Mixing

[glenn knights 0]

Hello.

 

I have just been reading another thread and a question has popped up (well - to me anyway!).

 

How important do other DJ's feel that "mixing" is :shrug:

 

I must admit to not being the worlds best mixer and indeed sometimes mix by accident but I can keep the music flowing and keep people on the dance floor.

 

 

So, what are your opinions - do I carry on as I am or should I get myself off to DJ High ?

 

Thanks for the input,

 

 

:cheers:

 

 

Glenn.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

As a function DJ it's not critical but it helps if you can do a little bit of the basic mixing. We had a thread on here a while back about basic mixing tracks. I will start an up to date one off to give you some help.

 

Rob

[glenn knights 0]

As a function DJ it's not critical but it helps if you can do a little bit of the basic mixing. We had a thread on here a while back about basic mixing tracks. I will start an up to date one off to give you some help.

 

Rob

 

 

 

Thanks Rob - you're a Gent.

[vokf 0]

I guess it really depends what type of event you're covering. Family weddings/40ths etc, not really required. 18ths... possibly!

Mixing is not essential - if you can't pull it off, its best not to try in public.

A fluffed mix is worse than no mixing - but not many people would really notice.

 

I like to mix modern dance if I play it, but I wouldn't expect a mobile DJ to be mixing non-stop all night.

 

The best thing to do is to build up a few sets where you can easily mix (the thread Rob has started should help lots!).

 

[glenn knights 0]

I guess it really depends what type of event you're covering. Family weddings/40ths etc, not really required. 18ths... possibly!

Mixing is not essential - if you can't pull it off, its best not to try in public.

A fluffed mix is worse than no mixing - but not many people would really notice.

 

I like to mix modern dance if I play it, but I wouldn't expect a mobile DJ to be mixing non-stop all night.

 

The best thing to do is to build up a few sets where you can easily mix (the thread Rob has started should help lots!).

 

 

Thanks for the advice....

[Kingy 0]

Mixing is not important to me at all.

Planning and preperation and reading my crowd is far more important.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

I mix anything and everything that will mix..

 

Its not needed at most gigs but just helps keep things going.

 

It also keeps the job interesting

 

 

 

[supersound dj 0]

~I find it impossible to mix all the time as Indie is nigh on impossible to mix,plus the changing genre and beat of requests make it hard.18ths where dance music is prommenant is a good chance to get ikn the mix

[Robster 0]

I work Thursday Friday and Saturdays.. every single week , i have been asked four times by owners of different venues to go and work for them instead. i work on Sundays doing the odd christening etc and i am not desperate for work at all i'm not bragging just demonstrating that people generally people don't care about how much you mix as i only cross fade tracks into each other .

 

I have never been asked by a client to "do mixing "

 

I do however have a fairly musical ear so tend to cross fade tracks that are in a similar key i never noticed i was doing this until i got some software that identified the key

 

This is why you often hear DJ's go from certain songs in a set as they work because the key is similar.

many dj's bang on about bpm but key is also very important too.

 

lets face it modern software and hardware can do a lot of auto stuff and the true ,genuine ,real skills of the old school turntablist are in essence like playing an instrument ...not everyone has the time ,skill or musical ear to be good at playing one .

with software and hardware auto button pressing most can sound ok

 

If i was specifically looking for a mix dj i would research for some one who specialized in that area and listen to a mix before hiring .

most venues i go to and clients i work for are not bothered and just dont care about mixing as long as the music doesnt stop and people are dancing drinking and having fun they dont care how i do my stuff.

 

I also do karaoke and its amazing how you can go from playing (for example last night) Nasty girl the Biggie music track and then have some one sing blanket on the ground and the audience still love it ! no mixing and silence as the karaoke track starts.

entertaining a crowd is not one thing.

in my limited experience its a combination of things ..don't beat your self with a stick matey just because you may not "mix" its ok and good practice to work on your weaknesses but also focus on your particular strengths , thats how i am improving and learning.

 

sorry for rambling

 

Rob

[glenn knights 0]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I think I will try to improve my beat mixing but will definately leave the other stuff to the specialists - I think if I can continue to keep the keep people up and dancing it can't be all bad.....

 

 

Thanks again,

 

Glenn.

[superstardeejay 0]

Just make sure that the feeling of need to mix doesn't drive the music that you play too much..this is a mistake. Think of the next few tracks in advance and rearrange them so they mix..if you feel the need. Dont turn around and root through your CD box trying to find a track..any track..that will mix with the current one.

 

 

[LEENEWSOME 0]

iv never had the need to mix and in ten years of DJing and never been asked to

[Dukesy 0]

From my experience, mixing is needed where it is expected and not when it is least expected!

I know exactly what I mean!

 

 

[Danno13 0]

iv never had the need to mix and in ten years of DJing and never been asked to

 

When was the last time that every song you played in a night was a request?

 

When you chose songs yourself they get good reactions, right?

 

My point is, that just because your not asked for something, it doesn't mean it won't be noticed, appreciated, or contribute to the success of the night.

 

Just because you've been doing something a certain way for 5,10,20,50 etc. years it doesn't mean you shouldn't be open to new skills and ways you can improve your performance.

[LEENEWSOME 0]

When was the last time that every song you played in a night was a request?

 

When you chose songs yourself they get good reactions, right?

 

My point is, that just because your not asked for something, it doesn't mean it won't be noticed, appreciated, or contribute to the success of the night.

 

Just because you've been doing something a certain way for 5,10,20,50 etc. years it doesn't mean you shouldn't be open to new skills and ways you can improve your performance.

 

 

yeah i agree with you on that danno, i am open to it most definitely, but isuppose it's like DMX. iv not got the inclantion at the moment or the need to learn it.

[C.S 0]

i think its one of the most important things a dj can learn. I expect djs to be able to mix, use the mic, read a crowd and know their music. Its all part of the job.

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

DJ Category: Club DJ

In a nightclub yes

For a wedding disco? Not necessary at all (although i do enjoy a little mix myself).

If people hire a Disco, they expect a Disco.

If they hire a Mobile Nightclub, then they expect a DJ who can mix.

Neither DJ is better than the other (lets not start that again)

 

of course it all depends on the Genre, 70's cheese? Nope, RnB, not i f playing Radio Edit, Dance Music of course, i do mix a bit of 80's pop

 

However i could very easily do without mixing and i doubt it would affect the dancefloor or the number of rebookings i get

[Kingy 0]

Come on shep, you cant be serious!!!!

 

Neither me nor 'arris mix yet we are consistantly busy.

 

Sadly, I do mix with him though....

[C.S 0]

I am very serious , even if you dont mix at a gig then the understanding of a songs structure that you get from being able to mix improves your programming no end. Bouncy dancefloor , yes i am a club dj who started as a mobile dj in the 70s, when i left cornwall in 1982 and came out into europe i had not heard of mixing but all the other djs in the town were mixing already . I had to learn or not get any work. i do about 25 mobile gigs a year and about 50 club gigs. i also do stand up and employ about 8 djs (5 club , 3 mobile) as well as running courses for young up and coming djs. I know in the uk that you can get away with no mixing at mobiles but its expected here. It is not acceptable to use computers either and original cds or records are expected. But thats my part of the world.

Edited November 17, 2008 by C.S

[Robster 0]

I know in the uk that you can get away with no mixing at mobiles but its expected here. It is not acceptable to use computers either and original cds or records are expected. But thats my part of the world.

 

 

I personally do not think i am "getting away " with anything ..Being occasionally touchy i feel this is a slightly derogatory remark but also being a hardened northern DJ i can take that on the chin and ignore it ..lol. :hide:

I just tell myself.

I offer a great value for money service that my customers and section of the market like and enjoy.

 

This post leads me back to one i made a while ago that some djs (not you C.S)think that "their" way is really the only way to D.J and others who operate differently are not real DJ's some how .

I believe all are valid and each has there place .

I respect what a good mix D.J can do but for certain venues and functions in my area they would go down like a lead balloon.

 

 

From the current information supplied by CS i am not a DJ that would be able to work in his part of the world, that's fine , that's what make this such a great diverse world.

 

That's Norway off my holiday list...lol

[C.S 0]

Shame, its a good place for a holiday. The "getting away with it "was not meant in any way as a derogatory remark, its a fact here and it is mostly uk djs who have led the way with their mixing, members on here like eskie, secret disco have been at the fore in this. I think people here tired of the old voice over and expected more technical solutions than just fade in and out. Mixing in and out of different types of music makes for a less predictable evening and personaly i love to mix eg Kiss or the doobie bros into modjo or something housey. pussycat dolls into whitney houston,c&c music factory into billie jean , the possibilities are endless and only limited by your own imagination. I dont believe that i will ever know everything about djing , i learn from every gig. chop mixing and sampling aswell as beat or bar mixing are also part of the game. Playing a classic track with vocals from other classics spice up songs heard a hundred times before. I am not saying by any means that anyone is a bad dj because they cant mix but i am saying that they can be a better dj by learning to match tones and keys aswell as beats. Where the no computers comes in here is due to various foreign djs being caught with hard discs full of music and no receipts. The norwegian copywrite agency has inspected my complete collection twice, the fine for having illegal downloads or burnt copies on cd ? 15 euros per track at the moment. So to finish i would just like to say all respect to all you guys whether you mix or not but i can promise you that you will notice the difference in your performance if you do.

Edited November 17, 2008 by C.S

[superstardeejay 0]

can promise you that you will notice the difference in your performance

 

Yes! But will anyone else?

 

Any venue manager will tell you that musical programming (ie the choice and order of music) is much more important than the way it's mixed. A good DJ gets the former right, a better DJ gets both former and latter right. A DJ who only gets the latter is not a good DJ.

One of our local nightclubs employed a chap who was an extremely good beat mixer..but his choice of records let him down for the type of venue and clientele concerned. His replacement doesn't mix but knows just the right records to play and he's now charged with trying to build the clientele back up to the numbers it enjoyed before the mix DJ.

 

I do enjoy a night out where the DJ beatmixes all night and doesnt drop a beat, but then I'm listening as another beatmixing DJ; so long as a DJ doesnt crash the beats too often, I dont think most customers really notice.

 

 

 

[C.S 0]

oh but i think a lot of people do notice, as far as music selection is concerned it is very important and has saved me on many a bad mixing day. It is also important that mixing is not over the top ,just too much , and ruining the track , a bit like too much mic use.

[Ste Owens 0]

I done an 18th on Saturday night, full dancefloor playing Run DMC its like that and mixed renegade master into it as soon as people hear it I saw people say YEAHHH and someone came up and said that was a great mix. So I think some do notice but not maybe weddings of whatever.

 

[UKHero 0]

For the most part I hate DJs who mix (not the person but the act)... It always reminds me of Jive Bunny...

 

If A DJ is playing a song and I like it I want to hear the whole GD song not the first 2 verses and chorus then mix out on the middle eight.

 

Mixing dance music then yes I can see that as it is so repetertive once you have heard the first 30 seconds you have heard the whole song anyways.... But FGS leave the classics alone...... Somebody SHOOT THAT RABBIT!!!!!!

 

Nik