What's the best place to learn how to DJ in the Bay Area?

December 1, 2008 2:28 PM

What's the best place to learn how to DJ in the Bay Area?

I've always wanted to learn how to DJ, but I'm sure it's more a craftsman-like skill that you either teach yourself or learn from only one individual.

That presumption aside, are there any formalized ways to learn? And are any of those ways local and convenient to the Bay Area?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question!

posted by ebness86 to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 comments total)

Ask yourself what kind of music you want to spin. Find a DJ who spins that genre, start hanging out at club-nights he's working, befriend him, ask him to mentor you. IMHO, that's the "best" way to learn, if you want to eventually "play out".

In terms of technical style, I found it very helpful, starting out, to have only one pitch-adjustable turntable, and one fixed-speed, so that I could focus on just one side of the mix. Other DJ's look at me askew when I mention that, so YMMV.

And presuming you want to learn how to beat-match, I found it very helpful to buy two copies of the same track, and practice making the one song go on and on.
posted by nomisxid at 3:01 PM on December 1, 2008

Couldn't have said it better than nomisxid.

Aside from that, you can get some practice with a program called virtual DJ that basically give you two digital turntables on your computer.

It costs some money, but I am not suggesting that you just try it out after torrenting it and buy it if you end up using it because that would be illegal.

But don't rely too heavily on the fancy features it offers like beatmatching, because once you're doing it for real you will need to have an ear for things like that.

;)
posted by bradly at 3:35 PM on December 1, 2008

If you have money, get two 1200s, a simple mixer, headphones and speakers. And some records you like. Next, practice. Then practice more. And then some more.

If you don't have money, hang out with the people who like the music you like. Build up a list of friends who have tables. Practice with their gear as much as you can.

Either way, it is all about practice.
posted by b1tr0t at 10:11 PM on December 1, 2008