Wax Murdaraz Professional DJ Skool teaches classes in beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. For questions and/or enrollment, call  (314) 570-6955 or e-mail waxmurdaraz@hotmail.com

Wax Murdaraz 36 DJ Weapon Theory

There are certain weapons that every Hip-Hop DJ must possess in order to be successful in his/her craft. The following 36 weapons make up a complete arsenal according to Wax Murdaraz Professional DJ Skool. Make note that it is not necessary for a DJ to have all 36 weapons in order to be a dominant force. In fact, many DJs who possess less weapons than other DJs may have advanced further within the Hip-Hop community in terms of success due to how well they’ve mastered their limited amount of weaponry. Weapons are defined in categories of knowledge, tool ownership, technical skills, and achievement/experience. Points are applied to a deejays’s arsenal for every weapon he/she currently possesses in order to calculate the amount of raw power he/she controls behind the decks.  There are certain weapons that every Hip-Hop DJ must possess in order to be successful in his/her craft. The following 36 weapons make up a complete arsenal according to Wax Murdaraz professional DJ Skool. Make note that it is not necessary for a DJ to have all 36 weapons in order to be a dominant force. In fact, many deejays who possess less weapons than other deejays may have advanced further within the Hip-Hop community in terms of success due to how well they’ve mastered their limited amount of weaponry. Weapons are defined in categories of knowledge, tool ownership, technical skills, and achievement/experience. Points are applied to a DJ’s arsenal for every weapon he/she currently possesses in order to calculate the amount of raw power he/she controls behind the decks.

Knowledge

• 1. Self Awareness – Individuals must build off of a foundation and discover why they want to perform the art in the first place.
  (1 Point)
• 2. Hip-Hop DJ Knowledge – Individuals must acquire an adequate degree of knowledge concerning the art of Hip-Hop deejaying past, present and future. Hip-Hop ddejaying is a style of deejaying that is not restricted to spinning rap recordings.
  (1 Point)
• 3. Equipment Knowledge – Individuals must acquire an adequate degree of knowledge concerning DJ equipment and it’s proper connection.
  (1 Point)

Tool Ownership

• 4. Record Collection – Despite the invention of digital vinyl emulation software (i.e. Serato, Traktor, etc.) and scratchable CD equipment, true Hip-Hop DJs own a collection of vinyl.
  Over a crateful
  (1/2 Point)
  Over 1000 pieces of wax
  (1 Point)
• 5. Equipment – There are various reasons as to why individuals deejay, but a serious DJ at minimal, should own his/her own turntables, mixer, headphones, needles, slipmats, and home sound system.
  (1 Point)

Technical Skills

• 6. Needle Dropping and Clocking – One must develop skills in rapid needle placement and watching record label marks.
  (1 Point)
• 7. Rhythmic Timing – One must learn to count bars and release a record’s spin by hand on beat.
  (1 Point)
• 8. Pitching – DJs must learn to pitch one record’s tempo to match another record’s tempo. Listening is crucial at this stage.
  (1 Point)
• 9. Record-To-Record Beatmatching – One must pitch and match tempos quickly (within the length of a song), mixing one record into another (for at least 4 bars) without a single song ending due to slow pitching skills.
  (1 Point)
• 10. Blending – DJs must master beatmatching to a high level of precision so that one record’s tempo is simultaneously playing with another’s for an extended amount of time (usually 16 bars or more) combining vocal, instrumental, or accapella songs together.
  (1 Point)
• 11. Chasing – DJs must learn to play two copies of the same record simultaneously with one copy following slightly behind the first. The crossfader is then used to cut the sound of one record off and on at will.
  (1 Point)
• 12. Basic Scratching – Many DJs can perform at least 3-4 basic scratches cleanly in repetition…
  (1/2 Point)
  Others can perform more than that.
  (1 Point)
  Examples of basic scratches are baby, forward, reverse, stab, drag, and military scratches.
• 13. Transitions – Any DJ who wishes to keep a crowd entertained must be able to smoothly play from one record to another, being conscious of the importance of timing as well as knowing what techniques will aesthetically sound the best. Good transitions are important when playing a slow song after a fast song, or vice versa.
  (1 Point)
• 14. Backspinning – A skilled DJ must learn to go back and forth between two records, cueing and releasing each record at a specific point repeatedly.
  (1 Point)
• 15. Intermediate Scratching – Many DJs can perform at least 3-4 intermediate scratches cleanly in repetition…
  (1/2 Point)
  Others can perform more than that.
  (1 Point)
  Examples of Intermediate scratches are chop, tear, tip, transform, scribble, dice, tweak, and fade scratches.
• 16. Comfortable Presence – Experienced DJs should look comfortable and/or relaxed when mixing.
  (1/2 Point)
  However, very experienced DJs may cause a dancing audience to stop and watch in enjoyment due to the DJ’s skillful display or strong visual aura, enhancing his/her audio onslaught.
  (1 Point)
• 17. Body Tricks – The ultimate show off technique, combining backspinning with visual enhancement, striking the crossfader and records in unorthodox ways cleanly and swiftly.
  (1 Point)
• 18. Precise Sticker Cueing – Used mostly by battle and showcase DJs using analog vinyl, this technique requires patience and a steady hand. One must place a sticker on vinyl so that when the needle is dropped at a specific point next to the sticker, the needle will be cued on the record exactly where he/she intended.
  (1 Point)
• 19. Basic Set-up Beat Juggling – These are the early traditional juggling patterns performed at the same tempo as the vinyl’s recorded BPM. No more than one bar on each record is used at a time.
  (1 Point)
• 20. Record Tap Backspinning – This is the foundation of breakdown beat juggling.  Records are slowed down to half speed by tapping their surfaces while simultaneously backspinning.
  (1 Point)
• 21. Basic Breakdown Beat Juggling – These are the early traditional juggling patterns performed at half the tempo as the vinyl’s recorded BPM. No more than one bar on each record is used at time.
  (1 Point)
• 22. Extended Basic Breakdown Beat Juggling and Strobing – This is the same basic breakdown juggling, but more than one bar is used. Strobing is a combination of record tapping and chasing, with no backspinning used.
  (1 Point)
• 23. Advanced Scratching – Many DJs can perform at least 3-4 advanced scratches cleanly in repetition…
  (1/2 Point).
  Others can perform more than that.
  (1 Point)
  Examples of advanced scratches are chirp, 1-click flare, orbit, original flare, crab, clover tear, lazer, phazer, zig zag, swipe, wave, and needle drop scratch.
• 24. Intermediate Set-Up Beat Juggling – These pattern are similar to those of basic breakdown juggling, but more complicated, using more fader and record manipulation.
  (1 Point)
• 25. Intermediate Set-Up beat Juggling – These patterns are similar to those of basic breakdown juggling, but more complicated. Tempos are switched from 33 to 45 (and vice versa), and/or kicks, snares, and sounds are doubled up rhythmically
  (1 Point).

Most experienced turntablists develop certain strengths in either scratching or beatjuggling by this stage. Therefore, points for the following three weapons can be acquired through either scratching (but not both per weapon).

• 26. Body Trick Scratching – An advanced DJ must be able to perform a series of intermediate or better scratches in body trick fashion, or…
  Body Trick Juggling – An advanced DJ must be able to perform basic juggling or better while incorporating body tricks and staying on beat.
  (1 Point).
• 27. Advanced Scratch Combos – An advanced DJ must be able to combine multiple advanced scratch techniques with each other or lesser techniques cleanly and in repetition.  Examples of such combos would be squeezes (chirp flares), crescents (3 click flares), dragged crabs and flares, tweaked crabs and flares, faded lazers, faded clover tears, etc. Otherwise one must learn…
  Advanced Set-Up Beat Juggling – These patterns are similar to those of intermediate set-up juggling, but more complicated, using all faders combined with swifter record manipulation
  (1 Point).
• 28. Ambidexterous Scratching – An advanced DJ must be able to perform advanced scratching with either hand, or…
  Advanced Breakdown Beat Juggling – These patterns are similar to those of intermediate breakdown juggling, but more complicated. Scratching and “power on/off” techniques are now combined with the previously learned techniques, as well as very non-traditional juggling patterns.
  (1 Point).

Achievement/Experience

• 29. Live Representation – Spinning in the bedroom can be entertaining, but a DJ’s true test is performing in front of strangers whether it be…
  less than 400…
  (1/2 Point).
  …or more than that.
  (1 Point).
• 30. Entertaining the Audience – DJs must do their own thing, however, they must also satisfy their audience in order to survive in the Hip-Hop community.
  (1 Point).
• 31. Receiving Payment or Award – DJs have to eat too.
  (1 Point).
• 32. Community Recognition and Respect – DJs must be known within the Hip-Hop community (at least locally) in order to be respected as a true Hip-Hop DJ by their peers.
  (1 Point).
• 33. Longevity – One who has been known and respected for his/her deejaying skills for over a decade by the Hip-Hop community develops an edge over the competition.
  (1 Point).
• 34. Recording – An experienced DJ should know the fundamentals of recording the art into an enjoyable listen via mixtape, song, etc. displaying a solid mix down.
  (1 Point).
• 35. Mass Media Transmission – A skilled DJ should at some point experience performing in front of virtually unseen massive audience via radio, televsion, or internet.
  (1 Point).
• 36. Spotlight Performance – Only confident DJs can perform with the crowd’s eyes focused on them at all times. Showcase experience as well as battle experience is the ultimate test in placing one’s credibility on the line.
  (1 Point).

Out of 36 possible DJ weapons (points)…how many do you possess?  When it strictly comes down to raw accumulative DJ power, what kind of a DJ are you?*

0-6 weapons - You’re a sucka DJ.  Hell, you may not even be a DJ for real…

7-12 - weapons - You’re a below average ass DJ…

13-18 weapons - You’re just an average DJ…you’re good, but nothin’ special…

19-24 weapons - You’re a pretty solid DJ in the skills department…consider yourself above average.

25-30 weapons - You’re definitely nice with the hand skills…your talent is obvious.  In fact, you unquestionably have the ability to straight up fuck somebody up on the tables if you really wanted to…

31-36 weapons - You’re a true master on the wheels…you are an undeniable King/Queen of the decks when it comes to raw ability.  You have a ridiculous amount of ammo and know how to use it beyond what most of your peers are capable of.  Only an idiot would test you…

*Any exceptions to the rule??

Unless you’ve invented something major that changed the historic course of the art of deejaying (i.e Kool DJ Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, Steve Dee, etc.), you’re not going to collect any brownie points or gold stars around here, fool.  Get on the wheels and practice…