DJ vs producer: the difference and which to learn first

The difference between a DJ and a producer: a DJ selects and blends existing music to keep a crowd moving in real time, while a producer creates the music itself in the studio. Which to learn first depends on your goal. If you want to play for people soon, start with DJing; if you want songs of your own, start with production. Plenty of artists do both, and the two skills feed each other.

This guide is for anyone in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, torn between the two, or already doing one and curious about the other. Muse Inc teaches both DJ and music production courses, so we can compare them honestly, with the real number of sessions in each course.

What a DJ does

A DJ chooses music and blends it into one continuous set for an audience: in bars and clubs, at weddings, corporate events or on a livestream. The job is a lot more than pressing play:

• Reading the crowd: watching the floor to know when to lift the energy and when to bring it down.
• Selecting and preparing music: building a library, analysing BPM and key, setting cue points.
• Transition technique: beatmatching (locking two tracks to the same tempo), EQ, effects, harmonic mixing.
• Owning the gear: controllers, CDJs, DJ mixers and software such as rekordbox.

For the different kinds of DJ (club, mobile, radio, turntablist and more), see what a DJ is and the types of DJs.

What a producer does

A music producer builds a song from nothing in a DAW, music software such as Ableton Live or FL Studio. A track goes through:

• Ideas and writing: rhythm, melody, chords, bassline.
• Sound design: creating or choosing sounds with synths and samples.
• Arrangement and structure: intro, build-up, drop, outro.
• Recording, mixing and mastering: so the song sounds finished and ready to release.

Producers mostly work alone or with singers, rappers and bands in a studio. More on the role in what a music producer is.

DJ vs producer side by side

• Creates: a DJ creates a set, an experience for an audience; a producer creates songs, beats and remixes.
• Works in: a DJ works in the booth at bars, clubs, parties and events; a producer in a studio or home studio.
• Core skills: a DJ needs track selection, beatmatching, EQ and crowd reading; a producer needs rhythm, harmony, sound design, arrangement, mixing and mastering.
• Main gear: a DJ uses a controller or CDJs with a DJ mixer and headphones; a producer uses a computer, a DAW, an audio interface, studio monitors and a MIDI keyboard.
• Software: DJs use rekordbox, Serato or Traktor; producers use Ableton Live, FL Studio or Logic Pro.
• First result: a DJ blends two tracks smoothly after a few sessions; a producer makes a simple beat after a few sessions, while a finished song takes longer.
• Income comes from: for a DJ, paid gigs, venue residencies and events; for a producer, releases, selling beats, commissioned music and mixing or mastering for others.
• Learning time at Muse Inc: Level 1 — Basic DJ is 8 lessons, about 3 weeks, and the Comprehensive DJ Course 33 lessons, about 13 weeks; Basic Music Production is 9 sessions, and the full programme 39 two-hour sessions, about 13 weeks.

Earnings in both careers vary enormously between beginners and established names; what shapes them is covered in how much DJs earn.

Should you learn DJing or production first?

There is no order that is right for everyone. Start with a question: a year from now, what do you want to be doing?

Start with DJing if you want to perform soon

DJing gives visible results faster. In Level 1 — Basic DJ, eight 60-minute lessons (plus 8 hours of practice in the studio and a final exam) take you through beatmatching, EQ mixing, effects and harmonic mixing with the Camelot system. It suits people who want to play parties or bars, or who simply love the feeling of standing behind the decks.

Start with production if you want your own music

If you hum melodies, want to make beats for rappers or release your own tracks, begin with Basic Music Production: nine one-to-one sessions on Ableton Live, no experience needed, from rhythm, audio and MIDI to making beats from samples, basic theory, basslines, chord progressions and exporting your first track. To go further, the Music Production Training Program runs 39 two-hour sessions over about 13 weeks, with no music theory required beforehand.

Already a DJ and want to stand out

After a while, many DJs notice their sets sound like everyone else's because they draw on the same music. Production lets you make your own edits, mashups and intros, and understanding how a track is built makes your mixing more precise. That is the moment to learn production.

A common mistake

Trying to learn both from zero at the same time. Each needs regular practice, and splitting your energy from day one usually slows both down. Get solid at one first; the other then comes much more easily.

Learning both: a route at Muse Inc

Muse Inc teaches DJing and music production at the same address, so you can follow a three-step route:

1. Level 1 — Basic DJ: 8 lessons on a controller with rekordbox, one-to-one, in a group of up to four or online, taught in Vietnamese or English. CDJ-3000, DJM-A9 and turntables come in at Levels 2 and 3.
2. Basic Music Production: 9 sessions on Ableton Live to understand how a track is made.
3. Mashups, DJ Edits & Performance Tools: 5 sessions making mashups and DJ edits for your own sets. It needs basic DJ skills; production experience is not required.

If you want to take DJing seriously, the Comprehensive DJ Course combines all three DJ levels in 33 lessons over about 13 weeks and ends with a graduation set at Markshow in front of an audience. Current fees, in Vietnamese dong (VND):

The short production courses are priced on request; see each course page or the price list.

Frequently asked questions

Still not sure which way to go? Book a free trial lesson, or message us on WhatsApp or Zalo at +84 90 2957 911. We are open 9:00–21:00 every day at 409 Hai Ba Trung St., Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City (rear entrance).