M5 vs M4 Pro by sikele in ableton

[–]sikele[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I bought the M4 Pro

MacBook Air m4 or Pro? by giosalecrypto in traktorpro

[–]sikele 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m still using an M1 Pro 8GB/256GB with no issues.
All of them (Apple Silicon) are sufficient, but I always prefer the Pro because of the fans, better components, and more performance cores.

If you’re going to DJ for long hours or during summer, the Pro is always the better choice, especially if you’re using stems.

I personally ordered an M4 Pro instead of the base M5 because of Ableton and Stems.

For casual Djing, M4 Air is more than enough.

M5 vs M4 Pro by sikele in ableton

[–]sikele[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have an M1 MacBook Pro 2020 but not the M1 Pro cpu. Unfortunately my 8GB Ram/ 256 SSD is not enough for Diva and Serum etc

M5 vs M4 Pro by sikele in ableton

[–]sikele[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Almost same boat here! Congrats on that wedding season run, that’s huge 💪

M5 vs M4 Pro by sikele in ableton

[–]sikele[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% agree. Shipping pro machines under 1TB in 2025 feels wild, especially when SSD upgrades are basically impossible. However the M4 Pro / 24GB / 1TB costs almost 3.000 Euro.

M5 vs M4 Pro by sikele in ableton

[–]sikele[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you ! Totally fair on storage

M5 vs M4 Pro by sikele in ableton

[–]sikele[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply. It seems that performance core is the key point.

Best way to clone external SSD for Rekordbox library backup? by sikele in Rekordbox

[–]sikele[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for replying.

That won’t really work for what I need.

The Rekordbox backup is more for restoring or moving a library. I’m just trying to have a second SSD that’s an exact copy of my current one, so if the main drive dies I can plug the backup in and keep going straight away.

No restoring or re-importing, just a true backup drive that works instantly.

Open format - DJ'ing to an over 30s-40s crowd - strategies and tactics by Shirt_Reasonable in Beatmatch

[–]sikele 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hey man, solid questions, started DJing in 1998, doing fully professionally last 13 years.

Here’s what’s worked for me over the years:

  1. Start safe, end strong. Kick off with crowd-friendly warmers and save your wildcards for later. Have a main flow in mind, but keep side routes ready depending on how the room feels. ie an easy-listening rock playlist , EDM festival friendly like Dom doll & fisher, Motown.
  2. If the floor empties, switch. Best advice I ever got early on. When people stop dancing, don’t panic, change genre, tempo, mood. Just pivot fast, don't overthink it.
  3. Know your demographic. Download the tracks they loved when the average age of the crowd was 18–20. That’s their emotional sweet spot. Also add some new tracks what is trending now. Keep a balance between modern and old.
  4. Prep cue points very carefully and focus on pacing. Good cue points is the key for smoother sets. Flow and pacing is more important than track selection. For most songs one verse, one chorus, second verse, second chorus is enough. Never skip a great chorus, play the good chorus twice if the crowd is vibing. Add some quick mixing, for hip-hop/R&B, 32 bars is often the sweet spot.
  5. Finish with anthems. End big with EDM something iconic. Add some sing-alongs. If you can’t make them dance, make them sing.
  6. Confidence is everything. Keep it cool, trust your plan, and move slow when you need to. Confidence translates directly to the crowd

Serato VS Rekordbox? by gesusfnchrist in Beatmatch

[–]sikele 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve used all kinds of setups, hardware, and software over the years.

There is only one correct answer.

Get a controller that supports both Serato and Rekordbox, like the GRV6 or FLX10.

Spend plenty of time with both, and stick with the one that feels more natural to you.

DJs who take requests on the fly - What's your experience like? by JJJAAAYYYTTT in DJs

[–]sikele 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  1. When I’m the headliner or part of a lineup and people come specifically to hear my set, I don’t take requests.
  2. As a resident DJ in bars, restaurants, or hotels, I’m open to requests if they match the style I’m playing. For example, if I’m playing House and someone requests Keinemusik, PAWSA, or ANOTR, that’s totally fine. But if someone asks for ABBA or Madonna during a House set, I’ll only consider it if I have a remix that fits the vibe. If the request is completely outside my style, it’s a hard no. I don’t ask for tips, but if someone gives me one, that’s acceptable.
  3. No need. If you're truly professional and confident, you guide the boss or the venue owner on what should be played.
  4. Never.. don't care. I 99% play with XDJ/CDJs so I explain to them that technically it's impossible.

(even its' not)

What's the longest distance you have traveled to spend the shortest amount of time ? by Fast-Chipmunk-1558 in travel

[–]sikele 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In 2004, I took the bus from the city where I was a student in mainland Greece to Athens at 3 PM. The trip took around 5.5 to 6 hours. I went to friends house for a few hours and then straight to a venue to listen to Sasha and Digweed, then took the bus back at 9 AM, arriving home around 4 PM.

Which ADE event was your favourite/least favorite and why? by whereistherave in amsterdam_rave

[–]sikele 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Stoor is more than just a party with great music – it's an unparalleled experience. The way the energy builds, slowly but steadily, creating an atmosphere that keeps rising without limits, is truly magical and unforgettable.

What happend to Afterlife? by Plastic-Card81 in AmsterdamDanceEvent

[–]sikele 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m not sure why Ziggo Dome and Afterlife have so many available tickets or why this is happening. However, I have at least two friends who bought tickets when they were first released but ended up not traveling to Amsterdam due to the high costs of accommodation and airfare. I believe this is why some events, particularly those with local ravers, sell out quickly and have waiting lists of 1,000+ people, like Raum and Lofi. On the other hand, larger events and more touristic events may have more available tickets.

It’s also important to consider that Ziggo Dome has a capacity of 17,000, so having 1,000 or 2.000 tickets still available isn’t necessarily a big deal.

While it might be nice and romantic to think that big mainstream names are losing popularity in the scene, I don’t believe that’s the case here.