Finding the Best Beginner DJ Controllers
Buy or rent? Renting a wide assortment of DJ equipment for an event is often the ideal choice for DJs who don’t need the expense to buy all of the equipment that they necessitate. This is especially advantageous for people who are still beginning out as a DJ and might not yet be able to afford all of the expensive equipment that they might eventually need, whether it’s CD turntables headphones, mixers, or CD decks. It can also be a good choice for people who are not sure about the DJ industry and what all of the pieces do when DJing.
Most DJ equipment will come with a mixer, speakers, and a set of headphones. However, a mixer can be very complex equipment to use for a beginner, especially if he or she doesn’t know how to use it. It can make a huge difference between a blast from the past and a blast from the future, and it is imperative that a beginner DJ knows how to utilize all of the different elements of a mixer. Headphones can also prove to be important equipment to keep in mind, especially if the DJ chooses to play music on a set of stereo headphones rather than using the traditional turntables. These headphones will help to keep everyone in the party or event properly heard, allowing them to hear each other without being distracted by outside noises.
When looking at the various DJ equipment options available, the first item to consider is a computer system. For many beginners, a computer is the first and most important piece of electronic equipment to acquire. A DJ will typically have his or her own studio or house where all of the equipment, cables, and software will be kept. Even a basic laptop with enough memory to store all of the DJ’s music library will usually cost quite a bit of money. In order to save money, a number of talented individuals have learned to “homemade” their own DJ equipment.
While most DJs won’t use specialized headphones in their sets, many do make use of the DJ equipment that does exist. The most common tools used by a DJ are a pair of headphones and a microphone. Headphones and microphones are combined in DJ headsets, and the DJ may also use a sound mixer, sampler, or filter. A mixer allows a DJ to control more than just the vocals in a song; it also allows the DJ to mix the songs and record them as well.
While most DJs will agree that the mixing and scratching wheels of today are much better than ever before, some still prefer the older vinyl turntables that were once favored by hip hop artists. While the newest DJ equipment is extremely expensive, several talented people will mix their old vinyl turntables with high end electronic equipment. This technique requires that the DJ to buy both the mixer and the sound modules of the unit. Once the new equipment has been set up in the DJ’s studio, he or she can begin to teach the skills learned on the vinyl turntables to their students. This option is often the best beginner DJ controllers.
A mixer is only a good choice if the DJ will be mixing tracks from more than one source, as the mixing requirements of one DJ varies greatly from another. In addition to adding another device that can record vocals, the DJ will probably also need a headset in order to communicate directly with the other DJ speakers. This option allows each DJ to mix without using headphones, and it is often much less costly than using DJ headphones. For those DJs who only mix from one or two sources, an audio interface (also referred to as a direct connect) might be the best choice. An audio interface simply connects the DJ’s mixer to the audio source, so that each DJ source can be heard individually.