I’ve been DJ’ing since I was 11 years old. Though not consistently since that age, I’ve had my fair share of equipment and experience DJ’ing in different parts of the world. Before I decided to travel around the world, I had an entire booth of my own in my apartment. Unfortunately I had to sell the whole set to afford my travels. I went the more compact route since I hit the road.
Here’s what you need to DJ on the road while you travel.
Go Digital
Unless you plan on carrying several books of CD’s or vinyls with you, you’ll need to go digital if you’re not already. It’s far too difficult to burn CD’s on the road without a computer and even if you do have a computer, burning several CD’s before the party is a pain.
Since you’ll be playing in different parts of the world, you’ll need as big of a collection of different genres as possible. The more open you are to different genres, the more likely you’ll catch a gig. Be prepared for all kinds of parties.
Laptop
A netbook is not going to work. You need something powerful. Do yourself a favor and get a MacBook Pro. No need for optimization like on Windows machines and it’ll be plug-and-play straight out of the box. It’s the simplest, easiest, and most powerful solution.
A MacBook Air might work but make sure it’s one of the latest ones. Be aware that you’re very limited on USB slots which might be a problem when connecting multiple devices to your MacBook Air. Another problem is the lack of hard-drive space and with only one USB slot, it’s going to be difficult to plug everything in.
Software
You have a few options but I’m going to give you my personal recommendations. For DJ’ing, I use and love Native Instruments Traktor. It’s a fantastic piece of software. The alternative to Traktor is Rane Serato but personally I like Traktor better for its interface, effects, and midi implementation (see controllers below).
For live remixing, I use Ableton Live. It requires a bit more work because all the tracks need to be warped if you plan on live remixing. You can do some incredible remixing with this software if used right. You’ll probably want a different kind of controller than the ones listed below like a Akai APC40 combined with an audio interface.
Playing in Chengdu, China
Controllers
As you’ll notice, I’m a huge Native Instruments fanatic. Many of the controllers come with the Traktor software so it’ll save you money having to purchase it separately.
I definitely recommend going to the store and testing out each of these controllers before making a purchase. See which one you’re comfortable with and the most practical to travel with. I do not recommending purchasing super cheap controllers that come with audio interfaces. They won’t last long and the quality is often terrible. I’ve seen quite a few marketing themselves for iPods. Avoid that. If anything, purchase a high quality audio interface and a lower quality controller that does not include a audio interface. The audio and the computer you use is the most important parts.
If you’re backpacking around the world, it’s just easier to carry just one controller that also includes the audio interface. Here’s a few that I recommend:
NI Traktor Kontrol S4: The all-in-one high quality product. It includes the audio interface, software, and everything you need to get started right out of the box. It’s one of their more expensive controllers but you don’t need anything else. You buy this, your laptop, and some music and you’re set. It’s a bit big so you might need a whole separate bag or a bigger backpack to carry this around.
NI Traktor Kontrol S2: Smaller than the S4 with a few less features but still has everything that you need. You’re good to go with this and it’s about half the price.
NI Traktor Kontrol X1: Small and convenient controller. Does not include a audio interface but would go really well with the Traktor Audio 2 interface. It’s probably the smallest setup you can have without breaking the bank.
Hercules DJ Brand: The budget option. It’s not too bad and a decent product for the price. They have quite a few options and prices range from $100 to around $250usd. Good for beginners but if you want to take this serious, you’ll have to upgrade quickly.
Audio Interface
Technically, you don’t need a controller at all but you definitely always need a audio interface. You could just use your mouse and keyboard to change between songs and only travel around with an audio interface so you can switch between tracks on your headphones and hear two different songs. It’s definitely the lighter option but you’re taking away a huge part of the fun in DJ’ing. You need one channel for what the crowd is hearing and another channel for what you’re hearing on your headphones. This is required.
For a quality audio interface, my vote is for the Traktor Audio 2. It’s small and simple. You can shop around a bit for others but I don’t think you really need more than 2 audio outputs unless you want to also plug in their two CD decks as well as your two channels coming out from your computer. In that case, you’d want to get 4 audio outputs. Make sure the audio interface you purchase is supported by Mac’s if that’s what you’re using.
Many of the larger clubs already have audio interfaces. It’s often either Serato’s or Traktor’s interface.
ToneControl S4 Demo by Ome Les, on Flickr
Sometimes Their Equipment Sucks
I’ve DJ’ed in some really dirty bars that had one crappy speaker, two CD decks from 20 years ago, and a mixer that had most of the knobs broken off. The vibe though was incredible. People danced and got into every single song I played no matter how bad the quality of the audio was. Just be aware of what they are using so you can plug your equipment in on top of it.
Music Matters
What you play is the most important part of DJ’ing. You can have the worst equipment but play music the crowd wants to hear. Or you could have the best equipment and clean up the dance floor. Whatever option you choose, make sure you have a good selection of music for all the different parties you’re going to be playing at.
How To Get The Gig
It’s really quite easy if you ask especially as a foreigner. I DJ’ed at this one place in China and they thought that everything I played was from New York City but really it had nothing to do with the city. They went crazy for it because they saw me as a special guest DJ for the night at this local club. In Vang Vieng, Laos, I DJ’ed at one of the bars there and they gave me tons of free alcohol and a good time. There’s tons of opportunity out there especially at hostel bars, local pubs, clubs, or random street parties. I found most of my gigs at expat bars.
The only frustrating part is that the industry tends to have a lot of people that think highly of themselves. One minute they’ll say you can DJ then cancel on you once you arrive without letting you put on a single track. The managers of these venues can be real bitches. If they decide to screw you over, just ignore it and continue on traveling. There’s often no pay which is fine by me as long as they include a few drinks for giving them the music. I’m really only doing it for the experience these days but it’s up to you whether you can market yourself well enough to earn money at the bigger venues.
When you are asked what you play, please do not say everything. That will definitely not get you a gig. Be specific on what you play but mention that you’re open minded to play according to the crowd.
Have fun and party all night long!
Do you have any other equipment recommendations? Where have you DJ’ed?
Article contains affiliate links.
RSS Subscribe
