Plug In Your USB Stick, You Modern D&B DJ!

Flashback 1998. Tape deck mixes. Milk crates with hip hop, jungle & tech step dnb. Technics direct drive turntables & a Vestax 2 channel mixer. The scratch Dj’s gem. Crabbing them phalanges.

Circa 2002. Mix sets on a burned CD-R with enough space to showcase just over an hour of your artistic ability. Remember those days? The jewel cases were fat and loaded with CD’s, sometimes as heavy as the record box. The off chance you had a CD with more than one tune on it meant you had a killer album in your possession with nothing short of panty droppers and crowd pleasers!

Flash forward 2025. Pioneer CDJ 3000. Why it’s labeled “CDJ” stumps me, however, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Right? Professional DJ Multi Player is the brand description. It’s an amalgamation of plastic, LED’s, buttons & tech that could probably fly us to the edge of our solar system and back. Upside down and backwards at the speed of light, while listening to every Drum and Bass tune ever made. All you need is a USB stick.

A glimpse into the world of DJ-ing and what has become. The CDJ-3000 is on every stage around the globe. As is the controller, which has also become a tool for artists to broadcast their talents in some of the wildest places. Ride a bike & DJ. Hike a mountain & DJ. Swim with the dolphins & DJ. Skydive & DJ. All you need is an internet connection & a USB stick. A sturdy setup helps, too. (Don’t recommend the last two)
CDJ 3000
It’s true, we’re spoiled with tech. The fact we don’t have to carry a heavy crate to the airport anymore just fills me with joy & anticipation. More bags for merch!

There are plenty of options. Pioneer, Numark, Denon, Gemini & the list keeps going. Some are privy to a few while others are dedicated to a single brand. The brand best known for all things DJ is Pioneer. The name says it all. Hot keys, performance / trigger pads & effect options give the DJ a complete setup right at their finger tips. Many DJ’s are so in sync with their gear they’re able to create a mashup to rival any blend imaginable. The talent goes far beyond a standard mix set. Three, sometimes four tunes playing at one time. Sub bass from one, highs from another and vocals from two more, battling for supremacy in the mix. It’s quite impressive to see the talent firsthand within the community.

Great for beginners & intermediate DJ’s is the DDJ-FLX4 2 channel DJ Controller. Give it a peek here, DDJFLX4

Overall, the modern DJ is spoiled. There is no shortage of possibility when it comes to the options available. It’s how we take advantage of them which drives our creativity. No longer are the days of “producers make music.” It has transformed into an endless sea of opportunity.

Bring life to your ideas by bringing your ideas to life.