Many people believe that to become a great DJ you only need a good taste in music and passion for DJing. While both of these qualities are essential, to become a great DJ you need much more. First of all, you need to complete at least a basic course of this art in order to learn what this all is about. Secondly, some basic DJ equipment is a must to get through the first gig you get booked for. And, finally, the most important thing is to stay tuned at all times; you will need to be aware of all music novelties, best hits, and possible top-chart songs to ensure that your audience gets the best music.
There is no use talking about the importance of basic education in DJing. If you have ever seen all DJ equipment, then you know that without special knowledge it’s pig’s breakfast. There is also no use explaining how to stay motivated in this profession because every DJ has his or her own muse. So the one thing that is worth discussion is professional DJ equipment. Regardless of your music preference and type of places you want to play at, there are five basic things that you need to have to get going.
The right DJ equipment list
Professional DJs and MCs say that the key factor in creating your beginner’s setup is not to buy more than you need. A lot of beginners believe that the more they buy, the better and the easier their creative process will go. Yet, getting numerous controllers and panels won’t help you learn the craft. On the contrary, too much DJ equipment will only complicate your learning. After some time in the profession, you will understand what you need and will be able to purchase it. But you’d better start from small basic elements. Here is a list of five essential DJ equipment pieces for a music passionate.
Mixer
When you think of DJs, mixing up different tracks is probably the first thing that comes to your mind. And since it is pretty much so in the real life, you need to find a mixer – an indispensable part of the DJ equipment kit.
A properly chosen mixer will allow you to create great tracks right from scratch. You will be able to add sounds, create new effects, and mash up beats with a good mixer. Professionals advise looking for a midi controller for beginners. This controller has all essential characteristics to learn with and at the same time, it’s not overloaded with thousands of buttons to confuse you from the start.
Library collection
There are thousands of DJs around the world, but each of them has different taste in music and ways of mixing it. To become a great and popular DJ worldwide, you need to develop your own style in mixing and collect enormous amounts of music for work. This is why you need to start collecting a music library for your passion right away. Keep in mind that as a DJ you will be mixing tracks and compositions, pop and classical, heavy metal and Chillout jazz; by saying this we want to say that you need to have and look for music of all genres and styles, groups and individual singers to ensure that you can mix everything with everything.
Collection of music today can have different forms: vinyl, old-fashioned cassettes, mp3 on a computer, cloud storage, etc. Regardless of the method you choose to create your music collection, just do it as much as you can. The more music you find, the more opportunities to create great mixes you will have!
Laptop
The laptop can be everything for a DJ these days. This DJ equipment piece serves as a storage unit for music libraries, as a kit for mixing the music while on the road, and it is definitely required for the following point on this list.
Very often young DJs question whether they should go for MACs or any other PC would work just fine as well. Experts say that this is a matter of your preferences in the first place; and secondly, it will influence the kind of software you will choose. And that’s it.
Headphones
Headphones do magic for DJs. You must have seen how DJs and MCs working in nightclubs are able to choose the next track in complete chaos and outrageously loud sound around. Such calmness and DJ’s job, in general, is possible only because of the professional DJ headphones. This is definitely a must that should be considered at the very beginning of your career.
Headphones allow DJs to be multi-functional. They allow you keeping track of the current music composition as well as cue up the next tune. In a loud club they can save your head from loudness overdose and help concentrate on your job.
There are two main factors of this DJ equipment that should be cared for: comfort and a wide frequency response. Professional DJ headphones will provide the best isolation from the environmental noise to keep your ears cool and peaceful.
Software
And the last, yet not least, item on our list is software. The digital age requires DJs to use some software for mixing the tracks and adding some effects to the music. The most common midi controllers nowadays come with built-in software, such as Virtual DJ, Traktor Pro, or DJay, just to name a few.
You can check online platforms for available DJ software and will find dozens of them. However, there is an important thing about DJ equipment in general and software in particular: it should always match your current level. Proper software will support your current skill level and be able to fill the gaps in your knowledge. Most DJing software packages offer track mixing functions, the addition of sound effects, as well as the organization of the music library.
To sum up, you need to look for the DJ equipment set that is right exactly for you at your current level. You will improve your setup as you develop your music taste and master your skills. But remember that everyone needs to have a starting point!
