[EuskalHerria]

Originally Posted by electrogrimey

Harder with CDs but not impossible, for me where I bring in and take out tracks is always to do with what's happening in the track. I'll start bringing in a track maybe 32 bars or more before a break or some change in the track, and have it fully brought it right on the break or whatever, so it takes over much smoother. Basically you have to know your tracks really well.

Well ive just moved house at the minute and dont have my CDJs. Using hercules mp3 with virt dj. Really cant get into it tbh, much prefer to use my CDJs.

I generally know my music very well. Even when the new phrase of the song I'm bringing in begins I'm still unsure when or how to bring out the originally playing track. Ease it out gradually up until the next phrase is usually what I do but when that next phrase of the incoming song starts, I cant seem to smoothly transition the song out. I'll either leave it playing in the background for too long not knowing the best time to fade it out or else il try and completely fade it out as the new phrase on the incoming track plays but it doesn't sound well. Think im going to record a short mix today, regardless of what it sounds like and upload it for tips.

[yoshytoshy]

I don't post in the forum here ,but I know a lot of dj's from clubs over the years. I've had thousands of records ,but not anymore.

Going to buy an mp3 mixer for mixing laid back stuff like afterlife and other electronic stuff. I'll be needing advice along the way I'm sure ,it's ten years since I used my pc for music stuff

[ThirdMan]

I'm basically looking for tips on how to effectively use the EQ when mixing two tracks together.

Hi's and mid's aren't so much of a problem (although any advice is welcome). I'm more so struggling with the bass. I'm not too keen on cutting the bass on one track while I drop in the other. I much prefer smooth mixes, but I'm having trouble with the, ehh, smoothness.

Thanks.

[DaveyDave]

Originally Posted by ThirdMan

I'm basically looking for tips on how to effectively use the EQ when mixing two tracks together.

Hi's and mid's aren't so much of a problem (although any advice is welcome). I'm more so struggling with the bass. I'm not too keen on cutting the bass on one track while I drop in the other. I much prefer smooth mixes, but I'm having trouble with the, ehh, smoothness.

Thanks.

Slowly adjust the bass of the track that's going out while at the same time do the same to the track that's coming in? Just do it at the same time on both EQs, track A lows down, and track B lows up. Don't just rip the EQ, do it over the length of 8 bars or something, that should be a smooth enough transition shouldn't it?

[ThirdMan]

Originally Posted by DaveyDave

Slowly adjust the bass of the track that's going out while at the same time do the same to the track that's coming in? Just do it at the same time on both EQs, track A lows down, and track B lows up. Don't just rip the EQ, do it over the length of 8 bars or something, that should be a smooth enough transition shouldn't it?

Cool, I had been doing it in a lot less than 8 bars. I'm not very confident so suppose I've been doing it too quickly. I need to grow a pair.

[DaveyDave]

Originally Posted by ThirdMan

Cool, I had been doing it in a lot less than 8 bars. I'm not very confident so suppose I've been doing it too quickly. I need to grow a pair.

Well 8 bars is just an example as it's longer and will be a smoother transition. Think of it like a slow crossfade, everything is smooth but with the EQ it's just the bass. Don't be afraid to mix it up a little and try new things, see what works for you.

[ThirdMan]

Originally Posted by DaveyDave

Well 8 bars is just an example as it's longer and will be a smoother transition. Think of it like a slow crossfade, everything is smooth but with the EQ it's just the bass. Don't be afraid to mix it up a little and try new things, see what works for you.

Cheers for the tips Dave. Was working with 8 bars tonight and it went quiet well. Obviously every two tracks are different so I won't be sticking to one formula. Thanks again.

[hans aus dtschl]

Swopping basslines smoothly is to avoid cluttering the low end with two different basslines. If you're only mixing for a few seconds, I'm not sure you'll notice the full benefit: the only reason for swopping smoothly is to hide/mask the mix. The differences between two tunes would generally be pretty apparent if they only overlap for 8 bars? If you're smooth mixing over 8 bars you can only really hope to swop the basslines at the appropriate point. Which would be a simple case of bringing one bassline down slowly, and slapping the new one in at the right point.

Perhaps a different mixing technique would be more in line with what you're looking for, for shorter, fast mixes: chops, drops, cuts, scratches and effects come to mind.

[ianuss]

Originally Posted by hans aus dtschl

Perhaps a different mixing technique would be more in line with what you're looking for,.

Like what? Much longer mixes, 40-60 second mixes? Or something completely diiferent?

[hans aus dtschl]

Yep, but it's a matter of taste?

But I think if you've a 40-60 second mix you've a better chance, cos longer mixes are easier to blend smoothly.

I go the opposite way: I tend to blend for too long, until the pitch needs to be correced (cos it's fun!) but this isn't right either and I get plenty complaints to that end.

So my opinion: if they'll only stay together for <30 seconds, maybe vary how you mix them (drops, cuts, effects, loops etc (whatever), as mentioned) and if you can keep them together longer then blending slowly with the EQs/filters is an option.

But I'm talking about really smoooooooth long blends, not about stopping the basslines from clashing. If you're mixing for 8 bars, and stopping them clashing, you're doing nothing wrong, imo.

The better deep house dj's won't even use EQ's to do all this mind you, they'll just keep pushing the track in reeeeeealy slowly (big rotary mixers help with that) so what do I know

[ianuss]

Well, I've only recently started to experiment mixing with EQ's, and my mixes are generally quite long too. And I'd like to get them as smooth as possible - I'm ok with the hi and mid EQ's, as you can hear them much clearer, so I was wondering how you would you best use the Lo.........like really, really slow and gradual mixing? Or increasing one/decreasing the other, every 4 bars or something like that?

[hans aus dtschl]

Yep. Either or. You need to find the "bite" where one bassline comes through and the other's gone. Try and make that at the start of a bar/phrase/sequence. There will always be a point where it's mud, even if the two are equally low. Avoid this like the plague. You gotta know where on the EQ this is. Every mixer's different. Always "jump" the EQ's through the "muddy" point rather than sitting in it. It'll be a tiny movement. But you can blend right down/up to this point, before the new track MUST come to the front. If you've filters you can just take out the offending frequencies. If you don't you gotta bring it through at the right time.

If your EQ's not smooth enough none of this is possible, by the way, and there's nothing you can do, other than a straightforward "swop".

Its just "swopping" the basslines, but doing it discretely, thats all. Same as you're doing with the hi and mid, just avoid the muddy bass.

I should have written that first, really.

[ThirdMan]

Originally Posted by hans aus dtschl

Yep. Either or. You need to find the "bite" where one bassline comes through and the other's gone. Try and make that at the start of a bar/phrase/sequence. There will always be a point where it's mud, even if the two are equally low. Avoid this like the plague. You gotta know where on the EQ this is. Every mixer's different. Always "jump" the EQ's through the "muddy" point rather than sitting in it. It'll be a tiny movement. But you can blend right down/up to this point, before the new track MUST come to the front. If you've filters you can just take out the offending frequencies. If you don't you gotta bring it through at the right time.

If your EQ's not smooth enough none of this is possible, by the way, and there's nothing you can do, other than a straightforward "swop".

Its just "swopping" the basslines, but doing it discretely, thats all. Same as you're doing with the hi and mid, just avoid the muddy bass.

I should have written that first, really.

Quality advice man. Cheers.

[clayton1]

i am DJ'ing 5 years now and i haven't a clue how to beat mix being honest. Because i do parties and weddings etc. it is not really a necessity.

But it is something i want to get right, any advice? i don't use cd's, i have mp3 decks - cortex hdc-1000.

[Zascar]

Are you serious? Ah come on man that's terrible. So every time you do a mix it’s like a heard of stampeding elephents? You can't really call yourself a Dj unless you can beatmatch. It’s like a racecar driver not being able to drive a manual car. It’s not rocket science, honestly just practice and one day it will ‘click’.

Those type mixers are a bitch to mix on. Best thing to learn on is Vinyl, it’s the hardest. CDJ’s are easy enough.