After you've made the decision that you’re going to learn how to become a DJ you need to make another big decision – what DJing platform or format of music you are going us use.
It is amazing how over time the perception changes – it wasn’t all that long ago when DJing with CDs was almost frowned upon. Fast forward 10 years and it has well and truly eclipsed vinyl.
The lion’s share of all DJs now use CDs including the biggest DJs on the planet. These days it is beginning to evolve even further with countless superstar DJs now using laptops, and as each week, month and year passes it is fast becoming the norm, at least it certainly seems things are heading that way.
The main thing to remember when forming your own opinion is it’s not the format of the music but the music itself that is important, this and the sound quality – if both of these are good then I am happy!
For a traditionalist like myself it was difficult watching the transition from vinyl to CD, initially I felt it took the showmanship and uniqueness away but as time passed and I began playing around with CDJs my opinion softened, it was hard for it not to as I watch my favourite DJs making the transition.
The main thing for me that helped with the transition from vinyl turntable to CD deck was the design and quality of the CD decks hitting the market, the functionality was that good and 100% designed around the traditional turntable it was mind boggling, the CD deck was simply the 21st century turntable – it made sense, digital music played through digital equipment, eliminating the need of pressing the music onto a 3rd party format (vinyl).
This brings us to now – the laptop, it feels a little like dejavu, the good news though I don’t think the laptop is ever going to completely eclipse the CDJ, the CDJs are almost like computers themselves and I feel will always have their place, if not for anything else but because the thought of watching every DJ punching buttons on a laptop is boring at the very least, the crowd these days is more educated than that and demand more, as they should technology is evolving every day – I don’t know about you but I want to see the new technology pushed to its limits, thinks like tractor, final scratch, serato, ableton live, virtual dj and logic to name but a few!
So in conclusion if you are starting out learning how to become a DJ don’t be weighed down by the thought you have to learn a certain way using a certain platform, have an open mind and be prepared to learn how to DJ with multiple platforms – CD, vinyl and laptops all have their place, it’s what you feel most drawn to. My final tip: if you can get your hands on some vinyl turntables, even if only for fun put a few mixes together because that hands on feel, riding the pitch and looking at the cuts in the record will never be matched, period!
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