3 x 10 Week courses – Thursdays 6.30pm – 9pm
Across the three terms students will have a 360º practical and knowledge-based experience of various DJ formats.
Autumn Term 2024: 26th Sept – 7th Dec 2024 (half term 28th – 31st Oct)
This is a fast track course aimed at beginners/intermediate-level students who would like to learn the basic principal and techniques of how to DJ on 3 main DJ Set ups: Turntables, (Vinyl), CDJs (CD’s and USB), and Controllers (Serato/Rekord box). This course will give both the theory to DJing as well as covering various formats of equipment and understanding the set up and configurations.
Areas this course will cover
- Introduction to the equipment. How the functions work.
- The basic principles of DJing.
- Exploring different mediums of music
- How to cue a track
- How to beat match / mix 2 songs.
- Knowing your music
- Storing your music /playlists
- EQ and filtering
- How to record mixes/appropriate hardware/software
- DJ / Music History
- Troubleshooting – what if when DJing?
Students will aim to have a basic knowledge and ability to mix and be able to teach themselves through practice to competently mix.
Spring Term 2025: 16th Jan – 27th March 2025 (half term 17th – 20th Feb)
This course is aimed at students who have attended the Autumn Term or have some basic knowledge and or ability to DJ. The course reviews the previous term with more emphasis on mixing techniques and advancing DJing to the next level. From Stem Mixing, to reading crowds and going deeper into the technology of DJing. Students will aim to confidently mix a continuous blend of music.
- Review of Autumn Term
- Advance DJ Techniques, Beat matching and creating a smooth mix – tips/FX
- Further in-depth equipment analysis.
- How to source music
- The basics of scratching
- How to record mixes/appropriate Hardware
- How to edit mixes.
- Introduction to Radio presenting – and history of Pirate Radio in the UK
- Club/Gig preparation
- Advance Troubleshooting – what if when DJing?
Summer Term 2025: 24th April – 3rd July 2025 (half term 26th – 29th May)
The final term is aimed at students who have attended either the Autumn or Spring Term, or those who have experience in mixing and want to further their skills and profile as a DJ. The course embodies a micro view of techniques used in the previous terms but focuses on advanced mixing styles with greater emphasis on technology and sharpening your skills to the highest levels. In addition, it will help you to understand how to enhance your profile, explore experiences within DJing in the industry and high-end equipment, utilising a large sound system. This approach will provide you with the capacity to help you make an impact as a DJ and raise your profile when entering the club scene, exploring effects within your mixes, as well as covering fundamental radio presenting skills, with more focus on digital: CDJs and Controllers. Plus, various aspects of marketing and promotion with ‘5 key routes to success’ within DJ’ing.
- Review of all technical teachings from the Autumn and Spring terms
- Advance DJ mixing Techniques /Beat matching and creating a smooth mix – tips/FX
- Playing on a sound system / troubleshooting
- Radio presenting
- Establishing and raising your DJ profile
- Effects within mixing and recording your mix
- Further digital aspects of DJing
- Advance DJ configurations / mapping
- Marketing & promotion
- Advance Troubleshooting – what if when DJing?
