If you consider taking up DJing seriously, you have to know about the basic DJ equipment you will need to get started. Firstly, decide what kind of decks you will work with: CD or vinyl ones. There’s no good or bad option, there’s what is more comfortable for you, so it would be great to try both.

You can rent CD and vinyl decks to try your skills on both types and decide which is the best for you. Then consider buying your own deck and all supportive equipment of the brand that is currently considered of the best quality. Here in the article there will be no brands mentioned, as the article may serve beginners years later, and the brands come and go.

What DJ Equipment is Needed to Have a Good Start

If you have chosen CD DJing, you will need:

• 2 CD-players.
• 1 mixer.
• 1 pair of headphones.

In case your choice is a good old vinyl, you will need a bit more:

• 2 turntables.
• 2 slipmats.
• 2 cartridges and needles.
• 1 mixer.
• 1 pair of headphones.
• 1 microphone, if you plan to do any singing

The most frequently asked question within beginners is why they need two players or turntables. You need them to work more comfortably and professionally, as when you have two decks, the transition between the songs will be smooth. This is called mixing and you do it with the help of the pitch control. Modern professional CD players usually have features like instant start and others, but you still need two decks.

The second question is whether you really need slipmats for vinyl decks – yes, you do. These are soft plates that are placed between the record and the turntable to avoid excess rubbing and damaging. Moreover, this helps you handle the record to achieve the best DJing you are able to achieve.

For the vinyl, you will also need cartridges and needles which will make the record sound good. There are turntables that come in combination with the slipmats, cartridges, and needles, but it’s not always a set, so you need to clarify it when buying. Some people think it’s too much for a beginner’s DJ equipment, but very often people work for a long time with their first hardware.

The Importance of Mixer and Headphones

The mixer is the main instrument of any DJ that transforms the track and allows you to prepare the next song. You can work on one turntable to deliver the sound to the dancefloor, and use another one to listen to the next track and work on it. You also can use both turntables at once if you have everything ready.

Headphones are also highly important as they allow you to listen to the track you’re preparing. Remember that you need to choose special DJ headphones that differ from regular ones, as they sound better and are more ergonomic. They help you isolate sound, which is very important when you are working at a club.

Conclusion

These are the most important things for you as for a DJ, not including the amplifies and speakers that you can get anytime. Many DJs have all their practice done only with the headphones, so you can get the speakers right before your first gig. Many venues provide DJs with their speakers, so you may even work without your own. Make sure you choose high-quality hardware, as the sound you deliver highly depends on the DJ equipment you use.

Playing a musical instrument is a good way to spend your time and improve abilities, both physical and mental. The part of choosing your instrument might be slightly confusing and take some time, and it’s impossible to decide without taking a closer look at some of them. Let’s focus on a trumpet today and see what do you need in order to master this brass instrument.

Trumpet Tips for Beginners​

If you look at it, you might think it’s hard enough to play it, but once you try and do at least something simple with it – you’ll fall in love with the sound. The trumpet has been the instrument of choice for a lot of black musicians throughout history and that is one reason I want to focus on it here. This site will always highlight African Americans in music.

• Get yourself an instrument.
  Before you start playing, you need to get your own trumpet, of course. Don’t rush to a store and get the most expensive thing there is, students’ trumpets often come unlabeled, but check the instrument itself to make sure it’s not damaged anywhere and all ready for you to use it.
• Practice sounds without your trumpet.
  If you just got yourself an instrument and don’t understand what to do with it yet, don’t push the valves or try to blow into the horn, actually find some basic trumpet sounds and try to do them without your instrument at first. Even mastering this basic buzzing sound can take you quite some time, so prepare yourself for that.
• Master correct breathing.
  Make sure you always take this good deep breath and don’t tense up. Try to relax your shoulders, if possible – imagine the air coming down to your lungs and filling all of you. Remember, when trying to play the brass instrument – air and breathing are crucial.
• Learn how to hold it.
  There are many keys to that one. Trumpet is a fairly complicated instrument, so make sure you treat it right. Even the way you press the valves is important, since if you’re doing it wrong – you’ll soon get jamming.
• Practice makes perfect.
  This is the most important thing so far. Playing will be hard, you’ll probably feel like giving up and forgetting it all, but that’s how the learning goes. Try to practice daily and do it calmly, no rush, even some minutes a day are better than nothing.
• Get a good espresso machine.
  A good coffee machine can make all the difference. I never liked coffee until I got myself an expensive espresso machine. Now I love coffee, which means I’m not just sucking it down to give me a boost, but actually enjoying the moment and really relaxing. That brief moment outside the daily stresses adds to the caffeine boost and really gives me the jolt I need to work extra hard.

Why Learn Trumpet?

Since this instrument is indeed quite difficult to master, let’s look what benefits are you getting from mastering it.

• Trumpet involves your breathing and is technically good for your lungs and health in general. Plus, it will feel good. Like the breathing yoga techniques or meditation breathing skills, it makes you feel connected and nice.
• The sound itself.
  It’s awesome and different and there are plenty of different pieces of music to master. Trumpet sounds heroic and deep, and this is probably why it’s so often comes in front of other in an ensemble.
• Inspiring players.
  Even Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis are worth learning it. But there are many others, and watching them playing is an amazing experience.
• Comparing to other instruments, trumpets are fairly cheap and you can definitely spare some money to get yourself one, maybe even a used one from a student. There is nothing bad about that, as long as you check the instrument itself and it’s not damaged.

As you see, the instrument itself is worth trying to learn. Yes, it might be difficult enough, but the challenge only makes the desire stronger. And if you ever think you don’t have enough motivation to continue – watching Armstrong will give you inspiration and open this second breath in you.

You can get closer to becoming a real beginner DJ if you follow a 7-step guide which involves the understanding of the occupation, learning new things about it, and practicing. Trust us on this. I, and several other Black Prophet writers, are DJs in our spare time, as mentioned on our about page.

The path of a wannabe DJ has to include the following steps:

1. 1. Understanding the DJs work.
      Anyone who plays pre-recorded music at any event is a DJ, officially. If you want to become a pro, you need to choose the sphere you will work at: club DJ, guest DJ, wedding DJ, radio DJ, etc.
   2. Thinking why you want to start.
      Do you want to become famous? Or you just have a passion for music and want to share? The second case is better, as fame comes only to those who love what they do.
   3. Testing some software.
      There are many free programs that can help you try your beginner DJ skills and practice them. Download some free demo versions of programs and try to play with the music you have.
   4. Learning basics.
      You need to know more on the basic skills you will need, including phrasing, prep, beatmatching, mixing, etc. All of them have their own difficulties, so learn and practice as much as possible.
   5. Getting some hardware.
      After you become familiar with the software, it’s time to get some beginner DJ equipment. Start with a keyboard or go farther and buy an all-in-one control route or a CDJ.

1. Making the first record.
   After you learn something and practice a bit, try to record your first mix and analyze it. You may find your favorite software and hardware by then, and don’t be afraid to use them at your best.
2. Advertising yourself.
   After you are satisfied with the recordings you make, create a tiny advertisement campaign. Create an account in an SNS, ask your friends to share the news, make yourself popular.
3. Bonus step.
   I decided to add an additional bonus step, because this is something that helped me a lot. And that is to get yourself a high quality espresso machine. Coffee fuels my business. Without coffee, I would not be able to do 20% of the work I do daily. But it took a really good espresso machine to actually get me to enjoy coffee. And it is the enjoyment, the little breaks I get throughout the day to have my espresso and simply take a time out from all the stress, that really makes the difference. Of course, the caffeine helps too.

After that, you will get your first gig offers, then you will be able to hire an agent, and maybe even become famous. Don’t forget to practice and learn new things, like maybe singing, even if you are cool enough to have your own gigs. This is the most important thing if you want to be a high-quality DJ.