Am I doing it right?

[DJWilliams]

I've posted something along these lines before, but this is a different case and I've improved since then.

I'm currently trying to do a electro house/house mix. I've spent days just trying to get tracks that fit and it seems like I'm just wasting my time, I should be able to do a solid mix (planned) in 1/2 days right? Then why does it take me a couple of weeks?

I did around 20 minutes and it doesn't really sound good, I think I'm trying TOO hard to 'mix' e.g. I'm always doing something and I never let a song play on its own. In hindsight maybe this is the wrong approach? maybe I should let songs play for a bit longer before mixing in something else? It's just I got crap in the past for not mixing enough so maybe I feel under pressure to be this dj god with 4 arms.

I could do a 'slow' mix easily, it's just that I don't see the point because I may aswell just be playing a playlist on itunes or something, do you know what I mean? In a club environment it wouldn't be so bad but I want this mix to be good so I can send it out to promoters. I have done Drum & Bass mixes in the past that I'm proud of, and I was using 3 decks constantly mixing... but it just doesn't feel right with house music.

I know I sound like I'm stupid but I've got nothing to base myself on, only mixes I've heard online, and I want to be the best I can possibly be so I don't want to settle for average mixes.

Thanks

[amidoinitrite]

you rang?

[DJWilliams]

you rang?

[amidoinitrite]

as for help.
Just mix, and keep mixing, and when you find good stuff throw it in a playlist and organize it later. Then once you have some type of structure start experimenting.
This way you'll be ready if you think the crowd might be into something other than whats in your playlist.

[DigitalDevil]

Upload your mix and post over in be mixes section if you want in depth feedback. The pacing with dnb is certainly different but without hearing where you're at its kind of hard to give helpful advice.

[DJWilliams]

When I freestyle I get anxious because I think the song I pick next wont fit and trainwreck...

[DJWilliams]

Upload your mix and post over in be mixes section if you want in depth feedback. The pacing with dnb is certainly different but without hearing where you're at its kind of hard to give helpful advice.

It's certainly harder to mix DnB but for some reason I'm just better at it.
I can mix house relatively easily, it's just getting songs that fit...

I don't want to upload what I've done so far because even I don't like it, I recorded it and listened to it and it seemed way too rushed, there were drops every minute or so. In regards to that I think I do need to let songs play for longer before I mix the next one in, it's just I don't want to be boring like I said.

[DigitalDevil]

With electro you can really mix as fast as you want as long as the track selection is on point and you maintain proper structure (ie not 3 64 bar breakdowns back to back). I posted some tips and a short mix regarding this for someone else a while back, I'll dig it up later when i'm not posting from a phone.

[amidoinitrite]

I trainwreck all the time when practicing.. and by practicing I mean every time I play thats not for a gig.. Even if a bunch of friends are over I'll still try new things.
You just have to experiment.. learn from the good and the bad.

[drmore]

I recently found myself in a similar situation.

I wanted to do a 30 min video of me mixing, so I fired up the system and started recording.

On playback I noticed that there where sections where I had nothing to do for a a minute or two. These sections where pretty boring to watch and in 30mins those dead sections can start to add up.

So I decided to give it another go, more tracks, quicker mixes, more effects. Second vid had some awesome mixes and it was cool to look at coz my hands where in constant motion. Ultimately this vid still bored me. Yes in places there was some technical brilliance but overall the music quality suffered. i.e less builds, less emotion, less tension.

So I guess the moral of the story is you can under cook it or over cook it both will sound shite.

What you need to do is find the sweet spot!