About....
Here's a bit about how its all done.

Style....
It's more than just doof; Consider some of the styles that I find appealing to mix.
- House
- Electro House
- Progressive House
- Trance
- Progressive Trance

I don't find many other styles (Minimal, Techno, Hardcore) enjoyable or relevant. and have found that the crowd I move in don't seem to either. 
I rarely touch on the 'Trance' side of things outside of my headphones.
And I play electric guitar and elec. piano, just to round things out.
 

Digital...
Digital mixing definitely attracts criticism from many DJ's.   Why?   Because you can beat-lock if you're feeling lazy?
CD's were first shunned when they first appeared on the DJ scene. Probably they were seen as being too easy.
But technology moves forward at a rapid pace, and those who ignore it will ultimately fall behind.
I have great respect for anyone who can beat match on vinyl perfectly, and still pick their key by ear flawlessly.
But I can still tell you a thousand reasons to make the switch to digital.
 
Just remember, learning digital doesn't mean that just anyone will be good at it...
At the end of the day, it's still about what you play, how you make it sound, and if people are going to like it.
It's not about 'how' you do it, and face it, the crowd doesn't give a shit how it's done, they care what it sounds like.
So if my way is quicker, better, and easier, don't worry, I won't be wasting that extra time.
It'll be well spent and put toward making something sound unreal, instead of just great.

Music....
I pick my songs from numerous different sources...
- Beatport (only endless browsing will find you the best ones!)
- MOS Download
- Juno Download
- DJ Tunes
- Fresh FM
- Synergy [Fresh FM]
- Global Trance [Fresh FM]

 

Hardware...
I use Torq Xponent by M-Audio, which I imported from the US before they were available in Australia.
Xponent is two decks and a mixer in one, which can be mapped to any software (Serato/Traktor/VDJ) that you choose.
Of course it doesn't play CD's, it plays this new thing called MP3's. Apparently they're really small and stuff...

I had some Denon HP700 DJ Headphones sent from Japan; again some awesome other options out there, but plenty of reading and reviews gave these the most credibility towards what I wanted.   As anyone who's worn them will tell you, they blow your friggin' head off at full noise.

The powerhouse that sits off to the side is a nice little 11" Dell Vostro.  Yes, rather than bathe in the UV light of a giant laptop, I've gone for convenience plus.  11 inches by the way is some serious squinty-eye sized shit !  Of course I gimped it right up to 3 Gig of RAM...  just because I could.
 

Software...
I use VDJ 5.0, with Turntablist 2.0 widescreen.
VDJ has only very recently been mapped to Torq Xponent, and after contacting the mapper, I've had the opportunity for some input as to how its done, although the update is yet to be released.
 
I also use a program called Mixed-In-Key; a program that will harmonically key your entire music library.
While it currently still takes some good old maths for calculating the difference in BPM, it's great for creating mash-ups on the fly, it smooths out your transitions and helps avoid key-clashes when changing tracks.

The most recent software I've purchased is Platinum Notes; a program that after scanning your music library, really just makes everything 'sound' good.  It normalizes all volume levels, enhances any treble or bass where it might be missing and
removes any levels where clipping might occur. Just another cog of efficiency in the digital machine.
 

Have Your Say.... Don't be afraid.  Make a suggestion, tell me to go jump.... whatever! haydos@haydos.net