Barbeau Music provides information for people new to DJing so they can get a better understanding of the equipment they want to buy or are already using.

We go through each item required to DJ in order for the newcomer to decide what sort of package they require for their needs and their current level and situation.

So, what is a DJ?

A disc jockey (also disk jockey or DJ) is a person who selects and plays prerecorded music for an audience. Many DJs also speak to the audience, either to give the names of the songs and information about the performers (radio DJs) or to rap or chant along with the music (reggae DJs).

There are several types of DJs: radio DJs play music that is broadcast on AM, FM, shortwave or digital radio stations; club DJs select and play music in a club, disco, a rave, or even a stadium; hip hop disc jockeys select, play and create music with multiple turntables as a hip-hop artist and/or performer, often backing up one or more MCs; a reggae disc jockey (deejay) is a vocalist who raps, toasts, or chats over pre-recorded rhythm tracks; and mobile disc jockeys travel with mobile sound systems and play from an extensive collection of pre-recorded music.

Several techniques can be used by the disc jockey as a means to manipulate the prerecorded music. These primarily include the cueing, equalization and audio mixing of two or more sound sources. However, turntablist DJ's also utilize slip-cueing, phrasing, cutting, beat juggling, scratching, beatmatching, needle drops, phase shifting, back spinning, and more to perform the transitions and overdubs of a number of sources in a more creative manner. Many professional DJs use harmonic mixing, to choose songs that are in compatible musical keys.

Main Types of Disc Jockey

By definition, the role of selecting and playing prerecorded music for an intended audience is the same for every disc jockey. The selected music, the audience, the setting, the preferred medium, and the level of sophistication of sound manipulation are factors that create a number of different types of deejays. The following is a list of the most common types of disc jockeys, along with notable examples of each, listed in chronological order by birth.

Bedroom disc jockey

A person who selects, plays and mixes music in their own home to groups of their friends over a P.A. system or distributes it over the internet.

Club disc jockeys

A club disc jockey is one that selects and plays music in a club setting. The setting can range anywhere from a neighborhood party or a small club to a disco, a rave, or even a stadium.

The main focus of club DJs is on the music they play. They build their sets by choosing tracks to control the energy level of the crowd and use beatmixing (or "beatmatching") technique for seamless transition between tracks.

Radio disc jockeys

A radio disc jockey plays music that is broadcast across radio waves, AM and FM bands or worldwide on shortwave radio stations. Radio DJs are notable for their personalities. Often due to terrestrial radio using program directors/music directors to generate the playlist, present-day radio DJs do not typically pick the music to play at stations. Emceeing is their primary duty.

Mobile disc jockeys

Mobile Disc Jockeys are an extension of the original Radio disc jockeys.They travel with or go on tour with mobile sound systems and play from an extensive collection of pre-recorded content for a specific audience. Mobile DJs should be able to play a client’s specific requests by incorporating them into a repertoire of party favorites (this is called "reading" the crowd). In the 2000s, mobile DJs need a large selection of music, professional-grade equipment, good organizational skills, vocal talent as an MC, mixing skills, quality lighting, insurance for liability, and on-site back-up equipment.

In the 2000s, the role of the Mobile DJ has expanded. Many Mobile DJs have assumed additional responsibilities to ensure an event's success. These responsibilities include the roles of MC, event organizer and coordinator, lighting director, and/or sound engineer.

Basic equipment

The equipment needed to DJ consists of:

1. Sound recordings in a DJ's preferred medium (eg. vinyl records, compact discs, computer media files)
2. minimum of two devices to play sound recordings, for alternating back and forth to create a continuous playback of music (e.g. record players, compact disc players, computer media players such as an MP3 player)
3. sound system for amplification or broadcasting of the recordings (e.g. portable audio system, PA system) or a radio broadcasting system.
4. DJ mixer, an electronic two-channel mixer with a crossfader used to smoothly go from one song to another (using two or more playback devices)
5. A microphone, so that the DJ can introduce songs and speak to the audience
6. headphones or a monitor speaker, which is used to listen to one recording while the other is playing, without outputting the sound to the audience.
7. Some DJs even incorporate iPods into the mix and allows greater flexibility in many ways. As entertainers these DJs they are always upgrading their little white gadgets with ipod accessories to help them stand out from the crowd.

Advanced equipment

Other equipment can be added to the basic DJ set-up (above) providing unique sound manipulations. Such devices include but are not limited to:

1. Electronic effects processors (delay, reverb, octave, equalizer, chorus, etc). Some club DJs use a suboctave effect which creates a very low bass sound and adds it to the mix.
2. A computerised performance system, which can be used with timecode encoded vinyl/CD content to manipulate digital files on the computer in real time.
3. Multi-stylus headshells, which allow a DJ to play different grooves of the same record at the same time.
4. Special DJ digital controller hardware can manipulate digital files on a PC or laptop, by using midi signals
5. Samplers, electronic musical keyboards (synths), or drum machines.

Auto DJ Mix

If you dont fancy an expensive mixer , we recommend buying a cheap computer and loading up a free copy of virtual mixer which enables you to search tracks by BPM.

Recommended Retailers

DJ Deals is an online DJ kit store offering deck packages and mixers for sale.

Did You Know?

T-Mobile is pooling its mobile phone masts with rival operator 3, to bring high-speed wireless broadband to more of the country.