Basics of the basics - hardware and a lond story short

Ok. So here is my story:

I heard about some school in L.A. and decided to check it out for some classes on remixing. The guy teaching it flaked out because there was no incentive to him teaching the class when I ended up being the only one who signed up. The school was primarily a Dj school, hence the odds of a teacher flaking out for Djing were not as high.

So I decided to try to learn how to DJ at the school. A little bit later after I had started my first lessons, I successfully contacted a well known Los Angeles mash up artist who instructed me to NOT PAY ANYONE for lessons on Djing. He said, its not that hard and it really comes down to practice. He also gave me some pointers on the basics of remixing that were really simple and helpful.

So now I'm stuck with this expensive super powerful music program that I got for the classes that never manifested ( Ableton Live) and the desire to master the art of Djing without paying someone to hold my hand like a little kid through it. I actually got through enough lessons to get a grip on the basics of beat matching. I also have the feeling that if I had continued with the payed lessons I would have never been taken seriously as a Dj, since most of you guys started out without paying.

I have a pretty good amount knowledge and resources acquired when it comes to everything
BUT THE ACTUAL HARDWARE. This is where I have found everyone disagrees.

I don't know what to buy. I don't know where to buy. I don't know how much I should spend for the basic set up. I'm tempted to get the basic starter Dj beginner package, yet I read that I should really just save up my money and buy items one at a time until I have a nice set up and can start practicing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated - from where to purchase online or in SoCal, to anything else that comes to mind.

Thank you for reading. I hope I did not waste your time. This place seems a bit friendlier than most, but chew me out if you feel the need to.

Tags: bastard, beginner, hardware, mashup, pop, remixing, rock

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Afrokitty on January 8, 2009 at 8:22am

Oh Not a Punk, thank you so much for replying!

What you wrote makes a lot of sense. You cleared up a little bit of the haze for me.

Not a Punk. said:

Well
hmm abelton's not really a program for dj's (from what I understand it's more of an extra tool)
& I don't think it's for beginners
I think of it as -running before crawling

With that being said
If you want to start from the beginning
you'll have to learn the basics (I see you say you've got beat matching down which is good, mixing in key is also good, selection choice and sequencing is another)

Now as far as what kind of setup your looking for
I guess it depends on the kind of music you'll be playing
& your stance on technology (I am pro technology I'm all for the future & outputs), & your music collection

If you don't have a record collection I don't see a point in buying turntables
So your next best bet (most respectable) would probably be Cdj's
There's also midi controllers + laptop + soundcard + program
Which might work out for you especially since you already have ableton and it would serve a dual purpose in your setup
Whatever you do don't buy a basic package
Do the research and learn about each component to your ideal setup (read reviews, blogs, youtube)

For instance:
cdj's (which one has all the features that will suite your needs)
a mixer
amp/monitors
and a way to record your sets so you can learn from your errors/sets

Where to buy?
I shop for deals online and ebay
so far so good
Google usually has comparisons, Some Guitar Centers do price matching
Websites:
http://www.pssl.com/, http://djdeals.com/ (i love this site), Audiolines.com

Not sure where you are in California but there's a www.Turntablelab.com out there now

As far as how much you spend...it's up to you -This is a very expensive trade
& Buying one piece at a time won't help you any
So save up for a setup that gets the job done and add on as you go along

Like right now i'll need a higher quality audio card for playing out and studio monitors,
but i'm making due with an inexpensive audio card, a radio shack amp and stereo speakers for the moment

Good Luck
and if you have any questions ask away

Permalink Reply by BlaqJeff on January 29, 2009 at 5:39pm

I don't know if anyone has answered your questions, so I'll answer what I can. Don't feel bad about paying for lessons. I decided to get back into DJing after being out of it for ten years or so. I payed for lessons mostly because I wanted to see if I'll enjoy it before I sink more money into equipment and stuff. Sure, you can learn on your own, but it never hurts to pick up tips.

As far as equipment, I have Serato Scratch, two Technics 1200mk2 turntables(I bought them used for less than half price, there a little banged up looking, but they work as good as new) a numark mixer and a pair of bookshelf monitors. All told, I spent around $1500. You could find the stuff cheaper if you look hard enough.

I also have on my laptop, a few different DJ programs, some better than others, and a midi keyboard and a two midi DJ controllers. Ableton is also a very capable DJing program if you play Dance music and such
.
To me, Serato w/turntables offer the best of both worlds, vinyl and digital. I like the feel of using actual records, but I also love the convenience of digital. It's an interesting compromise.
Anyway, have fun. That's the most important thing. And practice practice practice !
Peace!

Permalink Reply by Afrokitty on January 29, 2009 at 6:07pm

Thank you for your response!

When I probed around a bit I discovered that your current set up with Serato and the two turntables is becoming the standard for professional Djing in my area. I'm not at the point where I have to keep up with club technology, but now I have a good idea of the basics as well as what I need to look for and be aware of as I progress.

Ableton is a very interesting program. I have a love/hate relationship with it. But everyday I learn a little bit more and hence progress a little bit more.

As for hardware, I'm still just trying to save up the money. I cruise craigslist and other websites every day, visit guitar center and sam ash every week. The prices keep dropping in this economy but not where I need them to be.

Thanks for pointing out the benefits of lessons. It is a great way to try it out and make sure that its something you really want to get into because this can become an expensive hobby at the very least.

BlackJeff said:

I don't know if anyone has answered your questions, so I'll answer what I can. Don't feel bad about paying for lessons. I decided to get back into DJing after being out of it for ten years or so. I payed for lessons mostly because I wanted to see if I'll enjoy it before I sink more money into equipment and stuff. Sure, you can learn on your own, but it never hurts to pick up tips.

As far as equipment, I have Serato Scratch, two Technics 1200mk2 turntables(I bought them used for less than half price, there a little banged up looking, but they work as good as new) a numark mixer and a pair of bookshelf monitors. All told, I spent around $1500. You could find the stuff cheaper if you look hard enough.

I also have on my laptop, a few different DJ programs, some better than others, and a midi keyboard and a two midi DJ controllers. Ableton is also a very capable DJing program if you play Dance music and such
.
To me, Serato w/turntables offer the best of both worlds, vinyl and digital. I like the feel of using actual records, but I also love the convenience of digital. It's an interesting compromise.
Anyway, have fun. That's the most important thing. And practice practice practice !
Peace!

Permalink Reply by Dj Complex on March 27, 2009 at 4:05pm