There’s a “perfect storm” of circumstances that may never happen again right here, right now, which means NOW is simply an incredible time to start DJing. We’ve picked five reasons to share with you, so check out the lesson replay above for the reveal.
About this lesson
This is a recording of one of our free Thursday Q&A Live DJ lessons – “the show where DJs get answers to things they didn’t know they didn’t know”.
In this lesson, we also discussed the four essential features on all DJ gear, how DJ tech will change in the next decade, and much more – timings below. To learn more about how our DJ courses can help you become a better DJ or DJ/producer, check out our courses page.
Here’s what’s covered…
- 0:00 Intro
- 2:15 The DJ legends are still doing it
- 4:03 Big tech advancements have already happened
- 8:45 It’s never been easier to start DJing
- 11:35 Resources to learn how to DJ are abundant
- 15:03 DJing is BIGGER than night clubs
- 19:46 How will DJ tech change in the next decade?
- 25:58 What are the essential features on DJ gear?
- 28:06 How do I access my courses on Digital DJ Tips?
- 38:47 Two crucial pieces of advice for DJs today
Lesson Notes
This subject was inspired by a continuing flood of new DJs to our school, and from the realisation that a lot of these people have been into the culture for decades, but they’re just starting to DJ using modern gear.
We thought it was a good thing to talk about because there are a lot of negatives around at the moment, with things like the closing of traditional nightclubs leading to fewer places for DJs to play, and artificial intelligence threatening the very job of the DJ – or at least, these are common discourses.
We felt it would be a good time to point out some of the huge positives of learning to DJ right now, to help people who are starting to stay confident with their choices.
Read this next: Learn To DJ – The Proven Method That Will Work For You
One of the interesting things to come out of the discussion in this video is the range of techniques being used by the older DJs who were there when all of this started, like we were – and what this means for DJs taking it up today.
Because while there are veteran DJs using all kinds of new techniques, you only have to look at our very own DJ Jazzy Jeff and the way he uses stems, or as mentioned by someone on the live show, how Victor Calderone uses samples, to see DJs moving with the times.
But equally, there are many DJs who’ve been doing it for the past few decades who are using modern gear, who literally don’t use any of the features other than the very basic ones that were always on turntables. These are DJs who don’t even use hot cues!
The learning point for people returning to DJing after a long break and who feel daunted by the new equipment is: don’t be!
The big thing to realise is the fundamentals of DJing have not changed. All that this new equipment does is offer you new tools, which are optional! Yes, if you take the time to understand them, it can make DJing easier and more fun for you, but they’re just that – optional.
Once you can find the play/pause button, the speed control and the crossfader on the mixer, you’re back to where you were when you first dabbled in DJing, maybe 30 years ago on turntables. So don’t let the tech scare you off (and take a look at our Complete DJ Course for a crash course in how it’s done today).
Enjoy the show.