The Essential Beginner DJ Checklist To Get You Spinning Away!

As a beginner entering the space of making digital EDM music, the process can be daunting! This essential checklist is sure to be a life-saver, if you are a beginner and do not know what you need to get rolling.

EDM has seen a terrific surge in recent times, with a large number of people these days preferring the electronically made music to live performances. Thanks to the likes of international DJ’s such as David Guetta and Skrillex among others, EDM has grown out of the underground scene and into the mainstream music space. With many youngsters aspiring to be DJs these days, it is an absolute must that they know what they are getting into and choose the right equipment before they make massive splurges on high end equipment. Save the hassle folks, and read on below to find just what you need to get your DJing passion rolling!

1. Music/MP3s

An absolute essential for DJs is of course, music. Back in the day, there were only music records, vinyls and such. Come the age of digitalization, the way we carry our music has entirely changed. It is a no-brainer that MP3s is the way to go! There are tons of websites online where you can access high quality MP3s anywhere. Websites such as Beatport, Soundcloud, DJ Tunes, Traxsource, Juno Download, DMS(Direct Music Source) and many more.

2. The Right Set Of Headphones

An absolute essential for DJs are a good pair of headphones! The headphones are a handy gadget for seamless cueing without having to play the music on the main speakers everytime you want to hear a track. A lot of factors go into picking the right pair of headphones such as the sound-bass and loudness, comfort and weight, open vs closed, durability, cable length and portability. Some really good options to consider are – Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Headphones, Pioneer HDJ-2000, Beats Mixr, V-Moda Crossfade M-100, and Sol Republic Master Tracks.

3. Laptop

Having a good laptop that you can use to create your mixes can save you a lot of time! While most new laptops these days meet the requirements to DJ from the laptop, there are certain things you will need to look out for. 2GB of RAM, about 25GB of hard drive space, a processor with Core 2 duo or better, and a couple of USB connections should get you sorted with the right laptop gear for mixing. Some good laptops to consider are – Dell Inspiron i7559-763BLK, ASUS K501UW-AB78, Apple MacBook Pro MJLT2LL, ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH71, and Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575G-53VG.

4. DJ Controller / Mixer

For those inclined to use a laptop to run your DJ software, buying a controller is the way to go. You need to look for a controller that connects to your laptop via a USB, has an in-built soundcard, and a good audio interface and you should be set with the most powerful equipment to get your mixes in order. Check out these popular controllers – Pioneer DDJ-RZX, T raktor Kontrol S8, Numark NS7III, Pioneer DDJ-RZ, Pioneer DDJ-SX2.

5. DJ Software

While there are different DJing softwares that you can choose from, the two most trusted and used softwares are Traktor and Virtual DJ. While both softwares have their pros and cons, it is upto the user to decide which one suits their requirements best. Word to the wise, try out the trial versions of both softwares to decide which is best before you purchase the full version. The List of DJ Software is long and many of them have features that stand apart from the others. It is always a good idea to try out a few of them and see which one fits your needs perfectly. You can get the trial versions of the software here – Virtual DJ and Traktor.

6. Speakers

Now that you are set with all the equipment to create music, you just need the right speaker systems to let your audiences hear what you’ve been spinning! While there are options between buying monitor speakers or self powered speakers, it really depends on your skill level and venue, as to what speaker system you should choose. If you want to get out and play to live audiences, then self-powered speakers are the weapons you need. They are tuned and optimized with in-built amplifiers and hence are a better option. Check out these speakers – QSC K12, Electro-Voice EKX-15P, Mackie SRM650, Electro-Voice ZLX-12P, JBL Professional EON612, and Bose Professional F1.

Seem like a clearer picture now? Bet you didn’t think that this was all you needed to get your music making dreams rolling did you? Now go out there, and drop those killer beats!

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