DJ Certification

The DJ Certification Program is designed for beginner students committed to becoming a working DJ Producer. The Program includes training in a variety of mixing, scratching, and music production techniques.

Curriculum consists of 8 Levels. Certification Program students meet once a week for an average completion time of 1 year. Class sizes are small and contribute to a collaborative setting. Students keep the same day and time throughout the program to keep scheduling conflicts to a minimum.

Level I: Intro to DJing - Learn the Basics

Level 1 is the perfect starting point for anyone looking to learn to DJ. Our hands-on instruction will teach you the fundamentals of mixing, blending, and scratching. No matter your music tastes or commitment level, DJ 101 will teach you the fundamentals to get started on your journey. We provide all gear necessary for the class.

You will learn:

• DJ history
• Basic music theory & song structure
• Ins & outs of equipment (turntables, mixers, speakers, etc.)
• Basic scratching & timing

Level II: Intermediate Mixing

Now that you have the fundamentals down from Level 1, it’s time to put those skills to work. Learn to mix seamlessly between all genres of music and gain a better understanding of when and how to utilize transitions. At the end of the course, you will perform a 10-minute set that will showcase what you have learned.

You will learn:

• Construct and perform a 10-minute mix with correct phrasing and solid manual beat matching
• Understand Key Mixing and the Camelot system
• Learning how to record your set within software
• Understanding how to set cue points and why they are crucial
• Creating playlists/crates and understanding file organization

Level III: Intermediate Scratching

Set yourself apart from other DJs and showcase your creativity by incorporating various tricks and techniques into your live performance sets. Level 3 will improve your timing and record control with intermediate Turntablism techniques, and teach you when & how to utilize scratch patterns in your live mixes.

You will learn:

• Turntablism
• Mixing techniques
• Beatmatching & genre mixing

Level IV: Music Production

This course helps students understand the technical and creative process involved using the comprehensive digital audio workstation Ableton Suite. By the end of the course, each student will have created at least one or more re-edits.

You will learn:

• Ableton Live Fundamentals
• Beat Sampling and Usage

Level V: Advanced Mixing

This performance based class will develop your mixing skills through real world situations, group activities, and valuable peer and instructor feedback. Level 4 mixing will teach you to augment your performances with advanced mixing tricks and song transitions, and how to properly utilize features and functions in Digital DJing software.

You will learn:

• Advanced Serato Techniques
• Create, record and produce music
• Performing your music

Level VI: Remix-Mastering Performance Mixing

Personalize your production style in Level 6. We’ll teach you to create sounds from the ground up – a great way to give your music a unique personality that stands out from the crowd. You’ll also learn some of the basic mixing and mastering functions which can utilize Ableton 9 Live Suite’s internal effects processors to help give your final tracks the additional sheen you’ll want before presenting them to the world.

You will learn how to:

• Publish and distribute your music
• Advanced Ableton Live features
• Voice your own style through DJing

Level VII: The DJ Business

Once you’ve developed the skills to play out as a DJ or make tracks as a producer, this session will teach you how to build a presence in the industry by creating a brand, releasing mixes and tracks regularly, and positioning yourself to meet your goals.

You will learn:

• Lock down your DJ name and what kind of DJ you want to be
• How to market yourself
• The nuts and bolts of starting your own business

Level VIII: Performance Mixing

Level 8 prepares you for real life DJing. You will complete weekly assignments that simulate a live setting with all the trouble shooting and unexpected turns that happen when DJing for a live audience. Learn how to market yourself as a desirable artist. From communicating with the client, to executing the event including master of ceremony duties and appropriate music programming.

You will learn:

• What to do in an equipment malfunction
• How to improvise your mix
• Reading the crowd and recovery model

Important Notes:

• Certification Program meets for 8 classes over 48 weeks
• Schedule posted is for Level I only. 
• Our Program meets once a week during evening or weekend hours. Once joining the program, students stay with the same day and time for all their Levels until completion of the Program.
• The Program is 48 weeks in length which doesn’t include breaks between classes and holidays. The Program covers 92 hours of instruction and recommended 40 hours of lab time.
• Students have the option to take off one term. If you plan on taking off more than one term, then a $500 re-entry fee is applied and an evaluation may need to occur in order to assess what Level you will re-enter into.