Where this Vancouver DJ gained the tools to succeed and excel artistically

Feb 25 2022, 9:49 pm

It’s a beautiful thing when you can pinpoint the moment your tremendous passion for something ignited; Vancouver-based DJ Harshit Grover can do this effortlessly.

At the age of 12, he began listening to electronic dance music (EDM) artists playing at festivals and became fascinated by the energy and vibes of the genre. “I wanted to do the same and control the crowd and make them jump with every single drop,” Grover tells Daily Hive.

“It’s the best feeling ever, and at that moment, I started my journey to becoming a DJ by doing small shows and then getting bigger.” But Grover didn’t want to get into the industry only to DJ; he wanted to grow, learn more, make music, and “be an audio geek.”

A burning curiosity

MR. DJ (Photo: Wallace Felix Ebinuma Goes)

“I always wondered how a track is made [and] vocals are cleaned up to sound the best,” he says. “Music in movies always inspired me and how a scene could be changed just by changing a few notes in an orchestration.”

This curiosity led him to the start of his educational journey and a Diploma in Professional Recording Arts at LaSalle College Vancouver, a boutique-design school offering applied arts programs that help graduates build rewarding, lifelong careers.

“I knew what I wanted to learn, and LaSalle College Vancouver was the perfect college for me to learn exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to know the technical aspects behind sound and go deeper [into] how a track is perfected in the studio before it comes out to the general public,” explains Grover.

“It still blows my mind how much time it takes to mix and master a track to perfect those tiny details.” Learning from course instructors on campus (who are professionals in the industry) also gave Grover a clear idea of the intricacies of the recording arts realm.

“I covered a huge course load including how to mix, master, work for films, do sound design, foley, record bands, and much more,” he says, adding how the “industry-standard gear [and] software” helped him become a professional.

“The deadlines for submitting projects were exactly the same as in the industry, which prepares us for what’s coming and how one could lose their job if deadlines are not met,” he notes. Grover also credits the “up-to-date course material” that’s on pace with a growing, changing industry.

Post-graduation support

DJ Harshit Grover

MR. DJ (Photo: Corban Daniels)

Today, along with being a DJ (known by many in the industry as “DJ” or “Deej”), Grover is a music producer, sound design artist, and mixing engineer. He currently works as an audio technician at LaSalle College Vancouver in addition to being a live sound engineer at The Roxy Cabaret in Vancouver.

“LaSalle College Vancouver has supported me a lot,” Grover shares. “I graduated right when [the] pandemic started and had to leave campus without a proper graduation, and [it] was the same for all my friends.” Six months later, when he noticed DJs around the world were coming up with creative ideas and hosting live stream events, he wanted to do one of his own.

“My plan was to do a live stream from the rooftop of LaSalle College Vancouver, and well, in less than two weeks, me and my team [fellow students] did the whole production,” he says. “LaSalle College Vancouver promoted [it], and it was a successful event.”

The “fun environment, amazing studios, and nice people” at LaSalle College Vancouver are among Grover’s favourite aspects of his time at the school.

“If you really want something, and you are getting full support to do so, then follow your passion and dreams and enroll,” he says to those considering pursuing a program at LaSalle College Vancouver.

“You will meet a lot of industry professionals, people from different countries, [and] you will explore different industries as the campus is filled with artistic people and collaborating with other industries will open more opportunities.”

Grover is currently working on rebranding his personal brand “MR.DJ” (his stage name) and plans to release “a lot of music” in the coming months on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. “I am releasing various genres like EDM, pop, and orchestral for film and games,” he says, adding that he’s “excited to work for concerts again.”

Creative prospects

Grover’s Diploma in Professional Recording Arts is one of more than 35 programs LaSalle College Vancouver delivers for students. As an educational institution where creativity runs free, it offers small class sizes led by industry experts and also maintains close links with industries here in Canada and globally.

Providing programs in culinary arts, graphic design, animation and 3D modelling, fashion design, fashion marketing, game design, interior design, photography, and many other disciplines, LaSalle College Vancouver has something to offer everyone.

The institution is set for expansion in the summer of 2023, with the opening of its brand-new, seven-storey, purpose-built education centre. Located next door to the current campus, the new centre will cover over 108,000 sq ft, boasting innovative labs and collaboration spaces.

If you’re eager to see what your future could hold at LaSalle College Vancouver and explore the school’s full range of programs, visit lasallecollegevancouver.com.

Daily Hive

Branded Content

This content was created by Hive Labs in partnership with a sponsor.
Catriona HughesCatriona Hughes

+ Sponsored
+ Curated
ADVERTISEMENT