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Welcome to Beat DJ University: Your Complete Getting Started Guide

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Welcome to Beat DJ University: Your Complete Getting Started Guide

beat-dj-university Join Beat DJ University

Welcome to Beat DJ University! Whether you're completely new to live coding or ready to dive deep into command-line music production, this guide will set you up for success. You'll be making music in minutes.

Step 1: Download Beat DJ

First things first - get Beat DJ installed on your device:

Download Beat DJ

Beat DJ works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You won't see the download button on that page if you are on mobile.

Step 2: Set Up Your Sound Source

Once you've installed Beat DJ, you need to tell it where to find audio files. No files yet? No worries just continue reading.

src chooseFolder

This command lets you select which folder Beat DJ should pull sounds from. The default is your Music folder, but you can choose any location with audio files.

Important: If you add new sounds to your folder later, run src again to refresh Beat DJ's audio library.

Mobile users: Just run src without arguments for the mobile-friendly version. (mobile coming soon)

Step 3: Get Some Sounds

Beat DJ works best with a diverse collection of sounds. Head over to the #sounds-and-packs channel in our Discord to download free sample packs. The more variety you have, the more creative possibilities you'll unlock. Run discord to join.

Beat DJ also includes access to thousands of cloud-based samples through the cs (cloud splitter) command, so you can start making music even without a local library.

Step 4: Learn the Commands

Now that you're set up, it's time to learn how Beat DJ works. We've organized the commands in order of importance to help you build skills progressively:

The Interactive Guide

guide

Run this command to access the comprehensive Guide page which presents commands in order of importance, from basic playback to advanced techniques.

The Complete Command Reference

help

This command takes you to the full commands webpage with detailed documentation for every Beat DJ command. Bookmark this page - you'll reference it often as you learn.

Video Tutorials

youtube

Visit our YouTube channel for visual tutorials covering everything from basic concepts to advanced techniques. Sometimes seeing commands in action is the fastest way to learn.

Step 5: Use the AI Assistant

Beat DJ includes a built-in AI assistant to help you learn and create:

ai what sounds should i search for to make techno?

Ask any question about music production, sound selection, or Beat DJ commands. The AI is there to guide you through your creative process and answer questions as you work.

Step 6: Join the Community

Beat DJ is more than software - it's a community of live coders, musicians, and creative technologists. Here's how to get involved:

Discord Access Anytime

discord

Run this command to open our Discord server where you can ask questions, share your music, get feedback, and connect with other Beat DJ users.

Ask Questions Channel

Have questions as you learn? Head to the #ask-questions channel in Discord. Our community is friendly and responsive - no question is too basic or too advanced.

Beat DJ Office Hours - Every Tuesday

Join us for live office hours every Tuesday where you can get direct help, watch demonstrations, and learn alongside other users.

Tuesday Office Hours Event

This is the perfect place to troubleshoot issues, request feature demonstrations, or just hang out with the Beat DJ community.

Multiplayer Jam Sessions

Experience the magic of collaborative live coding during our weekly multiplayer sessions:

Wednesday Sessions Wednesday Multiplayer Event

Saturday Sessions Saturday Multiplayer Event

These sessions are incredible for learning by watching others, getting inspired, and creating music together in real-time from anywhere in the world.

Your Learning Path

Now that you're set up, here's the recommended path to mastering Beat DJ:

  1. Start Simple: Load a few sounds with s and play them with p
  2. Follow the Guide: Work through the Guide commands in order
  3. Experiment Constantly: The best way to learn is by trying things
  4. Ask Questions: Use the ai command or post in Discord whenever you're stuck
  5. Join Events: Come to office hours and jam sessions to accelerate your learning (this seriously helps and is fun)
  6. Share Your Work: Post your creations in Discord to get feedback and inspire others

Essential Resources at a Glance

Keep these commands handy for quick access to resources:

  • guide - Interactive command guide organized by importance
  • help - Complete command reference documentation
  • youtube - Video tutorials and demonstrations
  • discord - Join the community server
  • ai <your question> - Ask the AI assistant anything

What's Next?

You're now ready to start your Beat DJ journey! Once you've explored the basics, check out these blog posts to deepen your knowledge:

Welcome to the Community

You're joining a vibrant community of musicians who believe that making music should be fast, fun, and powerful. The command-line interface might seem unusual at first, but you'll quickly discover it's the fastest way to translate ideas into sound.

See you in Discord, at office hours, and in the jam sessions.

Happy livecoding!