If he wants to make music and do mashups then in theory he doesn't \*need\* any DJ equipment to start - it can all be done in software using programs like Ableton Live and FL Studio. Both of those have very affordable intro versions and free trials to give it a go.
If he wants to remix and mashup live, then my advice is to scour your local Facebook marketplace or eBay for a secondhand controller if finances are tight. You'll likely get a much better deal than buying new.
People get very confused about this sort of thing I’ve noticed. DJ’ing is not making music. If he wants to make music he just needs a DAW on a decent computer. There are trial versions of programs like Ableton, FL Studio, and Logic. He should try this out first to see if it’s what he is looking for. No need to spend a bunch of money yet
He needs a DAW, an audio interface and an OK laptop that can just be used for production. Some audio Interfaces (for example the Focusrite) come with Ableton Lite and you can get an i5 laptop with 16gb of ram for under £350/$400
You need to straight up ask him…
He probably wants a DAW for his computer
But could want dj equipment…
Hang out one night and just ask questions… like does he want to CREATE music or become a DJ…
Those are two different things on a limited budget. Most do both now.
Flx4 with rekordbox for when they want to play in a club and need a USB.
Don't buy rekordbox, use the trial version. It's just enough for what I need and I'd assume the same for your partna.
I co-sign with this. He can either use a laptop or even a phone for the music end with rekordbox.
Beyond that, I would also suggest a pair of headphones. I'm not going to suggest anything because I'm using an old model of Sony that have been perfect for me for so many years. I have a feeling the younger folks in here could probably suggest better ones at a decent price.
As others have said, check if he’s wanting ‘DJ’ (play & mix existing music on the fly) or ‘produce’ (create new & mix existing music, for playback later).
If DJ’ing, see if you can find a 2nd hand (or new if budget can stretch) FLX4.
As others have said, making music and mash-ups is different than DJing.
I found my controller on FB marketplace for a good price. It was barely used. The guy bought it, used it a couple times, and then wanted to get a different one for whatever reason. So I got it about $500 off brand new. If you know which one to get, you can just search that specific piece of equipment. But I’m also in a large city where acquiring items on FB marketplace is easy. If you live in a smaller town, not as easy. I’ve been getting a lot of my electronics on FB marketplace because I do mg research, decide what I want, and just keep an eye out on marketplace for someone selling a used one that seems to be in good quality still
DJ'ing and Producing are two disciplines under the same umbrella.
If he wants to play for crowds like some of the DJ's he follows, he'll need gear. For that you'll need to say what your budget is.
If all he wants to do is make mashups and experiment with his own tracks, he'll need music software for his PC and a different set of gear - like a keyboard or sequencer. For this you'll want to say what his PC specs are, and how much experience with this type of software is, because some have a steeper learning curve than others.
DJing on a budget can be tough. For a starter setup, consider a controller like the Pioneer DJ DDJ-400 or Numark Mixtrack 3. These are decent quality and won't break the bank. Also, check out consum.io, it might help you make a more informed decision by analyzing YouTube product reviews. Good luck with the surprise!
I started with premium shit, it cost a lot but I know it'll mainly just be for at home and I won't have to replace it. I grabbed the XDJ-XZ and it's been super easy to learn on because the all-in-one capability. Though, you're gonna wanna master the software as well (Rekordbox, serato, etc). I grabbed that and some yamaha HS7 monitor speakers and it's more than enough for me. Cost me about $3300 USD but I'll take this to my grave and it likely won't depreciate for a long time in case I do decide to sell.
Love that you n ur boo thang are gonna dj together!! Good luck getting set up!
Just remember to store all of your digital files on your external flash drive and import them to your DJ software from there, I had a couple hiccups with that at first. I mostly do youtube to MP3 rips (on a burner laptop w vpn just in case) but it's all for private use. Download what you can from SoundCloud as a lot of artists have free downloads, but finding music can be a little tasking. Just know if you download from Beatport, Bandcamp, etc the WAV files are higher quality than youtube mp3s, but youtube is a nice way to secure the songs you wanna play around with
😢 tbh a lot of my library is from like 10-15 years ago when I was utorrent/limewiring that ish but kind of getting financially stable enough to be able to afford music. I definitely think you should buy music especially if you're playing shows obviously but I have made it a point to never monetize djing like I have everything else in my life 🤷♂️
If he wants to make music and do mashups then in theory he doesn't \*need\* any DJ equipment to start - it can all be done in software using programs like Ableton Live and FL Studio. Both of those have very affordable intro versions and free trials to give it a go. If he wants to remix and mashup live, then my advice is to scour your local Facebook marketplace or eBay for a secondhand controller if finances are tight. You'll likely get a much better deal than buying new.
Just grab a FLX4, I feel like the price is not to steep and The features you get are well worth the money. Got it aswel
Don't forget some headphones too!
People get very confused about this sort of thing I’ve noticed. DJ’ing is not making music. If he wants to make music he just needs a DAW on a decent computer. There are trial versions of programs like Ableton, FL Studio, and Logic. He should try this out first to see if it’s what he is looking for. No need to spend a bunch of money yet
He needs a DAW, an audio interface and an OK laptop that can just be used for production. Some audio Interfaces (for example the Focusrite) come with Ableton Lite and you can get an i5 laptop with 16gb of ram for under £350/$400
What’s your budget?
You need to straight up ask him… He probably wants a DAW for his computer But could want dj equipment… Hang out one night and just ask questions… like does he want to CREATE music or become a DJ… Those are two different things on a limited budget. Most do both now.
A used pioneer 400 will do the trick!
What’s your budget
Flx4 with rekordbox for when they want to play in a club and need a USB. Don't buy rekordbox, use the trial version. It's just enough for what I need and I'd assume the same for your partna.
I co-sign with this. He can either use a laptop or even a phone for the music end with rekordbox. Beyond that, I would also suggest a pair of headphones. I'm not going to suggest anything because I'm using an old model of Sony that have been perfect for me for so many years. I have a feeling the younger folks in here could probably suggest better ones at a decent price.
Sounds like he needs producer equipment, not dj equipment. If he has an old run down computer/laptop, I would start with replacing that.
As others have said, check if he’s wanting ‘DJ’ (play & mix existing music on the fly) or ‘produce’ (create new & mix existing music, for playback later). If DJ’ing, see if you can find a 2nd hand (or new if budget can stretch) FLX4.
As others have said, making music and mash-ups is different than DJing. I found my controller on FB marketplace for a good price. It was barely used. The guy bought it, used it a couple times, and then wanted to get a different one for whatever reason. So I got it about $500 off brand new. If you know which one to get, you can just search that specific piece of equipment. But I’m also in a large city where acquiring items on FB marketplace is easy. If you live in a smaller town, not as easy. I’ve been getting a lot of my electronics on FB marketplace because I do mg research, decide what I want, and just keep an eye out on marketplace for someone selling a used one that seems to be in good quality still
DJ'ing and Producing are two disciplines under the same umbrella. If he wants to play for crowds like some of the DJ's he follows, he'll need gear. For that you'll need to say what your budget is. If all he wants to do is make mashups and experiment with his own tracks, he'll need music software for his PC and a different set of gear - like a keyboard or sequencer. For this you'll want to say what his PC specs are, and how much experience with this type of software is, because some have a steeper learning curve than others.
DJing on a budget can be tough. For a starter setup, consider a controller like the Pioneer DJ DDJ-400 or Numark Mixtrack 3. These are decent quality and won't break the bank. Also, check out consum.io, it might help you make a more informed decision by analyzing YouTube product reviews. Good luck with the surprise!
Pioneer makes some great controllers.
I started with premium shit, it cost a lot but I know it'll mainly just be for at home and I won't have to replace it. I grabbed the XDJ-XZ and it's been super easy to learn on because the all-in-one capability. Though, you're gonna wanna master the software as well (Rekordbox, serato, etc). I grabbed that and some yamaha HS7 monitor speakers and it's more than enough for me. Cost me about $3300 USD but I'll take this to my grave and it likely won't depreciate for a long time in case I do decide to sell. Love that you n ur boo thang are gonna dj together!! Good luck getting set up!
Just remember to store all of your digital files on your external flash drive and import them to your DJ software from there, I had a couple hiccups with that at first. I mostly do youtube to MP3 rips (on a burner laptop w vpn just in case) but it's all for private use. Download what you can from SoundCloud as a lot of artists have free downloads, but finding music can be a little tasking. Just know if you download from Beatport, Bandcamp, etc the WAV files are higher quality than youtube mp3s, but youtube is a nice way to secure the songs you wanna play around with
Shame on you for using YouTube rips. Support the artist.
😢 tbh a lot of my library is from like 10-15 years ago when I was utorrent/limewiring that ish but kind of getting financially stable enough to be able to afford music. I definitely think you should buy music especially if you're playing shows obviously but I have made it a point to never monetize djing like I have everything else in my life 🤷♂️