DJ lesson 2: What DJ equipment do beginners need?
DJ equipment is sexy. A sparkling club set-up, with four CDJ 3000s and a DJM V10, should have a box of tissues next to it.
Unfortunately, you’re looking at a bill of over 10 grand to set yourself up like that at home.
Here’s the good news. There are way more affordable options that do the job just fine.
On this course, I’ll focus on digital DJing, rather than vinyl. While I learnt to DJ on vinyl decks back in the late-90s, you can get started so much faster with modern DJ gear.
Consider the following before you decide what to buy…
- Do you want to use a laptop when you DJ, or do you prefer to organise music on your computer before you leave home and then DJ from USB keys?
This will determine whether you buy a controller (which combines players and a mixer but requires a laptop to operate) or DJ gear such as separate players and mixers or all-in-one systems (where you just plug in your USBs - although you can usually plug your laptop into these too).
Both options work in a similar way. There’s a player on the left which plays one song, a mixer in the middle to blend tracks, and another platter on the right, which plays a second song.
What’s a DJ controller and what are the benefits of buying one?
A Dj controller connects to your laptop with a USB cable.
You just open up the DJ software that you’re using – such as Serato, Traktor or Rekordbox – and the controller syncs up with the decks you see on screen. You drag the song you want to play on to the relevant deck and play it from there. Everything you do on the controller is mimicked on screen, which gives you a visual experience of the mixing process.
PROS
- Good first investment and usually cheaper than buying standalone gear
- Portable for playing out
- Easy to get started
- Easy to sync the tempo (speed) of tunes for faster mixing (but purist DJs call this cheating!)
- Usually packed with more features and performance pads than standalone gear, so you can be creative with your mixes
CONS
- Requires a laptop (or similar device) to play music
- Standalone CDJs and mixers are a more common club set-up, so if you progress to playing in a club environment, it will take some adjustment
- Can be prone to technical issues, because you’re relying on a laptop as well as the controller
What’s a DJ system and what are the benefits of buying one?
The DJ set-up you see most commonly on DJ streams and in clubs are standalone set-ups. There are two or more players, such as high-end Pioneer CDJs or Denon SC6000s, plus a mixer, which is connected directly to powered speakers, or through an amplifier first. This makes home set-up a little more complicated than controllers, but it’s still easy to learn.
The main difference with standalone set-ups is you prepare your music on a computer first (in most cases), create playlists, and then copy them to USB keys. So rather than carrying a laptop when you play a party, you have all your music on USBs.
PROS
- No laptop required
- Usually free of technical issues (because there’s no laptop in the equation)
- Easier to graduate to a club set-up
- Pioneer CDJs in particular are proven to be robust. So you pay more, but you get peace mind that they can take lots of punishment.
CONS
- Requires more investment up front, because you need to buy two players and a mixer (or an all-in-one unit that costs more than a controller with equivalent features)
- Takes longer to organise your music, because you need to do it on your computer or device first and then copy to USB
Which should I choose – controller or CDJs?
There’s no correct answer – sorry! It comes down to a few things:
- Your budget
- Whether you plan to remain a bedroom DJ, or progress to bigger things
- What feels right for you
The good news is that if you buy good brands (particularly Pioneer), they hold their second-hand value pretty well. So if you start with a controller, and then want to spend more on standalone gear, it won’t hurt your wallet/purse too much.
BEST BEGINNER DJ CONTROLLERS
Pioneer DJ DDJ FLX4
Affordable two-channel controller from Pioneer. Compatible with Rekordbox and Serato software and full of great features. It’s a compact option that mimics more expensive gear.
Traktor Kontrol S2 MK3
This works with – you guessed it Traktor.
With these controllers, you’ll get change from £300. So they’re ideal if you’re just starting out. If you want to spend more, check out the Pioneer DDJ 1000, Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 or Denon’s DJ Prime controllers.
BEST BEGINNER STANDALONE GEAR
I’ve always used Pioneer gear and it has NEVER let me down. However, as a beginner DJ, it’s hard to justify the expense of buying two CDJs and a mixer – even the entry level equipment such as XDJ 700 decks are £600-plus each, plus a few hundred extra for the mixer.
You could look out for second-hand bundles. A few tips here:
- Lookt for obvious wear on the decks and their play and cue buttons. You’ll get much better value if you buy from someone who’s taken care of their gear, rather than playing the cue buttons like drums machines
- Ask if the seller smokes - smoke is a DJ gear killer
- Lots of people invest money in kit and then lose interest. These are the guys to buy off, because the kit will be new and they’ll be looking to offload it
All that considered, here are some entry-level options to mull.
Pioneer XDJ 700 plus DJM 250MK2
A solid set-up to get you club-ready. Go for the XDJ 1000s if you have some extra cash to spend.
Pioneer XDJ RR
This is Pioneer’s entry-level all-in-one DJ system. It feels like pared-back club equipment and doesn’t require a laptop to get started. The XDJ RX3 and XZ are awesome if you have the budget.
Final point: If you have a modest budget (and there’s nothing wrong with that!) a decent controller may be preferable to lower-end CDJ/XDJ alternatives in terms of learning the craft, getting started and having some fun!