To help new DJs you avoid frustrations and struggles when learning to DJ and get gigs I have made a list of the Top 10 DJ Mistakes to avoid and I will be posting them individually in a 10 part series.
>>>NOTE: To get more DJing tips and techniques check out our Free email newsletter by clicking HERE.
MISTAKE #1: Trying To Teach Yourself To DJ…
Have you ever searched for or posted up questions looking for advice on learning to DJ only to find responses saying “teach yourself”…
I remember that when I started out this is the advice I got and it took me 2 years to get my mixing to the point where I could get a gig.
You’ve probably also noticed that the guys that give the advice of ‘teach yourself’ are also the guys that are proud to say that it took them 1 or 2 years to learn how to DJ… The DJs that say teach yourself are generally the DJs that struggled to get beatmatching and mixing and never went on to play any big gigs.
So why is this happening? Why do so many DJs recommend new DJs to teach themselves?
Its very simple… Read the rest of this entry »
So you want to know How To DJ! At the very least you are interested in DJing….
You have probably already asked yourself a lot of questions. When I started out I was asking similar questions:
Do I want to learn how to dj mix so I can be a party dj for my friends or do I want learn how to dj electronic music at clubs, raves and parties? Do I want to know how to dj electronic music or hip hop? Do I want to learn how to dj vinyl or learn how to dj on cds? How do I dj remixed tracks? How do I beatmatch? What gear should I choose? How do I get gigs?
I send out FREE video dj lessons pretty every few days to help new DJs like you get answers to your questions so you can get DJing quickly. Sign up for free DJ Training Videos by clicking HERE right now!
It doesn’t matter if you want to learn how to dj techno, how to dj trance, how to dj electro or any other genre of dance music… the LearnToDjFast.com video dj lessons newsletter will help you learn how to dj mix quickly!
The first frustration that DJs usually find is choosing and learning how to use dj equipment, dj software and mixing software like Ableton Live. The next challenge is learning Read the rest of this entry »
I have created some more videos to meet the demand from new DJs that are looking for dj training.
If you aren’t currently on our video newsletter, I send out video dj lessons pretty much daily to help new DJs like you. Sign up for free DJ Training Videos by clicking HERE right now!
Instead of breaking up the videos like I do in the dj newsletter, I have decided to put them all into one 2 hour video to teach you all of the basics of DJing. If you’re just starting out, this is the info you need to get mixing quickly so you can jam with your favorite tracks and get the gigs you want.
This two hour video can be accessed by signing up for the Free Video DJ Lesson newsletter by clicking HERE now!
This is a question that I get asked all the time… “Should I learn to how to dj by taking dj lessons in my city or should I find online video dj lessons?
Aside from that, here is the best advice I can give! You’re going to pay $50 – $100 per hour for a DJ Lesson. Thats a lot of money considering you will need HOURS of dj instruction! Furthermore, DJ Lessons won’t help you choose your gear, set up your gear or teach you how to get gigs.
If you can find some great DJ Lesson videos online then jump all over them. For the price of one DJ Lesson or less, you can get a video that will teach you everything about DJing that you can watch over and over. Stop, rewind, stop rewind. Read the rest of this entry »
When I was starting out learning to DJ I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know how DJs mixed, what type of dj equipment I should buy (vinyl turntables, CDJs – dj cd players or a digital setup), or any of the mixing basics. I took DJ Lessons but it didn’t really help…
I wanted to learn to dj in my own home but I still wanted a pro to show me how its done and to give me some practices to make my DJing skills progress faster. Now that I am a pro, I have the opportunity to make easy dj training a reality for DJs like you.
I spend a lot of my free time cruising DJ message boards, online magazines and blogs to stay on top of whats new in the dj lessons industry and to constantly find new ways to help aspiring DJs like you that are looking for a dj lesson.
One common thread I always see on message forums is new DJs having troubles finding gear, learning how to dj mix and with dj software such as ableton live. You probably have or currently are experiencing similar problems and have thought about looking for dj lessons in your city as well.
I see so many threads saying “I have been trying to learn how to dj mix for months now and I can’t get beatmatching”.
Here is what seems to be the standard response: “Spend more time teaching yourself. It took me a year so it will take you a year as well. Don’t bother with dj lessons!” To be honest this is BULLSHIT! If you want to learn a new skill (like DJing), why not look towards resources that can help you learn it faster and easier like this blog or a dj lesson?
If you are learning to dj, Zabiella is one guy you want to take note of. He has mixed scratching, mixing and effects to create his own unique sound that everyone loves. In this series of videos (one above and more below) he shows you how he does it!
Here it is….straight up! Dj Mixing and scratching are two VERY different skill sets. Even though they can be used together, you will have to start by learning to dj with one or the other.
Mixing is more geared towards playing multiple songs together to create new unique songs, playing with the energy of the must to fuck with peoples emotions and to take people on a journey. Scratching is more geared towards jaw dropping short 5 minute performances.
Scratching and Mixing also require very different dj equipment to learn and play on. Scratch DJs swear by vinyl and mixers with a tight crossfader. This is because they need tough equipment that will allow them to feel the small sounds and cut back and forth rapidly in between sounds. Mixing djs have all moved to CDJs (dj cd players) and a lot are heading towards fully digital setups because mixing can be done on almost any DJ setup.
Both methods of DJing are wicked but here is why I chose learning to dj mix first over learning to scratch vinyl:
Great news. I just tracked down a wicked series of videos for you! These were filmed for DJ Download and Pioneer CDJ customers only in a special promotion but I found them to show them to you! Get your FREE video DJ Lessons on DJ Gear, Mixing and Playing gigs by clicking Here right now!
Legendary girl DJ Sarah Main is a resident at the famous and massive Pacha Ibiza (seen below)!
She invites you into her beautiful villa for a series of videos showing the basics of how to get into the scene and how to start mixing for anyone that wants to learn to dj .
She shows you how to mix using Pioneer CDJ400s (dj cd players) and the Pioneer DJM400 mixer. Great gear to start off on (but a little on the expensive side).
There is a series of 5 videos all of which build off the one before it. The videos that I will be sending out the the newsletter will go above and beyond these tips but this is a great start to your dj training!
If you have a friend thats a doctor, you might introduce him as Doctor so and so.
If you have a friend that is a lawyer, you might introduce him as so and so the lawyer.
People like to know what each other does for work.
This is usually great! A lot of times people want to know more. Others say that they have heard of me or seen me play before. There is a third group of people that don’t care, which I respect….
There is also a group of people that seem to always want to pull me into an argument about weather or not DJing requires any musical talent. I have learned over time to deflect these sorts of questions but the argument from my new “friend” usually is that DJing on turntables and a mixer takes way less musical skill than playing the guitar, the bass guitar or whatever ’skill full’ instrument tickles their fancy… Read the rest of this entry »
