How many hours should a beginning DJ practice?

[DJ ATX]

What's a good improv to planning/perfecting ratio?
How much time should be spent mixing on the fly vs. really perfecting transitions between two songs for a set?

Thanks again

You only get that by actually playing gigs and reading the crowd. Going off the beaten path from your planned set. This is where getting experience outside the bedroom helps.

[dripstep]

If you are rockin sync, no need to practice. Go get a wicked haircut or a helmet, some glasses, and one of those gold krunk goblets. Don't waste your time practicing, you could be spending the time workin on your swag.

In all seriousness tho, practice every chance you get. If you are watching tv by yourself, go practice. If you get home from work and have an hour, practice. Just have fun with it. If you are trying to work on being technical, and still have issues beatmatching, focus on that. Forget fx, forget tricky beat juggles, just work on mixing s tracks together. Everything else comes with time and effort.

[losxc451]

what I did was rely on the sync button until I got transitions and phrasing down and then taught myself beatmatching, worked well for me

[losxc451]

and as for how long you should practice, practice when you feel like it/have time

[elgi95]

I dont know about anyone ales but I enjoy setting cue points on the songs

[DarioJ]

I'd say record your practice sessions (no matter how long) and then listen to it when your done.

[soundinmotiondj]

They say it takes 10,000 hours practice to become an expert at something

+1

1 hour to play around
10 hours to become a novice
100 hours to be an advanced beginner
1000 hours to be proficient
10,000 hours to be an expert (that's 40 hours a week, for 5 years)

-OR-

Dreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ScareKr0w31]

hahahaha wow, but thanks guys, the one above me is too funny

[BlackJesus]

This Made my day

[Dj Samurai]

In the words of ellaskins practice & enjoy