Where to Learn DJing in Ho Chi Minh City: 7 Things to Check

Just moved to Saigon, or here for a few months and finally curious about what the person in the booth is doing? Then your first question is where to learn DJing in Ho Chi Minh City. The honest answer: the right school gets your hands on club-standard gear as often as possible, with a teacher who still plays out, at a price that's written down, somewhere you can reach without an hour in traffic — and, for most foreigners, it genuinely teaches in English.

We won't rank anyone. Here are seven things to check, a checklist for a school visit, questions for the trial lesson, and an honest look at Muse Inc.

7 things to check when choosing where to learn DJing in Ho Chi Minh City

1. Club-standard gear: CDJs and a proper mixer

In most club booths, in Saigon and almost everywhere else, you'll find Pioneer DJ CDJ players and a DJM mixer. Starting on a controller is fine, but if a course never puts you on CDJs, your first gig becomes a crash course in where the cue button is and how to load a USB stick.

Check that the classroom has real CDJs and a club mixer, that the gear is well maintained, and which software is taught — Rekordbox matters most, because it's how you prepare a USB for CDJs. Want to scratch? Ask about turntables.

You shouldn't need to buy anything first: a single CDJ-3000 sells for over 75,000,000 VND (approximately $2,900) in our own store, before a second player and a mixer.

2. Class size

You improve in proportion to the minutes your hands are on the decks. Six students sharing one setup in a 60-minute class get about ten minutes each. Ask for the maximum class size and the number of setups in the room.

• Private 1-on-1 lessons: the fastest way to learn and the easiest to fit around work or travel, at a higher price.
• Small groups (around 4–6): cheaper and more social, and you get used to mixing with someone watching.
• Anything bigger: ask exactly how deck time is shared before you pay.

3. Teachers who still perform

You can learn beatmatching from YouTube. Booth experience is harder: reading a crowd, recovering when a USB fails. Ask who will actually teach you, not just who founded the school, and where they play — then look them up. In the trial, notice whether the teacher only says "press this" or explains when and why.

4. Practice hours included in the course

Lessons tell you what to do; the skill appears in the hours you practise afterwards. Few beginners own CDJs, so the school's practice room is where that happens. Ask how many practice hours are included, how you book them, whether the rooms have the same gear as the classroom, and what extra hours cost.

5. A real stage to graduate on

Playing alone and playing to a crowd are different things — your hands shake and small mistakes sound huge. A good course lets you feel that before your first paid gig. Ask whether the course ends with a set in front of a real audience, whether it's filmed (your first promo video), and whether the certificate can be verified. You don't need a licence to DJ — venues listen to how you play — but a certificate shows you finished a programme with real tests.

6. Transparent prices, in VND and in writing

A school you can trust publishes its prices — not "message us for the price" with a different number for every foreigner. What's included matters more than the headline figure: lessons, practice hours, certificate, graduation show, extra costs, payment options and the refund policy. The cheapest course with the fewest hours on the decks often ends up costing the most.

7. Location, schedule and language

A proper course runs for weeks or months, several sessions a week. If every trip means an hour on a Grab bike in rush hour, you'll start skipping by week three, so do a test ride at the time you'd actually go, and check whether private lessons can move around your work or travel. On language, be specific: does the teacher teach in English, not just the front desk, and are the materials in English too?

Quick checklist for a school visit

• I've seen and touched the CDJs and mixer in the classroom.
• I know the maximum class size and the number of setups.
• I know who would teach me, and where they play.
• I've seen the practice rooms and know how many hours are included.
• I know whether the course ends with a live set for an audience.
• I have the price list in writing, plus the payment and refund terms.
• I know the lessons and materials are in English.
• I've done the trip at my usual time.

What to ask in your trial lesson

1. Will the full course use the same gear as today?
2. How long will I be on the decks in each group lesson?
3. Who will teach me, and where do you play?
4. What happens if I miss a lesson or travel for two weeks?
5. What does the fee include, and how can I pay?
6. Given my goal — fun, a career or one genre — where should I start?

And watch the lesson itself: does the teacher let you do it yourself and answer price questions directly?

How Muse Inc measures up

This is our own blog, so here is Muse Inc against the same list, using only what we publish on the site. Bring the checklist and see for yourself.

• Lessons in English: lessons run in Vietnamese, and in English for international students; the lesson slides in your student account come in both languages.
• Gear: a Pioneer CDJ-3000 and DJM-A9 setup in the private studio; CDJ-2000NXS2 with DJM-900NXS2, XDJ-RX3, XDJ-XZ and turntables in other rooms. Rekordbox, Serato DJ Pro and Traktor. No gear of your own needed.
• Class size: private 1-on-1; groups of up to 4 on the level courses; 4–6 on the Comprehensive DJ Course.
• Teachers: all working DJs — DJ Phatbeatz (founded Muse Inc in 2017, turntablism and scratch), DJ Zackie (plays Xu Lounge and Glow / Epic Sky Bar), DJ Jake Ryan (DJ/producer, Spin Award 2025 winner) and DJ FUONG (years on the club circuit at Le Pub, Yolo Pub, Ocean Bar and more). See our teachers.
• Practice hours: the Comprehensive DJ Course is 33 one-hour lessons plus 32 practice hours in the studio, booked between lessons. Anyone can also rent a DJ practice room from 250,000 VND an hour (approximately $10).
• Graduation stage: six stages, each ending with a test, then a graduation set at Markshow in front of a real audience and a certificate you can verify by QR code.
• Public prices: all on our DJ course price list. Comprehensive DJ Course: 38,000,000 VND private (approximately $1,460), 30,000,000 VND in a group of 4–6 (approximately $1,150), 24,000,000 VND online (approximately $920). Level 1 — Basic DJ, 9 sessions: 9,500,000 VND private or group (approximately $365). Working full-time? DJ After Hours is an evening course of five sessions for 4,000,000–5,000,000 VND (approximately $155–190). Ask us about payment options.
• Location and hours: (back entrance) 409 Hai Bà Trưng, Xuân Hòa Ward, in central District 3. Open 9:00–21:00 every day; private lessons can be booked any time in that window, groups follow a fixed timetable, and online lessons run live with a teacher on your laptop and controller.

What we won't promise: no school, us included, can guarantee you gigs. Graduates can keep practising in the studio, play Muse Inc events and get booked through our DJ booking service; the rest is up to how much you practise and play.

Curious what a lesson looks like? Preview the Introduction to DJ lesson — it's also the free first lesson of the comprehensive course.

FAQ

Can I take DJ lessons in English in Ho Chi Minh City?

Yes. At Muse Inc, international students are taught in English and the lesson slides come in English and Vietnamese.

Do I need my own equipment?

No. In-person lessons use the school's CDJs, controllers and turntables; only the online course needs your laptop and a controller. Finish a beginner course before buying anything.

I'm only in Saigon for a few weeks. Is it worth starting?

Yes, with a short format. Private lessons can be booked any day between 9:00 and 21:00, so several fit into a week. Level 1 (9 sessions) or DJ After Hours (5 sessions) gives you real foundations — tell us your dates and we'll plan around them.

How much do DJ lessons cost in Saigon?

At Muse Inc, from 4,000,000 VND (DJ After Hours) and 9,500,000 VND (Level 1) up to 38,000,000 VND for the private Comprehensive DJ Course.

Can I just rent a practice room?

Yes, by the hour from 250,000 VND, 9:00–21:00 daily. Bring headphones and music on a USB exported from Rekordbox.

See it for yourself. Book a free trial lesson — an hour with a teacher on the CDJ-3000 and DJM-A9, any day between 9:00 and 21:00. Bring the checklist and ask us anything, prices included. Message us on Zalo at 0902 957 911 to pick a time.