Music
11 Lessons on How to Become a Professional DJ Now
From basics to advanced techniques, this series with Skratch Bastid will have you DJing in no time.
Skratch Bastid
© Dale Tidy/Red Bull Content Pool
Regular Red Bull Thre3style performer and judge Skratch Bastid is an in-demand producer, remixer and artist in his own right. But it’s as a DJ that he’s probably best known. So he’s as good a person as any, then, to teach us all how to start mixing. Before you register for the Canadian turntablist’s class in DJ trickery and watch the lessons below, let him welcome you to Skratch School:
“I put this series of DJ lessons together to help share a few of the skills I’ve learned over the past 15 years of doing what I love to do most: DJing. Whether you want to learn the basics, such as mixing records, or pick up more advanced scratch techniques, we’re going to cover it all right here. Welcome to Skratch School!”
Lesson 1: Basic DJ concepts
Everyone has a vague idea of what a DJ is, but most would be hard-pressed to pin down exactly what the term means, what it covers and what exactly a DJ does. In this introduction to semester one of Skratch School, hip-hop DJ Skratch Bastid explains why he created this action-packed video series and what DJ students can expect to get out of it.
2 min
Skratch School – Lesson One
Skratch Bastid introduces the basic concepts of DJing.
Lesson 2: Basic equipment
While turntables, CDJs and all-in-one controllers are the three most popular options, there’s more choice now than ever before when it comes to DJ equipment. Here, Skratch explains the pros and cons of different pieces of equipment, makes some suggestions for those just starting out, and compares the “scratchability” of turntables versus CDJs.
3 min
Skratch School – Lesson two
Skratch Bastid guides you through all the equipment budding DJs need in their locker.
Lesson 3: Mixing
Mixing smoothly from one song to the next is the most basic job of the DJ, but the art of mixing encompasses so much more. In this lesson, Skratch Bastid explains cueing, fader-mixing and cross-fader mixing, as well as giving some tips on smooth transitions and how to control the mood of the party.
3 min
Skratch School – Lesson three
Skratch Bastid gets mixing in lesson three of Skratch School.
Lesson 4: Edits and remixes
The one thing DJs are best known for is creating popular edits and remixes of existing songs. Watch Skratch Bastid create a remix live and explain how edits and remixes can spread a DJ’s name.
2 min
Skratch School – Lesson four
Skratch Bastid takes it to the next level in his how-to DJ guide.
Lesson 5: Basic beat juggling
Beat juggling is one of the original forms of DJing — a continual loop of the same part of a record to create a constant groove or new beat. The process can now be done via software, but here Skratch Bastid walks us through how to beat-juggle using two turntables.
3 min
Skratch School – Lesson five
Canada's finest DJ shows us how to beat juggle.
Lesson 6: Beat matching and EQing
Beat matching is one of the fundamental skills of DJing — a technique used to keep the dance floor moving at a certain tempo. Skratch shows how EQing can improve the sound of mixing two different records together.
4 min
Skratch School – Lesson six
Get to grips with beat-matching, courtesy of Skratch Bastid.
Lesson 7: Basic scratching
Starting with the most simple technique, Skratch Bastid explains how the scratch sound is achieved and how you can apply it over a rhythm.
4 min
Skratch School – Lesson seven
Get scratching with a little help from Canadian DJ Skratch Bastid.
Lesson 8: Chirps and transforms
Skratch Bastid explains second-level basic scratches — the classic chirp and transform sounds. Since they were developed, these scratches have shaped the sound of scratching and influenced more advanced techniques.
3 min
Skratch School – Lesson eight
Learn your chirps from your transforms thanks to your very own DJ teacher, Skratch Bastid.
Lesson 9: Flares
The flare scratch is an advanced scratch technique — a slightly counterintuitive two-handed movement, which results in a powerful and efficient technique. Skratch Bastid breaks down the movements of this scratch and simplifies it.
3 min
Skratch School – Lesson nine
Get to grips with the advanced DJing technique of "flares".
Lesson 10: Advanced beat juggling
In his final lesson this term, Skratch Bastid demonstrates how you can take beat juggling further by adding new rhythms and patterns.
4 min
Skratch School – Lesson 10
The penultimate class from Skratch School.
Lesson 11: Making it your own
The world of DJing is becoming more and more crowded as technology makes it more accessible. Standing out from the crowd takes originality and confidence. Skratch Bastid reveals his own philosophy and explains what helped him stand out.
2 min
Skratch School – Lesson 11
Skratch School closes for the summer, but not before an extended lesson on advanced beat juggling.
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