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I've got a bit of a gig coming up - it's just a favour for a friend so it's probably not going to be paid, I'll probably just get a few free drinks. I was thinking of using it as an opportunity to hand out some promo CDs with a mix on and contact details. Is this a good idea?
Also, what do you think would be a good length for the mix? I was thinking maybe 45 minutes, and just trying to get a decent selection of stuff in, just a range of stuff to show some versatility. Any thoughts?
Can't do any harm really. If I do a promo mix I usually allow at least an hour but usually do hour and a half because this is usually the amount of time given in a set and so they can hear how your mix flows over that period of time.
I hop this helps.
The promo i made for this summer was just over 30mins long. Normal sets i make are an hour.
The reason that i made it half an hour is just because people get bored after 10min or so when they are listening to a set they didn't pick out themselves. So you have to keep the rate of mixing high, higher then you are used to. Keep suprising through the whole set.
And you should definately hand out some cd's, always works.
How long would you say for rate of mixing then? (roughly, I mean)
that all depends on ur style.Quote:
Originally Posted by mistertuckshop
U urself will know when a song has been played long enough to transition into another.
also make sure the mix fits ur style. If you like mixing one genre, make the mix of that genre. If you dont you'll end up going for gigs spinning tunes you dont even like. Unless you are ok with that for the money.
Gianmarco
45 minutes to an hour minutes will be fine.
I've started to figure out that instead of having one long hour mix on a promo CD I'm going to try having three 20 minute mixes with little breaks in the middle. That way people can get it, hear different stuff, still get how I mix and all, but have a broader understanding of what I spin
What I did with my promo CD's is to put in a skip index.
The music is obviously mixed, but I add a point for the index about 15 secs before the mix starts.
This way, they can skip through it and still hear all your mixes.
Some are real lazy and don't wanna listen to a whole hour mix.
If they skip through and see that its solidly mixed, they usually will then give it the time of day and listen to it all.
:)
bump^
Hmm, well I've spent most of this morning and this evening putting this together... obviously there are some bits which need smoothing out, and I want to add some effects in (need to practice them), but how do you guys think it sounds for a promo mix?
nice :D i skimmed through it, but i heard most of it
if its not a bother im thinking of extending this and selling CDs to some people i know.
ill ask my question here so i wont have to make a new thread since its a very related matter. and i REALLY do not mean to hijack the thread
I am in the process of making my fall mix, but i am unsure as to how to structure it.
A rule i always follow when recording is to make sure i myself like it.
But i am unsure as the best way to structure this one. tthere are a variety of songs and genres i want in it (french house, disco house, electro, and dubstep are the main ones)
I was thinking of recording it as ur normal dj set: start the bpm low with the chill dance tracks and gradually go up to bangers and end it with dubstep
but
then i feel as i should gradually "go up and down" on the energey levels of the songs, pretty much putting in cooldown traks
my question is: Is my first structure ok?
Gianmarco
do what i do, if its a recorded set, go all out. you want people to like what you can do and you dont know what setting their going to be in when they listen to it. not to mention if the beginning of a mix is slow i just skip past it, so you want as much 'advertising time' as possible.
in other words, if its recorded, go all out.
I hate to be unhelpful, but both structures are fine. What it comes down to is having the best mix possible, y'know? I usually do ramp up mixes with a big drop at the end, but sometimes putting ups and downs works better :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Gianmarco
ok so ur saying as long as the mixes themselves are fine i can pretty much do with it as i wish? because their are SOOO many types of tunes i wanna put in it, but i just want to show that i am flexible with my styleQuote:
Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct
what are other peoples thoughts?
I agree with the mixing faster style to keep the promoter listening.
I am a promoter, I get sent lots and lots of mixes - another key fact is to try and use interesting tracks/remixes/bootlegs...maybe a special bootleg or use of an acapella - something to really grab attention!
Make sure it's mastered nicely too - I hate getting mixes where the levels are all over the shop.
So would it be fair to say that you think it's better to get a doctored mix that isn't a fair representation of what a DJ really mixes like live?Quote:
Originally Posted by The Mighty FV
Make sure the first track grabs attention, personally I'd keep away from it being chilled out, good thing about 'mixtapes' :D is that you can just put them in the hifi at predrinks, if it's good it'll go down well!
there's nothing worse than a half hour promo mix which only contains 6 songs, particularly when they're the ones which everyone is playing at the moment.
you have to remember that a mixtape is very different from a set in a club - but its still all about the selection. if you want to get good gigs at underground nights, take risks and trust your intuition on the tracklist. (it's likely to make it more unique)
Seeing as no one knows what to do with a CD anymore, I would recommend putting out cards with a very easy to remember link (+ a QR code) on them in stead. This is way cheaper for you, and more practical for the listener.
And since this thread started as a discussion on an upcoming gig, here's a method that works if you really want to succeed:
Set up an email newsletter if you haven't already, and let your fans write their emails on that card you just gave out. When you finish playing, harvest all those email adresses. Then you can send out a newsletter the next time you play in their area.
Thoughts?
I've been somewhat of an avid collector of "promo" mixes over the years. Something I ALWAYS try to grab, whatever show I'm at, if someone is giving them out.
The best ones? Custom printed CD's with individual tracks that usually start right before each transition. Usually in regular .wav format (audio cd for general purpose car cd player playback). A lot of times I get the feeling these are mastered, because the levels are always perfect. Not a terrible idea, but for me there's something to be said for handing someone a CD and telling them it's fresh off the presses, nothing tampered with it. Bigger named DJ's, or at big events is where I generally get these. These aren't generally affordable for "starting out" mixes.
Second best? Hand written burnt CD's with a reasonable amount of info on the front. May or may not be .wav or .mp3. If it's an mp3 CD, it will usually have more than one mix on it, often spanning different genre's depending on what the person is going for spinning wise. This is the vast majority of what I've picked up in recent years. At least the soundcloud/website info on the front however.
Worst? Just the DJ name on the front, written poorly, and then a shitty short mix inside. I've gotten a few of those as well, and I appreciate them because I know NOT to look this person out.
I'm in the process of planning out my first "promo" if you will. I don't like doing 30 minute, or less, mixes, because I feel it's not an appreciable amount of time for a mix. But, I'm torn on if I want to have only one mix on the CD and go with the standard audio format (.wav) so it can be played back in /all/ CD players, or fitting a few mixes on a CD and making it an mp3 CD. I play a couple different genre's that I'd like to get bookings for in the future, so it's a tough call.
Either way, I bought one of those pressing kits so I can print my own labels for the CD's. It's not nearly as fancy as having them custom made by a shop, but it's a hell of a lot less expensive. I may just burn 100 or so CD's in my own computer (time consuming I know) and then get some custom labels printed at like Staples, and then attach them myself. I have ideas for a design, just need to get it in action.
It's a tough thing, marketing yourself. But everyone needs to be unique and get the message across the proper way. I don't like post-mastered mixes as promo though, because it's not an accurate representation of how well you can manage levels.