New to DJing.

A

Azair

New member
Hi all.

I'm a young student, been into music for a long long time. Right from alternative/hardcore metal to ambient minimal electronica, some dubstep and hip hop. I'm beginning to think if I should begin DJing/Mixing/sampling.

I play piano and I sometimes produce music with the piano connected to Logic, but I also want to do some playing. Som real playing with beats etc where you can practise all day long.

I'm low on cash, since I'm a poor poor student and I'm not sure if I should start purchasing a sampler, try it out, mess around with it. If so, what can you guys prefer?
Should I go for turntables? Isn't that too expensive when you're 17 years old and have not one single record? Or for CDJs or is that "only" the house Djs diggin' that.

Im not sure where this exactly will lead to. I mean, if I go buy a sampler, I get the touch for it, I might want to spend more money on those things, but Im not going out messing up my bank account cuz I wanna "try somethin' out". So if I feel like it, I'll step up as a DJ, try to get some job at clubs in weekends, you know what Im saying? So thats kinda how things are right now.

PS: sometimes i see interviews and clips of these oldskool DJs that is keepin it real and so on, but how the **** did they start? I mean? Were they like rich mother****ers going out purchasing hundreds of records and two pairs of the finest turntables and a dope mixer? How did they start? I think its all about spontaniousness. I mean, just thinking, im gonna do this 100%.. but Im just not sure yet. Any thoughts on this?

PSS: i cant find the "view my topics" or "latest answers topics" button, so I gotta find this topic in the forum and that can be real tough with all you guys posting all the time hehe :P

Thanks for your time and considerations, appreciate it!

peace out!
 
You could always get a student loan and buy equipment...
 
Azair said:
Haha, I know what consequences that can have.
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Actually, its only bad if you dropping out of school. If you drop out then you have no degree and then you have to repay the loan. The interest rate on a student loan is the lowest you will ever get on a loan.
 
It sounds like you are thinking the right things. No, dope DJs werent all rich when they started, they started with whatever records they could get their hands on. You dont need 1000's of records to be a dope DJ. In fact, you can have 5 records and be dope... and you could have 10000 and be wack. Just try to find some used equipment first, if possible. I would go with vinyl, not CDJ's if I were you. Vinyl/Serrato is the way to go... but that will be in the future if your broke. If you really put in work practicing DJing... you WILL get gigs... then yes.. u can start doing clubs, rent out halls and throw dances.. etc etc.. Thats what I was doing when I was in high school. Then you can upgrade along the way.
Getting a sampler would be fine too if thats the direction you want to go.. but I would start with DJing if I were you.. then when you can pick up a used MPC for 500 bucks...
 
It's possible to DJ for fairly cheap, but you'll need to hustle. Go to pawn shops, learn about the **** they're selling, watch craigslist like a hawk, go to flea markets and thrift shops. You'll find something cheap enough sooner or later. I found some busted 1200's for $50 each when I was about your age. I got my tools out, fixed it up, and I've been using them ever since. I got my crappy mixer on clearance for $80 at sam ash. I only bought used records. If you dig enough, you can get a very respectable record collection for $100. Learn everything you can about audio equipment. Then when you get to college, you can get a job as an A/V tech, this gives you an easy in for getting side jobs DJing campus events, which can pay some decent cash, and you won't need a PA.
 
at this point in the game I really don't see any point in playing traditional vinyl with serato out. you should see the crates and crates and creates of records I have and haven't even touched for years. kinda makes me mad all the money I blew on that lol. buying records can be worse than a crack habit, in the long run serato will pay for itself.
but either way just getting into djing is expensive unless you get super lucky. check guitar center's used section, I picked up a spare set of technics 1200s in flight cases with carts for 180 shipped. but I had to do a little work to em.

I would say take that student loan and buy some used tech 12s a good used mixer and serato. I KNOW in college there are mad parties, get your foot in and start djing there for for about 200 a night... pay your stuff off and bam you good.
 
Thank you very much for your time and considerations, I appreciate that.

As I see it, the most logical decision would be to purchase a pair of Technics 1210 with a decent mixer and purchase Serato/Traktor. I have a cousin who studies in Nottingham, perhaps I could ask him to contact the seller if I find a cheap deal from England. It would be smartest, since the pound is low at the moment and the market for DJ equipment is cheaper than here in Denmark.

I would say take that student loan and buy some used tech 12s a good used mixer and serato. I KNOW in college there are mad parties, get your foot in and start djing there for for about 200 a night... pay your stuff off and bam you good.
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I'll be watching the eBay very closely in these weeks and look for the perfect deal, so I don't think I'll do a student loan.

Now when you're talking about making money DJing, where should I start? How long should I have done DJing? Is it "easy" to get few jobs in some clubs etc.?
 
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