Todays laptop computer is a very powerful general purpose machine. Software allows it to store music in compressed digital form and to play it back. Instead of having to carry around a heavy record box, several days of music now fit onto a normal hard disk.

But it does not stop there; advanced signal processing allows mixing different sources and adding effects. Using a screen allows interaction by the DJ in a way vinyl never could.

TURNTABLES OF TOMORROW

With fully-featured playback decks the software of today can drop in additional loops and samples, or mix a number of tracks at once. Integrated mixers are highly flexible, allowing effects to be inserted on each channel individually. Some applications allow external turntables, CD-players and hardware effects to be fully integrated.

NOT ALL SOFTWARE IS THE SAME

Some is freeware, and excellent, other software is worthless and in between there are applications from $10 to $800. Thankfully most vendors allow either a timed trial or a demo version will allows you to evaluate the product before you commit to purchase it.

WHAT SORT OF DJ ARE YOU?

If the idea is to provide music for a friends party, you do not need the most expensive product, you need one which will autoplay so you can enjoy the party too. However if you are a creative club DJ you need the tools to do the job. Finally, to quote the makers of Deckadance, "Of course, if you suck as a DJ, you will still suck using Deckadance, but you will suck better, faster, harder and more creatively than ever before!"

HANDS ON ?

For professional DJ's who want a more hands on experience than a mouse or keyboard can give there are a number of hardware controllers which connect to the computer. They allow control of the software by MIDI commands providing real knobs, faders, and buttons which interact with the software.