If you’ve ever dreamy of being a deejay you are not alone. There are many would-be spin-masters just waiting to create music. Some people learn their techniques on their own or through friends; others enroll in classes to perfect beat juggling and scratching. Some of the skills taught through formal DJ schools include the 9 o’clock hand position, different scratch techniques such as the baby scratch; scribble scratch, and transformer scratch. The musicians who want to create danceable sounds for an audience come from all walks of life. Some individuals want to supplement their income with DJing as a second job, while others want to give up boring employment to follow their passion. Wannabe disc jockeys include attorneys, accountants, and even brain surgeons. No matter which category you spring from, you’re going to need the right equipment to create the tunes you seek to produce. You’re going to need two turntables, vinyl hardware, a mixer, a laptop, an external hard drive, DJ software, DJ controllers, speakers, and headphones.
The quality of music you create depends on the quality of your gear, as well as your talent, passion, and confidence. You already have talent and passion. Investing in the right equipment can amp your confidence, which is crucial to creating tunes. Turntables are key parts of your set-up, so are definitely a place to spend money. Look for record players with high quality sound, USB inputs, and direct-drive motors so you can scratch the vinyl while spinning it. To take care of your favorite vinyl records, stock up on cleaning fluid, a cleaning brush, extra cartridges, styluses, and RCA cables to connect everything. The mixer you select as part of your DJ package is also a major consideration, because it is the brain of your musical operation.
If you want to learn more about first time spinning and the equipment you will need to wow your audience as a deejay, check out this infographic.
