Switching from controllers to CDJs

Making the leap from using a controller to using CDJs can be a little intimidating. You don’t know the booth gear as well as your own controller. Your custom functions (like keyboard shortcuts) are no longer available. There’s a learning curve to DJing on new equipment. Let’s check out a few things all DJs should know before making the jump.

Hot cues

Even if you find hot cue buttons on most models of CDJ, they’ll be in a different position. There are generally fewer than 8 and don’t have more than one function. Their playback behaviour is also generally toggle, meaning that they’ll latch on and start playback of a track rather than toggle playback momentarily, like a drum pad. Hot cues aren’t as widely used on CDJs as on controller devices and seem to be more of an afterthought than a primary function. 

Browser behavior

CDJs don’t have a keyboard. You can’t search by track name. This means that you have to be more organized! No use having 30 million songs if it takes you a year to find each one with the browser knob, even with the hold-down speed scrolling function. By the time you reach CDJ fluency, you’ll want a few solid playlists and very little switching out of old and new material between gigs. Build a good library that reflects your taste, and then tweak it. 

Jog wheel behavior

CDJs are generally considered more of an artform than controllers. Even though most controllers have jog wheels (but many dont), DJs mostly agree that CDJs are a little more tactile and don’t raise many latency issues. It’s generally easier to scrub through the track and find the downbeat. There’s sometimes a HARD/SOFT knob which allows you to control the stiffness of the wheel. 

Unless you’re a master DJ, fewer functions generally means more fun. With CDJs, there’s less to go wrong, and you spend more time feeling the music and the touch of the gear than you do hunting solutions with your brain and keyboard. It’s a recommended step for anyone learning to DJ to get to grips with a pair of decks at some point. Sign up for the DJing Basics course with DJ Courses Online today to take the next step in your DJ career. 

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.