In this article, we want to look at some of the basic skills and equipment setup knowledge needed for the aspiring DJ. Good ideas and enthusiasm are great, but these can go down the drain without the ability to bring it home technically. Remember that you want a chance to make it. Unless you get repeat performances, you will always be on your first gig, and therefore, under a lot of scrutiny from your host or organizer of the event. Even it you are just helping out a friend, you want everything to be smooth and sound good.

Unless your DJ equipment is a real basic set, meaning just a player with internal amp and a couple of speakers, you probably have some sort of equalizer. Now, the equalizer may be part of an all in one unit, or an auxiliary with more frequency bands for adjustment, but the same techniques apply. You want to be careful about the overuse of increasing and decreasing the various frequency ranges.

The Physics Behind the Sound

Do not confuse the use of decibel increases with the overall sound levels of output. Use the amplifier for that. The physics of sound, or acoustics, tell us that even small increase in decibel levels for frequencies can have some unintended, negative effects on the listener. Let me refer you to one of the current popular TV shows on the Sci-Fi. They have found that sound waves that are not detectable to the human ear are in fact still present, and can result in feelings of doom, or paranoia and the like. What I am getting at is that if you increase the decibels of certain frequencies you could be inducing the wrong overall effect on the listener. Read the rest of this entry »