Starting your DJ career requires plenty of preparation. In addition to honing your skills on the mic and in the DJ booth, you’ll need to make sure you have everything you need to get through your first gig without any problems. Making that happens means you need to have a good DJ setup. The best DJ setup will give you the essentials for a good set and allow you to flow easily from one point to another. The right setup for one DJ however, may not be the best setup for you so before you start shelling out the big bucks for expensive equipment, decide what kind of setup you want. Whatever you decide though, these are must haves for the best DJ setup.

Getting Your DJ Setup Right

The key to the right DJ setup for beginners is making sure you aren’t getting more than you need. Many new digital DJs want to go out and buy everything right away, but the fact is that there are many controllers and kits that provide you with most of what you’ll need to get started. Read the labels carefully before you buy to make sure you don’t end up doubling up on unnecessary equipment and without certain DJ essentials.

Mixer

Since mixing is an essential part of DJing in the digital age it is important that you have the right mixer. Having the right mixer as part of your beginner DJ setup will allow you to connect turntables–if you use them—mix beats and hook up your speakers to your DJ kit. One way that new DJs get their setup just right is by using a midi controller that come with mixers so you get all the effects in one piece of equipment. Of course depending on how much of a purist you are, you may not want to use a midi controller. Whatever you decide about the right DJ setup for beginners, a DJ mixer is an essential.

Library Collection

Of course any worthy DJ or any music aficionado will have an extensive collection of music since it is pretty much required. But your setup Perhaps even more important for your DJ setup, is that you have a well-organized collection of music. Having plenty of songs is great, but they need to be organized so that you can find what you need easily to create sets for different gigs. Additionally, by organizing your library it will be easy to incorporate into the software program you use to DJ.

Laptop

Since most new DJs begin their career with nothing more than a laptop, many stick with a laptop for much of their careers. DJs are always asking what is the best laptop to DJ on because it is an efficient part of any DJ kit. The right laptop, whether PC or Mac, can help you organize your music properly and more importantly it is the best way to use the DJ software you choose. Many types of DJ equipment like controllers and mixers come with software to help you provide music effects and other effects that help enhance a DJ set. Having a laptop as part of your DJ setup allows you to connect to other pieces of DJ equipment that you will eventually add to your setup as you learn more about the art of DJing.

Headphones

If you’ve ever spent an evening at a nightclub staring at the DJ work his or magic then you’ve probably noticed one essential piece of equipment: headphones. Headphones are definitely an essential piece of equipment for any DJ setup. Headphones are a vital component of any DJ kit because they allow you to multi task. With headphones you can keep track of the current track while also cueing up the next tune to play. Headphones will make it easier for you to hear in loud club venues so you can beat match and work your magic without dead air. Two factors you should consider when searching for the right pair of headphones are comfort and a wide frequency response. Your headphones should provide a certain amount of isolation from the environmental noise and keep your ears cool.

Software

You cannot be a DJ in this digital age without effective and reliable software. Of course many midi controllers come with popular software like Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ or djay 3 or Mixed in Key, just to name a few. The right software should match with your current skill level and provide options to fill in the gaps where your skills haven’t caught up just yet. Many different types of DJ software can help you mix tracks, add sound effects and organize your library to maximize your time in the DJ booth. Take time and care to find the best DJ setup for beginners for YOU. If you need to improve your setup as you go, worry about that when the need arises. I hope I helped you with your beginner DJ setup. Email in the box below to get access to Free video DJ lessons that will answer all of your questions on how to become a disk jockey and choosing the right DJ setup!