Are you new to the DJing world? Are you unsure of what to look for when choosing a pair of DJ headphones? Perhaps you’ve already bought yourself a pair, but have no idea what to do next. Venturing into the music industry can be daunting, especially if you don’t know how and where to start. You may be intimidated by your mixer and its confusing controls. Or maybe you have managed to understand how the buttons and knobs work but can’t figure how to cue your first track.
Our experienced team of experts has dug deep into the art of DJing and especially put together a starter pack on how to use headphones while DJing. Continue reading to take your first steps into the world of DJs!
Why Do DJs Use Headphones?
There’s not one but several reasons why DJs use headphones. These include:
- DJ headphones block external ambient noises to help you focus solely on what you are playing. After all, as a DJ, it’s not easy to concentrate on your track amid the madding crowd.
- DJ headphones protect your ears from the loud music playing on your head.
- DJ headphones are comfortable for continuous usage.
- Most DJ headphones on the market come with soft ear padding and an adjustable headband to provide DJs with a comfortable experience.
- DJ headphones help you mix tracks effortlessly and ensure the crowd doesn’t feel the transition from one track to another.
Read more on why DJs use headphones>
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Pair of DJ Headphones
Since you’ll be investing a fair amount of money to buy a good pair of DJ headphones, you certainly want a product that’s worth the investment. To begin with, durability and sturdiness is a crucial factor. It would be disappointing to buy a pair of headphones only to find that there’s a loose connection in the wires after only a few uses.
Keep in mind, however, that even the best quality headphones can get damaged. Due to this, it’s important to take a look at the guarantee period, as well as the terms and conditions on refund or replacement.
In order to create wonderful tracks to your full potential, a pair of headphones that allow you to create multifaceted genres of music is a must. As a DJ, it is important to have good sound quality headphones.
Start With Mixer Controls
To begin with, it’s important to get familiar with the controls on a mixing station. Whether your mixer is a simple two-channel one, or an advanced setup, it’s going to take you some time to become comfortable with the buttons and controls. Mixers have a control volume for your headphones, and you’ll often find a cue mix on your set up as well.
The headphone volume control is designed to take care of each and every channel in the headphones only. This means that the speaker volumes are left untouched. To hear all the channels, the cue mix must be in the central position. You will be able to hear the channels on either side (that is, left or right) depending on what side the cueing knob is inclined towards.
So You’ve Managed to Figure Out the Controls. Now What?
1. Check the volumeDepending on your track, keep calibrating the headphones volume until you’re able to hear your music crisp and clear on the main speaker. Ensure that the volume isn’t set astoundingly high, as this can not only cause headphones but also cause hearing damage – something you definitely want to avoid!
Yet, there may be times when you’ll need to perform in a wide-area arena, in which case, it’s best to carry DJing earplugs along with you.Once the volume of your track has been adjusted, choose a channel by pressing a valid button on your mixer. After this is done, you will be able to hear the channel in your headphones as well.
2. Cueing Your TrackDJs are able to hear the track they’d like to mix in their headphones, even while the current song is playing on the speakers. In order to do this, one ear cup is used to hear the song lying next in line. This guarantees a flawless and smooth transition between the two songs.
In order to be able to mix smoothly, the tempo of the music playing in the headphones is harmonized with the song playing on the speakers. Next, you should raise the volume of the track next in line. Gradually, the music of the older track begins to fade out.
Beatmatching With Headphones
Beatmatching is an important skill to master in the DJing world. Although most setups have a ‘sync’ knob or button, our experts recommend not solely relying on it. Upon research, we found that the sync functionality available in many, but not all, setups may not work for all possible genres of music.
When your second track to be played is in line, you must have your headphones on as you start to beatmatch. Depending on your taste, feel free to make minute changes to the cue mix in order to find the perfect balance. Trust us, the cue mixing feature is super helpful!
Using Your Headphones as a Mic
We’ve got a little tip for you. Often, we’ve seen DJs wanting to communicate with the crowd but unable to due to the lack of a microphone. Well, guess what? Your DJing headphones provide the same functionality, although the sound quality isn’t as spectacular.
In order to use your pair of headphones as a microphone, you must plug them into the mixer’s mic port. In case the connection is loose, use an adaptor. After this, begin increasing the loudness and talk into the headphone’s ear cup.
And There You Go!
If you’re a beginner when it comes to DJing, it’s important to first become comfortable with your headphones as well as your set up. Once you’ve mastered this, feel free to experiment with your music and gear. You’ll be amazed at the wonders you’ll be able to create! We hope you found our quick guide on how to use headphones while DJing useful.
If you have any questions, doubts, or queries, feel free to drop a comment in our comment section below, and our experts will get back to you with an answer in no time.
