A GROUP of established Glasgow DJs have built a creative music hub in the city’s Southside in a bid to nurture some home grown musical talent.

SM Studios was launched in Shawlands giving rising stars the chance to learn vital skills needed to produce music and perform as a DJ.

Those behind the venture - including Victoria’s Nightclub legendary resident DJ Stuart McLean, Mango club resident Neil Hood, GBX producer Sparkos and producer David Rogers - each bring their own set of skills in their preferred dance music genre – and this is something they hope to pass on to others.

Neil, 33, who is one of the DJs teaching at SM Studios which is based in Shawbridge Street, said: “We are all pals and we have been DJing for over 10 years so we thought it would be good to come together.

“What we do is not all about Djing or the lesson side of things. It is about getting yourself out there. We have worked our way up from the bottom, back when you gave people mix tapes to get gigs.

“Now we are in digital era and we know how to help people get exposure to get themselves out there.”

The studio marks the beginnings of a creative space which will allow existing and aspiring DJs to come together to create music.

And Neil believes their space might just be the right platform to launch the city’s next big thing in dance music.

He said: “The whole idea is for new talent to come to us, and we teach and nurture them from beginning to end. If they go on to bigger things, then that is the dream.

“We all have experience in the dance music scene because we have done it for so long. We feel that we are at a place now where we can share that.

“I was lucky enough to have older DJs help me when I was younger and now I am older it is my turn to share my experience.”

Anyone who is interested in learning more about Djing or music production is urged to contact the studio.

But Neil warns that the mastering the art of Djing isn't as easy as it looks.

He said: "You need perseverance, you won't pick it up right away. You need a good knowledge of music because you are going to be playing it. You need to be able to adapt and have your own style.

"When I first started I was horrendous. It took me years to get good. You find a lot of people start off buying turntables and then sell them within a couple of months because it is not something you can do overnight.

"But the benefits of it and how rewarding it is when you get to a stage when you see yourself getting better is unbelievable."

SM Studios are also offering existing DJs a place to stream live shows, and create mixes and podcasts.

Plans are also in the pipeline for established DJs to offer seminars.

Neil said: "There is so much scope as to what we can do. We are bringing people together who are into different types of music and they are collaborating.

"The response we have had since we launched is fantastic."

For more on SM Studios, visit https://www.facebook.com/SmStudioGlasgow/