Salt Lake DJ & Production

"I’ve spent about 2 years attending SLDP. It is a very fun environment with top of the line equipment that’s hard to find anywhere else. Derek is a very competent instructor packed with information to share. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to get started with DJing or production. It’s also a useful environment to meet fun people and advance your current skills."

"Amazing school and amazing staff. they made sure i had all the information i needed to get started and gave me a bunch of options. I started beginning of January and so far, they have amazing teachers that have such a passion that whenever they speak you just get drawn into the class!"

"SLDP is a great place to get hands on experience with producing and DJing. Derek is super helpful and always willing to help with any questions about mixes, equipment needs and creating a career in music. Students also get access to the performance grade equipment which is great for experience. There is also a great SLDP community and students are always willing to help each other. I recommend coming here!"

"An investment in education is something I don’t take lightly, so I want to do a thorough review for anyone who was in my shoes, wondering if it’s worth it. Long story short: it’s absolutely worth it. First things first, Derek (the owner) is a musical genius. The amount of value you get by having access to him, his knowledge, his skills, and being able to learn from him and ask him questions is incalculable. From music theory to music production to Ableton to DJ, he is a master of every step of the process when it comes to all things music, DJ and production. He’s in this for the love of music, and he will go above and beyond to make sure that you are getting the most out of the course. Not only is he a master himself, he’s been teaching it for 10+ years, so he knows it AND he can teach it. Sitting with him for 10 minutes I learned more than I had in a year of trying to learn from YouTube, and it just went up from there. Beyond Derek, all of the other instructors are awesome. Everybody is qualified by experience and education, and they’re trained in teaching a curriculum that would put college courses to shame, while still allowing the flexibility to learn an art that’s always growing and changing with technology. You’ll have some of the best DJ’s and producers in SLC teaching you on the latest equipment. It’s pretty cool. The classroom experience is the real game changer. Learning in a group setting with a professional instructor right there will turn you into a musician in just a few classes. There were so many things I couldn’t wrap my head around with music theory and Ableton when I was learning from YouTube, and being able to ask questions (and classmates asking questions I never would have thought of) finally got me where I wanted to be with production - very quickly. The other game changer is the equipment. Being able to practice during the week and outside of classroom time will help you level up quickly. They make it easy to schedule time to come in and use turntables, mixers, controllers, and a full-blown recording studio pretty much whenever. All of the equipment is the latest and greatest which is awesome. You’ll feel like a pro DJ from day one because you’re using all the same stuff your favorite DJs and producers are. One huge bonus is that you get access to their network, which can help you launch a music career if that’s what you want. That means they can help you produce an album, get your music out there, help you book gigs, and a bunch of other stuff beyond producing. I highly recommend SLDP. Whether you want to do music professionally or just as a hobby, SLDP will make you a full-blown musician in a few months, allowing you to do whatever you want with your new knowledge and skills."

"I found SLDP this past summer when I was looking to become more involved in the local music production/performance scene, and I'm glad I did! I emailed to inquire about any volunteer/employment opportunities, and the owner, Derek, responded kindly, inviting me to the studio. He gave me a full tour of the facilities, explained the curriculum, and even sat down with me to go through my music project files. We chatted at length about my experience in production/DJ'ing, as well as marketing. After my initial visit, Derek invited me back to sit in on some classes. I attended more than five classes (DJ'ing & production) and loved each one. Even in the beginner courses, I found myself picking up tips and tricks I didn't know before. The mixing/mastering room is gorgeous, sounds amazing, and is equipped with some seriously great equipment/software. The performance/DJ space is also really impressive – they have basically every piece of DJ gear you could want to play with, including Pioneer, Traktor, Serato, vinyl, etc. Whether you're an absolute beginner needing to learn the basics or an established producer looking for a dedicated mixing/mastering/practice space downtown, I would recommend checking this spot out 100%."