Introduction

I had been toying with the idea of becoming a DJ for over ten years.
Every now and then I thought: “Maybe I should just get the gear and start.” But I never did. The equipment seemed overwhelming, the choices endless, and none of my close friends were into it so it stayed just an idea.

Until one weekend, a party changed everything.

The Spark

A (now ex-) co-worker of mine threw an amazing party. Full weekend of psytrance and a proper DJ setup with people mixing live throughout the night. The atmosphere was electric, and I couldn’t stop paying attention to what was happening behind the decks.

That weekend, I asked a million questions. How does the gear work? What software do you need? Which controller is best for beginners?

By the end of the party, I knew: this was finally my time to start.

Buying My First Controller

Initially, I thought I’d get the popular Pioneer DDJ-FLX4. It’s the most common beginner controller. But in the end, I decided on the Numark Party Mix 2.

Why?

  • It cost around 100 euros, making it far more affordable.
  • It’s small and portable, which means I can throw it in a bag and carry it around easily.
  • After watching countless tutorials, I figured it was more than enough to start with.

And if I ever upgrade to a more serious controller, this one will still be useful as a backup or travel unit.

Finding the Right Software

Hardware is one side of DJ’ing, but software is where the real battles are fought. I tested a few options:

  • Traktor – solid but didn’t quite click for me.
  • Serato (demo) – polished and intuitive.
  • Mixxx (open-source) – I really liked the idea, but the controller mappings weren’t great for my controller. The “best” mapping I found worked for almost everything… except scratching and pad resets. Kind of a dealbreaker.

In the end, I went with Serato Pro, even though it’s paid software. I told myself I’d just try it for one month for free, but I’m still using it today.

Playing for Myself

At this point, I only DJ at home. No clubs, no gigs, no crowds. Just me, my controller, and the music.

And honestly? That’s perfect. It’s training, it’s fun, and it gets me into flow. DJ’ing is one of the few activities where I can completely forget about everything else for hours.

I even have a DJ name (but sorry, I’m keeping it a secret for now).

What DJ’ing Has Given Me

  • Flow state → there’s nothing like getting lost in a mix.
  • New music discovery → I’m constantly on the hunt for fresh tracks to fit into my sets.
  • A creative outlet → I can play around with different genres and moods.

My taste is broad, and so are my sets: Finnish rap, old American gangsta rap, barbershop beats, psytrance, EDM. What I play depends entirely on my mood that day.

What’s Next?

Right now, my “career” is just practice at home. But who knows? Maybe someday I’ll play in front of an audience.

Until then, my mission is simple:

  • keep training,
  • keep experimenting,
  • and keep gathering new songs into my library.

For me, DJ’ing is more than just a hobby: it’s a way to combine my love for music with the joy of learning something new.