Ask HN: DJing Resources?
If I want to learn how to mix music, where would I start?
2 comments
Best way: find a mentor, someone who already knows how to DJ and hopefully has worked as a DJ professionally. What would take you weeks to figure out yourself or from "tutorials", you will learn in mere hours.
If you don't have any DJ friends, try to make some. I only got to really understand the process when I had someone show it to me. Mixing itself is actually easy and straightforward, but somehow hard to explain in text/video form.
If you can't do the above, try these resources: Advanced Vinyl Handling (oldschool but very comprehensive article series): http://music.hyperreal.org/dj/AVH/Basics.html
Decent videos on Youtube from Ellaskins: https://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins/videos
Ideally, get your hands on some good quality turntables/CDJs to really get the feel. Don't waste your time with poor or unsuitable equipment like belt-drive turntables, it will only hinder your progress. A pair of Pioneer CDJs and/or Technics 1200s will do you well.
If you just want DJ with software and auto-sync, you don't need to learn much beyond pressing play on deck A, pressing play on deck B, cutting bass on deck B, crossfading to deck B, returning bass on deck B, rinse, repeat.
If you don't have any DJ friends, try to make some. I only got to really understand the process when I had someone show it to me. Mixing itself is actually easy and straightforward, but somehow hard to explain in text/video form.
If you can't do the above, try these resources: Advanced Vinyl Handling (oldschool but very comprehensive article series): http://music.hyperreal.org/dj/AVH/Basics.html
Decent videos on Youtube from Ellaskins: https://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins/videos
Ideally, get your hands on some good quality turntables/CDJs to really get the feel. Don't waste your time with poor or unsuitable equipment like belt-drive turntables, it will only hinder your progress. A pair of Pioneer CDJs and/or Technics 1200s will do you well.
If you just want DJ with software and auto-sync, you don't need to learn much beyond pressing play on deck A, pressing play on deck B, cutting bass on deck B, crossfading to deck B, returning bass on deck B, rinse, repeat.
My random internet advice is to start by mixing music.
The skill in DJing is in the doing not the theory because part of the skill is taking the risk of people not liking the mix. That skill is learned through practice. Mixing better music is learned through feedback.
Good luck.
The skill in DJing is in the doing not the theory because part of the skill is taking the risk of people not liking the mix. That skill is learned through practice. Mixing better music is learned through feedback.
Good luck.