What is the best DJ equipment for a beginner?

The days of turntables and traditional dj coffins have made way for more modern digital dj controllers with everything built in. The world of DJing has changed a lot over the last decade. dj software

Beginner DJ Equipment

For a basic DJ setup it's best to start with a laptop and a simple controller like a Pioneer DDJ400 or DDJ800 controller. These dj controllers hook up directly to your laptop, have all the basic features you need and are not overly complicated.

There are two major software's ruling the DJ world, Serato DJ Pro and Recordbox. The most compatible and most common dj software is Serato Pro. Once you learn it you'll be able to use it fluidly with most of the compatible controllers. Recordbox is less popular and less compatible and comes with some DJ controllers standard.

Add some high quality DJ headphones that are made for DJing and you've got your initial dj setup. Make sure you use a decent laptop that's not too dated or full of software. You may find setting the laptop back to factory defaults and only installing the software you need will help with any performance issues.

Professional DJ controllers can cost thousands of dollars so if you're unsure of how serious you are, start with the above recommendations.

DJ Speakers

There are two kinds of DJ speakers, performance and studio. The performance speakers are basically loudpeakers or PA speakers that are going to rock the house, made for a club with lots of bass. If you're planning on doing house parties or events where they don't have sound you'll need some kind of DJ Speakers.

Studio speakers, or Studio Monitors are meant for practicing and recording at home or recording studio etc. Studio Monitors aren't meant for extremely high SPL volume levels and shouldn't be used for house parties, use performance PA speaker equipment for that.

Turntables vs Digital DJ Controller

As mentioned above, digital DJ Controllers have become very popular. So do DJ's use turntables anymore? The answer is clearly yes.

It's much easier to start DJing using a controller so I recommend you start there. It's also much cheaper to start with an all in one DJ Controller or Laptop with DJ Controller when you're starting out.

Professional Dj turntables are expensive and can easily cost $2000 for a set of nice turntables. When you use turntables you'll also need to get a dj mixer that can fade between the two audio sources. Yep, you can do scratch effects with turntables but also do the same on a dj controller for a lot less money.

DJ Mixers

A DJ mixer is very different from a PA mixer. It has a different layout with special DJ inputs and outputs. If you have two media controllers or turntables you need to have some type of DJ mixer to blend the sounds together and cross fade them.

The crossfader is the keystone feature of the DJ mixer. It allows smooth transitions between music selections and also is awesome for classic scratch effects. Scratching a record while using the cross fader allows for chirps, scribbles, stab scratches, repeat scratches and more. These fun effects can be performed over the top of one or more of your input sources for a layered effect.

Finding a DJ Shop

There are many choices when purchasing DJ Equipment, online and local. If possible checkout your local DJ shop and see what they recommend to get started. If your local DJ shop is uhmm, less than desirable, find an online DJ shop that you like.

A good DJ shop can help you determine which pieces of gear you need and what cables and compatibility challenges you might have. Getting some help from an experienced DJ Professional is the first step in getting the right dj equipment.

Where do DJ's get their music?

Yep you're going to need music to get started DJing! There are a handful of common DJ sites including:

• Crossfader
• DJ Record Pools
• DJ Mailing Lists
• Tracklists Playlists
• Soundcloud
• Youtube
• Shazam

As a DJ you're responsible for making sure you have the rights to play the music at your shows. There is a great guide here with links to all the popular places DJ's get music.

Wedding DJ Guide

Checkout our article called, The Wedding DJ Lighting Guide, on how to charge more and have an even better presentation for your clients.

Which DJ Performance Speakers should I get?

Trying to figure out which DJ Speakers to buy? There's a ton of them out there and some are certainly better than others and more bang for the buck. One of the most popular value brands is Mackie and we carry the entire line of Mackie Powered Speakers here at the shop.

When you buy Mackie you know it's going to sound good at a great price and they always have super innovative products.

If you're looking for Pro Quality DJ Speakers checkout the DAS Audio Speakers. They sound loud, clear and offer many different types of cabinets for different venue types.

DAS Audio is well known in Europe for high quality and has only recently been in the USA. The DAS speakers are built for clubs, churches and large events with high volume applications and modular design for daisy chaining together.

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Hollywood DJ has DJ Controllers, DJ Speakers and Stage Lighting Systems for bars, clubs, outdoor events, and houses of worship.  Let us help you put together a package deal with special pricing and save you money.

Give us a call and we will put together the perfect dj equipment, audio or lighting system for you. We have the experience and can help get you the perfect dj gear for your style and the type of gigs you do.