How does digital djing work

I carried around a box of 7-inch singles, which contained all the classic and party tunes covering all bases. Plus, I carried three boxes containing inch singles in each. If you had the right tunes, a collection of this size would work for many different types of gig.

Having the big tunes was important, and if you had them it would make all the difference; you could have the busiest night in town just because you had those two or three hard-to-find new tunes that some of the other guys could not get or would have to wait a couple of weeks to get; by then, we were onto the next thing…. As a result, in order to stand out you had to be good, because really the equipment was the same for everyone. But as with so many areas of live, digital blew all of that out of the water….

Now we have CD players and all manner of DJ software, we have the internet, MP3s so anyone can get hold of any song, smart phones with loads of music on them, games consoles, channels on the TV, the list goes on and on.

For me, some of the changes have been very positive and some have made the job of the DJ harder. So while lots of DJs used to do long running mixes, I find the crowd lose interest in this now and need to be stimulated by a much quicker turnover of music — next tune into next big tune, without the patience to stay with a tune like they did in the past. The purpose of this article really, though, is to ask you about all of this. If you have been a DJ for a few years, how has the game changed for you?

NI have a free app that producers can use to turn their own tracks into Stems, giving producers a neat way to get creative with their own music during DJ sets. Traktor can be downloaded for free and used in demo mode, but only for 30 minutes at a time. However, with the launch of rekordbox DJ in , Pioneer expanded the software to incorporate full playing and mixing functionality. Beyond these big three, there are numerous other options, many of which offer similar levels of functionality at a more affordable price.

At the cheapest end of the spectrum Mixxx is worth a look. Check out The 11 best DJ software applications in the world today for the full definitive list. It can sync tracks, mix multiple channels and sample, and comes stocked with plenty of effects. Should you decide to upgrade later, the transition can be made easily. No other software can claim the variety of integrated support that Serato has, which means you have a lot of options!

Serato is also extremely popular and well supported by scratch DJs, due to its roots in turntablism. Choose Serato if you want lots of hardware options, or you want to be a turntablist using Serato DVS.

Traktor , by Native Instruments, supports great performance features for DJs. But getting the most out of this software requires you to own official Native Instruments hardware, for which there are few options.

A free demo is also available. And while it sometimes lags behind the other companies when it comes to certain features, major updates tend to come along with innovative features such as the force feedback function of a Kontrol S4 MK3.

Traktor also has some of the best FX in the business. Many other great options exist. Virtual DJ is also plug-and-play compatible with most DJ controllers, comes with a boatload of effects, and even supports video mixing and karaoke.

Of course, choosing a DJ platform is a matter of preference. But with some demoing and a little YouTube research , you should be able to find the software that works for you. There are a number of basic skills to consider when learning how to become a DJ: mixing, EQing, phrasing, beatmatching, and prep. The purpose of beatmatching is to get two tracks playing at the same tempo the speed at which the song is playing and phase the beats from both tracks playing in-time with each other.

You use a jog wheel, push a pitch bend button, or touch one of your playing records to adjust phase. Perhaps not. Firstly, it gives you the ability to beat-mix on anything e. More importantly, it helps to develop and tune your ears so that you know what to listen for.

The practice of manual beatmatching results in a much more trained ear, and a more confident DJ. You can always come back to this later, but I think learning to beatmatch early is a great idea. Technically, this means is that there are four beats in a measure bar , and that the quarter note gets one beat. Firstly, each mixer channel has a gain knob , allowing you to adjust the level by watching your meters.

Then, each channel has a line fader. And your main output has a volume control, too! In addition, DJ software has its own gain structure. This can make things quite confusing. When in doubt, read the manual. Some DJ software features auto-gain functionality, which helps minimize the amount of manual adjustment between tracks. As a general rule: stay out of the red. If you need more volume, boost it on the amp or speaker side. Equalizing EQing is the act of boosting or cutting frequencies so that multiple audio tracks blend nicely.

You may not wish to mix two powerful kick drums over one another, since they are too loud to combine. A typical DJ mixer includes a three-band EQ low, mid, and high which allows you to carve out the audio space for a buttery blend. Equalization will not fix a bad mix, nor will it work miracles. There are several types of DJ setups to consider:. A DJ controller gives you hands-on control over your mixing software, for much easier manipulation of the music than a mouse and keyboard.

Without a doubt, this is the most sensible way to get started. The controller market continues to grow, and DJs may choose among the options which fit their budget, workflow, and preferred software. This is wonderful news, but it can make for a tough decision! Need help choosing a DJ controller?

The players are plugged into a hardware DJ mixer. Many venues already have them, and they are the expected standard for any large show. CDJs tend to be more expensive than their controller counterparts, but they do offer a level of separation from the laptop.

Records are harder to mix than any of the other listed options. Vinyl is also the most expensive format to buy music on. So why would anyone want to go this route? For a lot of people, mixing records is simply fun. I love the feel of mixing records. But I also love all the functionality that I gain from software… such as perfect loops, four deck mixing, and recording. And I love being able to have my entire digital music collection with me, wherever I go.

Many people feel that using a timecode setup can give you the best of all worlds. Vinyl emulation software allows the user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, preserving the hands-on control and feel of DJing with vinyl. You use a special vinyl record, which contains an audio signal that your software picks up and uses to manipulate digital files like mp3s. This allows you to use your CDJs to control your software as if they were controllers… no special records or CDs required!

Most DJ software is capable of recording your set by simply clicking a button. Another option is to use an external handheld recorder, such as the Tascam DRX.

Recording a bedroom mix is a little bit different than playing in front of an audience. But you can use this opportunity to think about telling a story with your set.