Headphones are the essential tool of every serious DJ, just like a pickaxe was crucial for a miner of the past to do any work, headphones are the first equipment you have to get, if you want to become a DJ. If for any reasons like thinking average headphones will do or because you don’t have the money to spend on high-end products, use inferior headphones, you are shooting yourself in the foot.
When you take your dreams to become a DJ seriously, you shouldn’t skimp on quality equipment, especially when you can get high-end headphones with all the additional, necessary equipment for a few hundred dollars, once you get successful, you will be making that much on a good night.
Headphones are a Status Symbol
With the recent development of fashion, headphones have become another fashion accessory that you shouldn’t overlook. It’s understandable that fashion might not be the first priority for a DJ, but how you look and how you present yourself is important nonetheless. For any DJ who wants to play at bigger events and be considered a real DJ who knows music in and out, you have to look the part.
Marketing is a very important part of becoming successful and your image and looks is the first information people get from you on which they base their assumptions of who you are. If you come to a party with less than top-notch headphones, you will not instill confidence that you know what you are doing. Don’t be mistaken by thinking average people don’t know headphones, there are many audiophiles out there that probably know all the major brands of high-end headphones.
You will be judged all the time, especially when just starting out, so why put your future under scrutiny if you can solve the problem for relatively little money.
Improve Music Quality Control
Making a great mix is knowing the difference between sounds and the only way to know this is by having the tools to hear it, together with music talent of course.
When you are trying different mixes for a song, it can quite easily come to hundreds of different sounds, you have to get the best representation of that sound possible. Average headphones will not provide you with accurate sound, and when you listen to songs at other venues it will sound differently, possibly not how you intended it to be.
To create quality music you need to hear it first, you need to know the difference between sounds and be able to hear it. Only the best high-end headphones are good enough for this job, true they are more expensive, but this is an absolute must-have for any serious DJ.
Get Better At Producing Music
Better tools make you better at your job, this is true for any work and it is no different for music production.
When you hear the perfectly clear sound that is in a song and not a muted or overpowered version, it is much easier to create music with great combinations that will make people go crazy. Even if you are just a small-time DJ just starting out and possibility producing the music at home, making remixes of old songs, a pair of quality headphones is your most important tool to get the job done.
You don’t necessarily need a professional studio to make decent music, most DJs starting out do not have the funds to afford it anyway, it is possible to make good use of the hardware you have at home and rely on headphones for accurate sound reproduction. Even big-time DJs use headphones in their everyday work regularly even when they could use a studio.
When you are performing at a party, headphones are even more important. With the loud music, outside noise isolation is a must and you simply won’t get that from average or sub-par headphones. To get your creativity flowing you need to trust in your ability to hear the music without distortion or background noise.
Gain Confidence In Your Ability
When you know for a fact, that your headphones produce very accurate and detailed sound, you can free your creativity from worry and just enjoy the progress. Especially in public performances, being a DJ isn’t all about mixing music, you have to worry about the environment as well. Does the crowd like your tunes so far, is the lighting ruining the mood, are people approaching you, these things are stealing your attention from focusing on the music.
By trusting in your headphones and knowing what they are capable of you can do a better job. Not to mention, lower quality headphones will break more often and create additional, unnecessary problems, at the same time, having a spare pair is always smart.
Get The Advantage To Compete
The music world is harsh, especially for DJ since everyone with some ambition and some basic, affordable hardware can start mixing music and offering their services on the market. While most young artists coming to the market can’t afford state of the art equipment, they should spend their hard earned money on a pair of quality headphones.
You can, possibly, still do a decent job with average headphones, but when it comes to having an advantage to compete with other DJs, you can never have enough. If you create music at home, you have to understand that you compete with the big boys who have access to high-end equipment a newcomer simply cannot afford.
Basically there is no good reason not to invest in a pair of quality cans. They will make you look the part, give you very accurate sound that will be easier to work with, increase your confidence in mixing and just help you do a better job overall.
All of the above reasons are valid and more than enough to persuade any starting newcomer to think hard what kind of equipment they need. Spend your resources wisely so you can achieve your music goals faster.
