Friday, December 21, 2012

Learn How To DJ - An Easy Guide

By Celia Hall


A disc jockey, or a DJ, is a person who plays music that has been previously recorded for an audience. Today, there are said to be more than a million professional DJs in the world. Despite this large number, there are still thousands who want to learn how to DJ.

The first thing to consider when learning how to DJ is the type one wants to be. The Radio DJ plays music that is broadcast on radio stations. Club DJs play music in clubs, bars, discos, raves, and parties. The Hip Hop DJ plays music using turntables to back-up MCs or to do turntable scratching. The Reggae DJ is a vocalist who raps over pre-recorded music. The Mobile DJ is a DJ who travels with a portable sound system to play in various events such as weddings and corporate events.

Once the aspiring DJ decides what type of DJ he wants to be, he then has to decide on the media type to use. Digital DJs use digital media files. Digital DJs have the convenience of being able to take all their music in just one piece of equipment, their laptop or PC. Digital DJs are also able to use digital software, something old school DJs have to do without. Old school DJs, on the other hand, have the advantage of using music from vinyl records, which have better sound quality than its digital counterpart. The reason why a large number of DJs still prefer the old way is this better sound quality.

Once one has chosen what type of DJ one wants to be, he must now find equipment to practice on. Also, he must gather music. Just a few years ago, one had no other choice but to buy records or CDs in order to gather music. In today's digital age, acquiring music is as easy as one click of a button. Some DJs still prefer the "old" way of playing music though, and that is by using vinyl records.

Once the music is ready, the equipment will have to be acquired. Four pieces of equipment are necessary in a basic DJ setup. The speakers and the amplifier are what allow the music to be heard by the audience. The mixer allows the DJ to cue one song after another. The mixer is necessary because part of being a DJ is being able to play songs continuously. Sources of audio such as the record player and the CD player play the vinyl records and the CDs. For the digital DJs, one will only need the laptop or PC as the source of audio.

Other pieces of equipment may also be added to the basic setup. The additional pieces of equipment provide different kinds of sound manipulation. Examples of these are samplers, drum machines, a sub harmonic synthesizer, and many others.

Once the DJ style has been chosen, and the music and the equipment needed are in place, one must now practice. Practice does not only mean doing it in one's own home but going out there and doing it in front of a crowd. The best events for new DJs would be free gigs.

Being a DJ is an art form. One may have the best music and the best equipment but this is not all there is to learn how to DJ. To be a good DJ, one must use not only his brain but also his heart and soul.




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