Your DJ Gear Doesn't Exist

Why you are focussing on the least important part of DJing

Hey there Stem Switchers,

DJ’s love gear. And Pioneer, Denon and co know it.

Every week there is new entry level gear, mid-range gear, and most exciting and expensive of all, ‘Pro’ gear.

And I want to know all about it as soon as it comes out. Not because I want to buy it, but because it’s shinyyyyy 🤤

Last week I went to a DJ store, to look at things I didn’t need. When I was in there I noticed a strange feeling. I wasn’t particularly interested in any of it.

Thus far on my YouTube channel I haven’t done any DJ gear reviews. The first reason is nobody wants to sponsor me.

But the second, is because I think it’s the least important thing you should care about.

There is no such thing as “Pro” DJ gear

Let me explain why..

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There’s no such thing as “Pro”

Pro is short for professional. And as we know, there are professional DJs. And we want to be like professional DJs. That means we need pro gear right? Well…

The thing is, the term ‘Pro’ was hijacked a long time ago by marketers to target aspirational consumers.

Just look at the iPad. Nobody is *quite* sure what the point of the iPad Pro is yet. Or even what’s Pro about it. That’s despite it being around for 7 years.

Photo by Rahul Chakraborty on Unsplash

But I still bought it. Because it’s the ‘best’ one. Even though my 9 year old iPad Air 2 does literally exactly the same stuff. But at least I can watch Mojaxx at a slightly higher refresh rate now 👀

It’s the same with DJ gear. Let’s take a look at Pioneer’s FLX range of controllers.

You have the FLX-4, which is the ‘entry/beginner’ level option. The FLX-6 which is the ‘mid-range’ controller. And finally, the super pricey ‘FLX-10’. The ‘pro’ controller.

The price difference between the FLX-4 and the FLX-10 is… 424.69% (UK Prices).

When you put it in percentages we can start to make a more rational assessment of value.

Before you sound off in the comments, I accept it’s not an apples to apples comparison. The FLX-10 does have some other functional things you may need, like deck inputs and 4 channels and a better build.

But - will the FLX-10 make you a 424.69% better DJ?

Remember - The ‘Pro’ is the person using the equipment, not the equipment itself.

You can use equipment like a professional, without it being your job.

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Fewer features are worth more

The low-budget horror movie "Paranormal Activity"was made with a budget of only $15,000, which forced the director, Oren Peli, to come up with creative ways to tell the story. He had to generate scares without relying on expensive special effects or elaborate sets.

The film uses a found-footage style, with the story being told through a series of home videos recorded by the main characters. This approach allowed the filmmakers to create an atmosphere of tension and suspense while working within their limited budget.

We can see this in the world of DJing too.

Using only two vinyl turntables and a mixer, turntabalists are still coming up with unique and creative ways to construct their routines.

Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

The marketing department want you to feel a cheaper, or less feature-rich controller is for beginners. And once you get passed beginner level, you should spend more money to upgrade.

But I guarantee you have not outgrown your current DJ gear - and probably never will.

Things to try:

• Experiment with some of the pad modes you have never touched - Ever used Key Shift mode? Me either, because it’s broken. But I found a way to fix it so you can use it creatively in your sets. Head over to the YouTube channel to see how.

• Learn more advanced techniques such as tone play or hot cue play - Learning to sequence and alter your tracks in various ways opens up hundreds of new possibilities. And they can be done on almost any controller.

• Try new FX for unique transitions in your sets - Rekordbox has dozens of built in software effects that even an FLX-4 can access

Rekordbox built-in FX

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Why you shouldn’t lust after CDJ’s

If money was no object, what decks would you buy?

Many DJs I’ve spoken to would say CDJ’s - no hesitation. They are the ‘industry standard’. What all the pro DJs use. And the most expensive, and therefore best.

I’m about to say something controversial. So I’ll call attention to it.

“CDJ’s are a bit rubbish”

There, I said it.

I’ve used plenty of controllers, and plenty of CDJ’s over the last 20+ years.

The CDJ build quality is solid, I’ll give it that. They can take a lot of punishment, which is why they are perfect for clubs.

But..

Feature wise, they are lacking. Performance pads? Nah. On older models - 3 hot cues max. No gated hot cues. The list goes on.

One of the biggest worries my audience have is that they won’t be able to transition to CDJs from a controller. That’s why in an ideal world they would rather have a CDJ above all else.

Don’t do it!

Aside from a few quirks, if you can mix on a controller you can mix on a CDJ within 3 minutes.

Oh, and if you want to understand the different settings you can export from Rekordbox to a CDJ to make the transition easier you can grab my free guide here.

I’ll be creating some more content to help you those scary CDJs soon.

My challenge to you: see how much better you can get by NOT upgrading your DJ gear.

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Other news

• It’s been a miserable summer here in the UK, but the glowing yellow ball has made a celebrity appearance this week. Time for some Mr. Whippy 🍦

• I’ve been watching an old show ‘Tattoo Fixers’ which is where people with terrible tattoos go to get them covered up. It’s a fascinating insight into people’s (lack of) decision making - highly recommended!

  

  Photo by Lucas Lenzi on Unsplash