Where Does One Learn To DJ?

[Sonarch]

I'm not sure if I would ever be able to be the DJ of an event, or do something like perform at Ponystock (as that would require me to have actually made some music), but I saw a lot of people there doing electronic sets and using some DJ equipment. Where do you learn to do that?

[Markelius]

Get yourself a DJ program, I personally use Deckadance, but you can also use Tractor, Virtual DJ, or if you're into more complex mixing or wanna use stuff like launchpads or apc40's you can get yourself Ableton or run FL's performance mode.

Most two-track mixing programs are really straightforward and easy to learn, I learned how to DJ in a week. Keep in mind I had already been producing for over 6 months, so I knew my way around audio stuff.

So yeah, just find a program you like and go for it, it's not too hard to learn, and cool mixes just take practice.

[Motivfs]

Get yourself a DJ program, I personally use Deckadance, but you can also use Tractor, Virtual DJ, or if you're into more complex mixing or wanna use stuff like launchpads or apc40's you can get yourself Ableton or run FL's performance mode.

Most two-track mixing programs are really straightforward and easy to learn, I learned how to DJ in a week. Keep in mind I had already been producing for over 6 months, so I knew my way around audio stuff.

So yeah, just find a program you like and go for it, it's not too hard to learn, and cool mixes just take practice.

Basically what Markelius said, it's not hard at all, grab a program, there are many free ones over the internet too, all they require is ad popups, etc.., but yeah, it's not hard if you know how to sync, use effects, and what songs work good.

Personally I never use effects though unless its vocal cut or instrumental, or changing gains.

[Navron]

Regardless of what program you get, there's some basic fundamentals every DJ should adhere to as close as possible:

1. You must own all the music you play. If you have pirated songs, you can get busted pretty bad. Hell, there's even a story somewhere of a DJ that got busted by a SWAT team for copyright infringement.

2. You must have a basic knowledge of music theory. Sure, some nicer programs like Traktor will help list songs by key and BPM, but you should be familiar with basic music theory, so if somebody throws a request your way, you know whether or not you can include it, and if so, when you can.

3. It's more than just transitions. Starting off though, just working on smooth transitions between songs is a basic skill to work on. From there you can learn to incorporate more advanced effects and mixing different elements of songs together.

4. Your song library should have songs of almost every genre out there, including ones you dislike. Part of being a DJ includes playing songs you don't like.

With that said, there's many more basic rules, but you get the gist of the idea.

Regarding programs, it depends on what you want to do with them. An actual DJ program like Traktor will allow you to work requests in, and is suited well for actual DJ-ing.

Ableton Live is good for performing and mixing different songs together, but it's not very good for taking requests. You pretty much build a set, and stick to it.

[Lavender_Harmony]

Get yourself a DJ program, I personally use Deckadance, but you can also use Tractor, Virtual DJ, or if you're into more complex mixing or wanna use stuff like launchpads or apc40's you can get yourself Ableton or run FL's performance mode.

Most two-track mixing programs are really straightforward and easy to learn, I learned how to DJ in a week. Keep in mind I had already been producing for over 6 months, so I knew my way around audio stuff.

So yeah, just find a program you like and go for it, it's not too hard to learn, and cool mixes just take practice.

High five, I learned in a week too, just before a con performance (Which was incredible) and I used Mixxx. Mixxx is really good in my experience, very full featured.

One important thing to note is you will need the capability to have two audio outputs, so investing in a small external audio interface is a must.

[the4thImpulse]

Regardless of what program you get, there's some basic fundamentals every DJ should adhere to as close as possible:

1. You must own all the music you play. If you have pirated songs, you can get busted pretty bad. Hell, there's even a story somewhere of a DJ that got busted by a SWAT team for copyright infringement.

2. You must have a basic knowledge of music theory. Sure, some nicer programs like Traktor will help list songs by key and BPM, but you should be familiar with basic music theory, so if somebody throws a request your way, you know whether or not you can include it, and if so, when you can.

3. It's more than just transitions. Starting off though, just working on smooth transitions between songs is a basic skill to work on. From there you can learn to incorporate more advanced effects and mixing different elements of songs together.

4. Your song library should have songs of almost every genre out there, including ones you dislike. Part of being a DJ includes playing songs you don't like.

With that said, there's many more basic rules, but you get the gist of the idea.

Regarding programs, it depends on what you want to do with them. An actual DJ program like Traktor will allow you to work requests in, and is suited well for actual DJ-ing.

Ableton Live is good for performing and mixing different songs together, but it's not very good for taking requests. You pretty much build a set, and stick to it.

This is the best answer so far. I would suggest the program Virtual DJ it is the best software you can get for more traditional DJing (don't follow the serato/traktor bandwagon just because everyone uses them), it also has a, legal, free version that lets you do everything but the advanced user stuff (midi, control vinyl, radio broadcasting..).


I have been a DJ for close to five years now, I play weekly and have played festivals with 2000 people and from my experience no one becomes a 'good', acceptable, DJ in less than six months. A lot of people in the field recommend practicing for at least two years before playing live and while that number is one that can change person to person, its a good guidline to know if you are ready.

So yeah, just find a program you like and go for it, it's not too hard to learn, and cool mixes just take practice.

DJing is VERY hard to learn, sure, moving a crossfader is easy but you need to keep in mind beatmatching, phrase matching, song key, song content, and the crowd. There is a fine line between a perfect mix and a bad mix, there is no room for error and after training a number of friends no one them were even close after a week.



I wrote a DJing/preformance guide for the forums here you may want to check that out - DJ Guide - Its mostly suited for beginners and should help understand if its for you. If you have any questions feel free to send me PM and if the guide helps in any way I would love to hear about it.

[Sonarch]

Oh wow, thanks to all of you for your advice, and that DJ guide looks really extensive, so I'm definitely going to read that through if I ever have time to start learning. School is eating up a lot of my time at the moment, Junior year, 4 AP classes, Cross Country practice every day, etc... but once that lightens up a bit, I really want to get into this, and everything else music related, a lot more. You all are so awesome

[Dabrenn]

Oh wow, thanks to all of you for your advice, and that DJ guide looks really extensive, so I'm definitely going to read that through if I ever have time to start learning. School is eating up a lot of my time at the moment, Junior year, 4 AP classes, Cross Country practice every day, etc... but once that lightens up a bit, I really want to get into this, and everything else music related, a lot more. You all are so awesome :D

I feel you man, just wait until you're a senior trying to bump your ACT up one more point, writing College Essays, keeping grades up, running Cross Country, and working out for Basketball.

I had almost zero time until after christmas.

On topic though, I bought myself a Traktor Kontrol S2 (Blah blah beginner bandwagon over-payed lol :P) and I love it. Traktor is awesome (much preferred over Virtual DJ In my honest opinion) and it comes with the deck.

DJing is lots of fun, if I were you, just practice a lot in your room, organize a few class/school parties and hire yourself as the DJ once you get enough practice in, and then work from there. Definitely check out any guides you can find, being a decent DJ (I.e. glorified iPod Shuffle) is easy, but still very fun. Crossing the line into the realm of being a talented DJ takes practice, just like everything else, practice practice practice :D.

Hope I helped out some.

[Markelius]

DJing is VERY hard to learn, sure, moving a crossfader is easy but you need to keep in mind beatmatching, phrase matching, song key, song content, and the crowd. There is a fine line between a perfect mix and a bad mix, there is no room for error and after training a number of friends no one them were even close after a week.

I had *learned* how to dj in a week because I played at a freinds party, I pretty much mixed house and 4-4 stuff there though so it was pretty easy.

Nowadays, my mixes get pretty nuts, as I play genres like garage, breakcore, and glitch-hop, and do live glitches overtop, I really have to get creative when transitioning and be careful when glitching because when you're working in constantly changing time signatures, songs that each have their own BPM, and different keys, it's really easy to mess up and it requires full focus and concentration to make your mix work.

However I don't even mix that often, I do it for live shows, I've DJ'ed as Markelius twice so far, once in front half my high-school and once over the summer I did for a charity show, where I ran a bunch of live glitches and played a breed of house, downtempo and ambient. It's really fun though I just like to focus more on actually making music, since I'm a huge slowpoke.