So You Wanna Be A DJ?
Part 1 – Giving Back
So You Wanna Be A DJ?
You think you've
got what it takes to be the next Sasha, Tiesto, Deep Dish or maybe Me,
DJ Rap? Only problem is, you don't know where to begin. You've come to
the right blog.
For those of you who know me, I always have plenty to say.
For those of you who don't you'll probably be sick of me soon, so I'll
talk about something interesting rather than the boring blog shit you
see all over the place. The idea came to me because I've started
teaching this very thing at Hollywood Arts.[hollywood-arts.org]
I was first told about this organization by my mate, BT. It's wonderful
helping out the new blood and seeing how they light up when they
scratch the decks.
"So you wanna be a DJ?" will be the beginning of a series
of blogs explaining the basic beginning to becoming a DJ, learning to
produce, and hopefully help guide you on your path to becoming an
underground superstar. [who really wants to be famous, it sucks. this is
way cooler] Let's start off by talking about equipment so you'll know
what to use before we get into techniques.
Part 1: DJ Equipment.
There are many types of equipment, so it really is a
matter of personal taste. What I talk about here is just what I happen
to believe in and this stuff works for me. It is by no means a
disrespect to the other brands and versions out there. [so if anyone
else wants to sponsor me, feel free, haha!]
Decks: Although I still own the one and only pair of
turntables I've ever bought, SL-1200's the Pioneer CDJ-1000 or DVJ-1000
is my weapon of choice. I simply LOVE Pioneer. [yes I love vinyl, no I
haven't abandoned it. but you try carrying 20 20lb. crates to Ibiza only
to find the crates nicked when you get there!] So CD's are what I spin.
Mixer: Now, I'm really fussy about this shit. It HAS to be
a Pioneer-800 for me. I don't care what anyone else says, it's the
best. For me the effects, are stellar. The Pioneer-600 sounded a little
too woody and muffled, if you like, often there were feedback problems.
But the 800 is crystal clear. I love the fact that you can mix and blend
effortlessly without too much tuning concerns due to the filter effect.
As I travel with a VJ, if you ever get the chance, check out Pioneer's
new SVM-1000.[pioneerdj.com]
I went to the warehouse and they let me at it, needless to say I got a
little excited and wet my pants. I feel visuals are very important to a
DJ show, but let's take it one step at a time… we'll get into that a bit
later.
Monitors: In my home studio I use the M-Audio BX5's and the 10-inch sub that goes with it.[m-audio.com]
I find they are incredibly accurate and really translate well to the
dancefloor. I also use a pair of NS-10's which help me with what I call
the "car radio mix test." In other words, if it sounds good in my car,
it sounds good anywhere. For my mains, when I'm writing and producing I
just got a hold of a pair of VXT-8's which have a MASSIVE sound. [krksys.com]
Headphones: I only ever use Sony-MDRV700DJ's. They're solid. And I haven't gone deaf yet. [sonystyle.com]
Of course you don't need these items exactly to start with
as I realize we're all on our own budgets, however, you'll only need it
once and you get what you pay for. In the long run you'll pay more to
replace things if you're buying shit equipment. Trust me, been there,
done that.
This is Propa Advice from yours truly, DJ RAP. Tune in on
the 1st and 14th of each month for new entries. For my next blog I'll
let you in on my production tools in the studio.
luv n bass, DJ RAP.
check out DJRAP.COM for more from the Queen of the Decks!! x
