Think like a DJ: Rethinking Music Education

Eric Jao Professional DJ | Founder of Mix Major | Co-Creator of the Electronic Music ELEMENTS Curriculum | K-8 Electronic Music Production Teacher

In 2016, I had over two decades of DJ experience, but was just one year into teaching music production to K-12.  I was brought in to teach a semester-long class to 10 middle schoolers.  Minutes into that first class, I realized: teaching is just like DJing.

Four kids on my right understand every word I’m saying.  They’re just fine.  The three kids in the middle understand a little too much, and they’re bored.  The other four kids don’t understand anything I just said, and they’re a little frustrated.

How do I keep them all engaged when they all need different things?  I’d been keeping party goers engaged on dance floors for years.  That was the moment I started thinking like a DJ in the classroom.

So what does “thinking like a DJ” mean?  It’s not about turntables, scratching, or beatmatching.  It’s about empathy, audience awareness and emotional intelligence.

In a music production classroom, this mindset shows up in three ways:

Awareness: Reading the room and adapting in the moment.

Start with the listener: Understanding music’s emotional impact before making creative decisions.

Teaching through music they love: Knowing your audience and meeting them where they are.

Awareness

DJs know how to read the room and adapt. I recently started teaching a grade 5 and 6 music production elective.  On the first day, I felt like I nailed it. The kids loved it.  Two days later, we were reviewing.  “Who can tell me music’s four main ingredients?” I asked.  Question after question, the same 3-4 kids raised their hands.  I could feel the rest of the room checking out.

So I thought like a DJ and adapted.  The next day, we turned the review into a game show (click here to watch).  Suddenly, the kids who rarely participated were eager to compete.  The energy shifted.  More hands went up.  More voices were heard.  Confidence grew.

Thinking like a DJ in the classroom means paying attention to energy and being willing to pivot.

Start with the listener

Thinking like a DJ means understanding the emotional impact of music.  DJs understand what a song does to the audience.

When teaching music production, have your students start there. Who is it for? What should they feel?

Once that’s clear, genre, tempo, and sound choices fall into place. The process becomes intentional and the quality of the music goes up.

Here’s an example of a 15 year old student.  She was going for “nostalgia”.  I think she nailed it.

Teaching through music they love

Thinking like a DJ means connecting through music the audience loves.  Good DJs play for the crowd.  They know what they want and when they want it.  They’re constantly thinking about the audience and meeting them where they are so they can guide them somewhere new.

Teachers can do the same.  On day one, ask your students what they listen to. What do they love, and why?  If you don’t recognize the song and artist, write it down, and listen later.  Give them an open invitation to share their favorites with you. 

When students see you take their music seriously, they notice and they connect.

Then build your lessons around it.  Here are two activities you can try:

Class Remix

●      Pick a song you know they love and download the acapella.

●      As a class, have volunteers create drums, chords, bass, and melodies in the same key and tempo as the song.

●      Once they are done, layer the acapella on top.

●      Watch their faces light up.

●      See this in action here

Chord Swap

●      Pick a song you know they love and download the acapella

●      Play the acapella while changing the chord progression.  For example, all major chords feel happy. All minor chords feel sad.

●      You can do this with Soundtrap’s chord triggers, or using the Shedthemusic’s Chord Palette tool.

●      See this in action here

Thinking like a DJ is a key part of Electronic Music ELEMENTS, a grade 4-12 music production curriculum I’ve created with Bob Habersat.  Our goal is to give every student the opportunity to create music they love, regardless of prior musical training. 

If you’re curious about this approach, we offer free professional development.  And if you’d like to try ELEMENTS with your students, we’ll set you up with a free pilot for the rest of the Spring 2026 semester.  Just email kris@shedthemusic.com.

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As a DJ and musician, Eric Jao, also known as DJ Enferno, has performed for more than 3 million people across 36 countries. He toured with Madonna as her DJ and programmer, collaborating with her and the Music Director to develop music for the 2008 Sticky & Sweet World Tour. He has also remixed Linkin Park and created music for the ONE show by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas.

Eric is the Founder of Mix Major, an electronic music school for kids and teens, and the co-creator of the Electronic Music ELEMENTS curriculum for grades 4–12. He teaches in-school K-8 electronic music production programs, including schoolwide music technology assemblies.  For more info, visit https://www.mix-major.com.