Want to get into DJ'ing and not sure where to begin? Pioneer seem to have a controller for every price point and every experience level and the
DDJ-SB3, at just £249.00 is aimed at beginners on a budget. So what do you get for the money and can you really have a real dj'ing experience on one of these?
Made for Serato
If you are a rekordbox enthusiast, Pioneer have the DDJ-400 for you at the same price however if you want to get started on Serato, then the SB-3 is the Serato equivalent. Most would ask, isn't it just the same device but with different drivers required? Thats where most of you will be mistaken because its not just software compatibility. The DDJ-SB3 has a slightly different layout more in tune with Serato and the buttons are specifically mapped to the software.
There are a couple of extra features too which let you take full advantage of the Serato DJ software. The SB3 comes with two large jog wheels, along with a comprehensive pad section. In between the two decks you will find a two channel mixer, with a very familiar layout to much of Pioneers more pro gear.
Tools catered to Beginners
Pad Scratch
Pioneer have included a really intuitive feature aimed at beginners who may want to add some scratching to their mixes but haven't yet got the expertise. The pad scratch feature was developed in conjunction with legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff. It takes 8 scratch recordings done by him and syncs them in time with whatever you are playing. As they adjust tempo according to what is playing, there is no worry about if they will be in time or not.
FX Fade
Maybe you are just starting out. Lets say you haven't worked out how to mix certain genres together or transition from one tempo to another yet. The FX Fade feature is here to help. A clever combination of filters and effects lets you mix seamlessly between songs, even if you are clashing genres. This is a great little tool for beginners who aren't fully confident yet.
Serato Lite
The DDJ-SB3 comes with Serato DJ Lite straight out the box so you can get going as soon as you get it home. Serato DJ Lite, even though not a full version, is still full of features. You are only limited from some more pro features, which most likely beginners wouldn't be familiar with straight away. The idea is to get better using the SB3 and Serato Lite before investing more money in the Pro version of the software.
Connections
The SB3 doesn't come with a heap of connections. You get RCA outputs and that's it. However you do get a mic input which is a nice touch on such a budget. The pre-amp in the mic input is great with very low noise and distortion.
Conclusion
Pioneer have really thought about every category of DJ when it comes to their range of controllers. The SB3 is the perfect companion for a beginner DJ who is looking to eventually upgrade. The layout is designed to give you a familiar feel when you go up to bigger more pro controllers or even CDJ's and it is perfectly mapped for Serato. The unit is super compact and light however feels well built and can take a knock. You could easily do a set on this if all else failed.
The Pioneer DDJ-SB3 comes in at just £249.00 so is also extremely affordable. The next step up will cost you upwards of £600 so its a great way to get into Serato. The Pioneer DDJ-SB3 is available to order
online now.
