DJ Glossary

This section is for those pesky and nerdy DJ terms you always wanted to know but were too afraid to ask.

• Amp - Short for amplifier.
• Acapella - A track containing only vocals - no background music.
• Anti-skating - A control to keep a turntables stylus centred within a records groove.
• Balance Control - A control that adjusts the left/right balance of your sound.
• Auto Warp - An Ableton Live function that allows the program to calculate and time stretch music.
• Bass - The low frequency normally associated with the kick drum and bass, this can be controlled with your mixers EQ controls.
• Battle - An event where DJs battle against each other, battles are usually associated with hip hop culture.
• Battle Record - A 12” vinyl filled with samples and loops usually used for scratching.
• Beat Matching - A mixing technique used to establish a similar tempo with two or more tracks.
• Beats Per Minute (BPM) - The number of beats per minute, a standard measure of tempo.
• Belt Drive - A turntable driven by a belt using a pulley system to rotate its platter.
• Booking agent - A person who deals with all the details of your DJ bookings and manages your DJ Diary.
• Booth - The area where the DJ & their equipment are in an event or club.
• BPM Counter – A device used to automatically calculate the BMP of a track.
• Cartridge – The part that holds the stylus in place on your turntable.
• Channel – Referring to the channel within which audio is to be played on your DJ mixer.
• Counterbalance (counterweight) - The adjustable weight mounted at the rear end of the tonearm on a turntable.
• Crossfader - A transitional slide control on a mixer for fading in one channel while simultaneously fading out another.
• Crossfader Curve Control - A control that allows adjustment of the crossfaders fade curvature.
• Cuing - A term referring to when a DJ listens to a track through headphones while playing another through the sound system.
• Demo - A promotional mix sent to potential bookings.
• Direct Drive - A motor system used to rotate a turntables platter.
• Effects Unit – An external device added to your audio stream to add effects to your mixes.
• EQ Controls - Controls that allow the filtering of differing frequencies on your DJ mixer.
• EQing - Altering the colour of sound from EQ control manipulation.
• Fade - A gradual increase or reduction in the level of the audio signal.
• Fader – On a DJ mixer this refers to a sliding control used to adjust the volume of your tracks.
• Flight case - A light weight, hard wearing carry case for a DJs equipment, vinyls and CDs.
• Gain Control - A control which increases or reduces the output level of your tracks giving extra movement in volume.
• Genre - A category of music e.g. Techno, House, Hip Hop, D&B, Trance, Hard House etc.
• Hamster Switch - A reverse feature for a crossfader on DJ mixer. Scratching hamster style is to scratch with a reversed crossfader.
• Headshell – The adaptor used to hold the cartridge in place on the tonearm of a turntable.
• High Frequencies – The high frequencies of your track controlled by your EQ controls.
• Indie Label - A non commercial record label separate from the big corporate companies.
• Kill Switch - A switch or button to turn on and off output or individual frequency ranges within a channel, i.e. treble, mid and bass.
• Line Input - An input used by an audio devise.
• Master – The master (main) volume control of your mixer.
• MC - In DJ terms, referring to a person rapping.
• Mid-Range Frequencies – Frequencies that fit between the bass and high frequencies. These are also controlled by your EQ controls.
• MIDI - A communication signal used by electronic instruments to broadcast information to each other.
• Monitor - A speaker in the DJ booth that allows the DJ to hear without the delays or echoes caused by space in a large room.
• Needle - A term referring to a turntables stylus.
• Phono Connection – A connection used by turntables.
• Pitch control - The control on your DJ equipment used to alter the speed of your tracks.
• Platter or Plate - The top section of a turntable driven by its motor or belt.
• Promo - A pre-released version of a track.
• Sampler - A device used to record samples of music.
• Slipmat - A felt-type material used to reduce friction between the turntables plate and the vinyl.
• Stylus - The part of a turntables arm that makes contact with the vinyl being played.
• Tempo – The speed of your music.
• Time Code – The time structure within which music is created.
• Time Coded Vinyl – Special 12” vinyl used with systems to allow a computer to play music file directly from your turntables movements.
• Tone Arm - The pivoting arm on a turntable.
• Tracking - The ability of a stylus to follow the grooves of a vinyl.