Volume levels are making my shit sound like shit!
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  1. #1
    Tech Guru Quenepas's Avatar
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    Default Volume levels are making my shit sound like shit!

    Ever since upgrading my speakers from regular "shit" speakers to monitor speakers, when having 2 tracks going on at once it sounds very busy like bass colliding and other nasty stuff. I started to play with the faders but dammit there are like 20 things happening at once and dunno where to start (what to kill, what to keep, what to turn up or down). Really getting the message about: "Those are sliders for a reason". Obviously this is n00b stuff but after so long practicing on shit speakers and now hearing very clearly whats going on I feel like Im starting again in this DJ thing which is a good thing because if I get to play a larger venue than a house or bar the difference will be astronomical (or so I think).

    So, questions is, how to keep volumes from sounding like that? Takes a lot of my head thinking about that new thing and takes away from messing with FX and whatnot. What to do, where to start, what do you recomend. Even a link to "EQ for Dummies" would help a lot.

    A word to up and comming beginner DJ's: Buy proper speakers. Like they are equally important to what sound card and what controller you use becasue it doesnt matter if your mixing is sounding spotless on those shit PC speakers, when playing in a larger venue it will sound shitty and getting on top of your game in that situation will be pretty hard.
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  2. #2
    Tech Guru Quenepas's Avatar
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    Oh! And I added an Electribe to my setup since a mate lend it to me and it's connected to the S4 converting the sampling to deck D to line in and also is giving me volume speakers.
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  3. #3
    Tech Guru mostapha's Avatar
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    you mean volume issues?

    Step 1…turn the tube gain of the electribe down. It doesn't do anything but overdrive digital inputs.

    Step 2…read up on leveling.

    Step 3…practice.

    (were you expecting profit?)

    Oh yeah, and do yourself a favor and learn to mix without EQs or filters. They're awesome when you have them…and I'm not going to be like one of those "your laptop might die" douche nozzles and say that you won't always have them…because you will unless you choose not to. But they're an effect like any other…they accomplish a very useful purpose…and they can be used to do awesome things…but if you don't learn to mix without them, all you're going to be doing is covering up bad mixing with effects.

  4. #4
    Tech Guru Quenepas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mostapha View Post
    you mean volume issues?

    Step 1…turn the tube gain of the electribe down. It doesn't do anything but overdrive digital inputs.

    Step 2…read up on leveling.

    Step 3…practice.

    (were you expecting profit?)

    Oh yeah, and do yourself a favor and learn to mix without EQs or filters. They're awesome when you have them…and I'm not going to be like one of those "your laptop might die" douche nozzles and say that you won't always have them…because you will unless you choose not to. But they're an effect like any other…they accomplish a very useful purpose…and they can be used to do awesome things…but if you don't learn to mix without them, all you're going to be doing is covering up bad mixing with effects.
    +1 on the electribe tube gain. Ya the mixing is 80% there but in order for them to sound good I have to kill a few eq's putting the faders 50% etc... all in all more stuff to do just to get the volume right and not making it sound like a jet plane with diarrhea. I'll give it a go definetly.

    Any other ideas djtt lads?
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  5. #5
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    Are you sure you're mixing properly? What you describe sounds like sub-par mixing, not a volume level issue. Track transitions should be subtle, only unless you do something big and flashy on purpose. Describe your mixing process, how do you go from one track to another? Care to throw up a track so we can be more helpful?

  6. #6
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    ill be happy to help also, and i agree i first learned to mix with cdj's and just doing clean mix's with a bass change.. now even through i have a s4 when mixing prog i still love to do the simple mix's

    questions..

    you do have the bass down on the track your trying to mix in?
    First Mix, have a listen you know you want to
    http://soundcloud.com/mattybruce/spr...-daddy-mixtape

  7. #7
    DJTT Infectious Moderator photojojo's Avatar
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    Chris Jennings FHP

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  8. #8
    Tech Guru Nesquigs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mostapha View Post

    (were you expecting profit?)
    yes. yes i was.
    Quote Originally Posted by Xonetacular View Post
    Ya I've heard one song. It's called Skrillex.
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  9. #9
    Tech Guru Quenepas's Avatar
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    Thanks a lot DJTT people for the help

    Checked some recording of meself spinning and look like I might be mixing "doin it wrong". Didnt thought about hearing an old prerecorded mix thru the monitors.

    Nada: I'll be definetly posting a simple mix here to pinpoint issues.
    Accidental: I might have the bass down if the track has a very distinctive bass but, yeah, I kind of never mess with the bass...
    photojojo: I'll definetly take a good read at it, Thanks for the link!!
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  10. #10
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    good to hear

    theres a mix on here i did, with no effects or touching of the EQ's

    just bringing in songs and doing bass changes..

    have a listen and it might help you

    im not sure what page the mix is on but :$
    First Mix, have a listen you know you want to
    http://soundcloud.com/mattybruce/spr...-daddy-mixtape

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