Look ma, no computer! Hardware DJing has grown in popularity over the last 20 years as more people seek their escape from the screen. After all, screens are mostly for work, and unless you aspire to be a professional DJ, DJing is mostly for fun, right? So let’s check out the 4 devices you’ll need to be a hardware DJ.
Drum machine / sequencer
The step sequencer is most often a drum machine of some kind. It’s responsible for keeping the groove going so that you can do live stuff over the top. Sequencers can also be units or modules within other devices which allow you to trigger those onboard sounds. Basically, the sequencer/drum machine is the heartbeat of the setup.
Synthesizer
If the sequencer is the heart, the synthesizer is the mouth of the setup. It’s where the most colorful sounds originate. You can use synths like the Arturia PolyBrute to play live keys, for example, or in combination with the sequencer to trigger back sounds. Arps are particularly powerful ways of creating dance music, which generally requires more precise timing than other forms of music. Envelopes and effects are where you can do the characteristic builds and drops.
Sampler
Samplers can play back full tracks, loops or even just oneshots such as drum sounds and fills. Samplers bring the magic of pre-recorded audio to the mix. Dance music comes alive when it contains Bollywood vocal, a great line from a mafia film or a live darbuka loop. There’s something about combining multiple sound sources that gets us all going. To continue the body parts analogy, samplers are the face of the music. They give us the hooks we can relate to.
Mixer
And finally, the brain of the setup. While the mixer can be used creatively by fading parts in and out and overlaying reverb and delay effects, it’s primary function is to input multiple tracks and output a stereo feed for the house system. Mixers can also be DJ-specific (battle mixers or 4-channel mixers) or studio builds.
The magic of hardware DJing is the absence of a computer. It’s something to experience, both as a crowd member or as the DJ yourself. The idea that DJing music can totally transcend modern computing is awesome, and the hardware DJing approach always results in a fresher, cleaner and often more powerful sound. Or, if you prefer, you can stick with the Ableton Live DJing course by DJ Courses Online.