I’ve always had a passion for music and so, recently, I decided to dive into it and managed to pick up a Midi Fighter, the Traktor s4 alongside an iPhone 4 running TouchOSC. I think I have a ‘decent’ setup and hope to expand but before I do so I want to fully understand the ins and outs of Traktor. Sure I can look up youtube videos and other tutorials, but this wouldn’t necessarily satisfy my appetite. So, in the past few days I was pondering about enrolling at the brand new Dubspot Online classes and that got me thinking.. why doesn’t a thriving DJ community such as DJTechTools have such a thing? Why shouldn’t they? I would love for DJTT to offer online classes, simply put, that would be sick. But then again, I don’t know.. maybe I’m in over my head? I would love to hear your feedback, Thanks guys.
DJTT’s Youtube videos are quite good. I didn’t start from the ground up, but I knew the very, very basics of Traktor only, and learned quite a few useful tricks just from the Youtube vids.
Also, as those are paid for services, quite a lot of effort has to go into them.
One word logistics. This community is very large and thriving but for the most part were spread out all over the globe. Also as far as teaching goes they/we try to give it away for free. Give em the knowledge for free but sell them the tools or something like that.
DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
Core Level of DJ (4 sessions in 2 or 4 weeks)
Become comfortable with the equipment and basic technique of DJing, and create your first 2 song mix.
Learn:
How a DJ setup works: basic overview of turntable/CDJ, mixer, and headphones.
The proper technique to scratch and play a vinyl record
An introduction to digital DJing (Serato & Traktor both taught)
How to count beats
“Dropping on the 1”
Beatmatching with “pushing & pulling” and “the halfway method”
How to perform a basic mix/blend of two songs
Final Assignment: Perform your 1st live 2 song mix for the class.
Note: This track is also available as a 2-day 6-hour weekend workshop.
Course price: $395
DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
Core Level of DJ (4 sessions in 2 or 4 weeks)
Enhance your understanding of song structure and beatmatching to craft seamless mixes that are not just in sync but in phrase.
Learn:
How to count bars
Common song structure in various genres
More advanced beatmatching techniques – “the professional method”
Phrase mixing and the conversation between two songs
Cue point use in Serato/Traktor
Intermediate features of the Pioneer CDJ
Final Assignment: Perform a 3 song “phrase mix.”
Course price: $395
DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
Core Level of DJ (4 sessions in 2 or 4 weeks)
Develop an arsenal of distinct mixing techniques, both traditional and digital, and gain experience improvising and performing in realistic group settings.
Learn:
Intermediate mixing techniques, such as the “drop cut,” “stop & drop,” “power down,” and “backspin”
Looping & layering in Serato/Traktor
Advanced features of the Pioneer CDJ
How to perform comfortably in improvisational group jam sessions
Basic guidelines to EQing
Final Assignment: Perform a 10 minute phrase mix that includes new mixing techniques.
Course price: $395
DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
Advanced Level of DJ (4 sessions in 2 or 4 weeks)
Train your mind to think like a DJ by analyzing, organizing, and presenting music in terms of energy, sonic character, and crowd/venue considerations.
Learn:
Methods of music organization
How to build 3 song mini sets with definite arc and flow
Tips for “reading a room,” i.e. what to play when
Intermediate EQing
Intermediate features and use of Traktor Scratch Pro with the Kontrol X1 MIDI controller
How to record a mix
Final Assignment: Record a 10 song mix in class to be shared with the group.
Course price: $395
DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
Advanced Level of DJ (4 sessions in 2 or 4 weeks)
Take an in-depth look at advanced mixing techniques as well as business/marketing strategies that will help you establish yourself as a professional DJ.
Learn:
Advanced EQing and layering
New performance effects such as filters, delays, reverbs, and more
A variety of artist development strategies, i.e. how to “build your brand”
An introduction to the business of working with promoters, club owners, managers, and booking agents
Advanced dancefloor psychology and programming
Final Assignment: Play at a real club night (organized by Dubspot) that you also help promote!
Course price: $395
DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II
Advanced Level of DJ (4 sessions in 2 or 4 weeks)
Introduce the “wow factor” to your sets by building routines and incorporating performance tools such as MIDI controllers, advanced FX, sampling, wordplay, and harmonic mixing.
Learn:
Midi mapping & basic controllerism
Principles of harmonic mixing
Advanced FX combinations
How to examine what makes an impactful “routine”
Methods of incorporating samples and acappellas
Techniques to transition from “wow-ing” to making people dance
Final Assignment: Perform a 10 minute set that begins with an impactful routine and incorporates at least one of the above concepts.
Course price: $395
DJ Level 1000: World Domination Sessions by Tekki JesC, Karlos Santos, Photojojo and JesterNZDJ
Essentials Bitches!! Supreme Level of DJ 1 session, For Life
Step 1: Become comfortable with your gear, comfortable like with your girlfriend, only more intimate and with heart. There’s no faking it here.
Step 2: Master the art and technique of Dominating by creating your first Epic Mix that Crushes everything it touches…without thought or hesitation.
Then, You Must Learn the DJTT Controller Corps Chant:
This is my Controller. There are many like it but this one is mine.
My Controller is my best friend. It is my life.
I must Master it as I must Master my life.
Without me, my Controller is useless.
Without my Controller I am useless.
I must Crush Samples with my Controller, true.
I must Scratch, Sample and BitCrush straighter than my enemy, who is trying to Crush me.
I must Dominate him before he Dominates me. I will.
Before Ean Golden I swear this creed: my Controller and myself are defenders of those Epic Nights, we are the masters of our enemy, we are the saviors of DJ’s Worldwide. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace on the Dance floor. Amen.
Drill Sergeants Tekki, JesC, Karlos Santos, Photojojo and JesterNZDJ…
"If you ladies leave my island, if you survive recruit training… you will be a weapon, you will be a minister of death, praying for DJ War and Dance Floor Destruction. But until that day you are pukes! You’re the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even Top 40 Dj’s! You are nothing but unorganized grabasstic pieces of Drunken Frat Boys!
Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn: I am hard, but I am fair! There is no racial bigotry here! I do not look down on others; here you are all equally worthless! And my orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the DJTechTools gear to serve in my beloved Corps! Do you maggots understand that?
How a DJ setup works: ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION!!!
What is your major malfunction, numbnuts?! HERE WE GO!
The Basic overview is to Master the Controller, Turntable/CDJ, Mixer, and Headphones.
You must also Respect the History, Tradition, Legacy and Foundation created by the Legendary Technics 1200’s, of which we build Controllerism upon. You Got That?? OK!!!
Tonight… you pukes will sleep with your Controllers and Mixers!
You will give your Controller a girl’s name! Because this is the only Controller you people are going to get!
Your days of finger-fading little old Numark DM1002X through her laggy and unresponsive faders are over!
You’re married to this piece, this weapon of Plastic and Rubberized Pots! And you will be faithful!
The deadliest weapon in the world is a Controller DJ, his Soundcard and his Controller.
It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive during your sets.
Your Controller is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills the Dance Floor.
If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not KILL the Dance Floor.
You will become dead Controller DJ’s only to suffer an eternity of TOP 40 and wedding disasters.
And then you will be in a world of shit. Because Controller DJ’s are not allowed to die without permission!!!
Do you maggots understand???
Soon it will be Christmas! There will be a magic show at zero-nine-thirty!
Ean Golden will tell you about how the free world will conquer Top 40 with the aid of the S4 and a few Contoller DJ’s! Ean Golden has a Kung-Fu Grip for Controller DJ’s because we kill every Dance Floor we see!
He plays His games, we play ours! To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep the DJTT Store packed with fresh Top 40 souls seeking salvation! Ean Golden was here before the DJTT Controller Corps! So you can give your heart to Ean and the S4, but your ass belongs to the Controllerism! Do you ladies understand?
After Graduation from the DJTT Controller Corps, you people are no longer maggots. On that day you will be Controllerists!!
You’re part of a Brotherhood.
From now on, until the day you die, wherever you are, every Controller DJ is your Brother. Most of you will play out at Weddings to pay the rent. Some of you will not come back.
But always remember this: Controller Dj’s KILL THE DANCE FLOOR, that’s what we’re here for! And DJTT Controller Corps lives forever. That means you LIVE FOREVER!
Every set will be yours, EPIC sets ruled by the Kung-Fu Grip!! These are great days you’re living, bros. You’re are jolly green giants, walking the Earth with S4’s. Those people you waste every night are the finest human beings you will ever know.
And before you ladies leave my island, you will all be able to do the same thing!
for me the videos from ean and his crew are all thats needed to get an idea on how to spice things up and what to try for yourself. no need for classes/lessons.
Personally I really don’t like dj schools/course’s. So much of dj’n is about opinion and it’s really important to find your own while remaining open minded, as I feel thats the only way to become creative.
I know someone who’s become a dj through taking course’s and she told me her tutor said that drum & bass is the easyest of all genres to mix! What utter nonsense, thanks to that dj tutor there’s most probably a whole group of people going round with that opinion. Ok, I appreciate it works well for some but lets be honest, learning the basics really isn’t hard, there’s no need to pay some so called pro to fill your head with there way of doing thing’s. It helps having others around to look up to, but if you don’t know any dj’s there’s more than enough vids on the net to get you started. For me learning how to dj, is taking tips and advice from any where, but don’t take everything as gospel as it’s important to put your own spin on anything you learn.
Plus I can imagine most people who take these course’s see them as a good way to fast track the early stages. Another bad thing in my opinion, making mistake after mistake is most of the time the best way to learn and in many ways the best way to become creative.
Too Right’s, when I started i had had one lesson in beat matching from a mate at uni on some CDJ’s and carried on with that little knowledge and a love of music which is enough.
I think you only need lesson’s if your gonna be some kind of school disco or wedding DJ where there is a formula of songs and bullshit mic banter that needs to be checked off before you get paid. Club DJ’s usually just do it for the love of the music
Well, to be honest I did ‘the Creed’ for the BCR2000 once, just as a reaction on JesC’s creed for the VCI-100.
(Just check one of the links in my sig )
I am very open to the online school concept. Especially if it is community run/organized and the profits go towards some rad cause like buying controllers/equipment for kids in need.
The main problem, as one person accurately pointed out, is time and structure. We dont have anyone in the office with experience in running/developing a school curriculum and no one certainly has time to actually run one.
If someone were to come along that has:
the experience
the vision
the desire
the balls, grit,grim and grimmace to undertake learning the little pukes well then great!
props for that lol i cant imagine how long that took you to put together 
)