Mixing - Why?

[brianmole 0]

Hi all, I need a little help, and would really appreciate your views. As you may or may not know, Marc, myself and PartyChris are preparing a seminar for BPM, where we will be extolling the virtues of mixing and the mobile DJ. I would appreciate your views and experiences so I can share them. So, why should a mobile DJ want to learn to mix properly? What do YOU think are the benefits? Is it difficult? Where can you learn? etc, etc....

 

Please don't slag each other off, let's keep it constructive! I also want to understand why those of you who don't (yet) mix have not learned this little skill. For the record, it took me nearly 20 years to do something about it, so I have been on both sides of DJing!

 

 

C'MON! Discuss....

[Mattaious 0]

I dont mix "properly" but i give a good show without.

 

My main issue is lack of "teaching" and i think you may get stuck in a rut doing it the good ole way..

 

I would really like to learn to mix properly (oohhh i hate that word) but i dont no where to start

 

This post my bit a bit of a ramble, but on my own head i know what i mean.

 

Good Luck

[EdBray 0]

I don't beatmix presently and do not really see that it would be a major advantage to the type of gigs I do. I do try where possible to keep the 'flow' by getting the BPMs of the tracks similar and when using either the laptop or the HD2500 will take the pitch up or down slowly to half the difference of the following track so that there is not much of a change in tempo.

i.e. if the track I was playing had a bpm of 126 and the following track had a bpm of 132, I would set the following track to 129 using the pitch and then slowly increase the pitch of the current track until that was at 129 too. After having faded the tracks across I would then slowly raise/lower the new track to it's intended 1/2 match point of the next one. I tend to only do this though with disco'y type tracks and the only if the BPM is within about 8 of each other, or if the BPM if within 4 of the half value. So if I wanted to play a track with a BPM of 63 after one with a BPM of 132 I would set the one at 63 at 64.5 and the 132 at 129. Seems to work most times okay for me, but I do not actually match the beat, although often it is not that far out.

 

[C.S 0]

for me its an absolute must and i wont hire anyone who cant. Why? The quality of the music you play is more interesting for punters if you mix and drop in little bits of other songs. It gives you a better understanding of the music you are playing not only of beats but of key and tone. It keeps you fully concentrated all the time. Voice overs are scorned here both at club and mobile level ,how many times do you have to intro ymca etc? people know what it is. Tony eskie taught me the basics in the 80s and its been practice ,practice ,practice since then,still practice at least 3 hours a week now.

[DJ James Lake 0]

I totally agree, it is an essential part of being a dj, either club or mobile. There is nothing worse than a DJ who talks all night or badly goes from one song to the next.

 

The whole idea being mixing is not necessarily to beat mix all night long but to program the songs so that they flow smoothly. This can mean beatmixing, but it also can be done by proper cueing and dropping tunes at the right time to create a flow.

 

The idea behing it all is to keep people on the dancfloor, if the change in song is smooth you lessen the chance of the "I dont like this song and I'm off effect".

 

I was out in town on a rare night off on friday and heard the biggest train wreck of how not to do it. When a local DJ who was playing decided to go from a dance remix of Rihanna Umbrella to the R&B version. Yes it could have been done and very easily but boy what a mess he made of it, why, because he had no idea on how to mix properly.

 

Learn to do it, and do it properly and it will make your job a lot more fun for you as a dj as well.

[Mattaious 0]

Just to clarify - i do mix between each track but not always (perfectly) beat mix

[Paul Smith 0]

Good luck with the seminar - I was going to travel over but am booked for the Sat night - maybe next time.

 

I would beat match rather than mix although I have been known to do the odd small set. The biggest problem for me (& perhaps other function DJs as well) with regard to mixing is that I have people coming up to talk to me frequently and I wouldn't want to keep them waiting whilst I found that 8th/16th beat and syncronised it.

 

The solution for me was to use the latest OTS which has beatmixing facilities. It does take a while to set up each track but this only has to be done once after which it will seamlessly mix those requested in whatever order you choose.

 

That said for the last 6 functions I haven't used the facility because there was no requirement and at others I would use it for maybe 15-20 mins over the whole night.

 

I see this as moving with the times and using the technology available to me to add a little something (and TBH it is just a little something for the type of functions I do).

[Paull 0]

Hi,

 

When is the Forum going to take place?

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Mattaious 0]

Hi,

 

When is the Forum going to take place?

 

Regards

 

Paul

 

You will find all the information you require about BPM Here

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17816

 

Cheers

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Brian,

 

I did read your article in Pro-mobile a little while ago and liked your take on the mixing argument.

 

It's sort of two pronged for me. I have absolutely no issue with mixing dance music (which I guess is maybe because it's easier to do?) and have to say I am rather good at it - nice to drop in the next track a little early and watch the punters faces (amongst other things).

 

However, I have to say I am not quite as skilled with older music and I seem to remember your article suggested that mixing all gendres was important. Can't say I dissagree with that at all. I do like to talk and my clients like me to talk, but a simple faid between two tracks doesn't really seem to earn the money does it.

 

Would be all for some local mixing lessons!

[Dream Catchers 0]

I know it is essential for club dj's to do it, but to be honest as a mobile dj playing a diverse selection of music in a short period of time I dont feel it's necessary.

 

I am open to change though.

 

Jim

[Jimbo55 0]

Did post but it's disappeared..Half of it was missing anyway.. Virgin Media working outside at the moment.

 

Mixing is important. It does help you listen to the music. My own simple skills were learnt from watching Brian and others at earlier SEDA meets and interacting with OTSAV, Still a long way to go and lots of practising. I find it difficult to do much more than match the bpm use the eq to make it sound less of a car crash! let alone drop in a loop or anything else.

 

A part of me envy's those of you that can mix well. I feel it would allow me make my Djing more creative if I could mix well. I find it difficult to find the time to practice and I am reluctant to try any 'on the fly' mixing on the night without practising first.

 

 

[D.X 0]

With Hardcore and Trance being my favourite genres of music, beatmatching is something you absolutely have to learn and it's not easy. In fact, to master it's quite hard. I started out on Geminis then went on to Vestax, Technics and finally CDJ1000's.

 

Nowadays I use Ableton to mix which beatmatches the tracks for you.

 

But for my regular disco work I never bother and pretty much no-one cares. I bet a lot of people don't even know what beatmatching is. Plus, beatmatching some tracks would be impossible, especially if the track is going full throttle from the off. Hardcore and Trance have mix in/out beats so you can blend from one track to the next. This is not true with most disco type tracks.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

Ok chaps dont forget that mixing is not just Beat Mixing...

 

fades.. beat jugling... drops... loops... pitch changes...

 

 

works with lots of diferent kinds of music from 1920s Jazz to 2007 RnB and DnB

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

This is an interesting topic.

 

In the 80's a used mix and scratch quite easily, but since then I have done less of it, probably because I don't have the time to practice or it doesn't tend to matter at Aunt Ethels 80th birthday party.

 

Like Matt and Ed above, I do mix and try to beat match and keep the music flowing, but donot profess to be a 'Mixdoctor'.

[C.S 0]

Its worth it just to see peoples faces when they realise they were dancing to faithless and all of a sudden its kiss they are dancing to!

[Norfolk DJ 0]

I must agree that it's alot better mixing and intend to make more of an effort.

[Andy Westcott 0]

I did teach myself to beat mix some time ago and given the right tracks I can make a reasonable job of it if given enough time.

 

And this is the issue for me: As a mobile DJ, I feel my attention should be on the audience and not on the headphones/cue deck.

 

Having said that, I would like to progress beyond being able to simply beat mix two tracks with almost the same structure & BPM, and to be able to do it in far less time than it takes me now - this may be the answer to the audience issue I mentioned, although I still can't really see the skill would make me worth any more money, or be of any use, in the type of show I present.

 

I'd still like to learn properly though! :Thumbup:

Edited October 8, 2007 by Andy Westcott

[dh140770 0]

I learnt to beatmix years ago on SL1200's, so with the technology nowadays it is much easier.

 

I use a HD2500 now and use a combination of loops created on the fly, to straight beat matching, echo loop on the fade out, flanger and tone controls to lessen the effect of the differences between the tunes. Brake is there to get me out of trouble if required ;-)

 

I have to say, i use it mostly on Dance music, 70's disco etc. I'm not a beat juggler, but would love to be. I love watching people cutting up the tunes and dropping in some way out classics. Works well in a bar / some clubs. Not at a party / wedding though, i tend to find people like to hear the complete tune.

 

I tend to try and let the music do the talking once i have got a decent floor, as talking puts the dancers off I find. If the floor is empty I go for a bit of encouragement for dancing and requests on the mic.

 

Dave

[Secret Disco 0]

I've mixed for years basically because i wanted too.......and now with most CD/ mp3 players, the option to loop, fade and sample make it more intresting.

[exbutlinred82 0]

OUCH!!!

 

I've just realised I'M not a DJ all.I'm just a used up old Redcoat playing old tunes to old people.Can you mix Just Want To Dance the Night Away with Reach anyway???

 

Surprised I get any bookings at all.....In that case where have all my weekends gone in the past five years??

 

 

[dh140770 0]

OUCH!!!

I've just realised I'M not a DJ all.I'm just a used up old Redcoat playing old tunes to old people

 

So you love to entertain then!

Mixing is just one part of DJing. Certainly on the mobile circuit. As long as there are no gaps and it doesn't sound like a car crash, 80%+ don't even notice. It's all about the right music at the right time.

 

Dave

 

[C.S 0]

good attitude

[Jase Windu 0]

"I use a HD2500 now and use a combination of loops created on the fly, to straight beat matching, echo loop on the fade out, flanger and tone controls to lessen the effect of the differences between the tunes. Brake is there to get me out of trouble if required ;-)

 

I have to say, i use it mostly on Dance music, 70's disco etc. I'm not a beat juggler, but would love to be. I love watching people cutting up the tunes and dropping in some way out classics. Works well in a bar / some clubs. Not at a party / wedding though, i tend to find people like to hear the complete tune.

 

I tend to try and let the music do the talking once i have got a decent floor, as talking puts the dancers off I find. If the floor is empty I go for a bit of encouragement for dancing and requests on the mic."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spot On. Same for me except I learned by helping my mate out in a club years ago and doing a little bit every night until I ended up covering whole nights for him and doing my own club gigs. The HD2500 does make it so easy to knock out some amazing mix effects, don't know how I lived without it.

 

Jase

Edited October 9, 2007 by Jase Windu

[mick 0]

OUCH!!!

 

I've just realised I'M not a DJ all.I'm just a used up old Redcoat playing old tunes to old people.Can you mix Just Want To Dance the Night Away with Reach anyway???

 

Surprised I get any bookings at all.....In that case where have all my weekends gone in the past five years??

 

:bouncy: Love it, same with me (apart from the Red Coat bit).

 

Back to the original thread, I have had a go, but my gear is only really up to simple mixing, (bit like me - lol), I have sneaked the odd well practised mix of two tunes with same bpm in the past but I dont think anybody other than me noticed :ads: . I don't think not mixing makes you a poor DJ as choice of tunes and knowing that old classic that everyone had forgotten about gets a lot bigger reaction, from personal experience. But as CS points out it must be good getting people to dance to a tune that would normally see them heading to the Bar by seamlessly mixing in that track would be well cool. I am in need of some new deck's as mine are now ten years old and knackered so maybe when I have the technology to help me a bit I might make more of an effort. Respect to all you lads and lasses that can mix though :nbow: