Dubspot DJ School: Is it worth it?

[Xonetacular]

Look the $10,000 thing is for every course dubspot offers pretty much. To all the people saying learn this stuff on your own, there is only so much you can get from tutorials compared to a classroom experience in a studio with professional producers and instructors. I put dubspot way above most technical colleges in terms of the level of instruction on the latest and most current technology and techniques. A lot of these technical schools focus on programs and techniques that are just not current in the electronic music production scene.

Yes you can teach yourself traktor easily, and ableton to some extent but you get a ton more depth into ableton in their courses. Then their is the whole sound design and mastering course tracks which you are just not going to come close to learning what you would there in a studio classroom or real studio equipment with professionals then if you do it on your own.

[dafe]

Look the $10,000 thing is for every course dubspot offers pretty much. To all the people saying learn this stuff on your own, there is only so much you can get from tutorials compared to a classroom experience in a studio with professional producers and instructors. I put dubspot way above most technical colleges in terms of the level of instruction on the latest and most current technology and techniques. A lot of these technical schools focus on programs and techniques that are just not current in the electronic music production scene.

Yes you can teach yourself traktor easily, and ableton to some extent but you get a ton more depth into ableton in their courses. Then their is the whole sound design and mastering course tracks which you are just not going to come close to learning what you would there in a studio classroom or real studio equipment with professionals then if you do it on your own.

and as you stated, the networking would be absolutely invaluable to anyone seriously considering this as a career

[bartboy]

If money was no object you can bet your ass I would love to take one of these courses. That's what it comes down to though is how much you can spend on gear and possibly training. Yes I think people should spend a long time on their own in their bedrooms learning and honing their craft but I hang out with all my DJ friends and soak up everything they do and bug them with questions about how/why/what they did to learn from them to pick up on what they're doing so I can become better. It's like buying a DJ friend to learn from for a few weeks.

If I had an unlimited fund to draw from you can bet I could make some pretty sick beats and become a pretty good DJ very quickly. You can buy gear out there that will make it much easier for you to perform tasks that take some DJs years to master.

For example if I pick up Traktor Scratch and 2 CDJ2000 + a DJM2000 and a few Kontrol X1s or Midifighters, I could pull off a pretty banging set with very little skill. I would have any songs I could want plus sync to keep it all in time. If I add in Mixed In Key the majority of the set should sound good harmonically. Then I can add some effects from the DJM2000 and easily pull off a banging set with almost no skill.

I'm not saying that DJing takes no skill if you have enough money, the casual club goer will not notice your lack of skill but the other DJs/Producers will. I am saying that having money makes it a lot easier to get the things that will help you a long. I have way more respect for DJs that can pull of fantastic sets with minimal setups. I think it takes more creativity than just plugging in Ableton or an EFX unit and Traktor. That's just my opinion though.

[armyofme4340]

Wow why is everyone complaining about the price. Education is expensive everywhere. Dubspot is a serious school not just some YouTube videos.

If you are serious about your music you shouldn't care how much it cost. As xone said you can only learn so much over videos.

While I'm sure you can develop your craft going solo and becoming great, it will only help you along the way.

Trust me when I say education is expensive. I paid $16,000 per semester at my school, which has 8 semesters. That's a crapload of money, however only 2 years out of school and I'm almost done paying it off because of the fact that I learned so much and developed my skills.

So there you have it, I'm pro DIY learning and pro educational institute. Dubspot has leading industry professionals so they are legit, but if you think the money is too much then learn as much as you can on your own, but it won't be nearly as fast or dense as it would if you were at a school.

[bartboy]

The price is different for everyone though. It's all a matter of what value you put on what you get out of it. If you think that paying 10,000$ is worth the amount of schooling they provide then you will pay it.

I pay 7,000$ a year to send my daughter to school, plus what I have to pay for college for myself and my wife who has student loans to payback. I'm ok with that though because I see value in sending my daughter to a private school over public, that's my choice and I know a lot of people may think I'm stupid and it's a waste, that's their choice. It's all a matter of what you think you get in return. It's a great program and worth the money, to me anyways.

[Dj Kave]

Wow why is everyone complaining about the price. Education is expensive everywhere. Dubspot is a serious school not just some YouTube videos.

Hey since money obviously isn't an issue too you, wanna give me $12,000


Personally I think that's a lot of moola. But that just might be me

[stbanas925]

In my opinion that's too much money. I learned through friends and listening to other djs mix along with a lot of practice. The rest is really connections with event crews and other djs. I feel that $12k fee is like fees you have to pay when you join a college fraternity. You give them money and they connect you with big companies when you graduate...

[Louie_V]

Wow why is everyone complaining about the price. Education is expensive everywhere. Dubspot is a serious school not just some YouTube videos.

If you are serious about your music you shouldn't care how much it cost. As xone said you can only learn so much over videos.

While I'm sure you can develop your craft going solo and becoming great, it will only help you along the way.

Trust me when I say education is expensive. I paid $16,000 per semester at my school, which has 8 semesters. That's a crapload of money, however only 2 years out of school and I'm almost done paying it off because of the fact that I learned so much and developed my skills.

So there you have it, I'm pro DIY learning and pro educational institute. Dubspot has leading industry professionals so they are legit, but if you think the money is too much then learn as much as you can on your own, but it won't be nearly as fast or dense as it would if you were at a school.

You are right about education being expensive, but i think the hardest part to stomach about a place like dubspot is that they aren't an accredited institution and you don't get something tangible out of it (i.e. diploma).

not saying its not worth it at all, but you can take these classes at a community college and still get some other certifications out of it. your basically paying a premium for the networking.

Trust me, I've had one of the dubspot guys come out and talk to us about the program, can't say I've never thought of going, but if i had the cash (honestly) i'd just buy more gear and invite all the dj vets that i know to my crib and pick thinks up from them and their style of mixing.

[Xonetacular]

We're not just talking about learning DJing (that is a much cheaper course), this is sound design, music theory, production, and mastering.

This is what is $12000


[quote]Includes the Following Programs:
DJ Extensive Program
Music Foundation Program
Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program
Sound Design Certificate Program
Mixing & Mastering Program
Take this program with Digital DJing ONLINE.
DJ Extensive Program

Immerse yourself in the complete art of DJing from beatmatching to stage presence. Whether you’re a beginner in search of the fundamentals or a seasoned pro looking to take your talent to the next level, our curriculum is designed to accommodate all skill levels and styles of music. This comprehensive DJ program covers everything from basic mixing to advanced digital DJing.
What’s Included:
DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II
Learn more about our DJ courses and programs.
Music Foundation Program
Unravel electronic music’s origins, build your chops, learn the language and theory, and make and play music the way you want. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the roots and lineage of a variety of electronic and dance music, strengthen their keyboard skills, and learn valuable music theory skills, deepening their creative practice and facilitating effective collaborations with musical partners.

What’s Included:
Music Foundations Level 1: Electronic Music Appreciation
Music Foundations Level 2: Keys & Melodic Theory
Music Foundations Level 3: Pads & Rhythmic Theory

Learn more about our Music Foundations courses and programs.
Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program
The flagship of our music training, with every Ableton Live course offered at the school. After completing this program, you will leave with 4 completed tracks (EP), a remix entered in an active contest, a scored commercial to widen your scope, and the Dubspot Producer’s Certificate in Ableton Live.
What’s Included:
Ableton Live Level 1: Shake Hands with Live
Ableton Live Level 2: Completing Your First Track
Ableton Live Level 3: Production Essentials
Ableton Live Level 4: Sound Design & Instrumentation
Ableton Live Level 5: Advanced Composition & Production
Ableton Live Level 6: Taking Your EP Global
Learn more about our Ableton Live courses and programs.
Sound Design Certificate Program
Become fluent in the language of sound design and synthesis with this comprehensive program. This six-level Sound Design program uses Native Instruments’ Komplete as a platform for learning synthesis and sampling techniques. Starting with an introduction to the properties of sound, this comprehensive series of courses covers most common synthesis methods available for music production in the DAW of your choice.
What’s Included:
Sound Design Level 1: Introduction to Komplete
Sound Design Level 2: Synthesis with Massive, FM8 and Absynth
Sound Design Level 3: Sampling with Kontakt and Battery
Sound Design Level 4: Advanced Sound Design
Sound Design Level 5: Reaktor Ensembles and Instruments
Sound Design Level 6: Reaktor Programming
Learn more about our Sound Design courses and programs.
Mixing & Mastering Program
Transform rough ideas and basic compositions into dance floor bangers and sonically pleasing commercial quality masters. Learn the well-kept industry secrets of EQ, compression, panning, level balancing, reverb and special effects from platinum mix/mastering engineer, Daniel Wyatt, senior Dubspot Instructor.
What’s Included:
Mixing & Mastering Level 1: Mix
Mixing & Mastering Level 2: Modify
Mixing & Mastering Level 3: Master


The DJ stuff I'm sure most of us on here know (and I'm sure plenty could benefit from), but let's look at the other stuff

Music Foundations Level 1: Electronic Music Appreciation

Trace the path of electronic music from its origins in the lab to its evolution on the dance floor - and look to where it will go in the future. The course is designed by Martín Perna, a professional musician, songwriter, performer and multi-instrumentalist with the electronic musician and remixer in mind.
What You'll Learn:

Dub / dancehall
History of electronic music
Electronic Dance Music (EDM) - house, techno, trance
Dubstep / drum & bass
Hip hop
Downtempo / ambient
Experimental
Global electronic sounds
Course Goal:

Through multimedia videos, listening assignments, interactive quizzes, and discussion forums, students will be able to identify the genres, songs, and formal characteristics and curate a mixtape featuring songs from each style.

Music Foundations Level 2: Keys & Melodic Theory

A basic working knowledge of keyboard and theory will expand your performing, songwriting possibilities and will allow you to more fluidly to share ideas with other musicians using the language of music.
About This Course

This course fuses traditional keyboard training with the goals and gear of electronic musicians using innovative, self-paced lessons built into Ableton Live Intro, where you'll be able to practice keyboard skills and build your working knowledge of Ableton.
What You'll Learn

Basic layout of the keyboard
Intervals
Chromatic, Major and Minor Scales
Major, Minor, Pentatonic and Minor Hemitonic Scales
Dorian and Mixolydian Modes
Major, Minor triads/7th chords/dominant chords
Basic Two, Three, and Four Chord Progressions
Ideas and approaches to improvising and melody writing
Using Live Intro to practice and record musical ideas
Course Goal

Students will create an Ableton set of 48 recordings of grooves, melodies, and improvisations to sound clips of various dance music genres in 6 different musical keys.

Music Foundations Level 3: Pads & Rhythmic Theory

Explore the science behind the beat using Ableton Live Intro and pad controllers as tools to dissect, analyze, and build new rhythms in various dance music genres.
About This Course

On the theory side, you'll learn about notation, rhythmic structures, and specific types of rhythms, instruments, and sounds used in various genres. On the creative side, you'll rearrange and build beats in Live Intro using a MIDI controller.
What You'll Learn

Proper hand positions and techniques for playing a MIDI pad controller
Rhythmic notation in the MIDI editor and on the staff
Time signatures: 4/4 and 6/8
The Clave: the African key to rhythm
Adding variation: Layering, fills, and breaks
Analyzing beats in existing songs from 12 genres
Creating your own original beats in Ableton Live in 12 tempo ranges from 70 bpm-140 bpm
Using Ableton to create genre-specific beats to accompany 12 beat-less dance tracks
Course Goal

Students will create three distinct Ableton Live Intro sets demonstrating their understanding of the concepts and ability to analyze and create beats.

Ableton Live Level 1: Shake Hands with Live

Learn the fundamentals of Ableton Live by producing a series of musical sketches. Learn how to create beats, bass lines and melodies with MIDI instruments. Start discovering the potential of this versatile studio production tool.
What You'll Learn:

Interface Overview / The Info View
System Optimization
Composing in Live
Organizing Ideas with Scenes
MIDI Clips / Programming Drums
The MIDI Note Editor / Drum Variations
Programming Lead and Bass Lines
Introduction to Effects
Introduction to Recording Audio
Introduction to Key and MIDI Mapping

Ableton Live Level 2: Completing Your First Track

Get grounded with Ableton Live by producing an original song. Improve your individual parts using MIDI instruments and effects. Begin using automation to make a more dynamic mix.
What You'll Learn:

Introduction to Orchestration for Electronic Music
Modifying Lead, Bass and Drum Sounds
Recording Ideas into the Arrangement View
Editing in the Arrangement View
Introduction to Automation
Warping and Audio Clip Manipulation
Recording Methods
The Reverse Button
Drum Racks and Beat Slicing
Arranging and Exporting
Freezing and Flattening

Ableton Live Level 3: Production Essentials

Go deeper into Ableton’s production capabilities while producing a new track. Use sampling for rich, authentic sounds, introduce performance techniques into your production workflow, and learn methods for keeping a song fresh throughout.
What You'll Learn:

Recording Audio into Live
Sampling
Creative Use of Effects
Live’s Mixer and Signal Flow
Advanced Automation Techniques
Advanced Key and MIDI Mapping
Intermediate Arranging Concepts
Micro-detailing Drums and Creating Fills and Changes

Ableton Live Level 4: Sound Design & Instrumentation

Tighten up your Live workflow by completing 2 tracks in this course. Customize the sounds you’ve been using, craft a better mix with new processing ideas, and improve your individual parts with innovative MIDI effects.
What You'll Learn:

EQ and Compression
Side-Chaining
Envelopes and Grooves
Synthesis in Live Suite
Physical Modeling Instruments
Practical and Creative uses of MIDI Effects
Advanced MIDI Recording
Pads and Chords
Using Send Effects to create Shimmer and Ripple

Ableton Live Level 5: Advanced Composition & Production

Become an Ableton master by finishing two new tracks in this course. Start using Live’s “Racks” for complex arrangements and signal flow, apply advanced composition techniques to your ideas, and use new control concepts to improve your productions and save time.
What You'll Learn:

Customizing Control and Workflow
From Session to Arrangement View
Effect Racks
Instrument Racks
Macros and Macro Mapping
Custom Defaults
Advanced Warping and Audio Clip Manipulation

[Xonetacular]

Ableton Live Level 6: Taking Your EP Global

NYC:

Put the live in Live. From DJing to playing solo or onstage with a band, learn how Ableton Live can work as the hub of a performance. Manage audio stems and create performance layouts, racks, clip launch configurations that work onstage, then put it all under your control by mastering hands-on MIDI controller assignment. Build your own performance strategy to hit the stage.
ONLINE:

Take the tracks you have made so far and get them ready for release. Learn skills for finishing your mixes, packaging your EP and crafting your artist bio. Identify your signature style and apply it to a remix project. Put sound to video. Develop a live set of your own original material and create a mixtape. Share your music with the world.
What You'll Learn:

Advanced Mixing Techniques: EQ, Compression, Reverb
Final Touches: Microdetailing
Mastering in Live
Standards For Sending Tracks to a Mastering Engineer
Bouncing Stems
Remix: Identifying Key Elements of the Original
Remix: Applying Your Signature Style
Scoring to Picture
Crafting your Artist Bio and Profile Photo
Selecting your album art
Conceptualizing and Creating Your Live Set
Record a live performance of your EP and Remix

Sound Design Level 1: Introduction to Komplete

Investigate the components of Komplete while learning the common language for discussing sound and musical parts. This course dives into the world of Komplete, examining the primary instruments and effects as out-of-the-box tools. We will discuss sound characteristics of each component while also covering fundamental musical parts and lines as they relate to sound synthesis tools. Using each part of Komplete will let you choose the proper tool for your own productions immediately, and establishing a common vocabulary will allow us to have useful conversations about sound.
What You'll Learn:
Strong points and special characteristics of each Komplete device
Learning a descriptive language for sound
Musical building blocks as used with digital synthesis and sampling
Global parameters of synthesizers
Successfully organizing and accessing sounds with the browser

Sound Design Level 2: Synthesis with Massive, FM8 and Absynth

Give your tracks depth and detail through the unique sounds of four powerful synthesizers. Students will streamline their workflow to find the right sounds quickly and fine tuning them to taste through easy and deliberate modifications of the controls. You will get a good understanding of three fundamental types of synthesis: Subtractive (via Massive), Frequency Modulation (via FM8), and Granular (via Absynth). Learning the characteristics of each technique will help inform your decision of what synthesizer to use in any given situation and how to manipulate it.
What You'll Learn:
The installation process and avoiding common pitfalls
Exploring the libraries of Massive, FM8 and Absynth 5
Making modifications to presets
Using the basic synthesis methods and tools
Picking the right sound for the right part
Using NI synths in a host DAW with automation

Sound Design Level 3: Sampling with Kontakt and Battery

Manipulate sounds in various ways and transform samples into something totally new.From meticulous reproductions of acoustic instruments to the creation of exotic and innovative soundscapes, sampling is another wing of synthesis that sound designers utilize for just about any purpose. Battery and Kontakt are the gold standards of digital sampling technology, and they bring unique, realtime sound processing and programming capabilities to all major production platforms. It’s like having a full orchestra or a real drum kit at your fingertips in your room, on the subway, or while traveling the world.
What You'll Learn
:
Browsing the Battery library
Modifying and building kits
Mapping, layering and loop-slicing
Drum articulations and effects
Using the Kontakt 4 Library with multiple MIDI channels
Setting up quick loads
Sample processing and sound design

Sound Design Level 4: Advanced Sound Design

Take the basic techniques deeper and apply them to shape the sounds in your own productions. This level will take your solid knowledge of NI tools and develop them further with a focus on a genre-specific application of sound design. Students will learn advanced programming methods for NI synthesizers and Kontakt through the continued practice of making original sounds. New techniques and skills will be reinforced by practice through progressive ear training. This course is designed to teach you the complex functionality and control possibilities of these tools and help you apply these concepts in your own sound design process. Basic knowledge of Komplete 7 instruments is a prerequisite as this course is not for beginners!
What You'll Learn:

Expert programming of Massive, FM8 and Absynth 5
Advanced Kontakt 4 programming
Analysis of genre-specific sounds
Practical sound design labs
A closer look at scripting and Kontakt 4 modulation
Advanced drum programming with Battery 3Sound Design Level 4: Advanced Sound Design

Take the basic techniques deeper and apply them to shape the sounds in your own productions. This level will take your solid knowledge of NI tools and develop them further with a focus on a genre-specific application of sound design. Students will learn advanced programming methods for NI synthesizers and Kontakt through the continued practice of making original sounds. New techniques and skills will be reinforced by practice through progressive ear training. This course is designed to teach you the complex functionality and control possibilities of these tools and help you apply these concepts in your own sound design process. Basic knowledge of Komplete 7 instruments is a prerequisite as this course is not for beginners!
What You'll Learn:

Expert programming of Massive, FM8 and Absynth 5
Advanced Kontakt 4 programming
Analysis of genre-specific sounds
Practical sound design labs
A closer look at scripting and Kontakt 4 modulation
Advanced drum programming with Battery 3

Sound Design Level 5: Reaktor Ensembles and Instruments

An introduction to Reaktor and its advanced modular sound environment. Learn how to navigate and use Reaktor’s vast and intricate factory library in your music. Open the doors to a universe of ready-made production tools spanning all standard synthesis techniques as well as Beatboxes, Sampling, Granular devices, and large effects racks. We analyze the architecture of some of the many pre-built Ensembles and how you can edit or make your own presets. We will show you the highlights of this amazing collection of real – and imaginary – sounds and how it can be used to expand and enhance your sound design horizons.
What You'll Learn:

Loading and saving Ensembles from the libraries
Factory Content (Synthesizers, Grooveboxes, Sample Transformers & FX)
Additional Instrument Sets (Electronic Instruments 1 and 2)
Best of the user library
Modifying and saving presets
Basic editing and customizing of Ensembles

Sound Design Level 6: Reaktor Programming

You’ve made your own sounds; now start making your own tools.While Reaktor comes with many pre-built instruments, it is really a modular construction kit for building synths, effects and audio systems generally. Here, we look beyond the prefab content and go deeper, aiming for your own audio toy made from scratch. Our goal is a fundamental understanding of concepts and this application. Your work will go as far as you can take it.
What You'll Learn:
Reaktor hierarchy
Signal flow of modules and patch cord
Signals ("audio") vs. Messages ("events")
Audio math and curves
Building intuitive panel interfaces
Fundamentals of modularity
Encapsulation of related functions
Distribution ideas

Mixing & Mastering Level 1: Mix

Discover the fundamental building blocks of mixing. Develop a solid understanding of mixing’s essential building blocks by starting with core concepts. These principles make up the foundation of all mixing, regardless of genre. The class uses philosophy and practical exercises alike to guide students through this critical first stage of mixing skills.
What You'll Learn

EQing
Compression
Panning
Level balancing
Reverb

Mixing & Mastering Level 2: Modify

Learn special effects tricks to revamp your tracks.Apply special effects techniques to turn basic compositions into sophisticated commercial masters. Students will learn how sonic spice and decoration can create cinematic ear candy and take the listener to new worlds of sound.
What You'll Learn:
Routing
Gain structure
Delay
Chorus
Phase and flange
Automation

Mixing & Mastering Level 3: Master

Uncover industry secrets that will take your productions to the next level.Learn some of the industry's best-kept secrets to make tracks seem loud, deep, and wide, and to add sparkle. Investigate how to use these tools in your tracks, while paying special attention to techniques of metering and spectral analysis, in order to apply science alongside the art. All of the topics explored in prior levels come together in this course. You’ll leave with the knowledge and skill set to transform any ordinary track into your sonic masterpiece.
What You'll Learn:
Harmonic distortion
Metering
Referencing
Mid and side
Mastering

Or I'm sure some of you could learn all of that, become ableton certified, learn all the fundamentals of music theory and how it applies to all types of electronic music history and development, become an expert at mixing and mastering, and become a pro sound designer in all the major synths, and become a reaktor expert building your own custom synthesizers all from youtube tutorials and being self motivated.