If you want to learn how to DJ, I'll admit there are many schools and resources out there to do so --BUT-- if you want to join a vibrant and loving community you're going to want to come to Scratch! Started by Jam Master Jay with headquarters in Brooklyn, Scratch not only carries some serious weight but tons of history. The LA location is the place where your girl learned to fine tune her DJing skills and met the best mentors in life! Rev, 4tify & Gravity are TRUE pioneers in the industry and have a wealth of knowledge to share. They're patient, kind but most of all want the best for you so they'll make you work for it but it's worth it! Would def recommend to check out. Whether it's the intro class or 6 month course (like I took) you'll get what you pay for and that's the best reward anyone can ask for. read more

Scratch DJ Academy - Specialty Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Scratch DJ Academy gave my daughter an amazing first private lesson experience. She was completely thrilled from start to finish and came away excited, encouraged, and eager to learn more. The instructor made the lesson fun, welcoming, and easy to follow, which was perfect for her first time. It was wonderful to see her so engaged and inspired. We're very grateful for such a positive introduction to DJing read more

Scratch DJ Academy, is a place for DJs, producers and music enthusiasts, and the home to state-of-the-art equipment and expert instructors ready to teach you how to master beats. Fun learning experience, all the DJs in house are very friendly, nice meeting instructors DJ Hapa, DJ 4tify and DJ Ver5e, they teach you from theory to practice, and show you step by step with patience, classes range from single day workshops, private lessons to intensive training courses. read more

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There's many ways to learn how to DJ: by dating one, knowing one as a friend, watching 'em, YouTube, books, CDs, etc. If you want to cut through the b.s., and get solid, experienced, practical how-to instruction, come to the Scratch DJ Academy, founded by Jam Master Jay. If you're commitment-phobic, try their free intro, hear about DJ roots, and meet the teachers. I jumped into it feet first by taking the 101 class, with no serious aspirations. My instructor, DJ Ver5e www.ver5e.com, is himself a graduate of Scratch, having completed every one of the required classes, and he was equal parts empathic to our frustrations, and firmly guiding us through DJ music history, basic scratching, exercises, and music theory. He was backed up by Mr. Choc http://bit.ly/o4Rxgc -- veteran DJ, and member of the World Famous Beat Junkies. We had awesome TA's, DJ Stonekold, and the French DJ Swift http://www.djswift.net (as I was one of two women in a class of 25, it was a little intimidating at first, but all the instructors were incredibly helpful and down-to-earth, NICE guys!). Those who teach at Scratch are working, professional DJs. Here I am at my 101 DJ Graduation: http://bit.ly/rnkdeF -- scratched in front of a full crowd. OMG!!! 101 was such a well-structured, well-paced class, that I couldn't help but sign up immediately for 202. That, and the fact that I left class every time with a humongous, goofy grin on my face and a tremendous feeling of pure child-like happiness. You forget about any troubles in your life, and tell stress to go for a hike. Music...it really does lift the spirit. The 202 class puts the 101 teachings into practice. Taught by DJ Robshot, here, the rubber meets the road, as you work on mixing, and by the end of the semester, wind up with a 6-song playlist. Whether on vinyl or digital (Traktor or Serrato), you mix for your class, and let me tell you, as terrifying as that sounds, it was one of the exhilarating experiences of my life. You don't easily forget that high, and probably will want to practice more to capture it again...and again. I also took the Digital Workshop 101, to figure out which program was better suited for me. People choose Serrato (in the US) because they see other DJs using it...but this workshop puts Serrato and Traktor up to the test, and compares them side-by-side. It gives clear, non-biased information on the programs' specs, and in the end, you decide which one best suits your needs. I found this workshop incredibly helpful and highly recommend it -- you might be surprised by the findings. Parking: street parking. Not a great area, as it's right near the 405 freeway on-ramp, but just remember that loading zones are OK to park in, after 6pm. ;) read more

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Do you know what a "break" is? How about a "downbeat"? Interested in DJ-ing and being the next big turn table artist? Then Scratch DJ Academy is for you. The current trend in music is the rise of self-produced electronic beats and thus, DJ's are gaining more recognition. LA is obviously a mecca for music and therefore music schools are available in large masses. Scratch Academy is legit, and was co-created by the late great Jam Master Jay. Scratch is dedicated to not only teaching its students about this form of music art but also about helping the community by creating student-friendly events which help build the arts and confidence. I had the pleasure of sitting in briefly on a class and wow... in about 15 minutes, I already learned so much. The students were attentive and had the luxury of standing behind top-of-the line brand turntables to learn the art hands-on. The instructor was absolutely amazing to listen to. Clear, articulate, passionate, and obviously knew what he was talking about. He talked about music theory and stressed the importance of actually knowing music to be recognized as a "real artist", talked about beats, notes, and demonstrated how not to just "make noise" but put "your hands on the 7-oclock position and wait for the downbeat". He went around the room to make sure everyone learned the current exercise. I can't encompass in a review how great he was. He was better than many college professors I had. This is the real thing. Scratch doesn't' t just try to fit some new fad and make money; it honestly cares about its students. Not to mention, the actual venue is awesome. Looking like an underground graffiti garage or soundstage where that MTV show "Your Mama" could have been filmed; it instantly spawns the feelings of hip hop and beats (but this isn't just about hip hop-- some of the students were women, hipster boys with tattoos and piercings, and even Middle Eastern men). It's very important to have a good vibe to learn in and Scratch does just that. One negative though is that the street it's located on in West LA is somewhat industrial and not "pretty" and there is no parking so you have to park at meters. If you are interested in music production/DJ-ing and don't necessarily think you have the money for equipment or that you can teach yourself.. this is the route to go. I highly suggest it to anyone and everyone whom is truly dedicated to this art and career route. read more

Scratch DJ Academy - Class in session! - Specialty Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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What a cool place. Anyone interested in learning some basic DJ skills (and more than basic, too) should scratch their way up the academy. Though the surrounding area may seem a little, uh, industrial, don't be scared. Street parking is plentiful, and soon you'll be onto working your BPMs. Went for a birthday party, and it was a fun intro for a group willing to just go for it. All ages can do this (well, you should probably be at least 12, I suppose). The crew guiding you through indeed breaks it down so that you can get the hang of it pretty quickly. If you're at all musical or have rhythm, so much the better - but it's not a requirement. Really inventive venue to go with a group, or to just go get yourself some street cred. You will definitely get your smile on, regardless. read more

Very cool place! Instructors are easy going & take the time to answer students questions. My son who has a very hard time opening up did really well. He was able to push over some of his obstacles. Totally recommend this place! read more

I LOVE this place! I bring my kids here (10 and 12 year olds) and they love it too. Everyone is so very friendly - the DJ teachers are really great at teaching - they don't make you feel intimidated for not knowing anything. They're so encouraging and there's no "cooler than you" stuff. Just a really professional, welcoming vibe. i love the two teachers we've worked with so far (Michael and Stone Cold) - both were so great. The music that everyone is working on is really diverse too! I heard someone playing Perez Prado today - crazy! The spirit of Jam Master Jay and all his loving energy lives on! read more

Scratch DJ Academy - Specialty Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I got my husband a DJ lesson from Scratch DJ Academy for Christmas. He was surprised and excited about the gift. I wanted to find something unique and fun. He has never DJ'd before either, but he does love a lot of different kinds of music. FYI, parking is a pain in the butt here. I dropped him off and drove around for quite a while trying to find a parking spot. I lucked out and after about 20 or so minutes, found a spot right across the street. There are no parking lots you can park at. There is one across the street and down, but it is for a store and I was not wanting to get towed. I was able to park on the street with a meter. The DJ who taught him his lesson was DJ 4TIFY. I was able to sit in on the lesson and it was great to watch. He was a great teacher. There is definitely way way more to dj'ing than I thought. I never thought it would be easy, but it is way harder than I imaged. I definitely gained more respect for them and their craft. I definitely recommend this place! read more

As a recent graduate of the DJ certification program, I can truly say that Scratch exceeded my expectations. I initially started with one class but after seeing how much I learned over the course of 6 weeks I decided to enroll in the complete DJ certification program because I knew that by the time I finished, I would learn way more than if I continued teaching myself how to DJ. Not only are the instructors the kindest people you'll ever meet, their willingness to help goes beyond the classroom. You get one-on-one instruction and also after hours can go in to practice sessions to work on what you've learned. One of the best things about the school is the sense of community and camaraderie you get. The instructors really care about you and your development. I highly recommend anyone with an interest in djing or music production to check Scratch out. read more

Got a one hour private lesson as a birthday gift but thought to myself daaaaaamn it's all the way by Sepulvada & Pico??? And I'm coming from South OC! But I'm glad I got off my old ass & went down there. I've had several CDJ's & mixers but I really wanted to get the feel of "real" vinyl or at least some Serrato. To my liking, they had the real deal setup with real vinyl, Stanton Mixers & Numark tables. The instructor was really, really cool & although I'm 41 & grew up in the whole early hip hop scene it was actually nice to know that HE (being a good 15 years younger than me) knew his history. I'm SOOOOOO glad I wasn't being instructed by some year 2000 hip hop baby who knew nothing but Lil Wayne & thought people like Gucci Mane were gods. Anyway, we got right to it, no filler after the short history lesson. It was pretty basic "question & answer" style scratching with the instructor showing a scratch & then I had to copy it. Even though I knew most of the scratches I still had a blast & got an understanding about "dropping the beat on 1", 16 bars & stuff that really dove into what some BOURGEOIS traditional musicians would call "real music". Simply put if they had a OC chapter or mixing lab I'd definitely go to it! read more

This program is amazing. Ive been blessed with a chance to sit in with these guys, and even sessioned with their instructors and theyre pretty awesome. Ive showed their classes a few of the advanced scratching techniques during the release of the Innofader there as well. Good stuff...!!! Peace to REHAB, Dynamix, Happa, and Denkym...!!! read more

I moved to LA 2 years ago and barely knew anyone here until I started my DJ journey with Scratch DJ Academy. They have the best instructors and all the staffs are super friendly. I'm so glad to meet people who have the same interest and passion as me. We practice together and go out to support each other's gig. It's like a big family here. I graduated from the DJ program last summer and started to gig out, noticing that the stuffs that Scratch taught us are extremely useful and valuable. I highly recommend Scratch Academy if you want to learn how to DJ. They have supervised practice time almost everyday, so even though you don't have equipments at home you are still able to practice, and that is the only way to get better. I'm currently in the music production program right now, looking forward to release my very first EP by the end of the summer. I LOVE SCRATCH :) read more

Highly recommended for entry level DJs. I started learning DJ in January this year and joined Scratch for the certification course. Before coming here, I never knew what Turn Table means or What is a controller / mixer / traktor or even a vinyl or record. this was a complete new language to me. And now its been almost 5 months.. I am in my 4th class. I already have done 5-6 gigs.. I am extremely comfortable with mixing and now learning Scratching. They teach all the basics (including song structure, equipments etc.) and mixing in detail. In 4th and 5th class, you just need to perform on different theme (wedding / lounge / prime time club mix etc.) which gives a complete real time experience.. Hapa and Mr Choc, Vfresh and Ramses.. all are such good and friendly instructors. Open hours for practice. They also help you getting gigs in a street team after you finish the certification course. I love Scratch. Its one of my favorite places in LA. read more

Cool spot to take some DJ lessons. My sister and her fiance both took classes here. I got to visit here when I came for her final exam. The vibe is laid back and fun and everyone (staff and students) are really friendly. They have tons of equipment and the space is huge. I had a fun afternoon here. read more

Scratch DJ Academy - Gettin schooled in beats - Specialty Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I know a few people that work here and they are mos def keepin' it REAL when it comes to DJ'ing. I haven't been to the actual academy but I saw them puttin on a demo for peeps at the Beat Swap Meet shindig down in Chinatown this past weekend. They were definitely on ONE that day and I think that if you want to learn the art of turntablism, this is the spot for you. Go on, Get your Scratch on! read more

Like all the other reviews state, this is truly a unique place. My wife and I became DJ's from this place. We graduated the Boot Camp class back in the summer of 2008. DJ Matter was our instructor and he was very impressive with his knowledge, passion, teaching style and insight. We are looking forward to going back to learn some more advanced skills in the future. Rehab is cool place just to hang out and chill, talk music and network with those in the industry. Shouts out to HAPPA for taking us out to lunch on the last day and inviting along hip hop legend he Arabian Prince to join us! read more

Scratch DJ Academy - DJ Risty, Matter & DJ Budo - Specialty Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I moved to Los Angeles to further my DJ career, and to learn music production, and I could not be where I am today without Scratch. I have a huge group of people I consider family, a better ear for things in my mixes and remixes, and I can rock a crowd on almost any bit of equipment. I did the accelerated program when it first came out, and it was incredible. I was used to fast pace things and always working, but the teachers at Scratch will bring out a side of you that you never expected to see. All of the teachers are incredible and their experiences are always a blast to hear about and learn from. I would highly recommend this to any one that wants to get their DJ career kicked off. read more

From: DJ. Big Cousin（Ture'YE）this is the best DJ school ever in the United States, 1 of the best 2 in the world! #scratchLA

We had our sons 12 birthday party here with 14 of his friends. We were very impressed with the venue, instruction and the staffs help organization leading up to the event. The lead DJ instructor went over some basic music theory with the kids and along with the two other DJ instructors, everyone had a great time. The space allowed for us to bring our own food for the party and the kids all had their own equipment to use. It's not easy to keep 15 12 year olds engaged from 6pm to 9pm, but the staff at Scratch did it. Great time, exceptional staff, we couldn't have asked for more and our expectations were surpassed. We will be returning as our son would like to continue his DJ training. Thanks again Scratch DJ Academy!!! read more

I paid $8,000. Attended 4 weeks of the program and they kept my money and only offered credit for future use.

Scratch Academy throws the illest parties. You'll feel like you're in "Step Up 2: Take It To The Streets" in the best way possible. Dopest DJ's spinning the dopest music ALL night. read more

This place is awesome!! I learned so much in just 6 wks! And I'm so motivated to continue with their certification program! Ver5e and Mr Choc made class so much fun, their T.A's Mr. Mo, VFresh and Ramseys helped us throughout to build our skills and feel confident. During graduation, seeing the classes ahead of us, showed me that Scratch DJ Academy is the best place to learn! read more

This place is as good as it gets. The term DJ school may sound odd to many but this is much more then that. It is a family of DJs, who are connected and support one another to get better. Whether you want to focus on mobile DJing, battle DJing tour DJing or even club DJing maybe everything scratch has the people for it. Highly recommended to check this place out! read more

Scratch Academy LA started as a place for me to learn a new hobby and ended up being a huge part of my life. A year and a half later, the instructors, the TAs and the students have become good friends and I am still involved in several aspects of the school and more importantly, the Scratch LA community. This is an amazing place to learn basic DJ'ing skills, enhance self-taught skills and/or take your DJ'ing to the next level -- amazing group classes, one-on-one private lessons, digital workshops, free classes, student/family graduations, monthly parties featuring big time special guest DJs. Mr. Choc and Hapa have built an amazing environment at Scratch LA and if you are a lover of music (and I don't just mean hip-hop!) and the DJ culture, then I absolutely suggest checking out Scratch Academy. It's changed my life for the better and maybe it can do the same for you! =) read more

Scratch DJ Academy is definitely the place to learn how to DJ. I wouldn't be the DJ I am--or a DJ for that matter--if it weren't for Scratch. I had zero experience in DJing nor did I know how to operate one upon my initial arrival at Scratch in which I took a free class that introduced me to what the DJing is and the culture behind it. The programs and classes at Scratch truly breakdown every entity of what it takes to be a DJ whether it be the exposure to the culture, equipment howto's, skill set, troubleshooting etc. What I think makes Scratch DJ Academy, LA unique is that there are opportunities for a student to grow at their own pace while also being challenged. The private lessons at Scratch are customized to a student's skillset and learning desires and was helpful in my development while the classes allowed me to work with fellow DJs in team and individual settings. read more

I started taking classes about a year ago and havent looked back since. I opted for the group lessons but private lessons are available. They also offer open practice sessions during the day and all equipment is provided whether you are a current student or not. They started me out on vinyl to learn the fundamentals. After I felt comfortable enough, I chose to move onto a digital format. The community they've created here is very welcoming. The instructors, TA's AND students are all genuinely interested in helping me reach my goals which keeps me coming back. I love this place! read more

I found Scratch Academy 2 years ago, and it has been a life changing experience. I came in knowing very little about turntables, but with a love of music, and an eagerness to learn. After 2 sections, they had me mixing, and recording, a 6 song set. Through the Advanced Mixing classes, I got some great experience in troubleshooting, and a taste of what its like to play actual gigs. After 2 years, I have begun to establish myself as a working DJ. The thing that surprised me the most, was the community of DJ's that are involved with, and support the school. What an amazing group of people! I have made friends, and met some very inspiring people. I've also been able to meet some of the great DJ's that support Scratch. Z-Trip, Rhettmatic, Mikiwar, Tina-T, Mr. Choc, Warrior, Cheapshot, Arabian Prince, Reflex, E-Man, Spider, Jayceeoh, Miles Medina, amongst others. I would definitely recommend this school for anyone, of any age, or musical background. The classes are fun, and certainly challenging. They provide a supportive environment for learning, and will help with any issues you encounter while you are in classes, or after you graduate. Much Love to all the Scratch Family!! read more

I went to a free intro-class that a friend told me about. The staff is very friendly, and the class was very helpful. I basically signed up for my first semester the same day. I would recommend Scratch for anyone who has a desire to DJ... Did mention there is a free intro-class anyone can sign up for. If your interested in being a DJ, you should defiantly check out Scratch read more

Scratch academy is awesome and even though I haven't been back in while I did get to meet and learn from a lot of really talented people. I would recommend it and as ridiculous as it sounds, I did learn how to count from them. read more

Jam Master Jay would be proud of what Scratch Dj Academy has developed into, A place for the DJ to be himself and learn the craft the way it was meant to be learned. I came into Scratch LA with a couple a years of self taught experience under my belt and within a couple of months of signing up for classes I grew leaps and bounds as a DJ and accomplished more in the couple of months at Scratch than what I had done the previous years on my own. The staff and students there are some of the coolest people you will ever meet, the community here is awesome almost felt like I reached Dj Utopia! lol If you are serious about becoming a Dj this is the place to be, forget any other Dj schools, DVD tutorial or books (although those are good supplements) Scratch Dj Academy is where you should be at. Whether you have no clue about being a Dj or you have some experience like I did, you cant go wrong by becoming a part of this unique, one of a kind dj community that just seems to keep growing... read more

My sister bought me a groupon for a 1 hour session and a vinyl spin art; it ended up being about 45 min and no spin art. Other than that, the instructor was friendly and the place was fun. read more

greatest place in la! i'm so grateful for this school! #scratch fam

I love Scratch DJ Academy and everyone that works there. I am proud to say I am a Certified Scratch Academy DJ! I now have corporate clients including ABC, DISNEY and FREEFORM. I have been a working DJ right after I graduated! Everyone comments that they can really see I have been trained. I am 13 years old! I now am going to take their production classes and can't wait. I love the SCRATCH FAM! read more

If you want to learn what it really means and takes to be a good DJ....THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!I researched dj classes online and www.scratch.com was the first thing to come up.You can find all the information there as far as price wise and a good explanation of how long each course is and the cost of the courses,and also they have private courses available.But what you wont find is how amazing this place is,filled with many students who all share the passion for music and the wanting to learn to DJ this place is very much a community of its own.Great instructors,students and an overall great feeling that this place is THE PLACE TO LEARN.They have many setups for you to practice during certain hours and have great learning structure by teaching you the basics all the way up to the advanced courses which if you take them 101 to the 505 will take you about a Year to complete.I am a graduate from their and never would have imagined that this school would change my life and changed my view of what it really does take to DJ a party,club or anywhere music is wanted and needed.Act quickly though as classes do fill up fast and i recommend the group courses because you get to really bond with your peers and watch eachother grow throughout the process. read more

I am a Dj from small country in Europe that's called Latvia. I realy wanted to be the best in Dj-ing, I was checking Internet and I found Scratch DJ Academy. I picked LA and I came here couple of years ago, because of many different reasons, and I am glad that I did it. I read that Scratch DJ Academy LA is a leader in Dj education and that is true. It was created in New York by true leader in Dj world Jam Master Jay from Run DMC, and it was brought to LA by DJ HAPA. Dj HAPA has created amazing crew, each member of this crew is profesional dj. Each one of them will share their knoledge and experience with you. All the members of Scratch DJ Academy LA are my dear friends now. We meet every week, we share and we hang out together. Scratch DJ Academy LA is like a family, and it is perfect place to learn how to DJ, find friends with similar interests and just hang out. There is no other place like Scratch DJ Academy LA. Thank you, everybody in Scratch DJ Academy LA crew. read more