My Analog to Digital Process

So, let's talk about my analog to digital process.

Curiosity and Learning

As I tried to say before, I'm always very curious and trying to go deep into details and learn by myself. There is what everybody's telling you:

"This is the standard, you have to do it this way."

Most of the time, it is right. But you can also look at things from different angles.

Mentorship

My good friend, brother, and mentor, Kerry Chandler, is a great person to discuss technical things with. He has taught me a lot, and I'm always learning from him.

Exploring Limitations

For instance, there are ways to work around the digital and analog limitations. There are ways to find your own path that corresponds to yourself. For me, I love vinyl. As you can see, I have a few records, and in today's world,

"It's not only easier, but you have to play digitally most of the time."

A lot of places, and sometimes clubs, don't have the proper vinyl equipment, or if they do, the system doesn't work perfectly with it anyway.

The Sonic Experience

My goal as a music lover is to give people the best sonic experience as I possibly can. From my end, I consider I deliver the source, and from that point, it goes to the system.

"Of course, I'm not running the system; I'm not the sound engineer."

I'm trying to give the sound engineer the best signal possible.

Bypass Converters

Learning again from my friend Kerry Chandler, I'm trying to bypass as much as I can converters and ADDA as much as possible.

Recording Process

So, what I do most of the time is:

• Record my vinyl from this turntable using the different cartridges we mentioned before.
• Each cartridge has unique qualities depending on the music I'm ripping.

I'm going through my modified URI to my RME Fireface 800, which is also modified, and then to my music software.

Software Choices

I use:

• Sometimes Ableton Live
• Sometimes Logic Pro
• Occasionally Pro Tools

These options depend on the music I want to record. I use different software, cartridges, or combinations to the advantage of the music, ensuring I get the best result once the music is recorded.

Pioneer Record Box

I use Pioneer Record Box because I mainly perform in clubs with Pioneer CDDJs 2000 NX2.

• It's easier for me for various reasons because the screens correspond.
• It has the same logical approach.

Additionally, I have a Pioneer controller called DDJ-RX, which serves as a remote control. I don't really play music with this device; instead, I use it to put markers on my screen for my tracks.

Visual Markers

I know where the breaks are, whether there is a hi-hat, mute, or anything.

"This allows me to have a visual aspect of what I get on a vinyl."

Now, I can see it on my screen or on my CDJ screen using those markers.

Demonstration of Marking

In a second, I'll show you very quickly what I mean.

If I do this, I go back to the beginning of the track. Here is my track.

• Let's say I want to mark the kick in the track.
• I'll move to where the kick comes in, which is here.
• I just put a marker.

You see, the C marker indicates that the kick comes in.

Combining Analog and Digital

Basically, I'm using these tools to my advantage. I'm playing analog with a digital device and trying to take advantage of all technologies combined.

I love the sound I'm getting because:

• I ripped it myself.
• I took care of it myself.
• I know how it sounds, and I see how it sounds.

Digitally, I can mark it and make it look as comfortable as possible for myself, just as if I was playing vinyls.

So, yeah, those are a few examples of what I do to my files, how I record them, and how I mark them in order to DJ with them.