DJing seems like a magic trick. You watch guys and gals seamlessly blend together two completely different songs by pressing some buttons and fiddling with some knobs. Somehow, the result is a great mix that keeps the party going.
Most DJs are using some sort of headphones, either big over-the-ear headphones or small in-ear monitors. But, can you DJ without headphones? It is possible to DJ without headphones, but it takes deep knowledge of your music, lots of preparation, and lots of practice.
Why DJ without headphones?
There are several reasons to DJ without headphones. The first is it just looks cool. Seeing DJ dancing around and interacting with the crowd makes for a great visual. And that right there is probably why you’re even looking at this article.
DJing without headphones makes you look like an expert DJ. It is incredible difficult to pull off. The vast majority of DJs are using headphones. If you are good enough to DJ without them, you are on an elite level.
Without headphones to distract you, you are also much more connected to your crowd. You will always be listening to exactly what your crowd hears. You won’t be taking those small moments to cue up and listen to the next track. It’s the ultimate level of crowd connection.
Here’s a great example: DJ Juicy M killing it without her headphones. She has other videos where she walks through her methods in detail, but it boils down to beatmatching, cue points and really knowing her music.
But, as you’ll see here, it takes an incredible amount of skill and practice if you are going to DJ without headphones. There are also significant downsides and risks. You will need to make sure that you are doing this for the right reasons and not just to look cool.
Method #1 – Planning and practice
The first way DJs are working without headphones is by planning out their sets entirely and practicing thoroughly. Many top-level DJs are playing the same sets over and over at different venues every night. With enough practice, they can essentially memorize the exact moves to make for each song.
To do this yourself, you would need to plan out a full set list and practice the transitions between each one of the songs. You can use your DJ software to add cue points to your tracks to know exactly when to start your mixes. You will be using both your ears and the visuals from your DJ software to cue you into your mixes.
One of the downsides of this method is that makes it very hard to improvise. You will have a set list that is organized in a very specific way from one song to the next. Putting in a new song or request in this will be very difficult. DJing without headphones is best suited for a controlled environment like a club where you’ll be very getting very little feedback from the crowd.
You can also see how this can get very boring very quickly. DJing with the exact same set over and over again is a pretty easy way to burn yourself out. However, this makes it easy for touring DJs who have to perform night after night across the world. By having the same set, they can focus on interacting with the crowd and keeping the party going. A fully planned and memorized set keeps them from being buried in their music.
Method #2 – Visual “Waveriding”
It’s also possible to DJ without headphones using the method sometimes referred to as visual “waveriding”. You will need to have extensive knowledge of your music and great mixing skills to make this possible.
This method relies on the visual waveforms in your DJ software. You will also need to know your tracks very well. DJs using this method are matching the beat of two songs using the peaks of the waveforms in the DJ software. They can also use the automated beat matching in their DJ software to help smooth out the mix.
To make this method work best, you need to prepare your tracks in advance with your DJ software. I typically mark important points of the song using my hot queue points. You will also need to make sure that the BPM is correct and that the beat grid is adjusted to start properly on beat 1. If you want to use key matching, you also need to make sure that the keys are correct on your songs.
Once you have your songs prepared in your DJ software, you will need to take some time to learn the songs very well. You want to know when all of the big sections start and how the song is laid out musically. With this knowledge you’ll be able to choose the right point in a song to mix it in because you have a good feel for what’s coming next.
Once the DJ has the songs prepared properly and marked in the DJ software, they are ready to mix visually. They can cue up the next track while they have something playing and pick a cue point that would make sense to start the song. They will adjust the BPM of the track manually or with auto-sync, and wait for just the right moment to drop the next track in. With the new track playing, they make tiny adjustments to the BPM using the nudge feature to keep the two tracks in sync. This takes a ton of practice and really good ears to make it sound great.
The drawback is that you only get one shot to make it sound good. If you make a mistake, the entire crowd will hear it. There’s no practice and no do-overs. You are DJing without a net. You really have to be a mixing expert to pull this off.
Here’s a dirty secret terrible DJs don’t want you to know!
Some DJs who aren’t using headphones aren’t actually DJing at all. With the level of technology we have today, it is pretty easy to fake a DJ mix. All you have to do is pre-record a whole set and play it back. Then, you jump around a lot and twist some knobs, and you look like a superstar DJ. Pretty simple, right?
This may fool people who have never DJed before, but most DJs will see right through this. Any time a DJ does something dramatic on his decks, but nothing changes in the music, that’s a dead giveaway.
Faking a mix to a pre-recorded track is pretty lame. I can understand why singers will sometimes lip-sync to a track. They may be sick, or the dance routine makes it very hard to sing at the same time. DJs really don’t have that excuse. We are there to DJ. That’s the primary purpose. If you are faking that, then what’s the point of you being there?
Should you do this as a beginner DJ?
DJing without headphones is definitely diving into the deep end. I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners.
As a new DJ, you need to learn how to beatmatch and mix properly. You can certainly practice at home without headphones because you are the only one that will hear your mistakes.
But, it would also be a mistake to wait until you are expert enough to DJ without headphones before you play out in public. In fact, you should be performing in public as soon as you can as a new DJ. Being on stage adds a whole new level of excitement and anxiety for a DJ. You need to expose yourself to this and get comfortable as soon as possible.
It will be scary and stressful, but you can’t be a DJ unless you can handle performing in public. Start small, maybe just for friends and family, but start soon. Performances will fuel your creativity and give you deadlines to learn new skills.
Headphones are essential to your success in public. You need the ability to practice a mix before everyone hears it. Headphones will give you the confidence that your next drop will be great. Once you have a solid foundation of beatmatching under stress, then you can consider not using headphones.
If you are worried about cost, good headphones don’t have to be expensive. My personal favorites are the Monoprice DJ headphones. They have great sound quality and they cost about $20. They are so inexpensive that I never have to worry about breaking or losing them.
In Summary…
It is absolutely possible to DJ without headphones. You just have to have a ton of skill and practice a lot. I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners, and some unethical DJs are just faking it. But, you should give props to the few expert DJs who can pull it off. And, if you work hard enough, you might be able to do it yourself!
