What happened?

[RINIFLeX]

Do you know what I mean when I said about some songs not having 'normal blocks'?

Yes, they are called phrases.

Make sure you always drop your incoming tunes at a phrase change in the out going tune.

For me it works almost all of the time.

You can remedy that by looping where necessary

[space monkey]

I never* try to mix the same tunes over in the same sequence with the same drops. It's like that drunk fling you met the other night...reproduction is something you may wish to avoid.

*uses term way too loosely.

[Nicky H]

It just sounds like you are trying too hard...

Just relax, have a beer, get some friends round, hit record but then forget you are recording and just jam..

Whenever I get my serious head on and concentrate too much, I fuck it up.

Regarding the 'blocks' as you call them, on some tracks I put a cue-marker where the vocal or whatever starts..

[DJWilliams]

I think I try to hard trying to have 2/3 tracks playing all the time, this is why I take ages to plan mixes, but the freestyle I did the other day was 3 deck and everything was perfect. I guess I just need to practice more and more.

[sarasin]

I could be that you chose tracks that were in key....by accident...

and thats why they sounded so sweet. then the next day....they not in key (due to playing em in another order) and they clash....

[CodeMorse]

i did that a while ago and the result was blinding, but tried again the other day and obviously didnt get it going very well, its all down to being in the zone like photojojo said and really knowing your tunes. I think planning sets makes things more organised maybe but it makes you nitpick and hurts your creativity if you do it too often. I'd recommend getting with some mates and mixing on two-3 laptops thru a mixer its the best thing in the world especially for the whole freestyle thing

[Abyrne7]

You can't read a crowd with a pre planned set... I only pre plan a set if I know that the energy will be up when I am playing and I know what to expect. Or if I am trying to make a good impression as an opener for a big name or at a new club.

I Usually have 2-3 songs that mesh together well and then just mix and match between others reading the crowd as I go along.

[DJWilliams]

Does everyone here 'play it easy' and just use 2 decks and 'fade' one into another? I think I'm struggling because I'm setting my standards really high by trying to do so many things at once. I hardly ever have any time to use FX.

[dj stifffy]

ahh no mix it up but dont over do it... practise make perfect and subtle effects are better then like a mashup of loads of effects...

[Chilly]

Rub one out, have a beer, and chill....