I have not been DJing for so long. In fact, I still have sooooo much to learn in the industry as a new female DJ on training. While DJing in digital is how I started, part of me is really curious on learning how to DJ in vinyl. This curiosity has been going on for so long already.
And so I finally did it.
I took the plunge and dove headfirst into the world of learning how to DJ in vinyl with Hafa Records in Davao City.
This is something I wanted to share on this blog because I’m really excited about it.
One of the reasons that I enrolled for a session in spinning vinyl is to train my hearing abilities to the next level and dive into deeper techniques of beat matching. But also, I really really really want to collect records. There’s an art to it! I love to imagine myself going to record shops and getting my hands to my favorite albums and singles — the touch and feel of it on vinyl. Then playing it over and over again at home.
Of course, you don’t need to be a vinyl DJ to actually collect records. For some reason, that’s something that I want to keep pace with aside from honing my DJing skills.
Now, what’s my impression during my first session on learning how to DJ in vinyl? Well, it’s hard. It’s more challenging and you have to put more effort to it and be more disciplined.
In Hafa Records, I spent around 15 to 30 minutes just placing the needle on the record. If I didn’t have a scheduled gig that time, I could’ve spend more time just doing the exact same thing. LOL!
Sure, there were moments during that time when I thought of just sticking to my trusty digital setup. But then I remembered why I started on this vinyl journey in the first place – to push myself, to challenge my skills, learn something new, have fun, and to experience DJing in its purest form. It has truly tested my patience and determination.
The joy of touching the medium is also a massive fun part during my first lesson in learning how to DJ in vinyl. At first, I hate the feeling of getting out of my comfort zone. I got used to the glimpse of waveform on my laptop while mixing, but with vinyl, I love that I am not distracted by a screen and you’re just really there living in the moment.
For someone who hasn’t been in a DJ school, didn’t learn the theory and technique in DJ courses, and do not have a senior mentor to guide me along the way, DJing has been difficult for me. But I find the pleasure in the process of learning every bits and pieces of it.
Learning on how to DJ with vinyl is somewhat the same as how I learn to DJ in digital for the first time. It’s tough and difficult, like learning a whole new language, but it is fun and rewarding. The decision to try my hand at vinyl DJing was the best thing that I did for this passion.
Am I going for a second session? Definitely! For DJs, I know it’s not necessary to learn how to mix on vinyl nowadays but for me, it’s a joy to learn.
Everyone learns at a different rates, but I love the approach of teaching in Hafa Records — my vinyl sensei. He adapts his teaching to suit each individual and you can genuienly see the dedicated years of passion in him. The first lesson has taught me that the best beats are the ones you work hardest for.
