Turntable backline policy

T

Tom Manchester

Senior
Jan 11, 2011
607
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Delaware
www.electrosoundsystems.com
We occasionally supply turntables for DJ's and bands, generally Technics 1200's with a rane TTM-57SL mixer. I was wondering, from those of you who supply turntables as backline, what are you usually sending out with them? Assume the rider just says "2 technics 1200 turntables & TTM-57SL mixer."

I can't recall a time where the artist didn't supply their own cartridges, Serato records, and laptop, but I was wondering if it's customary for the backline provider to supply a set of cartridges / needles, or Serato records with the rental.

I wouldn't bring along a backup fender strat if someone was just renting one of my guitar amps. For turntables, I'm a little unsure of the protocol.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

I provide serato records,discs slipmats,usb cable and some mediocre needles. Rather have the "Oh thanks I forgot that" than any blame in missing pieces. Trust me it will be your problem if the dj that flew in doesn't have any of this. 7 times out of ten they will have the accessories though.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

This is a side question, but do people argue about the sound of different cartridges/styli when the only vinyl they're using is for that Serato system? I could see mechanical "playability" as an important issue, at least.
 
If they really care and are actually spinning vinyl they'll have their own needles. If its just for serato, it makes almost no difference unless they have a problem with jumping out of the groove.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus 4
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Charles Harrigan said:
If they really care and are actually spinning vinyl they'll have their own needles. If its just for serato, it makes almost no difference unless they have a problem with jumping out of the groove.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus 4
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in my market, ive encountered almost zero djs which have brought their own needles. The standard needles in clubs and from providers have been some sort of flavor of ortofon. In one club, I experimented with shure white labels, but the stylii kept breaking. The bar manager was responsible for removing them at the end of the night, so I can't put all the blame on the shures, but this was never an issue with ortofon.

Hip hop djs are almost the sole users of serato over here. Everyone else uses traktor, but fwiw, native instruments is based in berlin.

What I do often encounter is a dj who has forgotten or lost their 1/8" - 1/4" headphone adaptor. Useful to send out with turntables is some sort of vibration isolation solution. Common here are to use thick steel plates with a welded handle sitting on squash balls. I've also used paving stones and have formed silicon feet (from caulking tubes) in muffin tins. The silicon feet are more difficult to lose, but I've never compared how more or less effective they are to rubber squash balls. Feedback is not an issue with scratch amp setups, but isolation still helps with groove tracking.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Tom Manchester said:
We occasionally supply turntables for DJ's and bands, generally Technics 1200's with a rane TTM-57SL mixer. I was wondering, from those of you who supply turntables as backline, what are you usually sending out with them? Assume the rider just says "2 technics 1200 turntables & TTM-57SL mixer."

I can't recall a time where the artist didn't supply their own cartridges, Serato records, and laptop, but I was wondering if it's customary for the backline provider to supply a set of cartridges / needles, or Serato records with the rental.

I wouldn't bring along a backup fender strat if someone was just renting one of my guitar amps. For turntables, I'm a little unsure of the protocol.
Click to expand...

I think it would be prudent to have the accessories on hand, but don't offer them unless someone asks.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Justice C. Bigler said:
So I've been reading up on this Serato Scratch Live system. Very interesting.

Do these time code records wear out like the old vinyl records did? Or are they more durable than audio records were?
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I've seen them very abused yet they still work. I've seen them scratched so deep the needle jumps grooves -of course the audio follows.
They don't need to use the entire record either so I've seen DJ's keep using the same section of the record over and over to avoid bad sections.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Randy Pence said:
in my market, ive encountered almost zero djs which have brought their own needles. The standard needles in clubs and from providers have been some sort of flavor of ortofon. In one club, I experimented with shure white labels, but the stylii kept breaking. The bar manager was responsible for removing them at the end of the night, so I can't put all the blame on the shures, but this was never an issue with ortofon.

Hip hop djs are almost the sole users of serato over here. Everyone else uses traktor, but fwiw, native instruments is based in berlin.

What I do often encounter is a dj who has forgotten or lost their 1/8" - 1/4" headphone adaptor. Useful to send out with turntables is some sort of vibration isolation solution. Common here are to use thick steel plates with a welded handle sitting on squash balls. I've also used paving stones and have formed silicon feet (from caulking tubes) in muffin tins. The silicon feet are more difficult to lose, but I've never compared how more or less effective they are to rubber squash balls. Feedback is not an issue with scratch amp setups, but isolation still helps with groove tracking.
Click to expand...


Here's a low-budget way to dampen 1210s :)

Speaking of NI, I like how some of their mixers have dual headphone outputs, one 3,5mm and one 6,3mm.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Craig Hauber said:
I've seen them very abused yet they still work. I've seen them scratched so deep the needle jumps grooves -of course the audio follows.
They don't need to use the entire record either so I've seen DJ's keep using the same section of the record over and over to avoid bad sections.
Click to expand...

Seems like an awful lot of effort to avoid spending $15 for a new time code LP at Guitar Center.

Same goes for people who continue to use stinky, dented wind screens on their SM58s.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Include everything. Ever provide backline for a drummer who arrived without sticks?

Vinyl records wear out only when used with a worn or dirty stylus, inappropriate stylus pressure (too much or too little), or a tonearm with crapped out bearings.
 
Re: Turntable backline policy

Dave Barnett said:
Seems like an awful lot of effort to avoid spending $15 for a new time code LP at Guitar Center.
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So the DJ's screwed up their discs doing the opening set at a club up the street and as a facility manager I guess I just didn't know the Guitar Center 35mi away was open at 11pm on a Saturday!

But seriously, I stopped babysitting the DJ's within a month of me having to manage that stage. As a group they are far and beyond the occasional caretaking that live bands require.
 
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