Total Noobie... Need Advice.

Hey All,

I really want to get into DJing edm/electro music. I have no clue as to what gear to buy.

I would like to go all digital, no CDs. Does that mean I am going with a controller?

I hear Serato Scratch Live is what a lot of big names are using. Any other reasons not to use it?

I will be using my desktop for my computer for now. If I decide to go further, I plan on getting a MacBook. Is it true Macs put out better sound quality than a PC? I am a PC guy at heart, but I don't mind using a Mac for DJing.

I will be using my tower speakers that is powered by a receiver for now as well. I got a pair of noise cancelling headphones already.

Pretty much the only thing I want to buy now is the controller. Budget is under $1000. Does the rule, you get what you pay for apply here?

Thanks for any help!

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Originally Posted by Glowsticks

I hear Serato Scratch Live is what a lot of big names are using. Any other reasons not to use it?

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Scratch live is for turntables, so you will want Serato Itch, Traktor, Virtual DJ, or Mixxx. (Might have missed one)

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Originally Posted by Glowsticks

I will be using my desktop for my computer for now. If I decide to go further, I plan on getting a MacBook. Is it true Macs put out better sound quality than a PC? I am a PC guy at heart, but I don't mind using a Mac for DJing.

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I use my desktop and its great. Macs are preferred by the DJing community because of many factors that nobody is going to want to debate about here. On the same note, windows laptops can handle all the software just as well. Its your preference.

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Originally Posted by Glowsticks

will be using my tower speakers that is powered by a receiver for now as well. I got a pair of noise cancelling headphones already.

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I'm doing the same thing.

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Originally Posted by Glowsticks

Pretty much the only thing I want to buy now is the controller. Budget is under $1000. Does the rule, you get what you pay for apply here?

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Buy a $200 controller, buy again.

That's the free advice. Read up on this site before you give any money away. Try demos of software, go to the music store and play with their gear, buy your software and pay for your music. Do this because you want to though. Not because its cool.

Every noob thinks its about the gear. Mess around for a few months on virtual DJ using just your computer like I did. Sure you can drop a G on what ever we tell you, but your not going to know how to use any of it, get frustrated, the sell to guys like us for half the price.

My 3 points of advice

1. READ the forum, and SEARCH - there are 10 post's like this every week, and you can save everyone, including yourself, time
2. Learn the basics to DJing on VDJ or something (at least 2 weeks) before you buy anything
3. Buy when you're ready and buy cheap - like dripstep said - $200
(I started with a Hercules RMX - $150 on craigslist a few years ago and I would recommend it)

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Originally Posted by Emery

3. Buy when you're ready and buy cheap - like dripstep said - $200
(I started with a Hercules RMX - $150 on craigslist a few years ago and I would recommend it)

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What I was saying is don't buy cheap. Spend 3 months playing with the software demos. If you like it, and want to dj, then spend some money on quality gear. This isn't some instant gratification game here, (despite what the midifighter says) you have to put time, effort and countless hours into getting "good". Take your time, music will still be there when you are 100% sure when you know what you want.

Im sorry but I have to disagree. 3 months on the software? After one month I couldn't stand using a mouse, it was so limiting. I could have mapped my keyboard, but I had some money so I got a cheap controller.

When I got the RMX it was perfect because it had a built in sound card and had all the basic controls, plus a solid build. If I would have waited and jumped straight to an S4 I would have been so lost and confused with all the controls. No one wants to spend $1000 only to feel completely overwhelmed and lost. That when buyers remorse kicks in.

Plus within two weeks of getting my S4 I sold my RMX for $150. Same price I paid a year earlier