I started DJing in the mid 90s. During the golden age of hip-hop. Guys like jam master J jazzy Jeff and even Funk Master Flex were my inspiration so I learned to scratch, but I never overdid it. I was always a hip-hop DJ primarily, but I also played club dance house, rock mashups , reggae everything throughout the night. What would be considered an open format Dj these days when I started it was just calledDJing. However, I had a partner that was an over scratcher. And I noticed by reading the crowd that it actually ruined the night more than it helped. So through the years I found that the best type of DJ doesn’t take that much away from the music as it was recorded. So blend DJs with maybe a clean baby scratch into a blend to me is the cleanest best way to Dj. After 30 years of DJing, the one thing I know is that the music is more important than anything. If you play the right stuff, you get all the compliments.
This was my thinking as well…I feel the same way when DJ’s don’t let a hit record play more than 30 seconds…or play too many mashup remixes. When I hear a familiar beat I want to hear that song…or when that song is on, I want to hear it for longer than 30-45 seconds. Just my thought. Great insight man.
I started DJing 40 years ago. I've learned that there is a time to scratch and a time to not scratch. It's just that simple. If you haven't figured it out yet, you don't yet know what it means to be a DJ.
⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡ 00:00 Intro 02:57 Should DJs scratch? 05:11 Scratching is "DJing" 07:43 Two types of scratch DJ 12:06 New course with DJ Jazzy Jeff 16:48 Global DJ Census giveaway winners 26:54 DJ community chat DJ Jazzy Jeff's Scratch Skills Masterclass: djtips.co/jazzyjeff
I do like scratching but i couldn't do it nicely so i just stuck with selecting and blending. I like to hear scratches in mixes but not excessively. Jazzy Jeff is a Pioneer in the scratching. Another good DJ for scratching is the DJ Mel Star.
Hey Phill happy belated birthday 🎂 🎉but listening to you talk about scratching reminds me about my Jamaican roots where sound clash is a dj sport where djs play against each other to see who gets the best reaction from the crowd and I think it’s big in tha uk too👍
Was intending to learn scratching during lockdown but went jogless. As a progressive and psytrance dj I think it would be cool to bust out the scratching skills should the moment call for it.
I already have the first Jazzy Jeff course and Steve’s course scratching for controller DJ’s. I probably don’t need the new Jazzy Jeff course, but I’m a huge DDJT fan boy so the question is will I learn new stuff or get something out of the new course?
Hi Phil - HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY 🎉 and congrats to the winners. Please could you post the link to the pre registration for Jazzy Jeff’s new course. Can’t seem to get the link you showed in the vid to work. Thanks so much.
In the house scene, I enjoyed Bad Boy Bill, he focused on track selection with the music telling the story and sprinkled a scratch in here and there..what’s crazy is DJs these days have main character syndrome and think their presence trumps the music and they couldn’t be more wrong…learn to transition smooth and focus on playing really good tracks
I think scratching could be okay if it's done sparingly and used used to transition.. I have heard it used like that before in mixing pop/rock/hip hop, etc.. Me personally, it's not my thing because I'm not much into hip-hop and crossover DJing. Just one format and sub-genre of said format for me
how do you access the digital dj lab? ive never seen a signup for it, not even when i log into my account. i have several of your classes (they are awesome) but want to check out the content in the lab, thanks phil.
Dondogs have fleas? Most do and hell yeah DJ's should scratch.......well the ones that know how and now how/and when to incorporate it into their set. If you k now then give the DJ a dose of fleas, let the needle hit the record (old skool)and scratch away!!!!!!
Good topic Phil - Happy Birthday. Regardless of liking it or not, if you are doing it physically on vinyl, you might as well take a hammer and chisel to the material. My record collection is too valuable to ever employ the technique which causes much damage. BTW: I agree with you -it Sux👍👍👍👍👍
It's the deal you make with your record as a hip hop DJ, right from the off. Jeff has one of the two copies of Chic's "Good Times" that Grandmaster Flash used on "The Message" framed and hanging in his studio (we have a video about it in the new course), a gift from GMF to Jeff. It is battered! But of course, nowadays, you use DVS/digital files.
@ yes I’ve heard lots of hip hop. Scratching really just doesn’t appeal to me. I think beat juggling is cool though… taking two copies of a song & rearranging them to create something new, so good!
@lustforlow-end6022 Well, what we call beat juggling was created by hip-hop DJs. I always say that DJing is like jazz musicians. Some people like Kenny G and Miles Davis, while others like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. There's no wrong answer. Just play for your audience.
I started DJing in the mid 90s. During the golden age of hip-hop. Guys like jam master J jazzy Jeff and even Funk Master Flex were my inspiration so I learned to scratch, but I never overdid it. I was always a hip-hop DJ primarily, but I also played club dance house, rock mashups , reggae everything throughout the night. What would be considered an open format Dj these days when I started it was just calledDJing. However, I had a partner that was an over scratcher. And I noticed by reading the crowd that it actually ruined the night more than it helped. So through the years I found that the best type of DJ doesn’t take that much away from the music as it was recorded. So blend DJs with maybe a clean baby scratch into a blend to me is the cleanest best way to Dj. After 30 years of DJing, the one thing I know is that the music is more important than anything. If you play the right stuff, you get all the compliments.
This was my thinking as well…I feel the same way when DJ’s don’t let a hit record play more than 30 seconds…or play too many mashup remixes. When I hear a familiar beat I want to hear that song…or when that song is on, I want to hear it for longer than 30-45 seconds. Just my thought. Great insight man.
Thanks for sharing this, and you're right of course. Playing to the crowd is at the heart of DJing.
To me, a DJ will play to the crowd such as parties and clubs. Turntablists do more of the scratches for battles and showcasing their skills.
Oh my, AZ dropped to Finland!!! Congrats for all the winners 🎉🎉
This is dj Sammy light congratulations to all the winners 🎉I'm happy looking to dj on the
New cdj controller
Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉🍾
Congratulations!🎉😊
Appreciate it!
Congrats to the winners.
Happy Birthday, Phil! Thank you so much for your effort, commitment and just being you, one of the most authentic faces in the DJ Community!!
Wow, thank you!
@digitaldjtips Happy birthday Phil...and have a blessed year ahead and awesome 2025. 🤝🏻🥂🕺
Congrats winners !!
Congrats to the winners
Love this i learn a lot of this
Great!
I think the best prize was the access all areas to Digital DJ Tips courses!!! I would love that! What an awesome prize!
Yes it was!
Good tutorial for even for the flx4
I started DJing 40 years ago. I've learned that there is a time to scratch and a time to not scratch. It's just that simple. If you haven't figured it out yet, you don't yet know what it means to be a DJ.
Congrats to the winners! Hope our census will help will pave the way to the future of the DJ community!
It is always eagerly awaited by the community, so yeah, hopefully it will!
Congratulations to the winners. Enjoy. Thank you DDT.
👍
⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡
00:00 Intro
02:57 Should DJs scratch?
05:11 Scratching is "DJing"
07:43 Two types of scratch DJ
12:06 New course with DJ Jazzy Jeff
16:48 Global DJ Census giveaway winners
26:54 DJ community chat
DJ Jazzy Jeff's Scratch Skills Masterclass: djtips.co/jazzyjeff
Congrats everyone!
👍
I do like scratching but i couldn't do it nicely so i just stuck with selecting and blending. I like to hear scratches in mixes but not excessively. Jazzy Jeff is a Pioneer in the scratching. Another good DJ for scratching is the DJ Mel Star.
It is an art form in itself, for sure.
Hey Phill happy belated birthday 🎂 🎉but listening to you talk about scratching reminds me about my Jamaican roots where sound clash is a dj sport where djs play against each other to see who gets the best reaction from the crowd and I think it’s big in tha uk too👍
Yeah, I have a book on reggae in the 70s that talks about this, too.
Happy belated birthday Phil
Thanks!
Happy birthday sir phil ❤️
Thanks Hans!
Was intending to learn scratching during lockdown but went jogless. As a progressive and psytrance dj I think it would be cool to bust out the scratching skills should the moment call for it.
As I said in the video, I know a successful trance DJ who does just that.
Happy birthday Phil 🎉
Ah, thanks Jay
I already have the first Jazzy Jeff course and Steve’s course scratching for controller DJ’s. I probably don’t need the new Jazzy Jeff course, but I’m a huge DDJT fan boy so the question is will I learn new stuff or get something out of the new course?
You will. It has a specific formula and pathway in it to scratch like Jeff with a set of revelations/teaching points that are brand new.
Hi Phil - HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY 🎉 and congrats to the winners. Please could you post the link to the pre registration for Jazzy Jeff’s new course. Can’t seem to get the link you showed in the vid to work. Thanks so much.
djtips.co/jazzyjeff
Thank you so much. 🙌
May we access a sample lecture of the new course taught by Jessie?
At some point, yes - keep an eye out for the presentation when we launch it
Damn it - I guess I'm going to have to pay for my AZ 💸
Sorry!
Congratulations to the winners!
Thanks
I thought you had advised not to use wireless speakers and headphones due to the delay?
Bluetooth should be avoided, but there are other wireless options (like SonicLink, as used here by AlphaTheta).
In the house scene, I enjoyed Bad Boy Bill, he focused on track selection with the music telling the story and sprinkled a scratch in here and there..what’s crazy is DJs these days have main character syndrome and think their presence trumps the music and they couldn’t be more wrong…learn to transition smooth and focus on playing really good tracks
I think scratching could be okay if it's done sparingly and used used to transition.. I have heard it used like that before in mixing pop/rock/hip hop, etc.. Me personally, it's not my thing because I'm not much into hip-hop and crossover DJing. Just one format and sub-genre of said format for me
Hey, no worries thanks for sharing your thoughts.
You should exhibit any skill you have you can do tastefully. Lots of people out there doing it, who don’t do it well. Ex: That New Jersey Shore guy
Exactly, it's when people don't do things well, that almost universally no one's going to like it.
No air horns! :-D
Ha!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Happy Birthday Phil
Thank you
hi phil
how do you access the digital dj lab? ive never seen a signup for it, not even when i log into my account. i have several of your classes (they are awesome) but want to check out the content in the lab, thanks phil.
take a look here: djtips.co/lab
gran'ma' :))))
hi everyone
Dondogs have fleas? Most do and hell yeah DJ's should scratch.......well the ones that know how and now how/and when to incorporate it into their set. If you k now then give the DJ a dose of fleas, let the needle hit the record (old skool)and scratch away!!!!!!
Er, right?
NO! It usually sounds like bunk. Just let us dance.
lol said the dj who sucks at scratching
V v v v very rarely
Yes, and there’s a fantastic max for live device you can do it with 😂 stay curious 🤙🏽🖤🔊
Good topic Phil - Happy Birthday. Regardless of liking it or not, if you are doing it physically on vinyl, you might as well take a hammer and chisel to the material. My record collection is too valuable to ever employ the technique which causes much damage. BTW: I agree with you -it Sux👍👍👍👍👍
It's the deal you make with your record as a hip hop DJ, right from the off. Jeff has one of the two copies of Chic's "Good Times" that Grandmaster Flash used on "The Message" framed and hanging in his studio (we have a video about it in the new course), a gift from GMF to Jeff. It is battered! But of course, nowadays, you use DVS/digital files.
Congrats to the winners! Make the moments!
Thanks :)
I don’t know how anyone can actually enjoy the sound of a record being scratched… I think it sounds awful! It’s so un-appealing 😫
Have you listened to any DJ Jazzy Jeff sets?
@ yes I’ve heard lots of hip hop. Scratching really just doesn’t appeal to me. I think beat juggling is cool though… taking two copies of a song & rearranging them to create something new, so good!
@lustforlow-end6022 Well, what we call beat juggling was created by hip-hop DJs. I always say that DJing is like jazz musicians. Some people like Kenny G and Miles Davis, while others like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. There's no wrong answer. Just play for your audience.
@jeffsullivan4150 “there’s no wrong answer”, yeah I love that! Peace ✌️
ruclips.net/user/shortsWn7LOlGOxuY She kills it scratching to busta rhymes! its a skill
It is a skill!
Happy Birthday Phil
Thanks :)