Hercules DJ Console RMX Review

Overview:

This is the Hercules DJ Console RMX. Its a MIDI control surface for DJ’s with a built in 4×4 USB audio interface, and so far, it rocks.

Background:

I’ve been a bedroom producer / DJ for going on 5 years. My tool of choice is Ableton Live, but for a while now I’ve realized that my DJ skills were being severely limited by the lack of a proper DJing sound-card. I’ve been using the M-Audio Firewire Solo, which has been a great piece of equipment for me, but lacks the two separate stereo outputs required for cueing DJ mixes. I’ve played a couple of parties with my setup, but inevitably screw up a few times as I was basically “playing blind” (or rather, deaf) by not being able to listen to my tracks before I played them for the crowd. That needed to change.

I started looking for 4×4 USB soundcards, and soon realized that their were a couple of sound-cards with built-in MIDI controllers specific to DJing. I’ve been using an M-Audio Axiom 49 to control things so far, which is another great piece of equipment, but its not exactly tailored to be the ideal DJ setup. Initially I was looking at the Hercules MKII, but was turned off by its cheap build quality and cramped space. I also came really close to purchasing the Behringer BCD-3000; luckily before I bought it at Guitar Center the guy let me take it out of the box to get a feel for it. In doing so I found that all of the controls felt pretty chintzy, and one of the jog wheels was even sticky in a spot and wouldn’t turn smoothly! I’m so glad I turned this down, as compared to the RMX, the Behringer is a POS.

After many more hours of online research, I found that Hercules had a new product coming out, the DJ Console RMX, which promised “pro” quality and build. It just came out last month, so there was a dearth of reviews (besides this Dutch review that I can barely understand even with Google translator). Normally I’m a very cautious consumer, and read every review possible before shelling cash. This time though there were none available, but despite this I decided to take the plunge anyway. Someone has to be the first reviewer, right?

Worst Lyrics Ever

Is it just me or are pop lyrics getting progressively dumber and weirder? I just started hearing Mariah Carrey’s new single on the radio (Touch My Body), and I still can’t believe how retarded the chorus is:

“If there’s a camera up in here
Then I’d best not catch this flick
On YouTube (YouTube)
‘Cause if you run your mouth and brag
About this secret rendezvous
I will hunt you down
‘Cause baby I’m up in my bidness
Like a Wendy interview
But this is private
Between you and I”

The EASIEST Way to Warp (most) Songs in Ableton Live 7

1) Open clip (make sure “auto-warp” isn’t set in preferences)

2) Drag clip’s start arrow to very start of first downbeat

3) Right click on that arrow -> Warp From Here (straight)

You’re Welcome,

DJ Oscillator

Beatbox Cooking

This guy, Beardy Man, is frickin amazing. I bet you can’t box a beat better than Beardy!

Immortal Technique

The sickest lyricist ever. You have to check out these videos. He spits the truth

How to Freestyle

Just found this interesting “how-to” article- how to win a freestyle battle. Personally, I’m not so good at making up shit on the spot, but maybe if I practice…

 How to Win a Freestyle Battle

Here’s one of my gems:

Run for cover muthaf*ker, less you lookin’ for strife

I pop two in your gut, then bust a nut on your wife!

Beat that!

Making Beats: Acapellas

Okay- this might be skipping ahead a bit. Say you read my previous articles on making beats and came out with something pretty sweet. Or say you didn’t read my articles but made some sweet beats anyway. Whats the next step? Add rapping! “But I can’t rhyme for shit and I have the voice of a prepubescant albino chipmunk!” you squeel? Not to fear, this is what acapellas are for.

You want the rap from some awesome song without the beat? Getting this may be a bit harder than it sounds. The easist way is to find a file where its already like that. There are many acapella’s floating around the internet- I’ve had pretty good luck using BitTorrent- try typing “acapella” into a site like Isohunt and download away (if you don’t understand this, read my article on “How to Download Anything You Want”). Another good source is Frostwire, similar to Limewire but not being sued.

But what if you can’t find the acapella for a specific song you really want? Well.. its not pretty, but there are ways…

Making Beats: Sample Sources

Okay, to make good beats you need good sounds. Drum loops, instruments, weird effects…. and theres lots of places on the net where you can find them. Here are some of my favourite sites for samples:

Oneshot Samples 

Beastie Boys Accapellas 

Okay.. now this one is THE HOLY GRAIL for drum loops man. Took me a while to find this, but it has soooooooooo many classic sampled drum breaks its not even funny. Use it wisely:

Phatso’s Place 

And yes, theres more where these came from. I’m just giving you a small taste right now so you’ll want to keep coming back again and again like a sample junkie. You’re welcome

mZy b3atZz

h3r3zz my myspaze be4ts:::::::::::

How To Rap

In responce to the downright terrible lyrical “skillz” of the aforementioned K-Fed, here is a link that may help you hone your skillz. Use your newfound knowledge wisely.

The Onlice Emcee Tutorial

K-Fed could definitely benefit from reading this (if he can actually read that is).

Fed up With K-Fed

Okay, so I’m watching the “Teen Choice” awards the other day with my man Erik (don’t ask, we get incredibly bored), and the whole time everyone is hyping up this K-Fed guy and his “landmark” first TV performance at the end of the show. Um…

I am so damn sick of this guy. It was bad enough just hearing about him back when his thing with Brittany was a big deal- now he’s actually on TV? Its like the music industry is purposely trying to disgust me. I hope to god this shit doesn’t get popular because it would mark an all time low for Hip-Hop not seen since the days of Vanilla Ice. Come to think of it, he even looks like Vanilla Ice, sans the whacked out “cube” haircut. Highlights from the video include Brittany’s gum-chewin’ baby-havin’ debacle of an intro, and K-Fed “playing piano” to an obviously pre-recorded beat. “Let me take you back to five o’clock, when I drove my Lamborghini off the block!” His lyrics are so cheesy and generic that I could almost believe he wrote them himself. And whats with all the little-boy dancers? Aren’t rappers these days required to be surrounded by hordes of jaded stripper ladies shakin their “thang”?

AAAAAAaaanyway…

Heres a sweet video of a REAL rapper to wash that nasty taste out of your mouth:

Making Beats: The Prologue

Over my many years of net-surfing I’ve come across quite the collection of useful music-production websites. In fact, I’ve come to the conclusion that one can become an excellent producer without any formal schooling just be doing research on the internet (plus plenty of practice). Anyway, heres two of my most prized gems, sites that have helped me to be what I am today:

Illmuzik: The best online hip-hop community I’ve found thus far. It has a good collection of tutorials, articles, and interviews, but the real wealth of information lies in the forums. Another plus, the monthly “beat this” compitition.

Tweakheadz Lab: Not focused solely on hip-hop, but more on any kind of computer music production in general. A comprehensive and invaluable resource; “the guide” will take you all the way from not knowing what MIDI is to being a full-fledged production guru getting blunted in the lab with Dr. Dre and Scott Storch. <—(slight exaggeration)

So, enjoy these sites!

Soon to come: Dr. Oscillators complete guide to making a “hit” rap single!