The three levels of DJing

Any DJ you’ve ever heard of has followed a similar path to get where they are. You could think of it as three levels: collecting music, playing around town and eventually getting noticed. This is the path you’re going to take. It’s the way of the DJ. For amateur hobby DJs looking to get more paid gigs, check out the DJ Career Tips course. Read on.

Collecting new music

It starts with a love of music, especially new music. You’re hunting new tracks. You can’t resist whipping out Shazam at a bar when you hear a new tune. You’re thrilled to hear about certain new artists, but even more thrilled when you’re exposed to white labels and unknown track IDs. You collect tunes like a magpie collects shiny things. This collection starts to nag you from your hard drive in the corner of the room. “When are we playing?” it calls out to you in the night. “What’s the gig plan?”

DJing out and about

You can’t resist playing a new tune on your phone for a mate. Usually, they listen for a few seconds and say, “cool.” But sometimes, their eyes light up and they say, “send that to me.” That’s how you know you’re onto something. DJing is a skill that can be learned. But making people’s eyes light up is something that you already know how to do. Mobile phones become laptops and controllers. Bluetooth speakers become PA speakers and monitors. You don’t really care about who’s place you’re playing this weekend. You just need to share this stuff with someone. 

Getting noticed as a DJ

At some point, someone asks you to play at their place in two weeks, but you’ve already told a mate you’re handling their party music. Then, you’re offered money to cancel the free gig. You politely explain to your mate that you’re actually getting a paid gig, and they’re fine with it. You play the paid gig, and you get a fistful of cash. It went well. Maybe there were a few random people asking for tracks you don’t have. But generally everyone had a good time. Three months later, the same person gets in touch. And you’re off on your DJ career.

This is how it happens. So many upcoming DJs think it’s all about hype and promo and Soundcloud plays. In reality, those things help. So do tutorial video courses by professional DJs. But nothing helps more than doing gigs, being seen and building a reputation as a party curator. The magic word is “referrals”. Build your empire on that.

3 cover tracks all DJs should know

So much ‘new’ music is sampled or covered from older tracks. Samples and covers are everywhere, hiding in plain sight. Your latest favorite tune might be sampled from a 2002 track which sampled it from Led Zeppelin! Let’s check out some not-so-well-known covers and sampled versions of yesterday’s tracks. 

Eminem - My Name Is

Eminem has been quiet for the past 2 years, but that’s not unusual when you have a back catalog the size of a Daft Punk concert rig. Let’s take it right back to the beginning, his 1998 breakthrough hit ‘My Name Is’. A little-known fact is that the quirky, bouncy chord progression was lifted from a tune by 1970s British poet and songwriter Labi Siffre. Musically, it’s a really unusual tune! Siffre also wrote ‘It Must Be Love’, which was later covered by the group Madness. Check it out on WhoSampled.

John Legend and The Roots feat. Black Thought - Hard Times

It’s neither a crowd-pleaser nor a noteworthy dance tune, but John Legend’s cover of Hard Times is a masterpiece of soul. Tapping into vintage funk and Motown, the track tells the same story felt by struggling African Americans with emotion. The original composer Baby Huey released Hard Times in 1971. Pull this track out when you’re deep into the jam and people are looking to connect with each other over something real. Check out the comparison on WhoSampled.

Lana del Rey - Doin’ Time

Lana del Rey is the eternal first choice for dinner or cocktail music at fancy weddings. Her sultry, quiescent vocals soothe people without interrupting conversations. Funny to imagine that ‘Doin’ Time’ is in fact a cover of ska reggae band Sublime (itself a cover of ‘Summertime’ by George Gershwin). Sublime was active in the 1990s and is credited with popularizing energetic ska music (punk with a brass line). Check out the comparison on WhoSampled.

Older music only tends to pop up on a DJ’s radar later on in life. The more music you listen to, the more you realize just how much new tracks are samples of older tracks or even direct covers. As they say, there’s nothing new under the sun! But as always, don’t let that stop you from trying out one of these DJ courses for amateurs looking to level up.

3 DJ stage setup hacks

At the end of the day, we’re all playing music. We’ve sourced it, curated it and own the equipment to play it back, preferably at a loud volume. But there’s really not much more to it on the audio front than that. While we aim to stand out of the crowd on the strength of advanced DJ techniques alone, we have to rely on stage setup to look as good as we sound. Let’s check out a few stage hacks to take hobby DJs to the next level.

Get a black DJ desk cloth

There’s nothing that screams ‘amateur’ more than being able to see a DJ’s feet. Unless they’re wearing dope shoes. The point: always remember to pack a black cloth and use it to cover the surface of the table surface. Having wires dangling around the front of the desk is also not a great look (unless you’re going for a punk aesthetic). Make sure your large black cloth is tucked into your gear every time. Use a satin-like fabric if you can find one. It’s sexy and shimmers a little more than matt black cotton. Hem the edges if you have loose threads. Hang it all the way to the floor. 

Use an ironing board as a DJ desk

Following on from our article about the right DJ desk height, you can honestly use an ironing board for some lighter setups. It’s easy to carry, adjustable and can be hidden by (you guessed it) your trusty black cloth. Ironing boards aren’t rectangular, so use a separate plywood board on top to give yourself a little extra space while also hiding the fact that, you know, you’re playing on an ironing board. And please, don’t overload it with weight and then kick the thing while you’re jamming. As many domesticated DJs have learned, they tend to collapse. 

Get an adjustable phone camera grip

Over the years, DJ Courses Online has provided a whole bunch of livestream and video tips and tricks. But at the top of the list is this: get a Gorillapod grip for your smartphone. It’s the lightest thing ever. It can be set up in 15 seconds. A video of you DJing is the greatest thing you can achieve on any given night besides the fun and music itself. Adjustable grips can be mounted on the desk, sideways on a speaker stand or on any surrounding item. 

Commercial DJs generally have everything set up for them. Great! But if you’re at the level of a hobby DJ, you’ll probably be used to using what you have. And then carrying it all yourself! Don’t complain, you could have been born a drummer. Either way, make the stage setup process part of your act. Use these stage hacks to get more return on your evening’s efforts. Show the people you care about putting on a bit of a show. DJ Courses Online has a DJ Career Tips course you might want to check out.

The perfect height for a DJ desk

The curse of DJ backache isn’t just for those of us who grew up in the 90s. Ask any DJ who’s been forced to hunch over a surface that’s too low. Even amongst the most experienced DJs, gigs can go on for hours. And over time, even two inches can make a whole lot of difference to how much you’re enjoying yourself. So what’s the right height for a DJ desk?

DJ desk height specifications

Professional DJs like these guys and festival organizers actually have this measurement on file. For male DJs, it’s typically 40” (102cm) and 36” (91cm) for female DJs. But there’s no average that suits everyone, because people are all different. So you can give a little wiggle room of 4”. That’s a good start. Don’t forget to measure the height of your DJ decks and equipment. You’ll need that for the next part.

Finding your measurement

This is the easy part. All you have to do is measure the height of a typical work surface at home and subtract the height of your DJ decks. Alternatively, place your decks on a piano keyboard stand with adjustable height and find the exact right setting. Or, you can even set up your decks on the kitchen counter if you want to mix the beats while you mix the vegetables! Know your height measurement, because it will come in handy next time you’re chatting to your house party host how many bricks to place under their coffee table.

Get the right gear

Look, it’s nice not having to carry around half of the stage setup when DJing. But honestly, sometimes that extra trip out to the car with folding stands is worth it. It’s not just that you want to save backache - you’re also endangering your gear every time you get a table surface that’s not level. Or worse, a lounge table so big that everyone puts their drinks next to your equipment! Having an adjustable laptop stand is always a win. Plus, having a custom setup looks cool. 

DJs are generally practical people. We’re looking for fun, but we’re also prepared to head out to the hardware store to make it happen. We’re familiar with following documentation and technical manuals, and we enjoy building things by connecting the dots. And it doesn’t have to cost more than $100. Plenty of reasons to look into modifying your DJ desk setup today. 

There’s a perfect height, and you’ll find it. Whether you end up using a custom rig, a keyboard stand or whatever the venue supplies, moving from a DJ hobby to a DJ job requires you to have fun in order to get the job done. Make yourself as comfortable and good looking as you can, and you’re good to go!

DJing odd time signatures

Popular music is built on the 4/4 time signature. In DJing, that means that you’re typically mixing songs with repeating 4/4 time signatures into each other. You don’t often have to mix a 3/4 song with a 4/4 because not a lot of recorded music is written in 3/4. Let’s dig a little deeper into DJing odd time signatures. 

What is a 3/4 time signature anyway? 

OK quick theory lesson. The “3” is the number of beats before the cycle starts to repeat. The “4” is the subdivision length of each beat. There's more on the theory of it here, but mostly you just have to focus on the first number to know how wonky the song feels. Popular songs in 3/4 (also written as 6/8) are mostly classics, including Kashmir by Led Zeppelin, Kiss From A Rose by Seal. When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish is also in 3/4.

Is there any non-4/4 dance music?

Not really. When it comes to dancing and learning to DJ dance music, 4/4 is the norm. Anything else is generally difficult to dance to. The popularity of 4/4 dance music lies in our bipedal (two-footed) body symmetry. It’s also the reason that the standard tempo of dance music (around 120BPM) happens to be a good heart rate to sustain while dancing. We dance with our bodies, and the music we select follows our biology. That’s why dancing, marching and strutting don’t really work with any odd time signature. 

How are DJs supposed to mix in odd time signatures? 

Group songs by time signature. Play a bunch of 6/8 tunes in a row, top-and-tailing their ends. This might end up sounding quite far from the “normal” extended dance music mix you’re used to, but it’s worth trying out and extending your abilities a little. Or you could get creative by mixing a 3/4 song into a 4/4 one by holding the loop on a single beat while you bring in the next tune. 

There are ways to DJ odd time signatures, but consider them pretty outside the norm. Crowds generally don’t like being experimented on, so unless your weird mix is pretty hot and sustains the energy, stick to the tried and trusted 4/4 mixing. Also stick to learning DJing from professionals, who will probably tell you the same.

Mixing your original tracks for your DJ set

Most of us DJs are also producers, or have at least dabbled with ProTools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro and other DAWs. The overlap between DJs, producers and music technology lovers is strong. Strong enough to bash out some tips for mixing the next original track you plan to use in your set on your way to getting more gigs as a DJ-producer. Here we go. 

The DJ mixing basics

Each track part should have its own role and space. The instruments shouldn’t fight each other for loudness. Only one thing is in the spotlight at any given time. Everything plays nicely together. When mixing your tracks for DJing in a live set, make sure any vocals are front-and-center, mono and sufficiently more present than anything else. When it comes to pop music, the vocal IS the song. Here’s a good 40-minute video on mixing dance music that you’re never gonna watch, but do it anyway.

Thinking in frequency

Use EQ to avoid too much ‘frequency bleed’. That’s when you’ve got a bass patch being too loud in the mids, or a vocal with too much bass in it. There’s a limited amount of space when mixing. Think of it like stacking items into a room. The louder and bassier the instrument, the more space it takes up. If any part seems to be dominating the rest, use compression, volume and EQ to beat it down into place! Boss your mix.

DJing for emotion

Maybe you’re collabing and have received stems from an artist. That means you aren’t able to change much of the track content, but you can mix it for emotion. Mixing for emotion means prioritizing any vocal fry (which sounds great on a record). Do include any instrumental power moments or happy accidents that contribute towards the feels. Recording “mistakes” and  ad-libs often end up being the best moments. Any moment where personality shines through should be considered gold for your mix. 

Like DJing itself, mixing is really just about selection. What goes in, what gets left out. The technical aspects of the mix are simple enough to learn. The challenge is being bold enough to craft a mix that says something about who you are as a DJ-producer. Learn by copying others, but make it your aim to slowly craft your own way of doing things by breaking rules. That’s the way we become better DJs!

The most popular DJ pools

There was a time when being a working DJ meant being part of a DJ pool. DJ pools are exclusive lists offering new music directly from labels. They’re aimed at pro DJs, like the ones who offer courses at DJ Courses Online. In the past, record companies actually shipped 12”s to DJs in the mail with dance versions of upcoming singles. In return, DJs submitted info back to the labels on which tracks were playing well. DJ download stores are the current equivalent of pools. Here are the most popular ones.

ZipDJ

If EDM is still your thing, zipDJ is your place. They have the largest Electronic EDM catalog of any digital DJ pool. Not as popular as the other options, but nicely focused on underground house music. Their site is a zippy web app which allows you to use keyboard hotkeys to find new stuff, making discovery smarter and easier. Learn more about ZipDJ.

DJCity

Originally a hip hop pool, DJCity now covers everything. Affordable entry level tier. DJCity now is the leading source of exclusive, first-look music directly from the labels. New music only. They’re actually owned by Beatsource, so for throwbacks you kinda have to go through Beatsource. Check out the DJCity FAQ for more.

BPM Supreme

Bootlegs, dirty versions, vintage tunes. BPM Supreme has it all. BPM Supreme boasts a healthy selection of the more commercial side of dance music. A solid bet if you’re looking for exclusive DJ-friendly re-edits of popular tracks. New music arrives from the record label daily.

Maybe you’ve been stuck playing whatever tracks were dumped on your hard drive in 2015 and haven’t really thought to look any further. But if there’s one thing that separates a hobbyist from a professional DJ, it’s their music source. Joining a DJ pool is a great way to level up. And there are tons to choose from. Also check out Promo Only, Digital DJ Pool, MyMP3Pool, DMS and Club Killers. Hit them up with a monthly sub fee and start decorating your collection with exclusive cuts.

DJ stems site Acapellas4U back online

Good news, everyone! DJs Acapellas4U is back online after a 6-month hiatus. For 15 years, the UK-based site has been delivering studio-quality DJ acapellas for their sets. After going down earlier in the year, we’re pleased to announce that you can stock up on new stems. Here’s the news.

Why did Acapellas4U go down?

It was a combination of things. Server issues, by the sounds of it. But mostly just that the person running it needed a break! Also, there’s a major shortage of web developers volunteering on these types of community-led projects. You see, this isn’t some giant company. It’s a labor of love one-man-show and we should all be grateful that it’s back at all. 

What are DJ acapellas?

Acapellas are vocals-only versions of full tracks. They’re played back over house or hip hop beats during a DJ set. Having access to the vocals-only version means that you can make your own remixes and mashups of a well-known song. It’s a great way to introduce your style to people. A DJ might play a well-known hip hop vocal over a melodic house track, blowing multiple minds in the process. Check out what professional DJs are up to. There’s always some new version of a track in their set. 

Who needs acapellas when we have stems?

A lot of DJ playback systems now include real-time stem separation. Why would you need to pre-download a vocal stem if you can just do it live? For one thing, the quality of real-time stem separation isn’t really as high as the studio-quality stuff on Acapellas4U. And if there’s one part of the tune which needs to be high-quality, it’s the vocal. Acapellas4U has been delivering all the goods for a very long time. Hit them up with a donation when you next go vocal-hunting. And while you’re spending, get into the DJ Courses Online DJ tutorials catalog.

All DJs learn sooner or later that you ARE your collection. Having special, rare tunes is what makes you special and rare. Sites like Acapellas4U are run independently, meaning that they haven’t signed deals with content providers. This means that the collection of music on the site isn’t broadly available everywhere. From a DJ perspective, sites like this are golden. The site still has a ways to go in terms of user experience, especially on mobile. But hey, don’t complain about your experience when it’s a free one! Welcome back, Acapellas4U and thanks for showing up again.

3 places DJs get fresh music

Spotify? Nope. Well, yeah. But not really. Sort of. You might find a gem or two on there by chance, because it’s a great place for automatic discovery. But it’s a terrible option if you’re not into wading through oceans of noise to find your signal. There are quicker ways to find good music. Here are a few.

Beatport

Bored yet? Fine. Beatport is a bit of a cringe recommendation, but here’s why it’s good for discovery: charts. We need fewer featured artist banners and more actual music charts. Preferably driven by actual sales and also curated by humans to filter out the cheap shots. Beatport is the closest thing we have to a trustworthy, global dance music chart. Oh yeah, and this killer DJ web app. 

Traxsource

Some things will be around forever. Quality DJ tuition by DJ Courses Online is one of them. Traxsource is another. Traxsource has been serving DJs with legal digital downloads since 2004. That’s without a doubt longer than some of you have been alive. There’s a reason they’ve managed to achieve OG status. Traxsource is solid. Human curation in the form of ‘Best Of’ monthly charts. Label features like this one with direct links to the artists homepages and socials (very rare). And, of course, a grand old collection of tunes.

Bandcamp

Ah, Bandcamp. Recently acquired by Epic Games (now what…?!). DJs, musicians and fans have all come to trust Bandcamp as a source of great independent music. And nobody compensates their users like Bandcamp does. But if you’re just after the music, know this: there’s a ton of stuff on Bandcamp that doesn’t exist elsewhere. Nothing like getting deep into a Bandcamp dig on a rainy Saturday.

It’s all about having stuff that nobody else has. That means putting a bit of time into curating your sound. Definitely use Spotify to listen out for new stuff and save your own playlists for reference. Also, don’t be surprised if it does start to sound the same after a while. Algos aren’t that smart yet. That’s when you gotta go offroad. Find your way to the good stuff with some DJ career tip life hacks. 

3 reasons to DJ with older equipment

Some people feel that using old DJ equipment is a bit of a pain in the neck. Literally, if your headphones weigh in at 2lbs. But there are several reasons why DJing with older equipment can be more fun. For one, it can add a level of unpredictability to your sets. Additionally, it can force you to be more creative in your song selection and mixing. And lastly, it can give you a sense of nostalgia for the days when DJing was a new and exciting technology.

It’s more challenging

Nobody really gets into DJing just to look cool in the headlights. It’s also about flexing your abilities a little. Rocking a battle mixer and a pair of turntables is eye-catching, to say the least. Crab cuts, scratching and other interesting tricks are what make for a good show, and also keep your live energy pumping. And it’s more impressive to the old school fans, for sure!

It’s more fun

Modern gear aims to make things more fun by outsourcing functionality to the software. The result is often that it’s less fun. Algorithmic selection and automated mixing are just two examples of making the art of DJing less fun. Equipment which lacks this functionality forces you to get into the vibe more. Watch and learn from this rad 90s DJ and see how much functionality the dude gets out of just the crossfader and master!

It can sound better

Don’t worry, this isn’t your dad’s rant about everything being better in the past. But it’s true that older equipment can sound better than some modern gear. Vinyl has a quality that beats digital, hands down. But even some of the circuitry of old mixers gives a signal color. It’s not like anyone’s carrying around rack-mount compressors for their shows, but using the occasional vintage hardware drum machine won’t hurt your sound!

Maybe the more convenient software makes our lives, the easier it is to progress. But where is all this progress taking DJs? Are software updates always strictly necessary? Questioning the purpose of your DJ efforts is a good idea. And very often, you realize that the gear you have is good enough. This is the kind of stuff we take you through in the How to DJ Masterclass. Go beyond the demand for new stuff and start making a name as someone who’s cool on any gear!

3 tips for making a DJ mixtape

The cassette tape hasn’t exactly been on fire recently. But the mighty mixtape was once a great way to tell someone how you felt about them. While most of us won’t be handing out physical copies to friends and family anymore, creating a digital mixtape (like a private Soundcloud link for a friend) is still a really special personal gift. Here’s how DJs can make digital mixtapes for friends…and promoters.

Guess their favorite songs

Selecting tunes is what DJs do, and it’s the cornerstone of adding personality to a mix (the topic of our advanced DJ Techniques III DJ course). But instead of selecting generic bangers, say something to the person you’re making your mixtape for. Ten or fifteen songs should be plenty. You want the person to be able to listen to the tape without feeling like they need to skip any tracks. Your mixtape should be indicative of their tastes, so don’t feel like you have to include any songs that you don’t really like just to make the mix “balance out”. And include a track listing.

Keep your DJ mixtape varied

Yes, keep it light. But also yes, throw in a couple of variety-providers and classics. If your entire tape is filled with songs that sound like they all came from the same generic playlist of hits, it might feel like a copy paste job instead of something personal. For example, if you have a playlist that’s made up of mostly upbeat disco reissues, also do a couple of the darker tunes from the period. Break format every so often by surprising your friend with something than an algorithm wouldn’t think of. 

Pick a theme

Techno is a genre. But “music for fast dog walking” is a theme. A silly one, but we live in a time where weirdly specific wins. Not to be confused for the already done-to-death “Music for Dog Walking” theme. If you really want to make your mixtape special, put some thought into what it’s for. Does your friend walk their dog fast, by any chance? Remember something they once told you and make that the theme. Stick to the theme, even if it means making stuff up, and keep it in an order that flows. 

You might not actually be making cassette tapes, but the feeling that goes into a personalized, private Soundcloud mix is the same. Mixtapes are a great way to share your favorite music with others, and also a good way to show that you’re thinking of others. Learn all sorts of industry tips from the pros in the DJ Courses Online DJ Career Tips course.

Why some DJs stick to vinyl

Vinyl DJs sure do stand out of the crowd. And often, they’re the first ones to let you know of the joys of an analog setup. But man, what a whole lot of extra work. Carrying heavy records arounds, having a smaller selection, managing wonky tables…why do they do it? Keep reading.

Vinyl DJing is retro

The setups of vinyl DJs with an old school selection are closer to the original way that the records were played. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, it was all about warehouse parties, block parties. Only in the 90s, did DJs become superstars, hosting raves and pushing electronic music forward yet again. It’s always cool taking cues from the past, and DJing vinyl is one way to show that you’re legit retro. That, and having an afro.

Some records sound better on vinyl

At least for stuff like scratching. Ask any scratch DJ and they’ll tell you that crab scratching and backspins just sound better on analog gear. Sure, it’s possible to pull off the same sound on CDs using a set of Pioneer DDJs or even a Serato Scratch setup. But there’s something about the vinyl sound, isn’t there? Especially for music produced and released on vinyl, it just sounds more authentic. For niche events like listening parties, art galleries and sound installations, DJing on vinyl is where you score points.

It’s a DJ career move

You can build a career on vinyl. It’s not as common as wedding or club gigs. But in every town, there’s someone who wants a vinyl DJ over a laptop DJ. Usually, it has something to do with the way records look. Vinyl is classy. So if you’re looking to build on a career as a vinyl DJ, you might want to get some kind of custom wooden surface setup for your decks. Hide the laptop under the surface. Make it easy on the eye.

Sales of vinyl are up across the board. The numbers reflect a growing taste for vinyl as bands and DJs do more vinyl runs for their hardcore fans. DJins vinyl is about large artwork covers, stories printed on inner sleeves and the feel of a platter in your hands. But at the heart of it all, DJing vinyl is a statement.

3 lessons for all DJs

Wanna know something most DJs know? It’s not what it seems like from the outside. Most DJs are just people who place a higher value on good times than others. Good times, good people and good music. It’s a harder recipe to follow than you might think. That’s why you have to collect your own, song by song, regardless of what the rest of the pack is spinning. Here’s more. 

Involve your loved ones

Professional DJs (like our DJ course tutors) often have to split themselves between family and work. But DJing is a little different to most careers. You can’t really have a conversation with your kids while you’re trying to do some programming or serve customers. But you can invite them into your studio room to hang out while you organize your collection. DJing occupies this middle ground between work and play. Use it as a space to include your loved ones, rather than exclude them.

Give away your knowledge

Because of where we’re at in history, technology is still proving itself. But just like yesterday’s rights-holders, today’s content creators are going to be the ones with all the clout in the coming years. Start a YouTube channel for your original tracks, or a Mixcloud Live account for your collection. Use it as a space to learn, grow and share information. Publish stems and packs for others to use. The returns will not be immediate, but they will take you in the direction you want to go: towards a steady, loyal fanbase. 

Listen to music all the time

Exposing yourself to new music is at the heart of finding your collection. Wherever you are, get some music going in the background. Make it 4 hours a day, if possible. This is how you train your brain that music occupies a central role in your life. You should be known as the person walking into a quiet room saying, “where’s the music?!” Seriously, even if it’s classical music, you’ll hear snippets and samples that you might nab for your next production (cos classical is mostly public domain!). Just make sure something’s on.

Yes indeed, there are many tricks and tools for leveling up. Cos that’s what this is all about, really. It’s about more than DJing or music. It’s about personal growth. And if you’re here, then DJing is probably your vehicle. But you don’t have to do it alone. Join in one of the DJ Courses Online courses and get to know people as you advance.

How Mixcloud Live works for DJs

Mixcloud sure is doing something right. They’re currently the only live streaming platform which allows DJs to play commercial and copyrighted music without any takedowns. Here’s a little more on the one platform that’s managed to solve the problems many professional DJs face in getting their skills out there. 

Copyright-free DJ streaming

No takedowns?! Music to our ears! Honestly, it’s a real bummer that Twitch, Instagram and Facebook all mute or destroy your live set whenever you play an Avicii remix (RIP dude). Especially seeing as the rights-holders are often those other than the producers, who often don’t mind their music being played at all. The number one reason to take Mixcloud seriously? Liberation of culture. 

How does it work?

OK, so after the trial period, the DJ pays $15/mo to use Mixcloud Live and stream their set without any takedowns. For a venue, radio station or any kind of organization, this is an absolute steal. If you’re running a bar with live DJs 5 nights a week, you should definitely be looking at Mixcloud Live as a way of getting feet through the door. The audience views from all over the world for free. The rights-holders get paid royalties. 

DJ community

The coolest thing about Mixcloud Live is that the people on the platform get it. Fans, DJs, everyone is behind the idea of a paid platform without copyright issues. The interface has a sidebar for live chat, resembling Twitch. That means that you’re surrounding yourself with a community of people who aren’t all just trying to get everything you make for free all the time. There’s love in the room.

At some point, we’re all gonna have to admit that the ad-funded, social media-driven Web 2.0 is broken. There must come a point when people see the value of unlocking culture and really beginning to share new music in a way that’s fair to all involved. We believe Mixcloud is on the right track. Good music finds a way, and DJs who do their coursework find a way to get it out there.

A short history of Serato for DJs

Did you know that Serato started as a ProTools plugin? And did you know the company was founded in New Zealand of all places?! After a bit of digging around, we’ve decided to share a couple of founding stories with you readers. Knowing this type of stuff makes good backstage chat with other DJs. And getting to know people is what this industry is all about. 

A time-stretching DJ tool

Back in 1997, Serato co-founder Steve West was at the University of Auckland learning bass guitar on the side. He needed a way to play back recordings of bass solos more slowly so that he could practice along. The available tools at the time would all alter the pitch of the audio. As a DJ, you take time-stretching for granted. But there was a time when you changing either pitch or time meant changing the other. You couldn’t decouple them at all! 

A DJ-first plugin

Two years later, West and co-founder AJ Berstenshaw released the plugin Pitch ‘n Time within ProTools, an audio workstation for music production. The journey towards the digital vinyl system (DVS) had begun. Soon after, they began prototyping software which allowed for scrubbing CD audio using a mouse. Next was NoiseMap, an adjusted vinyl record which allowed digital playback. More about how this works in the DJ Courses Online Serato course material.

Scratch Live 

In 2004, the company partnered with Rane to produce Scratch Live. It was the first vinyl digital mixing system to work exactly like real vinyl did. It had a USB interface and sparked the beginning of a vinyl resurgence. Later came Itch, a compact controller system to address the problem of worn-out in-house turntables. VideoSL came next, allowing for the manipulation of visuals. And in 2014, Serato Pro and Lite, which are still in use today. 

The core message of this story is that the widely-used software was developed in response to a need. The founder was simply trying to solve a problem of his own. Same goes for you and your art. Find a group of people that you feel are underserved, and begin putting together mixes for them. Wanna get your head around Serato? Gain access to the DJ Courses Online Serato course material today.

Which DJ setups are most popular?

It used to be that you rocked up with a bag of vinyls or CDs. The house normally had a DJ setup. You spun some records and went home. But now, there are so many different ways to DJ. Besides that, DJs are expected to be technicians, producers and software engineers! Gone are the days where two turntables and a mixer were the norm. Here are some of the setups which have replaced them. 

Laptop and controller

The number one most popular way of getting into DJing is having a laptop and a controller. It’s awesome having the ability to essentially play an infinite number of tracks, loops, clips or even oneshot samples. Having a grid controller allows for live remixing. And now, laptops are powerful enough to run their own lighting rigs alongside the audio! Laptops have blown away many of the limitations of DJing. But as we’ll see, limitations are actually often required to do something remarkable. Check out the DJ Courses Online Mixed In Key course for more on this style. 

Media players and club mixer

They used to be called CDJs, and now they’re called media players. You already know what a club mixer is. These devices imitate traditional turntables by allowing you to spin the platters to control CD playback. There’s no computer involved, just two small LCD interfaces that allow you to browser files. This makes the setup much more audio-leaning than a laptop screen. Here’s a pretty good review of all the new features in Pioneer’s CDJ-3000. 

Digital Vinyl systems

A DV system is a way of controlling digital files using vinyl. Using software like Serato DJ Pro, DJs can control MP3s by cueing and scratching a special control vinyl on any vinyl turntable. No more heavy crates! By converting the signal encoded on the surface of the control vinyl into code a computer can read, the software knows the timestamp of your MP3 file. There’s a dedicated Serato Scratch course on DJ Courses Online you might want to check out.

These different approaches to DJing all have their pros and cons. But it really doesn’t matter which software  you’re using as long as you’re collecting cool tunes and getting the floor going. Don’t forget to make eye contact with ‘em!

3 things Ableton Live did for DJs

Since 2001, one DJ program has stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of live performance capability. Ableton Live is a pioneer for DJs across the globe in so many respects. Curious? Here are three things that Ableton did right first. 

Beatmatching

From the release of version 1 in 2001, Ableton live had included the ability to beatmatch audio. It was among the first DJ programs which had allowed for the functionality. Beatmatching really allows DJs to push their mixes to the next level. For example, if the floor is looking busy, they can subtly respond by pushing the tempo of a track up without losing a lot of audio quality. Warping also allows you to reorder tracks by pulling a 125 BPM number into a 135 BPM section, for example. These subtle changes can bring your mix to life! 

Session View

There had never been anything like it. Session view took the horizontal playback format of most DAWs and flipped it 90 degrees. The introduction of the vertical ‘top-down’ session view was a mind-opening moment. For the first time, DJs could begin to play clips and loops instead of full tracks. Not only that, but they could start to mix them together in ways other than top-to-tail A/B mixing had done for decades. The number of tracks was not limited by the number of decks. 

Max for Live

A typical DJ will likely steer clear of Max for Live in performance settings. The capabilities of the software are vast, but also experimental. Maybe too experimental for when you’re trying to get a floor moving. That said, it was a superb decision by Ableton to allow users to create their own devices. Max for Live is proprietary, but doing this was a move which demonstrated solidarity with the open-source way of thinking. And we all love it when people come together, whether it’s to dance or build stuff. 

Ableton is truly one of the greatest gifts that music producers and DJs have been given. The software has a thriving community and continues to push musical boundaries with ongoing innovation. The Ableton Live video series by DJ Courses Online is a good place to start if you’re looking to level up. Catch you at the next one!

Traktor Pro 3.6 Beta launches

After a year since the last public update, Traktor has announced that they’re back in development with Traktor Pro 3.6 Beta. The news? The awesome mastering functionality of Izotope will now be native inside Traktor. Native Instruments support will possibly be added. This could change the game for both new and professional DJs looking to bust out something fresh. Here’s why. 

Improved track mastering 

As we all know, Ozone 9 Maximizer is pretty much one of the industry standards for bringing both volume and consistency to a mix. iZotope merged with Native Instruments in March 2021, and now their flagship mastering product will be natively deployed within the Traktor settings interface. This will allow you to select iZotope as the default clipping-safe live mastering plugin. Flip between the default Traktor limiter and the Ozone one to hear the difference!

Realtime stem separation

This won’t be the last of the features that iZotope rolls out within Traktor. EQs and effects presets shall rain from the heavens. But the real progressive functionality would be realtime stem separation. This allows a DJ to load a track, which then gets deconstructed into its component parts. Many of you already DJ with stems, but having it onboard prevents the need for importing stem banks and also allows effects (such as Nectar 3 for vocals) to be applied to individual components. Neat!

Native Instruments integration?

One last thing: there might still be space for Native Instruments plugins in the public version of Traktor Pro 3.6.  Big win. Given that Ozone is already completely NKS compatible, there would be no good reason for the Traktor team not to provide a world of cinematic sounds and effects. Imagine running a Reaktor ensemble or even SFX plugins like Heavyocity Damage in your set. The result would mainly be a challenge for the design team to fit all that functionality into the interface!

Keep an eye on the Traktor community for updates on this story (Native Instruments ID login required). DJ programs like Traktor are starting to resemble fully functioning DAWs. Ableton has been straddling the two worlds for decades now, and there’s no reason for the German music software engineering we all know and love not to continue with leaps and bounds! There’s also no reason not to check out Nick’s Traktor course today.

Three books all DJs should read

I’m sorry, couldn’t hear you over the music. I thought I heard you say I should read a book. Yeah. You know. Books. Words n stuff. Seriously, tho. When you consider that most DJs are self-taught on borrowed gear, a little theory and inspiration would come in handy. So might an online DJ course taught by a pro. Take a look at these great titles. Each one of them will help you go deeper into making electronic accessories and take your DJ set into the wild woods.

Handmade Electronic Music by Nicolas Collins

Not a very well known book, but it kinda should be. Why? Because “Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking” lets you quickly start hacking together your own DIY projects. The simple exercises in the book teach you how to make devices which produce some really out the box sounds. Turn the microwave ‘ping’ into an instrument you can play with your hands. Also, the components needed for these devices are cheaply accessible. One for the avant-garde. Get it on Amazon.

Junkyard Jam Band by David Erik Nelson

This is one for electronics hobbyists. It’s simple to read without resembling a middle school science textbook. Using it, you can put together your own acoustic and electronic instruments at home. Break up an old tape deck and make a scratchbox. Try out some circuit bending or make yourself a cigar box thumb piano. These are exactly the types of sounds that go well with beats! Look outside the norm to carve out a custom sound. Here it is. 

Electronic Projects for Musicians by Craig Anderton

Some things just don’t age, and this book is one of them. It was written in 1997 and is still relevant for anyone looking to make their own pre-amps, ring modulators, mixers and more. It’s a practical take on building small, hand-held devices which can easily be incorporated into your DJ set. There are 27 different projects, each with their own step-by-step instructions. Make one, sample it, stick a beat on it and make your own sound. Obviously, just ignore the changes to the component prices! Here’s yer link.

Sometimes we forget that making music doesn't actually require expensive, flashy gear. Any item can be converted into a musical instrument. Maybe you’re just here for DJ career tips, and that’s all good. But at some point, you’ll feel the need to actually play some physical instrument (or scratch the decks themselves). See you back here when you do!

Three classic DJ DAW controllers

DJing is, of course, about more than just track playback. You can augment your set with a laptop that allows for playback using MIDI controller devices designed for DAWs rather than decks. Some of these devices just get made to be enjoyed forever. Today, we’ll pick out three classic MIDI controllers for DJing that deserve the title of ‘legendary’.

Ableton Push

The ultimate controller for the DJ who also wants to express their own musicality (without necessarily first studying classical piano). Ableton Push picked up where the APC40 took off, providing controllerists with their own multi-colored, pressure-sensitive grid of pads. Perfect for live looping, finger drumming and even playing with sophistication. 

Novation Launchpad Pro

The Launchpad Pro has earned its place as a staple in the world of grid controllers. It’s flexible enough to be played with a variety of devices. It allows for creativity in sequencing new patterns and plays well with pretty much everyone! The velocity-sensitive pads give you that expressive element. Scale mode makes it easy to generate melodies, avoiding all the bum notes on the way. Use it as a standalone controller.

Arturia BeatStep Pro

Aside from its unusual interface, which combines a sequencer, knobs and a transport section, The BeatStep Pro is a fantastic way to generate new patterns on the fly. Unline many DAW controllers, it gives you the ability to control both hardware and software. Every so often, you need a new approach for music production and performance. And despite its lower-than-the-rest price tag, the BeatStep is no toy. Shape your experimentation with this one. 

DAW controllers allow DJs to be more than jukeboxes. We’re mostly a talented bunch. Many of us play instruments and intuitively know our way around controller equipment. Take your adventure to the next level by getting specific. Focus on this Ableton Live software course for the next while and watch your new skills start earning props.