[gblade]

I'm sure at least a couple of you are dj's so i figured i might be a good response here. I was wondering how you would go about getting into djing. Ever since I was a little kid Ive always wanted to get tables and start mixing, it nothing else just for myself, but i really never knew what to do and where to start. Anyone got some good advice for me? How to start? What gear to buy?

 

[Mr. Tadashi]

Well if you are lucky and live close to them there are places like the Scratch academy and Spun Academy(I think Spun is just in Portland, OR) that have classes to teach the basics. I know that my brother mainly started to watch how to videos and started to pick things up from there.

 

[oicdn]

I used to play around with it, but never had the funds to build a massive vinyl collection. I was more of a fan of traditional spinning, rather than using a computer program like Serato Live...

I also wasn't a fan of your mainstream music DJing, so all the likes of DJ Keoki, DJ Teisto, all those House DJ's, and Hip-Hop DJ's I never had any respect for. I only really listened to DJ's like DJ Shadow, Coldcut, Kid Koala, Amon Tobin, Skratch Piklz, etc. All of those guys could spin CIRCLES around any DJs...

My buddy is pretty sick, and does mostly clubs and parties, but one of his favorites is DJ Q-Bert...I never really dug him as a solo DJ, but in collabo's he's pretty sick.

I would recommend sticking with your MoWax, Ninja Tune and other small DJ based labels. They have the most ELITE and ridiculous DJs out. They don't have that "ooohhh, that guy can scratch a phat beat yo!" music, but from a DJ standpoint of mixing and sampling, there's no better label overall, IMO.

 

[hembergler]

A lot depends on what kind of music you want to play, and whether you want to use vinyl or CDs. I would check out a site like djforums.com for more information.

 

[gblade]

I'm a purest, so vinyl only for me. I don't live anywhere close to those schools either sadly. I like a lot of music out of the mainstream. I do listen to a lot of people from MoWax and Ninja Tunes, I also listen to a lot of people on warp and the likes. Ive been listening to dubstep a bit lately. Check out Burial if you want to hear an amazing dubstep artist. Its hard to learn since these dj are few and far between so learning that style is pretty hopeless haha.

 

[shigzeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I used to play around with it, but never had the funds to build a massive vinyl collection. I was more of a fan of traditional spinning, rather than using a computer program like Serato Live... I also wasn't a fan of your mainstream music DJing, so all the likes of DJ Keoki, DJ Teisto, all those House DJ's, and Hip-Hop DJ's I never had any respect for. I only really listened to DJ's like DJ Shadow, Coldcut, Kid Koala, Amon Tobin, Skratch Piklz, etc. All of those guys could spin CIRCLES around any DJs... My buddy is pretty sick, and does mostly clubs and parties, but one of his favorites is DJ Q-Bert...I never really dug him as a solo DJ, but in collabo's he's pretty sick. I would recommend sticking with your MoWax, Ninja Tune and other small DJ based labels. They have the most ELITE and ridiculous DJs out. They don't have that "ooohhh, that guy can scratch a phat beat yo!" music, but from a DJ standpoint of mixing and sampling, there's no better label overall, IMO.

i don't see how that helped the op nor really the atmosphere - i suppose you have not heard that many of those other dj you mentioned are labeled mainstream. nor perhaps have you heard 'non mainstream' from the likes of dj tiesto for instance.

as for starting, a good one is to make friends with dj's. i have heaps in my area, work with a few who are pretty much disciples of armin van buuren and i just do recording for them sometimes. they all fed off eachother and then made it to mixing very small venues and meeting some bigger names in toronto for instance and small upper london. one of my mates did a homestay with another dj for the time, learned all that they could one on one and then he had them help out in parties - now they are doing their own.

first, get some equipment, then copy as much as you can from people's technique and if you can make some friends of dj you can respect.

 

[bhd812]

mixing vinyl is hard compared to the other ways. if you want to start out with the basics and do it right then learn how to count the beats and when to blend separate beats into one. the cheapest way to start is by getting a cheap mixer and some crappy tables, as long as the tables have pitch control you can learn the basics. if you decide its something you like then upgrade ur mixer and tables later on, but until then learn the basic's.
lot's of dj's like fading in the song by taking away the beats (turning the bass down) and thats not the correct way of doing it, any good dj you see will never touch the eq when blending, the pitch control of course but not the eq.

stay away from computer programs or anything that beat matches for you. if you can not beat match perfectly then your not a REAL dj. just another **** head who thinks he is the man.

 

[mark_h]

Direct drive turntables, then beat matching, then developing your sound, then the mix cds (everyone wants a mix cd!!!) stay true to your own music, there is room for all. Listen and learn from the guys that are doing it the best. Someone who is really making waves at the moment is Henrik Schwarz.