Arts & Entertainment, Music
Advanced DJ Techniques
Lesson time 17:16 min
Learn Questlove’s more advanced techniques for DJing.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Creating Loops and Live Samples • Phasing and Beat Juggling • Edutainment
Preview
[MUSIC PLAYING] - In addition to being a music fan and a DJ, I also produce music, and I'm a beat maker as well. So oftentimes, I'll spin a song in my set, and inspiration will hit me with an idea. I'm going to give an example of the Menahan Street Band's "Make the Road by Walking." I'm going to play an example of sometimes when I catch an inspiration, and I decide I want to make a beat on the spot and not lose the audience while doing it. So what's cool about Serato is they have a recording device right here that lets you make your own edits and ideas. And I'll show you. [MUSIC PLAYING] So you come to this place where it says in, and you start your beat here. In, and when you go to out is when you finish the loop. Now, even if it's imperfect, now it's a little bit imperfect. So I can edit in real time. I can press out. Come down here to the arrows. [MUSIC PLAYING] All right, now the loop is perfect, so I'm not done yet. [MUSIC PLAYING] Now, up here is where you can designate some cue points. So if I decide I need an extra kick drum, I can press when the kick drum occurs. Like right here. So what I did was, I highlighted this kick drum right here. But I'm not done. Now, what I'm going to do is I'm going to press record. I'm going to press record and make a new beat. Here we go. [MUSIC PLAYING] So what I did was, I made a perfect eight-bar loop. Serato has taken that information and made a brand new AIFF or MP3 for me. So here's the result of what I just did. [MUSIC PLAYING] So this is what I just recorded. [MUSIC PLAYING] So now, this is what I just did in real time. Now what I'm going to do is, I'm going to loop it. So this is kind of a meta-loop. I made a loop, made it into an MP3, and then on top of that-- [MUSIC PLAYING] OK. So what I'm going to do is, I'm going to go back to Madonna. [MUSIC PLAYING] So I went to Madonna. "La Isla Bonita" is 100 BPMs and is in C sharp minor. So what I'm to do is, I'm going to bring it down to B minor so that it's in the same key of what I just created. [MUSIC PLAYING] MADONNA: (SINGING) Last night I dreamt of San Pedro. Just like I'd never gone. I knew the song. A young girl with eyes like the desert. It all seems like yesterday, not far away. Tropical island breeze. All of nature wild and free. - Now what's even crazier, if I decide that Madonna has something dope, if I decide that Madonna has something worth the add to the conversation, I can even record her. So I'm looping her word lullaby. MADONNA: (SINGING) Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby. - And now I'm going to make a recording of that. MADONNA: (SINGING) Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby. - Now the thing is, I just made a recording of a recording of a recording without having to stop the music. So what I've do...
About the Instructor
Ahmir Thompson—better known as Questlove—is an iconic DJ, the drummer for The Roots, and the “coolest man on late-night,” but his first love is collecting and mixing music. Now the Grammy winner is sharing his passion with you. Explore DJ techniques, expand your musical vocabulary, and learn how to glide from genre to genre—including hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz, R&B, and more—to curate your own perfect playlist.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Questlove
The iconic DJ and Roots drummer Questlove teaches you how to be a better DJ, deepen your love of music, and make a perfect playlist.
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