Teaching people to DJ

[MURAMASA]

Lately I've found myself in a sort of mentor role for several friends that have been learning to DJ, but I worry that I may be too rough on them and was wondering if any of you have experience with doing this. I'm nice, and supportive, but I think I point out too many things at once and can be overwhelming/overbearing to the point where they get overly frustrated with themselves and lose their motivation.

Also, if you were taught by another DJ, what advice did you find most helpful/harmful?

:kapluto:

[DJ HEADBANGER]

haha, props dude. I lose my patience trying to teach someone to do anything. You shoulda seen me try to teach my ex how to drive stick in my GTI.... NOT PRETTY!!! haha

[slim pickinz]

i taught myself whatever little i know. i tried to learn from someone, but he was a dick, and would say dumb, demeaning shit that made me not want to hang out with him. that, and why the fuck would i learn from someone that never plays out? as a result, i could stand to take a feww lessons myself. anyway, i'm sure you're a good teacher, charly, and i bet people would tell you if your methods were harsh.

[MURAMASA]

haha, props dude. I lose my patience trying to teach someone to do anything. You shoulda seen me try to teach my ex how to drive stick in my GTI.... NOT PRETTY!!! haha

:bowasian:

I like to think that I'm a patient person. I usually just speak what's in my head when I'm the one mixing -- "You pushed the record ahead twice, make sure you adjust the pitch" "Keep listening for the audible clues if you lose your phrasing" "Just because it sounds beatmatched, doesn't mean you have to drop it right away", etc. It's easy to say what you know, but presenting it in a way that's easy to absorb is very difficult.

[DJ HEADBANGER]

:bowasian:

I like to think that I'm a patient person. I usually just speak what's in my head when I'm the one mixing -- "You pushed the record ahead twice, make sure you adjust the pitch" "Keep listening for the audible clues if you lose your phrasing" "Just because it sounds beatmatched, doesn't mean you have to drop it right away", etc. It's easy to say what you know, but presenting it in a way that's easy to absorb is very difficult.

yea, i feal you. My problem with teaching people, or just explaining things in general, is that i think in pictures, waves and colors, so it's really hard for me sometimes to put my thoughts to words. idk if that made sense

[RAMIRO]

i basicaly taught myself.. i mean.. also just picked up stuff from watching people.. never really had anyone sit down with me and be all.. k first do this.. then do that ..


i have been in the situation too of attempting to teach someone..
i like to think i have patience..

one thing i found out works well.. is get a splitter for the head phones.. so you can hear what they are hearing in their headphones as well.. so when something is off.. its easier to point it to them and what to listen too..

either that or have the first just try to beatmatch without headphones at all.. and just work on that aspect first..

i dunno..

havent taught to many peeps at all..

so god knows it im good at it..

:shrug:

but yea.. patience is key,, that and finding out who said said student learns the best .. everyone is different and learns differently

[RevisionC]

Charly tried to teach me way back when...but every time I tried he'd get excited then do it himself. Do not try to learn from Charly when he's been drinking a lot :crying2:

[DLWman0322]

i need someone to teach me to DJ

[DaJ]

i basicaly taught myself.. i mean.. also just picked up stuff from watching people.. never really had anyone sit down with me and be all.. k first do this.. then do that ..


i have been in the situation too of attempting to teach someone..
i like to think i have patience..

one thing i found out works well.. is get a splitter for the head phones.. so you can hear what they are hearing in their headphones as well.. so when something is off.. its easier to point it to them and what to listen too..

either that or have the first just try to beatmatch without headphones at all.. and just work on that aspect first..

i dunno..

havent taught to many peeps at all..

so god knows it im good at it..

:shrug:

but yea.. patience is key,, that and finding out who said said student learns the best .. everyone is different and learns differently

might work better to split the headphones and have them listen and watch while you mix

[RAMIRO]

well yea.. i kinda meant that both ways.. they listen first .. and watch.. then you listen to they do it

;)

[DaJ]

also, get a squirt gun and any time they fuck up, squirt them in the face

[Dainbramage]

give them two of the same track and put them at the same pitch. Make them listen to the 4 counts and drop the first beat in when the should. Ask them what they heard, why they did what they did, etc and then offer suggestions. You can also use different tracks, get them matched and then let them go to town. (Some people have a hard time learning to hear one track in one ear and the 2nd in the other if they are the same tune.) All about not being afraid to change what's happening and have it sound worse before it gets better, learning to seperate the tracks by ear and getting a feel for what you're doing.
But that's just my humble opinion...

[Rican]

My roommate gave me a hand when I was first learning... he would give me some pointers and then let me work it out... he would sit back and listen as i mixed and would just remark if the incoming record needed to be faster or slower. then the process would repeat... I work alot better figuring stuff on my own but his periodic suggestions and advice were really helpful...

[Broken Home]

lesson 1:
the first thing you have to do is teach them how everything technically works. don't worry about beatmatching or anything like that. show them how to use the faders and how to listen to one track in the headphones with the other one playing out the speakers. show them how to cue a record.

lesson 2:
have them play a record and then drop the other record on a beat, without beatmatching.

[zartan]

one thing i found out works well.. is get a splitter for the head phones.. so you can hear what they are hearing in their headphones as well.. so when something is off.. its easier to point it to them and what to listen too..

this is very good advice