Help with Beginner Pioneer DJ controller for 8 year old son.

**Freedbaby** · 11-26-2019, 09:17 AM

Glad to have found this place, this is my first post.

My youngest son (will be 8 when he gets it) is SUPER into his music and making and running playlists so my wife and I decided his "big" present for the holidays (Christmas, Chanukah, Festivus, Kwanza etc) would be a DJ controller.

I got as far as knowing I want to buy Pioneer...seems that, for beginners, this is the easiest one to use but which one is tough. I am just not understanding.

I have already bought the PIONEER DDJ-200 but I am thinking it's going to be extremely limiting, especially since there is no real output other than the bluetooth connection to your ipad or whatever device you pair it with. The draw to the DDJ-200, however is that it works with Spotify, which my son loves and we have the full subscription.

I am thinking of taking back the DDJ-200 and getting the PIONEER DDJ-400 but number one, you can get it with either Rekordbox or Serato and I don't know a thing about either one, and I am getting mixed answers as to whether you can use it with Spotify. Some say yeah no problem, some say no, and some say yes, but you have to get the "full version" of the software for another $150 which I would probably not do.

I have two sets of powered speakers, mixers, mics, mic stands, plenty of cabling etc, so hooking it up won't be an issue once I figure out what to buy.

Can anyone walk me through this so I can make a decent decision here?? Also if I am headed down the totally wrong path, please straighten me out lol

Jay

**DJ Bobcat** · 11-26-2019, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Freedbaby

Glad to have found this place, this is my first post.

My youngest son (will be 8 when he gets it) is SUPER into his music and making and running playlists so my wife and I decided his "big" present for the holidays (Christmas, Chanukah, Festivus, Kwanza etc) would be a DJ controller.

I got as far as knowing I want to buy Pioneer...seems that, for beginners, this is the easiest one to use but which one is tough. I am just not understanding.

I have already bought the PIONEER DDJ-200 but I am thinking it's going to be extremely limiting, especially since there is no real output other than the bluetooth connection to your ipad or whatever device you pair it with. The draw to the DDJ-200, however is that it works with Spotify, which my son loves and we have the full subscription.

I am thinking of taking back the DDJ-200 and getting the PIONEER DDJ-400 but number one, you can get it with either Rekordbox or Serato and I don't know a thing about either one, and I am getting mixed answers as to whether you can use it with Spotify. Some say yeah no problem, some say no, and some say yes, but you have to get the "full version" of the software for another $150 which I would probably not do.

I have two sets of powered speakers, mixers, mics, mic stands, plenty of cabling etc, so hooking it up won't be an issue once I figure out what to buy.

Can anyone walk me through this so I can make a decent decision here?? Also if I am headed down the totally wrong path, please straighten me out lol

Jay

If you want your kid to use a controller with Spotify, you’re gonna need Algoriddim’s Djay software. I have a Pioneer DDJ-WeGO3, which came with a license for DJay Pro. You can still get a WeGO3, but not sure if it still comes with a DJay Pro license. You can get the Pioneer DDJ-WeGO4, and it too comes with a Rekordbox license, but it will work fine with DJay Pro.

I’m pretty sure the only software that works with Spotify is DJay Pro, but I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.

My WeGO3 worked fine with DJay Pro and Spotify, but I prefer Traktor, so that’s what I use. I’m nearly as smart as an 8 year old and had little difficulty figuring it all out.😄

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Manu** · 11-26-2019, 01:07 PM

Bobcat is right, it works only with DJay Pro. The other downsides are you don't own the music, and it needs an internet connection. That said, your kid can start building his own music collection on the side of this... If he already has a music collection then he can even get started without having to need spotify in the first place.

Can't go wrong with a pioneer, I'd get the 400 for the looping function on top of the unit. Great Christmas present indeed.

**Freedbaby** · 11-26-2019, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Manu

Bobcat is right, it works only with DJay Pro. The other downsides are you don't own the music, and it needs an internet connection. That said, your kid can start building his own music collection on the side of this... If he already has a music collection then he can even get started without having to need spotify in the first place.

Can't go wrong with a pioneer, I'd get the 400 for the looping function on top of the unit. Great Christmas present indeed.

so if I get a DDJ-400 lets say, download Algoriddim Djay pro 2 for $49.99 to his ipad, I will be able to use spotify? Sorry for sounding like an idiot, but you guys have so far been 6000 times more help than any store, than the people at pioneer that didn't ever call me back and the online retailers....

he has an ipad and a chrome book, is my thinking of using the ipad the better choice here?

**DJ Bobcat** · 11-26-2019, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Freedbaby

so if I get a DDJ-400 lets say, download Algoriddim Djay pro 2 for $49.99 to his ipad, I will be able to use spotify?

Yep... and I’d go with the iPad over the Chromebook. You’ll want a Spotify Premium subscription. You may need an adapter to connect the USB cable to his iPad. Good luck.

**pete** · 11-26-2019, 03:39 PM

DDJ 400 looks a lot better machine.

For starters it has a headphone output and a master output. Rather than just a mono splitter from the iPad.

I'm really shocked there are systems that integrate spotify (I guess it is just for home use). Certainly holy grail for most DJs coming into the game these days.

Respect to the 8 year old loving the music, keep him at it and be proud of him.

**Freedbaby** · 11-26-2019, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Bobcat

Yep... and I’d go with the iPad over the Chromebook. You’ll want a Spotify Premium subscription. You may need an adapter to connect the USB cable to his iPad. Good luck.

Yes, I saw that adapter somewhere else, Lightning to USB Camera Adaptor right??

Originally Posted by pete

DDJ 400 looks a lot better machine.

For starters it has a headphone output and a master output. Rather than just a mono splitter from the iPad.

I'm really shocked there are systems that integrate spotify (I guess it is just for home use). Certainly holy grail for most DJs coming into the game these days.

Respect to the 8 year old loving the music, keep him at it and be proud of him.

Thanks, he is a good kid, the third of three....and will play DJ any chance given.

Get this....his current play list includes:

marshmellow
Paul Simon
The Beatles
Maroon 5
Blanco Brown
George Strait
Roger Craeger
Randy Rogers
Bob Segar
Europe....

just to name a few, on his own play list that he made on spotify by himself.