The Live DJ versus the Studio DJ

[DJSigma]

No it's not just you.

But once again, I'm questioning you guys who are making studio mixes cause i'm curious.

What are you curious about? Why people do it?

I'm a hip-hop DJ, so I do "studio mixes" sometimes cos it lets me do things that are just impossible for one person to do live. Here's an example: -

http://www.djsigma.co.uk/mp3/sample.mp3

After the bit where it says "well check this out", the instrumental of Nas/Lauren Hill's "If I Ruled The World" is playing.

Over the top of that there is transforming on Lauren Hill singing with some echo applied to it and fading baby scratches at a couple of points.

Over the top of that there is crab scratching on Lauren Hill singing "baby" that pans left to right the first time it happens, then right to left the second time.

There is also a sample of Nas saying "if I ruled the world and everything in it" with fading baby scratches at the end.

Then at the end of that section, there is some scratching which brings in an acapella of a track by Coolio and so it goes on.

It can't be done live by one person as there's 2-3 lots of scratching happening at the same time. You could argue that it's a lot of effort for what amounts to 25 seconds of audio, but to me that's partly what studio mixes are about - going that extra mile.

[dope]

I think it's weird, i can understand people doing studio mixes, but to me it's more production than DJing.
But when you guys apply for a residency or something, do you send a live mix or a studio mix ?

Anyway, don't think i'll ever do some studio mixes, i prefer to spend my time on "real" djing, and trying to make my mix sound as good as it sounds when it's a studio mix, even if this will never happen

[Dj_4-$hure]

Man, finally able to go online. Sup, Sigma!

[DJSigma]

I think it's weird, i can understand people doing studio mixes, but to me it's more production than DJing.

It's using elements of both.

But when you guys apply for a residency or something, do you send a live mix or a studio mix ?

A live mix. If you're giving someone a promo mix to try and get a job DJing live, you want to give them something that's representative of how you'd actually sound if they gave you the residency.

Man, finally able to go online. Sup, Sigma!

How's it going man? Another DJF refugee, haha.

[ParisCreative]

Sigma, was that a live set + Ableton post-editing? That was a great transition.

All this talk makes me take a look at the history of the mix tape. Hell I used to do old school splicing oh so long ago, but is technology making this almost too easy in some cases. I could, for example, do 5-6 takes of some of my mixes and do some post-processing to make me sound better than I am right now (For the record here the mixes I have posted so far, all one-shot, nothing pre-staged, hell no sync: http://mixcloud.com/pariscreative).

I've certainly started an interesting topic.

[keithace]

If you're limiting yourself to tracks that are new, you are, as a DJ, once again, failing. It's not all about fresh/new tracks.

considering my last mixtrain included a track from 1996...then point that finger at someone else...

[keithace]

ing pre-staged, hell no sync: http://mixcloud.com/pariscreative).

I've certainly started an interesting topic.

don't suck your own d!ck...

[DJSigma]

Sigma, was that a live set + Ableton post-editing? That was a great transition.

Thanks man. It was done with all vinyl, but with 1 turntable and a mixer and built up in layers in Adobe Audition.

I'm gonna check out some of your mixes later, cos looking at the track listings they should be right up my street.

[Patch]

You could argue that it's a lot of effort for what amounts to 25 seconds of audio, but to me that's partly what studio mixes are about - going that extra mile.

This is what it all boils down to for me. That 25 second portion is a stand out point of the mix. Because of the effort that has been put into it. When the stand out parts of a mix are MADE by the DJ, it says a lot more about the DJ's mentality and work ethic.

It's not unusual to spend a minimum of 1hr work time for 1 minute of a studio mix. For me - that is an absolute minimum. (I've fiddled with 20 second transitions for hours on end! It's frustrating - but has to be done!)

A 25 second transition in a live mix takes just 25 seconds. The way I look at it is (and this is specifically my own point of view!) - live mixes are like rough drawings/sketches. A studio mix takes these "draft" ideas and develops them into something amazing. I'll "live mix" for hrs on end - I love it. It's how I get a lot of the idea's that are to be developing into elements of a studio mix.

In a live mix, the high points of the mix are USUALLY (and not always) specific breakdowns/build-ups in an existing track.

I'm gonna check out some of your mixes later, cos looking at the track listings they should be right up my street.

Yup. I'll be checking those too...

See here for a GREAT studio mix:

http://soundcloud.com/skratchbastid/...iner-a-skratch

[ParisCreative]

That is an insane mix.