Ive been playing for almost 8yrs, and went from:

(Jan 01) Soundlabs DL32 direct drive vinyl decks + Soundlab 2channel mixer
(Jan 03) Technic 1200's + Vestex 3 channel mixer with kills & eq
(Oct 03) +1 x Pioneer CDJ 100 mk1 + 1 x Seinhesser HD 25's
(Jan 05) + 1 x Pioneer CDJ 1000 mk2
(May 05) + 1 x Pioneer DJM 500 (4 channel mixer with effects)
(Feb 07) + 1 x Pioneer CDJ 200
(Sept 07) + 1 x Pioneer DJM 600
(Jan 08) + 1 x Mixed In Key (Mik) (software programme)
(June 08) vinyl decks finally retired, leaving me with CDJ only
(Present) 2 x CDJ (200 + 1000) with 1 x DJM 600 + 1 x HD25's + Laptop with MIK

As I was at uni from 02 - 05, i didnt have the budgets to upgrade hardware AND records, so my build up on DJ Hardware was gradual. Its the best way I think, as in terms of hardness to master cd is far easier than vinyl. These days however ive fully migrated across to CDJs, as when im playing out I can have 2 wallets containing roughly 2000 tunes, rather than a stupidly heavy record bag containing 50.

In todays world - the easiest way is just to buy CDJs, as sadly vinyl is dying and most new stuff is mp3 only. The best way in the long term would be to start with vinyl, because if you can master plastic, then cdjs are a piece of p*ss.

In terms of how hard things are, easiest way is to describe my background and history, then you can judge for yourself how hard it is to try and get good....

For the first 4 yrs of my dj ing life i would probs play somewhere between 1 - 5hrs every night, depending what I had going on at the time.

I got my first gig at a party after 3 months, and continued doing parties. The problem I had however was I refused to turn commercial, and as lytham was a commercial place, there were no places to play progressive trance & other none commercial dance out. That all changed when I went to uni in Sheff in Sept 02, home to Gatecrasher (RIP.)...

With in 2 months I got my first break by playing at Hallam uni, and from there i went onto do alot of Sheff related things, the pinnacle being bagging one of the monthly residents at the student version of Gatecrasher, held at Gatecrasher between oct 03 - june 04. Im still lucky enough to have Scott Bond as a reference on the dj cv so to speak It also allowed me to get the odd fun gig back in lytham (playing on the Queens balcony on lytham club day 03 etc)

DJ ing however, despite how much I love it, has always remained a hobbie... so its very much taken a back seat since i moved to manc (may 05 - present.) I did a residency playing electro / house at Flambe in lytham for 18 months, though that stopped when, depite every single one of my gigs causing Flambe to be 1-in-1-out, management changed and they wanted a more 'classical' & 80's themed DJ. We parted ways at that point - im not in this to make money, i do it because enjoy it. Id rather rip my own spleen out than get caught playing Cyndi Lauper!!

These days i mostly knock out mixes for people to d/l online (think alot of you lot will have at least one or two of mine about,) though if the odd decent gig gets offered i dont turn it down! My lot keep mythering to get back into the club scene, but in truth, with a stressful career, g/f & friends - i just dont get the time too. Will see how it goes...


As for how hard it is to get good? Well id say i still have things to learn - a good dj never rests on laurells so to speak. What i will say is u need to master the following:

Beginning: - beat matching, musical phrasing (tunes fit together like a jigsaw, one part will stop just another starts in the new record) + basic set structure

Advanced: Mixing in musical Key, changing the mood / adapting to the crowd, creating your own style.


Summary - if u want to DJ just for fame / attention - please don't. You'll never get good, as your heart isnt in it.
If however your reasons are genuine - id def recommend it as for me, putting on headphones is the easiest&best of escaping from reality there is. 8yrs later i can still play records for hrs on my own (much to the bemuesment of the g/f!!)

Also stick to your guns - dont turn commercial just for the sake of a gig. When i started, i was constantly moaned by friends in the fact i wouldnt play the generic flip/fill type shite, and instead stuck to my guns and played stuff i wanted - your Tilts / Max Grahams of the world. Tables are turned these days, as my lot now love the stuff i do.

Practice practice practice!!!

Hope this helps