Songs are less and less dj-friendly.

[DeejayAlex]

aren't they?

Many new productions (hip-hop, club, etc) have no intro (without vocals), or If they do there's a break right after (no beat, no kick), the crowd would be bored if all transitions were nexted by a long break.

It forces in cutting a lot (often ugly to listen to), getting remixs (produced by djs) with extended intros (God only knows how many they are), using cues points if the outro is instrumental (DJs who doesn't have turntables with cue points or serato (traktor, etc) are f*ck*d).

Today producing is far easier than 20 years ago, I don't think that adding 8 bars intros will make them tired.

So, what are your methods, when you have to play this kind of songs ?

[Frank112916]

yeah, there are very few instrumental breaks in hip hop these days. Just means you gotta be better at scratching and cutting (and by you I mean every DJ, not you specifically, lol). I have been teaching myself how to scratch (I'm piss-poor to mediocre at best) and cut properly.

I love DJing hip hop. I was a strictly EDM DJ before I switched to using technics and a mixer. To me hip hop is more rewarding because you really need to find two songs which work perfectly together to be able to blend, cut, and scratch properly without switching up the beat on the dancefloor. For instance The Motto into Rack City or vice-versa. That blend for me is like butter. Cut the lows on the outgoing track and blend into the hook of the incoming track. Kills it every time.

For shit like "Party up in Here" and "Get Buck in Here" --> banger tracks that everyone knows, I usually just scratch and drop on the one. If you can find a distinct synth or beat to drop that lets everyone know whats about to come on, that usually works too, as long as the song is popular.

[sarasin]

You make your own edits?

Thats what I do with tracks that contain things I don't like or want.

Then it is a re-edit.

Add you own outro....or extend the track...whatever.

Easy!

[DeejayAlex]

I scratch, and drop too, but I use this when two songs have too different bpm.
If vocals start just before the first beat you're about to scratch or drop into the first song it would sounds weird.
When djing in club, some songs can be blended even if there are vocals over vocals (when people are too drunk to make a difference), if you do it properly and not too long (somewhat like 4 bars), but if you're making a mixtape it won't sound great to those who are listening.

[DeejayAlex]

You make your own edits?

Thats what I do with tracks that contain things I don't like or want.

Then it is a re-edit.

Add you own outro....or extend the track...whatever.

Easy!

I do, I made some, when I love a track that is hard to mix.
I have around 8000 musics, even in my whole life I wouldn't be able to make that many edits lol.

[Karlos Santos]

The new album by 'Crazy P' comes with 'DJ friendly' tracks that have longer intros/outros which, is nice for me but doesnt impress my girlfriend who is a big Crazy P fan but doesnt really want to hear 8 bars of intro to a track when shes straightening her hair before she goes out.

[Frank112916]

Do you belong to a record/mp3/Dj pool?

That's usually the best way to find instrumentals, Dj friendly intros, acapellas. Etc... You said you used to Dj on vinyl so it should be much of a change for you.

[DeejayAlex]

no vynil here, at home I mix with two numark V7, when I Dj in club I just take my SL1 and my mac book pro with CDJs of clubs.

Dj pool, why not, already tried but not really convinced, I prefer playing original songs than edited ones that could be messed up to me.

[DJ ATX]

aren't they?

Many new productions (hip-hop, club, etc) have no intro (without vocals), or If they do there's a break right after (no beat, no kick), the crowd would be bored if all transitions were nexted by a long break.

It forces in cutting a lot (often ugly to listen to), getting remixs (produced by djs) with extended intros (God only knows how many they are), using cues points if the outro is instrumental (DJs who doesn't have turntables with cue points or serato (traktor, etc) are f*ck*d).

Today producing is far easier than 20 years ago, I don't think that adding 8 bars intros will make them tired.

So, what are your methods, when you have to play this kind of songs ?

1) I make my own intro by looping a portion of the song, then fading in/cutting the song from the beginning
2) Fade in the vocal intro into an instrumental outro.
3) Mix it with the same key song. Count my bar from the chorus and cut into the new song.

[Deejaesnafu]

i think some producers, especially in hip hop, are worried about people looping up their beats and making bootlegs with them. therefore you hear alot of short intros , and also alot of background chatter during any place where they choose to let the beat play.

and to answer the ? about mixing with these, i mix on 3 decks , which allows me more room for more instrumentals or breaks/changes to be manipulated.