The toolbox

A DJ works with two or more sound sources (decks, CDJs or controller), a mixer (channels, EQ, fader), headphones for cueing, and a knowledge of BPM (beats per minute), key (Camelot wheel) and song structure.

The skills

Beatmatching aligns the rhythm of two tracks. EQ-ing carves out frequencies so two tracks can play together cleanly. Cueing finds the entry point. Mixing in key keeps harmony intact. The musical decision, which track, when, is what separates a technician from an artist.

The arc

A DJ set is a story. A four-hour club set has a warm-up, a peak, a deeper section and a comedown. A two-hour wedding set has a dinner phase, an opening dance phase and a closing party. Reading the room and shaping the arc is the art.