How Do I Start DJing? Good Question! I'll go over some newb practice ideas for you in a minute. First and most importantly ask yourself WHY you want to DJ, because it's a LOT of hard work and practice.  If it's not for the right reason, you're wasting your time.  If it's about money, fame, power, sex, drugs, and rock N roll you're in the wrong business.  It's about the love of the music and the love of the art of DJing. It's about looking for that elusive 'perfect set' (i have yet to spin one...) For me it's primarily about a calling God has placed on my life. To not only minister through DJ led worship, but also to be a light in some very dark places.

EQUIPMENT

OK, enough of my preaching. Let's get into some practical stuff.

1. DON'T OVERSPEND:
   This is the #1 most common mistake I see new would-be DJs make. They spend $2,000 on gear only to realize DJing isn't nearly as easy or instantly rewarding at they thought it would be.
2. START FREE!
   Try out something with a free PC DJ tool and see if you like mixing beats.  If you're still interested after some serious experimenting, then:
3. GO DIGITAL!
   There are several CHEAP DJ packages you can get ($300) for 2 CD players and a mixer.  When (if) it's time to resell the package, you're only losing about $100 in total. I’m saying the next thing since vinyl people are not going to read what i just wrote and they're going to jump straight to the big guns:
4. DON'T GO CHEAP ON TURNTABLES
   If you just ignored everything I said, listen to this single piece of advice: Buy a pair of Technics 1200s for around $1,000 (that includes cartridges IE needles).  NO, they're not the absolute best tables on the market. NO, they're not cheap!  YES, they are still used in 95% of the clubs that have vinyl DJs. YES they are absolutely, utterly indestructible. YES, they hold their value better than any other table. YES, you'll be happy with them 10 years from now.   You can get by with a cheap mixing board to start. Just don't skimp on the turntables.  Related to this topic is:
5. DON'T SKIMP ON HEADPHONES
   Spend $100 for a GOOD set of headphones that are designed specifically for matching beats.  It will make a WORLD of difference. Trust me. You just can't hear the thump of the kick drum clearly enough in cheaper headphones. If the headphones distort from the kick, you won't be able to mix.  I have a pair of Sony MDR-V700 headphones that are great. There are several other great pairs of headphones out there. Do your research and decide which are best for you.
6. DON'T BUY A BUNCH OF EFFECTS UNITS
   Second most common mistake I see lots of new DJs make. They buy all this junk to add effects to their mixes, when a good DJ only needs a 3 band EQ to make a mix set interesting.  Wait until you're GOOD to buy those gadgets.  Related to this topic is:
7. LEARN YOUR EQUIPMENT & EXPERIMENT:
   Play around with the EQ on your mixer. Try shutting the track on and off with the line/phono switch (or crossfader) It's amazing the amount of diversity you can get out of a simple mixing board and 2 turntables (CD players, etc)
8. BUY RECORDS/CDs/MP3s YOU LIKE:
   Pretty obvious, but you'd be surprised how many of us buy something because it will work in a set rather than because it's an earth shattering track.   Play what you like, and it'll be more enjoyable

LEARNING TO MATCH BEATS & DJ

OK, let's get on to the 'learning to DJ' section of our program.

1. ONLY USE THE PITCH ADJUST:
   If you want to learn well, and I mean REALLY well. You will be a SOLID mixer in no time if you are really diligent in practicing this.  This is the #1 tip I received from a Detroit DJ friend.  (heh. I still need to do this more :-)
2. START WITH 2 OF THE SAME RECORDS:
   Start the records at the same time, and try to get them in synch. Once you do, touch the side of the spinning platter (cd/etc) to slow one down. Repeat. For about 20 hours.
3. MIX 2 DIFFERENT SONGS TOGETHER IN THEIR ENTIRETY:
   I know the records will clash. I know a breakdown will hit and there will be only one beat going.  I also know this is the best way I learned to beat match.  Do nothing but try to keep the two beats lined up. Don’t worry about how the songs clash.
4. LISTEN FOR WHAT SONGS GO TOGETHER:
   Take notes if you have to. Put the records in order if you have to. Listen to how your favorite DJs put their mixes together. There's usually something that ties the tracks together: whether it's the synth, the kick, or a similar cymbal pattern. Either you have the ear for what flows together or you don't. I think that's the one thing you can't teach a DJ. The rest is close to a science. Track selection is an art.
5. PRACTICE YOUR FIRST MIXSET: 
   Take your top 10 or so tracks, lay them out in order, and get to it!  Related to this topic is:
6. RECORD YOUR MIXSETS: 
   You'd be amazed at the difference between how you thought you mixed and reality.  I've had gigs I thought were fantastic that were horrible, and vice versa.
7. SET UP YOUR EQUIPMENT LIKE YOU WERE AT A GIG:
   Third biggest mistake I see DJs make. They have their nice set up in their bedroom where it's perfectly quite, there's no distractions, their monitors are at the perfect level, they have their comfy chair all set up. Take that gear out and set it up as if you were at an actual gig.  Play the TV or talk radio or something similar to 'simulate' the atmosphere of a real gig.  Set up your monitor speakers pointing away from you to see how different it is.
8. PRACTICE MIXING WITH ONLY YOUR HEADPHONES: 
   This is probably too advanced for this article, but it's worth mentioning. Shut off your speakers completely and try to mix.  You're going to have plenty of gigs where the monitors are so horrible; you have to mix in your headphones.   
9. I shouldn't have to tell you PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE: 
   Like I said, it's a lot of hard work learning to DJ well. There are no shortcuts.

FIRST GIG ADVICE

I only have one piece of advice since you've already practiced like crazy: DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to get you through the gig.  Some people hate planning sets out. They are usually the people who pull 40 records out for a set out of their 1,000 records or so...and that's not planning?  I say plan the set out!  Seriously, though, write down BPMs. Write down where the pitch adjust should be. Write down where you should mix the next record in. Practice your set until it's memorized.  Do whatever it takes so that you're comfortable with the music you're going to play.

Try some of these things out, and you'll be a pro in no time! That's it for now, y’all!  Good luck on your DJ adventure!