What's Mixing in your terms?

[DJNeon]

Hey guys. I just want to hear from you what you think mixing is. I want to get a solid definition from you guys. Is it just matching the BPM's and then using the crossfader to move it into the other song to sound good? Or is it adding different effects to make it sound good? Kinda confused on this one, and I just want to hear what you guys have to say.

Thanks

[djxsquizet]

it can be either or, getting 2 songs matched up and a simple smooth blend across is mixing, but there are different techniques to mixing 2 song 3 songs or 4 songs together.

think of it as a judo throw, there are different types of throw, and each of them have there own technique but in the end you still throwing someone.

So if you add effects, loop a track to mix in with something in the end its all mixing.

hope that made sense.

[miyuru]

Mixing to me is the art of creating something new from existing songs, by putting them together. And of course, you can put songs together in a million different ways, from your basic transition to a long drawn out blend to cue point juggling routines, etc.

[Roborob]

think of it as a judo throw, there are different types of throw, and each of them have there own technique but in the end you still throwing someone.

of course some of those throws look much cooler

[Cyphizer]

And some hurt more

[corporation]

mixing for me is pushing 'next' on the ipod!

trainwrecks are the new blends for '09!

[DvlsAdvct]

I have had this conversation with a few budding DJs in the clubs around cause, well, I'm one of the few DJs in the scene around here that can mix more than one way.

I look at it this way. The umbrella term is "mixing". There are many ways TO mix, but they all fall under mixing. You can beatmatch, scratch, use effects, fade, cut, blend, mash, trainwreck, etc. etc. etc.. My issue is that DJs can usually only cut or fade, with no real use of blends or beatmatching. Or they can beatmatch but with no use of fading or blending. SO you just hear the second kick drum come in and that's it.

In the end, however, it doesn't matter how you do it, it only matters how the crowd reacts. Some mixes are more complicated and sound a LOT cooler (as some judo throws are more complicated and/or hurt a LOT more), and if that builds you crowd's energy (incapacitates your opponent) then you've done a good job.

I think the best way to describe what mixing is... "The technique used by a DJ (or the software he uses) to get from one song to the next to keep the crowd dancing/listening/drinking in the best way possible."

From there on out it's all personal taste. And I, for example, am REALLY critical of DJs.

[Cyphizer]

While on the subject, I would rate a DJ's choice of songs, set progression and ability to work and read the crowd he/she is playing to over the ability to "mix" per say.

I would much prefer to listen to someone playing a set of 20 balanced, well thought out (in terms of going track to track) and stompin tunes faded into each other through winamp over a boring and flat/lackluster 20 track set "mixed" perfectly into each other with all the bells and whistles.

But thats just my $2

[olafmol]

My issue is that DJs can usually only cut or fade, with no real use of blends or beatmatching. Or they can beatmatch but with no use of fading or blending. SO you just hear the second kick drum come in and that's it.

ehh..don't know where you live but over here in the Netherlands every good DJ beatmixes using all the EQ's and shit to create seamless transitions...anyway, it's not if as it's a real magic art isn't it?

to me you have beatmixing, which is basically mixing tracks on the same tempo and making a as seamless transition as possible to keep the dancefloor flowing..

and there is "mixing" which is basically programming the right tracks in the right order, and blending them using the best technique.

[Shaghy]

This is a hard one: Mixing is something that's always evolving and will always continue to evolve. If you go back to the 50's-60's, a dj was somebody who played one good song after the other. When beatmatching came on the scene (in the belt-driven tt era) they were only using pitchfaders, while touching the platter or the vinyl was out of the question!
Scratching came on the scene, direct-drive tt's, mixers with fx,...
The moment cd players where used, vinyl dj would say: This has nothing to do with 'mixing' anymore, you have bpm-counters etcetc... The same happens now with the digital DJ who always gets the same critics.
When CDJ's came on the market and changed the scene totally, DJ's started using loops, cuepoints, fx,... more and more! Now the digital era is having his big breakthrough and things like cuepoint juggling and a lot of special fx are becoming 'the standard' for an outstanding set/mix. With the possibility of using a simple button to sync two songs, a dj has more time to concentrate him/herself on the crowd, to use fx and play around with cuepoints and loops.
But every DJ will always be mixing... By the way the most important thing is still to please the crowd!!
Me myself, I can beatmatch (used to spin with tt's for about 3y), I love to use CDJ's and since I started mixing with traktor, my vci 100 (SE'ed) and the nanopad I really am addicted to the possibilities a digital dj can use...

Who knows what we will be able to do in 10-20years... But even then, the 'oldskool' DJ will still be mixing.

That's my point of view