Where did you guys learn to DJ or producing?

I don't know how am I supposed to start. All I have now is Serato DJ intro and the latest version of Garageband.

I plan to upgrade the Serato and I am getting a DJ controller in about one month from now.

Problem is, I had no idea how to start, I have the softwares and don't know how to utilize them. Here, I don't wanna spend money for the Serato upgrade and the controller without knowing anything, and I can't let them be useless once I get them. I wish to know from where did you guys learn how to DJ or produce, youtube doesn't seem to help, and classes are freakin' expensive. I'd rather buy hardwares rather than spending hundreds of bucks for classes. Do you guys have any alternatives for me? I just can't do experiments right away since it will take hundreds of years doing it. I need a lesson. I can't do it alone without someone assisting me at least the basics.

From my personal exeperience, I would recommend keeping it simple and start with a simple 2 channel controller. I used a vestax vci-300 and loved learning on it (very inexpensive now). It doesnt have the capabilities for effects, so I simply focused on blending one song to the next. I just learned what sounded well, and what didn't. The best way to learn is to just practice, practice, and keep practicing. You sound like you want to know it all as quickly as possible, but with anything worth doing well is going to require time, patience and percerverance.

Youtube is great if you know where to look. Ellaskins and djbolivia are great channels to get some explanation. Especially the series djbolivia made for beginners. It helped me a lot. He explains everything about different generations, what each knob and fader does on the mixer and he teaches you the basics of beatmatching.

Apart from those basics it's mostly about learning what sounds good, acquiring your own taste and the good old practise hours. All I can tell you is take it on one step at a time and that good knowledge of the basics saves a lot of time in the long run.

I got a copy of magix music studio when i was twelve for my birthday. It was on from there. I then discovered Orion Platinum in a couple years then hopped on Fruity in High School.

For DJ'ing, I got my first pair of belt drive numark 1510's for Christmas in 2001. It wasnt until a month later that I ordered my first two records = (Dj Glen - Jumpin Motherfuckers and Switch24 - White LAbel). It was on from there.

You practice....

You research online....read...watch Youtube Tutorials....and you practice.

Watch other DJ's....try to understand what they are doing. (real DJ's...not knob twisting EDM fools)

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Originally Posted by sarasin

You practice....

You research online....read...watch Youtube Tutorials....and you practice.

Watch other DJ's....try to understand what they are doing. (real DJ's...not knob twisting EDM fools)

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what are knob twisting EDM fools? sounds real mediocre.. lol

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Originally Posted by SuperDude8547

From my personal exeperience, I would recommend keeping it simple and start with a simple 2 channel controller. I used a vestax vci-300 and loved learning on it (very inexpensive now). It doesnt have the capabilities for effects, so I simply focused on blending one song to the next. I just learned what sounded well, and what didn't. The best way to learn is to just practice, practice, and keep practicing. You sound like you want to know it all as quickly as possible, but with anything worth doing well is going to require time, patience and percerverance.

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not at all. i just wanna know how to start. i know its impossible to do something out of my league. but everyone should start somewhere with some assistance right?

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Originally Posted by drewjonn

what are knob twisting EDM fools? sounds real mediocre.. lol

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sxfp_Cycvg
I'm not saying these are fools, well, at least two of them. But this is faking it, looking like you're doing stuff on channels that are not on air.

The book How to DJ Right gets suggested occasionally. It's probably woefully out of date with regard to equipment, but I'd still give it a read.

YouTube tutorials can be good. Look at ellaskins. Search for basic tutorials and put up with them generally being recorded by people with insanely boring voices.

Then, once you at least know what most of the controls do, what beatmatching is, the general idea of how a mixer works....go on YouTube and find videos of DJs you like that actually show what they're doing. Boiler room is good for this. So is the pioneer djsounds show. Get the user manuals and pictures of all their equipment and figure out what they're doing, listen to what happens to the music, and figure out why they did it. This works best with DJs who don't use computers, 'cuz you can rarely see the screen and don't really know how controllers are set up.

After that, you kind of just have to experiment. And practice. A lot. And record everything you do so you can listen and evaluate it.

Online research and practice practice practice for both DJing and production (try copying songs you like in your favourite DAW, it's a nice exercise in both sound design and and arrangement and will make your head click on how certain stuff is done).