DJ Mixing

DJ mixing is the art of blending recorded tracks together so the music flows without a gap. A DJ picks the songs, matches their speed and uses a mixer to move from one to the next, throwing in effects along the way. It's part music taste, part timing and part technique. Done right, the crowd never notices the joins. They just keep dancing.

Turntables are the originals, playing vinyl records. They're also where scratching was born, that rhythmic back-and-forth sound made by moving the record by hand.

CDJs and media players handle digital tracks, with a big jog wheel on top that feels a lot like vinyl.

A DJ controller packs two decks and a mixer into one unit that plugs into a laptop. It's a popular way to start, and much lighter to carry than a record collection.

The mixer is mission control: a channel fader for each deck, a crossfader to swap between them and EQ knobs for the bass, mids and highs.

Beatmatching is getting two tracks running at exactly the same speed, so their beats land together. Tempo is measured in beats per minute, or BPM. You listen to the next track in your headphones, adjust its speed with the pitch fader and nudge it into line. Then you bring it in, swapping the bass over with the EQ so the two tracks don't clash. Nail it and the room never knows. Miss it and it sounds like trainers in a tumble dryer.

Your Activity Leader starts with a tour of the decks, the mixer and what every knob and fader actually does. Next up is track selection: picking songs that work together and build the mood. Then you'll cue up in your headphones, beatmatch and try your first blend, before playing with effects like filters and echoes. The headphones-on-one-ear pose comes as standard.

Good, no bad habits to unlearn. DJing is a skill anyone can pick up with a bit of practice, and progress comes quickly once your ears tune in to the beat. The first time a mix lands cleanly is a proper fist-pump moment. From there it's all about your taste, your timing and that one track you've been saving for exactly the right moment.

You might also like STOMP Body Percussion, Ukulele and Cocktail Mixology.

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