VOXBOX Studios DJ Skool - Calgary

This is the worst school for learning how to dj all the want is your money and the DJs don't even get paid anything. I used to be a student at this school so expensive, for such bad service.

I went to work with this school until I found out that they treat students and instructors very badly, they rip students and clients off and offer work that doesn't pay the students but pays the company. I know of several people who have been ripped off and had bad experiences with this company. I am surprised it is still around. Avoid this company at all costs.

Well I'm not sure why I never posted a review on here. So here it goes! I started with the school about 2 years ago. I had no sweet clue where to begin, my music background was pretty much non existent. I ended starting the what I called an extreme struggle of trying to figure out how to play music. I had a very hard time with it at times, but I would get to class suck it up and always be extremely discouraged that I would never learn. With a bit of motivation from the instructors I would fight through and by the end of the hour I would leave extremely satisfied because I actually had learned something. After working extremely hard I started getting pretty good to the point where I was invited to help with different shows with the instructors where you started learning basic set ups and crowd reading. Slowly after that I started getting my own shows here and there to fill in or help out where I could. Now after about 2 years I have been sitting with a residency at a bar for just over 1 year and new opportunities are rising every day. That's my story. Now for anyone that thinks djing is easy. You might want to think twice. It seems that everytime you think you have it figured out a new challenge comes along. As for classes vs shows. Schools can only teach you so much. The major learning curve is by experiencing the actual job. So now I'll talk about that when I started shows I had some difficult times but after I was done I would talk to Dave (the owner) for hours to talk about pros and cons of my night/selection of music etc. (At no cost) He helped me very much and after a few weeks our conversations were rather short or none at all. I've had many great discussion about the industry and people that are out there in the DJ industry and I have also dealt with quite a bit of it. By no means is it simple! A little more about me. Many people often ask me how long I have been in the industry most think at least 5 years ( haha ) jokes on them. I usually tell them that I took professional classes and that's why I believe I excelled. I thrive to know that people appreciate what I do and that I feel like I do it well and very professionally. So for anyone thinking of joining the school/industry - be patient - be open minded - don't worry it will come I would like to thank both Voxbox and personally thank Dave for all the great instructions and wonderful opportunities that I have gotten!!

Like several reviewers before I'm going to reiterate a point: Stay Away. Voxbox makes itself sound like a godsend company for DJs. We'll teach you! We'll give you jobs! We'll give you golden opportunities the likes of which you'd never imagine. All of this is true, but not without sacrifices that make said opportunities SO not worth it. I worked for Voxbox for about a year and a half. In that time I completed 1 basic course and half completed 1 advanced course. Just a few months into my training, which I was doing on the side because I had a steady, good job, I was offered the chance at a steady gig. It required some relocation (I had to get there on my own), but they said that it was months away and I would be given ample time to prepare. Long story short I ended having to leave a whole lot sooner then originally planned, but I went with it... Because I could be a DJ, a real DJ at a club. It was too good a chance to pass up. I was never given a date for when I needed to be there, Dave (the owner) told me at an assisting gig 2 days before I was supposed to be there (this is a running theme with the company). I won't lie, this gig was the greatest thing I ever did for myself. I learned a lot even with my minimal training (at this point I had completed basic training and had a few classes in the advanced part which were rushed and felt very forced). The equipment at the club was finicky and only worked half the time, the only support I got from the owner (Dave) was "Ask so-and-so, he'll help." This company made me feel less then human, just someone to take advantage of. I was TOLD to go to gigs when I moved back home, not asked if I was available to do them, just told that they are my gigs. When I would say I was unavailable the owner, Dave, would try to guilt trip me into going and if that didn't work he would call ME unprofessional. He had the balls to say "the show must go on" to which I say, "well, it's your show. Not mine." I had to badger him about getting paid and for details of gigs. Then when I finally had enough of being yanked around he responded... Aggressively. He left on a very unprofessional note, said things I won't bother to write on here (they were uncouth, disgusting, unnecessary and just plain mean) and then has to audacity to call me immature. Go elsewhere. Any other DJ company will do. But if your a masochist, then maybe Voxbox is for you.