DJ QBert (photo: Ian Young)

Imagine learning how to play the cello from Yo Yo Ma. Or the guitar from Jimmy Page. Or the accordion from, uh, Weird Al? For 12 aspiring scratch DJs, their DJ dreams came true when the Bay Area’s legendary DJ QBert held a private “Skratch Seminar” last Tuesday evening.

Dubbed “A Night at the Octagon,” the Skratch Seminar was the first in a series of private classes held at Thud Rumble HQ, a retail store/record shop/jam space near SFO. Thud Rumble CEO/Owner Ritchie “YogaFrog” Desuasido, one of the pioneers of turntablism and a member of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz along with QBert, began the night with some sage DJ advice and pro tips. The pair also talked about technical theory, DJ mentality, scratching techniques, equipment specifics, and more.

The real fun began when QBert and the students took turns scratching and jamming at the Octagon — a table in the middle of the room with turntables and mixers on each of the sides. While the class was supposed to end at 10pm, a handful of people stayed until 3am to jam with QBert and the Thud Rumble crew, only taking a break to eat some lumpia and fried chicken.

If you’re interested in pursuing your inner DJ dreams, QBert is hosting a handful of additional Skratch Seminars in September for $100 per student. Reserve your spot at thudrumble.com.

In the meantime, check out photos from the Skratch Seminar below.