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dj equipment - dj turntable - beat mixing
getting started as a dj - dj turntables & beat mixing
 Welcome to DJ-man's corner of the audiolinks website. I will be offering occasional articles and reviews on DJ products as well as tips and helpful hints for DJs.
Let's start with a primer on the basics of DJ equipment and some more advanced information on dj turntables and beat mixing -- so here goes:
What makes the difference between a professional DJ and a poser? I have found it comes down to mastery of the equipment. Specialized and high end equipment for DJs requires a fair bit of practice before you are good enough to play in a club. However, a beginner can still DJ in a professional manner using high-end Gemini turntables or Pyle Pro turntables.
Follow this link to browse a wide range of DJ equipment, including some cool starter packages.
The key to DJing, like so much else, is practice. Having a set of Gemini turntables in your apartment (DJ-man stashes his next to his bed) means that you can practice when the mood hits you and in a few months be ready for your first gig, busting up a dance floor.
Being a DJ (man or woman) means using DJ equipment to maximize the smooth transition between tracks:
- you need to stay focused
- move people to the dance floor and keep them there with your rhythms
- play a list that is not all familiar pop or radio
- vary your mix to suit both the guys and the gals
- and try to avoid blowing up the sound system
Results are all that matter. Minimize the silence and maximize the spin. The crowd may be clueless about what you're doing, but they'll know if the sound works.
It's not easy to make a nice tight, smooth mix for hours on end, but it can be done.
The turntable is the place to begin. This is the heart and soul of the DJ's craft. Now I know some of you want to go the full digital route, and that is perfectly fine for the accomplished DJ with a big CD or digital music collection, but I believe that a turntable -- or rather a pair of turntables -- is the logical first step. CD players are fine, but nothing compares to the mystique of vinyl.
OK, so what do you buy first. You really need dual turntables to mix your sound. Two turntables (like two heads) are better than one. As I already mentioned, the Gemini DJ Turntable Packages are a good dollar value as you start your DJing career. What you need to do is develop the key skill of beat mixing.
When playing records changing the tempo of the tracks is essential to keep the dance floor moving. One record's tempo can be changed to match the other and allow the rhythmical sections (the drums and the bass) to overlap. This pitch adjustment of the tempo, or beats per minute (BPM), is possible on an advanced turn table, such as the Pyle Pro PLTTB1.
Here's a basic shopping list (with a few suggestions) for basic DJ turntable equipment:
- two (2) turntables (Look for direct drive and beat mixing as key features)
- two (2) slip mats
- two (2) cartridges (needles or styli)
- one (1) mixer (at least a two-channel stereo)
- one (1) pair of headphones (I recommend either Sony or Gemini as his personal favorites)
- one (1) portable PA system (I recommend SoundTech)
By the way, some DJ's recommend starting with a stereo system rather than a PA, but I strongly suggest that if you are going to play a club you better be prepared to use a portable PA. Get started on the right foot.
All direct drive turntables offer better DJ performance than belt drive models and make beat mixing easier. You want your big investment in turntables to make your own sound. If you are just starting out and have a limited budget, go with high-end direct drive turntables and buy a cheaper mixer. Once you get a set of these turntables you won't need to upgrade and can expect decades of reliable performance.
Now that you have the basic DJ equipment in place, I'd like to say a few words about the most basic skill: beat mixing.
Beat Mixing
Beat mixing is an essential technique, learned by using the pitch adjustment on your tables to match the tempo or beats per minute (BPM) of your next track to the live track.
Matching the tempo is done by listening to the next track through the headphones and comparing it to the track currently spinning.
The best way to compare is to start the next track in your headphones and listen to see if the beats are out of synch -- getting ahead or falling behind. The trick is to have one track in one ear and the other track in the other ear -- technically called cross-fading (we'll get deeper into this subject in a later article). If the new track is too fast, slow it down on the platter using your BPM adjustment knob or pitch slider. If it is too slow, then speed it up by giving it a push round in the center of the record to keep the two tracks in time. The BPM will hold that speed once you boost it.
Each of these variations should be accompanied by a small change in the adjustment knob or pitch slider (faster or slower) so that the tempos of the tracks get closer together. At first it is difficult to hear if the tracks are out of synch, but with some practice, you can train your ear.
Just keep working on that ear training and you'll have the dance floor thumpin' in no time at all. Stay tuned to AudioLinks.com to learn more (and don't forget to sign-up for our monthly newlsetter).
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