuz you're always gonna be puttin your hands on it. If you are strictly an absolute mode kinda guy, then it's ok to put the laptop way off to the side.

Well now that I got my highRise, my laptop is close always. I'm actually gonna start working more with relative mode,.. just as soon as I have 27 hours to set multiple cue points in all my tracks.

Just do it as you go, thats what I do.

I have it far away because I tend to look at the screen too much if its in front of me (plus that night there was nowhere else to put it) and I find that my juggles are weaker and even some of my scratches are weaker if im staring at the screen, thats just my personal preferance. Im thinking of toying around with relative mode though, just to see what it can offer........

I've been thinking about giving relative mode a shot as well. I don't look at screen unless I'm either looking for the next song or checking on the time left on the track.

that'll be HOT if SSL / Rane can have it so all u have to do is plug in a flat panel touch screen display to the back to the TTM57SL mk2 along with a back lighted keyboard and ext hd. (via FW/USB2/SATA)

you can plug a touch screen into you laptop. thats what I do, only I have a 7" and it dont work exactly right with the small screen

sorry but I thought that part was dumb, didn't sound good at all, I hope that wasn't during his actual set.

I think the novelty of the Amerie part of the set was that it was The Meters - not Amerie. Looked like fun to me.

to each his own...

AM seems to like to do this a lot,.. rock the original song along with the recent song that sampled it. I don't remember who it was here but someone called that shit predictable and boring. I aint gonna front though,.. I do the same thing. That's me puttin lessons to these youngins that don't know their roots. Listen close youngin,.. it's Quincy Jones, not Pharcyde.

I do the same for these youngstas myself. i can't stand it when they don't know were the artist ripped off a beat/melody/whole damn song!

ssl rocks! Relative mode rocks!

I too started in absolute mode, I still use abso mode when juggling. One day I thought "wouldnt it be cool if I could be matching the speed of the song while simultaneaously skipping back to the beginning of each phrase... I swtched to relative mode, there was no interuption in the song I was playing, I could still use the record for pitch, scratch, cue , cut/drop control.

But now, in addition to that I can simply hit the 1 or 6 key ( I havn't really sunk my teeth into the true potential of this feature yet.) and as long as I can hit the key at the right moment I can creat a loop of any length which is instantly controllable with the turntable. When mixing, I use this to continually start the track at the beginning of the phrase/break/vocal etc. in this way I can remix the track to taste while still using the record.

The only loss in relative mode to me is the needle drop ( Which I don't use as an effect or technique) But it's like getting used to no taking the record off the platter, now you don't have to take the needle off the record except for when it's running out which takes some getting used to. I can't wait for the looping features.

Something I would use a lot would be a automatic quantizable cue Taker-to-er which would work like traktor(-stanton=crap) where you can tell it to go to cue 2 at the end of this phrase or bar or beat, and have it quantized to the waveform on whichever track you choose. I know this seems lazy or to easy, but I don't mind, if in the end the features allow me to make better mixes, live edits, performances, I am all for it.

Relative mode is way different than using traditional records, but it still offers to me, at least, all the things I love about turntables minus the repetitive, un creative tasks, like finding the cues with the needle. Relative mode is like having both a turntable and a cd deck playing your song at the same time, but with even more features. The deeper I delve into ssl the more I love it, and the more features I find ways to use. Lately I have been attempting to juggle and stutter beats with the number keys and the crossfader, it doesn't sound like a record, but I can do things on one hand like rearanging the notes in a melody, while keeping the beat-rob swift on the on the !'s and ^'s! lol

Thanks for the thread! give relative a try, and keep it in the family. peace

I believe I was the one who said this. It's cool and all, but I don't think it is anything special, especially with serato. In the past with vinyl, it was hard or costly to get some of those rare songs on vinyl, now it's a mouse click away.

It's cool to school the young ones on where the sample came from, but I don't think they give a fxxk. I think with serato playing the original than the sampled song is a given and no one should be claiming it. What's cool is when you can blend both songs into one and make it seamless as a whole new song.

S

I kind of enjoyed watching the 2 clips, as I have not yet taken the time to explore relative mode. Now, I think I will.

I also have not heard an AM set, so I can't judge his skills, but the dude is blowing up like vietnam, so more power to him, and I think that the options that he domonstrates can really open a lot of doors creatively with the system. His post is an eye-opener as to what luck, the right attitude, and perseverance can bring.

So it is what it is, and now I am off to look for a new apartment, and then to play with relative mode for the rest of the day...

Check out the Nostromo Speedpad. If you dont want to have the laptop right in front of you, this is what I use. It allows you to program the keys from SL on to the gaming pad. I use the top row for my Track 1 cues, and then the 2nd row for the track 2 commands. You can program tons of things into it....Just like how you would with the Powermate and Input Reverse.

You can also use it for other programs too...all you need to do is program the keys you want to use...literally, for any program that has a key command


www.Belkin.com

yea it didn't open my eyes about relative mode when i saw that video! this def opened doors for the Relative mode.gotta give props to DJ AM! don't see why everyone would have anything negative to say about him.he is straight up nasty.but theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeres always something..so its all good.."don't hate...appriciate"

scratch "didn't":)

Awesome reply! I've been wanting to catch you live, but I'm always busy. One of these days I will! Keep it up!

I've sent you at least two messages on myspace asking you about songs/remixes that you have. Not only have you not replied to either of them, when I first asked you for advice on a gig you just ignored it as well. Like everyone else says, I don't know you. But, as you seem very cool by your post, I find it very frustrating to see that you don't give a shit.
-My two cents

Are you serious? Did you ever think about how many people probably send DJ AM messages on myspace and how busy dude is?

I almost posted the exact same thing, but I decided to chill. But f*ck it now... ARE U SERIOUS????

same here.

Seriously. DJ AM's made 7 posts TOTAL, check it out:

scratchlive.net

So he posted on January 16, 2005, then again on March 15, 2006, over a YEAR LATER...it's not like he's a forum whore like the rest of us, he's out there making money.

same here

I get a lot of messages on myspace too about random shit, but I answer them. If he doesn't have time, then why is he even on in the first place?

You have got to be kidding... Dj AM is one of the most sought after djs in the country right now... playing several days a week and flying all over the country to do so. Furthermore, everyone is up on myspace its practically a requirement as a dj, its free advertising and a great forum for fans. I am sure he gets waaaaaaay more random questions on his myspace in a day then you do in a week. Dont judge him on his innability to reply to your myspace questions.

Judge him? Never did I once judge him. I simply replied to his post where he said that he's just like any one of us by asking a question. That question being, if you get a message, is it that hard to reply? I have nothing against him, I just believe that he isn't as "normal" as he says, that's it. I'm done with this thread, there's no point. Also, Solomon, please don't speculate on how many messages I get on myspace.

"I've sent you at least two messages on myspace asking you about songs/remixes that you have. Not only have you not replied to either of them, when I first asked you for advice on a gig you just ignored it as well. Like everyone else says, I don't know you. But, as you seem very cool by your post, I find it very frustrating to see that you don't give a shit.
-My two cents"

Which part of "...you don't give a shit" is non-judgemental?

You're right, that was a product of my anger. I apologize to both you and AM for saying that.

all good... keep it posative on the posts, im sure he wasn't trying to ignore u, just prob had too much goin on!

Homie, I hit you with a private message with my email addy. Hit me up and PLEASE don't think I ignore ANYone ever. I just always fuckin FORGET to come here lol... Sorry my man :(

Good shit AM to hit him back on here to let him know what the deal is.

Guess you missed mine AM, I hit you up a while ago

Leave him alone, plagues.

whats up dj am that video was coo! tell nicole her and paris should be homies again its ridiculous already !!! lol that'd be hot!

..... that's hot !!!

LOL

I hope romerom is a female.

nope i'm MALE and can show my my nuts if you like!

www.juliestudio.com

yournutz.com

Haha.....nice mexicannnnnn. I like it.

15K a show I hear for DJ AM. That sounds hot enough for me.

Hahah 1983 heads...love it!

I have to agree with sixxx. It's who you know in the business. I know a lot of Radio DJs that shouldn't be blending and they make it because they know how to B.S. their way through it. I've personally been happier when I was a bedroom DJ mixing for fun or even house parties. Now that I'm a club DJ, it's fun, but you get too many haters coming in and Serato offends the CD/Vinyl Only headz. But then again, the pressure of the haters, makes you want to rock your sets.

I've recently started using relative mode like 3 weeks ago and only because it was recommended to me by all my club/radio friends. They say that's the ONLY mode they use. AM is a big influence out here in S. Cali and they try to mock his ways. I personally like AM's style, and even before seeing SAM's videos, I noticed AM doing a studder on his cue points that I love doing. That's one of the main reasons I use relative mode. It allows you to expand what you can't do in absolute. Even though a lot of you may get offended or key pressing shy, I prefer the sets to rock then people caring about me being a key presser. More power to Relative mode. I may write up a how-to on relative mode in my www.DJCZer.com . Anybody care to add info?

-C-Zer

yeah c-zer I agree, I just put together something dope in my set using relative mode... something you could not do with regular vinyl and it sounds dope as hell.

All this talk about Relative has gotten me pretty interested in using it. I'll give it a shot. I've used it at home a couple of times and it has been cool. I'm going to attempt to going in to depth w/ it between gigs this weekend.

Rockin' relative mode is the shit. If for no other reason than the record wear. You don't have to purchase vinyl as often. But the stuttering effect, the looping and the que points... It enables you to mix songs together quicker... It's so many advantages to it. U probably won't see the advantages right off, but give it a week or 2 and you'll see.

Good info AMF. Thanks.

I can understand Vinyl headz hating relative mode ... but CD headz !!! CD headz should 1st go learn how to DJ (except former vinyl dudes who switched) "keeping it real" its called ... no pun intended.

what do you guys mean by stuttering in relative mode?

It means to keep tapping the same cue point on beat. If say you got 4 bars... you can tap 8 times within those 4 bars to get a cool "vocal" or "percussion" effect. And let it go on the down beat. The idea is to be on beat. Makes it nice to pump up the crowd.

Visually:

1..2..3..4
TTTRTTTRTT

T = Tap
R = Rest

Make sense? Essentially you're shopping it up with a quickness

chopping not shopping*

RESPECT TO ALL DJ's HUSTLIN out there. I can't hate on ANYONE making a living by playing music for the masses out there. Being able to say, "I Play Records and Rock Crowds for a living" is an incredible accomplishment and should be something that all us DJs can be proud to say.

Recognize that what we do is Special and that it is something that should be repected on all levels. More power to AM and all the Serato heads out there. The DJ game is slowly changing with all this new technology...just find out where you are going to fit in.

I only hate on those fake ass posers who will rock somebody elses DJ mixtape at a party while pretending to actually mix.

THAT IS JUST SHAMEFULL.

KEEP SPINNIN & STAY INSPIRED!
PEACE & RESPECT

Best DJ ^^ respect AM :)

I have to admit AM is one of the most chill down-to-earth people from what I have heard from people who have come in contact with him, it even shows in his personality. He stays true to the game and practices like everyone of us, as long as he's doing his thing and loving it for the music and making people excited and move their feet.. then he's doing it for all the right reasons.

more power to ya AM

I see what all the hype is about now. When he was really brought to the national spotlight it was for dating Nicole Ritchie and not for his mixing. So, I gotta admit, I thought he was just another hollywood prettyboy that "claimed" to be a DJ. Say what you will, but he can rock a crowd.

Keep doing what you do AM...you do it well.

Also, I never thought of tapping the cue points one after another like he did at the remix hotel video. He had a sick beat going without even touching the vinyl. Looks strange at first, but I'm gonna put my own spin on that...

rest in peace Homie

Thanks but, no need to bump every thread he's in.

Actually I like this bump. It's kinda funny to read what people are saying about relative mode from 3 + years ago haha.

Rest in Peace AM and your tribute to Serato since you and I started it in San Diego. Pioneers of this shit.

It's extremely sobering (no stupid pun intended) and of course sad that someone with all that School Of Hard Knocks-earned wisdom and personal ethics met the end that he did.