Hey DJ — David Estrada, known as DJ Spyder, is sharing his craft with local students. (Courtesy photo)
By TRINA “INDI” JOHNSON
Special to the NEWS
In the vibrant Rio Grande Valley, where communities hum with energy, David Estrada, known as DJ Spyder, is sharing his craft with local students.
Raised in Weslaco and now based in Harlingen, Estrada’s journey as a DJ, rooted in family and passion, has led him to teach summer DJ classes at Veterans Memorial Academy (VMA) in San Benito, guiding young minds through the art of mixing music.
Estrada’s entry into DJing began early, as he assisted his father at private events.
“It started because my father was already doing it for private events, and I would go help him with the setups, but I didn’t mess with mixing until I was a teenager,” Estrada said. By the age of 16, using his father’s older equipment, he began performing at his high school during lunch breaks. “The high school I was going to let me play during our lunch time for the students,” he explained.
Now, Estrada is teaching, having begun last school year at VMA. “I started this past school year with Veteran Memorial for their afterschool program two times a week for the whole year,” he explained.
This success led to summer DJ boot camps for students in grades 5 through 12. “Since I had already started with VMA, they wanted to give it a try with middle school and high school to keep the students engaged,” Estrada noted.
Run independently by Estrada, the classes introduce students to professional equipment, including the Pioneer REV 5 DJ Controller, an Apple MacBook Pro with Serato DJ Pro software, JBL Audio 15-inch speakers, and Eliminator Mini Par lighting.
“They will be learning basic mixing of melodies and how to be able to control the songs with the DJ controller that is provided as well as the capabilities of that controller,” Estrada said, emphasizing both technical skills and creative exploration across genres like Tejano, hip-hop, country, and reggaeton.
Estrada, a regular performer at venues such Ramses, Tipsy Tavern, and Rocking Cue, sees the classes as a way to inspire.
“I hope they can learn the technical part of the software and understand how you can creatively mix different genres of music as well as understand those genres (e.g., tejano, country, pop, rock, hip hop, Top 40s, reggaeton, and all sorts of variety),” he stated. He aims for students to gain confidence and an appreciation for diverse musical styles.
Community response has been strong, with students showing engagement and locals promoting the classes on social media.
“The students that I currently have are engaged, and so far, I’ve gotten a lot of support from the outside in helping me share the class availability through social media,” Estrada said. Limited to enrolled students at VMA and the summer boot camp in San Benito, the program is having a significant impact.
Estrada hopes his classes spark a lasting connection to music. “I hope that students come out wanting to be more engaged with music and mixes and help open their ears to the wide variety of styles that are available for them,” he concluded.
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