Today we are celebrating School of Scratch Student Jerry from Canada, who has recently completed the 100 Days of Scratching challenge! ??❤️
Here is his 100th day post:
Huge congrats Jerry! You got the funk!
I asked Jerry some questions to help those of you who are considering doing the 100 Days of Scratching Project.
Interview
Hey Jerry! Can you give us some background on your interest in music and scratching?
I’ve been a Dj for over 20 years. I’ve played a wide variety of music at weddings, clubs, birthday parties, etc, but I wasn’t very good at scratching.
What made you decide to undertake the 100 day challenge?
I decided to take part in the 100 day challenge because I wanted to learn and improve my scratching. I thought that this challenge would be a great way to find my own scratch style and add flavor to my sessions.
What was your approach?
I would start off by picking a song that I could groove to. I would then start by freestyling, using some of the scratches that I’ve learned from School of Scratch, and go on from there.
What is your recording and posting workflow like?
I would record when I felt most inspired/ motivated and then post a video right after. For me recording when I’m most motivated allows me to produce my best work.
Top tools / apps / software / equipment to capture and edit?
Some of the tools I used were…
- Canon EOS Rebel T6i
- Pioneer S9
- Pioneer Turn-tables
- Serato DJ Pro
- iMovie (for editing)
I used all of these tools to scratch, film, and edit my videos.
What did you learn?
From this experience I learned how to incorporate certain scratches such as the crab, chirp, baby etc, into my everyday sessions. I was also able to improve on my timing and the execution of each scratch.
What were some of the highlights for you?
One of the biggest highlights for me was being able to look back at all the videos I made over the course of 100 days and seeing how far I’ve come, my improvements and the progress I’ve made in my scratch journey.
What helped you on your way?
Watching other individuals 100 day challenges and feeling inspired to post mine,wanting to get better / improve on my skills, and family support were all things that kept me going along the way.
What didn’t work?
What didn’t work for me was the fact that I was tired some days from work and couldn’t find time in my day to practice.
What was the most challenging part and how did you deal with that?
Finding time to practice / finding a balance with my everyday work life was very difficult.
I dealt with this by practicing in the evenings and posting right after a session.
What are your top tips for anyone who wants to undertake this challenge?
To anyone who wants to undertake this challenge my biggest tip to them would be to have patience, because practice makes perfect.
This challenge provides for lots of practice which leaves room for improvement.
If you find yourself in need of motivation look back at the videos you’ve made so far and see how far you’ve come. This should motivate you to want to keep going and see more progress.
If you were to do this challenge again, what, if anything would you do differently?
If I were to this challenge again I would aim to film twice a day instead of once a day to get additional practice and see more progress.
What is your favourite scratch sound / tool / record?
My favourite scratch sound is the “ahh fresh”, my favourite scratch tool is the turntable, and my favourite records are Serato DJ Official Control Vinyl records.
Who is your favorite DJ and which recorded scratch do you like the most?
My favourite DJ is Scratch Master, one of my favourite recorded scratches by him would be the chirp scratch which i’ve heard on the radio, Power 95.1 FM Grenada.
What is your favorite scratch technique?
My favourite scratch technique is the Chirp scratch.
You are a School of Scratch student. What has your school experience been like?
My school experience has been motivational and inspirational. I love the fact that there are video tutorials and tools that can help you learn at your own pace.
My advice to others who are considering joining the school would be that it’s a great opportunity to improve on your scratching / a great opportunity to learn more about the art from others.
What is next for you?
I would like to do another 100 day challenge and to continue learning more scratches / scratch styles from School of Scratch and just improve on my scratch game even more.
Where can we find you online?
You can find me online at…
- Email: djjerry2002@hotmail.com
- Instagram: @djjerry2002
- Facebook: Jeremiah Jerry Daniel
- People’s Choice Entertainment: +1 403 463 6366
Anything else you want to add?
I am very grateful for this opportunity. Thank you to School of Scratch and all of its students who inspired me along the way.
That’s a wrap!
Thanks Jerry! It was super inspiring to watch you start from the beginning, show up each day, practice deliberately and make consistent progress. You set a benchmark for what students who follow that process can expect to achieve. Thank you for being part of our Supa Scratch Crew and for all you contribute. Looking forward to seeing your continued progress and creations on Instagram and inside our School.
About 100 Days of Scratching
100 Days of Scratching is a project I started and completed (see here) and have been encouraging my students to do the same – as a way to get in the habit of daily practice, documenting progress and connecting with others.
Toby joins fellow School of Scratch Students aka the Supa Scratch Crew: Alina, Toby, Jay Rakim, Vanessa, Julian, Crystal, Smallimus, Allexia, Thomas, Ashley, Adam, Erick, Magnus, Roly G and Denise who have all completed the 100 Days of Scratching project. What an amazing crew of creators!
Wanna take part in the 100 Days of Scratching Project?
You can take part in the 100 Days of Scratching project and join our group of supportive DJs here:
Join the 100 Days of Scratching Challenge
If you are curious about learning with School of Scratch you can check it out here and sign up below to get 2 free lessons to get you started.
Happy Scratching! 😀
– Emma Short-E