Why You Need Special

Equipment for DJing

DJing is all about manipulating recorded sound. Thus in order to DJ properly,
you need to be familiar with the sound equipment DJs use and be able to
handle it well.

The special features that the DJs need to do their job separate DJ gear into a
category of its own. DJ equipment is very different – in both its features and
price – from what you’d encounter in a typical electronics store. In other
words, your parents’ record player or a consumer grade CD deck ain’t a good
fit for DJing.

This section of DJing Tips deals with the DJ equipment and everything that
goes along with it. You’ll learn what pieces of equipment you should buy and
how to choose your gear wisely. I’m also explaining in great detail what all
those buttons, faders and knobs are for and how to handle them like a pro.

DJ Equipment Basics
So, you’re really serious about DJing. In this article, as well as the following
ones, I’ll explain what equipment you’ll need and what you’ll need to pay
attention to when choosing it. I’d like to note from the outset that I want these
articles to stay relevant for at least a couple of years, so you won’t find any
specific products mentioned too often – except for those that have been
around for years and will be bought and used well into the future.

Depending on the type of media you’ve chosen to start with, you’ll need the

following.
Equipment for CD DJing:
 1. CD players x 2

2. Mixer x 1

3. Headphones x 1

Equipment for vinyl DJing:

1. Turntables x 2

2. Slipmats x 2

3. Cartridges with needles x 2

4. Mixer x 1

5. Headphones x 1

Folks who are new to DJing often ask me: Why does a DJ need two players, be
it CD players or vinyl turntables? In short, two decks are needed to make
smooth transitions from one song to another without any gaps or changes in
the tempo. This process is called “mixing” and is explained in greater
detail here.
The necessity of mixing defines one of the key features of a DJ deck. This
feature is the pitch control, which is a slider that allows you to change the
tempo of a track. In addition to that, professional CD players also differ from
consumer grade ones in that they offer the so-called “instant start,” precise
search and the ability to save cue points in memory.
If you’ve chosen the good old vinyl, you’ll need to get some slipmats to go
along with your decks. A slipmat is a soft felt mat that’s placed between the
turntable’s platter and the record. The purpose of the slipmat is to reduce the
friction between the record and the platter, which gives you the ability to freely
manhandle the former.
In addition to the slipmats, you’ll also have to buy cartridges and needles for
your turntables. A cartridge does the actual job of transforming record
grooves into sound signal. It’s mounted on a headshell which is in turn
attached to the deck’s tone arm. By the way, sometimes cartridges and/or
slipmats will come with a turntable, but that’s not always the case. Find out in
advance what extras your turntable of choice comes with.
The mixer allows the DJ to mix and otherwise transform the sound coming
from the decks. For example, it allows you to send the output from a given
turntable (or both of them) to the dancefloor, or listen to one track while the
folks on the dancefloor hear another. So whereas the decks serve as the
sound source, the mixer is what the DJ routes this sound with.
A DJ needs headphones to preview and prepare a track while something else
is playing on the dancefloor. Usually this track is a tune on the other deck
that’s going to be played next. DJ headphones are distinct from regular ones
in that they offer better ergonomics, sound quality and sound isolation. The
latter is particularly important in the club environment.
Note that I haven’t included amplifier and speakers in the equipment lists
above. There are reasons to that. First, you can hook up your mixer to your
home stereo while you’re learning. Second, you can totally learn how to DJ
without using external speakers. For example, I learned DJing while using
headphones only. Thus it’s better to save on the amplifier and the speakers

and buy better decks and a mixer instead.

How to Choose DJ Turntables

With the advent of digital technology, vinyl is slowly but surely losing its
position as the DJ’s medium of choice. But if you still like it old-school and are
willing to invest your hard-earned money in a pair of vinyl turntables, read on.

Legend Forever: The Technics SL-1200MK2

The legendary Technics SL-1200MK2 deck

The history of professional DJ turntables began in 1978, when a Japanese

company called Matsushita (now Panasonic) released the MK2 version of its
Technics SL-1200 record player. The original SL-1200, which was released six
years earlier, was marketed as a hi-fi consumer turntable and had a rotary
pitch control.

Today, more than 30 years after its release, the Technics SL-1200MK2 and its
later versions (MK5, MK5G etc.) remain the industry standard found in most
clubs. The secret is in the turntable’s stellar build quality and unmatched
durability: a lot of 1200s produced in 1970s are still in use. So even though
Panasonic was forced to finally discontinue the model in 2010 – after 32
years of  production! – the “wheels of steel” will probably be around for as
long as vinyl records are made.

The moral of the story is simple: If you want the best of the best, go for a pair
of 1200s. Be prepared for some sticker shock, though. After the Technics
“analog turntables” (that’s how they call them now, sigh) were discontinued,
their selling price doubled overnight, so a new pair can cost you as much as
$2,000. Yikes!

What to Look for in a DJ Turntable

If you can’t afford the Technics – and frankly, if you’re only starting out,
shelling out $2,000 is too much of a leap of faith anyway – no problem. There
are other decks out there, many of them quite decent even though their build
quality and durability aren’t as legendary as those of the SL-1200MK2’s. But
before you start looking into those cheaper alternatives, you need to get
familiar with some key features of a DJ record player.

The first one is the type of drive motor used. In direct-drive turntables, the

motor is located under the center of the platter and is connected to it directly.
This ensures higher torque and lower wow and flutter (i.e. platter speed
fluctuations), both of which are essential for a DJ. The first direct-drive
turntable, released in 1969, was the Technics SP-10 – a direct ancestor of the
SL-1200.
In belt-drive turntables, the motor is located off-center from the platter and is
connected to it with a rubber belt. As a result, belt-drive decks have lower
torque and their platter speed fluctuations are greater.
If there’s going to be only one piece of advice that sticks in your mind after
reading this article, let it be this: Don’t buy belt-drive turntables! Whatever the
manufacturer claims, they are totally unsuitable for DJing. The main reason is
that a belt-drive deck can’t maintain a constant speed of platter rotation. And
this is extremely important for a DJ because even slightest speed fluctuations
will lead to galloping.
The second important feature of a DJ turntable is its torque. Higher torque
means that the platter will accelerate to its proper speed faster after you
press the Start button, and won’t slow down a lot when you’re holding a record
still on the slipmat. The SL-1200MK2’s torque is 1.5 kgf·cm; the decks of your
choice should have at least as much.
Apart from the drive motor type and torque, another essential feature of a DJ
deck is a pitch control slider. (I tried to make it obvious here but I thought I’d
spell it out again just to be safe.) Make sure that you can adjust the slider
smoothly and that the turntable is quick to respond to those adjustments.
The last group of features includes all kinds of extras that are nice to have in a
turntable but that aren’t as critical. Here are some of them:

 Digital output (S/PDIF, USB). Means that the turntable is capable of

digitizing the sound and sending it to a computer or another device with
a digital input.
 Adjustable pitch range. Allows you to switch the range of the pitch
slider – for example, from +/-8% to +/-16% or even +/-100%. Useful
mainly for scratch
 artists.

 Master tempo. Uses digital signal processing to maintain the track’s

original key while allowing you to change the tempo with the pitch slider.
 Reverse. Makes the platter rotate in the reverse direction. For a non-
scratcher, nice to play with a couple of times and then forget about.
 Adjustable torque, BPM counter, interchangeable tonearm etc.
Vestax: Almost as Good as Technics (or
Better)
Vestax PDX-3000Mix

Vestax turntables are arguably the closest rival to the 1200s. They haven’t
been around for as long as the “wheels of steel,” but they’ve already gained
respect among DJs for their build quality and features.

The PDX range of Vestax decks appeals to scratchers because of the special
tonearm technology that drastically reduces skipping, and other niceties such
as reverse, adjustable break/startup time and adjustable pitch range of up to
+/-50% or more. The decks are cheaper, too ($500 to $800 a pop), although
still hardly a bargain.

All in all, Vestax PDXs are fine turntables, so go ahead and pick up a pair if you
prefer the features and lower price to the legendary durability and iconic
status of the 1200s. Oh, and Vestax decks are still in production, which may
be important down the road in terms of being able to get your turntables
serviced.

Budget Turntables: Stanton, Numark, Gemini

Stanton STR8.150

You won’t find them in clubs, but Numark, Stanton and Gemini decks let you
get into vinyl DJing without breaking a bank. For just $300, you can get an OK
direct-drive turntable with enough torque and features to learn on, and $400-
$500 will buy you a top-of-the-line deck like Numark TTX-USB or Stanton
STR8.150.
The problem with the budget decks is that they are a far cry from the sturdy
and time-tested Technics, are made from cheaper materials and generally
tend to suffer from random problems popping up here and there. Also, they
are not as easy to sell once you get better or aren’t interested anymore. So if
your budget is $400 per deck or more, you may want to go for used 1200s
instead.

Don’t get me wrong: Gemini, Numark or Stanton turntables are more than
enough to learn the basics of vinyl DJing. My very first setup included a pair of
Numark Pro TT-2s, which were decent clones of Technics but came with a
couple of flaws to get used to: random platter accelerations on certain pitch
positions and cheap casing. Well, you get what you pay for. If cash is tight,
budget decks may be the way to go.

Stanton STR8.150

You won’t find them in clubs, but Numark, Stanton and Gemini decks let you
get into vinyl DJing without breaking a bank. For just $300, you can get an OK
direct-drive turntable with enough torque and features to learn on, and $400-
$500 will buy you a top-of-the-line deck like Numark TTX-USB or Stanton
STR8.150.

The problem with the budget decks is that they are a far cry from the sturdy
and time-tested Technics, are made from cheaper materials and generally
tend to suffer from random problems popping up here and there. Also, they
are not as easy to sell once you get better or aren’t interested anymore. So if
your budget is $400 per deck or more, you may want to go for used 1200s
instead.

Don’t get me wrong: Gemini, Numark or Stanton turntables are more than
enough to learn the basics of vinyl DJing. My very first setup included a pair of
Numark Pro TT-2s, which were decent clones of Technics but came with a
couple of flaws to get used to: random platter accelerations on certain pitch
positions and cheap casing. Well, you get what you pay for. If cash is tight,
budget decks may be the way to go.

Stanton STR8.150

You won’t find them in clubs, but Numark, Stanton and Gemini decks let you
get into vinyl DJing without breaking a bank. For just $300, you can get an OK
direct-drive turntable with enough torque and features to learn on, and $400-
$500 will buy you a top-of-the-line deck like Numark TTX-USB or Stanton
STR8.150.

The problem with the budget decks is that they are a far cry from the sturdy
and time-tested Technics, are made from cheaper materials and generally
tend to suffer from random problems popping up here and there. Also, they
are not as easy to sell once you get better or aren’t interested anymore. So if
your budget is $400 per deck or more, you may want to go for 1200s instead.

How to Choose DJ CD Players

Pioneer CDJ-1000 and CDJ-2000
Pioneer CDJ-2000, the ultimate DJ deck

In 2001, Pioneer rocked the DJ world by releasing the CDJ-1000, the first
professional CD deck to accurately emulate a vinyl turntable thanks to its
giant touch-sensitive jog wheel. The company’s CD players had enjoyed
strong reputation in clubs before, but it was the CDJ-1000 that was ultimately
destined to become the industry standard.
After two updates (MK2 and MK3), Pioneer retired the CDJ-1000 in 2009 in
favor of the new CDJ-2000 deck. The CDJ-2000 builds upon the predecessor’s
strong foundation while attempting to address most modern DJs’ needs.
Among the new features there’s USB memory stick support, needle drop
simulation via a touch-sensitive strip below the display and native support in
Traktor and Serato.

The CDJ-2000 is well-positioned to become the next standard owing to the

Pioneer quality and the mind-blowing features. However, it’s also the most
expensive digital turntable on the market: A pair of new CDJ-2000s can easily
cost you well above $3,000, which is insane if you’re only starting out. Not to
worry, though – you don’t need the most advanced players on earth to mix
CDs and can save many hundreds of dollars by going for less feature-packed
decks. Which ones? Read on.

Other CD Players by Pioneer

Value for money: Pioneer CDJ-200

At the time of this writing, the latest Pioneer lineup includes three CD players
in addition to the CDJ-2000. All of them support USB memory sticks and the
Rekordbox software by Pioneer that allows you to prepare and manage your
digital tracks. Unlike the CDJ-2000, CDJ-900 doesn’t play DVD and SD card
formats, has a smaller display and lacks the needle search pad. The CDJ-
850’s display is yet smaller than CDJ-900’s, and it doesn’t support the Pro DJ
Link function which allows two decks to play music from the same USB stick.
CDJ-350 is the most basic of them all as it lacks the Pioneer’s trademark full-
size jog wheel.

If you are still reluctant to spend at least $1400 on a pair of Pioneer decks
(that’s how much two CDJ-350s would cost), you have two options. First, you
can buy used players; you can’t really go wrong with the CDJs if you
thoroughly inspect them. Second, you can step down even further and go for a
really basic deck such as Pioneer CDJ-200. Sure, it doesn’t have a lot of bells
and whistles present in newer models, but it will get the job done and will be
easy to sell once you grow out of it. Combine these two approaches and you
can get a pair of Pioneer decks for as little as $500!
Denon: Great Decks for Less
Denon DN-S1200

Denon CD players have been well respected in the DJ community since the
early rackmount player days. The general consensus is that Denon offers a
bigger bang for the buck than Pioneer in terms of the features, and their newer
decks (with the latest firmware updates applied) are almost as reliable.
There’s only one catch: CDJ is still the industry standard so if you’re planning
to throw parties with other DJs playing on your decks, you’d better get
Pioneer.

The trademark feature of Denon’s flagship player, DN-S3700, is its rotating

platter that’s as close to true vinyl emulation as you can get. The stock plastic
disc is too light, however, so it still feels different from the real thing. Both DN-
S3700 and DN-S1200, the company’s cheaper model, have USB device
support and MIDI interface that allows you to use the decks with Traktor or
Virtual DJ. In addition to that, DN-S3700’s “hybrid MIDI mode” lets you control
Serato and other timecode-based DVS systems.

Overall, both Pioneer and Denon have their followers, so if you’re afraid you’ll
be overpaying for the Pioneer brand name and the alleged rock-solid reliability,
you might as well give a pair of Denons a try.

Everything Else
This category includes cheaper CD players by the already mentioned Stanton,
Numark and Gemini. To quote one DJ, “Though the Numark are certain to be
loaded with features, it is just gimmicks to pull newbies in.” These guys’ top-
of-the-range decks may be good value for money for a bedroom DJ, but I’d still
get a pair of used Pioneers instead, thank you. Trust me, you won’t need half
of those features, but you’ll appreciate the longevity and the resell value of the
Pioneers. You decide.
How to Choose a DJ Mixer
After reading my guides to choosing vinyl turntables and CD players, you
probably expect that I’ll begin this article with a brief review of the club
standard mixer. Well, I’ll have to disappoint you, and not because there’s no
such standard (there is). The thing is, DJ equipment is pretty expensive – like
you haven’t noticed that already! – and if you want to save, it’s better to save
on the mixer.
The reason is simple: cheap, crappy decks can make learning DJing a
nightmare and may even make you want to quit altogether. On the other hand,
an entry level mixer (provided it has the minimum required features) will be OK
for mastering the basics and should serve you well for the 6-12 months before
you grow out of it. And such first mixer can cost you much, much less than the
club standard one: $180 (American Audio Q-D5 MKII) vs. $1,700.

Mixer Features
In order to take an educated approach to choosing a DJ mixer, you need to
first learn about the important features to consider. Here they are:

Pioneer DJM-800, the formidable club standard

Number of channels. Determines how many sound sources you can mix. The
required minimum is two channels, one for each of your decks. (A 1-channel
mixer is a nonsense anyway, though.)
Number of inputs. A mixer may have two channels but four inputs. How is that
possible? Simple: Each channel has a switch that tells it which of the
channel’s two inputs to grab the signal from. Thus even with a 2-channel
mixer, you can have a CD deck and a turntable on either side of the mixer and
switch between those as needed. (But you still won’t be able to mix more than
two decks at once.)
Mic input lets you, duh, hook up a microphone to the mixer. Fun, but not
essential for learning how to DJ.
Channel EQs. A group of knobs that let you adjust the level of the channel’s
frequency bands. For example, a three-band EQ has three knobs and lets you
adjust the highs, mids and lows. Make sure your mixer has separate three-
band EQs for each channel for smooth mixing.
Level meters. A level meter is that LED strip that bounces back and forth to
the track’s beat and shows you its volume. A level meter for the mixer’s main
output is a must; separate meters for each of the channels is better.
Gain controls are used for setting the overall level of the mixer’s channels.
You want to have separate Gain knobs for each of the channels.
Mixer outputs. Typical mixer outputs include master output, recording output,
monitor output and a headphone jack. The bare minimum – Master Out and
the headphone jack – are present in all mixers.
BPM counters, FX, sampler. A BPM counter automatically detects the tempo
of the track playing through a given channel, which is occasionally helpful for
beatmatching. Mid- and high-range mixers also let you transform the sound
with a number of effects and often have a built-in sampler. All of these
features are not essential for a beginner DJ.

A Few Models to Consider

American Audio Q-D5 MKII

Now that you know what the important mixer features are, you are much more
likely to make an informed decision when shopping for one. To give you an
example of what to expect for your money, let’s go over a few models in
different price ranges.

Good news: a decent DJ mixer that meets all the minimum requirements
listed above can be purchased for less than $200. One model to consider is
American Audio Q-D5 MKII – an entry level scratch mixer that boasts an
optical crossfader and XLR outputs. It’s also said to be pretty durable. For an
alternative to the Q-D5, take a look at two-channel Vestax mixers from the
VMC series such as the VMC-002XLu.
A little bit higher up ($300-$500) are entry-level mixers from Allen & Heath
(Xone:22 and Xone:02), Ecler Nuo 2.0 and Vestax mixers from the PMC range.
More money will buy you a more durable, better sounding device of up to 4
channels with quality faders, per-channel level meters and some other
goodies.

Ecler Nuo 2.0

If you have more than $600 to spend on a mixer, take a look at Rane, Allen &
Heath, Urei, Ecler and Pioneer. Those higher-end mixers are built from quality
components, often have an FX unit, a built-in sampler and offer three or more
channels for you to play with. Rane mixers are great for scratchers, Pioneer
offers a ton of features combined with their trademark reliability (avoid the old
DJM-600 and the overpriced DJM-400 though), and Allen & Heath, Urei and
Ecler are generally said to be the better sounding ones.

You get what you pay for, and boy can you pay a lot: one of the most
expensive mixers out there, Pioneer DJM-2000, will cost you the monstrous
$2,500. But let me go back to my earlier point here: A beginner DJ can safely
opt in for a much cheaper solution.

Choosing Headphones,
Needles & Slipmats
Headphones
Just like any other piece of DJ equipment, DJ headphones need to meet
certain requirements that have to do with how and where they are typically
used. By the way, DJs are expected to bring their own headphones with them
to a club, so keep in mind that your first pair of “cans” may have to graduate
from the bedroom together with yourself.
Here are the main points to consider when shopping for a pair of DJ
headphones:

1. Isolation. In a loud environment with bass booming all around, it’s

extremely important that your headphones let you listen precisely to
what you are doing. You want your “cans” to cut out all that background
noise as efficiently as possible. This explains why any pair of half-
decent DJ headphones is closed-back type, although that alone doesn’t
guarantee good isolation.

2. Comfort. You’ll be wearing your headphones for hours, so make sure

they’re light and don’t press on your head too much. Also, go for a thick,
long cord that doesn’t constrain your movements behind the decks.

3. Ruggedness. DJ booth environment may be harsh. Your cans will get

twisted, dropped, kicked and stepped on (mostly by yourself). It’s better
if they don’t break instantly, so ruggedness pays.

4. Convenience. Two-ear and one-ear monitoring, shoulder-ear vs. one-

earcup-on-the-side – DJs use their ‘phones in a multitude of ways.
That’s when you begin to appreciate swivel/rotating cups and a
shoulder pad.

5. Frequency response and sound quality. The hearing range of a (young)

human ear is 20 to 20,000 Hz. The wider your “cans’” frequency range,
the better, although manufacturers’ claims such as “5 Hz to 30,000 Hz
frequency response” are usually an overstatement. Sound quality is
more subjective and needs to be assessed by actually listening to the
particular pair.

6. Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s take a look at some worthwhile
models of DJ headphones out there. If you’re on an ultra-low budget,
take a look at the Sennheiser HD 205, which is arguably the best pair of
‘phones you can find for under $50. For the money, you get the
 Sennheiser sound quality, closed-back cups and the ability to slide one
of the earpieces left or right.
7. For up to $100 to spend on the headphones, consider getting the Sony
MDR-7506 (MDR-V6) or the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro. Choosing between
the two is a matter of personal preference. There are folks who say that
the HD 280s have flatter response – not necessarily an advantage for a
DJ – and that the 7506s’ highs are brighter. Make sure to check how
both models sound to you.
8. Still higher up are the widely used Sony MDR-V700 followed by the
Technics RP-DH1200 and the Pioneer HDJ-1000. All three are pretty
comfortable and sound great; as far as the differences go, the MDR-
V700s are said to break easily, the 1200s are rugged but almost too
heavy, and the HDJ-1000s have massive bass but suffer from the weak
swivel.
9. Finally, if money is no object, take a look at the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II
(pictured above) and the Pioneer HDJ-2000. The Sennheisers may not
look like much, but they are light and ultra-comfortable, sound fantastic
and provide great isolation. The HD 25s’ response is very flat, whereas
the HDJ-2000s have stronger bass and accented highs, which makes
them sound more “DJ-like.” Overall, both models are awesome, so
choose the one that suits you best.
10. The final decision is up to you but here’s a piece of obvious
advice: Make sure you listen to a few different models of DJ
headphones before purchasing a pair. Pay attention to the sound
quality, isolation, comfortability and all the other points mentioned
above. Remember that no overview will replace your personal
experience with a given pair of cans.

11. Cartridges and Needles

12. If you decided to go for a pair of vinyl turntables for your setup,
you’ll also need to buy cartridges and needles for them. Sometimes a
turntable will come with a basic cartridge, but that’s more of an
exception than the rule.
 13. A cartridge is a device that holds the needle (also known as the
stylus) and transforms its mechanical vibrations into electric signals.
Pictured to the left is the Stanton 500.V3 cartridge; the stylus is the
white part with the needle tip that goes into the black “cart”. The
cartridge is mounted with a pair of screws on the headshell (it comes
with the turntable) and connected to it with four colored wires. There are
also the cool-looking “integrated” type cartridges that don’t use a
headshell and are attached to the tonearm directly.
14. Carts normally come with a pre-installed stylus. After it wears out,
you simply replace  it with a new matching one without having to buy a
new cartridge.
15. Here are some points to consider when choosing the cartridges
for your vinyl decks:
16. Headshell-mounted vs. “integrated” type cartridge. Headshell-
mounted carts are normally cheaper. On the other hand, the all-in-one
carts look really awesome. Besides, with the “integrated” type, you don’t
need to worry about mounting the cart on the headshell correctly and
attaching those tiny wires.

17. Stylus shape. Spherical stylii (or styluses?) are the cheapest to

produce and therefore the most common. Elliptical shaped stylii are
more expensive but they also sound better. On the other hand, an
elliptical stylus will wear out your records faster if you do extensive
scratching or back-cueing.

18. Frequency response. The wider your cart’s frequency response

range, the more accurate it is in turning those record grooves into sound
and the better the overall sound quality.

19. Tracking. This one is a subjective characteristic that tells you how

likely the cartridge is to skip when you’re manhandling the record. Good
tracking is pivotal if you’re planning to do any scratching.

A quick note for users of DVS such as Torq or Serato: You don’t need to buy
some special cartridges for your timecoded vinyl. Any regular phono cartridge
will do the job just fine. Also, in the DVS scenario, the cartridge’s sound quality
becomes less of a concern because the sound comes from your laptop’s hard
drive anyway. On the other hand, DVS users tend to scratch and back-cue
more (timecoded vinyl is cheap and replaceable), and that makes good
tracking even more important.

Now on to some popular models. If you’re just starting out, take a look at the
Stanton 500.V3, the latest version of the classic 500 AL cartridge. This
headshell-mounted cart has a spherical stylus and provides good sound
quality for the price ($30), although it falls a bit short in the higher frequency
range with its 17,000 Hz limit.

About twice as expensive are the headshell-mounted cartridges of the Shure

M44 series. The virtually unskippable M44-7 has long been the scratchers’
favorite, and now it’s found its way into a lot of DVS setups. However, I
wouldn’t use the M44-7 to listen to my record collection because of the
excessive emphasis it puts on the lows and highs. The M44-G doesn’t track
just as well as the M44-7 but it sounds better, which makes it more suitable
for mixing. Both carts’ needles are of the spherical type.

Still higher up are the all-in-one Ortofon cartridges (see the Ortofon Concorde
Pro above) that come in a lot of variations aimed at various DJing styles.
While the Shure M44-7 is still your best bet for scratching, do take a look at
Ortofon carts if you’re a mixing DJ who’s after the best sound quality. Be
prepared to pay for it, though, because an Ortofon cart may easily cost you
upwards of $100.

A few words to wrap it up: My first pair of cartridges were the Stanton 500 AL
IIs (a version of the 500 AL), and I haven’t had any problems with them. Sure,
pricier carts provide better sound quality, but for a beginner DJ, the difference
doesn’t justify paying $50-150 more for a pair. Apart from the mixer, the carts
are something you can safely save on in your first setup.
Slipmats
So, you got your turntables, cartridges and needles, are you all set now? Not
really. You still need slipmats – circular felt mats about 1/8” thick that sit
between the record and the platter. A slipmat lets the platter rotate
underneath while you’re holding the record with your hand; let go of the record
and it starts right away.

First, don’t confuse slipmats with the rubber mats that came with your decks.
Those stop the record from slipping and dampen vibrations. They are meant
for listening to that Tchaikovsky concerto on your hi-fi system, but not for
DJing. Put them away.

Second, some slipmats come with additional mats made of shiny paper. If
you’re a scratcher, you put those between the platter and the slipmat to further
reduce friction. Otherwise, you don’t need them.

There’s a huge variety of slipmats out there. My advice is to go for trusted

brands such as Technics or Butter Rugs; cheaper slipmats with excessive
printing may reduce slipping and even damage your records. Expect a pair of
decent slipmats to cost you around $15-30.

DJ CD Player Controls
Despite the fact that professional CD players already existed back in the 90s,
the club standard – Pioneer CDJ-1000 – emerged only after the deck was
introduced in 2001. The long absence of such a standard led to different
manufacturers taking different approaches to implementing some of the
features in their DJ CD decks. Thus in this article, I will only talk about the
common denominator, or “CDJ mode,” which is applicable to most modern DJ
players. Details on a particular model can be gathered from its manual and
hands-on experimentation.
Take a look at the CD players below. The first one is the Denon DN-D4500 twin
CD deck, and the second one is the Pioneer CDJ-100. I have deliberately
chosen these older players for this article so as not to distract you with the
myriad of extra controls available on newer and more advanced models.

So, here goes:

1. Display: The important pieces of information displayed here include:

1. Current track number

2. Track time (elapsed or remaining)

3. Pitch value

4. Other info such as the track’s BPM, its waveform, etc.

2. Track search/skip buttons: Allow you to navigate the tracks on a CD.

3. Search buttons: Allow you to fast-forward or rewind to a desired track
position.

4. Play/pause button: Pressing this button starts the playback. Pressing it

again will pause the player and bring it into the “stutter” mode. This
mode makes precise frame-by-frame search possible.
5. Cue button: While in the “stutter” mode, saves the current track position
(cue point) in the deck’s memory. Pressing this button during playback
takes you back to the previously set cue point and pauses the deck.
 6. Jog wheel: When a track is playing, nudging the jog speeds it up or
slows it down a little, which can be used to bring the track in sync with
another one. In the “stutter” mode, the jog allows you to move frame by
frame (a frame is 1/75th of a second) through the song.

7. Pitch control: Just like on a vinyl turntable, the pitch control makes it

possible to adjust the track’s playback speed. In a lot of today’s decks,
the range of the pitch control is switchable and can be set to +/- 6%, +/-
8% or even as much as +/- 100%. There’s a scale below the pitch slider
so you can keep track of its position. The current pitch value is also
shown on the deck’s display.

8. Pitch bend: Quickly pressing one of these buttons will speed up or slow

down the track for a fraction of a moment. This makes it possible for
you to bring the track’s beats back in sync with another tune, just like
nudging the jog wheel does.

9. Tray or disc slot: This is where you put in a CD.

10. Eject button: Pressing this button will eject the CD from the player.

11. On/off button: Do I really need to explain this one?

As you can see, there are still a few controls I skipped, and there are even
more of them on the CDJ-1000 and other advanced decks. However, the
controls listed above are the ones that are used most frequently in real life,
and so a good understanding of them is more than enough to succeed in
spinning CDs.

DJ Turntable Controls
As you’ll soon see, a vinyl turntable is a fairly complex piece of equipment.
There are a lot of intricate details to picking up sound from analog media such
as a vinyl record, which makes numerous controls necessary. Fortunately, you
as a DJ will only have to deal with a few of them.
Below are listed the controls of a professional DJ record player, as
exemplified by the legendary Technics SL-1210MK5 turntable.

1. The platter: The rotating platform where the record is placed.

2. Strobe dots: Dots on the side of the platter that are supposed to “freeze”
on certain pitch positions (-3.3%, 0%, 3.3%, +6%). These dots allow you
to check how precisely the deck is spinning.

3. Spindle: When on the platter, the record’s hole is pierced by the spindle.

The spindle is not stationary but rotates along with the platter.

4. 45 RPM adaptor: Fits over the spindle for the 7-inch records that have a
big hole.

5. Strobe light: Flashing light that illuminates the strobe dots.

6. Power switch:  Rotating on/off switch for the deck. Sits on top of the
strobe.

7. Start/Stop button:  Pressing this button starts the platter. Pressing it

again stops it.

8. 33/45 RPM button: Allows for switching the speed of the platter’s

rotation between 33 RPM and 45 RPM (rotations per minute).
9. Pitch control: A vital part of a professional DJ deck. Allows for precisely
setting the speed of the platter’s rotation within a +/-8% range (on some
decks, the range is wider). Moving the pitch control downward – in the
direction of the rotation – speeds the record up. Moving the pitch
upward slows it down. The scale to the left of the slider allows you to
track the percentage value of the speed change.

10. Target light button: Pressing this button makes the target light pop
up.

11. Target light: Shines the light along the grooves of the record,
allowing you to see where the needle is. (This is especially helpful in
low-light conditions such as a DJ booth.) You can hide the target light by
pressing it.

12. Tone arm: Another important part of a deck. It’s a hollow metal

tube to which the headshell is attached on one end and the
counterweight on another.

13. Counterweight: Allows you to adjust the stylus pressure on the

record by counterbalancing its weight.

14. Stylus pressure ring: If setup properly, shows the needle pressure
in grams.

15. Tone arm height adjustment ring: Allows you to set the height of
the tone arm. The marks on the side indicate the current height in
millimeters.

16. Tone arm height adjustment lock: Allows you to lock the height of
the tone arm after adjusting it with the ring.

17. Anti-skating control: Sets the anti-skating force. The marks

indicate the amount of force in grams.

18. Cueing lever: Once the needle is set over the right place on the
record, the cuing lever allows you to slowly lower the tone arm, and then
pick it up. DJs typically keep the lever lowered all the time and
place/pick up the needle by hand.
 19. Tone arm lock: Locks the arm on the tone arm rest, which is
useful when transporting the turntable.

20. Locking nut: Locks the headshell in the tone arm.

21. Headshell: The cartridge is mounted on the headshell, which is in

turn attached to the tone arm. The headshell also has a handle that the
DJ holds when placing or picking up the needle.

22. Pitch reset button: Forces the pitch to zero. In the SL-1210MK5,

it’s an alternative to the famous (and annoying) click in the 0% pitch
position that was characteristic of the SL-1200MK2.

23. Headshell stand: This is where you can stick a spare headshell for
your deck.

24. Cartridge (not shown on photo): Converts the needle’s vibrations

into electrical signal. The cartridge is mounted on the headshell with
screws. Sometimes, the headshell and the cartridge are combined by
the manufacturer into one unit (“integrated” type cart).

25. Stylus (not shown on photo): A diamond needle that picks up

sound. When following a record groove, the needle vibrates. The
cartridge transforms these vibrations into electrical signal that
represents the sound.

After more than thirty years since the introduction of Technics SL-1200MK2,
the key controls of a DJ turntable have barely changed. Of course, today’s
decks have a lot more cute features like digital display, forward/reverse
buttons, pitch control range switch and so on. Refer to the manual for the
details; the controls listed above are the most important ones.

The Mixer Explained

The mixer is the core part of any DJ setup. With a mixer, the DJ mixes and
routes the sound coming from the decks, and it’s the mixer that allows them
to perform many of those cool DJ tricks. In this article, I’ll tell you about the
most important controls found on a DJ mixer as well as the device’s features.

Instead of talking about each mixer control separately, I’ll try to cover the
bigger picture. The diagram below shows how the sound signal from the
turntables travels through the mixer and what knobs, faders and other
controls it encounters on its path. Note that for the sake of simplicity, this
diagram doesn’t include the crossfader, the headphone output section, or
secondary controls.

So, the mixer has two channels, CH-1 and CH-2, to whose inputs (1) the
players are hooked up. Those may be, for example, vinyl turntables, CD decks,
or a laptop. Incidentally, the mixer has several inputs for each channel. Most
often, there are two – Phono, for hooking up a vinyl turntable, and Line In, for
hooking up a CD player or a computer. Special input switches (2) (see photo
below) allow you to choose which one of the channel’s inputs currently feeds
it the signal.
The first knob that the signal from the turntable encounters is Gain, also
known as Trim (3). This knob sets the sound level of its channel. Gain’s
purpose is to allow you to make sure that all signals coming into the mixer are
of about the same overall volume. So if the record is too quiet, you boost it
with Gain, and vice versa. (For more information on setting the volume level,
see this article.)
After the Gain, the signal goes to the EQ (4). Most mixers have a three-band
EQ with the knobs for treble (hi), midrange (mid) and bass (low). Each of these
knobs allows you to adjust the level of its frequency band. Channel EQs are
primarily used for smoother mixing.
After the EQ, the signal is picked up by the channel’s level meter (5), which
shows the signal’s volume after the Gain and EQ. Channel meters are useful
because they allow you to properly set the level even for those channels that
can’t be currently heard on the dancefloor.
The next control the sound signal travels through is the channel upfader (6).
The fader acts like a faucet and can entirely cut off the signal (fader closed),
let it through at reduced volume (fader in an intermediate position) or let the
signal through at full blast (fader open). It’s with the faders that the DJ
changes the volume of the channels during the transition from one track to
another.
At this point, the independent life of the channel comes to an end. After
coming through the fader, its signal is mixed with the other channels’ ones
and is sent to the device’s output. Of course, only channels whose faders are
not closed can contribute to the mix.
Now let’s talk about the path of the combined signal before it leaves the
mixer. First, it’s fed to the Rec Out output (7) to which the recording
equipment can be hooked up. Rec Out’s level usually can’t be adjusted.
Second, the mix is also fed to the Booth Out output (8), to which you can hook
up your monitor speakers. The Booth, or Monitor knob (9) allows you to set
the volume for those.
Finally, the mixed signal is fed to the Master Out output (10). This is the output
to which the amplifier is hooked up. After amplifying the signal, the amp sends
it to the speakers on the dancefloor, which (at last!) turn it into actual sound.
The Master knob (11) lets you set the level of Master Out, and the Master
Volume meter (12) shows you how loud the signal going to the amp is.
Now that the signal has successfully arrived at the mixer’s output, let’s talk
about what was left out of the simplified diagram above. First of all, it’s
the crossfader (13). Crossfader is a horizontal slider that lets you do smooth
transitions between a pair of channels. When the crossfader is on the far right,
only one channel’s signal is contributing to the mix. When the slider is on the
far left, the same is true for the other channel. When the crossfader is in the
middle, the dancefloor will hear both channels. The contribution of a particular
channel to the overall mix is the greater the closer the crossfader is to the
corresponding side.
I still haven’t mentioned monitoring the sound through headphones, and it’s
too important to be left out. Most mixers have the concept of Cue Mix, also
called PFL. Cue Mix makes it possible for you to hear (in your headphones)
any channel, even one that’s not currently routed to the dancefloor. With
the Cue Mix selection buttons (14), you can choose which channels you want
to hear. Most often, a DJ chooses only one channel for the Cue Mix, which is
the track they are checking out before bringing it in on the floor.
By the way, some mixers only have a Cue Mix level meter (15) instead of the
per-channel ones. Thus in order to set the level of a channel on such a mixer,
you can send the channel to the Cue Mix and monitor that meter.
You may think that you only need to have the Cue Mix in your headphones, but
that’s not true. Sometimes (especially during transitions between tracks) you
need to clearly hear what’s playing on the dancefloor, too. That’s why most
mixers have the Cue Mix/Master knob or fader (16). It works similarly to the
crossfader and lets you transition between the Cue Mix and the Master Out in
your headphones.
Finally, there’s always the Cue knob, aka Headphone (17). As you have
guessed, it simply lets you adjust the headphone volume.
Now let’s talk about the path of the combined signal before it leaves the
mixer. First, it’s fed to the Rec Out output (7) to which the recording
equipment can be hooked up. Rec Out’s level usually can’t be adjusted.
Second, the mix is also fed to the Booth Out output (8), to which you can hook
up your monitor speakers. The Booth, or Monitor knob (9) allows you to set
the volume for those.
Finally, the mixed signal is fed to the Master Out output (10). This is the output
to which the amplifier is hooked up. After amplifying the signal, the amp sends
it to the speakers on the dancefloor, which (at last!) turn it into actual sound.
The Master knob (11) lets you set the level of Master Out, and the Master
Volume meter (12) shows you how loud the signal going to the amp is.
Now that the signal has successfully arrived at the mixer’s output, let’s talk
about what was left out of the simplified diagram above. First of all, it’s
the crossfader (13). Crossfader is a horizontal slider that lets you do smooth
transitions between a pair of channels. When the crossfader is on the far right,
only one channel’s signal is contributing to the mix. When the slider is on the
far left, the same is true for the other channel. When the crossfader is in the
middle, the dancefloor will hear both channels. The contribution of a particular
channel to the overall mix is the greater the closer the crossfader is to the
corresponding side.
I still haven’t mentioned monitoring the sound through headphones, and it’s
too important to be left out. Most mixers have the concept of Cue Mix, also
called PFL. Cue Mix makes it possible for you to hear (in your headphones)
any channel, even one that’s not currently routed to the dancefloor. With
the Cue Mix selection buttons (14), you can choose which channels you want
to hear. Most often, a DJ chooses only one channel for the Cue Mix, which is
the track they are checking out before bringing it in on the floor.
By the way, some mixers only have a Cue Mix level meter (15) instead of the
per-channel ones. Thus in order to set the level of a channel on such a mixer,
you can send the channel to the Cue Mix and monitor that meter.
You may think that you only need to have the Cue Mix in your headphones, but
that’s not true. Sometimes (especially during transitions between tracks) you
need to clearly hear what’s playing on the dancefloor, too. That’s why most
mixers have the Cue Mix/Master knob or fader (16). It works similarly to the
crossfader and lets you transition between the Cue Mix and the Master Out in
your headphones.
Finally, there’s always the Cue knob, aka Headphone (17). As you have
guessed, it simply lets you adjust the headphone volume.
Learn to DJ
Why Proper DJ Skills Are
Important
Like 50 years ago, the essence of a DJ’s job is to play recorded tracks for the
folks on the dancefloor. The traits that separate real good DJs from the rest
remain the same, too: their musical taste, the ability to read the dancefloor
and to create that special atmosphere with their music.
That said, a modern club DJ is expected to possess certain technical skills to
properly present their performance. Those skills are called “technical”
because they can be explained in great detail and are universally applicable.
Examples of such technical skills include mixing or its
prerequisite, beatmatching.
The trick is that there’s no hard border between the art – where the DJ’s
creativity takes hold – and the technique because the creativity also lies in
how you apply those technical skills of yours. In any case, the technique needs
to be mastered first, which is what we’ll be doing here.

What Is Mixing?
If you have ever heard a DJ set, you couldn’t help but notice how smoothly
each track transitions into the next one – without gaps or changes in tempo.

Why not simply put on one record after another, as they do it on the radio? The
thing is, the DJ doesn’t want the dancers to hear a track end because that may
cause them to come to their senses and realize that they’re actually a bit tired
and it’s time to go back to their cocktail. With one track blending into another
and another and another, you continue dancing into the next song without
even noticing it. It’s too late to go anywhere now!
Dancefloor psychology aside, let’s talk about how the DJ actually makes a
transition from one track to another. As people on the floor are dancing to a
record, the DJ is busy preparing the next tune on the other deck. Using pitch
control, they adjust the track’s tempo to match that of the currently playing
tune. When record 1 approaches its ending, the DJ starts record 2 and makes
sure that the two tracks’ beats are aligned. Then they gradually increase
record 2’s volume so the dancefloor can now hear both tunes playing in sync.
As they’re bringing track 2 in, the DJ is turning down the volume of track 1 bit
by bit. After a while, it’s only record 2 that’s left playing on the floor. The blend
is complete.
Here’s how a transition like this sounds in real life:

Hear how the track smoothly blends into the next one?

The pros make transitions between individual records almost unnoticeable so

they sound like one continuous track. This is called mixing, and the behind-
the-scenes prerequisite where the DJ matches the tempo of a track to that of
the currently playing one is called beatmatching. Mixing is one of the most
important DJing skills; it provides beautiful packaging for the DJ’s musical
taste and the selection of tracks played.

Track Structure
To mix well, you’ll need to become very familiar with the structure of a typical dance
track. Fortunately, as if to make the DJ’s life easier, most records follow pretty much the
same pattern. Knowing this pattern will allow you to tell where the music is heading and
to manipulate it accordingly.
Let’s start with the basics. Every dance tune has kick drum beats, which define its
rhythm: “boom, boom, boom, boom.” The beats come in groups of four that are
called bars. The first beat of every bar is usually stressed to make it more
distinguishable from the other three. In short, whereas the waltz is “one, two, three; one,
two, three…,” house and other club music styles are “one, two, three, four; one, two,
three, four…”
Here’s the very first bar of one of my favorite tunes:
Audio Player

The bars are in turn grouped into 4- and 8-bar chunks called phrases. A 4-bar
phrase has 16 beats (4 x 4) and an 8-bar one has 32 (4 x 8). Here’s a 4-
bar phrase from that same track’s intro, with a couple of seconds before and
after it (the phrase itself starts between 00:01 and 00:02 and ends at 00:09):

Phrases are important because all parts of a track (intro, verse, chorus and so
on) consist of an even number of 4-bar phrases. Thus all major changes in the
music take place at regular intervals that normally equal to one or two 8-bar
chunks. Here’s a typical verse that’s two 8-bar phrases long (starts between
00:04 and 00:05, ends at 00:35):

00

Can you hear the notable changes taking place in the music at the beginning
of each 8-bar phrase? At 00:05, Su’Su Bobien starts singing; between 00:19
and 00:20, the piano kicks in; at 00:35, the chorus begins.

Now that you know what bars and phrases are, let’s take a typical house tune
and break it down into parts. Here’s Get Down by Todd Terry All Stars (Kenny
Dope Original Mix):

Listen carefully! The record follows this pattern:

1. Intro – 16 bars

2. Instrumental chorus – 16 bars

 3. Verse – 8 bars

4. Chorus – 8 bars

5. Verse – 8 bars

6. Chorus – 16 bars

7. Verse – 16 bars

8. Chorus – 16 bars

9. Bridge – 24 bars

10. Breakdown – 8 bars

11. Chorus – 16 bars

12. Instrumental chorus – 16 bars

13. Outro – 16 bars

This song’s structure is a good illustration of the typical dance track pattern:
Intro, verses/choruses, bridge, breakdown, chorus, outro. First comes the intro
– usually a pure kick drum with claps, snare and possibly some percussion, on
top of which other instruments and samples are layered. The intro may end
with a small breakdown that builds up the anticipation of the new track.
Sometimes, like in Get Down, there’s the instrumental chorus instead of the
breakdown that announces the track with a familiar hook.

After the instrumental chorus or the small breakdown, the first verse begins,
which is followed by chorus. Then comes the second verse. After the second
or the third chorus, there comes the bridge and then the breakdown, where the
beat totally disappears; it’s the most dramatic part of the track. During the
breakdown, the anxiety rises higher and higher, and when the crowd is already
screaming with anticipation, the beat returns and the track reaches its climax
– the last chorus that may be repeated several times. The last chorus may be
followed by an instrumental one, after which the track returns to the pure
drum beat of the outro.

Of course, every song has its peculiarities and the sample structure above
isn’t followed verbatim by each and every dance track. Nevertheless, the
general pattern is always the same, and we’ll be taking advantage of it
when learning how to mix.

DJ Mixing Step by Step

So, you’re now a beatmatching pro, you know your DJ equipment inside out,
and words like “phrase,” “breakdown” and “bar” are part of your daily
vocabulary. Great! It’s time to move on and learn how to mix tracks. Today
we’ll get a taste of what mixing is by making a simple transition from one
record to another.

Before You Begin: Setting Your Sound Levels

It’s doesn’t happen too often that two tracks from two different records are of
the same exact volume. (As if it weren’t enough for them to be recorded in
different tempos, too!) One record may be insanely loud whereas another one,
played on the same turntable, may be so soft you can barely hear it.

Your job as the DJ is to provide uniform volume level for all tracks played on
the dancefloor. The rule of thumb is this: A channel’s level should be set so
that in the loudest parts of the song, the channel meter touches on the red
from time to time but never really stays there so no clipping occurs. If you
don’t have channel meters on your mixer, you can monitor the sound level
using the Cue Mix meter, or the Master Volume one (the channel’s fader has
to be fully open then).
Setting a channel’s volume level is done with its Gain knob. The track’s Gain
must be set properly beforehand, well before you start bringing the record in.
If your mixer has channel meters, this is a breeze. As you’re beatmatching
with the new track playing in your headphones, adjust its Gain so that in the
loud parts of the tune, its channel meter just touches on the red occasionally
as described above.

If you have no channel meters in your mixer, you can cheat a little bit while
you’re learning. Open the new track’s channel fader and close all others. Put
the needle on a loud part of the track and set its Gain according to the mixer’s
Master Volume meter. Over time, you can learn to set the incoming track’s
Gain right during the transition, but don’t sweat it for now.

OK, the new track has been beatmatched and its sound level has been set.
Time to start the transition!

When to Start the New Track?

It’s obvious that the new track needs to be started before the old one ends so
there’s an overlap. You should have enough time to: a). Correct any starting
errors in your headphones, b). Bring the new track in to the dance floor, c). Let
both tracks play together and d). Gradually fade out the old track. Fortunately,
DJs normally play “extended” versions of dance tracks that have long intros
and outros, which are perfect for blends.

For the transition to be as smooth as possible, the two tracks’ 4-bar phrases
(or, even better, 8-bar phrases) should be matched. In this scenario, the
changes in the tracks’ musical flow will occur simultaneously, which sounds
way more natural. Matching phrases is easy; simply make sure to start the
new track on the very

first beat of an old one’s phrase. (There’s more on phrase matching in this
article.)
Now, suppose that we’re making a transition from Get Down (see the article
on track structure) to another tune, whose structure happens to be exactly the
same. Let’s call them track A and track B, respectively. The most
straightforward way to mix these tracks is to start B on the beginning of A’s
instrumental chorus and make the actual transition during the 16-bar section
that follows it.
As a result, just when A hits the outro with its pure drum beat, track B will
make its entry with its intro’s instrumental chorus. The chorus will be
gradually ousting the remains of track A and will completely replace it by the
end of these 16 bars (or two 8-bar phrases). Here’s how it will sound to a
guest on the dancefloor:

What the dancefloor

Track A hears Track B

11. …
12. Instrumental … (A)
chorus – 16 bars Instrumental chorus (A) 1. Intro

The blend: Outro (A) + 2. Instrumental

13. Outro – 16 bars Instrumental chorus (B) chorus – 16 bars

Verse (B)
… (B)

Now let’s look into this whole process in more detail.

The Transition Step by Step

So, on the dancefloor, you have track A playing that’s approaching its ending.
Put your headphones on both ears and move the mixer’s Cue Mix/Master
fader to the middle. Now you can hear both the floor (channel A) and Cue Mix
(channel B) in your headphones. Start track B on the first beat of A’s
instrumental chorus. You have all the time in the world – 16 bars – to correct
any starting mistakes and make sure the tracks’ beats are in sync.

Note: It’s OK to have one ear exposed to the dancefloor or monitors when

beatmatching, but when starting track B for a transition, you need to have both
tracks in your headphones. The reason is that if you start B to the sound that
comes from the speakers, the pesky sound delay will make you align B’s beats
with a delayed version of A. As a result, track B will be slightly behind the real
A. This can become a very unpleasant surprise when it’s time to do the blend.
When A’s instrumental chorus comes close to its ending, take off your
headphones: it’s time to start the show. On the first beat of the new 8-bar
phrase, quickly move fader B about halfway up while using the other hand to
notch A down just a little. Here’s a general rule of mixing: Sharp changes
during a transition should be made only at the beginning of 8-bar
phrases. (We’re trying to make the blend indistinguishable from the natural
flow of music, and all major changes in tracks take place at new phrases.)
Now expand the conquered territory by moving fader B slowly up and fader A
down. Don’t forget about maintaining a constant sound level in the
dancefloor’s speakers by monitoring the mixer’s Master Volume meter. The A
and B faders will meet at about 75%, although that depends on the mixer.

You haven’t forgotten that A’s 16-bar outro has two 8-bar phrases in it, right?
This means that you can use the beginning of the second phrase to speed
things up a little bit. At the right moment, forget about slow fader movements
and give fader B a quick push while moving A down even further. Then, devote
the rest of the phrase to slowly bringing in B to 100% while taking out A
completely. At the new 16-bar phrase, you’ll only be hearing the new track in
the speakers. The transition is complete!
Crossfader or Channel Upfaders?

Not sure where I’ve gotten this from, but when I was learning to mix, I would
use the crossfader instead of the upfaders to make transitions between
channels. In this approach, both tracks’ channel faders are open and you use
the crossfader to smoothly transition from one channel to another.

At first, the crossfader didn’t give me any trouble. However, as my skills grew,
so did the need for finer control over the balance of channels during the blend,
which the crossfader was not able to provide. Quote: “We must concede that
some traditional mixing tasks are best accomplished with the two knob
method.”
As a result, I began to use channel faders only for blends, and I suggest that
you do the same. Moreover, I haven’t yet seen an established DJ who would
use the crossfader for mixing (correct me if I’ve been looking at wrong DJs).
Bottom line: leave the crossfader to those who invented it – the scratchers.
Keeping the Tracks Synchronized During the
Blend
No matter how good you are at beatmatching, expecting that the two tracks’
beats will stay lined up forever is naive. Sooner or later they’ll start drifting
away from each other. So how do you keep the tracks in sync during the
blend?

Get a habit of putting your headphones on from time to time while in a

transition. That will allow you to better hear how the records sound together
and fix any problems early. If the tracks begin to drift apart, gently correct one
of them.
Tip: In order hide your pitch bends from the dancefloor, always adjust the
track where there are fewer high and mid frequency sounds at the moment
(I’m talking about vocals or high melody notes here). Why? The thing is that
when you give a record a push or slow it down to bring its beats in sync with
the other tune, the sound’s pitch is changed, and this is most noticeable in
high sounds. In our example, do your adjustments on track A because it only
has drum beat (i.e. lows) in it by the time the transition begins. It’s better to
leave B with its instrumental chorus and plenty of high notes alone.

That’s Not All…

I hope this article has helped you get a clear idea of what mixing is and how to
make transitions between tracks. In the guides that follow, we’ll talk
about using the EQ for finer mixing, as well as other ways to make your blends
as smooth and professional sounding as possible.

How to Match Phrases

Bad news: Beatmatching proficiency alone is not enough to be able to mix well. For
your blends to be smooth and natural, you also need to know and make use of the
structure of the tracks you’re mixing. Good news: It’s not difficult. The key point here
is phrase matching, which is what we are going to discuss today.
What is a phrase? As you already know from the article on track structure, a phrase is
one of the basic building blocks of a track that consists of 4 or 8 bars (16 or 32 beats,
respectively).  Phrases are so important because each part of a dance track – be it
chorus, verse or intro – contains 2, 4 or more phrases, the first beat of which is usually
stressed in some way. Thus, the whole track is made up of phrases which follow each
other from the very beginning of the song.
Now let’s talk about mixing. When two tracks are overlaid on each other during a
transition, ensuring that their beats are synchronized is just half of the work. For the
transition to sound as natural as possible, it’s important that the tracks’ parts are
matched as well. Aligning the track’s 8-bar phrases is usually enough to achieve this.
It’s better to hear once than to read a hundred times, right? Take a look at how a typical
newbie’s transition sounds. The guy can already beatmatch but hasn’t figured out
phrases just yet:

Audio Player

Here are my comments. At 00:20, the DJ begins to bring track B in to the

dancefloor while taking out track A. At 00:36, B introduces itself with an
instrumental intro and then completely takes over at 00:52. The beatmatching
seems to be fine. However, you can instinctively feel that something is still
wrong with the transition. That “something” is unmatched phrases (i.e. parts)
of the tracks being mixed.

Take a listen again: at 00:10, the instrumental ending of track A begins with a
new phrase. But B’s 8-bar phrases are three bars ahead of A’s ones, and so B’s
instrumental intro at 00:36 begins too early – three bars before A’s ending
completes at 00:42. The result? Messy sound and confused clubbers on the
dancefloor.

Here’s why the tracks’ phrases are not matched:

Hear the DJ starting track B at 00:04? The beats of the tracks are aligned, but
A’s next 8-bar phrase will begin later, at 00:10. This is this haste that caused
all parts of track B to begin 6 seconds earlier than those of A. If this error is
corrected and B is started three bars later, the transition will sound just like it
should: Perfect! A’s instrumental ending completes at 00:42, and the incoming
track’s intro kicks in immediately after that.

The rule for great transitions is very simple: The new track is always started
on the first beat of the old one’s 8-bar phrase. Since the first beat of any track
marks the beginning of its very first phrase, it means that right after the new
track is started, its 8-bar phrases will be in sync with the old one’s. By starting
the new track at the right moment, you won’t have to worry about the phrases
till the next transition.
I am well aware of how complicated all this may sound at first. Beatmatching
takes you most of A’s sounding time, and when it’s about to end, you don’t
have the luxury of choosing when to start B. First beat of a phrase or not,
there’s no time left!

There is only one way to fix this: practice, practice and practice once more! As
time passes, beatmatching will be taking less and less of your time behind the
decks, and you will be able to start the new track at the old one’s phrase of
your liking.

Suggested exercise: Try to consciously take note of the phrases of each

dance track you are listening to. In the beginning, you may have to actually
count beats and bars, but gradually, you’ll begin to “feel” phrases and
anticipate the beginning of the track’s next one. Develop this skill and learn to
feel the music in order to be able to start the new track just in the right
moment, without having to think about it.

EQing for Killer Blends

After you’ve mastered mixing in its basic form and learned to match phrases,
you’ll already be able to make fairly good transitions between records. To mix
like a pro, though, you’ll still need to master one essential skill: using the EQ. In
this article, I’ll talk about how you can take advantage of this powerful tool to
make your blends totally smooth and subtle.
The Basic Concepts of EQing
Technical details aside, the channel EQs in your mixer allow you to adjust the
level of different frequencies (normally highs, mids and lows) in the sound
that comes from the decks. And since each of the track’s elements – such as
the kick drum or the vocals – often belongs to only one frequency range, the
EQ allows you to cut or dampen those elements at will.
The chart below lists the elements of a song and the frequency bands they
normally belong to. To actually get a feeling of what I’m talking about here,
play around with your mixer’s EQ and take notice of what instruments and
elements of the tune the particular knob is responsible for.

Frequency
band Range, Hz Track elements

3,000– Hi-hats, strings, top part of

Treble (highs) 20,000 vocals

Midrange Lower part of vocals, melody,

(mids) 250–3,000 percussion

Bass (lows) 20–250 Kick drum, bassline

The channel EQs of a mixer have separate rotary controls for each of the three
main frequencies (see photo). At twelve o’clock, a knob doesn’t alter the level
of its frequency range; turning the knob clockwise boosts it and turning the
knob counterclockwise lowers it. Some mixers also have Kill buttons (or a
special zone in the leftmost position of the knobs), which cut the frequency
range completely.
What does it all have to do with mixing? A lot. The thing is that when mixed,
the two tracks’ kick drums and hi-hats often clash with each other. As a result,
even despite the tracks’ beats being aligned, the transition may still sound
messy. To avoid that, the DJ first hides the potentially conflicting elements of
the incoming track with the EQs and then, during the blend, replaces the old
one’s elements with them.
(By the way, it follows that when mixing, you’ll most often have to deal with
the high and low frequency knobs. The mids are adjusted less often, also
because during a blend, at least one of the tracks is in its intro or the outro,
where there’s normally no melody or vocals. Thus there are no clashes in the
mid frequency range.)

EQing in Action

Now that I’ve covered the basics, I’m going to tell you how I use the EQ when
mixing. Note that the tips below aren’t a standard of some sort; they’re just a
starting point for your own experiments.
OK, let’s begin. Before you start bringing track B in, cut its bass almost
completely and lower its highs by about two-thirds. Then, as you’re making the
transition with the upfaders, adjust the EQs to increase B’s bass while at the
same time lowering it in A. Make sure to be doing the same with the highs,
too. By the end of the transition, you should end up with the dancefloor
hearing track B only, with all three of its EQ knobs at twelve o’clock.

Since you’ve only got two hands, you’ll have to be manipulating the faders and
the EQs by turns. Start the transition from A to B as usual – by moving the
channel faders. After track B becomes discernible on the dancefloor, forget
about the faders for a moment and extend the transition to the realm of the
EQ by starting to gradually increase B’s bass and lower A’s. Then you may
return to the faders, and then, after a while, turn your attention to the highs.
Your hands will end up going back and forth between the faders and the
channel EQs, advancing the transition here and there.

Here are a few other approaches of the same sort to stimulate your creativity:

Bringing in on the highs. Sometimes there’s a melody element in track B’s

intro that’s nice to announce right in the beginning of the transition. If that’s
the case, you don’t lower B’s highs but as you’re bringing the new track in, you
gradually dampen them in A so that the two 
channels’ highs don’t clash.

Here’s an example from one of my mixes:

The blend begins at 00:07; note how I announce the new track right away with
its distinctive tinkling.

Swapping the bass. Instead of gradually increasing B’s lows and lowering

them in A, you can add a bit of a dramatic effect to the transition. As both
tracks are at about the same volume, slam B’s bass in and at the same time
cut it out in A. (Remember that sharp changes like this one can only be made
on the first beat of an 8-bar phrase.)
Swapping the hi-hats. Same as the previous trick, except that you do it with
the highs.

To Sum Up
The EQ allows you to make really smooth and unnoticeable transitions
between records. At the same time, a full account of DJ’s actions during a
blend may be pretty intimidating. The disc jockey has to work the channel
faders, handle the EQs, monitor the sound in their headphones from time to
time, as well as track and fix any beat drifting.

The good news is that if you practice, take it slow and don’t give up, you’ll be
able to make all these various DJing skills fully automatic. And the day will
come when you’ll suddenly realize that you’re able to mix like a pro,
effortlessly.