Tell me about your practice

**Bassline Brine** · 04-26-2012, 04:13 PM

Honestly the big thing for me is trying to hit the decks EVERY DAY. Or at least if I have to miss a day, getting on the next evening. Sometimes I just want to be lazy, but it's about time and effort more than anything. Something I learned playing instruments (Bass guitar, Flute, Tuba, Harmonica) it's just about practicing.

Sometimes I'm in the groove, sometimes I'm not.

Also, record EVERYTHING you do, and then listen back to it later. In the car, on the bus, whatever. I've found that's helped me a lot figuring out where I need to improve and change things. Also posting it up places and asking for feedback has honestly helped me a TON in a short amount of time.

I also have the luxury I guess that most of my close friends also spin, and while none of us play out at the moment, we get together and just chill and have turns at the tables. And we also travel to events together all the time, and always have new mixes for each other to listen to in the car for the rides. It's super helpful looking over someone else's mix, and then having them look at yours as well. It's something that I almost take as a given these days, but I realize not everyone might have that.

But really, just keep at it. I've owned my setup for under a year, and I already feel 10000x better than when I started.

**djlotus** · 04-26-2012, 05:20 PM

I like to mix up my practicing, especially when scratching. If I am learning a new scratch or combo, I go back to basic scratches or straight mixing when I begin to get frustrated. I want to enjoy what I am doing so keeping it from seeming like a chore is very important.

**DannyAK** · 04-28-2012, 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by hipnopath

It's better to practice a little bit everyday than a lot one day (say 20 minutes a day vs. 2 hours in a weekend). I'd say it took me about 6 months to become confident with my skills and it wasn't difficult, just time consuming. I learned to scratch on belt driven turntables, but once I got just one 1200, even with a shitty mixer, I was able to increase my ability by A LOT because of the added torque and tracking ability which is important in scratching. If you keep practicing, you ARE improving if you notice it or not. The best way is to record your practices and view them after noting what you need to work on. I did this my entire way in learning and I think it has helped me a lot.

Here's me with 6 months of scratching.

Here's me with one year of scratching.

And here's me just about now.

So in other words: practice, practice, practice. I learned most of what I know from DJ Angelo's YouTube tutorials which I highly suggest you use. He is a magnificent teacher and his tutorials are top notch.

derp.. scratchin on them nightclub II's.. elliptical stylus, probly not too good for the record. :P

**DannyAK** · 04-28-2012, 04:54 AM

i try to do some practice everyday, whether its scratch or mixing, i just need to so something.. but yeah generally about a half hour does it.. no need to practice 3 hours or something, it gets to a point where its non beneficial to practice anymore than you can handle.