How to Start DJing: Gear, Software and Your First Mix
The minimum DJ setup, choosing software, getting music, the first five skills to learn and how to record your first mix.
By LetsRock editors · · 6 min read
Starting to DJ has never been more affordable. A laptop, a controller and a pair of headphones are enough to learn everything that matters. Here's what you need, which software to choose and how to get from your first session to your first proper mix.
The minimum setup
| Item | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| DJ controller | Two decks, a mixer and jog wheels in one unit, connected to a laptop | A two-channel controller is plenty for learning |
| Laptop | Runs the DJ software and stores your music | Most recent laptops are powerful enough |
| Headphones | Let you hear the next track before the crowd | Closed-back, comfortable, with a swivel cup |
| Speakers | So you can hear the mix in the room | Studio monitors or decent powered speakers |
You can add turntables or club-standard media players later, but a controller teaches the same skills.
Choosing software
Most controllers come bundled with one of the main programs:
- rekordbox: widely used because club equipment often supports it, which makes moving from home to club easier.
- Serato DJ: popular in hip-hop and open-format DJing, known for being stable and simple.
- Traktor: loved by many techno and house DJs for its flexible effects and looping.
- djay and VirtualDJ: beginner-friendly options, some with streaming integration.
Pick the one that comes with your controller, learn it well and only switch if you have a clear reason.
Getting music
DJs need files or a streaming service that supports DJ software. Buy tracks from stores that sell high-quality downloads so you own them and they sound good on big speakers. Organise from day one: playlists by genre, energy or BPM save you a lot of panic later.
The first skills to learn
- Counting beats and phrases. Most dance music is built in groups of 8, 16 and 32 beats. Mixes sound smooth when changes land at the start of a phrase.
- Beatmatching. Matching the tempo and phase of two tracks so they play in time. Learn it by ear, even if you use sync later.
- EQ mixing. Swap the bass between tracks instead of playing two basslines at once.
- Gain staging. Keep levels out of the red. Loud and distorted is not the same as energetic.
- Track selection. The most important skill of all: what you play next, and when.
A simple first practice routine
- Ten minutes: mix two copies of the same track to train your ears.
- Twenty minutes: mix tracks from one genre within a few BPM of each other.
- Ten minutes: record a short mix and listen back the next day.
Recording your first mix
Plan 8 to 10 tracks that flow in energy. Record a 30-minute mix in one take, mistakes included. Listen back, note two things to improve and record another next week. Progress comes from repetition and honest listening.
Common beginner mistakes
- Buying expensive gear before learning the basics.
- Riding the sync button without understanding beat grids.
- Playing every track at full volume with maximum effects.
- Never recording or listening back.
Everyone sounds rough at first. Keep your sessions short, regular and fun, and the skills follow.
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