Your DJ Equipment and layout

Mixing 102

Yours or theirs know the basic layout of turntables

What do they all have?

Their are many different companies like Pioneer or Tracktor producing controllers these days. Big and small all of them include the same basic features:

• Volume / equalizer knobs
• Play / cue buttons
• Turn tables / jog wheel
• Crossfader
• Tempo sliders
• FX and filter knobs
• Sampler and loop pads

Most can also easily be connected with laptops using USB ports, and come with accompanying software. The scheme usually stays the same with the equalizer and crossfader functions staying in the middle and the turn tables to the left and right with their respective play/cue buttons and tempo sliders.

What do they do?

Alright now that we know what most controllers include it's time to learn what they do. Remember these are the basic functions, and all buttons, and knobs can be used for various techniques. 

• Equalizer / volume controls : These come in the form of knobs and sliders. They control the highs, mids, lows, and the master volume of the channels being used.
• Play / cue buttons : Stops and plays the tracks being used, while allowing for cueing of certain parts of the track.
• Turn Table / Jog wheel : Allows for scratching and manual rewinds of the tracks being played, and the sides of the jog wheel slow or speed up the track temporarily
• Crossfader : Brings you from channel A to channel B for transitions of 2 separate tracks
• Tempo Sliders : Increase the tempo or BPM of the track, with the accompanying number being displayed on laptop or controller depending on the type.
• FX and filter knobs : Allow for effects to be placed on individual tracks, and filters which come in high pass or low pass
• Sampler and loop pads : Allow for sample voice or instrumental loops which are usually saved beforehand to be played on top of your tracks, and the same pads work as loop adjusters for repeating certain part of the track again at 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and so on.

All have variations

It's important to remember that with all the variations in controllers, their are many more functions, sliders, knobs included in whatever you decide to DJ with. Knowing these distinctions is up to you in order to ensure you are using your equipment to it's maximum potential.