The Art Of DJing
The mandate of downtown Toronto's Off Centre DJ School is simple: have fun with records! We strive to find new ways to teach and creatively express ourselves by playing with sound. At OC we emphasize the roots of DJ culture: vinyl, two turntables, and a mixer. By focussing on the turntable as an instrument, creating music with turntables can take on a completely different shape. While the art of DJing and Scratching has often been clouded by gimmicks, competition, and commercialism, we bring to the learning environment the school of thought that the DJ is a musician playing an instrument of personal expression called the turntable.
Summer Camp Registration Now Open!
News
2010 Beats, Breaks, Culture: DJ Workshop
For one of several stops this summer, Off Centre is taking the DJ classroom on the road with our public workshop series! Celebrating their 7th year of cutting edge local and international icons we'll be joining the Break, Beats, and Culture Festival for workshops on Saturday July 10th and 11th at 4pm and 2:30pm...and it's all FREE!
OCDJ Video Feature by UGS Magazine...
Check out exclusive footage of classes in session as Off Centre's founder Steptone breaks down the who's, what's, where's, and how's of the DJ school. He also describes the rich character of vinyl and its surrounding culture vs. the inevitably watered down versions of DJing which come with the digital form.
Olympic DJ! Video Feature by Brian Coughlin
Looking for the perfect present? Look no further!...with a few simple mouse clicks make anyone on your list happy with DJ Lessons at Off Centre.
"Spring Break on the one's and two's" 24 hours Article
- Taking place March 16th - 20th, this five day program is designed to engage the imagination of students from all musical backgrounds. This course is for the beginner who has little to no experience on the turntables. The main focus = developing hand skills, basic music theory, and experimenting with different ways of playing with sound on the turntables. We'll have you beat matching by the end of the week! Click here for more info...
Saturday scratch sessions...back, back again and in full stride! Once a month on Saturdays the ones known as Steptone & Professor Fingers (iNSiDEaMiND) host a little something called the Open Scratch Sessions @ Off Centre DJ School.. Click here for more info.
"Setting the Record Straight " Ruckus Magazine Article
- Tony Cushman of Ruckus Magazine stepped inside Off Centre and witnessed DJ classes come to life as the modern day piano lesson...with edge!
Click here for the full article....
