Need a few tips for my gig.

[DeejayDomi]

Hey fellas!

I'm Zeeshan,19, from India. I just joined this forum and I've a gig coming up in 3 days at a friend's house party. Before I go ahead, let me tell give you some information about me:

I started messing with Virtual DJ 4 years ago, that didn't quite benefit me but I started to get an idea about how it is supposed to work. Watched a lot of videos, about everything related to deejay'ing. Few months later, a friend of mine referred me to a corporate company who hosted their official parties every month and needed a DJ. I said yes and to this date I still curse myself for saying so. The setup was ready and everything was done. This was my first time at a gathering and I started playing trance/house/electro.

I'd never used a console before in my life. (PIONEER 2xCDJ400 & DJM600) I couldn't mix properly, no beatmatching, it was a tragedy!! Thanks to the sound system guy who helped me get it right. I was f#$kin freaking out, nervous as hell.. If not for him, I'd have passed out then n there itself.

Gradually, I started to get the hang of it. Practised each and every day but there was this problem of mine with beat-matching. Sometimes it would be perfect, and sometimes it just wouldn't work. This went on for a few months. Connecting a laptop and playing was being helpful to me, but I wanted to do it on the console where I could mix without any hassles or me worrying about the beat, not being in the rhythm.

I couldn't really purchase a console for myself, TBH it's out of my budget. I look after my college and home-rent so it's impossible. And to this date, I've this problem with getting the song beat-matched properly. As I said, its a 50-50 turnout whatsoever.
So there's this house party coming up in three days, where I'm gonna be facing 100+ people, most of them are from high schools. They got 2x350s and a 600. I'm tensed and worried and what not, thinking about what will happen if I mess up.

I get too nervous in a situation like this. Hence, affecting my play. I'm new to these forums, as I said. Its gonna be a 5 hour non stop set which is freaking me out even more. Leave alone practice, I can't get my hands on one of those before the party. I need tips, advice, and things to keep in mind from you people so that I can perform well.

[hest]

What problems are you having with beatmatching? Getting the tracks to the same BPM, lining them up, or both? If you are having trouble with getting them to the same BPM, learn how to count BPMs in %.

And find a couple of players to practise on, I bet you can if you try hard enough. Tried going to a music store?

EDIT: And take it easy, it's just a house party at a friend's

[sarasin]

Are you cueing your track up properly?

While Track A is playing, you should cue up Track B in the headphones, to the first beat (Kick).

So when you press play on Track B, it start instantly on the beat of Track A.
Then you listen to the beat of Track A and make sure that you adjust the pitch on Track B up and down (in small increments) until it stays in sync with Track A.

You will need to stop and restart Track B a few times to make sure its tight.

If that fails...fade the Intro of Track B in, while Track A is on its Outro.

[DISaS73R]

What genre do you mix?

Just relax, it'll be a bunch of friends, no one will care if you trainwreck. Do it all for yourself and have fun. Also, if you have a close friend (not the host) who'll be there, you can ask them to hang out around you for most of the time, that'll help you chill.

[DeejayDomi]

What problems are you having with beatmatching? Getting the tracks to the same BPM, lining them up, or both? If you are having trouble with getting them to the same BPM, learn how to count BPMs in %.

And find a couple of players to practise on, I bet you can if you try hard enough. Tried going to a music store?

EDIT: And take it easy, it's just a house party at a friend's

Lining the tracks has been an issue for me. When i try to match the second track with the first one, so that when the first one is going down at the end point of it, the second one kicks in. This is the major problem I'm facing right now. I've never been to any deejay studio, no classes, no lessons. I dont know the A-B-C of music. Except knowing how to play and mix. I tried getting my hands on a few players to practice, but in vain. I know practicing will help me in beat-matching, but I do not have time nor the resources either.

[DeejayDomi]

What problems are you having with beatmatching? Getting the tracks to the same BPM, lining them up, or both? If you are having trouble with getting them to the same BPM, learn how to count BPMs in %.

And find a couple of players to practise on, I bet you can if you try hard enough. Tried going to a music store?

EDIT: And take it easy, it's just a house party at a friend's

Hey dude thanks for your help. The main problem I've while Beat-Matching is this:

1. Track X keeps playing, the first drop goes down.
2. Cue Track Y on the other player and keep it ready.
3. At the second drop on Track X, I try to mix Track Y in.

The problem begins here. By the time I get it mixed perfectly, either Track X gets over OR Track Y still has time to the drop if you know what I mean. Im unable to put it into words over here, but most of you will understand what I'm trying to tell. It takes me 2-3 tries to get it matched and when I have to mix it in, the above thing happens. Crowd keeps grooving to the drop of Track X and then the intro of Track Y starts to come in. Is it normal? Isn't it cheesy to go down like that? Because I personally think, people will boo me in the face!

[DeejayDomi]

Are you cueing your track up properly?

While Track A is playing, you should cue up Track B in the headphones, to the first beat (Kick).

So when you press play on Track B, it start instantly on the beat of Track A.
Then you listen to the beat of Track A and make sure that you adjust the pitch on Track B up and down (in small increments) until it stays in sync with Track A.

You will need to stop and restart Track B a few times to make sure its tight.

If that fails...fade the Intro of Track B in, while Track A is on its Outro.

Exactly dude, thats what I try to do. As i said, it takes me 2-3 tries to get it matched correctly. My question is still the same, If the above option fails, the next thing you said, would people like it? I mean, it sounds kinda scary to me and I'm afraid whether people will like it or not as I'm going without my laptop and wont be able to make out how much time and length to the drop, intro and outro etc.

[DeejayDomi]

What genre do you mix?

Just relax, it'll be a bunch of friends, no one will care if you trainwreck. Do it all for yourself and have fun. Also, if you have a close friend (not the host) who'll be there, you can ask them to hang out around you for most of the time, that'll help you chill.

I started mixing mostly House/Trance tracks. Afterwards, slowly I started picking up Electro into my backpack, that got me hooked. Lately, I've been grooving to Electro?House/EDM/Trance only. This party is for high school so most of them would like EDM, AFAIK. I've the tracklist and everything else ready with me.

And I even asked a friend of mine to tag along with me so that he pulls me out of my disasters That guy doesn't have the slightest idea about consoles n shit, but atleast he can tell me where I'm going wrong with the set.

[The Mighty FV]

The worst thing you can do is lock up and make it obvious IF you make a mistake - remember why you got into this - FUN.

Mixing is about enjoying yourself and sharing music with people around you - they are there for a good time, they don't care if the mixes aren't mindblowing, just keep the music flowing, keep the good times rocking and most importantly enjoy yourself.

Don't overthink things man. You will be fine, it'll be a great party.

[Jamesfredette]

Hi there all people,
Have been lurking around the forum for quite some time so decided to join it.
Anyway my name is James and i am a newbie out here. So hoping to have a great time up here at this community.