Does Better Gear Make You a Better DJ?

If you are thinking of buying some new gears to up your DJ game, then hang on a bit. DJing is an art. Here the art matters the most not gears. I have a perfect one liner, to sum up the whole thing for you. If you have the skills, you don’t have to pay high bills.

The functionalities of better gears are great for working smoothly and efficiently. But surely, they will not teach a DJ how to be the star of a party. A DJ must have the skills to make everyone groove with the music. And some decent gears are enough to do that. 

Don’t get me wrong here! Better gears are good but the more important question is: Does better gear make you a better DJ? Stick with this article. Get the facts checked and then decide whether you really need to upgrade or not.

Whom Do You Call A Good DJ?

Can you call someone a good DJ who is playing music from a hi-end gadget? I fear not! A good DJ is an artist who can sync different music and create something magical out of it. 

He or she has the sense to connect people with music and becomes the center of a party. With a sense of creativity and timing, DJ’s create an environment that engages each and every one and eventually their music takes control of each body.

So, after knowing about the characteristics of a good DJ, do you still think only technical knowledge or better gears can make you one? No is the answer, I guess. With the technical abilities, you also need to have all these essential skills to pull off a successful party with some decent gears.

Do You Really Need Better Gears?

The answer to the question is not that simple actually. I mean just look at the performances of famous DJ’s like Kevin Saunderson, Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, and Marshmallow. They are rocking enormous crowds with their budget controllers like Kontrol S4, Pioneer DDJ-RB, and Pioneer DDJ-SB3

Also, look around your local parties. You will find your local ones are managing huge parties with classic Midi Controllers. It’s not about what gears you are using, rather it is about how you are using them. 

If you have the skills, then you can easily manage everything with decent gears too. The word of motivation for you is that If they can do it and become famous, then you can do it too.

But please don’t take it otherwise. It feels great to work with better gadgets like Pioneer Nexus Setup, Numark NS7 III, or Traktor Kontrol S8. These gears are offering a lot of functionalities and on top of that, you will enjoy a premium experience.

But if you have the skills to pull off a party with a Kontrol S4 or a Midi Controller, then why does your pocket need to suffer from a premium deal? 

Best DJ Controllers Under $100

Best DJ Controllers Under $250

If you are just a beginner don’t get confused with the bells and whistles the premium ones are making. Just stick with one which is offering a decent spec sheet. But If you have the money, then upgrade your gear game with better ones.

How to Become A Master DJ?

Let me remind you of the line again- if you have the skills, you do not have to pay high bills for gears. But how do you hone those skills ? Well, let’s look at some ways you can do that. 

01. Polish your craft regularly

Djing is a craft and you have to polish your craft with continuous practice. Going to the stage with an empty head will not help you in any way. 

The best response you can get from the crowd is loud booing. Nobody is so talented that they can create great music with no practice. So, it’s better to practice hard and hone your skills regularly. 

You can also try enrolling in a good DJ course and there are plenty of those online. Various websites like Udemy and Masterclass provide excellent courses on becoming a DJ by veteran professionals.

02. Expand your creativity

Make plans, prepare different music for each event, and polish your craft with your own uniqueness. As a DJ you are not just supposed to just mix up the songs of other musicians. Use your own creativity, add something new to every song and make it your own. 

And Don’t forget that a DJ is no less than a music director. They can make new music in their own style. Even famous ones have made a lot of their music with cheap gadgets but the quality speaks for itself.

03. Update yourself with new trends

Always look forward to new music, fusions, and options that the world is offering to your music. Follow the trends, use your uniqueness to create new music, and add new content as well as concepts to give it a perfect touch. 

04. Make your own playlist

Create your own playlist and don’t stop making music for the future. Then, you will never be stuck with the new trends. It will also give you enough content to adapt to any situation and produce new music spontaneously.

When you have your creativity and knowledge at your disposal, you can easily produce great music with the most ordinary gear. Thus, know the strings and attach them in perfect positions. Then you are good to go.

05. Know your audience

The audience does not care about what gears you have. But certainly, they love you when you prefer their choices. As an artist, you know that your audience makes you whatever you are.

Does that mean you will just play music according to their wish? Obviously not! Knowing your audience also means when you are playing, you have to observe their reactions, ponder over them, and dissect their likings and dislikings. 

Connect yourself with them. Give preference to their feelings. Then, you will surely be able to get onto their nerves and make them groove with the music. This thing cannot be achieved by any expensive gear.

Conclusion

So, does better gear make you a better DJ? To be a good DJ, you need skills, not better gears. Give yourself time, polish your work, and time will show you what it has stored for you. It does not necessarily mean better gears are unnecessary. 

Obviously, if you have the privilege to have them, why should you avoid them. But If you are just a beginner, it’s better to avoid them for now and focus more on improving your skills.

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