DJing 101: How to Set Up Your Equipment, Play Songs, and Add Effects (Free PDF Course)
How to DJ Properly: A Beginner's Guide
Have you ever wondered how DJs create amazing mixes that make people dance and have fun? Do you want to learn how to DJ properly and impress your friends and family with your musical skills? If so, then this article is for you.
How To Dj Properly Pdf Download Free
DJing is the art of mixing two or more songs together using various techniques and equipment. It's a creative and rewarding hobby that can also become a professional career if you're passionate and dedicated enough. DJing can also help you improve your musical taste, knowledge, and culture.
In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know about how to DJ properly, from the basics of DJing equipment, skills, and terminology, to a step-by-step tutorial on how to set up your gear, load and play songs, match the tempo and beat of two tracks, transition between them smoothly, add effects and samples, record and save your mix, and more. You'll also get some tips and tricks on how to improve your DJing skills, develop your musical style and personality, mix different genres and BPMs, use hot cues, loops, and scratching techniques, perform live and engage your audience, and more.
By the end of this article, you'll have a solid foundation on how to DJ properly and be ready to start your own DJ journey. You'll also be able to download a free PDF guide that contains more details and examples on how to DJ properly. So let's get started!
Things You Should Know Before You Start DJing
Before you dive into the practical aspects of how to DJ properly, there are some things you should know first. These are the basic equipment you need, the basic skills you need, and the basic terminology you need. Let's go over them one by one.
The Basic Equipment You Need
The most essential equipment you need for DJing are:
A laptop or a smartphone with a good battery life and enough storage space for your music files.
A DJ software that allows you to load, play, mix, and manipulate songs on your device. There are many options available for different platforms, budgets, and preferences. Some of the most popular ones are Serato DJ Pro, Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ, Rekordbox DJ, djay Pro AI, etc.
A DJ controller that connects to your device via USB or Bluetooth and gives you physical control over your DJ software. A DJ controller usually has two decks (or channels) that represent the two songs you're mixing, a mixer that allows you to adjust the volume, EQ, filters, and gain of each deck, and various buttons, knobs, faders, pads, and jog wheels that let you perform different functions and effects on your songs. There are many types and sizes of DJ controllers, from entry-level to professional ones. Some of the most popular ones are Pioneer DDJ-200, Hercules DJControl Inpulse 200, Numark Mixtrack Pro FX, etc.
A pair of headphones that lets you listen to your songs privately and monitor your mix. You should look for headphones that are comfortable, durable, noise-isolating, and have good sound quality. Some of the most popular ones are Sennheiser HD 25, Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, Sony MDR-7506, etc.
A pair of speakers or a sound system that lets you play your mix out loud and share it with others. You should look for speakers that are loud, clear, balanced, and have good bass response. Some of the most popular ones are JBL EON 610, Mackie Thump 15A, Bose S1 Pro, etc.
Of course, you can also use other equipment for DJing, such as turntables, CDJs, mixers, sound cards, microphones, etc., but these are more advanced and expensive options that are not necessary for beginners. The basic equipment listed above is enough to get you started and learn how to DJ properly.
The Basic Skills You Need
The most important skills you need for DJing are:
Music selection: This is the ability to choose the right songs for your mix based on the genre, mood, energy level, audience preference, etc. You should have a good musical taste and knowledge of different styles and artists. You should also have a large and diverse music library that you can access easily and organize well.
Tempo matching: This is the ability to adjust the speed of two songs so that they have the same BPM (beats per minute) and can be mixed together seamlessly. You should be able to use the pitch fader on your DJ controller or the sync button on your DJ software to match the tempo of two songs.
Beat matching: This is the ability to align the beats of two songs so that they are in sync and create a smooth rhythm. You should be able to use the jog wheel on your DJ controller or the nudge button on your DJ software to match the beat of two songs.
Transitioning: This is the ability to switch from one song to another in a smooth and creative way. You should be able to use the crossfader on your DJ controller or the fade button on your DJ software to blend the volume of two songs. You should also be able to use the EQ knobs, filters, and gain knobs on your DJ controller or the EQ button on your DJ software to balance the frequencies of two songs. You should also be able to use various effects and samples on your DJ controller or your DJ software to add some flair and variation to your transitions.
Recording: This is the ability to save your mix as an audio file that you can share with others or listen back later. You should be able to use the record button on your DJ software or an external recording device to record your mix.
Of course, there are many other skills that you can learn and improve as a DJ, such as scratching, looping, cueing, sampling, remixing, etc., but these are more advanced and optional skills that are not essential for beginners. The basic skills listed above are enough to help you learn how to DJ properly.
The Basic Terminology You Need
The most common terms you need to know for DJing are:
Deck: This is the part of your DJ controller or software that represents one song that you're playing or mixing. A typical DJ controller or software has two decks (or channels), labeled A and B.
Mixer: This is the part of your DJ controller or software that allows you to adjust the volume, EQ, filters, gain, effects, etc., of each deck. A typical mixer has a crossfader that lets you blend the volume of two decks, a channel fader that lets you control the volume of each deck individually, an EQ knob that lets you adjust the low (bass), mid (treble), and high (treble) frequencies of each deck, a filter knob that lets you apply a low-pass or high-pass filter to each deck, a gain knob that lets you boost or reduce the overall level of each deck, 71b2f0854b