Does Expensive Gear Make You A Good DJ ?

We all know that every profession requires time and experience in order to get to the ” I’m good at it” level. So is DJ’ing. You may even have to work harder than being in a different field.

Attending a DJ school or taking online courses surely helps you learn the techniques and the ” fine prints ” of ruling the decks and standing in that booth with confidence and self-esteem.

Going through all these, do you think you’d need to own the best equipment possible ? Can budget gear also let you succeed in your DJ career ? Let’s talk about it.

As a veteran DJ, I always believe the quality of tools make a difference in your performance. Your controller’s faders, knobs, buttons, audio circuits in it, simply everything plays a role on how you command the set.

Unless you have no clue about DJ’ing, you’ll know what I mean. Being able to adjust your crossfader, having touch-sensitive knobs, working with color displays on your control surface, spinning those large size high quality jog wheels.. All contribute something positive to your mixing skills and performance. What about effects, samples ?

Now, you can’t get most of these features on low-end controllers. Even if they exist, it won’t be the same as other good ones. Never the same feeling.

There is a reason pitch slider length is long,  jog wheels are big, platter is dual zone, multiple audio inputs are installed in the back and so on.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to the point saying ” You have to buy the most expensive one “. In fact, you may never need the most expensive. For example, Pioneer DDJ-SZ. Huge controller ! The size and weight of 2 CDJs and a DJM. Every possible feature you ever find out there is on this piece of art.

Do you or will you ever need all of them ? I don’t think so. So, the best of the best may not be for you.

The best way of deciding about your gear is what your intentions are. Want to be professional or just a hobbyist, maybe a mobile or wedding DJ ? Each requires different features and specs.

No matter which path you drive down, my advice to you is choosing a good brand with the same features. I understand that your budget might be limited but there is always an option for everybody from the same manufacturer. Don’t go for the smallest controller just because you need portability or the heaviest for best features.

Take a look at this website I recently built, DJ Controller Guide. You can search for the best gear for your needs and get a better idea of your options.

As a conclusion to this article, I advice you not to go for cheap gear just because you can’t afford others. It may be a better idea to wait a bit and save more for the better one.

Last updated by Murat Celikbas on February 3, 2015.