Detroit Gives a New Spin to DJ Classes
Detroit, a city known for its profound musical history, is continuing to shape its future stars by instructional classes for music. Ron “DJ Jungle 313” Johnson is leading the way, providing a fresh perspective on DJ’ing at Spin Inc. in Detroit’s Albeku-lan Village.
While today’s generation mostly uses software to create music, Johnson focuses on traditional DJ techniques using turntables, offering a slice of history to the youth. One such enthusiast is Jeremiah Grady, better known as DJ Arizona, a 17-year-old who’s impressively created 115 songs across 16 albums.
The DJ 101 Course is not just about honing DJ’ing skills, it aims at inspiring the young generation to promote positivity through music. Thanks to a grant from POP Solutions, a local non-profit organization, these classes can be attended for free by students across Metro Detroit from February to September.
The classes are not just restricted to turntables; students also learn new software and techniques. Grady, for example, learnt to handles push pads and music software Ableton under Johnson’s tutelage.
In an interesting turn of events, Kevin Bell, known as “DJ Head” who happened to work with iconic figures like Eminem, graced one of the classes. Bell shared his experiences and even interacted with the students, encouraging them to pursue their creativity.
Johnson’s persistence and passion are clearly paying off as Grady’s progression clearly reflects. He is even considering a career in music after graduating high school. “I would like to be a DJ someday, just producing music for the whole world to enjoy”, said Grady on his future aspirations.
Undoubtedly, Johnson’s DJ classes are not only bringing a new wave in Detroit’s music scene but are also sowing the seeds of positivity. His approach in keeping a balance of tradition and modern techniques gives youths a rich insight into music creation.
