DJs have always had music production capabilities. However, with the rise the DJ/Producers like DJ Snake, Skrillex, Dillon Francis and Diplo, DJs are spending more time in the studio and upping their production game. Here is an introduction article on how to get started.
Buying equipment is the area where most beginners are tempted to buy the shiniest things. Shiny things are good, but it’s best to start small first, and build up. Purchase a relatively decent laptop or MacBook (i5 CPU & SSD), but one that won’t break the bank. Honestly, I started producing on MacBook Airs and old business laptops and couldn’t tell much of a difference when I upgraded. Start small and build big when you are ready.
An audio interface is what you connect your laptop and audio monitors into so that digital signal can be converted into HQ sound. It is like a bridge between your laptop and audio monitors. DJs may be familiar with using audio interfaces when connecting SL3 Scratch Live or Traktor Scratch from your turntables to your laptop.
A MIDI controller is essentially like what a Xbox controller is to an Xbox. It enables you to easily write and create music in comparison to using purely a laptop. Skrillex and most other producers are able to rely entirely on his laptop to produce a rough track. But it helps to have a MIDI controller to do the hard work.
Audio monitors are speakers, but designed specifically for producing clear & balanced sound levels. This is different from PA speakers, where loudness and bass are priority for live performance. Audio monitors are made only for in the studio, and shouldn’t be used at events. For the bedroom producer, a pair of properly placed 6 inch audio monitors is more than enough.
Whether you want to record vocals or not, it’s a good idea to have recording equipment like a basic microphone. There are many around for all purposes and budgets. If you’re just starting off, the Shure SM58 or SM57 are general all rounder types of mics. If you’re wanting to record a particular sort of sound and require a particular mic, research comparison videos online. You will get to listen to the nuances of each mic.
A DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation. It is essentially a program that lets you write & record music. The popular DAWs are Logic, Ableton, Protools, Fruity Loops & Reason. There is a whole world of discussion on which DAW is better etc, but all in all they are all relatively similar.
I personally use Ableton, because it can pretty much do everything (producing, mixing & mastering and performance) and has the power to do high level production. Ableton also have a MIDI Controller called the Ableton Push, which makes production more interactive rather than like programming a computer.
A good tip is to actually start with GarageBand (if you have a Mac), which is a light & free version of Logic. Once you feel comfortable with GarageBand, you can upgrade to Logic on the App Store.
For Windows, Fruity Loops and Ableton have free trials to use before upgrading.
Plugins are add-on extension programs for your DAW that can design high quality sounds. Flume for instance, uses a plugin called Sylenth, whilst Skrillex uses Massive & Serum. For plugins, I would recommend downloading the trial versions, which basically have all the capabilities of the full but bar a few features.
Having basic music theory is not essential, but very helpful in analysing and creating interesting music. Learn the basic scales like major, minor, dominant, minor 7th etc. Then learn the chords and basic chord progressions. And then progress onto modes (scales with a starting note different from the root). It is tedious at first, but you will appreciate when you can analyse and read music quickly and incorporate it into your own work. You will then notice that Disclosure’s track “Latch” is essentially C in the mode of Dorian. And using C Dorian creates the tension and suspense that made that track popular.
Sound design is the art of creating sounds. It could be as simple as adding more gain to a kick. Or as complex as designing an unique metallic bass growl for your dubstep track. You can design sounds using plugins or just native controls in your DAW. Ableton have great native synth plugins like Operator that can do most of the things Massive and Serum can do.
Arrangement is understanding the structure of music. As well as developing an effective workflow so you have the most efficient process of turning your inspiration into tracks. Modern music have an Intro, Verse, Bridge and maybe an Outro. These are labelled as A, B, C & D sections of a song. Arrangement also helps you separate elements such as the drums, bass lines, synths & vocals. Understanding how many bars each section contains really helps the creative process and ensures that your track is appropriately structured.
Mixing & Mastering are the final parts of the process for producing music. Mixing is essentially making sure all your channels and instruments sound well together. It’s ensuring that the track’s mix completes the purpose the artist intended it to be. Mixing can get really subjective, but it’s also technical. Mastering is the final piece of the puzzle. Once the track has been mixed, a mastering engineer will ensure that the track will be competitive and timeless with the tracks in the similar genre. Most of times the engineer will balance out the low end and ensure that the track will be optimal for the platform it will be played on e.g. Spotify, Apple Music, Radio and live.
So now you understand the elements of music, it’s time to actually record tracks. Recording tracks can mean actually recording live audio, or just writing audio in. Using the elements of music, you will now be able to create tracks that are structured, interesting, unique and sonically pleasing.
This was a basic overview of how to produce music, more detail will be in later articles. Now go set up that studio and start producing!
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If you want to learn to DJ at a professional standard, you have come to the right place, no other DJ course comes close. Whether you wish to play in clubs, at house parties, warehouse parties, functions, or for your own personal enjoyment, knowing how to DJ is an amazing skill that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. It is a must for people that have a passion for music.
Our online course covers 10x what you could learn in any class environment and will fast track your success as a DJ.
What you get:
– Lifetime Access to our training site: do the course at your own pace
– Over 50 Training Video that mirror the techniques professionals are using to mix their music.
– Learn to mix all genres of music at a professional standard
– Whole section on what it takes to be successful in the club scene
Buy the Club Ready DJ Course today for only $175.
Buy NowHappily! Here are some that come to mind:
Kevin Hucker https://www.facebook.com/kevinhucker24
Jessica Cross https://www.facebook.com/jessica.cross.357
Joel Rogers https://www.facebook.com/Joel.Rogerss
Roxy Lola https://www.facebook.com/roxylola22
Sol Walshe https://www.facebook.com/djsolsydney/
This is only touching the surfacing of my students accomplishments.
This is where it gets really fun and is for the people that want experience playing live. I have worked in nightclubs my whole adult life (close to 20 years now) and I know the music industry better than most. In this section I am going to share with you priceless advice on:
This is what you’ve been waiting for. In this section I will share with you the secrets, all the professionals, use when mixing and I am certain this section will take your mixing skills to a professional level overnight!
Now you may think this sounds unlikely, but learning to DJ doesn’t have to be that hard. There is a way pro DJs mix and I am going to teach you those same methods. I guess the difference between the pros and you is, either they have built a name for themselves through insane marketing or perhaps by releasing their own original music. Either way, learning to DJ is always the first step and in this section I break it all down for you and give you mixing methods so you too can mix like a pro within hours.
No other school will teach you this. Every other DJ school plays it safe and in my experience keep it very very simple. I am not going to play it safe. Sure we start at the beginning and every exercise feeds off the last, but the methods I am teaching you here are proven and are the exact same techniques I have taught thousands of DJs before you and these DJs now hold residencies at some of the biggest venues around the world. See some of our success stories here.
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All this for only $4995.
This is how it works:
You hit the buy now button. Once your order is processed you will immediately be sent an order confirmation along with your log in details to access the training videos on the site. Pioneer will send your equipment to the school in Stanmore, Sydney, NSW. We will contact you the second your equipment arrives. You will need to collect it from the school. If you wish to arrange personally delivery you can contact the school direct here andrew@clubreadydjschool.com. This is just like buying it from a shop. Equipment is brand new, in boxes, direct from Pioneer HQ and comes with a 1 year full warranty.
Buy:
Only $4995.
The XDJRX2 Training Pack includes:
All this for only $2345.
This is how it works:
You hit the buy now button. Once your order is processed you will immediately be sent an order confirmation along with your log in details to access the training videos on the site. Pioneer will send your equipment to the school in Stanmore, Sydney, NSW. We will contact you the second your equipment arrives. You will need to collect it from the school. If you wish to arrange personally delivery you can contact the school direct here andrew@clubreadydjschool.com. This is just like buying it from a shop. Equipment is brand new, in boxes, direct from Pioneer HQ and comes with a 1 year full warranty.
Buy:
Only $2345.
The DDJRX Training Pack includes:
All this for only $1445.
This is how it works:
You hit the buy now button. Once your order is processed you will immediately be sent an order confirmation along with your log in details to access the training videos on the site. Pioneer will send your equipment to the school in Stanmore, Sydney, NSW. We will contact you the second your equipment arrives. You will need to collect it from the school. If you wish to arrange personally delivery you can contact the school direct here andrew@clubreadydjschool.com. This is just like buying it from a shop. Equipment is brand new, in boxes, direct from Pioneer HQ and comes with a 1 year full warranty.
Buy:
Only $1445.
The DDJRR Training Pack includes:
All this for only $1145.
This is how it works:
You hit the buy now button. Once your order is processed you will immediately be sent an order confirmation along with your log in details to access the training videos on the site. Pioneer will send your equipment to the school in Stanmore, Sydney, NSW. We will contact you the second your equipment arrives. You will need to collect it from the school. If you wish to arrange personally delivery you can contact the school direct here andrew@clubreadydjschool.com. This is just like buying it from a shop. Equipment is brand new, in boxes, direct from Pioneer HQ and comes with a 1 year full warranty.
Buy:
Only $1145.
Once you have bought the Club Ready Online DJ Course you’ll be given access to the the course page which has a whole designated section for the Club Pack. This includes tips and instructions on:
– How to work with and approach venues / promoters for shows
– What venues will expect from you
– How the shows with us work
– How to make and submit your mixtape for feedback
– How to assure your shows are successful assuring repeat shows
plus we even give you tips on how to deal with nerves, what to expect when you turn up, and how to best work with other DJs and the people running the event.
Our events in Sydney are at The World Bar, Kings X. Because we run over multiple rooms we specialise in all genres of music: anything from tech house – bass house – trap – EDM – RNB and anything in between. We have designated nights for different genres, so my advice: do what you do best.
Our events in the Central Coast are at The Beachcomber in Toukley. Again we have different rooms with different themes but, when selecting music for your mixtape, think about not only songs you like but also songs you feel people may respond well to (full info in Club Pack on set crafting and staying true to your sound).
I personally suggest you start by playing in the area where you believe you will receive the best response. Being successful as a DJ is about creating atmosphere. The bigger the atmosphere the bigger the results and the more repeat opportunities you’ll attract (more on this inside the course).
If you want to learn to DJ and then get experience playing live, at well established events around Australia, this is your chance to get your foot in the door. Loads of our students, now DJs, hold residencies at some of the biggest venues around Australia and a few have played at big named festivals (Stereosonic, Defqon and Splendour in the Grass – check out our success stories on our home page). It starts here.
Ultimately how far you go with your DJing, and the opportunities you receive, is in your hands more than you think. “Where attention goes, energy flows”. This course has the power to open doors. Are you willing to take the first step.
If you want to learn to DJ and get experience playing live then look no further. All graduates are given live shows at established club events with repeat shows for students that shine! Our shows are a breeding ground for DJs and a great launching pad for your career as a DJ.
What you get:
– Live shows at established venues in your local area
– Repeat shows are given to students that shine
– Potential to play nationally
– Feedback on mix-tapes from industry professionals
– Venue walkthrough
– Priceless industry insights
– DJ community membership (contacts and opportunities)
The Club Pack is available with the Club Ready Course and tours Australia annually. Apply Now!
Pioneer DJ and Club Ready DJ School have partnered to bring you the hottest DJ training packs in Australia. You will not find this kind of value anywhere in the world.
What you get:
– Pioneer DJ gear of your choice
– The Club Ready Online DJ Course
– The Club Pack
The Club Pack is available with the Club Ready Course and tours Australia annually. Join our waiting list to be notified when it goes live. If you must have it now: check out our training packs here.
Here it is! The answer to building your experience as a DJ and playing shows where you can not only showcase your talent, but also meet like minded people and build your fan base.
The way to stand out from the crowd is to force venues to take notice by having huge energy around your sets and people there to support you. So the question is, how do you go from having minimum networks (perhaps rocking up to shows with a few friends) to having hundreds of people at your shows? The answer is obvious: you are all in the same boat, so “do for others as you would have them do for you” and SUPPORT EACH OTHER. Welcome to the Wolfpack!
Once you graduate from the course, you will be automatically added and welcomed to the Wolfpack – Australia’s largest growing national DJ network.
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I put together this school, for a number of reasons:
Being a DJ is amazing, even if it’s just playing your favorite tracks at home, to playing packed events and everything in between. If you love music, being a DJ is the perfect creative outlet. I am grateful that I am in the position where I can share my greatest passion with so many people.
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Club Ready DJ School is powered by Pioneer and we offer significant discounts on Pioneer DJ equipment for our students. Check out our training packs that have been coupled with the course along with equipment deals here…
Join our DJ community and get:
When you sign up for the Club Ready DJ Course you will automatically get a log in that gives you lifetime access to our website. Once inside the website, it is organised into sections. You have the Fundamentals, Understanding Music, Professional Mixing Styles, Preparing to Play Live, Industry Insights, Marketing 101 and if you purchased the Club Pack you will also be able to access the bonus content: Your Club Shows with Us and the Advanced Course.
You can select the module you wish to work on and then open the training videos for each section. For instance in the Advanced Tutorials, there are videos on creative mixing, mixing without cues, advanced EQ methods, replacing the drop, plus looping in and out giving you more time to draw out your transitions and tease in your new songs successfully.
Every module is set out in the same way. There are main modules, then training videos for al the main areas.
On the site there is a total of 55 videos, and cheat sheets, step by step instructions plus how to prepare your music so you can do the exercises yourself at home. here is also a student profile area where you can track and share your progress.
We basically want you to be able to walk away from this course, with a solid knowledge of DJIng and the tools needed to be the best DJ on every line up.
If you want to learn to DJ you will not find a more organised course, tasking you from knowing little or nothing to being able to play confidently in clubs, anywhere else in the world!
Training exercises using all kinds of house, dance, and party music (RNB, pop, hip hop).
For a more detailed description check out our course outline.
Learn how to market and brand yourself so people know who you are when you play.
For a more detailed description check out our course outline.
Understand what it takes to work with venues and promoters and also learn how to get your name out there so people know who you are when you play.
For a more detailed description check out our course outline.
Easy to follow training exercises that mirror the techniques professionals are using to mix their music.
For a more detailed description check out our course outline.
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Being a good DJ comes down to 3 main things: introducing your new song at the right point, flawless transitions and set flow. Set flow means playing the right song at the right time and finding songs that sound great together. This section is full of game changers to take your DJing from average to outstanding.
You will learn how to:
This section goes hand in hand with the professional mixing styles lessons! When you think about it, DJIng is mainly transitioning between songs and mixing songs together to create maximum effect. This can be loads of fun but without a solid understanding of the EQ (equaliser), your transitions are going to sound messy! In this section learn all about using the EQ to control what is the dominate song in the mix, with the goal, flawless transitions between songs.
You will learn how to:
People often think being a DJ is knowing your songs back to front. I disagree! Being a good DJ is knowing music and once we develop our understanding of how music is put together and the best places for DJs to mix their songs together we will be able to apply this to all songs, of all genres, and make all of our transitions sound amazing, regardless of whether we know the song or not!
The goal: getting to a stage where you can mix anything into anything and make everything sound good all the time!
You will learn:
Learning to DJ starts with understanding the fundamentals!
You will learn:
Here it is! The answer to building your experience as a DJ and playing shows where you can not only showcase your talent, but also meet like minded people and build your fan base.
The way to stand out from the crowd is to force venues to take notice by having huge energy around your sets and people there to support you. So the question is, how do you go from having minimum networks (perhaps rocking up to shows with a few friends) to having hundreds of people at your shows? The answer is obvious: you are all in the same boat, so “do for others as you would have them do for you” and SUPPORT EACH OTHER. Welcome to the Wolfpack!
Once you graduate from the course, you will be automatically added and welcomed to the Wolfpack – Sydneys largest growing DJ network.
All of our students receive DJ sets at World Bar in Kings Cross. This is a huge opportunity for you to, not only play at one of Sydneys iconic and favourite nights spots but also to, meet like minded people and launch your DJ career. We run events at World Bar on Friday nights and DJs that shine are given repeat opportunities with potential residencies.
Sydney DJ School has close connections with many venues and promoters all around Australia and we pride ourselves on being a launching pad for people wanting experience and the chance to expand their network.
Many of our DJs play regularly at big named venues around Australia (Ivy, Home, Chinese Laundry, Sash, Deeper Than House, World Bar, Candys Apartment, Craze, to name a few) and 1 of our students (Jessica Cross) played at Stereosonic and 2 of our students (Jessica Cross and Kevin Hucker) played at last years Defqon).
If you want to learn to DJ at a professional standard and get experience playing live, look no further.