In Münster, DJ Mike Sugar offers a DJ workshop especially for people over 50. The DJ, who has been active for 40 years, wants to introduce his own generation to DJing.
WDR dedicates an article to all the fun. The participants in the eighth round of workshops there have already completed a beginners course and now want to deepen their knowledge. Mike Sugar, real name Michael Knüfer, has been DJing for four decades and has been training DJs for almost as long.
He used to work with vinyl, today he works with mixing consoles. He also regularly organizes over-50s parties in Münster. The idea for a workshop especially for boomers came from the experience that technical basics are apparently easier to teach from people of the same age.
“Going to a course with a 25-year-old super DJ makes no sense for a 60-year-old,” explains Knüfer. However, there is a need for a person of the same age who imparts the knowledge.
In the WDR article, several people take part in the workshop. One of them is Michael Waskönig. He has already created his own sets using programs and now wants to take the next step: "But at some point I wanted to start turning buttons. That's why it fascinates me." For him, DJing should also serve as preparation for private parties.
One of the basics of the workshop is correct counting. The participants count together and out loud. Even if this can be uncomfortable at first, for Mike Sugar it is a prerequisite for later switching smoothly from one song to the next.
According to WDR, the older participants benefit from a special experience: decades of listening to music have trained their hearing. This can make it particularly easier to mix pop songs, as they often have a similar structure.
Despite this, DJing remains a technical challenge. “It takes a lot of concentration. And I really imagined it would be easier,” says participant Sabine Bühler. At the same time, she has developed a greater appreciation for the work of DJs.
In his workshops, Mike Sugar focuses above all on the fun of DJing. As soon as a transition works, we celebrate together. According to his own experience, after three hours and three mixed songs, he expects one of two results from the participants: either they doubt the quality of DJs - or they develop respect for their work.
He would prefer it even more if the participants themselves stood behind the mixing desk. His wish is therefore to have his own event where his DJ newcomers can play together with other beginners.
Source: WDR
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The article Workshop should make “Boomers” better DJs was published on FAZEmag.