Developing my style
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  1. #1
    Tech Wizard
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    Default Developing my style

    Hey everybody.

    First off merry christmas and holiday cheer to all!

    I am a little lost. I have been mixing for nearly a year, and have gotten some good playing time in bars etc. And while I consider myself good at the basics: fading in and out, eqing, beatmatching and good song selection. I think I have a really boring style. And in multiple places I have seen DJs talking about "do whatever suits your style." This brings me to my problem, I don't want to have a boring style!

    Now I'm not asking you to help me make a style or whatever, but what do you consider makes a DJs style? Is it the set list or song selection? Cue-point Juggling? Long fades?

    I'm just confused on what would go into this and when I will get my own gd style!

    hehe,
    thanks everyone

  2. #2
    Tech Guru completej's Avatar
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    two things that ive noticed are helping me with my "style"

    what i do between transitions, both mentally for working on the current track or preparing the next track, and physically while trying not to stand still,

    and my interest in my own productions, in regards to what music im hearing in my head when i sit in front of a blank ableton slate.

    i also feel like i have a boring style, and while im somewhat of a boring person, im pretty creative and i like to joke around. ive been dropping tracks that have funny vocal samples, putting together songs that might make someone laugh if they realize the track names go together, or that the lyrics might go with something that is occurring in the venue at that time.
    [ 17" 2010 MBP ][ Mixcloud ][ CompleteJ ][ Soundcloud ][ Traktor Kontrol S4 ]

  3. #3
    Tech Wizard
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    Quote Originally Posted by completej View Post
    ive been dropping tracks that have funny vocal samples, putting together songs that might make someone laugh if they realize the track names go together, or that the lyrics might go with something that is occurring in the venue at that time.
    I always feel that when i try to do something such as this it just comes off as corny :/ maybe i just need better timing

  4. #4
    Tech Guru completej's Avatar
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    perhaps dont concern yourself with how you think it might appear? my thinking is you might end up mentally preventing yourself from doing something cool in the heat of the moment...
    [ 17" 2010 MBP ][ Mixcloud ][ CompleteJ ][ Soundcloud ][ Traktor Kontrol S4 ]

  5. #5
    Tech Guru
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    Do what feels right I know this sounds like every other run of the mill advice but honestly I put together way better mixes when I just go by what I think will work. The mixes tend to gel more and actually feel like they go together.
    Traktor Scratch Pro 2, 2X Stanton STR8-80, 2X Denon DN-S700, Akai APC40 + APC20, DDM4000, KRKRokit 8, HD25-II, iPad (Touch OSC)

  6. #6
    Tech Guru Cook's Avatar
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    Take risks.
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  7. #7

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    I would say don't worry about it at all. As you gain more experience, you'll naturally develop your own way of mixing tracks. As long as it sounds good, it's all good!
    Setup: Kontrol S2, Komplete Audio 6, Maschine Mikro Akai LPD 8, Akai Mpk49, Traktor 2, Ableton Suite 8.
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  8. #8
    Tech Wizard
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    Do what you like. Whatever makes you happy. Style on em.

  9. #9
    Tech Mentor
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    The best antidote to sound boring, in my opinion, it is improvise. Sometimes I go to the club with nothing in mind, at the beginning it is kind of stressful but maybe ones of my best nights happened it in that way. It keeps you in your style because it is the kind of music and transitions you make but then you take more risk, being driven by the crowd and take chances in mixes you have not doing it before. I am not saying it is the best and you end up very tired but sometimes that refresh your style

  10. #10
    Tech Guru Bassline Brine's Avatar
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    I think a lot of "style" comes mostly with song selection. This is really dependent a lot on how much free reign you are given on a given night playing.

    As far as other elements are concerned, it's really up to where you really enjoy pushing your own limits. Taking the time and playing around with different ways to do transitions and such.

    Personally I'm not of a mindset of improvising completely. Because I like knowing something is going to sound sweet in advance, which basically requires practicing it beforehand... hearing too many wonky transitions in the past just playing around with things I thought at the time was cool have made me wary.

    Really though, it's all about just doing what you will think will sound best. If you were in your own crowd, what else would you want to hear? Sometimes I think people (esp. in the digital age) think too much about crazy transitions with FX and whatnot, and just playing songs is overlooked.
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