Your Guide to DJ Gear

Navigating the diverse world of DJ gear can be a daunting task, whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a fresh face in the DJ scene. Our team has over 60 years of DJ experience and toured the world playing underground clubs to mainline festivals. Having personally DJ’d across Asia, North America and the UK I can safely say that there is a lot more to DJ Gear than meets the eye. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the history of DJing and its timeline to what it has become today. Looking at everything from the DJ gear to scene and its rise to popularity.

History Of DJ’ing

The Genesis in the 1940s and 1950s

Okay so you may not think of the early years of DJ’ing as what you think of today. But DJ’ing, at its core, sprang to life in the 1940s and 1950s, in the era where radio hosts curating and broadcasting a flow of music intertwined with their unique announcements, comments, or ads. The birth of disc jockeying, painting the airwaves with diverse tunes carefully selected to resonate with the eager audience, keeping their spirits high and their radios tuned in.

The Evolution into Clubs and Dance Halls

Post second world war and into the 1960s and 1970s was a gradual yet revolutionary transformation in the DJ world. No longer confined to the airwaves, DJs started making a significant impact on clubs and dance halls. The likes of Larry Levan who was hailed as the Worlds Greatest by many started something that would continue to expand both fiancially and finatically. Technics release the SL-1200 in October of 1972 which only fuels the DJ popularity and verstality. Vinyl records became the gold standard, providing richer sound and allowing for new techniques like scratching and beat juggling, further enhancing the DJ’s ability to interact with the crowd and influence the dance vibe.

The Technological Leap

In roll the 1980s and 90s, and you’d find the DJ landscape irrevocably changed with the advent of technology. Vinyl continues to dominate with massive a booming nightclub scene. No longer are nightclubs warehouses but now legal venues filled from Thursday to Monday. Ibiza is in its full stride with venues all across the world looking to stand out as the #1 DJ venue. CDJs enter in 1992 with the CDJ 300 two years before Pioneer push the CDJ 500 their official launch of its compact disc dj turntable. Allowing DJs to utilize compact discs for a more portable and versatile DJing experience. This period also saw the emergence of DJing software, enabling DJs to mix and manipulate music digitally, ushering in an era of unprecedented creative freedom and innovation.

The Modern Era

The millenium bug didnt scare off the growing popularity of DJs as eclectic artists and performers, seamlessly now blending tracks, creating remixes, and producing original music that echoes their unique style. Brands other than Technics and Pioneer start to see the value in manufacturing DJ gear. Brands like Denon DJ, Numark and Stanton all establish a piece of the market. Vinyl starts to die out unless you were an OG warrior (cd’s suck lol) as new media options arise such as USB and SD cards, technology continues to diversify the DJ world. Mid 2000’s there is a shift towards electronic music being mainstream and the Super Star DJ is born.

In 2014 Pioneer DJ is born as its corporation notices an oppurtunity to diversify further. The DJ booths are now equipped with state-of-the-art gear, from advanced digital controllers and mixers to powerful software that offers endless possibilities for music manipulation and creation. Media formats are essentially dead by 2017 with the CDJ now a discless player (yeah still doesnt make sense). DJ’s are selling out Wembley and Madison Square Garden. Festivals of 100’s of thousands of people are now a regular and the underground limps on through its few die hard supporters. As of 2023 technology continues to push DJ’ing and its audience further forward – where this ends no-one knows.

The Turntables Era – 1970s

While we mentioned DJ’ing started in the 40’s and 50’s focused DJ Gear didnt take place officially until Technics launched the SL-1200. The birth of Classic turntables and vinyl records. The SL-1200 was the direct-drive turntable that became a quintessential tool for early hip-hop and dance music DJs. Its robust build, pitch control, and reliable motor made it a favorite for scratching and beatmatching, establishing a solid foundation for the world of DJing.

Emergence of CDJs – 1980s and 1990s

As we journeyed into the 1980s and 1990s, the DJ gear scene was set for a seismic shift. Technology paved the way for the introduction of Compact Disc players, or CDJs. The Pioneer CDJ-500, released in 1994, revolutionized the DJ booth by providing an alternative to vinyl, offering new possibilities for mixing and scratching without the limitations of a vinyl record, and effectively expanding the DJ’s creative palette.

Advent of Digital Mixing Software – Late 1990s

The late 1990s bestowed another evolutionary leap in the form of digital mixing software. Platforms like Final Scratch appeared, allowing DJs to manipulate digital files with traditional turntables and a specially designed vinyl control record, marrying the analog and digital worlds. This technological marvel offered DJs more versatility, a vast library of digital music, and more convenience in transporting their music collection.

The 2000s and Beyond – DJ Controllers and Advanced Software

As the calendar flipped into the 2000s, the emergence of digital DJ controllers and sophisticated software such as Serato and Traktor further refined the art of DJing. These controllers, integrated with software, provided a comprehensive interface for DJs to mix, scratch, and manipulate audio and video files, offering a broad spectrum of effects and controls at their fingertips. The arrival of Pioneer’s XDJ-XZ in 2019 epitomized this era, offering a versatile all-in-one system with advanced features, echoing the evolution from the modest turntable to the multifaceted digital controller. While we continue to see Pioneer DJ dominate in both sales and technology in an almost monopoly of the market. Even taking aim at the vinyl market with the PLX-1000 a direct attempt at improvement to the SL-1200.

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