
Ask HN: DJing Resources? - avindroth
If I want to learn how to mix music, where would I start?
======
idra
Best way: find a mentor, someone who already knows how to DJ and hopefully has
worked as a DJ professionally. What would take you weeks to figure out
yourself or from "tutorials", you will learn in mere hours.

If you don't have any DJ friends, try to make some. I only got to really
understand the process when I had someone show it to me. Mixing itself is
actually easy and straightforward, but somehow hard to explain in text/video
form.

If you can't do the above, try these resources: Advanced Vinyl Handling
(oldschool but very comprehensive article series):
[http://music.hyperreal.org/dj/AVH/Basics.html](http://music.hyperreal.org/dj/AVH/Basics.html)

Decent videos on Youtube from Ellaskins:
[https://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins/videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins/videos)

Ideally, get your hands on some good quality turntables/CDJs to really get the
feel. Don't waste your time with poor or unsuitable equipment like belt-drive
turntables, it will only hinder your progress. A pair of Pioneer CDJs and/or
Technics 1200s will do you well.

If you just want DJ with software and auto-sync, you don't need to learn much
beyond pressing play on deck A, pressing play on deck B, cutting bass on deck
B, crossfading to deck B, returning bass on deck B, rinse, repeat.

------
brudgers
My random internet advice is to start by mixing music.

The skill in DJing is in the doing not the theory because part of the skill is
taking the risk of people not liking the mix. That skill is learned through
practice. Mixing better music is learned through feedback.

Good luck.

