Today we are celebrating School of Scratch Student Tom P from the UK, who has recently completed the 100 Days of Scratching challenge! ??❤️
Here is Tom’s 100th day post:
View this post on Instagram
Huge congrats Tom!
I asked Tom some questions to help those of you who are considering doing the 100 Days of Scratching Project.
Interview
Welcome Tom! Can you give us some background on your interest in music, DJing and scratching?
Bedroom DJ moving on up to living room DJ. I’ve had turntables since I was a teenager and became really interested in scratching when I discovered hip hop. I messed around for years mixing and trying to scratch but not really knowing what I was doing. Then I found School Of Scratch and decided to try and learn properly.
What made you decide to undertake the 100 day challenge?
I was really shy about trying to record and put myself out there. I’d been following a few people on instagram who were doing the 100 day challenge and working my way through some of the basic scratches. Following a conversation with DJ Spindler and some encouragement from him I decided to get it together and join the next round of 100 days. Thanks Eric!
What was your approach?
I tried to stick in the beginner category of the School of Scratch classroom and get to grips with the foundation scratches.
What is your recording and posting workflow like?
Terrible. I frequently forget to charge the camera or press record.
What are your top tools / apps / software / equipment to capture and edit?
I use a GoPro with an audio input from the mixer to record and then edit it using the GoPro App although I have also recently started to use my iphone and an iRig2 which works really well.
What did you learn?
More than I could possibly have imagined when I first started out. From scratch history and techniques to learning how to record and edit videos. Every day brings something new.
What were some of the highlights of the 100 day project for you?
Watching other people progressing through their own 100 day projects and hitting the milestones.
Cab Starr’s Friday Freestyle – I recommend it to anyone doing the 100 day project.
What helped you on your way?
Feedback and support from Emma and the Supa Scratch Crew. It always comes up in these interviews but it can’t be understated how amazing the School of Scratch community is.
What didn’t work?
Getting stuck but struggling on. I found it’s often better to step away from the turntables for a few minutes and come back refreshed rather than struggle and get frustrated.
What was the most challenging part and how did you deal with that?
Being very critical of myself. I’m still working on it but learning to embrace the mistakes and learn from them was a big step.
What are your top tips for anyone who wants to undertake this challenge?
Just go for it! Learn, experiment, make mistakes and have fun. You won’t regret it.
If you were to do this challenge again, what, if anything would you do differently?
I’ve been so slow at getting this interview done that I’m already well on the way to 200 but I’m trying to scratch more on both sides this time round.
You are a School of Scratch student. What has your school and learning experience been like?
Finding School of Scratch has been a revelation. There is so much content and it’s presented in such a manageable and easy to navigate way. The community within the school is also a really big part of the experience. It didn’t take long to realise that it was something special and something I wanted to be a part of so I took out a Lifetime Membership.
How do you approach ongoing learning and staying fresh?
I don’t really have a defined approach. I feel like I have a fairly diverse taste in music so experimenting with different genres keeps me keen. Following other students and their journeys is also really motivating.
Do you have any wisdom on learning that you can share with our students?
Don’t be too tough on yourself, embrace the mistakes and learn from them, ask for help if you need it. There is so much experience in the school community and people are only too happy to help.
What is next for you?
I’m already on my way through the next 100 days and have just got set up to be able to join the private Discord sessions so hopefully a bit more of that.
Where can we find you online?
I’m on Instagram as @tom_pattison
Is there anything else you want to add?
Thank you for everything Emma and big ups to the Supa Scratch Crew!
That’s a wrap!
Thanks Tom! Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Thank you for being part of our Supa Scratch Crew. Looking forward to seeing your continued progress!
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.
Tom joins fellow School of Scratch Students aka the Supa Scratch Crew: Michael Hansen, Nick Diablo, Jairo, Mike Marble, Ouille, D Supreme, Robert, Jenny Pocket, Eric Spindler, Roli Rho, Andrei, Jaden, Molino, Jamie, Jerry, 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