DJing: A Technical Introduction

In this course students will learn the technical craft of DJing as a form of Black technological innovation. We will learn how Black DJs transformed recorded sound and playback equipment into tools for live musical creation and engage with Black cultural production through hands-on instruction in digital music organization, beatmatching, cueing, transitions, and set construction. Workshops and collaborative practice sessions will help students build their own music libraries as they develop the listening skills and technical fluency necessary to perform a live DJ set. Working individually and in small groups, we will curate playlists, practice mixing on professional DJ equipment, and construct musical narratives for dance audiences. We will also explore crowd dynamics, energy management, and performance strategies and end with a student-organized party featuring live DJ sets. (Not open to students who have completed MUSC 1033.)



DJ Serena Kim was one of the first female club DJs in New York City in the 1990s. She has rocked the dance floor at legendary dance clubs and held a two-night residency at Veruka, where she DJed for the Yankee’s 1999 World Series celebration party. She has DJ’ed alongside Mark Ronson, Q-Tip, and Kool Herc. In addition, DJ Serena Kim served as features editor for Vibe magazine and has been a prolific music journalist with publication credits in nearly every hip-hop magazine, as well as the LA Times, the Washington Post, and many others.