Setting up your career

 

How to pick the right sound equipment
Picking the right sound equipment may sound like a challenge, but it will be worthwhile to put in some effort in making the right choices if you want high-quality sound.
Whether you’re looking for a surround sound system at home or want to build your own recording studio, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind when you go shopping for sound equipment.

Set a budget
Make sure you know how much you can afford, and then do your homework to make sure you get the best value for your money. There’s no point in spending so much on one piece of sound equipment that you end up with inferior products – and inferior sound. And don’t allow an overeager sales assistant to tempt you into blowing the budget!

Do your homework
Know what sound equipment you are looking for, and make sure you understand the different technical terms. Read online reviews, compare prices and ask as many questions possible. If you already own existing sound equipment, make sure you buy complementary products – there’s no point in spending a fortune on surround sound equipment if you cannot use it on your existing television or DVD player.

Know what you want to use it for

If you want to enjoy movies with high-quality sound in the comfort of your own living room, your needs will differ substantially from the requirements an up-and-coming rock band will have.
If you want to buy surround sound equipment for your home, you should know the details (e.g. size) of the room where you’re planning to use this.  If you’re an up-and-coming rock star, you should decide whether you want sound equipment that will be optimal in small, intimate venues or in large clubs.

Remember the small things

Don’t blow the budget on the speakers and forget the most overlooked item – cables. Quality cables can make a major difference to the quality of your sound, so make sure you leave enough money in the kitty for a decent set.
The music studio equipment you can’t do without
You have the studio set up where the musicians will create their magic, but the control room – where the recording will take place – is still bare.

This is the music studio equipment you need:

Microphone – Of all the music studio equipment you will buy, the microphones will be one of your most important investments. The microphone converts sound into an electrical signal, and poor quality microphones will make it much more difficult to produce high-quality sound.
Mixing console (also soundboard or audio mixer) - This is an electronic device used to combine (or mix), route, and change the level, tone quality and dynamics of audio signals. Depending on the type of console you pick, you can also mix analogue or digital signals. One application for this piece of music studio equipment is to combine the signals from two separate microphones – e.g. from two vocalists – to be heard through one speaker.

Studio (or reference) monitors - These monitors are in effect loudspeakers which are specifically designed for application in recording, film, television and radio studios. These speakers are designed to give an accurate reproduction of the qualities of the audio that is produced in the studio. In other words, the frequency of the sound is not manipulated by the monitors and no distortion takes place. As a result, these monitors are more robust (and expensive) than home hi-fi speakers, as they have to cope with high volumes and sudden sound bursts that may happen in the studio.

Digital audio workstation (DAW) -This workstation is an electronic system designed to record, edit and play back digital audio. With this piece of music studio equipment, recorded sounds can be freely manipulated, edited and played back. The DAW can also be used to convert signals from analogue to digital and vice versa.

Keep this in mind when buying music equipment
With an endless variety of music equipment to chose from, making the right choice about brand, quality and price can be a potential minefield.  Here are a few things to keep in mind before you start shopping:

What do you want to use it for? – A beginner guitarist’s needs will differ greatly from those of an up-and-coming rock star;  as an aspiring DJ, you probably won’t get the most out of that expensive, state-of-the-art turntable. Make sure the music equipment you buy cater for your needs, without putting you out of pocket.

You can always upgrade - Just because you can’t afford to blow the budget on the most expensive saxophone or speakers in the shop doesn’t mean you can’t still buy a quality product.  Stick to respected brand names, do your homework properly and remember:  if you turn out to be a maestro on the saxophone, you can always upgrade. Buy the best quality music equipment you can afford

There is virtually no limit to what you can spend on equipment, so the trick is to shop smartly. As there will always be a market for good quality, cared-for second-hand music equipment, you can’t go wrong by buying the best quality equipment you can afford.

Ask an expert - Make sure you know what you’re looking for before you head off to the shops, where the sales assistant will be sure to try making the most money possible out of you. Know which questions to ask, which brands to look out for and if possible, try out the equipment before you buy. If you don’t have a friend who is a music fundi, do your homework online.  Ask about the returns policy. A warranty,  especially for electronic equipment, won’t hurt either.

The essentials of sound recording equipment
Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, here’s some advice on the basics to keep in mind when buying sound recording equipment:
Microphone – This is one of the most important pieces of sound recording equipment you will buy – without a decent microphone, you simply won’t be able to capture high-quality sound. Do not be overwhelmed by the incredibly wide selection of mics for broadcast, studio recording and professional location work:  if you know exactly what you want to use it for, you’re halfway there.

Microphone boom poles – Made from either carbon fibre or aluminium, the right microphone boom pole can make life a lot easier. Choose a lightweight, compact pole with quick release detachable tips and sufficient length when extended.

Windshields – Microphone wind and handling noise can be effectively controlled with a wide range of windshield devices, depending on your needs.

Radio microphones - Depending on your needs, a radio microphone might be more effective, allowing greater freedom of movement for the performer and recorder. Ensure the wireless mic will cover the distance you need without breaking up, and will reflect the quality of the overall sound recording equipment.

Headphones – A set of professional, quality headphones will make your life a lot easier. Make sure it is suited for your specific needs, whether it’s for recording in studio or on location.

Recorder – Choose a digital recorder that will allow high-resolution sound recording to a convenient device, such as an internal hard drive or external FireWire drive.

Mixer -A mixer is a piece of sound recording equipment that is used to combine, route or change the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. Mixing consoles, also known as soundboards, are used in many applications, including recording studios, broadcasting and television. Many people are going “mixerless” however, as computer software is allowing sound engineers to do their mixes digitally.

Where to find quality musical equipment
Sourcing and purchasing quality musical equipment is not the same hassle as it used to be ten years ago.  In those days there were just two options – you either went to a shop that specialized in musical equipment or you found it in the classified advertisements in both the local press and specialist music magazines.

Music stores were and are few and far between, with little guarantee that you would find what you were looking for because of their limited capacity.  Purchasing through classified advertisements has always been a risky business, with no guarantee of the condition of the item being purchased. Today, thanks to the Internet, things are different, and there are numerous online stores that carry an almost unlimited selection of musical equipment, from the simplest guitar capo to the most expensive electronic studio recording equipment. Aside from the obvious advantage of the wide range of musical equipment carried in Internet stores, there are several other advantages of obtaining quality gear in this way.

Firstly, nearly all online shops offer some kind of discount, and research has shown that for some top of the range electronic equipment there are discounts being offered – there’s no arguing that that this is quite a saving in anyone’s money!

There is also an extremely wide range of equipment on offer, with the added advantage that, if you don’t happen to find what you want in one location, there are plenty of other websites to browse through where you can source the item and if necessary compare prices. Yet another advantage of making use of the Internet is the amount of information available to you on any specific item.

Even if the online store itself does not carry that information (and they usually do) then it is always available for you at the touch of a button.
Music Equipment – Also Online
It is amazing how the online world has made it possible for the everyday consumer to buy almost anything online.  This means you can literally type in some what you are looking for into a search engine and you will most likely always find a website that can sell this to you. Music equipment has not escaped this trend and most people are going to the Internet for information and for quality products instead of walking into stores.

Do you want an acoustic guitar? Maybe surround sound speakers? Or even a professional music mixer? This is merely the beginning, merely a taste of the different types of music equipment you can find and buy online today. Full drum sets, amps, performer systems, CD players, tuners and metronomes are more examples of what you can add to a virtual “shopping cart.” Always wanted a grand piano? No problem, the World Wide Web can get you one.

There are many advantages if you shop for equipment on the Internet. You will be able to get a better price than retail and you will be able to get the exact products you want. There is a massive range online and almost any product manufactured can be found and bought. This means that you ultimately do not have to settle for the only thing you can find in a store.

The process is easy: you get to a website, choose what you want to purchase, either pay with a credit card or leave your contact details (number or e-mail address) to arrange payment and arrange a delivery or pick-up. You should make sure you a dealing with a legitimate business – it will have clear formats and layouts and pictures of what they sell. Using this method means you will soon have the music equipment you truly want!

Locating music recording equipment
Whether you are the enthusiastic amateur wanting to transcribe music from those old long playing records to CDs or the music professional wanting to kit out a new studio, the chances are that you are going to be looking for some sort of music recording equipment. It could be a simple interface for your computer or an extremely hi-tech mixer for a recording studio, the problem comes with locating it.

Fortunately it’s a lot easier today than it was a few years ago – thanks to the Computer Age and the Internet. There are, of course, still physical bricks and mortar stores where you can find music recording equipment, but they are merely outposts of a dying breed of music stores that have been largely overtaken and taken over by on-line e-commerce stores that, frankly, have a far larger range of equipment on offer. Whereas once you had to travel to the nearest large town or city to locate the sort of equipment you needed, today you can sit at your office desk or in the comfort of your home and find exactly what you are looking for on-line.

Another advantage of using an e-commerce store for locating recording equipment is that many of these on-line stores often offer extremely tempting discounts – they can afford to do this since their overheads are far less than those that accompany a physical store. Some of the more expensive items can be found discounted at amounts well in excess of thousands of dollars, so on-line browsing can be well worth the effort.

You will also find a much wider selection of both brands and equipment – an option that you will have difficulty in finding in anything but the largest of mega-music stores. There is no doubt about it – using the Internet to find the music recording equipment you need is far more convenient than it used to be.

Professional DJ Equipment
When one looks at the Internet today, it’s sometimes difficult to comprehend that little more than twenty years ago it was in its infancy – not just in its infancy, but as naïve as a new born could be. Of course today’s generation takes it all for granted – indeed for someone new to the World Wide Web, it could have been there forever. Online stores have been a relatively new addition to the Internet, but they have suddenly made items such as professional dj equipment accessible to more people than would ever have been possible twenty years ago.  Browsing through a few online sites that sell professional dj equipment makes a very interesting pastime, especially to the layman who knows little about the subject.

There are jockey interfaces, traktor controls, samplers and synthesizers, smoke and bubble machines, lasers and – Thud Rumble Hee Haw Breaks, whatever they are. The world of the professional dj is obviously a world filled with technical jargon, but it’s all there on the Internet in those online shops, and there’s little doubt that that’s the place to go to not only find it, but to get a good deal.  Where did one go to for professional dj equipment before there were any online shops? There is so much equipment available that it would have been impossible to fit even a quarter of it into a large bricks and mortar store. Whatever the answer is to that question is irrelevant after a little browsing on the Internet. There is so much equipment out there and at such a wide range of prices, that anyone can save literally thousands of Dollars by picking the right online store.

Many such a stores carry a wide range of electronic and other equipment for disc jockeys and recording studios, as well as an extensive selection of musical instruments for both amateurs and professionals.

The advantage of online DJ Equipment shops
There was a time, not so very long ago, when purchasing musical equipment of any type meant traipsing around music shops and wearing out loads of shoe leather. There’s no need to have to do that any more, thanks to the coming of age of the Internet. The Internet has given us with an infinitely wider selection of items to browse through, whether we are looking for a luxury yacht or a guitar, using the Internet has given us a quicker and usually much cheaper way of purchasing goods.

One good example of this can be seen in online DJ Equipment shops, where just browsing through some of the equipment will quickly show you that you can save thousands of Dollars in making your purchases in this way. Online DJ Equipment shops also enable you to look through a far wider range of electronic equipment without even having to leave the luxury of your office or living room.  Shopping this way enables you either to compare the prices of identical pieces of equipment at several DJ Equipment shops, or to compare similar pieces of equipment of different brands on the same website – so much better than physically moving from one old-fashioned “brick and mortar” shop to another.

Specialized music equipment is not kept at every music store, often an item has to be specially ordered, and such stores are usually only found in major cities anyway.

Sound Select is an Internet store that has an extremely wide selection of musical equipment of all types. We carry musical instruments, a wide range of electronic equipment for recording studios, disc jockeys or private individuals who want to delve into the realms of the music world. You’ll also find a wide range of peripherals including visual effects, fog makers, equalizers and so on.

Why online DJ equipment shops is best for your budget

Tired of the inevitable hunt for a parking spot and annoying assistants at your favourite DJ equipment shops? It’s time to move your shopping online – here are just some of the benefits:

Convenience – You no longer have to restrict your shopping to the operating hours of DJ equipment shops. Online shopping is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. No more sitting in traffic, queuing at the till or hoping your car is still in the parking lot at the end of it all…

Easy browsing - Online DJ equipment shops offer the opportunity to browse around without having to drive around. Price and product comparisons are a simple click away, and you know immediately whether the shop has stock available. Thanks to lower overheads, online shops often offer lower prices and an increased selection of products and minimal delivery costs, so browse before you buy.

Information - Online DJ equipment shops offer a wealth of product information at your fingertips, allowing you to make informed decisions. Reviews from other customers are often available, plus there is no pressure from shop assistants to buy anything. Whether you want speakers, a mixer or a new turntable, you can find the best deal online with the minimum hassle.
Environmentally friendly - Online shopping doesn’t only save you time, but it’s good for the environment too. Without having to drive around from shop to shop, hoping the store with the best price also has the equipment in store, you save petrol – and carbon emissions. In addition, there is no need for a glossy printed catalogue to check out the various offers – with online shopping you can complete your paperless transaction in no time.

Wide range of DJ equipment offers something for everyone.

Looking to buy new DJ equipment? With so many different options on offer for novices and pros, you’d be a fool not to do your homework properly before you hit the shops. It can be overwhelming shopping for DJ equipment, especially when you’re a newbie, but it is recommended to steer clear of the “DJ in a box” options and rather choose your own components. It may be helpful, especially for beginners, to first buy the minimum equipment you will need.

One of the first items on your list of DJ equipment will be a CDJ (to play CDs or MP3s) or turntable (to play vinyl). While Technics has been a market leader for many years, other manufacturers, including Pioneer, Gemini, Numark and Stanton, also offer quality products. You can spend anything from less than $100 to more than $1,000 on a turntable, so make sure you know what you need.
Another must-have is a mixer, which is used to mix or blend separate sound sources together. There are many different types of mixers, with sizes varying from simple four-track mixers to full-size multi-track studio mixers. Once you’ve picked the best mixer for your needs, it will take some time to learn all the features and develop your own unique sound.
Trusted brands include Behringer, Gemini and Pioneer, with prices ranging from below $100 to more than $2 000. You’ll also need a decent set of headphones. Make sure they’re lightweight and designed to cover your entire ear – it should block out outside interference. Prices for a decent set range from $100 to $500.
Rest assured there will be DJ equipment on offer at any price you can imagine – it is therefore important to know exactly what you want to do with yours (where will you use it?) and how much you can afford to spend.

The best places to find DJ equipment for sale
Thinking of buying that second-hand DJ equipment for sale in the classifieds? It may be worth your while to consider all the options before you make an impulsive purchase. The price might look irresistible, but a cheap buy is not necessarily the best buy over the longer term.
Online stores offer numerous advantages to buying equipment advertised in the classifieds online or in the newspaper. When you are looking for DJ equipment for sale, online shops should always be your first port of call.
One advantage is that online stores offer a much wider variety of equipment and brands than you will find in the classifieds. The DJ equipment for sale in the classifieds might look like a good deal, but it is unlikely that it will be the most appropriate equipment for your needs.
By shopping online, you can do your homework properly and find the best equipment for you. You can also find more information on the specific piece of equipment, while online or phone assistance is also available if you need further help.  Another advantage is that you can find DJ equipment for sale at incredibly competitive prices at online stores. Due to lower overheads, they often offer much better deals than their brick-and-mortar counterparts or even second-hand offerings.
Shopping from the classifieds has other risks too. When you buy from a reputable online store, you know that the equipment will be delivered in impeccable condition when you pay. Shopping from the classifieds offers no such guarantees – you have to take the seller on his word. What is the returns policy should you not be satisfied with your purchase?
DJ equipment is expensive, and you should therefore ensure that your money would be well spent. For the best variety of equipment at the best prices, nothing beats online shopping.

The above advise come from soundselect

Hope all this information helps you make the best choices. Browse around and see what this site can help you with.