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How to Become a DJ
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| Devbert |
I've always loved trance music, and I've recently been wondering how to get started as a DJ.
Do you buy your own equipment right off the bat? What do you need to get started?
How do you learn how to properly mix? Does a friend teach you, take lessons, etc.?
Where do you go to buy vinyl? Should you buy only the songs you love, or songs to get the place moving, or a variety of stuff, even if it isn't the genre you enjoy that much? Should you use CD's also?
How much does it cost to get started?
How long does it take to get good?
If anyone could help answer these questions, I'd appreciate it greatly. |
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| Special_K |
| for my first year i used my friends tables....we were both kind of learning at the same time so we learned of eachothers mistakes. I recenty got tables of my own last august. |
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| Michael Russo |
Step 1: Buy equipment.
Step 2: Buy some vinyl (all in the genre you want to spin).
Step 3: Hook it all up.
Step 4: Put the songs on the platter.
Step 5: Teach yourself to mix.
That's the only way to do it (unless you know someone that already does it). You're gonna have to teach yourself how to mix... no book or no person can teach you how to do it. |
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| Michael Russo |
| Oh, and it takes between 6 months to a year to get decent enough to be able to throw down a good, flawless set. |
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| G K Murray |
I'd recommend it to anyone as a hobby, or if you want to take it further!!
First of all to get a gig anywhere you need to know what your doing and have a healthy selection of tunes!! I wouldn't bother with CD!
Have a look around for second hand equipment. You will need:
DECKS
MIXER
HEADPHONES
FEW VINYLS TO GET U GOING (ONES U LIKE, NOT ONES COS THEY MIX WELL)
ASSUMING YOU HAVE A STEREO SYSTEM (IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL NEED SPEAKERS AND AN AMP, UR HI-FI HAS THESE!)
Or try looking for some budget price range DJ PACKAGES!!!
As for vinyl is concerned, shop at your local music store and buy a batch of stuff you like, play around with that! For the rarer stuff and for when you eventually know what ur doing shop online, use search engines and u'll find some suitable stores for yourself!
As for mixing, u can't just do it, there's techniques, you will need to find out the basics, or someone will have to tell you, then wrok on the basics, once u know them, you're laughing!
But beware, once you know, you won't be able to just pick it up in a few days, it takes hard practice and time! Watch DJ's carefully to see what v they are doing!!
Like i said, it does take time. It's an awesome hobby, it's a in awesome JOB!! It's worth the money and the time!! |
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| Devbert |
So what equipment should a beginner DJ get? How much is it going to cost for all the equipment (including speakers & an amp) with some vinyl? $1500+ ???
And where can you learn the basics from? Is there a guide about it? Should you try to befriend other DJ's so you can get tips? |
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| evil_bastard |
www.123dj.com have the cheapest prices I've found anywhere on the net.
They claim they can beat any price too.
I'm in the same sort of position as you, except I know what I need I just havn't the cash!
Decks come in two types, belt drive (cheap) and direct drive (more expensive). From what everyone tells me, don't bother with belt drive cos you'll need something better fairly quickly.
As for mixing techniques, I believe the most important thing you need to learn is "beatmatching". The name's pretty self explanatory, you match the beats of two tunes, and then fade one tune into another so it all sounds perfect. This is supposed to be quite hard. Everyone on these forums bangs on about how you should definitely not get a beatcouter to help you because you will come to rely on it.
I am planning to get 2 decks, a CD player, a 3 channel mixer (you need 3 channels if you have two decks AND a mixer, two channels if its just two decks), and then start learning. The reason for the CD player is because so many songs are difficult to find on vinyl (and there are many obscure songs on vinyl that aren't on CD), so you can just burn MP3s on, and also because it can work as a backup in the middle of a set.
I know nothing about DJing, I'm only going off what people on these forums have told me. Go to the DJ Booth forum further down the page, they should be able to give you good advice. |
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| evil_bastard |
| quote: | Originally posted by Devbert
So what equipment should a beginner DJ get? How much is it going to cost for all the equipment (including speakers & an amp) with some vinyl? $1500+ ???
And where can you learn the basics from? Is there a guide about it? Should you try to befriend other DJ's so you can get tips? |
There are guides on the internet, which will help as an aid. Check out www.recess.co.uk that has some advice.
As for the price, it all depends on your budget. The industry standard decks are Technics SL-1200s. Almost all clubs use these. They cost about $400 each.
Most people on these forums will say that you should never perform in front of a crowd with anything less than these. But for practicing at home, which all DJs do anyway, you can get cheaper decks.
I'll leave this one to the experts though, I can only tell you what I've been told. Have a search around the net for guides etc and learn the jargon. If you tell us your budget I'm sure someone can recommend a pair of decks and mixer that would best suit your budget. |
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| G K Murray |
U donb't want anything top class to start off with, u don't want anything absolutly , something within a reasonable price range. Check some stores out to get an idea!
I would worry about getting the equipment first, then worry about techniques and how to mix. All you need to know is that you CAN DO IT!! It's hard, but it's not some superhuman thing! When u get ur equipment put a post in the DJ BOOTH FORUM, anything u need to know ppl will tell you in there!
Thsi is priced in the UK as $327.47, u can get this package way cheaper in the US (just an example)
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| Devbert |
| I probably won't be buying anything until the start of June, maybe a little earlier. Just trying to get an idea. As for a budget, I'd say I'll have roughly 1-2 G's to start with. Once I get a part time job, I'll have more. |
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| G K Murray |
Good stuff!!
Don't lose interest in a few months to come, get the equipment and u won't regret it!! |
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| evil_bastard |
Blimey :eyes:
You've certainly got enough money mate. You could get a set to get you started for $500. A pair of technics which all the pros use costs $400 each, and a decent mixer would be $200 - £300.
I dunno if you'd need to spend that much though.
The two sites I would recommend would be recess.co.uk for your advice, and 123dj.com for buying stuff cos they're the cheapest. |
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