What’s in My EMERGENCY DJ Kit?

Posted by DJ Roodz on March 5, 2018

This Post Contains Affiliate Links.

As a DJ, I can’t think of anything more embarrassing than being ill-prepared for a gig. Whether it’s because of forgotten gear, broken chargers, a corrupt flash drive, you name it, it’s just no bueno. Your reputation and credibility take a huge hit, and, chances are, you may end up playing a shorter set – or not at all. On top of the money both you and the venue lost on that night, your chances of being rebooked just went down the drain.

Sometimes, this kind of stuff just happens. A drink gets spilled on a laptop. A charger shorts out. The CDJ’s are missing leads. There’s a degree to which incidentals are just out of our hands. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t be prepared. I won’t lie, I’m not writing this blog post proactively. A few months ago, I showed up to a gig without a charger. I was MORTIFIED. I ended up taking a huge pay cut, and the guy who booked me was less than pleased. It was a very humbling moment.

With that being said, let’s get started!

First Things First

Ideally, an emergency kit isn’t designed to be another DJ bag. Rather, it’s a useful supplement that you can toss into a DJ bag, backpack, or suitcase without too much difficulty. So, I’ve designed my kit with this small case from Amazon in mind. It holds a lot of gear without taking up an insane amount of room. Plus, I throw my hard drive in it on the way to gigs. That way, I’ve conditioned myself to always remember my HDD and my emergency kit.

What’s in the Kit?

Macbook Charger

It never really occurred to me that Macbook chargers are actually ultra portable. If you don’t use the extension cord, the power brick and MagSafe cord can fit very easily into your kit. To keep costs down, I just use a generic charger as my backup. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read the reviews! Buying non-OEM chargers can be risky business if you don’t shop smart.

Hit the links to shop for a Magsafe charger or a Magsafe 2 charger. Don’t know which one you need? Check out this handy chart from Apple.

RCA Cables + Aux Cord

Whether the CDJ leads are busted, or you need to run a line from your controller to the house mixer, you’re gonna need RCA cables. They’re like the “universal donor” of audio cables! Not every controller has XLR or TRS inputs, but I’d bet my last dollars that when you’re in a pinch and need to make a connection, those familiar red and white jacks will be there. Keep a short pair on hand to replace CDJ connections, and a higher quality set for your controller. I like these 4-foot ones from AmazonBasics ($9).

An AUX cord will save your life when you least expect it. If everything fails, you can always plug your phone into the house mixer and play a long mix until you get things back under control. Make sure to turn the ringer off! This AmazonBasics one is only $6.

Extra USB Cables

Whenever I have a software problem, the first thing I always check is my controller connection. USB cables may be a dime a dozen, but that doesn’t mean that they’re all created equally. It never hurts to have extras on hand. Furthermore, more and more mixers and controllers are being built with two sound cards; if the DJ before you only has a cable for himself, how are you going to plug in without creating dead air?

I use DJ TechTools’ Chroma Cables. Grab some in your favorite color here.

Flash Drives

I keep two flash drives in my kit:

1. A Boot Disk for OS X

Sometimes, no matter how many times you try, it’s impossible to figure out what exactly is going wrong in your computer. In that case, it’s just best to start fresh and reinstall your OS. If you have a flash drive with OS X loaded into it, the entire process can take about 15 minutes, as opposed to HOURS if you have to download the entire operating system on the venue’s wi-fi. Make sure you have your music backed up!

2. Music

On my second flash drive, I’ve got the very best of my music library. I’ve loaded a few pre-made mixes onto the drive, for warm ups and peak hour sets, and I’ve prepared a few crates with my best tracks from every genre. Everything is analyzed for both Serato and Rekordbox.

Grab a pair of PNY drives here.

Business Cards

Reaching into my wallet and not finding business cards is so frustrating! I always keep a few in my backpack as a backup, but it never hurts to have more than you need.

Earbuds and Headphone Adapters

Earbuds aren’t the best replacement for DJ-grade headphones or IEM’s, but when you’re in a pinch, beggars can’t be choosers. What’s nice is that more and more DJ mixers are being built to accept standard headphone plugs. I keep these Skullcandy ones in my bag. They’re decently cheap and easily replaceable.

Headphones adapters are the most taken-for-granted piece of gear. You don’t realize how much you rely on them until they’re gone. If you have an extra to give someone, they’ll be your best friend for life. Save yourself the frustration, and pick up a couple here. You know you’re gonna lose them eventually.

Don’t show up to your gig unprepared! Use this handy checklist that I’ve created for you:

What do you keep in your EMERGENCY DJ Kit? Let me know in the comments!