For a while now, I’ve had a rather strong interest in DJing (particularly spinning electro and tech house), but I’m clueless as where to start. All I have right now is my music collection and a copy of Traktor 3.3. I’ve played around with it a bit (mainly the effects), but am still figuring out how to cue up, create loops and synchronize beats.
I’ll probably need an external controller/deck, because using just a mouse and keyboard is way too slow and cumbersome (plus I need at least a secondary audio output for previewing tracks over my headphones). What do you recommend for someone just starting who is looking for something easy yet powerful?
Also, how did you get your start? I have practically zero connections to the community, though I have a couple friends who perform both locally and nationally (metal/hardcore bands, hip-hop producers) that might help me out. I’ve also heard of a weekly open deck event that I could use to practice on a crowd. Other than that, my only other idea would be to submit demo mixes to local DJs and promoters and hope for the best.
