With access to professional equipment, the class is designed to be immersive and practice driven.
In a classroom at Concordia’s Loyola campus, students are learning media production not through cameras or microphones, but through turntables, mixers and crates of vinyl records.
The special topics course The Wheels of Steel: Sampling, Mixing and DJing as Media Production (COMS 493) introduces students to the history, culture and techniques of DJing while giving them hands-on experience performing and producing their own sets.
“This course aligns media production with what makes Montreal such a vibrant cultural city,” says Owen Chapman, professor in the Department of Communication Studies. Chapman is a composer and DJ, also known by his stage name, O Positive. “The course aims to teach students about DJ culture, but also to have them actively participate in it.”
With just 25 students and access to professional equipment, the class is designed to be immersive and practice driven.
From theory to turntables
Students in the course explore the evolution of DJing from its roots in hip-hop culture to contemporary digital and experimental practices. Alongside lectures and readings, they spend time in lab sessions working directly with equipment ranging from portable digital controllers to full club-style or vinyl set up.
For many students, the course is their first time touching DJ gear. While a handful entered the class with prior experience, most began the term as complete beginners.
Rather than traditional exams or essays, assignments focus on recorded DJ sets. Students progress through a structured sequence of mixes that increase in length, receiving feedback and opportunities to revise their work after reflection.
“The goal is to meet students where they are and help them grow,” Chapman says. “Mistakes are part of the process, and learning to analyze them is a key skill.”
Learning from the Montreal and international DJ community
The course also brings students into direct contact with working artists. Guest DJs from Montreal and beyond visit the class to perform sets, break down their techniques and share advice on navigating the music industry.
Among this year’s guests are local DJs and Concordia alumni, as well as internationally recognized artists and scholars exploring experimental turntablism and performance practice. The list includes: Anna Friz of the University of Santa Cruz; Claire Kenway (DJ CLAiRE); Tiana McLaughlan (Honeydrip); Alanna Stuart (PYNE), a PhD student at Queens University; and COMS 493 teaching assistant Sophy Merizzi (badgalquirit).
Students often cite these visits as one of the most valuable parts of the class, offering insight into both the creative and professional realities of DJing.
Turning the campus into a live venue
The learning experience even extends beyond the classroom. Each Tuesday, at lunchtime, students transform their first-floor lounge into a pop-up listening room where they present live DJ sets. The sessions invite anyone on campus to come enjoy the music while students gain experience performing in front of a live audience.
“It can be nerve-racking at first,” Chapman says. “But by the end of the term, you see students becoming more confident, supporting each other and really finding their own style.”
These performances are part of a broader course structure that encourages collaboration. Students work in small crews throughout the term, giving each other feedback and sharing equipment knowledge as they develop their mixes.
Exploring materiality in a digital age
Although digital DJing is covered, many students have been especially drawn to vinyl records both for their distinctive sound and their tactile, collectible nature.
Handling physical records, maintaining equipment and curating a personal collection introduces students to aspects of music culture that are often invisible in fully digital workflows.
The course also covers experimental practices such as abstract turntablism, where artists manipulate records and needles in unconventional ways to create new textures and sounds.
A rare course blending history and practice
While universities frequently offer courses on the history of hip-hop or electronic music, classes that combine historical study with hands-on DJ training remain highly uncommon in higher education.
By situating DJing within media production and cultural studies, the course shows how creative work, technical skills and cultural context are closely connected. It also underlines how varied communication studies can be.
The course is currently offered as a special topic and is expected to return in a future academic year. In the meantime, the lunchtime DJ sessions will continue through mid-April, offering the Concordia community a chance to hear the next generation of DJs in action.
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