In the previous article we talked about learning to become a DJ with the right kit and started to talk a little bit about turntables and what they can do. Here I am going to talk about some of the other bits of equipment that you will come across and perhaps need for your setup.

Other than turntables, CD players have been extensively used in clubs over the last 5 years or so. They have evolved to such an extent that they can copy all the tricks that a turntable can do and add a few more. Sometimes they come in a pair as a double, these do not tend to be that great a quality & if you choose to invest in a CD player I would recommend spending a bit more and getting 2 single units.

In the last couple of years, mixing systems based on the mp3 digital format have started to come to the fore. The likelyhood is that these systems will be the future, being able to carry around thousands of tunes in your pocket has many attractions in inself but the systems themselves are extremely powerful. Aligned to this is the emergence of the VDJ who uses videos in the same way a DJ mixes sound.

The mixer is the next important aparatus, it basically acts as a pre-amp and boosts the signal from the sound source to a higher lever to push out to an amplifier; and allows a DJ to mix the sound from the 2 different sources and either monitor it on headphones or let it head off to the speakers.

Which kind of mixer you go for will probably depend on what kind of DJ you wish to be. A scratch DJ will be more abusive towards their crossfaders than your beat mixer. A clear set of VU meters is important to everyone, a beat mixer will demand more EQ control over the sound where-as a hip-hop DJ is quite happy with less control. Quality of mixers vary so you should always check out the sound quality, headset feed, well laid out controls and a sturdy build. Each model also has it’s own set of extras that allow more control over the sound such as effects processing or BPM idicators.

Quality headphones are also a must, they need to be loud enough so that you can hear in a club and with a long enough cable and good build quality. On the whole I would advise that you bite the bullet and buy the best kit you can afford, it is better to buy quality to start with rather than something that breaks after 6 months.

Even if you are learning to be a DJ at the moment it is a good idea to notice what other people are using, check out the 2nd hand ads. There are plenty of people who start but find that it is more challenging than they thought and will be keen to off load their gear.

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