Equipment — DJing for Blues and Swing dancers Part 4
The time has come. We need to have a talk. This is probably something we should have cleared up from the beginning so we all were on the same page, but here we are. Four post in and we only get to the fundamentals now. It’s time to talk about equipment. We will have a bit of a chat about software, hardware, and recommended additional equipment to keep in your bag. This might not be the most exciting of posts so here is a playlist to keep you company while reading.
If you want to catch up with the previous parts:
I am not paid by any of these software or hardware providers so these are just a few options among many, feel free to go out and find your own. I mean even if I was paid you should feel free to do so. These just happen to be things I have experience with.
Software
There are many software options for playing music. They range from your standard software like iTunes, VLC and Windows Media Player to dedicated DJ software such as Virtual DJ, Mixx, DJ pro and Traktor. Some people prefer using customizable programs such as MusicBee or Fubar. Personally I have stuck to Virtual DJ since I started DJing. The most important thing is that you find a software that works for you and that you feel comfortable with.
You don’t necessarily need a purpose built DJ software to play blues and swing as you will use about 10% of it’s functions so you might be setting yourself up for a steeper learning curve than needed. Personally I think it is worth it in the end, but it is up to you to find out what suits your needs and style best.
Here are the things I value in software I use for DJing:
1. Good sound fidelity.
Not all software is created equally and the fidelity in sound can vary greatly between them. I have listened to tunes on VLC and discarded them as awful, or worse, boring. I have then put them into Virtual DJ and have them sound a lot better. I have been told this shouldn’t be the case. I don’t care, this is my experience.
2. Supporting a wide range of file formats
Your music may come in a variety of file formats depending on where you get it from. Make sure your software at the very minimum can handle MP3, FLAC, and WAV.
3. EQ
Make sure the software you use allows you to play with the EQ. You will need it. Your software should have at the very minimum a 3 channel EQ. This is unfortunately all that the free version of Virtual DJ offers. I know that MusicBee offers a 10 channel EQ which is obviously more work to learn how to use but also yields much better results. I will probably write a post about using EQ later.
4. Preview
Unless you have perfect memory for songs you will need a preview function. This is especially true when you start getting multiple versions of the same song. Without preview I will be hard pressed to tell the 7 versions I have of Count Basie’s Blues in Hoss’ Flat apart.
Oh right, I forgot to explain what preview is. Preview is the ability to listen to one track in your earphones while you are playing another song on the sound system. Regardless of your software you will need an external sound card [see below] to do it unless your internal allows for dual output.
Anyway, all purpose built have the option. If your software doesn’t allow for it you need to use two different software and route one to your main music output and the other to your earphone output.
5. Easy library management
I am a messy person. To make it worse I am pretty lazy as well. I like my software to make my sorting and tagging as easy as possible. If you want to keep things organized well in folders so you know where to find everything on your hard drive, good for you!
I have found a work around using Virtual DJs virtual folders. It allows me to sort by style, tempo, and whatever parameters I want. I can have a file in multiple Virtual folders as they are just shortcuts created inside the software. This allows me to quickly sort and tag music without having to move them from their original folders. The downside of this is that I have become a captive of Virtual DJ and I am unlikely to ever be able to leave the software without having to redo all my work.
Oh, there will be a later post about tagging and sorting.
6. BPM counter
I told you I’m lazy. I want my software to count the BPM for me so I don’t need to do it manually. Most automatic BPM counters are kind of rubbish at estimating BPM for Blues and Swing but usually it is wrong by estimating the BPM as twice or half of the actual BPM which is easily rectified with the click of a single button.
I can only give you advice on using Virtual DJ as it’s the only software I have used but do ask other DJs about their preferences.
Hardware
Computer
If you aren’t DJing from Vinyl or Shellac, I recommend using a computer, not a phone or a tablet. Mobile devices usually have worse sound output. It’s harder to find an external sound card that works with a mobile device. Most importantly, dance venues are warm and humid. Sweat and touch screens doesn’t mix well. Touch pads can be bad enough. I played a gig with a fever once and my hands were shaking so badly I accidentally changed songs. That was the last time I used automix. Ok, that was a lie, but I try to avoid using it as it makes me more accident prone.
When it comes to what type of computer it doesn’t matter much. If the computer can handle your software, you’re good.
External Sound Card
Here we go. this is where it gets difficult for real. I can’t recommend getting an external sound card enough. Without one you can’t preview which means you will be flying blind. Or DJing deaf. Once you start getting into more advanced sound cards you actually get better sound output than you would from your internal sound card. There are many options but I will talk about three that I have experience working with. None of them are perfect.
- Cheap unnamed card.
Pro:
- Cheap
Con:
- Bad sound quality
- Liable to break all the time.
I’m not kidding. If you use these cards always keep three of them in your bag. Nothing worse than showing up at a gig to find that your sound card isn’t working.
I would recommend these as cards for people who are curious about DJing but don’t yet know if you want to invest. They can also be useful to keep in your bag as a back up in case your main card stops working.
You can literally pick these up for under €0.50 from Ali Express
- Behringer UCA222
This used to be a decent sound card at a decent price point of €15–30. A good entry level card. The cheapest one I was able to find when writing this post was €60 and it’s not even remotely worth that.
Anyway, lets list some features
Pro:
- Offers both RCA and 3.5mm outputs
- Better sound quality than many computers
- Stable and can take a beating.
Con:
- The price is insane and you can get way better cards for this price.
- NI Audio 2 MK II
This is the card I use right now. It is actually a picture of the card I use. It has great sound quality, massive volume, wait I’ll list it properly.
Pro:
- Great sound quality
- Set up for headphones and main output from same card
- Great volume
- Able to integrate with most DJ software
- Compact size.
Con:
- Pricey at around €95
- Require installation of new drivers
- Some learning curve
The USB port is GLITCHY! This is a known bug and the reason why mine has been wrapped in packing tape. There is nothing worse than someone bumping the table you are DJing from and that stops the music. If you use it you need to take precautions, like for example elegantly wrapping it in packing tape.
I would strongly recommend this if it wasn’t for the glitch. I have been pretty happy with it. If you want you can pick it up from Amazon or read more about it on Native Instruments’ website.
Headphones
It really doesn’t matter. You aren’t going to be beat matching, key matching, changing pitches or any of that stuff. All you want to when DJing is to remember what the song sounds like. If you want a better pair for listening to music on your free time, then there are tons of reviews to help guide you. You really don’t need any special equipment when it comes to earphones for DJing Swing and Blues.
Cables
This is not a must, but if you intend to travel and play it is usually a good idea to have your own cables as discussed in Do’s and Don’ts. Venues don’t always have their own and sometimes they suck. You can buy cables of different quality and different price points. The cheapest is to just order them from Ali Express or Ebay, but cheap cables are usually crap cables.
Exactly what cables you need depend on what output you have. I will just assume you have a 3.5mm jack, the normal “head phone jack”. If you have RCA, XLR, or PL jack (sometimes known as “line in” or “6.35mm”), make your own adjustments to the following list.
- Male 3.5mm jack to male 3.5mm jack
- Male 3.5mm jack to dual male XLR
- Male 3.5mm jack to dual male PL
- Male 3.5mm jack to male RCA
- Male 3.5mm jack to PL converter
External hard drive
You will want some way to back up your music. Having your computer crash without having a back up is a nightmare that I wouldn’t wish on my least favourite DJ. You know who you are. I can’t stand listening to you play, but I don’t even want this to happen to you, even if it would mean that I would never have to hear you play again. I’m just that kind of guy.
I prefer using an external hard drive. It also allows me to migrate my library quickly and play from essentially any computer. If you prefer to use cloud services I won’t judge. If your internal hard drive can handle it is better to keep your library on your computer that you DJ on and keep the external as a back up to avoid possible technical issues. I have reached a point where I don’t have enough space on my internal so that is no longer an option.
Useful things to keep in your bag
1. Masking tape or gaffer tape
You have no idea how useful this can be. You never know what will need to be secured. The benefit of masking tape is that it is easier to tear, that might make it a bit difficult to remove though. Gaffer tape is harder to tear but doesn’t leave residue when removed. Avoid using Duct tape or packing tape as it leaves loads of residue and can be difficult to remove.
2. Spare earphones
Things break, come prepared
3. Spare sound card
Things break, come prepared
4. Charger
Always bring your charger. Always bring your charger. Always make sure you leave with your charger.
5. Pen and paper
I mean, it’s always useful to have.
This was a quick overview of useful equipment for DJing. If you have any additional questions feel free to ask in the comments and I will make sure to answer to the best of my abilities.
To catch up with all articles about Swing & Blues, check out the publication!
