Different strokes for different folks.

Some people can pick this up within a few days. Some people still cant do it right after a few years. Thats speaking from mixing purely. As for track selections the same thing applies. There is no "average".

Just practice as much as reasonably possible for you.

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It took me about 18 months to really get the hang of it with vinyl. However, after that 18 months the curve steepened significantly. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that practising becomes much more enjoyable when you aren't clattering almost every mix, so you just end up playing around on the decks a lot more.

I'm still always learning now several years on, but the curve is much flatter again.

i depends on if you teach yourself, or learn from someone that knows what they are doing imo.

It isn't hard once you get the hang of it...it might not be instant, but when you get it, it becomes like a second nature.

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After 6 months of practicing 8 hours a day, I was getting gigs

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I can't fathom being able to fit eight hours of practice in every day for six months

As for me, it took a while (probably 5 months or so) to get beatmatching. Primary reason being I didn't know the full and proper functionality of my play/pause and cue buttons on my cdjs until someone spelled it out for me. Prior to that I was mixing into automatic 4-bar loops which are never exact.

The other stuff like phrasing and things of that nature I can't really remember the timeline on that, it all sorta faded into the background.

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Morello After 6 months of practicing 8 hours a day, I was getting gigs

Have to ask, how did you support yourself in the meantime? 8 hours a day!?

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What I usually tell my students is that unless you're a savant of some sort, with regular practice (hour or two per day, several days per week) expect about 2-3 years before you become really polished - that is, being able to consistently lock up your mixes, knowing how and when to e.q., mixing different rhythmic patterns (so that your set isn't straight boom-clap-boom-clap all the way through) and of course programming, being able to keep yourself and your potential audience entertained for at least a couple of hours.

Of course, I only teach vinyl, so that's coming from a somewhat limited perspective. I can say that 25 years later I still practice several hours a week, just that the focus of my practice has shifted considerably from those early years.

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it wasn't an exact 8 hours a day, some days less, some more and i'd obviously take a day or 2 off here and there

i was only djing on the weekends at the time, mobile stuff like weddings and school dances and stuff, that helped a lot too

i had just graduated from high school and was living in my parent's basement being a bum and djing/learning to dj

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If I could, I would practice all day. But in the real world, I'm lucky if I could get in at least 6 hours a week. When a gig is scheduled, I hit it hard. Cd's and Vinyl all over the place

My full time job being an audio engineer, pretty much keeps me busy.

I started Djing in 1989. Originally from Chicago, I grew up listening to House music and I was impressed by all those who created it and mixed it. At the time I was still in high school. I was working for a friend who owned a mobile dj outfit. He started me on small stuff. Family parties, school stuff, weddings. The gigs were great, but I couldn't break out and do my own thing. Everything in those days had an agenda. You couldn't be you. Only in the clubs were you allowed to do that. I was underage though. So no clubs. I quit in 1993 to pursue a career in music as an audio engineer. Both recording and live sound. From then to the present that was my job.

I recently took up DJing again. Around 2007 to be exact. Right now, my biggest learning curve is the 17 year absence. Picking up new music, and collecting stuff from 17 years ago is a lot of work. Plus I'm 35 now and I'm going up against 20 something year olds. And living in S. California surrounded by hip hop isn't easy. I mix house and trance because I always loved the sound. Not knocking hip hop just not my thing.

One thing about mixing bands for so many years, it has giving me more to my dj mixing than I had the first time. This is something I was meant to do, just not then. You're always learning in this business. I record everything I do, and critique it. I've even ventured into writing and remixing. Even smash ups.

My other learning curve is the Urei 1620. Just because I like the feel of rotary. It's difficult to master, but within time and enough practice I'll get it.