[Newbie] DJ Checklist.

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

[Newbie] DJ Checklist.

Hey guys,

I have been reading up for nearly 4 weeks now on all the threads and (trying to) absorb as much information as I can and try to incorporate it. So if there is a thread like this already made, then I am really sorry for double posting.

I just got in to the DJing scene and my friends are having a small house party (probably have about 55 - 65) people over and they want me to DJ. I have been thinking about it, and I honestly would rather do it infront of my friends first and then see how it goes and learn from those mistakes. Since I got my S4 (On Saturday, but opened it on Monday) I have been practicing mixing, and learning and working on DJing for 3 - 5 hours a night since Monday.

The one thing I did not realize is how much stuff / what you need to actually setup / play a small house party.

I was wondering if you guys could tell me what all you take to small gigs so I could make myself a check list and see what all I still need / what all I have and what all I should bring along. I will be updating this thread with all the information I get as well, so after we collect the information everyone who needs it (or is relatively new like myself) can print this out and have a checklist to make sure they are taking everything along!

Thanks guys,
Coldfuzion

Checklist:
Laptop (And Wires)
DJ Controller (And Wires)
Speakers / PA System
Headphones
Flashlight (Pref. LED)
Power Strip (The bigger the better, WITH Surge Protection)

  • Or someone suggested either carrying two smaller ones
  • Or carry two big power strips [this is what I would do]
    Extra AC Adaptor
    Extra Batteries (All types)
    Extra TRS 1/4" or RCA Cables
    A couple of tools:
  • Pliers
  • Knife
  • Saw [I would not recommend walking around or to a gig with a chain saw, just from personal experience]
  • Screwdrivers
  • Electrical Tape
    Ipod or some sort of music that can be left playing by itself for a bit.
    Gaffer Tape
    Ground Loop Isolator
    Jack to Phono Lead
    XLR Big-Jack Converter
2

Is there a sound system there? If not you will have to provide the PA, that means speakers and an Amp or self powered speakers.

Otherwise pack all your normal stuff and always bring:

  • Flashlight (preferably a flat led one you can keep between your teeth for when you’re trying to wire things up in darkness and need both hands)

  • Power strip with as many outlets as you need to plug in all your shit, this one has saved me SO many times. There are NEVER enough plugs anywhere near a DJ booth, at a club or a party. Assume that you will only ever have 1 outlet to plug everything into, plan accordingly.

  • Extra AC adapter for your laptop and an extra battery if you can (hey you never know)

  • Extra TRS 1/4" or RCA cables, again you will be surprised at how often these will come in handy.

  • I would also bring a small leatherman like multi-tool for the pliers, knife, saw and screwdriver bits, as well as electrical tape.

  • Some form of long play music in the form of a self mixing playlist, an iPod, music player or CD you can throw on in case you need to use the loo, run an do something quick, recover from a system crash etc.

That’s all I can think of right now, there was a DJTT post made a long time ago in the blog that covered this.

3

Sorry about that, that’s what I was looking for and I could not find it. Thank you very much though for your response, its extremely helpful to me!

4

Make sure that your Power Strip has Surge Protection. Very important.

5

Updated :slight_smile:! I spilled chocolate milk over my Laptop a little less than a month ago and ended up changing from a PC to a Mac, and since then every item I have bough (which is pretty much all my DJ stuff) I have gotten full coverage on for 3 years. But that is always great advice (the surge protection)! Thanks!

6

Yeah mate the only crash i have ever had with Traktor Pro was due to a huge power surge that knocked half the club out and froze 2 laptops. Wasnt using a power surge adapter and a lesson was learnt.

7

Gaffer tape just in case you’re running cables everywhere etc.

8

I’d recommend two smaller power boards as opposed to one big one, then if one goes you’ve always got another.

9

Ground loop isolators in case of unwanted humming maybe?

10

Hey K!!

Out of interest…what did you MacBook do?

Did it freeze with the static on the screen and a message saying it needs to be restarted?

Just checking, cuz this happened to me in the Club the other night.
I been researching and found that it is due to power surges.

Did you get a doodaa to prevent it happening? Like a Surge Protector?
Did it help?

That’s the only time my lappy has ever crashed…is due to this.

11

a baseball bat! (or the chain saw!) to protect your new S4! really get some really sturdy table! (may hold when someone falls on it) and something that will protect the S4 from drunked people and their drinks!

Good luck!

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I would also throw in a jack to phono lead so just in case the shit hits the fan u can get some kind of sound out of your laptop. also carry around an xlr-big jack converter just in case the mic input on the mixer(old mixers is jack) has saved me acouple of times:slight_smile:

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Updated, thanks for the input!