Hidden away in Jack Walter’s basement is a treasure trove of vinyl records and audio equipment during a youth spent scratching and remixing through house parties and the techno scene. In this episode of 5 to 9, Jack discusses how he keeps his DJing days alive despite his workload as an engineering leader, and how you too can get started spinning vinyl and dropping beats the old-school way.

Highlights:

• One: The Evolution of a DJ: Jack shares his journey from listening to Hip Hop to spinning records at house parties and clubs.
• Two: Check the Technique: Jack explains how beat matching forms the backbone of any live DJ gig.
• Three: From Analogue to Digital: Jack traces the shift from traditional vinyl records to the integration of digital tools, highlighting the game-changing technology that has revolutionized DJing.
• Four: Keep Spinning: Jack shares an honest glimpse into the DJ lifestyle and how it intertwines (to varying degrees of success) with the demands of daily life.
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Jump Into the Conversation:

[03:15] Exploring diverse music genres with big speakers. 
[10:31] Hip hop DJs use two turntables for mixing. 
[20:12] Late nights making music and grinding out demos. 
[26:02] Exploring music genres leads to cool places.