Setting Up a DJ Practice Area at Home

Whether you want to become the next Carl Cox or you just want to entertain your friends with cool beats, you will need to put in ample time learning and mastering DJing skills.
Early on, it is an excellent idea to have your own devoted space for your practice. Apart from helping you perfect your skills, having a practice area at home; will allow you to attain a higher degree of creativity in crafting your setlists; without being disturbed.
Plus, with all the equipment you need, it can be hard to put in practice time if you move from one area to another.
What pieces of equipment do you need to set up your practice space at home? Here’s a breakdown of the essentials.

Computer

No modern DJ setup would be complete without a computer. A computer provides you with a stable and versatile backbone that serves multiple functions.
For one, you can use it to store and organize your digital files. You can also use your computer to connect to the Internet to find and download new tracks from emerging artists.
But a computer is only as good as the software you use. For software, the best place to start is the one; which is bundled with the DJ setup you bought. This will allow you to access and control your music files.

Aside from the DJ software, you might want to invest in a digital audio workstation or DAW if you’re going to create original music.
As for the specs of your hardware, the best place to start is to check the system requirements of the software you plan on using. Although you can use either a desktop or laptop computer, you might want to consider the former for your home setup because you can easily upgrade it.

DJ Equipment

Along with a computer, your DJ equipment is an essential foundation for your home setup.
As a rule of thumb, you should invest in high-quality DJ gear that meets not only your current needs but, more importantly, your future needs as you expand your skills.
It is an excellent idea to stick with more established brands; that have been known to produce quality products for DJs. These include Pioneer, Numark, Roland, Native Instruments, and Denon.
The great thing about starting the hobby today is that you have different options to choose from to suit your needs and budget.
For starters, you can choose a basic turntable setup if you prefer mixing vinyl. Or you can use a CDJ setup if you prefer CDs. Many new DJs getting started with the craft; might also want to check out DJ controllers.

Headphones And Speakers

Headphones are a critical part of your DJ setup, allowing you to mix your tracks seamlessly. When you are just starting out, you can use the headphones that you currently have.
But as you continue to progress in the craft, you might want to invest in high-quality headphones. Because you are going to use your headphones a lot, it is worthwhile to invest in the best pair that you can afford. In choosing headphones, put greater emphasis on audio quality, comfort, and durability.

Should you buy open or closed-back headphones?

For a home setup, you can use open-back headphones, which offer a few advantages. For one, these headphones have better overall sound quality. Furthermore, these are structured to allow your ears to breathe. The downside is that these headphones allow sound to leak out, which is a significant disadvantage in loud environments. But for a practice session at home, open-back headphones are more than adequate.
For speakers, you can start with the ones that you currently have in your home. But as you progress, you might want to invest in high-quality speakers, which allow you to get a more accurate sound for your mixes.
For a beginner, you can’t go wrong with a pair of studio monitors. These speakers deliver music in its unadulterated form. However, these speakers are not meant to be used for larger venue.

If you are planning to invest in speakers that you can bring along to your gigs, consider investing in a Hi-Fi system. At home, you can use a Hi-Fi system to check out your mixes; especially the highs and lows of each song.

Subwoofers are a welcome addition to any home setup. Although these speakers are not considered essential; they can add greater enjoyment.

Start practicing

It can be difficult to practice when you need to move from one area in your home to another, hauling your DJ gear. When you find a devoted space for all your equipment; it will become easier for you to log in more hours for practice; because all you have to do is to begin playing. And the more hours of training you put in, the faster you can improve as a DJ.

AUTHOR BIO

Amrit Shivlani is the Founder and CEO at Music Majlis, a community-driven e-commerce platform; that offers a wide variety of musical instruments and equipment for every musician and sound professional. The company’s goal is to make music-making, recording, producing and mixing accessible and available to everyone.