Interested in Mixing? Heard that Becoming a DJ Makes You Sexy? Introducing The “So You Decided to Become a Quarantine DJ” Starter Pack
collage by Mikayla Alpert
So somewhere in between making my own clothes, talking to myself in my room for my radio show, and honestly becoming a *vegan chef* (hey, those aren’t flexes, they’re facts, ok?), the most exciting thing on my list of quarantine achievements was learning how to mix. Besides befriending my local Mormon missionaries but that’s a story for a different day.
Most of my friends are DJs, although I’m aware that the phrase “most of my friends are DJs” is A) absolutely ridiculous and B) a massive turnoff, but by proxy, I also learned how to mix. No I’m not saying I’m *good* at mixing, but I can use decks and I know what Rekordbox is and that’s saying something. Anyway, before my imposter syndrome threatens to derail this entire article, here’s the thing, I’m not normally one to write how-to articles, and I’m sure there are many people who could write this piece better than me. But I figured if they’re now selling decks at Urban Outfitters (which is truly embarrassing and made me recoil; please go buy your decks elsewhere) there’s obviously some interest there. So, before you drop a few hundred on a controller to use maybe three times before it ends up dusty in the back of your closet with those roller skates you were definitely gonna learn how to use – I also thought I wanted to join a Roller Derby team once, but picking up new hobbies is hard – you should probably know what you’re getting yourself into.
I also wanted to do this piece because mixing is saturated with men, and I’m sick of it. I don’t know what it is about men who go to college, but it’s like they grow patchy facial hair, buy one of those baja hoodies (if they didn’t already own one), start an Instagram devoted to their Indie Rock/Dub fusion band, and then, inevitably DJ. This isn’t a logical progression of events, but it’s true.
However, the coolest DJs I know and follow are, or were (RIP SOPHIE) womxn, trans or gender non-conforming folks, although they only comprise 2% of the music production industry, and that’s just not on. I’ve had a long admiration for electronic music and digital music production, and as laptops have become ever-present, so has music production. Anyone can do it. As PC Music founder A.G. Cook said, “Laptops are the folk instrument of our time.” And they are. So, if you have any interest in mixing or producing whatsoever, want to pick up something new, or want to learn more about how your favorite music is made, particularly if you feel like you aren’t seeing yourself represented musically, please read on. This article is for you.
The “Basic, Definitely Incomplete, Definitely Has Gaps, Pretty Much Just The Nuts-And-Bolts Stuff You Need To Start Mixing” Starter Pack
The Equipment
“The Equipment” is just a fancy way of saying that before you can be the next Peggy Gou you need some stuff. Initially, your setup doesn’t have to be huge, and it will naturally get bigger as you fill in the gaps over time, but you should have a few basics. Luckily, the essentials can all fit in your backpack, in case portable raves are more your thing (I’m joking. Stay inside, don’t cough on anyone, and tell your parents you love them). This is assuming you're doing this electronically and aren’t mixing with an actual turntable and vinyl records (if you are that’s sick). The basic ingredients are mainly a controller (decks), a laptop with a mixing software/interface, speakers, headphones, and if you feel like yelling nonsense while you’re mixing, a mic to MC. Or just yell really loudly. Your choice.
Controller Recommendations
Kind of like the toy piano equivalent of decks, but perfect for learning on.
Pioneer DDJ 400 for Rekordbox
The OG. Old Faithful. Won’t let you down.
Pioneer DDJ 1000SRT for Serato DJ Pro
The Big Boy. Definitely the prettiest, but probably too boujee to learn on. Work up to this.
DJ/Mixing Software Recommendations
A cloud-connected DJ platform that works specifically with Pioneer DJ Hardware.
Has both Serato DJ Pro and Serato DJ Lite, again like Rekordbox, it’s pretty all inclusive.
Another option. Don’t like this one quite as much but still probably works well.
Same thing, but was developed by Native Instruments and is therefore only compatible with Native Instruments Controllers and other associated hardware.
FREE.
Speaker Recommendations
I’m the wrong person to ask, I don’t know anything about speaker sound quality really, but now that GameStop is apparently back in business maybe you could ask them.
Headphone recs:
Another question for the GameStop bros. Although I think Pioneer, Audio-Technica, and Sennheiser are all probably good options.
Mic Recommendations
Completely depends on budget. Blue makes excellent mics, and so does Samson.
The Production Software
If you know you just want to mix, a DJ software like Rekordbox is probably all you need to get started, but if production and composition are more your speed, you’ll likely need to decide on your preferred DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).
DAWs can be crazy expensive and, especially if you’re new to production, you don’t necessarily know what you’re paying for. You need to figure out which one really suits your production style because if you’re going to be learning on it and messing around to figure out how it works, you want to make sure you’re comfortable with its functionality. Luckily, each of the DAWS listed below offer pretty generous free trials which definitely come in pretty handy. Just do your research.
”The Big 4”
Ableton Live. With Ableton Live, Ableton Push and Ableton Lite, there are different production options to suit your needs, and the two different views it provides work with producing tracks one at a time as well as live production. Ableton also offers a free 90 day trial for its Ableton Live 11 software here.
Logic Pro: Apple’s production software is Logic Pro (Garageband, you will be missed.) It’s interface is sleek and simple, and it also has live performance capabilities in addition to regular production functionality. They also offer a Logic Pro 90 day free trial here.
FL Studio: Formerly known as Fruity Loops, FL Studio is kind of the OG of digital music production, made by Belgian company Image-Line. It’s still the most widely used DAW by music producers, and also offers a free trial with unlimited time here.
Pro Tools: Offers pretty much the same things as I already mentioned. Pro Tools offers three tiers of software, Pro Tools First, Pro Tools, and Pro Tools Ultimate, so you can choose which option works best for you. They charge monthly, but Pro Tools First is free, which you can check out here.
The Sets
Watching and listening to sets is not only fun, it introduces you to new music, and makes you walk faster if you’re listening while running errands, but it can also give you a better idea of what you want your own sound to be. Before you’re any good at it, mixing is hard and it’s helpful to have reference points for genres of music you like or techniques you notice that you can pick up and incorporate into your own mixes. Potentially one of COVID’s only silver linings is that sets get currently uploaded to Youtube more regularly than ever before. Take advantage of that. For example, Boiler Room releases new sets weekly on their Youtube channel, while Hör Berlin updates their sets pretty much every day. Here’s an incomplete list of some of the best (in my opinion) places on Youtube for mix inspiration, or just for jamming. They work for both.
Radar Radio is no longer being updated, but if you don’t mind mixes that are a little dated, there’s some great stuff there from a couple of years ago.
The Samples
This is pretty self explanatory. Again, if you’re sampling from actual vinyl you are way too advanced to even be reading this, but if you want to get your samples digitally, here are a few starting points. I’m obviously not a copyright lawyer, so just make sure you know you can clear the audio you’re sampling. This list mostly came from Reddit anyway, so if you have more questions, ask them over there.
There’s always Youtube, just make sure the audio isn’t copyrighted.
The Support
This is really the heart of what I want to discuss. Producing is first and foremost about community, and it can be pretty lonely trying to do everything on your own. Particularly if you’re underrepresented and you don’t have any resources or support to back you up. To that end, social media has been incredible for creating online communities of like-minded producers and musicians, and it’s inspiring to see. This list is by no means exhaustive, but if you wanna be a sick womxn DJ, these people want to hear about it, and they’re determined to make mixing inclusive and accessible. Not to mention the music they’re making sounds wonderful. This is the next wave, and if you’d like to be a part of it, you better not sleep on them.
Women in Music: Based in the USA/Worldwide. Described as “an organization with a mission to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment, and recognition. Our seminars, panels, showcases, achievement awards, and youth initiatives celebrate the female contribution to the music world, and strengthens community ties.” Follow on Instagram here.
Equalize Music Production: Based in the USA. According to their site, “Equalize delivers courses and workshops in music production, songwriting, and performance. We are a female-led company focussed on bringing equality to the audio industry one session at a time. We believe that everyone has the right to play, create, and follow a passion for audio, regardless of their gender, race, age, ability or sexual orientation. We offer a safe space, free of judgement, and invite anyone with an interest in music to learn and ask questions.” Follow on Instagram here.
Women in the Music Industry: Based in the USA. According to their site, “Our goal is to highlight and recognize women who are normally behind the scenes in the music industry. These are managers of your favorite artists, crew members, producers, photographers, plus so many more. This website will give these women the credit they deserve.” Follow on Instagram here.
Omni Sound Project: Based in the USA. According to their site, “Omni Sound Project exists to help you learn the skills you need to create, record, and produce music and sound. We know you need to start learning in an encouraging, welcoming atmosphere, and our classes, tours, and private lessons create a safe space for everyone to explore freely.” Follow on Instagram here.
Route: Based in the USA. Described as “a Community Interest Company aiming to inspire young people from marginalised backgrounds to pursue a career in the music industry by sharing stories, experiences and practical advice from within its numerous fields.” Follow on Instagram here.
Womxn’s Producer Group: Based in the UK. According to their site, “The aims of the Womxn’s Producer Group Discord server are to: create a safer space for like-minded womxn and non-binary people to connect, share tracks in progress for feedback, share knowledge, and support and inspire one another.” Follow on Instagram here.
Saffron Music: Based in the UK. Described as a “a music tech initiative taking an intersectional approach to redressing the gender imbalance in the industry.” Follow on Instagram here.
Music Production for Women: Based in the UK. According to their site, “Music Production for Women (MPW) is a global movement, community and online learning platform which aims to encourage and empower women who are taking their first steps into music production. Founded in East London by artist and producer Xylo Aria, MPW aims to provide an environment where individuals identifying as women can feel comfortable and supported through their production journey.” Follow on Instagram here.
Foundation.fm: Based in the UK. According to their site, “With an uprising in the industry of communities trying to find safe spaces to play, create and grow, foundation.fm’s mission is to showcase the hottest emerging talent in the underground music scene led by a diverse group of women, LGTBQI+ persons and talented creatives who support our values – with women at the forefront.” Follow on Instagram here.
If I had a prize, I’d give you one for making it this far, but unfortunately I don’t. Just know that if we weren’t living through a pandemic and I was next to you, I’d give you a hug. Or maybe I wouldn’t. But if you’re looking for an excuse to buy decks, take this as a sign. As long as I don’t have to explain that to your parents if they end up pissed. Maybe they should buy some too.