21/12/2021
How can I learn how to DJ?," then the answer is as follows...
1. Find other DJs in your local area who are willing to take you teach you themselves the basics of DJing. Not all DJs use the same exact hardware or software to DJ. There are many different options today. You can DJ with:
(A). vinyl only, which require turntables and a DJ mixer
(B). vinyl emulators, like Serato or Traktor, which require turntables, a DJ mixer, a computer, Serato or Traktor software, and the Serato or Traktor hardware interface combined with vinyl controllers that send a signal to the computer to play the .mp3 or .wav file loaded into the software.
(C). an all digital set up using Serato, Traktor, Rekordbox, or other competing software, and you employ a "controller" hardware that emulates turntable-like manipulation of the audio files on your computer. The controller could be an all-in-one type of deck that is a midi-interface sending and receiving signals from the computer.
(D). a variety of different digital controllers and software that are less about pure DJing from Deck A or Deck B (or even C and D). They are more for sequencing - triggering events on a timeline. Ableton Live is a good example of a software that can be used for both music production and DJing. It comes with a crossfader, which can be controlled by mapping a DJ controller's features to Ableton's features. Or, you can use something like the Akai APC40 to trigger sounds and play them in sequence, lay them over each other, or add effects and filters to manipulate the actual sound.
Most of the DJ software packages today have effects and filters built in.
2. Two of the most critical elements of DJing are:
(A). Beat Matching - the concept of knowing how many beats per minute a song is. You can measure your BPM's by simply tapping to your watch or available clock every 30 seconds, counting the beats in that timeframe, then doubling it to. For example, if you have 56 beats in 30 seconds, then you would have 112 beats in 60 seconds. So, the record is 112 beats per minute or "BPMs." Most DJ software will analyze a song and count the BPMs for you, so you don't have to.
(B). Pitch - You can manipulate the pitch of the record on both turntables and in DJ software. While many DJ software tools come with a sync button to match the beats per minute of two or more records, so you don't have to, most DJs should know who to beat match - that is matching the beat of one record to another - because if you're ever without sync, like when you're DJing with vinyl, you're not going to be able to rely on the sync feature. DJs who are experience with vinyl and can beatmatch using the pitch control are, in some ways, considered more proficient than if you rely on the sync button. But, that's not to say that using sync doesn't have its advantages and a DJ is as good as his or her selection. Many purists hate sync, because they feel we have lost the art of someone blending two records together, but sync can be helpful if you really want to get creative with looping, samples, effects, and filters, because it does one thing while you work all the other elements in your set.
(C). Key - all songs are in a certain musical key. One should be aware of keys and what each key sounds like. It's generally more acceptable to mix songs together that are in a similar key, because then it's not as shocking to your audience to hear two distinct tunes with two completely opposite keys. In house music, using key structures is considered more acceptable, whereas as in other genres it's probably less important. Because house music is usually mixed together for long 64 or 128 beats, you want to make sure that both are in key, so it doesn't sound like both records clash. They want to complement each other.
The above are basics. There's always more to learn, but you should definitely know these important points.
3. Online - Many DJs have taken to the Internet to create tutorials that can teach you how to DJ, but it's up to you to be able to put together your skills in manipulating music with software and hardware with your proficiency to select meaningful music that audiences want to hear. This is an art and a science combined. If you don't have an ear for music and an understanding of your audience in relation to the music you're selecting, you're not going to be very successful. Some DJs like to play music that suits them whereas other DJs play music requests. It depends on the venue. the audience, and your preferences.
