Using Loops in your mixes

[rotebass]

Track edit on the fly, I've been playing more technical drum and bass, which is filled with sleepy dull break downs, that need another layer to make them sound interesting to me. One the key decisions in djing for me is whether or not to let a breakdown happen, as it often makes an energy vacuum.

+1 even some electro house will have a great drop but the build ups are either painfully boring or painfully lame, it gets kind of boring when you just bounce from one drop to another - plus you burn through a shit load of tracks that way - so I'd love to experiment will loops to salvage some of those tracks.

[sarasin]

Track edit on the fly, I've been playing more technical drum and bass, which is filled with sleepy dull break downs, that need another layer to make them sound interesting to me. One the key decisions in djing for me is whether or not to let a breakdown happen, as it often makes an energy vacuum.

I am with you there.

Play Psy usually and play at about 146 - 147.

I tend to layer my tracks a lot and like to control when there will be a break and when not.
RELENTLESS....Until I give them a break.

[backtothefront]

Track edit on the fly, I've been playing more technical drum and bass, which is filled with sleepy dull break downs, that need another layer to make them sound interesting to me. One the key decisions in djing for me is whether or not to let a breakdown happen, as it often makes an energy vacuum.

Ah right I see, yeah I'm with you.

[3heads]

Haven't really dared to venture into 4-deck-territority yet, but use looping all the time. After having switched over basslines I often loop the outgoing track to have some more time to take it out of the mix. And as soon as I have chosen the next track to play, I usually bring in a percussive loop from the intro of the new track as quickly as possible to have that tiny bit more going on.

[JulianVeloso]

If you're talking about totally new sounds ( premade loops ) check out Martin Solveig's Coachella set, he made some crazy transitions by throwing loops on top of songs at random points then just bringing the next track before the drop.

If you're talking about looping the track, well lots of people do that, pretty simple.

[CionniAsDj]

I bought an x1 only for trying samples deck, and fit them in my mix, I use it, sometimes during a song for making thing nicer and add something like some bass or hats, or, for transitions, blending 2 songs while there are loops playing make the transition really clean(using also filters and fx on samples for a build up). I'll go deeper in samples and remix decks, I think is a great addition.

[TreTuna]

I use loops for making tracks longer for the mix itself, loop decks for adding little elements and acapella blurbs, and also loops in Maschine to add spur-of-the-moment beats, basslines, rises, etc..... Learning more and more how to integrate loops into my sets everyday.

[deevey]

I use loops extensively, mainly to give extra wallop and energy to tracks e.g. adding percussion or hats to an otherwise chill tracks - basically creating an uptempo bouncier remix on the fly from an otherwise "warm up" track.

The way I set things up in Ableton,

3 "track decks" and 5 sample decks.

Sample decks are set up with.

1. Bass kicks
2. House beats
3. Tech/synth beats
4. Hats/snares
5. Percussion

While I'm mixing the tracks I loop them on the fly too and sample them back into blank slots in the channels for use later on in the set ..

But in general the samples tend to make things flow better as you lose less of the momentum of the track coming out while you are blending a constant element that won't finish until you decide is the right moment.

[JasonBay]

But in general the samples tend to make things flow better as you lose less of the momentum of the track coming out while you are blending a constant element that won't finish until you decide is the right moment.

This pretty much sums up my approach to using loops. When done right it can really create a hypnotic and monolithic groove and drive that doesn't let up and keeps you moving.