I ask my customers to let me have any CD's in advance that they want played (this only comes up at weddings for me) and I rip the songs to MP3 to play with the Nomad at the gig. This keeps the guy who grabs his Eminem CD from his car from giving me grief. Maybe UD doesn't have this happen to him but it has happened to me.

Pro, great suggestions and insight..thanks. I'm going to check out the different quicklok stands and look at the Nomad. I would love to dump the CD players...they take up so much room..

Don, Winamp??? sorry, I'm not familiar...is it on my laptop with Windows XP, or is it an extra bit of software I need to get...

Thanks guys B2

I concur with the Pro here as I've experienced this SAME scenerio on 'too many occasions' myself. In addition to the convenience of the Nomad (or an Ipod) is, even at 128kbs, an MP3's compressed audio fidelity (though perhaps not consciously perceived by the audience) followed by 'live music' produced by us & our keyboards, provides the audience with a more dynamic constrast between MP3 and LIVE sound, and boosting audience appreciation for the LIVE music we provide. - Scott

Pro, you're right. It would only be for receptions or special occasions, and I try to do it in advance, as you suggested.
Brian, Winamp is a media player similar to Windows Music Player. It is available for free download, and I find it a little more user-friendly. Both are good though.
DonM

Winamp is free from Nulsoft. I use the earlier version that doesn't fade because it works better in a folder/window for track selection. With the earlier version - you have a list of songs in a folder, just like a text doc would look, and you simply hit enter and the song plays in a separate window(player).
You can drag songs into the window for successive play or scroll to a new song and hit enter again and again. The new software requires a second click of the mouse to activate the song window after one has been played. If a song is playing .... I can no longer scroll through the list until I click somewhere inside the window to "select" that window. That's cumbersome.

....as for fades - it's not that important to me or my clients. A 20-something crowd expects beat2beat mixes at dance clubs but at a party or wedding I mix up the program so much that a seamless fade is not neccisary. The files play instantly, and with any expertise at MC-ing, you can cover the tiny spaces between songs very well. Who ever said that there should never be a single second of silence at a party? I hate that constant drone of a "boom, boom, boom" song that seems to last for 20 minutes. I've outgrown that a long time ago.

Esh, I do occasionaly have a client that brings a CD in from the car, but if i don't know the artist AND the track ... I won't play it for fear of offensive language that would reflect on MY performance. All my modern tracs are radio edits and never is a colorful explitive heard at my parties.

U.D. good points as usual especially about having to have sound every single moment. Most club owners in our area want breaks every hour and spaces between tunes. Why? It is good for business. That is when they sell the most drinks and things. That is also when your customers will come up and request songs and fill the tip jar.

Tom

As with anything else, how automated does one get with the laptop and Nomad...does anyone utilizing them have a backup laptop or Nomad? My fear is, the laptop goes poof just as I'm calling up my playlist..is the Nomad user friendly as far as menus go? Can I expect to be able to search, find and play music quickly? Old habits are hard to break...there's something comfortable about the CD player, a paper list and good ole CD's at ones fingertips...if They are reliable...and I suppose they would be as reliable or better than CD players...than I would gladley run both through my mixer and leave the CD players home...B2

If the laptop goes down...I have the MD in the car. I'll put an insrtumental midi sequence in the Yamaha, and hit the parking lot for a sec. Then I'll use the MD as the brains of the setup. The L/T is MUCH easier, but you're talking extremem measures here. At that juncture - all you need to do is finish the job.....your comfort zone has gone out the window by then !

The Nomad's navigation is nothing compared to a windows envirnment, but in a pinch - it'll have to do. For serious nevigation....the pc is best.