Poking my head out the bedroom door... please be gentle!
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  1. #1
    Tech Convert
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    5

    Default Poking my head out the bedroom door... please be gentle!

    Hi all,

    I've been DJing in my bedroom for just over a year now, with a variety of equipment, from pure vinyl all the way through to pure digital.

    But I think I've finally reached the stage where I'm not going to get any better unless I start posting some mix and getting some criticism/feedback from others on them.

    So for some reason, I thought I'd do my first full length mix in a genre I don't know well =]!

    I'm reasonably happy with the results, one of the tracks I hate as I don't like the vocals and I feel it ruins the flow of the mix too... thing start getting a bit sloppy after about the 35 minute mark or so and I feel it starts to sound a little less cohesive than the start of it did...

    So, without further ado, here is my progressive house mix



    Please, please, please leave feedback, even bad feedback (but be gentle!)

    Thanks all :]

  2. #2
    Tech Mentor
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    355

    Default

    I haven't listened to the mix but to learn to dj you have to be in front of a crowd.

    The two biggest dj skills are:
    - crowd reading
    - music selection (depending on the crowd, your style, your taste, etc.)

    I know releasing your mixes is a first step, but try to get in front of a crowd. If you can't get into your friends parties or in a club, make the party yourself. Join with other djs to make small parties and start to get known before you can move into a club.

    edit: I took a quick listen to the mix and it seemed to me that you need more coherence in your musical selection. It's ok to be eclectic, but imo the energy can't be up all session long. If you did that in a club you'll notice people getting bored. Energy has to flow, up and down.

    Also music is more interesting when you have different textures, motifs, grooves, harmonies, instead of always the same steady groove. It gets boring after a while. That is very noticeable in a club with a crowd in front of you also.

    After a few years of djing you'll notice that a track can sound very different depending on when you put it. Even a track you don't initially like can work very well in contrast with the rest of the music you have played, and bring a fresh vibe into the atmosphere.

    All art is based in contrast if you think about it.

    OTOH the mixes sound clean and smooth which is something I like from recorded sessions. The structure changes flow very well too.

    I think now it's the time to put yourself in the first line of combat

  3. #3
    Tech Convert
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    5

    Default

    Thanks for taking the time to listen and reply - I really appreciate it.

    I'm not sure what you mean by coherency? But to be honest, I'm not that familiar with prog/tech house/minimal I just thought it would be fun to play with it for a bit. I tried to make sure the mix had a bit of a mix of moods and built up and dropped down a bit - but perhaps I should make this sound more obvious :]

    I was really aiming for something chilled out that I could listen to at work - rather than something that would 'work' in a club.

    As for putting myself in the line of combat... well, I have so far had one successful gig haha... it was a friend's engagement party and they needed someone last minute to do music. It was hard work, and I probably could have done it better - but I did get the small crowd that was there to stop dead on the dance floor and cheer (right track, right time). But yeah, I guess learning more about reading a crowd will improve my mixing over all =]

    It was never something I ever thought of doing when I started, but I think I'm going to have to if I want to push my hobby further!

    Thanks again for listening and replying, it's given me plenty of food for thought - and that's exactly what I wanted =]

    Edit: Forgot to mention, I have a few other potential gigs coming up, we shall see how it pans out :]
    Last edited by 3Vince; 01-26-2010 at 04:46 PM. Reason: forgotten fact

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