Mixing advice for Beginner DJ's

franklyshocked · 27-06-2009 11:08pm

Zascar wrote: »

Good advice FS. One thing I remember someone telling me year ago which helped, was start the queued track faster than the one playing and slow it down until it is more or less beatmatched. Instead of getting it exactly on, keep it a minute amount faster, but be ready to make tiny adjustments to slow it down in time with the main track.

When mixing on vinyl I do this, I hover om finger over the bit with the dots and gently drag it if I hear it coming out at all. Works well.

I also mix with one earphone, but its cause I like to hear both what is in my headphones, and what is coming out of the speakers too. Depending on the setup there can be varied results - mixing on a big system can be different to mixing at home.

Yup, I'll agree with the faster cue when working with Vinyl.
And for a few good reasons. As a record coils in it can sometimes slightly speed up, not always, but it happens so if you're doing an epic long mix you can need to adjust the incomming track to catch up as the mix gets near the end of the master track.
Also, new Dj's don't always get their release/throw spot on and a slightly faster cue track can sometimes catch up on its own without too much adjusting.
Although conversly a faster throw on a faster track can completely miss the master tempo and you've got a train wreck again, Oh hell, there's just no winning sometimes,

franklyshocked · 27-06-2009 11:17pm

I meant to say,
some people don't know when to end a mix.
Epic mixes can happen and can work, but if you've mixed in the new track and its dominating the sound on the master channel, just cut the old track for the love of god.
Some choppy 4 bar mixes can sound way better than a 40 bar long mix where the Dj locked the 2 tracks and just plain forgot to kill the channel once the mix was complete.
I know a live mashup can be clever but sometimes it just sounds like noise on an open channel.
Rant complete. Normal service resuming

djscubasteve · 16-08-2009 1:52pm

Zascar wrote: »

Djing is not just the ability to beatmatch. It's about 1% of it overall.

Some of the best advice in the whole thread Zascar.

Sometimes a dj can be gifted technically, but lack the ability to put a decent set together. Don't be afraid to blend & be different, try make the crowd work for you & not the other way around.

Ease them in & build up your set track by track. Get a feel for the crowd & gain their trust. If you go in to a set all guns blazing & drop the 'bombs' they all know & love straight off the bat, sure, you get a huge response & your ego gets a boost but, they've heard what they wanted to hear & you're only 15mins in! What are you going to WOW them with an hour later?

Get yourself into a rhythm, inside your comfort zone. Once everyone is tapping, clapping & nodding along, then you can 'reward' them;) with the gems you've been itching to drop & finish on a high they won't forget.

The first time you hear a crowd screaming "ONE MORE TUNE, ONE MORE TUNE..." :eek:gives you the kind of tingly feeling that makes you want it more & more...:D

electrogrimey · 17-05-2010 6:04pm

Thought I'd bump this with some advice, because it's a great thread.

Amen't usually a CD user, but when I do I find a nice way of beatmatching is to start the new track with the pitch fader way faster (on 10% most of the way up), and then bring it down until it sounds right, that way you don't waste time messing round figuring out if it's faster or slower.

Don't just go out and play the Beatport top 20, or the tracks you know/think the crowd will love. Play the tracks you know and love. If you've spent the time hunting down and listening to great music, the crowd will respond to that more than an hour of the most overplayed bangers. One of my favourite parts of seeing DJs is spending the next week hunting down the tracks I didn't know from the vague traces in my head, so you should be making the crowd do the same!

When you start playing out, don't piss off other DJs. Don't hang around the DJ box pressuring them to let you start, don't litter every DJ and promoter with mixes every few weeks, and always try to chat with the other DJs, if you liked their set, tell them.

Scubadevils · 23-06-2010 5:15pm

Due to popular demand this thread will be stickied, well... seannash and ianuss, but I'm sure they are both popular blokes :pac:

seannash · 23-06-2010 5:19pm

Scubadevils wrote: »

Due to popular demand this thread will be stickied, well... seannash and ianuss, but I'm sure they are both popular blokes :pac:

wouldnt be too sure about the popularity but yeah it deserves a sticky so we can redirect people easily

Piriz · 23-06-2010 6:08pm

ok for the beginners:

don't be afraid to put your hands on the record your bringing into the mix...however be controlled with what you do...i.e. push it forward or slow it down... you need to be controlled as you will need to adjust the pitch up or down each time you 'touch' the record...when you have a controlled touch on the record you can learn how much you need to adjust the pitch...

try to keep your records playing at the normal/center speed +/-0, as a beginner if you are playing your records at +6 the next one you bring in might be slightly slower and will have to be played at +7...before you know it you will pick the wrong record next and have to slow the pitch of the record playing...(you want to avoid this).

an easy way to begin your mix is to find the first beat on your next record...hold it...and let it in when the playing record changes i.e. 1234 1234 1234 1234, NOW! 1234 1234 1234 1234 NOW! 1234 1234 etc... (the NOW must be on the 1st beat on the next bar...) adjust the speed accordingly and repeat the process...when you are confident the beats are matched then bring the crossfader across and get your mix on!

if you make a balls of a mix, just bring the needles back and try again...remember you are trying to learn not play a set...this way you will understand what went wrong...

if your mixer has those beat counter lights for each channel...dont use them..cover them up with blue tack...they are crap and will only confuse you...its your ear you need to train to hear beats not your eyes for flashing lights...

in the early days for learning purposes dont be too ambitious with mixing certain tunes...keep to tunes that sound similar...same genre etc.. if you mix it up too much you will **** it up if your learning...if you keep ****ing it up you'll get frustrated and give up..

if you only have a limited stock of records...start playing all the other tracks on the record...this can help increase your playlist and diversify your tunes..

dont get too carried away with the volume...as the louder you play the louder you need to have your cue/headphones.. this will damage your hearing overtime so just be careful, i tend to switch which ear i listen to the head phones through according to the deck the record im bring in is on.. (slightly damage both ears rather than totally damage one, not saying this is better, its just what i do).

hans aus dtschl · 29-06-2010 12:04pm

Some nice ones once you're nice and confident with beat-matching:

Don't touch the track that's "loudest" in the mix. If your track has a slow-moving, drawn out mid or high-frequency line avoid touching it at all, because you'll hear that sucker speeding up or slowing down. It's not as easy to hear basic drum patterns speeding up or slowing down slightly.

When you're mixing, "swop" the tracks cleanly: more than one bassline sounds "muddy" so don't have many on fully at once (if they're not complementing, don't have any on together at all).
Same goes for hi-hats: two hi-hat lines together will be brittle. Great if that's the sound you want, but if you're doing something subtle or dubby it'll sound too sharp.

Hi-hats and claps are really obvious when a track's coming in or out, so bring down the relevant frequency band for them if you really want the tracks to melt into each other.

Vary the style of mix you're doing: Avoid doing all slow mixes, or all fast mixes, or all bass-swop mixes or all chop-mixes.

Excess use of generic effects is very tiring, so either keep the effects really quiet in the mix, or know exactly what you're doing with them and do it sparingly. People should only know it's an effect if they know the track: it shouldn't be obvious that it's an effect unless you're tinkering with one element or doing big spacey dancehall echoes between tracks.

Any more, dudes?

hans aus dtschl · 29-06-2010 12:13pm

Turn down the club monitors between mixes, cos your ears will get tired if they're always up high.

A nice one if you're finding it difficult to be enthusiastic about doing a mix, or if you HAVE to do one for a promo or whatever, try picking two tracks you love: you're favourite one at the downbeat/mellow end of what you play and one at the upbeat/hectic end, and try to go from one to the other without any huge obvious changes from track to track. Have no time limit on it, just say "whenever I get there is fine" and don't have any "must play" tracks in between. Hey presto, you've got a set that keeps building seamlessly and still feels gratifying. If it's 30 mins its a good promo, if it's 3 hours, cut out a segment that works best.

Zascar · 29-06-2010 12:19pm

Very good advice there lads. Hans you are right about varying your mixing styles. I had to give myself a slap on the wrist there a while back as I was being very lazy doing the same kind of mix.

Actually a random question. Where do you have the Eq's for an average track when you are playing it. Do you have them all at zero, or do you boost them up a little? I prefer to have them up 1 or 2 notches, depending on the tracks give a certain part a bit extra

Also, I know this is hard to describe, but how do you guys generally alternate between what you do with the eq's on each deck and the upfaders - like for a normal mix? What do you find is the best tactic to get it as smooth as possible? I love really smooth blendy mixing coupled with nice bassline swapping

seannash · 29-06-2010 12:26pm

Zascar wrote: »

Very good advice there lads. Hans you are right about varying your mixing styles. I had to give myself a slap on the wrist there a while back as I was being very lazy doing the same kind of mix.

Actually a random question. Where do you have the Eq's for an average track when you are playing it. Do you have them all at zero, or do you boost them up a little? I prefer to boost them a bit.

Also, I know this is hard to describe, but how do you guys generally alternate between what you do with the eq's on each deck and the upfaders - like for a normal mix? What do you find is the best tactic to get it as smooth as possible? I love really smooth blendy mixing coupled with nice bassline swapping

id normally leave them all at zero to be honest but if a track is lacking something i might try and give it something.

as for the smooth blends i generally do it all from eq.i whack up the fader full(once ive checked the level by flicking in the track to compare it to the other one)and have all the eqs reduced a bit.then i just work them in with the eq.

hans aus dtschl · 29-06-2010 12:35pm

Very similar to sean:

All at zero unless it's a dull track where I'll brighten it (boost high or mid and dip the bass), or a weak track where I'll strengthen it (usually bring in the low bass a little more) both only a TINY amount though usually.

Smooth blends, I usually have the bass fully off, and any brash hi-hats down a lot, use the up-fader to bring it in, leave the fader a tiny bit from the top bring in or gently swop the hi-hats, bring the fader up to the top then bring in or gently swop the bass, before bringing out the other track the exact opposite way.

If you have filters per side, you could do a high-pass sweep, with no boost on the Q-point from the bottom freuqncy to the top, which gives a nice smooth mix with relatively little effort too?

EuskalHerria · 04-07-2010 11:53pm

Would really appreciate some input from people on this. I'm only a few months into learning but I seem to have hit a brick wall. I can beatmatch and phrase quite well (I think). My problem right now seems to be transitioning between two songs. I seem to keep leaving the song I'm mixing out on too long and never really know when the best time to mix it out is or the best method to ease the song out.

I realise that it all depends on the two tracks i'm attempting to mix but would appreciate any techniques that people generally use so I can try a few out and attempt to tone my efforts up.

electrogrimey · 05-07-2010 3:32am

EuskalHerria wrote: »

Would really appreciate some input from people on this. I'm only a few months into learning but I seem to have hit a brick wall. I can beatmatch and phrase quite well (I think). My problem right now seems to be transitioning between two songs. I seem to keep leaving the song I'm mixing out on too long and never really know when the best time to mix it out is or the best method to ease the song out.

I realise that it all depends on the two tracks i'm attempting to mix but would appreciate any techniques that people generally use so I can try a few out and attempt to tone my efforts up.

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.

EuskalHerria · 05-07-2010 12:26pm

electrogrimey wrote: »

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 · 05-07-2010 7:38pm

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:o

ThirdMan · 25-07-2010 1:53am

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 · 27-07-2010 11:44pm

ThirdMan wrote: »

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 · 28-07-2010 2:47pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

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. :P

DaveyDave · 28-07-2010 11:41pm

ThirdMan wrote: »

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. :P

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 · 29-07-2010 12:24am

DaveyDave wrote: »

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 · 05-08-2010 9:46am

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 · 05-08-2010 11:00am

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

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 · 05-08-2010 11:37am

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 · 05-08-2010 11:49am

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 · 05-08-2010 12:10pm

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 · 05-08-2010 1:55pm

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

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 · 24-08-2010 10:29am

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 · 24-08-2010 10:54am

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.

clayton1 · 24-08-2010 12:18pm

Zascar wrote: »

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.

i know, it is a disgrace to be honest. But i get away with it, so thats why i never bothered learning.

any tips for me??

Mixing advice for Beginner DJ's

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