DJ's Complete Guide

Host Sarah Coombes walks viewers through the fundamentals of the increasingly fashionable pastime of DJ-ing in this British-produced primer on picking and purchasing equipment (divided into three classes--beginner, intermediate, and professional DJs), getting started (with basics like turntables, mixers, amps, and speed controls), and choosing and cueing your music. Viewers will learn mixing tactics (when going between two decks) such as chop, break, running and cross mixing, and are given pointers on building up record (vinyl) collections, utilizing the Internet and DJ magazines for tunes, contacts and exposure, and getting gigs. Combining interviews with a variety of insiders (including an instructor from the Academy of Contemporary Music, equipment store employees, magazine staffers and expert DJs) with helpful graphics, demos, and solid explanations, the program looks at current technology (such as mixing with CDs, MP3s and minidisks), and offers more advanced tricks using equalizers, faders, phasing and scratching. A nicely detailed, well-presented, thorough overview of the subject, this is highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include segments on being a female DJ, radio DJ, or mobile DJ, and playing in clubs.] Aud: H, P. (J. Williams)