So, I got a crazy ass opportunity to teach DJing and very basic music production (think monophonic sampling and sequencing basic drum patterns). After 20 years, my DJ name finally paid off…
Anyway, my issue is that the first like 20 hours (!?) of instruction are supposed to be in a classroom. So… no gear. I do NOT want to just lecture at them for that amount of time.
So, I’ve broadly come up with these categories:
What is a DJ
The history / evolution of DJing
The basics of sound
The VERY basics of music theory, just focusing on rhythm, possibly just stomp/clapping a few basic patterns
DJ cultures
Building your community
Crazy shit that happened to me behind the decks
I didn’t include gear, because I really don’t want to have an abstract conversation about what a VU meter is.
Once we’re in the studio we’ll focus on DJ basics, and sampling/sequencing monophonically in Ableton Live. This part will be much more manageable because it’ll be hands on.
I’d love to hear an similar experiences or input you can give.
Should probably touch on the original “disc jockeys”, the AM/FM radio disc jockey and movement into club disck jockeys, the rebirth of the DJ with house and rap.
Sound theory including: sound routing, ins and outs, VU meters and their meaning, the headphone cue system
That’s a really good question. I feel like for the sake of completeness, it outta be Jimmy Savile, but you know… Kinda touchy subject now (no pun intended).
I was first thinking of doing it in phases, so… yeah. Jimmy, then disco then hip hop. But I was sort of thinking of introducing hip-hop via Rockit and Grand Mixer D.St (I think that’s his name, right?), just because that video is so rad.
Yeah,
That’s a good point. I know some of the students are actually pushing more towards radio DJing, and there’s some kinda weird history there, I think.
I’m also going to do a history of media: 78s, 33s, 45s, magnetic tape, 8 track (because it doesn’t exist here), CDs, mp3s, other digital formats.
You could mention the history of the discotheque, along with DJs. Studio 54, Northern Soul movement, 80s New Wave, second summer of love, etc. How the role of the DJ changed over the years, along with the expected skill. You could find a couple of movies or movie clips to watch.
I think something that has to be talked about is the role of drugs in creating an atmosphere for DJs to become what they are today. Whether it’s booze, coke or ecstasy, it’s played a role in giving people motivation to dance. Hell, MDMA is touted as one of the reasons the 80s hooligan movement died out with the UK rave scene.
Oh man that’s a good one! I have to run it by the bossman though, just in case… I also didn’t mention that I’m in Spain, so I could do a pretty cool history of Ibiza… although I don’t know it super well.
As far as docs I’m thinking:
Scratch
That Netflix one on Hip Hop… can’t remember the name right now.
But… the change in expected skill over time is a pretty interesting one. I’m going to have to give that a think about how to approach it.
Scratch (Movie)
Wildstyle (Movie)
Beat Street (Movie)
Turntable Technique: The Art of the DJ (Book/Record)
Groove (Movie)
Human Traffic (Movie)
Haack: The King of Techno (Movie)
Deconstructing Dad (Raymond Scott Movie)
The art of Turntablism (Movie)
Only issue with it’s All Gone Pete Tong is they probably will think it’s actually documentary and be trying to DJ with their feet by the end. Maybe that’s not a bad thing tho!
