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Scratch DJ Academy

Learn how to DJ, scratch, mix, and work on music production.

Hosted by Scratch DJ Academy, our newest hands-on course encourages middle and high school students to learn DJing, scratching, mixing, and music production using professional industry tools.

Contents

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ABOUT SCRATCH DJ ACADEMY

Founded in 2002 by Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, Scratch DJ Academy has taught over 500,000 aspiring DJs and music makers worldwide.


EXPLORE OUR CURRICULUM

What Students Will Learn


Through our program, students will explore a weekly rotation of live mixing, scratching, transitions, and performance on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, while focusing on beat creation, arranging, and sound design on Thursday.

DJ Skills


  • Scratching techniques (Baby, Scribble, Release, Drag)
  • Beatmatching & blending
  • Phrase mixing & song structure
  • Crate building & set preparation

Music & Technology


  • MP3 vs WAV fundamentals
  • Music as digital data (connection to computer science)
  • Time-stretching without pitch change
  • Library organization in Serato

Production Tools


  • Serato DJ Pro (industry standard)
  • Serato Studio
  • FL Studio
  • BandLab

Course Breakdown


Our 65-minute class flow focuses on both DJing and music production, providing a balanced mix of technical instruction and hands-on practice.


  • Connect controllers (DDJ-REV1)
  • Log in to Serato DJ Pro
  • Load tracks & begin mixing

  • Learn to find the “1”
  • Cue points
  • BPM control & pitch adjustments

  • Tapping & pushing jog wheels
  • Instructor demo on smartboard/controller

  • Hands-on mixing & scratching
  • Individual coaching

  • Q&A
  • Music discovery guidance
  • Assignment review

Semester Learning Objectives


  • Beatmatching & smooth transitions
  •  Scratching techniques mastery
  • Phrase mixing (16 & 32 bar structure)
  •  Dropping on the 1 (perfect timing)
  • Crate building for DJ sets
  • DJ history (Jam Master Jay & Hip Hop origins)

Professional DJ Setup


  • DDJ-REV1 Controller
  • Serato DJ Pro Software
  • Studio-based learning environment
  • Headphones + mixing monitors

Student Outcomes



By the End of the Year


  • Students perform 10–15 minute DJ sets
  • Perform at school events (CPCS model inspiration)
  • Earn Level 1 DJ Intro Certificate
  • Pathway to internships at Scratch DJ Academy (Brooklyn)

Beyond the Classroom


  • High school & college internship opportunities
  • Partnership pipeline with CPCS schools in Bed-Stuy
  • Long-term creative career development
  • Real-world DJ & production experience

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