Hey Mr DJ

The soundtrack to your life is several gigs of random songs from three crates of CDs and two Christmases worth of iTunes gift cards.

Meaning you hear the same old songs when you're working out, driving home from the office, or hosting a soiree chez vous.

Time to face the music. Song shuffle just isn't cutting it anymore.

So call DJ James Coles, a longtime local spin doctor and radio producer, who teaches private DJ lessons. Known best for his eight-week sessions for teens at the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA, he also teaches grown-ups who are just finding a passion for mixing tunes, and are, well, starting from scratch.

He'll show you how to make your favorite songs sound fresh by mixing in new beats and making playlists that put similar tempo songs next to each other. You'll get hands-on practice on turntables and mixing boards, learn to count beats and phrases, and even get a little music history in the process. And your time spent playing that funky music is all captured on a CD mixtape.

Sounds like music to your ears.

Private DJ Lessons with James Cole can be scheduled starting this month DJ classes start in August. For info, email James.Coles@CoxRadio.com or call 808.479.3008.