The Gear
How to Use Your Controller
Before we get started, you will need the following to follow along with this guide
1. Any DJ Controller (Click Here for a list of recommendations)
2. Any 3.5mm Headphones
There are an overwhelming amount of controllers for you to choose from. Each of them is different in their own respective way, but one thing remains the same about all of them; Their basic functions and controls. In this part we are gonna go over the fundamental components consistent across a majority of controllers, what they do, and how to use them.
In later sections we will go over certain transitions, and how to mix different songs, and I will frequently refer back to terms like “BPM”, “Cue”, “Cross Fader” and others.
So lets get started
Controller Walkthrough
Below you will find images of a bunch of different controllers available on the market right now. They are all slightly different in their own respective ways, but their main functions are all the same.
CDJ set-ups (those things you see DJ’s use at festivals) consist of 2, 3 or 4 CDJ’s and a mixer in the middle. Essentially, the CDJ’s allow you to manipulate the song assigned to that deck, and the mixer helps you, well…mix them together.
The controller is very similar in the sense that it has 2 decks that manipulate your tracks, and a mixer in the middle that helps blend them. So
Now that you have your controller picked out its time to learn how what all the different knobs and buttons do