Is Djing for you?

Ok, so you're interested in becoming a Dj.  First thing you gotta ask yourself is "what do I want out of this?".  If other Dj's have inspired you then that's good.  If you like music and like making people happy then that's good.
If you want to be popular then try something else.  If you just wanna make money then try something else.
A Dj is an artist.  The turntable is the canvas and the record is the medium.
I've taught newbies who picked it up in weeks and I've tried teaching others who never got it after many months.  When I was working at a Dj equipment store, I used to sell entire sets of turntables, mixers, speakers, and even records to dudes who's parents had the bucks only to find out after two months they wanted to sell the stuff cause it wasn't for them.
The soul of Dj has to have rhythm.  Everyone has a constant, it's called a heartbeat.  A Dj knows how to find the constant in music and control it to make new constants.  Confused yet?  Rhythm can be taught and its like riding a bike, once you got it, it's there.  Speed and complexity take practice though.
You can practice your rhythm by tapping on your dashboard while riding in a car.  Tap to the music you're listening to.  At first, you'll be forcing yourself but later you'll be doing it without thinking.  That's when you're on your way, when you can call up that rhythm by feeling it.
For now, forget all about the fancy mixers, cd players, virtual software and gear.  Just build your natural tempo or your natural metronome.  Tap, tap, tap.  Remember that; equipment can be bought, rhythm can't.
If you're a Very Beginner, watch drummer videos on youtube and learn the difference between a bass drum beat and a snare drum beat.  That's as basic as it gets.
If you're an Intermediate, listen to songs and seperate those hi-hats, tom-tom rolls, and crashes in the beats.
If you're an expert then you should be reading somethin else besides this.
Once you can flow with the rhthym or beat in a song then try listening to two songs at the same time and hear both rhythms.  You'll need to do this to mix and match songs up conrrectly or "on beat".
That's all for now, in my next blog I'll talk about mixin.

Laterz,

Dj Jeff Jamz