Too much for a beginner ?

It’s a very personal call. If you are set on RekordBox DJ, then picking an “R”-series controller is probably your best bet currently. It does lock you in, so a year down the line you want to switch to Serato, Virtual DJ, Mixvibes Cross, DJay Pro or anything else, it will be hard(er). It also locks you in to Pioneer gear for now and probably for the future (think this could be on purpose?), meaning that some very good starter controllers from our shortlist are not available to you.

Normally I’d say buy a starter controller, get comfortable with it and then upgrade. You can even go used for your first controller. Those controllers are in a category that doesn’t get taken on the road much and more often than not just sits an a practice (bed)room for it’s entire life. Also many people buy one, try for a few months, decide it’s not for them and need to get rid of them. So you should be able to find some good bargains on gear that might be the previous model, but for a starter controller that is totally ok imho.

Another reason for going starter before upgrading to something more is that you need some time to figure your desired workflow out. And that has an impact on the features you might want in your future controller. So, you might end up buying a medium sedan now, only to find out in six months that a hatchback would have been better. Now you have to sell (and lose a lot of money) your sedan and go buy an equally expensive new hatchback. Had you bought a compact sedan used, it would have been easier to resell without losing big bucks and leave you with the option of buying the new hatchback with all the features you want/need on it.

On a side-note I am curious what you find lacking in the RB jog wheels. They may not be the exact same as the RR/RX, but they are certainly decent jog-wheels for a controller in it’s class. If you are looking for CDJ2000 level jogs, you will end up with an RZ at ridiculous prices. And THAT is a controller I would not want as my first on LOL.

Are they teaching you RekordBox or RekordBox DJ? I am guessing the first. And that would be like comparing apples with pears.

RekordBox is collection management software, where RekordBox DJ is full DJ software. The latter does compare with Serato, but also Mixvibes Cross, DJay Pro, Virtual DJ to name a few.

It is one of the reasons why we say:
1) Determine your desired/intended workflow.
2) Pick software that most closely matches that workflow (100% is utopia).
3) Set a budget (for the precise reason of “pretty lights” not confusing the matter and making you spend more than you can/should.
4) Make a 2 or 3 controller shortlist. These should fit workflow, software and budget.
5) Get some hands-on time on your shortlist controllers and make your choice.
6) Get the How To Digital DJ Fast course by Phil Morse (just kidding, although it’s a great way to get your feet wet quickly with Digital DJ-ing. With it’s money-back guarantee you have no risk of following a course that in retrospect you find did not teach you enough of value to warrant the price).

RekordBox (not DJ) is the only software that lets you make USB-sticks for your CDJs, so them making use of it makes sense. Going down the software/controller route opens up so many more creative options though that you really owe it to yourself to at least explore those options.

You are welcome. I tend to be a guy to buy quality gear too. For the same reasons you stated. Partly I know that is “frame of mind” stuff. It’s the guys that make their musical instrument work regardless of it’s quality/sound that end up on the podia of the world I think 😀

That said, you are in luck. If you buy even starter gear from respectable vendors, like Pioneer, Denon, Numark, Reloop to name a few, it will work well enough to not discourage you, it will sound just fine for the purpose and you could easily play your first gigs with it if you want.