During the 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York, the earliest stereophonic disco system was unveiled, which used two-channel sound and represented a significant improvement in the listening experience.
In the early 1970s, two turntables and a mixer were all it took. This invention was made by RCA in 1963 and is credited with the invention of the DJ mixer. By cross-fading between two records, people were able to listen to two different records at once. Although there were similar tools used by other DJs before that, the question of the 'first DJ mixer' is controversial.
Using separate tweeter arrays and subwoofers, David Mancuso and Alex Ratner created crisp, defined sound at their infamous after-hours parties at "The Loft." The novelty of this made the event an unforgettable experience for partygoers as well as a leap forward in DJ culture.
Music was just beginning to be played on radio stations at that time as a way to break up the talking, so specialized equipment was needed for disc jockeys. Due to the growing popularity of musical elements in broadcasts, DJs needed more advanced equipment to seamlessly transition from one to another. As technology advanced, a completely distinct genre of music emerged.
Alex Rosner designed the first DJ mixer in 1971. It was developed specifically for the Haven Club by Rosner, who called it Rosie. For the first time, Alex Rosner's Rosie DJ mixer allowed the DJ to mix two turntables at once. In addition to a microphone input, the mixer had a headphone output that could be controlled by the DJ.
The year 1974 marked the beginning of Joseph Saddler's revolutionary way of cutting and mixing records. Saddler, aka Grandmaster Flash, invented the "Quick Mix Theory," which allowed two identical tracks to be cut between on the turntable in order to maintain the same beat.
As early as 1975, Grand Wizzard Theodore invented "Scratching". It was a game changer for partygoers, in particular. A new and original form of music could be created by manipulating the discs in this way.
It was 1977 when transition control was introduced. The GLI PMX 7000 mixer revolutionized DJing when it was brought to light. An ordinary DJ could easily transition between records with one hand with the help of the crossfader on this US-made mixer. During the late 1970s, hip-hop DJs made this technique popular.
A studio-quality fader was a dream come true for DJs when the Rane MP 24 Club Mixer was introduced in 1986.
A new era of technological advancement began in 1995 with the introduction of MP3. As time wore on, audio encoding became the gold standard. By removing redundant and inaudible data from audio files, this lossy compression codec provides improved sound quality. As a result of the smaller file sizes, users were able to share music online more easily.
As of 1998, DJs can use the Pioneer EFX-500 Effector to add echo effects, filtering, and flanging to their repertoire, which provides a better experience for audiences.
In 2001, the first CD turntable was introduced to the world. As an accurate replica of its traditional vinyl counterpart, The Pioneer CDJ 1000 was the beginning of a new era.
Originally shown at PLASA 2003, the Numark CDX is a very pragmatic solution to a long-standing issue: how to control the playback of a CD as you would a vinyl record. Getting my hands on this beast was a great experience back in 2005.
In 2004, Serato introduced Scratch Live. With its Pitch N' Time plugin for Pro Tools, the company quickly became a leader in the field. Developing software and hardware in partnership with Rane and other companies, Serato became the industry standard.
As technology took over, the sync button was introduced. This gave more room for art to be implemented in the sets due to the time saved when matching beats and bending were done automatically.
How do you see DJ equipment evolving in the next 50 years?
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