1. education
2. teaching and classroom resources
3. lesson plans

‘MAKE ME A DJ’
USING THIS RESOURCE
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
USING THIS RESOURCE
CONTENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Classroom Setup
Running Lessons
Schemes of Work Outline
Student Assessment Criteria
Student Worksheets
DJS Tutorial Videos
Tutorial Tracks
DJ Spoony Top Tips
Installing and Configuring DJS
Entering the Prize Draw
Useful Tunes and Extra Information
APPENDICES
Appendix 1: The friendly teachers Guide to DJS
DJS Features
Installing the software
Loading the software
Importing songs from CDs
Auto Mix a track
Manual Mix a track
Appendix 2: Schemes of Work
Lesson 1: The role of a DJ
Lesson 2: The basic functions of DJS
Lesson 3: Music Styles & Basic Mixing
Lesson 4: Advanced Mixing & Effects
Lesson 5: Building your 5 minute Set
Lesson 6: My Mix & Class Competition
Appendix 3: Student Worksheets
Student Worksheet 1: Importing & Using the Auto-Mix function
Student Worksheet 2: Mixing Songs Manually
Student Worksheet 3: Using the Equaliser function
Student Worksheet 4: Using the Effects Function
Appendix 4: DJ Spoony Top Tip Sheets for students
Appendix 5: Student Information leaflet and posters
Appendix 6: The DJ Dictionary
2
1. CLASSROOM SETUP
We suggest you have the following setup in your classroom to
teach the lessons:
NOTE:
• 1 x Teacher PC with DJS installed
• 1 x Projector and Screen (not essential but handy)
• Student PCs with two soundcards, speakers and
headphones
• Photocopied student worksheets
• Photocopied Top Tip sheets
• Printed Student Information Leaflets & Posters
• All tutorial and video clips downloaded and burnt to disk as
detailed in the lessons
• Sample tracks for students
2 separate Soundcard outputs are
required to use headphones and
speakers at the same time. Your
ICT technician should be able to
help you set these up. Internal or
external Audio Output Board or
Device can be used. Some midi
keyboards can act as a second
audio card (e.g. m-audio Ozone).
2. RUNNING A LESSON
The lessons are quite simple to run and involve activities,
brainstorms, watching videos and listening to tracks. Often they
refer to the student worksheets and the tutorial videos so
always have these to hand.
• This guide outlines the lessons’ objectives
• The worksheets provide diagrams with clear labels that
students can use as a reference point
• Teachers monitor work through class discussion and judging
final mix
• There are 2 optional assessment sheets in this document
which you may like to use to assess your student’s learning
3
3. SCHEMES OF WORK: OUTLINE
LESSON 1
LESSON 5
• Students understand what the ‘Make me a DJ’ course will
teach them
• Students focus on DJing and MCing
• Students motivated to learn through using the resources
• Students create their own 5 minute mix
using their 5 chosen tracks
Focus 1: Video
Focus 2: Class Discussion about the role of a DJ/MC
Focus 3: Look at DJS as a class on the main screen and look
at main functions
LESSON 2
• Students understand the basic function for DJS
• Students know how to rip tracks to DJS and use them with
each Player
• Students learn the basic DJS mix function using the auto mix
feature
Focus 1: The DJ as a performer (Video Clip)
Focus 2: Teacher demonstration of how to setup tracks on
player.
Focus 3: Follow Worksheet 1 (Importing music, placing
tracks, simple 2 track auto-mix).
Focus 4: Show work
Focus 1: Introduction to competition and
rules
Focus 2: The 5 minute mix
Focus 3: Show work
LESSON 6
• Students mix live for their classmates
• Peers will judge to select 1 class winner
Focus 1: Mixing Session
Focus 2: Competition Judging
EXTENSION TO ‘MAKE ME A DJ’
Following the course a lot of students will
want to continue expanding their DJing skills.
We recommend you start a DJ club as an extra
curricular activity. You may like to invite DJs to
come into your school
LESSON 3
• Students are able to recognise and understand the different
styles of music people listen to and that a DJ will play in
clubs and on radio
• Students start to learn about manual mixing using DJS
Focus 1: Brainstorm music genres
Focus 2: Listen to sample genres
Focus 3: Student explore manual mixing including pitch with
different styles from music bank
Focus 4: Show Work
LESSON 4
• Students understand the equaliser
• Students start to try out effects
Focus 1: Teacher and students listen and learn different
effects
Focus 2: Worksheet 3 & 4 Equaliser & Effects
Focus 3: Show Work
4
4. STUDENT ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Through each lesson you can monitor levels of student
attainment through their contribution in discussion activities and
skill development.
KS3 ASSESSMENT
STUDENT RESPONSE
GRADE 1 TO 5
Introduction Discussion
(1 - very effective, 3 - good, 5 - unsuccessful)
Music Genre Discussion
(1 - very effective, 3 - good, 5 - unsuccessful)
Tracks Chosen to Mix and Style
(1 - very effective, 3 - good, 5 - unsuccessful)
Manual Beat-Mixing
(1 - seamless, 2 - good sense of timing, 5 – rhythms not matched
and interrupted)
Use of Faders
(1 - fluid use and appropriate volumes, 2 - good transition but not
clearly balanced or 5 - Poor sense of balance)
Effects and Equaliser
(1 – explored and confidently used a range of different sounds, 3 good use of some effects but lacked any sense of style, 5 - poor or
no use of effects)
TOTAL
/30
5
GCSE ASSESSMENT (BASED ON THE EDEXCEL
COMPOSITION CRITERIA)
Ask all students to write a brief for their mix.
Criteria for Compositions and Arrangements
OPTIONAL CRITERIA
COMPOSING
COMPULSORY CORE CRITERIA
COMPULSORY CORE CRITERIA
COMPOSING
A
Use and development of ideas
B
Exploitation of the medium
C
Structural interest
D
Understanding the brief
E
Melody
OPT 1
/5
F
Harmony/ accompaniment
OPT 2
/5
G
Texture
H
Tempo/Rhythm
I
Dynamics
J
Use of technology
A
/5
B
/5
C
/5
D
/5
TOTAL
/30
To mark students work using the above grid please
give a grade for A, B, C, D and E. Then choose 2
areas to mark (e.g. H and I).
K
TEACHERS COMMENTS
6
5. STUDENT WORKSHEETS
Worksheets for the students are included to help you teach the
lessons and for them to learn at their own speed. We
recommend you print these out and install them on the student’s
computers:
Student Worksheet 1: Importing & Using the Auto-Mix function
Student Worksheet 2: Mixing Songs Manually
Student Worksheet 3: Using the Equaliser function
Student Worksheet 4: Using the Effects Function
6. DJS VIDEO TUTORIALS
For use in class and by the students for extra information
Tutorial 1 – Importing tracks into DJS
Tutorial 2 – Cue points, finding the kick drum
Tutorial 3 – Beat mixing using two tracks of the same tempo
Tutorial 4 – Using different effects (The Effector)
Tutorial 5 – A demo mix
Tutorial 6 – Creating a play list
HOW TO USE THE VIDEO TUTORIALS:
Whiteboard with Projector – If you have this option you can play
each tutorial to the class and talk through the relevant stages.
Student Computers – Install the video files on to each computer
or the school's network and allow your students to access them
throughout the lessons.
7. TUTORIAL TRACKS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dogman.MP3
Inbetween Your Choice.MP3
PSCO.MP3
Rocket.MP3
Soundz.MP3
Techno Monster.MP3
You Are Me.MP3
The tracks used in the Tutorials and within the lessons can be
downloaded from our server and used as part of your lessons.
7
8. DJ SPOONY TOP TIPS
DJ Spoony has written some Top Tip sheets that the students
can use as and when they wish. Print these out so students
can go through them at their own pace
•
•
•
•
•
•
So you wanna be a DJ?
Starting Out
Styles of Music
Listen Hear
Creating a Set
Show off your skills
9. INSTALLING & CONFIGURING DJS
We recommend you consult with your IT technician to set up
DJS on your school PC’s.
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Operating System: Operating System: Windows 2000/XP
Home/Prof
CPU:
IBM PC/AT compatible computer with 1.5
GHZ or higher
RAM:
512MB RAM
Hard Disk:
250MB (Plus space for MP3, etc)
Display:
XGA (1024 x 768 Pixels) and High Colour
(16 bit)
Soundcard:
Internal or external Audio Output Board
or Device (2 separate Soundcard outputs
are needed for headphones and speakers)
Some midi keyboards can act as a second
audio card (e.g. m-audio Ozone).
CD-Rom Drive or Network
INSTALLATION
Follow the installation notes in the Friendly Guide for teachers
If you have any problems during your installation please
contact the Pioneer team via email who will be happy to help:
[email protected]
8
10. ENTERING THE PRIZE DRAW
‘Make me a DJ’ offers your students the chance to compete
against each other in a class ‘mix-off’ and then you can enter
the classes winning mix into a prize draw each term.
There are 3 prize draws in 2007, you can enter each one with
a different mix. Closing dates for entries are:
First prize draw:
23rd July 2007
Second prize draw: 15th October 2007
Third prize draw: 17th December 2007
At each prize draw 1 entry will win a pair of HDJ-1000
Headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS Software.
At the end of the year a final ‘schools’ prize will be drawn
from all entries. One school will win a fantastic Pioneer Pro
DJ Equipment setup for the school and a visit from the
Pioneer Pro DJ Team to come and teach a live mixing class.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. To Enter - Schools participating in the National Schools Project must submit a 5 minute
mixing sample on CD for each prize draw to the following address: ‘Make me a DJ’,
Pioneer GB Limited, Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2 4QP. Only 1
entry per year group per school will be accepted for each prize draw. Completed entry
forms must be included inside each CD case. Entries for the student draws must be
submitted by the following dates, 13th July, 12th October & 14th December 2007, failing
which they will be void. All entries will become the Promoter’s on receipt and will not be
returned. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound
by these rules. No purchase necessary. To take part in this promotion, all entrants must be
participating in the National Schools Project.
2. Winner Announcement - The winner’s school will be notified by email within 14 days of
each draw to take place on the following dates; 23rd July, 15th October and 17th December
2007. There will be one student winner per draw. These winners will be the sample picked
at random on each of the draw dates. Winners will win a pair of HDJ-1000 headphones and
a full version of Pioneer DJS Software. An additional School prize draw will take place on
the 17th December 2007 where all previous student entries will be entered into the draw
for the school to win a training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team and the very latest
Pioneer DJ kit available in the UK, comprising of 2 x Pioneer CDJs and 1 x Pioneer mixer.
3. Eligibility - The prize promotion is open to all pupils/schools participating in the
National Schools Project except those entrants who are directly related to employees of
Pioneer GB Limited (the “Promoter”), any of its subsidiary, affiliated or associated
companies, its agencies or any member of their households.
4. Validity - There is a limit of one entry per year group per school per student prize draw.
Responsibility cannot be accepted for any entries lost or delayed in transit.
Correspondence will be entered into only at the absolute discretion of the Promoter.
5. The Prizes - The prizes consist of 3 sets of 1 x pair HDJ-1000 headphones and DJS
Software Pack. The school that wins the final prize draw will also be provided with 2 x
Pioneer CDJs and 1 x Pioneer mixer and one training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ
Team, who will visit the winning school. The Promoter may in its absolute discretion
substitute cash value for the prize or offer alternative prizes or equal or greater value.
6. Winner Publicity - Entrants accept that, if they win, the Promoter will have the right,
without additional payment or permission to use their name, and the schools name and
likeness for the purposes of announcing the winner of this prize promotion.
7. Winning entry details - The name of the winner will be sent to
anyone who writes within 3 months after the closing date, enclosing a stamped addressed
envelope, to the address in rule 9 below, requesting details of the winning entry.
8. The Promoter - The Promoter is Pioneer GB Limited whose registered office is at
Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Slough, SL2 4QP.
9
SIMPLY COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW AND POST TO:
MAKE ME A DJ, PIONEER GB LIMITED, PIONEER HOUSE,
HOLLYBUSH HILL, STOKE POGES, SLOUGH, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SL2 4QP
NAME:
SCHOOL ADDRESS:
SCHOOL TEL:
MUSIC TEACHER:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Prize Promotion Rules
1. To Enter - Schools participating in the National Schools Project must submit a 5 minute mixing sample on CD for each prize draw to the following address: Make me a DJ, Pioneer GB Limited,
Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2 4QP. Only 1 entry per year group per school will be accepted for each prize draw. Completed entry forms must be included inside each
CD case. Entries for the student draws must be submitted by the following dates, 13th July, 12th October & 14th December 2007, failing which they will be void. All entries will become the
Promoter’s on receipt and will not be returned. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules. No purchase necessary. To take part in this promotion,
all entrants must be participating in the National Schools Project. 2. Winner Announcement - The winner’s school will be notified by email within 14 days of each draw to take place on the
following dates; 23rd July, 15th October and 17th December 2007. There will be one student winner per draw. These winners will be the sample picked at random on each of the draw dates.
Winners will win a pair of HDJ-1000 headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS Software. An additional School prize draw will take place on the 17th December 2007 where all previous student
entries will be entered into the draw for the school to win a training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team and the very latest Pioneer DJ kit available in the UK, comprising of 2 x Pioneer CDJs
and 1 x Pioneer mixer. 3. Eligibility - The prize promotion is open to all pupils/schools participating in the National Schools Project except those entrants who are directly related to employees
of Pioneer GB Limited (the “Promoter”), any of its subsidiary, affiliated or associated companies, its agencies or any member of their households. 4. Validity - There is a limit of one entry per
year group per school per student prize draw. Responsibility cannot be accepted for any entries lost or delayed in transit. Correspondence will be entered into only at the absolute discretion of
the Promoter. 5. The Prizes - The prizes consist of 3 sets of 1 x pair HDJ-1000 headphones and DJS Software Pack. The school that wins the final prize draw will also be provided with 2 x
Pioneer CDJs and 1 x Pioneer mixer and one training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team, who will visit the winning school. The Promoter may in its absolute discretion substitute cash value
for the prize or offer alternative prizes or equal or greater value. 6. Winner Publicity - Entrants accept that, if they win, the Promoter will have the right, without additional payment or permission
to use their name, and the schools name and likeness for the purposes of announcing the winner of this prize promotion. 7. Winning entry details - The name of the winner will be sent to
anyone who writes within 3 months after the closing date, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to the address in rule 9 below, requesting details of the winning entry. 8. The Promoter The Promoter is Pioneer GB Limited whose registered office is at Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Slough, SL2 4QP.
MAKE ME A DJ, PIONEER GB LIMITED, PIONEER HOUSE,
HOLLYBUSH HILL, STOKE POGES, SLOUGH, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SL2 4QP
NAME:
SCHOOL ADDRESS:
SCHOOL TEL:
MUSIC TEACHER:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Prize Promotion Rules
1. To Enter - Schools participating in the National Schools Project must submit a 5 minute mixing sample on CD for each prize draw to the following address: Make me a DJ, Pioneer GB Limited,
Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2 4QP. Only 1 entry per year group per school will be accepted for each prize draw. Completed entry forms must be included inside each
CD case. Entries for the student draws must be submitted by the following dates, 13th July, 12th October & 14th December 2007, failing which they will be void. All entries will become the
Promoter’s on receipt and will not be returned. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules. No purchase necessary. To take part in this promotion,
all entrants must be participating in the National Schools Project. 2. Winner Announcement - The winner’s school will be notified by email within 14 days of each draw to take place on the
following dates; 23rd July, 15th October and 17th December 2007. There will be one student winner per draw. These winners will be the sample picked at random on each of the draw dates.
Winners will win a pair of HDJ-1000 headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS Software. An additional School prize draw will take place on the 17th December 2007 where all previous student
entries will be entered into the draw for the school to win a training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team and the very latest Pioneer DJ kit available in the UK, comprising of 2 x Pioneer CDJs
and 1 x Pioneer mixer. 3. Eligibility - The prize promotion is open to all pupils/schools participating in the National Schools Project except those entrants who are directly related to employees
of Pioneer GB Limited (the “Promoter”), any of its subsidiary, affiliated or associated companies, its agencies or any member of their households. 4. Validity - There is a limit of one entry per
year group per school per student prize draw. Responsibility cannot be accepted for any entries lost or delayed in transit. Correspondence will be entered into only at the absolute discretion of
the Promoter. 5. The Prizes - The prizes consist of 3 sets of 1 x pair HDJ-1000 headphones and DJS Software Pack. The school that wins the final prize draw will also be provided with 2 x
Pioneer CDJs and 1 x Pioneer mixer and one training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team, who will visit the winning school. The Promoter may in its absolute discretion substitute cash value
for the prize or offer alternative prizes or equal or greater value. 6. Winner Publicity - Entrants accept that, if they win, the Promoter will have the right, without additional payment or permission
to use their name, and the schools name and likeness for the purposes of announcing the winner of this prize promotion. 7. Winning entry details - The name of the winner will be sent to
anyone who writes within 3 months after the closing date, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to the address in rule 9 below, requesting details of the winning entry. 8. The Promoter The Promoter is Pioneer GB Limited whose registered office is at Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Slough, SL2 4QP.
COMPETITION
COMPETITION
SIMPLY COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW AND POST TO:
MAKE ME A DJ
MAKE ME A DJ
11. MUSIC EXAMPLES AND HELPFUL WEB LINKS
List of suggested tracks that your students will have heard
recently:
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Eric Prydz Vs Floyd Proper Education
Mason Vs Princess Superstar Perfect (Exceeder)
Booty Luv Boogie 2Nite
Freemasons Rain Down Love
Sharam PATT (Party All The Time)
Fedde Le Grand Put Your Hands Up For Detroit
Bob Sinclar & Cutee B Feat. Dollarman & Big Ali &
8.Makedah Rock This
David Guetta Vs The Egg Love Don't Let Me Go (Walking
Away)
BeatFreakz Superfreak
Armand van Helden Feat. Fat Joe & BL Touch Your Toes
Ben Macklin Feat. Tiger Lilly Feel Together
Alex Gaudino Destination Calabria
Space Cowboy My Egyptian Lover
Dance Nation Move Your Love
Superfreak - Beatfreakz
Voodoo Child - Rogue Traders
Hush Boy - Basement Jaxx
Rain Down Love - Freemasons & Siedah Garrett
Boogie 2nite - BootyLuv
Turn Me On - Dirty Old Ann
DYOT - Dab Hands (1)
Movin' Too Fast - Supafly Inc.
My Life - Chanel
MyMyMy - Van Helden, Armand & Tara McDonald
Websites:
• http://www.djdownload.com
• http://www.recess.co.uk
• http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_jockey
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic/djing
11
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
APPENDICES
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
APPENDICES
CONTENTS
Appendix 1: The friendly teachers Guide to DJS
DJS Features..........................................................................3
Installing the software ..........................................................4
Loading the software ............................................................5
Importing songs from CDs ....................................................6
Auto Mix a track ....................................................................7
Manual Mix a track ................................................................9
Appendix 2: Schemes of Work
Lesson 1: The role of a DJ ..................................................11
Lesson 2: The basic functions of DJS ..................................13
Lesson 3: Music Styles & Basic Mixing................................15
Lesson 4: Advanced Mixing & Effects ..................................17
Lesson 5: Building your 5 minute Set..................................19
Lesson 6: My Mix & Class Competition................................20
Appendix 3: Student Worksheets
Student Worksheet 1: Importing & Using the
Auto-Mix function ................................................................21
Student Worksheet 2: Mixing Songs Manually ....................27
Student Worksheet 3: Using the Equaliser function ..........30
Student Worksheet 4: Using the Effects Function ..............32
Appendix 4: DJ Spoony Top Tip Sheets for students ................35
Appendix 5: Student Information leaflet and posters ..............41
Appendix 6: The DJ Dictionary ..................................................44
2
Appendix 1
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
THE FRIENDLY TEACHERS’
GUIDE TO DJS
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
A FRIENDLY GUIDE FOR TEACHERS
Do not fear DJS! With this simple
guide you’ll be able to get your
students going with this software
within minutes.
CONTENTS OF THIS GUIDE
1. DJS Features
2. Installing the software
1. DJS FEATURES
3. Loading the software
4. Importing songs from CDs
Create Function
Allows you to create
loops and save them as
separate tracks.
5. Auto Mix a track
6. Manual Mix a track
Transfer Function
Allows you to transfer
songs in the MP3 format
to a SD memory card.
Ripping Function
Converts music CDs,
WAV files and the sound
from line inputs into
MP3 files and then
imports them.
Music Management Functions
Allows you to edit the information on
songs in a track list. Allows you to classify
each of your songs into their respective
categories.
3
2. HOW TO INSTALL THE SOFTWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER
IF YOU GET STUCK, SEE THE IT TECHNICIAN IN YOUR
SCHOOL. YOUR COMPUTER MAY NOT ALLOW YOU TO INSTALL
THINGS.
1
2
3
Place the DJS CD-ROM in the DVD/CD drive. After a few
moments, the [DJS Installation] screen will open.
Click the [Install DJS] button. Once you click on the [Install
DJS] button, the screen for selecting the language is
displayed.
Select [English] and click the [OK] button.
• Depending on the user’s Windows environment, you may
be able to select from a number of languages.
• The [Preparing to install DJS.] screen opens.
• Once the preparation is complete, the [Commencing
installation of DJS...] screen opens.
4
Click the [Next] button. The [Usage Agreement] screen
opens.
5
After reading the End User License Agreement, select
[Agree] and then click the [Next] button. The [Inputting the
Installation Key] screen opens.
6
Enter the installation key and then click the [Next] button.
• The installation key is printed on the Installation Key
Sticker that comes in the package.
• The installation key will be printed in green. Be careful to
input all numerals and letters correctly. The [Installation
Destination Folder] screen opens.
7
8
9
Click the [Next] button after you check the destination
folder for the installation.
• The [Confirming Installation Information] screen opens.
Click the [Next] button after checking the [Installation
Information].
• The installation begins and the [DJS is being installed]
screen opens.
• Once the installation is complete, the [Installation of DJS
is now complete.] screen opens.
After clicking the [Yes, I want to restart my computer now.]
button, read the message that is displayed and click the
[Finish] button. The [Installation of DJS is now complete.]
closes and your computer restarts.
4
3. STARTING UP DJS
5
4. IMPORTING SONGS FROM CDS
WATCH - TUTORIAL VIDEO 1 - IMPORTING TRACKS INTO DJS.
Before you get started you need to have a library of mp3’s. This
software allows you to insert a CD into the computer and then it
‘rips’ (technical term) the track off the CD and makes it into an mp3
file – couldn’t be easier hey?
Here’s how you do it:
1
Put a Music CD (CD-DA) in the DVD/CD drive.
2
Click [File] and then click [Ripping] – [CD-DA]. The [Ripping]
screen opens.
3
Click the tick boxes of songs you wish to import. Once you click
a box, a tick mark is displayed in it.
4
Click the [Ripping Start] button.
5
Click the tick box and after reading “Copyrights,” click the
[Agree] button.
6
When importing has finished, the recording symbol displayed
between the CD list and the track list turns off.
6
5. THE EASY ONE FIRST – AUTO-MIXING TRACKS
WATCH TUTORIAL VIDEO 2 - SETTING A CUE POINT.
1
When you have started DJS go to [File] and select [Import]
and [mp3 audio file] – in that order.
2
Click on Song A Name and then [Open] and then Song B
Name [Open].
3
You have now put two songs in the play list. The next step is
to move them across to the players.
4
Drag the slider to Player A side.
5
Left-click on Song A and drag it to the left player.
6
Select the first song to play and drag and drop it from the
track list to player A. Drag and drop means left click on the
track, keep it held and move the mouse to the middle
• The song will start to play on player A.
7
If the song keeps jumping and doesn’t play properly don’t
worry. Go to [File] then [Preferences] and increase the
buffer size to 10 frames.
8
Now, relax and carry on!
9
Select the next song to play and drag and drop it from the
track list to player B.
• The song will start to play on player B.
10
11
Click the headphone cue for player B.
• The headphone cue will light up.
About the Headphone Cue When you click a headphone cue,
you can output the sound from that headphone. Functions
that have a headphone cue: Player A, Player B, List Player,
Master, Effector.
7
12
Listen to the song over your headphones and search for the
playback start position.
13
Clicking the [ / ] button of player B at the playback start
position pauses it.
14
Click player B’s [CUE] button to set up the place where
playback is to start.
15
Click player B’s [BPM SYNC] button and it will match the
speed of player A’s song.
16
Using the [Beat Indicator] of Player A as a guide, gauge
when playback is to start for Player B.
Click on the [ / ] button of Player B to initiate playback for
player B.
• This enables you to monitor the sound from player B on
your headphones.
17
Click the [MIX] button to move the slider of the [Cross
Fader] to player B.
AND THERE YOU HAVE IT-YOUR FIRST MIX!
From here, you need to manually mix the two tracks
which means getting the players in sync with each
other.
8
6. TRICKIER BUT MORE REWARDING – MANUALLY MIXING TRACKS
WATCH TUTORIAL VIDEO 3 – BEAT MIXING.
WHEN THE BEAT IS NOT SYNCHRONIZED…
What you want to achieve is a smooth transition from Player A to
Player B. Matching beats and if necessary tempos.
If the beat is not synchronized, the drums make an out of sync
“bam-bam” sound and it all sounds fast and garbled. The timing
of the mixing of the songs is either too slow or too fast. Conduct
one of the following, ‘Adjusting with the [Jog Dial] before Mixing’
or ‘Adjusting discrepancies in the [Beat Indicator]’.
Here’s How:
If you check your headphones before mixing the songs, you will
notice if the beats are not aligned. If you use the jog dial, you can
make adjustments, like speeding the beat up or altering the
playback position.
SWITCHING JOG DIAL MODES
1
Click the [Scratch] button above and to the right of the Jog
Dial to switch between the Normal and Scratch modes.
When Off:
When Lit:
Normal Mode.
Scratch Mode.
Clockwise:
The song plays faster the further you turn
the dial.
Counter Clockwise: The song plays slower the further you turn
the dial.
Rotate:
The more you move the dial, the more the
playback position moves while sound
continues to be output.
Stop:
When you stop turning the jog dial, playback
returns to normal.
9
ADJUSTING DISCREPANCIES IN THE [BEAT INDICATOR].
If the display of the [Beat Indicator] gets out of sync with the
actual beat, use the [Beat Adjust] button to redisplay it. The circle
on the left side of the [Beat Indicator] has the function of
displaying the starting beat and acts as the [Beat Adjust] button.
WHEN THE BPM (SPEED) IS NOT SYNCHRONIZED…
When it is difficult to synchronize the beats with the autodetected
BPM, use the [TAP] button to find the BPM.
USING THE [TAP] BUTTON TO RE-DETECT THE BPM.
It takes practice to get good at mixing songs smoothly. At first, mix
songs by using the [AUTO MIX] button and auto functions, so you
can gradually learn while enjoying DJing.
USING THE CHANNEL FADER TO MIX SONGS.
Leaving the [Cross Fader] in its central position, adjust the
volume of each player’s [Channel Fader] and change the song
that outputs sound.
1
Put the song you want to find the BPM of on a player and
play it.
2
While listening to the song, click the [TAP] button to
synchronize the beat.
3
The BPM is found by using the interval between clicks as a
basis and then is displayed.
It takes practice to get good at mixing songs smoothly. At first,
mix songs by using the [AUTO MIX] button and auto functions, so
you can gradually learn while enjoying DJing.
You now have all you need to start teaching pupils. We
suggest you get used to the DJS layout and controls.
You can watch the other Tutorial videos and further
information is available in the manual.
10
Appendix 2
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
SCHEMES OF WORK
LESSON
1
INTRODUCTION TO ‘MAKE ME A DJ’
OBJECTIVES
RESOURCES
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students understand what the ‘Make me a DJ’ course will
teach them
Students understand what a DJ and MC do
INTRODUCTION
‘Make me a DJ’
• Explain to the Students that over the coming 6 – 8 lessons you will
be teaching them a fantastic new music course called ‘Make me a
DJ’
• Explain that ‘Make me a DJ’ is a professional course that has been
created by Pioneer Pro DJ and Radio 1’s DJ Spoony
• Lessons will include:
® Learning about the world of DJing
® Styles of Music
® How to use Pioneer DJS Software
® Beat and pitch mixing
® Using Effects
® Building and choosing sets
• Explain that the course will end with a Student Mix-Off
competition, where each Student will make their own 5 minute mix
to enter into the class mix-off. Their mix will be judged by their
peers on:
® Choice of tunes
® Quality of mix
® Effects & Wow factor
• The classes winning mix will be entered into the national ‘Make me
a DJ’ prize draw where the winning Student could win a full copy of
DJS and a pair of Pioneer Pro DJ headphones
• At the end of the year there will be a final ‘Make me a DJ’ draw and
one school will win Pioneer Pro DJ kit, comprising of CDJs and a
mixer, as well as a visit by the Pioneer Pro DJ Team to come and
do a live mixing class at the school
•
•
•
Computers with Pioneer DJS installed
White Board and Projector, internet connected
DJ Yoda Video
Student ‘Make me a DJ’ Information Flyers,
enough printed for each Student to take home
‘Make me a DJ’ tutorial video 5
Student and Teacher Worksheets to hand
Starter Activity Print Out Sheets – optional
extension
BRAINSTORM
To create a base line of your Students current knowledge discuss the
following questions. You might like to write key words and statements
they make, and then repeat this exercise at the end of the course to
see the full extent of their learning.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is a DJ? Disc Jockey, deejay
What is an MC? Linked to Hip-Hop music, Master of Ceremonies
Where do they work? Bedroom, radio, night clubs, online
What is their function? A DJ selects music to create a set,
manipulate sounds, beat-mix the tracks to create a seamless flow
of music, add effects. An MC uses rhyming verses, freestyles lyrics
(improvises), raps, hypes up the crowd, works alongside the DJ and
praises their work
5. What are the names of some popular DJs? Paul Oakenfold, Paul
van Dyk, Judge Jules, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox
6. What are the names of some popular MC’s? Lil' Kim, Missy Elliot,
Queen Latifah, Eve, Run-D.M.C., The Beastie Boys, Rakim, Black
Sheep, Kanye West and Eminem
11
INTRODUCING DJS
VIDEO
•
Play the DJ Yoda Video on the white board to show
what a DJ does - 6 mins
•
•
•
•
•
Explain to the Students that the ‘Make me a DJ’ course uses the
Pioneer DJS software
Show that it is installed on the classes computers
Let Students know that they can download a free trial version for
themselves to use at home
Play Tutorial Video #5 to demonstrate what DJS can do
Show the Students the ‘Make me a DJ’ section of the pioneer
website www.pioneer.co.uk/makemeadj . Show how they can
download a trial version of the software for them to use at home.
Show them how to download DJ Spoony Top Tip Sheets, get hold of
sample tracks and get a special ‘2 for 1 ‘ offer on more tracks from
djdownload.com
Close the session by handing out the Students ‘Make me a DJ’
information leaflets
Download from
http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/flash/products/Video
Yoda.html
EXTENSION ACTIVITY – ‘YOU THE DJ’
HOMEWORK TASKS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Think of your own DJ name
Design a logo or tag to match
Find 2 tracks you want to use for your first mix,
Set the class up as a Human DJ
Split class into 2
Half are Deck A – Clapping a rhythm (All Students - Right Side)
Half are Deck B – Tapping another rhythm on knees (All Students Left Side)
5. Choose 1 Deck A student to be the Deck A play and pause button
6. Choose 1 Deck B student to be the Deck B play and pause button
7. Choose 1 student to be the Cross-Fader L/R (One Student moves
arm from left to right to fade from Deck A to Deck B and back)
8. Choose 1 student to be Deck A Channel Fader - (One student moves
arm up and down to control vol. of A)
9. Choose 1 student to be Deck B Channel Fader - (One student moves
arm up and down to control vol. of B)
10. Choose 1 student to be the Tempo / Pitch Adjustment Slider –
(student claps tempo and Deck A matches)
11. Choose 1 student to be the Tempo / Pitch Adjustment Slider –
(student claps tempo and Deck A matches)
This game is designed to introduce students to some of the different
functions on the DJ System
Step 1
Step 2
Give each of the students a role and a role card.
Ask one member from Deck A to create a rhythm for the whole
class to clap
Step 3 Ask one member from Deck B to create a rhythm for the whole
class to tap
Step 4 Deck A / holds up their sign to start the rhythm
Step 5 Deck A Tempo Adjuster claps the same rhythm faster or slower
till they are happy with the beat.
Step 6 Deck A Channel Fader moves arms up or down till they are
happy with the volume.
Step 7 Deck B / holds up their sign to start the rhythm
Step 8 Deck B Tempo Adjuster claps the same rhythm faster or slower
till the beat matches Deck A
Step 9 Deck B Channel Fader moves arms up or down till they are
happy the volume compliments Deck A
Step 10 The Cross-Fader moves their arms from the middle to control
volume of players and the whole mix.
explain that they should be simple tracks with
a strong clear beat. Students will need to bring
these to the next lesson, either on CD, or on a
USB memory stick
LEARNING RECORD
You may wish to keep an assessment record for
each Student or a class record sheet to record
their progress. Within the manual are KS3 and
GCSE assessment sheets for you to use if you
wish.
This game can be explored further by asking the different elements to
use their skills more. You could make the rhythms more complicated
and longer, write 2 rhythmic sequences on the board to be performed.
12
LESSON
2
INTRODUCTION TO DJS
OBJECTIVES
ORGANISATION
•
•
•
Whole Class
Pupils understand the basic function for DJS
Pupils know how to rip tracks to DJS and use then with each Player
Pupils learn the basic DJS mix function using the auto mix feature
PREPARATION
RESOURCES
Review the teachers ‘Friendly guide to DJS’
Watch all the tutorial videos
Practice yourself with DJS so you can get the hang of the basic
•
•
•
•
•
functions
REVIEW
‘DJ names and Tags’
• Review the pupils homework from the previous session
• Have the class vote for their favourite DJ names and the favourite
DJ tags
• Review the learning points from last lesson
® What is a DJ?
® What do they do?
• Find out which students have gone online and downloaded DJS for
themselves and started trying it out
• Encourage those who have not done so already to try ASAP
•
•
Computers with Pioneer DJS installed
White Board and Projector, internet connected
‘Make me a DJ’ tutorial video 1
Copies of Pupil Worksheet 1
Sample Tracks (Download from
www.nationalschoolspartnership.com/djresource)
DJS Manual for extra information
Pupil ‘Make me a DJ’ Information Flyers, enough
printed for each pupil to take home
INTRODUCTION
Explain that today you are going to teach them the basics of using the
software so they can explore it themselves in more detail.
13
INTRODUCING DJS BASIC FUNCTIONS
VIDEO
•
Watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErQuj9JfEPY to
stimulate the class. This video shows to what
extent the DJ can become a performer in his/her
own right.
•
•
•
•
•
Show DJS on the projector and talk the students through the
following key areas
® Tracks panel
® Player 1
® Player 2
® Cross Fader
® Rip Function
Use Tutorial Video 1 to help you do this
Ask the students to copy the tracks they brought in onto their
computer
Guide students through Worksheet 1 on the projector showing how
to bring a track into DJS and then how to use the auto mixing
function
® You can use Tutorial Video’s 1 – 3 to help
Allow students to work through worksheet 1 at their own speed
If student has no tracks then they can use the sample tracks
provided
EXTENSION ACTIVITY – ‘YOU THE DJ’
HOMEWORK TASKS
As a class you could listen to some mix CD’s and see if the pupils can
work out where 1 track starts and another ends.
Write about the different genres of music that
people like
Bring to the next lesson 2 sample tracks on CD
or USB stick from different genres
Practice using DJS on the school computers or
at home
LEARNING RECORD
You may wish to keep an assessment record for
each pupil or a class record sheet to record their
progress. Within the manual are KS3 and GCSE
assessment sheets for you to use if you wish.
14
LESSON
3
STYLES OF MUSIC (YOU MAY WISH TO SPLIT THIS OVER 2 SESSIONS)
OBJECTIVES
ORGANISATION
•
Whole Class
•
Pupils are able to recognise and understand the different styles of
music people listen to and that a DJ will play in clubs and on radio
® House
® Techno
® Trance
® Rap
® Hip Hop
® R&B
® Dancehall
® Grime – please be advised that a lot of grime music contains
adult lyrics
Pupils start to learn about manual mixing using DJS
PREPARATION
RESOURCES
Review the teachers ‘Friendly guide to DJS’
Watch all the tutorial videos
Practice manual mixing yourself with DJS so you can get the hang
•
•
•
•
•
of the basic functions
Gather some sample tracks with the help of your pupils for the 7
genres covered
REVIEW
•
•
Find out which students have tried out DJS since the last lesson
Encourage those who have not done so already to try ASAP
•
•
•
Computers with Pioneer DJS installed
White Board and Projector, internet connected
‘Make me a DJ’ tutorial videos 1 - 4
Copies of Pupil Worksheet 2
Sample Tracks (Download from
www.nationalschoolspartnership.com/djresource)
Sample tracks for music genres
DJS Manual for extra information
Pupil ‘Make me a DJ’ Information Flyers, enough
printed for each pupil to take home
INTRODUCTION
•
•
•
•
Explain that today you are going to look at the different music
styles that DJs play and people listen to
Start with a Brainstorm to draw out the following 8 styles:
® House
® Techno
® Trance
® Rap
® Hip Hop
® R&B
® Dancehall
® Grime
Write each music genre onto the whiteboard in turn and ask the
pupils to tell you some artists for each. You can use DJ Spoony Tip
Sheet 3 to help you do this
Now go through each genre and listen to a sample track for that
style. (If you get stuck visit www.djdownlaod.com where tracks are
listed by genre). Ask pupils to think about what makes each style
different and write each key element
® Timing
® Speed
® Instruments
® Vocal
® Harmony
15
DJS MANUAL MIXING
HOMEWORK TASKS
•
Practice manual mixing and explore the effects
•
•
•
Show DJS on the projector and talk the students through
worksheet 2 – Manual mixing
Use Tutorial videos 2 & 3 to help
Allow students to work through worksheet 2 at their own speed
If student has no tracks then they can use the sample tracks
provided
function of DJS on the school / home
computers
Start to think about 5 tracks you want to use
for your 5 minute mix
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
LEARNING RECORD
Take the pupils through the basic elements of a track. Listen as a group
and draw out:
You may wish to keep an assessment record for
each pupil or a class record sheet to record their
progress. Within the manual are KS3 and GCSE
assessment sheets for you to use if you wish.
Here are the basic elements of a track:
Kick Drum – This is what the bass drum on the drum kit would be doing
if a drummer was playing. In nearly all house tracks you will here it on
all the beats of the bar (1, 2, 3, 4).
In funk and hip hop you will hear it only on the first beat of each bar
(1, 2, 3, 4).
Snare Drum – The snare drum is the instrument found on a drummers
left and is defined by its steel springs found on the bottom skin which
produces a metallic sound.
Hi-Hat – This cymbal is also found on the drummers left side and is
controlled by a foot pedal to make the two cymbals open and close.
When you listen to house music it often plays on the off-beat.
Other Percussion – There is a huge amount of other percussion that you
will find in dance music and often this is what makes the track more
interesting.
Melody – This is the part which gets stuck in your head and you can’t
stop singing or whistling it when you walk down the street.
Harmonies – The harmony compliments the melody and adds more
interest and variation. Clever harmonies make you feel that the melody
has changed when it is exactly the same as when the track began.
Bassline – This is the DJ and the dance floor’s best buddy, if the dancer
can feel the bass line through their body as well as hear it you’re onto a
good thing.
Vocals – Whether singing or rapping, vocals have a huge emotional
impact on music; they can tell stories, give political meaning or just
create a sense of purpose.
16
LESSON
4
ADVANCED MIX TECHNIQUES
OBJECTIVES
ORGANISATION
•
•
Whole Class
Pupils understand the equaliser
Pupils start to try out effects
PREPARATION
RESOURCES
Review the teachers ‘Friendly guide to DJS’
Watch all the tutorial videos
Practice manual mixing, using the equaliser and effects yourself
•
•
•
•
•
with DJS so you can get the hang of their functions
REVIEW
•
•
•
Find out which students have been practicing using DJS since the
last lesson
Encourage those who have not done so already to try ASAP
Ask who has started to get their set list together for the 5 minute
mix?
•
•
Computers with Pioneer DJS installed
White Board and Projector, internet connected
‘Make me a DJ’ tutorial videos 1 - 5
Copies of Pupil Worksheet 3 & 4
Sample Tracks (Download from
www.nationalschoolspartnership.com/djresource)
DJS Manual for extra information
Pupil ‘Make me a DJ’ Information Flyers, enough
printed for each pupil to take home
INTRODUCTION
Explain that today you are going to look at using an equalizer and
effects to alter the music being played and to add more to the tracks.
BRAINSTORM
VIDEO
•
Watch the following video to show effects and
scratching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTWTy0Iy2U4&
mode=related&search=
•
Start with a Brainstorm about why DJs might want to use
equalization and effects?
® Control the sound for best clarity
® Add emphasis and style to their mixes
Discuss and then listen with pupils to show what the following do:
® Equalizer Hi tone – raise and lower hi tones
® Equalizer Mid tone – raise and lower mid tones
® Equalizer Low tone – raise and lower low tones
® Delay Effect – this delays the music and repeats it one, it
makes the music sound reflected, as if it is live or outdoors
® Echo Effect – The music is delayed a number of times, giving it
echo
® Pan Effect – Pans sound from right and left speakers
® Trans Effect – Synchronizes the sound to the rhythm and cuts
it off automatically
® Filter Effect – Filter alters the frequency and can have huge
changes on tone
® Flanger – A popular club effect, it adds the sound of a jet
taking off and landing
® Reverb – Adds a lingering echo effect
® Pitch – alters the musical range and can give a chorus effect
17
ACTIVITY
HOMEWORK TASKS
•
•
•
Practice mixing, equalizer and effects using
•
Play tutorial video 4 – Using effects
Take the students through Worksheet 3 & 4 on the whiteboard
Now allow students to work through worksheet 3 & 4 at their own
speed
If student has no tracks then they can use the sample tracks
provided
DJS on the school / home computers
Prepare your 5 tracks and ideas for the 5
minute mix
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
LEARNING RECORD
Listen to mixes using effects and Equalisation. See if the students can
spot the different effects being used. Club mix CD’s will help.
You may wish to keep an assessment record for
each pupil or a class record sheet to record their
progress. Within the manual are KS3 and GCSE
assessment sheets for you to use if you wish.
18
LESSON
5
YOUR 5 MINUTE, 5 TRACK MIX
OBJECTIVES
ORGANISATION
•
Whole Class
Pupils create their own 5 minute mix using their 5 chosen tracks
PREPARATION
RESOURCES
Review the teachers ‘Friendly guide to DJS’
Watch all the tutorial videos
Practice manual mixing, using the equaliser and effects yourself
•
•
•
•
•
•
with DJS so you can get the hang of their functions
•
•
Computers with Pioneer DJS installed
White Board and Projector, internet connected
‘Make me a DJ’ tutorial videos 1 - 5
Copies of Pupil Worksheet 1- 4
DJ Spoony tips 1 - 5
Sample Tracks (Download from
www.nationalschoolspartnership.com/djresoure)
DJS Manual for extra information
Pupil ‘Make me a DJ’ Information Flyers,
enough printed for each pupil to take home
REVIEW
HOMEWORK TASKS
•
•
Practice your 5 minute mix and ready for the
Find out how the pupils are getting on with their mixing
Review what tracks people are choosing
mix-off next lesson
INTRODUCTION
LEARNING RECORD
•
You may wish to keep an assessment record for
each pupil or a class record sheet to record their
progress. Within the manual are KS3 and GCSE
assessment sheets for you to use if you wish.
•
•
Explain that we are now going to start the 5 minute, 5 track mixoff competition
The class will have from now until the next lesson to each create
their own 5 minute mix
The rules of the competition are that only 5 tracks can be used and
the mix must end within 5 minutes. The pupils should mix live in
the next class
VIDEO
Watch the 2002 scratch mix champion video to inspire the pupils
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfmh_f0LXB4&mode=related&searc
h=
ACTIVITY
•
•
•
Watch Tutorial Video 6 – creating play lists and then Tutorial video
5 – demonstrating what DJS can do
Give the pupils access to all videos and tutorials
Let them practice for the remainder of the lesson
19
LESSON
6
‘MAKE ME A DJ’ – MIX-OFF
OBJECTIVES
ORGANISATION
•
•
Whole Class
Pupils will mix live for their classmates
Peers will judge to select 1 class winner
INTRODUCTION
RESOURCES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Set the mix-off up as if it were a competition at a club
Let a student be the MC, they can introduce each DJ
Each DJ gives their 5 minute mix
Ask Students to judge the mix awarding points between 1 – 4
(where 1 is poor and 4 is great) for:
® Choice of tunes
® Quality of mix
® Effects & Wow factor
Add up the points for each category and write them up onto the
white board by the students name
Have an awards ceremony at the end where the winning pupil is
crowned the class DJ champion
Make a copy of the winning mix and send it to Pioneer following
the instructions in ‘Make me a DJ’ pack. The mix will be entered
into one of the half term prize draws
•
•
•
Computers with Pioneer DJS installed
Microphone for the class MC
White Board and Projector, internet connected
DJ Spoony tips 1 - 5
Sample Tracks (Download from
www.nationalschoolspartnership.com/djresource)
DJS Manual for extra information
Pupil ‘Make me a DJ’ Information Flyers, enough
printed for each pupil to take home
Right up a list of all the DJ student onto the
white board with columns for:
® Choice of tunes
® Quality of beat mix
® Effects
® Wow factor
EVALUATION
LEARNING RECORD
You may like to repeat the initial Baseline activity to see how much
your pupils have learnt. Hold a final brainstorm and ask the following
questions, write up the student responses and compare them with the
original activity
1. What is a DJ? Disc Jockey, deejay
2. What is an MC? Linked to Hip-Hop music, Master of Ceremonies
3. Where do they work? Bedroom, radio, night clubs, online
4. What is their function? A DJ selects music to create a set,
manipulate sounds, beat-mix the tracks to create a seamless flow
of music, add effects. An MC uses rhyming verses, freestyles
lyrics (improvises), raps, hypes up the crowd, works alongside the
DJ and praises their work
5. What are the names of some popular DJs? Paul Oakenfold, Paul
van Dyk, Judge Jules, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox
6. What are the names of some popular MC’s? Lil' Kim, Missy Elliot,
Queen Latifah, Eve, Run-D.M.C., The Beastie Boys, Rakim, Black
Sheep, Kanye West and Eminem
You may wish to keep an assessment record for
each pupil or a class record sheet to record their
progress. Within the manual are KS3 and GCSE
assessment sheets for you to use if you wish.
EXTENSION
A number of pupils will probably want to continue developing their
DJing skills. We recommend you set up a school DJ club using DJS.
You might want to ask local DJs and MC’s to come into the school to
help teach the students.
20
Appendix 3
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
STUDENT WORKSHEETS
WORKSHEET 1
IMPORTING & USING THE AUTO-MIX FUNCTION
•
•
•
•
Use any of the tutorial tracks with this worksheet
Use Tutorial Video 1 - Importing Tracks
Use Tutorial Video 2 - Setting Cue Points
Use Tutorial Video 3 - Beat mixing
1
2
21
3
4
5
6
7
22
8
9
10
11
12
23
13
14
24
25
26
WORKSHEET 2
MIXING SONGS MANUALLY
•
•
•
•
Use any of the tutorial tracks with this worksheet
Use Tutorial Video 1 - Importing Tracks
Use Tutorial Video 2 - Setting Cue Points
Use Tutorial Video 3 - Beat mixing
1
2
3
4
5
6
27
7
8
9
10
11
12
28
29
WORKSHEET 3
USING THE EQUALISER FUNCTION
• Use any of the tutorial tracks with this worksheet
1
2
3
4
30
31
WORKSHEET 4
USING THE EFFECTS FUNCTION
• Use any of the tutorial tracks with this worksheet
• Use Tutorial Video 4 - Using different effects (The Effector)
• Use Tutorial Video 5 - A demo mix
32
1
2
3
33
4
5
34
Appendix 4
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
DJ SPOONY TOP TIP
SHEETS FOR STUDENTS
DJ SPOONY TIPS 1
SO YOU WANNA BE A DJ?
WHO?
HOW?
ANYONE WITH A PASSION FOR MUSIC
PROMOTE YOURSELF AND YOUR
MUSIC
Are you mad about music? Would you hate to be without it? And
are you always on the hunt for new sounds? Yes? Then you
could be a DJ – really! Imagine being on the decks in a packed
club, filling the dance floor and knowing you’ve smashed it.
Amazing!
WHERE?
Many DJs start by working for free to
establish a fan base. Radio DJs create
copies of their shows and use them like a
CV when looking for a new job. Pay at
smaller radio stations is relatively low
and getting a job won’t be easy as
competition is fierce.
RADIO AND CLUBS
Club DJs can make a name for themselves just like radio DJs,
but the jobs are very different. A club DJ can see the crowd and
judge what they want. On the radio, you’ve got to second-guess
what they want to hear. There’s a real adrenaline rush when
you’re in a club, the dance floor’s rammed and you’ve really
cracked it, but some people will feel more comfortable in a
studio with a set they’ve planned beforehand.
WHY?
TO SHARE THE MUSIC YOU LOVE WITH OTHERS
There was a time when DJs weren’t really appreciated, but now,
good ones reach celebrity status. The profession is much more
glamourous than it used to be and you can make big money.
However, ask any successful DJ why they do the job and they’ll
say it’s because they love music.
SPOONY SAYS
“Go out and make contacts”
DJ SPOONY TIPS 2
STARTING OUT
A DJ without tunes is like YouTube without videos. But where do
you get them? There are so many legal download sites, it’s
difficult to know where to get the best deals and which ones to
trust. You have the obvious huge players - iTunes, Napster,
HMV and Virgin, but here’s a list of some sites that won’t cost a
fortune . Good sites allow you to try before you buy just like you
would in a record shop (all those years ago)…
www.djdownload.com
www.addictech.com
www.beatport.com
www.bleep.com
www.clickgroove.com
www.playittonight.com
www.traxsource.com
TIP
Store your mp3s sensibly and file
them properly because soon you’ll
have masses on your hard disk and
you’ll never be able to find them.
GET SEARCHING, LISTENING
AND RIPPING…
DJS also allows you to rip tracks from CDs, a great way to get
some recent tracks is on demo CDs, so check out your local
newsagent and check out some DJ magazines like Mixmag, DJ
Magazine, Mobile Beat, IDJ, REMIX, Scratch and the DJ Times.
The DJ scene is massive and there are loads of ways to find out
about music. Look at the DJ charts that you can find in
magazines and websites like www.djhistory.com,
www.djmag.com and www.djzone.net.
With the new age of digital radio, listening possibilities are
endless; a few good stations to climb aboard are
www.voguefm.co.uk, www.undergroundfm.co.uk,
www.xperienceradio.co.uk and www.evolutionradio.co.uk.
SPOONY SAYS
“Try and play at friends’ and family parties!”
DJ SPOONY TIPS 3
STYLES OF MUSIC
HOUSE
GRIME
House music’s been around for a while, but it’s still huge in
nightclubs today. It’s up-tempo and in 4/4 time.
Grime is a sub-genre of urban music
which first emerged in the early 2000s.
It’s sparse with 2step breakbeats,
generally 130-140 beats per minute, and
an aggressive, fast rapping style.
Bring it on – Dizzee Rascal, Wiley,
The Streets
1 2 3 4 – 1 2 3 4 – 1 2 3 4 – 1 2 3 4 4 (Beat one is the strongest beat
and usually has a kick drum on each beat called four on the floor).
It’s very repetitive and has many flowing rhythms and bass lines.
Bring it on – Basement Jaxx, Groove Armada, Shapeshifters,
Calvin Harris
TRANCE
Trance music is generally faster than house at 130 – 160 beats
per minute. Tracks have heavy reverb and delay effects and use
one hook (catchy part) which is repeated continuously, creating a
trance-like feeling.
Bring it on - Paul Van Dyk, Chicane, Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto
RAP
Rap and Hip Hop are pretty much the same thing but come in a
variety of outfits. Hip Hop consists of MCing and DJing
Bring it on - Eminem, Beastie Boys, Jurassic 5
TECHNO
Techno has are lots of percussive and synthetic sounds with
strong melodies and touch bass lines.
Bring it on - Fergie, Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Blake Baxter
R&B
R & B means Rhythm and Bass (not blues) and combines
elements of soul, funk and pop.
Bring it on - Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Craig David, Beyonce
DANCE HALL AND BASHMENT
Dance Hall and Bashment have Jamaican origins and are
characterised by a deejay singing and rapping or toasting over
raw and danceable music riddims.
Bring it on - Shaggy, Stephen & Damian Marley, Beenie Man
SPOONY SAYS
“Be inspired by a DJ but don't copy them”
DJ SPOONY TIPS 4
LISTEN, HEAR!
What do you need apart from your passion for music? A pair of
headphones of course. You’ll be wearing them for hours, so
make sure they are comfortable and robust. The sound must be
clear and you should be able to crank up the volume without it
distorting - they should have a ‘wide frequency response’ [from
20-20,000HZ]. You need a closed back to cover your ears and
cut out background noise.
NOW… PUT THEM ON AND LISTEN CAREFULLY
When listening to your first track, try and separate the various
elements like the drum patterns, melodies, harmonies and
basslines. Imagine these instruments and their players. Make
sure that the tracks you choose have a clear drum pattern there should be a kick drum at the very beginning.
HARMONIES
The harmony compliments the melody,
adding more interest and variation.
BASSLINE
This is the DJs best buddy. If the dancer
can feel the bassline through their body
as well as hear it, you’re rocking.
VOCALS
Whether singing or rapping, vocals have a
huge emotional impact on music.
Here are the basic elements of a track:
KICK DRUM
This is what the bass drum on the drum kit would be doing if a
drummer was playing. You will hear it on all the beats of the
bar (1, 2, 3, 4). In funk and hip hop you will hear it on the first
beat of each bar (1, 2, 3, 4)
SNARE DRUM
It’s defined by its steel springs found on the bottom skin which
produce a metallic sound.
HI-HAT
This cymbal often plays on the off-beat in house music.
OTHER PERCUSSION
There is a huge amount of other percussion in dance music
which helps layer the track and bring more colour to the mix.
MELODY
This is the memorable bit which gets stuck in your head,
sometimes referred to as a hook or Riff.
SPOONY SAYS
“Study and know the music you're playing”
DJ SPOONY TIPS 5
CREATING A SETLIST
PICK AND MIX
BE ORIGINAL
Your set list is crucial. DJing is all about playing the right song
at the right time. Don’t get so wrapped-up with the technical
side of things that your forget this.
Another thing, don’t get stuck with a
particular sound or style, keep a wide,
open mind when it comes to the music
you select. The work you put into
selecting your set will bring rewards.
When you are more confident, try and
stay away from charts and reviews as
this will set you apart from the
thousands of other DJs out there and
give you that unique edge.
Start your set with a statement that lets the audience know what
they are going to be getting in terms of vibe and energy and
then, take them on a journey. It’s not just about thrashing out
the latest tunes for a few hours. You want to leave the clubbers
hungry for more.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Be prepared! It’s not just about the tunes you know and love,
but also about what will work the crowd. Don’t play safe – throw
in something that’s really out there. You’re an entertainer, so
think about how you can add variety to your set without creating
a bumpy ride. Have a couple of tunes to hand that will rock the
floor and spread them through the set. Use samples and loops
of these to tease the crowd.
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BEING A DJ
A good set has ups and downs, but don’t go too far one way or
the other. You must keep the groove going. Make sure that
when you bring the energy levels down, you keep things
simmering.
SPOONY SAYS
“Practice your mixing and MIC work (if you use one)”
DJ SPOONY TIPS 6
SHOW OFF YOUR SKILLS
SO, LET’S MAKE YOU A DJ!
There are thousands of wannabe DJs out there, so you’ve got to
stand out. You won’t know if you’re any good until you let people
hear your tunes and see you in action.
TO STREAM A MIX
www.streamingmedia.com/tutorials
TO PODCAST
www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com
www.jellycast.com
All the best DJs now have a MySpace profile, show their talents
on YouTube or on a huge number of DJ forum sites. Try
uploading a few mixes and see what the reaction is. Making a
podcast is an excellent way of getting heard.
Play at your local youth centre, in school or at your mates’
birthday parties. If someone’s looking for a DJ then make sure
you’re No. 1 on their list.
Find your own style and work on that. There are too many
copycats out there who don’t add anything new to the scene.
They stick to whatever their favourite DJ is playing and it won’t
get them recognised.
Make a mix CD to distribute, make it about 40 minutes long, with
an awesome opening, something unique to stop the listener
hitting Eject!
Have you ever shifted the dial from your favourite, but bland
radio station and heard some rudeboy shouting down the
microphone and playing his favourite tunes. This guy has set up
a pirate radio station. Nowadays with the web at your fingertips
there are endless ways to promote yourself.
CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING SITES
TO SHOW OFF YOUR TALENT
www.myspace.com
www.yousendit.com
www.megaupload.com
www.rapidshare.de
SPOONY SAYS
“And finally Love music!”
Appendix 5
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
STUDENT INFORMATION
LEAFLET AND POSTERS
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
COMPETITION
SO YOU WANT TO BE A DJ?
JHD
10
00
DJ
SS
OF
TW
AR
E
CREATE YOUR BEST MIX USING PIONEER DJS SOFTWARE AND
YOU COULD WIN A PAIR OF HDJ-1000 HEADPHONES AND A FULL
VERSION OF PIONEER DJS SOFTWARE - WORTH OVER £250!
LAST ENTRY DATES: first prize draw:
13th July 2007
second prize draw: 12th October 2007
third prize draw:
14th December 2007
Your school could also win fantastic Pioneer DJ Equipment and a visit from
the Pioneer Pro DJ Team in the special prize draw on the 17th December.
Simply submit your 5 minute mix on CD with an application form to Pioneer and Good Luck!
See entry form for full terms and conditions.
www.pioneer.co.uk/makemeadj
SO YOU WANT TO BE A DJ?
00
10
JHD
SO YOU WANT TO BE A DJ?
00
10
JHD
Get in the Mix - create your best mix using Pioneer DJS Software and you
could win a pair of HDJ-1000 Headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS
Software - worth over £250!
Your school could also win fantastic Pioneer DJ Equipment and a visit from the Pioneer
Pro DJ Team in the special prize draw on the 17th December 2007.
Ask your teacher for more details
Get in the Mix - create your best mix using Pioneer DJS Software and you
could win a pair of HDJ-1000 Headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS
Software - worth over £250!
Your school could also win fantastic Pioneer DJ Equipment and a visit from the Pioneer
Pro DJ Team in the special prize draw on the 17th December 2007.
Ask your teacher for more details
You can download a Free trial version of DJS Software for your home PC
6 Tips and Tricks sheets from DJ Spoony
Grab yourself some great offers on tracks
Watch videos of our DJs at work, and play!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
You can download a Free trial version of DJS Software for your home PC
6 Tips and Tricks sheets from DJ Spoony
Grab yourself some great offers on tracks
Watch videos of our DJs at work, and play!
VISIT WWW.PIONEER.CO.UK/MAKEMEADJ FOR ACCESS TO
ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED TO GET YOU STARTED:
VISIT WWW.PIONEER.CO.UK/MAKEMEADJ FOR ACCESS TO
ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED TO GET YOU STARTED:
DJ
SS
OF
TW
AR
E
COMPETITION
COMPETITION
DJ
SS
OF
TW
AR
E
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
SIMPLY COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW AND POST TO:
MAKE ME A DJ, PIONEER GB LIMITED, PIONEER HOUSE,
HOLLYBUSH HILL, STOKE POGES, SLOUGH, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SL2 4QP
NAME:
SCHOOL ADDRESS:
SCHOOL TEL:
MUSIC TEACHER:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Prize Promotion Rules
1. To Enter - Schools participating in the National Schools Project must submit a 5 minute mixing sample on CD for each prize draw to the following address: Make me a DJ, Pioneer GB Limited,
Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2 4QP. Only 1 entry per year group per school will be accepted for each prize draw. Completed entry forms must be included inside each
CD case. Entries for the student draws must be submitted by the following dates, 13th July, 12th October & 14th December 2007, failing which they will be void. All entries will become the
Promoter’s on receipt and will not be returned. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules. No purchase necessary. To take part in this promotion,
all entrants must be participating in the National Schools Project. 2. Winner Announcement - The winner’s school will be notified by email within 14 days of each draw to take place on the
following dates; 23rd July, 15th October and 17th December 2007. There will be one student winner per draw. These winners will be the sample picked at random on each of the draw dates.
Winners will win a pair of HDJ-1000 headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS Software. An additional School prize draw will take place on the 17th December 2007 where all previous student
entries will be entered into the draw for the school to win a training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team and the very latest Pioneer DJ kit available in the UK, comprising of 2 x Pioneer CDJs
and 1 x Pioneer mixer. 3. Eligibility - The prize promotion is open to all pupils/schools participating in the National Schools Project except those entrants who are directly related to employees
of Pioneer GB Limited (the “Promoter”), any of its subsidiary, affiliated or associated companies, its agencies or any member of their households. 4. Validity - There is a limit of one entry per
year group per school per student prize draw. Responsibility cannot be accepted for any entries lost or delayed in transit. Correspondence will be entered into only at the absolute discretion of
the Promoter. 5. The Prizes - The prizes consist of 3 sets of 1 x pair HDJ-1000 headphones and DJS Software Pack. The school that wins the final prize draw will also be provided with 2 x
Pioneer CDJs and 1 x Pioneer mixer and one training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team, who will visit the winning school. The Promoter may in its absolute discretion substitute cash value
for the prize or offer alternative prizes or equal or greater value. 6. Winner Publicity - Entrants accept that, if they win, the Promoter will have the right, without additional payment or permission
to use their name, and the schools name and likeness for the purposes of announcing the winner of this prize promotion. 7. Winning entry details - The name of the winner will be sent to
anyone who writes within 3 months after the closing date, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to the address in rule 9 below, requesting details of the winning entry. 8. The Promoter The Promoter is Pioneer GB Limited whose registered office is at Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Slough, SL2 4QP.
MAKE ME A DJ, PIONEER GB LIMITED, PIONEER HOUSE,
HOLLYBUSH HILL, STOKE POGES, SLOUGH, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SL2 4QP
NAME:
SCHOOL ADDRESS:
SCHOOL TEL:
MUSIC TEACHER:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Prize Promotion Rules
1. To Enter - Schools participating in the National Schools Project must submit a 5 minute mixing sample on CD for each prize draw to the following address: Make me a DJ, Pioneer GB Limited,
Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2 4QP. Only 1 entry per year group per school will be accepted for each prize draw. Completed entry forms must be included inside each
CD case. Entries for the student draws must be submitted by the following dates, 13th July, 12th October & 14th December 2007, failing which they will be void. All entries will become the
Promoter’s on receipt and will not be returned. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules. No purchase necessary. To take part in this promotion,
all entrants must be participating in the National Schools Project. 2. Winner Announcement - The winner’s school will be notified by email within 14 days of each draw to take place on the
following dates; 23rd July, 15th October and 17th December 2007. There will be one student winner per draw. These winners will be the sample picked at random on each of the draw dates.
Winners will win a pair of HDJ-1000 headphones and a full version of Pioneer DJS Software. An additional School prize draw will take place on the 17th December 2007 where all previous student
entries will be entered into the draw for the school to win a training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team and the very latest Pioneer DJ kit available in the UK, comprising of 2 x Pioneer CDJs
and 1 x Pioneer mixer. 3. Eligibility - The prize promotion is open to all pupils/schools participating in the National Schools Project except those entrants who are directly related to employees
of Pioneer GB Limited (the “Promoter”), any of its subsidiary, affiliated or associated companies, its agencies or any member of their households. 4. Validity - There is a limit of one entry per
year group per school per student prize draw. Responsibility cannot be accepted for any entries lost or delayed in transit. Correspondence will be entered into only at the absolute discretion of
the Promoter. 5. The Prizes - The prizes consist of 3 sets of 1 x pair HDJ-1000 headphones and DJS Software Pack. The school that wins the final prize draw will also be provided with 2 x
Pioneer CDJs and 1 x Pioneer mixer and one training session with the Pioneer Pro DJ Team, who will visit the winning school. The Promoter may in its absolute discretion substitute cash value
for the prize or offer alternative prizes or equal or greater value. 6. Winner Publicity - Entrants accept that, if they win, the Promoter will have the right, without additional payment or permission
to use their name, and the schools name and likeness for the purposes of announcing the winner of this prize promotion. 7. Winning entry details - The name of the winner will be sent to
anyone who writes within 3 months after the closing date, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to the address in rule 9 below, requesting details of the winning entry. 8. The Promoter The Promoter is Pioneer GB Limited whose registered office is at Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges, Slough, SL2 4QP.
COMPETITION
COMPETITION
SIMPLY COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW AND POST TO:
MAKE ME A DJ
MAKE ME A DJ
Appendix 6
‘MAKE ME A DJ’
THE DJ DICTIONARY
12. THE DJ DICTIONARY
Whatever you need to know you’ll find it explained in the DJ
Dictionary…
2 Step
This sub genre of break beats is typified by R'n'B vocals
and a prominent snare drum.
Acapella
A track containing only vocals - with no drums, melody
or other accompaniment.
Acid
Prefix to a number of genre names (such as acid house,
acid trance etc) in which the use of the infamous Roland
303 drum machine creates a distinctive sound.
Ambient
Ambient, or atmospheric electronica is background
music: it was meant to be heard rather than listened to.
The term is now extended to the more atmospheric
techno music from 0 to 70 bpm. Illbient is a sub genre
of ambient music invented by DJ Spooky in which the
feel of the track is more disturbing then relaxing. Nu
jazz is another sub genre of ambient.
Ambient also refers to the beginning and end sections
of a track where there are often no beats, or audible
percussive rhythm.
Anthem
A track with a serious tone, having a dramatic
crescendo, or build. Also a very well-known track that
has come to typify a certain genre due to its popularity.
Originally referred to choral arrangements, and other
religious songs of praise.
Bassline
This is the DJ and the dance floor’s best buddy, if the
dancer can feel the bass line through their body as well
as hear it you’re onto a good thing.
Bashment
A music style with Jamaican origins, characterised by a
deejay singing and rapping or toasting over raw and
danceable music riddims.– Shaggy, Stephen & Damian
Marley, Beenie Man, Same as Dancehall.
Battle
A hip hop or drum and bass DJing competition in which
DJs compete against each other in short sets
showcasing their skills and track selection.
Beat
A unit of rhythmical noise in music, it can be made up
of several notes or fractions of a note. The most
common beats come four per bar (a 4/4 time
signature).
Beat Counter
An electronic device that counts the beats per minute
(bpm) of a track. Usually this is done by the user
tapping a special pad with their finger in time to the
music. The beat counter then works out how many
beats per minute this would equate to. Very often beat
counters and metronomes are combined in once device.
Blend, to
When a DJ mixes two tracks during
the ambient or beatless part of one or
both tracks, they are blending the two
tracks, as opposed to beatmatching or
any other method of mixing.
Body
The main part of a track's tune between the build up and the
breakdown. The "theme."
BPM
Short for beats per minute. The bpm
indicates the speed of an individual
track. An easy way to count the bpm of
a track is to count the number of beats
in a 15 second timeframe and multiply
that by 4 to get the number of beats in
one minute. This is not especially
accurate, and electronic beat counters
are available to do this also.
Break
The part of a track where the song
generally fades down to an ambient, or
beatless section, or the main
percussive elements are reduced or
left standing by the removal of the
melodic part of the track. Most tracks
have two breaks in them, one at the
beginning and one at the end, several
bars before each end.
Beatmatch, to The art of synchronizing and blending two separate
tracks which to start off with had totally different
speeds or tempos.
44
Breakbeat
This genre is basically a beat with a "break" or gap in
the continuity of the snare drums. The most common
criteria for breakbeats are clear drums and percussion
in a 4/4 measure. The snare usually plays on 2 and 4: so
. 2 . 4. There may also be other snare hits in the
measure that create even more complexity. Examples of
breakbeat music include the genres breaks (also called
breakbeats), funky breaks, nu skool breaks, dark
breaks, the Bristol sound, trip hop, big beat, jungle,
drum and bass and 2 step and their variants.
Breakdown
Part of a track after the intro and before the outro
where the beat slows or stops, creating tension before
the next section.
Breaks
Or: Breakbeat. A genre of music that incorporates a
breakbeat rhythm and a bpm of around 120-140.
Build, build up The areas after the breaks in a record where the track
builds in melodic tension, before hitting the main body
of the tune. This part of a tune is often considered
sacred as they are the most exciting part of a track,
alerting the dancefloor to the ensuing mayhem.
Cue mix
The cue mix allows you to hear what is
being played on each channel through
the headphones. You can also listen to
both channels simultaneously and
some mixers allow you to pan between
the cue and what is currently being
heard through the main speakers.
Dancehall
A music style with Jamaican origins,
characterised by a DJ singing and
rapping or toasting over raw and
danceable music riddims.– Shaggy,
Stephen & Damian Marley, Beenie
Man, Same as Bashment.
Demo
A tape or CD made by a DJ to show off
her skills to a promoter or other
person who may want to hire them for
a gig. Learn how to make a good one
here!
Digital
A description of data which is stored
or transmitted as a sequence of
discrete symbols from a finite set,
most commonly this means binary
data represented using electronic
or electromagnetic signals. The
opposite of analog (also: analogue.)
Burning
Making a recording of your mix or music, usually
burning onto a CD.
CD
Compact disc.
CDR
Recordable compact disc.
DJ
Disk jockey.
CDRW
Re-recordable compact disc.
DJS
Pioneer Pro DJ Software.
Channel
One line on a mixer, representing one deck’s output into
the system.
Downtempo
Also: Down tempo, down beat. Any
genre of electronica of about 50-90
bpm.
Channel fader The channel faders allow you to control the individual
volume of each channel by the use of a slider or knob.
Channel
selector
This allows you to choose between different input
sources you have plugged into the back of your mixer.
Climax
The rise in tension within a track that begins in the first
break and culminates in the start of the main theme of
the tune. The exciting build up!
Closed back
In reference to headphones, this means that the ear
cups are closed to keep out surrounding noise and keep
in the noise of the music. It is essential that your
headphones are closed back when playing in loud
environments.
Crossfader
Also: fader, x-fader. The crossfader is the main
component of the mixer allowing you to fade between
individual channels or play two channels
simultaneously.
Cue, to
The act of finding the phrase within the next record you
intend to play in the headphones.
Cue level
The cue level controls the volume of sound playing
through the headphones. Normally found on the mixer.
45
Drum and bass Also: D'n'b; drum'n'bass. The genre could be described
as speeded-up breakbeats with a slower bassline. The
speed of the drums varies from 140-170 bpm; the
bassline is - sometimes - half of the speed of the drum.
The drums have the breakbeat 1 2 33 4, which means
that the 2 and 4 are snare or kick drum `on the floor',
while the 1 sometimes and the 3 hardly always are
syncopated drums (i.e. off the measure). The bassline is
flowing smoothly or pumping energetically, originating
from dub/reggae.
Flight case
Or crate. A carrying case designed to
protect from the effects of heat and
rough handling during transit.
Gabber
A sped-up type of techno with a 4/4
beat, generally around 175 bpm.
Garage
Not to be confused with "garage rock",
a genre of punk music, "garage" is one
of the most mangled terms in dance
music. The term derives from the
Paradise Garage, a legendary club
which was located at 84 King Street,
New York from 1976 till 1987.
This genre came from jungle and evolved from the early
1990s onwards. Today different sub genres of drum and
bass are: atmospheric, intelligent, dolphin, 2 step, jump
up, dark, ragga, and jazzy drum and bass.
Dub
Essentially reggae in the raw, this cultish, perennially
popular form strips out the majority of the music's
melody at the mixing desk, leaving behind the rhythm
section and the residue of other instruments, often with
massive layers of echo. Reggae records with crashing
effects and decidedly eccentric arrangements date back
to the ska era.
Electronica
This is a genre of music created using electronic
devices such as drum machines, samplers and
synthesizers.
EQ
1) Noun. Equaliser. Three dials on a mixer used to
adjust the levels of bass, mid range and treble. There is
a set of dials for each individual channel on the mixer.
However the word garage has meant
so many different things to so many
different people that unless you're
talking about a specific time and place,
it is virtually meaningless. Part of the
reason for this confusion (aside from
various journalistic
misunderstandings and industry
misappropriations) is that the range of
music played at the Garage was so
broad. The music we now call
"garage" has evolved from only a
small part of the club's wildly eclectic
soundtrack.
Genre
A category of music, marked by a
distinctive style, form, or content. A
subcategory within a particular genre
is called a subgenre. E.g. nu skool is a
subgenre of breaks.
Grime
A sub-genre of urban music which
first emerged in the early 2000s. It’s
sparse with 2step breakbeats,
generally130-140 beats per minute,
and an aggressive, fast rapping style. –
Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, The Streets.
2) Verb. "To EQ" is to adjust the equaliser on a mixer or
sound system for the optimal sound quality.
Equaliser
See EQ.
Exit or Outro
Part of a track's structure, the exit is the last bars
where several elements are usually dropped out to
leave a simpler version of the track to mix out of.
Fader
See crossfader or channel fader.
Filter
Also: effects. A device by which a tune can be modified
on output without altering it's tempo - many mixers
come with effects filters, such as flange, reverb, echo
etc. which can be applied to one or more channels at
will to alter the sound of the track. Additional effects
devices can also be routed through your mixer to add
filters to tunes while you play.
Flange
A cousin to the chorus effect, flanging operates on the
same time-delay principle. This time, though, the
distance between the two identical inputs is constantly
manipulated, creating distance between the sounds.
The end result is - unlike the smooth, seamlesslylayered chorus - a discordant, textured wave of sound.
Flare
The flare scratch, named for DJ Flare, breaks up sound
like the transform scratch. The DJ begins with the
sound on, then bounces the fader to cut sound then
bring it back in a split second. Each bounce equals one
click. Measure your flare speed in the number of
“clicks” you can manage in one stroke of your record
hand.
46
Happy
hardcore
Fast and furious four-beat hardcore with wacky,
speeded-up, cartoony vocals added.
Hardcore
Hardcore has several meanings:
1. A lifestyle and subculture within the electronic music
scene, revolving around hard and experimental musical
styles, appreciation not only of hardcore techno, but
other forms of hard music, as well as abstract music
such as noise. The sub-culture itself borrows
extensively from goth and punk.
Hook
2. To hook (up): The connect a
mechanism (your mixer or CDJs) to a
power source by wiring. E.g. "I have
hooked up the decks to the mixer but
you can do the monitors."
House
2. Hardcore,'Ardkore, UK Hardcore, UK Breaks. Music
that was considered hardcore in the early 90s, and the
small amount of music in the same genre that is still
made today. Characterised by intense breakbeats, synth
stabs, strings, chipmunk vocals, and sometimes
hoovers, and big subbass. Around 130-160bpm.
3. Hardcore (as an overall genre of electronic music): a
style characterised by hard beats, and often aggressive
melodies and vocals, encompassing numerous diverse
subgenres,including: Acid techno UK Hardcore Happy
Hardcore Rotterdam (Dutch Gabber) Rottertrance
(Dutch Gabber + Eurotrance) Gabber (hardcore techno,
but also an umbrella term equivalent to Hardcore)
Speedcore aka Brooklyn Speedcore, Deathcore,
Terrorcore, Doomcore, Demoncore, Noisecore,
Breakcore, Raggacore (such as Criminal Minds Baptized By Dub, Genaside II - Narramine) Darkcore
(such as Q Project - Champion Sound, Out of Order The Dark Sheep) Skinnercore (characterised by being
made by Robert Alan Skinner) and many others.
Harmonies
The harmony compliments the melody and adds more
interest and variation. Clever harmonies make you feel
that the melody has changed when it is exactly the
same as when the track began.
Headphones
Placed on your head so you can hear an incoming track
while mixing, headphones are an essential part of
DJing. Choose a good quality pair with closed backs for
better bass response and their ability to shut out
external noise. Pioneer make great HDJ-1000
headphones.
Hi-Hat
This cymbal is also found on the drummers left side
and is controlled by a foot pedal to make the two
cymbals open and close. When you listen to house
music it often plays on the off-beat referred to as
closed and open hats.
Hip Hop
Hip hop is a cultural movement that began among
urban African American and Latino youth in New York.
The four main elements of hip-hop are MCing, DJing,
graffiti and breakdancing. Some consider beatboxing
the fifth element of hip hop; others might add political
activism, hip hop fashion, hip hop slang or other
elements as important facets of hip hop. The term has
since come to be a synonym for hip hop music and rap
to mainstream audiences. They are not, however,
interchangeable - rapping (MCing) is the vocal
expression of lyrics in sync to a rhythm beneath it;
along with DJing, rapping is a part of hip hop music.
1. A catchy motif or refrain in a tune
that is easily recognisable and
instantly likeable.
1. A genre of music with a four quarter
beat: 1 2 3 4 at about 125 bpm - about
the speed of the heart of the dancer.
On the 2 and 4, there is a snare drum
or hand clap; in between 1 2 3 4 of the
bass drum, you hear hi hats. The
tracks are finished with some
happy/swinging sounds, generally
female vocals and a simple melody.
Different sub-genres of house include:
acid house, Euro house, hard house,
progressive house, speed garage, and
tribal house.
2. The word house also refers to the
main club or event space, as opposed
to the DJ booth. E.g. "The house
volume is too low but these monitors
are blowing my eardrums!"
Industrial
A genre of electronica marked by
harsh rhythms, little melody, and
nihilistic lyrics, if any. Industrial is
characterised by deep and densely
layered mixes that use samples of
machine noises and industrial sounds.
Industrial is also a subgenre of several
other genres of music, such as
industrial rock, industrial goth, etc.
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Input selector The input selector is found on the mixer normally
situated along side the channel fader. The input
selector enables you to switch from different input
sources, another turntable or CD player for example.
This means that a mixer with two channels can make
use of more than two inputs.
Intro
The beginning of a track before the main theme is
introduced.
Jungle
The Jungle was the name of a notorious area in the city
of Kingston, Jamaica where reggae and dancehall beats
evolved into what we now know as a form of drum and
bass called jungle. Typified by rolling basslines and
percussive snare drums, the style became popular in
the early 1990's. Jungle is a genre in which MCs are
popular.
Junglist
A jungle DJ or someone who enjoys jungle or drum and
bass music.
Melody
This is the part which gets stuck in
your head and you can’t stop singing
or whistling it when you walk down the
street.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A
standard for synthesized electronic
music.
Mix
1. Noun. A mix is when two songs are
mixed together using beatmatching,
beat juggling or a simple fade across
the breaks in two tracks. It can be as
long or short as the DJ likes. DJs often
try to make their mixes as individual
and as interesting as possible.
2. Verb. "To mix" is the act of creating
a mix.
Mixer
One of the main pieces equipment
needed to DJ. The mixer allows you to
combine multiple sound sources and
play them as one.
Monitor
A speaker in the DJ booth that allows
the DJ to hear what they're doing.
NRG
NRG is an early evolution of new-style
disco. Simple, fast, danceable early
house where the bass often takes the
place of the high hat. Considered to be
a cheesy, obsolete form of house by
underground fans but still played in
some of the more commercial clubs or
by DJs with a highly developed sense
of irony.
NRR
Noise Reduction Rating. This is the
decibel level reduction that a set of
earplugs gives you - anything less
than an NRR of 20 dB (decibels) is not
much use.
Jump start, to Starting a track at full volume (audible on the house
speakers) exactly at a beat, exactly when you want to
(also referred to as cue starting). The track comes in
and you have two tunes running in phase.
Kick Drum
This is what the bass drum on the drum kit would be
doing if a drummer was playing. In nearly all house
tracks you will here it on all the beats of the bar (1, 2, 3,
4). In funk and hip hop you will here it only the first
beat of each bar (1, 2, 3, 4).
Kill switch
These switches will instantly drop one channel's output,
or the bass, mid range or treble of a channel, from the
mix at the flick of a switch - useful for effects where the
DJ drops one track out for a bar, or a beat or more. Kill
switches accomplish this more cleanly than trying to
slide the crossfader over quickly.
Levels
The relative levels of highs, mids and bass output
through the channels of a mixer when DJing. If you're
asked by a sound engineer, the owner of the sound
system or another interested party to "check your
levels" you should take that as a subtle hint that you are
playing with too much treble, bass ect. and should
adjust the equalisers to improve the sound of your set.
If someone takes the extreme measure of stepping
behind the decks and adjusts the levels on your mixer
for you, they are either being quite rude, or your
ignorance of your levels is so great that the equipment
is at risk of blowing.
Live PA
Playing live is producing music on the fly with the use of
drum machines, synthesizers and so on. In reference to
a CDJ, if a deck is live, it is the one currently playing out
through the house speakers.
Loop
Part of a track's structure, a loop is usually made of 4-8
bars which can be performed on any CDJ.
MC
Master of Ceremonies. This is the individual that speaks
or raps over the music. Very popular in hip hop and
jungle genres.
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Nu jazz
Could also be called "intelligent breakbeats" for it's
more complex, or less commercially acceptable break
beat rhythms and subtler themes. Good nu jazz can be
flawlessly enjoyable, but bad versions contain nothing
more exciting than passé chill-out beats, generic
rapping, hammy vintage jazz samples and hackneyed
funk guitars.
Output display This is the LED display that shows which channel the
crossfader has more bias towards, and/or the level of
the master volume.
Outro
Also: Exit. Part of a track's structure, the outro is the
last bars where several elements are usually dropped
out to leave a simpler version of the track to mix out of.
PA
Abbreviation for Public Address System. In short this is
the equipment used to get the show on the road such
as, your speakers, amp, and subs etc. See also "live
PA."
Phrase
A group of multiples of four bars (in 4/4 time) which
make up a complete melodic or rhythmic segment.
Usually 4 or 8 bars, after which the melody or beat
pattern repeats itself, or vocals enter a new line.
Phrase
matching
A technique useful in house and hardcore, as well as
old skool jungle, consisting of matching up the
beginning and end of a phrase, rather than just the
beats, so that changes occur simultaneously in the two
tracks being mixed.
Pitch
1. The relative position of a tone within a range of
musical sounds is determined by pitch.
2. The percentage speed at which a track is playing
relative to it's intended speed. The pitch can be altered
using the pitch control and is referred to as "plus 4" or
"minus 6," etc.
Pitch bend
On CD mixers the pitch bend allows the pitch of the
track you are manipulating to be sped up or slowed
down as required to match it's tempo to another track.
Pitch control
The pitch control by convention is a slider situated on
the right hand side of the CDJ allowing you to change
the speed that the CD is played. Typically the pitch can
be altered +/- 8%.
Progressive
An adjective used to describe a certain style of trance,
techno or house.
Promo
This is a track that has not been officially released by a
record label. It is commonly a white label and is
generally given to well known DJs to play before the
tune is released in order to generate excitement about
the release and a demand for the tune. The industry
depends on these for the promotion of new music.
Ragga
A particular form of dancehall, which is a sub-genre of
reggae. Ragga is short for raggamuffin, which means a
tough guy, ganster, and this also describes the sound of
ragga which is tough, hard hitting rap-like vocals. It's
basically the Jamaican equivalent of gangsta rap.
Rap
Rap and Hip Hop are pretty much the
same thing but come in a variety of
outfits. Hip Hop consists of MCing and
DJing - Eminem, Beastie Boys,
Jurassic 5.
Reggae
Born in Jamaica in the late 50's this
music was first an emulation of
American rock and roll and rhythm
and blues. The tempo of the music was
fast and was created for dancing. Out
of this emulation of American music
mixed with African and Caribbean
influences was birthed "ska". In the
sixties, as ska music progressed it
evolved into a similar yet slower style
called "rocksteady". The only
significant difference between ska and
rocksteady was the tempo: both styles
had the famous Jamaican rhythm
guitar and organ bubble
complemented by drums, bass, horns,
vocals and a groove that kept you
moving.
As the music in Jamaica continued to
evolve, it slowed down in tempo once
again, giving birth to "reggae music".
"Reggae" was a phrase first coined by
Toots and the Maytals and means "to
the King" in Latin. The only other
significant differences between reggae
and its predecessors besides its tempo
were its strong emphasis on a trebleless bottom end bass line, a one drop
on the drums and its new spiritual
emphasis in Rastafari. This reggae in
its early or traditional state is what
many now call "roots". This style was
made famous worldwide by Bob
Marley.
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Remix
1. To remix a track, one would heavily sample, or
remake the track leaving enough similarities that it is
recognisable as a variation on the original.
Selector
Also Selecta, Record Selector. Slang
term for a DJ. Commonly used in the
in the drum and bass scene.
2. A remix is the name given to the product of remixing.
Set
The tunes chosen and played by a DJ
at an event. Usually a DJ will play a
one to two hour set at a club or event.
Scratch DJs often play shorter, more
complex sets, and ambient DJs quite
often get stoned and play much, much
longer sets.
Ska
A brisk form of Jamaican-born rock
derived from reggae and rock energy.
It was popularised in the early 1980s
by British “black-and-white”
multiracial bands that formed a lighter
faction of the punk movement.
Snare Drum
The snare drum is the instrument
found on a drummers left and is
defined by its steel springs found on
the bottom skin which produces a
metallic sound.
Speed garage
See: UK garage.
Spinback
Performing a spinback (also known as
a backspin) is when the DJ enhances a
transition between two tracks by
spinning the outgoing track backwards
for a few bars using her fingers, and
quickly crossing the fader over to the
new track, which is already playing.
Syncopated
A shift of accent in a track or mix that
occurs when a normally weak beat is
stressed.
Tag team
Also: tag. When two or more DJs play
alternate tunes (or every two or three
tracks) they are said to be tag
teaming, or tagging.
Resident
The DJs and MCs who make up the regularly
performing core of a series of parties or events. A DJ or
MC can be a resident of several events in different clubs
and cities and even countries.
Rewind
A rewind is performed when the DJ stops a CD or
record with her hand and rewinds it quickly. This makes
a garbled noise and cues the audience that the DJ is
about to replay an especially good part of the track
again. Rewinds are most common in drum and bass
DJing and are often requested by the crowd.
Rhythm
Movement in musical time, with periodical recurrence
of accent; the measured beat or pulse which marks the
character and expression of the music; symmetry of
movement and accent. The speed of a rhythm is
referred to as it's tempo.
Ripping
Copying a track to your PC or computer software.
Rocksteady
In the sixties, as ska music progressed it evolved into a
similar yet slower style called "rocksteady". The only
significant difference between ska and rocksteady was
the tempo, besides this, both styles had the
famous Jamaican rhythm guitar and organ bubble
complemented by drums, bass, horns, vocals and a
groove that kept you moving.
RPM
Sample
Stands for revolutions per minute (the amount of times
the CD revolves in any given minute).
An extracted phrase from another source. eg another
record, CD or a sound you have burnt to CD, which is
added to a live or pre-recorded mix to create a new
sound.
To sample: to drop sampler from one track into another.
Sampling can be carried out without the use of a
sampler machine by the use of the crossfader.
Sampler
An electronic device used to play pre-programmed
samples by the pressing of buttons.
Scene
All the people, clubs, raves, web sites, forums, zines,
magazines and so on that revolve around a certain type
of music. The scene is what you make it.
Scratch, to
The sound produced when the sample is run back and
forth. Many variations exist and can really liven up your
set if performed well. The segment played could be any
part of the track, for example a single beat, phrase or
vocal sample.
Seamless
This is a term used to describe the quality of a DJs'
mixing. If done perfectly without interruptions it is said
to be seamless.
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Talk over
When this button is pushed on the mixer it reduces the
music to a minimum so the DJ can talk to the crowd.
Techno
A genre of music featuring mechanical beats and found
sounds that range from apocalyptic sirens to sampled
TV and movie dialogue. It was founded in Detroit in the
early '80s and has a tempo of around 126-130 bpm. Like
house, the original techno is characterised by the four
quarter bass drum: 1 2 3 4, but in techno the feel of the
track is harder, darker and more driving. Sub genres of
techno include: Detroit techno, minimal techno,
experimental techno, hardcore and gabber, the latter of
which can go up to 220 bpm in speed.
Tempo
The speed of a track measured in bpm (beats per
minute).
Theme
In the structure of a track, themes are usually 16 to 32
bars (2 to 8 loops). They make up the main body of the
tune, carry the melody and are the part you generally
hum when remembering a tune.
Track
This is the piece of equipment that is
used to play the records. They are
most commonly used in pairs and in
conjunction with a mixer. There are
two main types - direct drive and belt
drive, both of which are very different.
UK Garage
When, around 1997, some London DJs
took the descendant of garage and
latched it to some cavernous, halftempo basslines, speed garage or UK
garage or the London Sound was born.
Just to make things even more
complicated, this actually took its first
steps thanks to records by New Jersey
producer Todd Edwards and adopted
New Yorker Armand Van Helden.
The Armand Van Helden remix of CJ
Bolland's "Sugar is Sweeter" defined
the whole speed garage sound with
that huge breakdown and massive
bass-line. He was the first one to
really come up with any sort of
formula for the music.
One tune on a CD.
Track structure 4 beats make up a bar, several bars make a loop,
repeat the loop a few times and you have the theme (the
characteristic melody of the track) and repeat the
theme a few times and you have a stage. Loops are 4 or
8 bars, most of the time, themes are 16 to 32 bars (2 to
8 loops) and 2 to 8 times the theme makes the intro,
body, break, build up/climax or outro/exit.
Trainspotting
Turntable
Wannabe DJs crowding the DJ booth and attempting the
see what track is playing, often asking the DJ, or
otherwise interfering with the DJing process. They can
be very annoying. The best way to show your
appreciation for a DJ’s choice of tunes is to dance.
Trainwreck
Term used to describe a sound made when failing to
match beats in a mix that can only be compared to
listening to a pair of tennis shoes in the dryer.
Trainwrecks happen to the best DJs at times, but are to
be avoided at all costs.
Trance
A genre of electronica with a tempo of about 130-160
bpm whose repetitive beats and thumping bass create
the "trancelike" state some listeners experience.
Subgenres of trance include psytrance (or "psy") hard
trance, Goa trance, deep trance, acid trance, epic trance
and tribal trance.
Transform, to
The use of a crossfader or on/off switch to produce a
very fast stuttering sound of the input source (usually
used in scratching). Using the crossfader and starting
with the sound off, the DJ moves the CD with one hand
(scratching) while tapping the fader with the other as
sound increases. The result is what DJ Cash Money
called the “transform” or “transformer” scratch; sound
cuts in and out -- the scratching version of tremolo,
rapid repetition of a single pitch.
Vinyl
1. What records are made of. Vinyl is
susceptible to heat and compression:
store records in their sleeves, leaning
upright against a flat surface, or
loosely packed in a record crate out of
the sun or a hot car.
2. Also another colloquial name for
records themselves.
Vocal
Vocals are the singing or spoken voice
part of a track. Some genres of
electronica are typified by they type of
vocals they use, but not all tunes have
vocals. Very often when a track is
released with several remixes on the
CD, there will be versions with and
without vocals. Acapella tracks contain
only vocals, with no accompanying
drums or melody.
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Wax
Another name for records. The compulsion to buy them
can lead to financial hardship and happiness at the
same time.
Wheels of
steel
Colloquial name for turntables.
White label
This is a CD that has no information on the label.
Generally a promo it is usually given to well known DJs
to play before the tune is released in order to generate
excitement about the release and a demand for the
tune. The industry depends on these for the promotion
of new music.
X-Fader
An alternative name used for the crossfader. The XFader is the main component of the mixer allowing you
to fade between individual channels or play 2 channels
simultaneously.
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