Questlove – MasterClass – Teaches Music Curation and DJing

Questlove – MasterClass – Teaches Music Curation and DJing

The iconic DJ and Roots drummer Questlove teaches you how to be a better DJ, deepen your love of music, and make a perfect playlist.

Ahmir Thompson—better known as Questlove—is an iconic DJ, the drummer for The Roots, and the “coolest man on late-night,” but his first love is collecting and mixing music. Now the Grammy winner is sharing his passion with you. Explore DJ techniques, expand your musical vocabulary, and learn how to glide from genre to genre—including hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz, R&B, and more—to curate your own perfect playlist.

Browse Lesson Plan

1. Meet Your Instructor: Questlove

Meet Questlove, the four-time Grammy Award–winning musician, DJ, drummer for The Roots, and late-night TV star. He shares what he’ll be teaching you in his class.

2. A Questlove Setup: Equipment

Find out about Questlove’s DJ setup and his equipment preferences.

3. Gathering Music: Organizing and Pruning

Deepen your music appreciation by learning how Questlove listens to and absorbs music.

4. A Questlove Flow: Technology

Learn how to increase your artistry with Questlove’s favorite technology.

5. Hey Mr. DJ: DJ 101

Questlove teaches you the fundamental skills of DJing.

6. DJing at the White House: Surviving Failure

Questlove explains the value of failure and encourages you to take chances as a DJ.

7. Planning Your Set: Sequencing and Vibe Checking

Explore Questlove’s approach to curating a playlist and building a musical experience for an audience.

8. Training Your Ears to Listen

Questlove shows you how to listen to and search for music to find remarkable moments.

9. Advanced DJ Techniques

Learn Questlove’s more advanced techniques for DJing.

10. Knowing Your Roots: The Art of Crate Digging

Expand your catalog and explore different music with tips from Questlove.

11. Finding Inspiration in Other DJs

Questlove pays tribute to pioneer DJs and highlights their unique techniques.

12. Musicology: Questlove’s Playlist13. Questlove’s MasterClass Mix (Bonus)

Watch as Questlove breaks down the music in his playlist and explains the intricacy of his transitions.