sjw

Hello!

My name's Ruthy, all my life I have absoloutely loved music and now I want
to start learning to DJ. I have no idea what equipment I'd need to start up
or what any of it does (apart from the obvious: turntables and slipmats).
Can anybody please give me a brief list of the main equipment and a quick
description of what it is. I would truly appreciate it.

Another thing, which website would you guys rate as the best to buy vinyl?

Ruthy ;p

Phonetic

first of all what sort of music do you like or want to play? Trance, Hip
Hop, Drum & Bass, Techno, Down Tempo, Dub, Chart crap......... their is
heaps of choice out their but it depends on what you want to play. I use a
Stanton SMX-401 which is good for beat mixing but would be shit for
scratching as the crossfader doesn't cut in quick. I also use Technics
turntables because most clubs hear use them. cdj have made lots of head way
these days too so consider them also
www.mackie.tk

"sjw" <sarawar@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:TZ8wc.6364$rz4.3359@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> Hello!
>
> My name's Ruthy, all my life I have absoloutely loved music and now I want
> to start learning to DJ. I have no idea what equipment I'd need to start
up
> or what any of it does (apart from the obvious: turntables and slipmats).
> Can anybody please give me a brief list of the main equipment and a quick
> description of what it is. I would truly appreciate it.
>
> Another thing, which website would you guys rate as the best to buy vinyl?
>
> Ruthy ;p
>
>
>

h

Hi Ruthy, well I run vinylsearcher.com and we can sort you out with
some seriously cool vinyls, or we can suggest a good set for your
music style.

As for the equipment, just get a set of belt drive decks, a 2 channel
mixer and plug them into your stereos aux socket and your rockin....
cost max 200 dont get ripped off buying mixers full of features you
will never use...technics wont help you are probably better off
starting with a cheap set then splash out the 800 needed to get a set.

hope this helps, drop me a mail if you need anymore help

Mark,
www.VINYLSEARCHER.com

"sjw" <sarawar@bigpond.com> wrote in message news:<TZ8wc.6364$rz4.3359@news-server.bigpond.net.au>...
> Hello!
>
> My name's Ruthy, all my life I have absoloutely loved music and now I want
> to start learning to DJ. I have no idea what equipment I'd need to start up
> or what any of it does (apart from the obvious: turntables and slipmats).
> Can anybody please give me a brief list of the main equipment and a quick
> description of what it is. I would truly appreciate it.
>
> Another thing, which website would you guys rate as the best to buy vinyl?
>
> Ruthy ;p

William Swyter

"sjw" <sarawar@bigpond.com> wrote in message news:<TZ8wc.6364$rz4.3359@news-server.bigpond.net.au>...
> Hello!
>
> My name's Ruthy, all my life I have absoloutely loved music and now I want
> to start learning to DJ. I have no idea what equipment I'd need to start up
> or what any of it does (apart from the obvious: turntables and slipmats).
> Can anybody please give me a brief list of the main equipment and a quick
> description of what it is. I would truly appreciate it.
>
> Another thing, which website would you guys rate as the best to buy vinyl?
>
> Ruthy ;p


okay...well this is the sort of question that doesn't need answering.
the internet is full of information just this subject.

that said, here is the equipment you'll need:

turntables (2): if you want some crappy belt-drive turntables, one of
which doesn't really hold a pitch that well, let me know. i have some
sitting in a closet ($40 for the pair + shipping). do yourself a
favor and buy direct drive turntables. (technics if you're loaded,
stanton if you're not, and numark if you're drawn to pretty blue
lights -- i bought a couple of the numark ttx-1s and am quite pleased
with them)

slipmats (2): basically, slipmats allow you to stop the record from
spinning without stopping the turntable platter. usually included
with turntable purchases. but slipmats are the least of your
problems.

cartridges (2): take the sound from the stylus and sends it through
the tonearm of the turntable. involves complex wiring. what kind of
carts you need depend on what type of music you're going to spin, and
probably any other number of factors that i dont know about.

stylus (2 (stylii?)): aka 'needles'. little things that are worth
their weight in gold. spherical for scratching, elliptical for
hi-fidelity sound. i purchased Stanton 890 cartridges, and they came
with one set of spherical stylii and one set of elliptical. a good
deal, IMO.

mixer (1): that box that sits between the turntables in most
contemporary DJ setups. a couple of volume sliders (vertical) and a
crossfader (horizontal) are all you really need, but if you're going
to throw yourself into this DJing thing, a decent mixer is vital.
look for smooth faders, good eq-ing knobs. a 2 channel mixer is all
you need (one for each turntable). i like having a third channel to
run drum machines, my pc, etc. through. what kind of mixer you need
has a lot to do with what kind of music you intend on spinning.

amp (1): amplifies sound from the mixer. sends that sound to...
speakers (1? 2? 5?): if i have to explain what speakers are....

cables (x): buy good RCA cables ('monster' cables, if you can afford
them after all the other equip. purchases). take care of them. they
matter.

records (you can never have enough): personally, i like sandbox
automatic (sandboxautomatic.com) a lot, but thats all hip-hop. and i
don't actually buy records from them, i just use them to see what's
out, and maybe listen to a couple songs. if you're near a
somewhat-big city, find a good record store. you can usually listen
to the records before you buy them, and get some good reccomendations.
from my experience in chicago, record stores are full of rather
friendly people who love talking about music. you just can't find
that online (not even in a newsgroup).


if you're going to buy any DJ equipment, find a DJ to go with you.
the people trying to sell you your turntables, mixer, carts, etc. are
working for commission. they'll be nice, and honest, but they won't
reccomend the mixer that does everything you need that is $75 less
than the one they're showing you.


okay. that's all i've got. ask more, if you need to.

sjw

Hey,

Thanks heaps for that you are an absoloute legend. It's really hard starting
to get into something you know absoloutely nothing about, except for the
music part!

I have one more question though, you said the carts you need depend on the
music. Well what would you recommend for really bass filled house music?
Although I would love to sometimes play some Hard NRG, would this be a
problem?

> if i have to explain what speakers are....

Well no I think I've got that down but still some suggestions for the best
ones would be good.

Once again thanks so much for your help.

Ruthy ;p

sjw

Hi!

Well I guess I would mainly like to play funky house music, Hard NRG would
also be good though. I know they're a bit different to each other so I guess
it would be different equipment needed. If you could just let me know for
house though that would be awesome.

Thanks

Ruthy ;p

d parker

Ditto what William said. However I am going to thro a whammy in here that
may or may not create a few heated arguments later on.

Have you considered CD. (Arrg,. I hear the purists screaming already). You
can get into CD mixing economically using a cheap mixer and "reasonable"
players. This will get you started. If after some time you chose to go down
the path of vinyl- go for it. The advantage, of course, is you can be mixing
using the CDs that are already in your home collection and you don't have
to buy bucketloads of new media.


DP
"sjw" <sarawar@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:TZ8wc.6364$rz4.3359@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> Hello!
>
> My name's Ruthy, all my life I have absoloutely loved music and now I want
> to start learning to DJ. I have no idea what equipment I'd need to start
up
> or what any of it does (apart from the obvious: turntables and slipmats).
> Can anybody please give me a brief list of the main equipment and a quick
> description of what it is. I would truly appreciate it.
>
> Another thing, which website would you guys rate as the best to buy vinyl?
>
> Ruthy ;p
>
>
>

William Swyter

> I have one more question though, you said the carts you need depend on the
> music. Well what would you recommend for really bass filled house music?
> Although I would love to sometimes play some Hard NRG, would this be a
> problem?
>
> > if i have to explain what speakers are....
>
> Well no I think I've got that down but still some suggestions for the best
> ones would be good.
>
> Once again thanks so much for your help.
>
> Ruthy ;p

I picked up my carts on a whim, actually. i'm sure i could have made
a more informed decision on them, but i didn't. it might be a good
idea (cheaper too, maybe) to buy the popular
headshell-cartridge-stylus combinations...

http://www.stantondj.com/alpha44/loa...rackmasterIIrs


speakers...hmm...i honestly don't know much about speakers. i try not
to DJ at places that require me to bring them. at home i just run
everything through a rather unspectacular set of old speakers. they
don't sound bad in my apartment.

also, if you're planning on spinning house and NRG, i'd reccomend
avoiding turntables with a straight tonearm (there are a few stanton
models that feature straight tonearms, which are great for scratching,
but sometimes bad for elliptical stylii and tracking). this won't be
a problem with most technics and numark decks (though numark does have
interchangable S-shaped and straight tonearms on some models).

glad you found the information useful...

will.

sjw

Great Thanks so much...

Now it's just getting the money side of things together!

Ruthy ;p

sjw

Thanks for the idea but the sound quality of vinyl just seems so much
better. To me it seems like true DJ-ing.

Ruthy ;p

sjw

Actually sorry, another question...

Headphones- recommendations?

Ruthy ;p

Ulrich

Sony MDR-7506 Rugged (unlike other DJ Sony 'phones) replaceable parts.
Industrie standerd

Audio-Technica ATH-M40 Slightly better sound than the Sonys. Better
looking, and less dear, as well. I can't yet speak to long term durability,
though.


"sjw" <sarawar@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:PxCwc.8548$rz4.6264@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Actually sorry, another question...
>
> Headphones- recommendations?
>
> Ruthy ;p
>
>

Ulrich

Decks Technics sl12xx. If you can't afford two, get one, and nick an on
turntable from your gran. Or Get a 1200, and some POS belt drive. You'll be
half way to having two 1200s, rather than $600 further away, as you would be
if you started with a pair of mid grade decks.

All you need to know about mixers: Rane, Rane, Rane.

Pioneer, depsite the "features", and blinkin' lites, are pure crap. To quote
the sound man at a large Los Angeles club "After over ten years our Rane
finally died, we put in a Pioneer, and it sounded so bad, that I thought I
had some blown speakers."

The Rane MP22 is the Ultimate House mixer, and is selling at 160 - 300 on
ebay.

Otherwise look for a slow x-fader cure, or adjustable cure. Avoid: beat
counters, flangers, and clutter.

Speakers and amp: Again nic them from your gran, or buy them at a garage
sale. Get massive 1970s gear. Not suitable for playing out, but great for
practice, and cheap.

Interconect cables: whatever is cheapest. Hosa from your lacal Guitar-mart
is fine. Monster cable is pretty, but very costly, and does not improve
your sound at all.

Speaker wire: For your home practice rig: 14 or 16 AWG zip cord. For a
system that plays out, you'll need 14 to 12 awg, flexible cable, but that's
another thread.

Carts Staton 500s, will do the job.

At home I just practice using a cassete adabter in a boom box. If I plugged
in my whole rig, I'd be apartment hunting in no time.

FWIW, my rig:

2 silver sl1200mk2
Shure SC35C carts
Rane TTM54I
Sony MDR 7506, or Audio Technica ATH-M40 whichever 'phones I feel like
using.
2 Yamaha 10" 2 ways
2 Comunity 12" 2 ways
2 QSC amps
Beringer comp/limiter
Rane X-over
Rane EQ
Effectron delay (On MC mic only)
Cerwin Vega B-36 18" sub
--

Ulrich DoD#732
www.dj-ulrich.com
adelphia email addy is never checked, please use URL above.

William Swyter

>
> Headphones- recommendations?


not really. i'm using a pair of technics headphones that cost around
$60, and have no complaints. well, thats not exactly true -- i have
no complaints about the sound quality. a couple of tiny screws came
out of them when a tiny piece of plastic broke off, and now they don't
want to stay together. one of the cups is now being held on by duct
tape. hmm...so maybe spend a little more, or spend less and take care
of them. i'm sure other people can give better advice.

will.

dj

One thing I would do is serch this thread for earlier posts like Speakers,
Mixers, Amps, Mics, etc...and get an idea of what others have asked.
Depending on if you want to Club DJ or Mobile or Both is important.

DJFIXX
"sjw" <sarawar@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:TZ8wc.6364$rz4.3359@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> Hello!
>
> My name's Ruthy, all my life I have absoloutely loved music and now I want
> to start learning to DJ. I have no idea what equipment I'd need to start
> up
> or what any of it does (apart from the obvious: turntables and slipmats).
> Can anybody please give me a brief list of the main equipment and a quick
> description of what it is. I would truly appreciate it.
>
> Another thing, which website would you guys rate as the best to buy vinyl?
>
> Ruthy ;p
>
>
>