The most essential part of Dj'ing?

[rdale]

Track selection, I've seen someone with an iPod make the place jump with no mixing, by playing what that crowd likes. I could pull off a technically great set of neurofunk on three decks and fall flat to that crowd. But drop drum and bass remixes of top 40 dance and rap and they would probably respond well enough to take some other stuff mixed in. When I make a mixtape I assume people that listen to it already enjoy that style and I feel free to dig into more obscure tunes and play tracks that they don't know they love.
Beat matching is important, phrasing equally so and eq the least important. But knowing your crowd and track selection is the key dj skills.

[photojojo]

I agree with track selection being the most important skill, but there's no way you'll learn that without playing in front of a crowd. With the introduction of sync though I think proper phrasing has surpassed beat matching as a required skill.

[Pearce161]

Yep more practice.

How do i learn phrasing? Youtube?

by listening to the music and listen for changes in the track. Listen to other good dj's mixes, listen for where they start a mix. Listen Listen listen and you will start to get a feel for the phrases and the more mixing you do, hopefully, you will become instinctive about when and where to start the next track.

[vanaema78]

Having fun.

[photojojo]

How do i learn phrasing? Youtube?

http://www.djtechtools.com/2009/01/2...e-perfect-mix/

[hola amigos]

hey i could help ya here....

there are few pretty key and simple tricks to mixing psy trance largely do to is "formulistic" nature, and these will help you with you phasing issues and also when to start tracks(when to hit play) and also when to bring the second track into the mix after hitting play. what kind of psy are you playing more progressive or full on stuff?

check out some my stuff at

http://soundcloud.com/kundalini-rising

Here is some of my more recent stuff




and fire away your questions!

also learn to beatmatch, practice lots! get real good at it, then ride that sync button LOL

Yeah I play around with a lot of Full on and Progressive. I will check out your mixes, seems like were into the same type of music

Here is my soundcloud. My transitions aren't that good as I want them to be.
I will continue to listen to other mixes and teach myself phrasing. All the local dj's I use to watch are now doing big things. Signed to labels do shows over seas its awesome but I dont think they have time for a beginner like me. Thanks for the phrasing link, i will check that out now.

Edit: ahh yes the 8 /16 /32 counts I should know these rather then staring at my computer screen.

http://soundcloud.com/pope-chow-mein/october-15th-2012

[Cabullis]

I'd say track selection is important, but irrelevant to the OP. An ear for music is subjective, and not really a skill so to say. I honestly think it's just something you have or don't right off that bat. Let's be honest... how many of you have sat down in the early stages of your hobby and said "today, I really need to fine tune my selector skills". lol.

On some level, I do. I take the time to really pour over my music and ask myself, "what does this song sound like, and what other kinds of beats would mix well with it?"

@OP: You really need to know your music. Take some time every day (or every other day) to just sit down and really listen to your music.

[sobi]

Track selection.

So how do you practice track selection at home?

[Pearce161]

So how do you practice track selection at home?

by practicing on ya set-up (a lot) and listening to ya tracks (a lot) then the best way, recording mixes and listening back to em (a lot).

Making and listening back to mixes regularly you will get better, when ya jamming and just having a practice you can throw anything in to test ya mixing skills etc but when u record a mix u wanna think about it, think about a journey through ya tracks etc. Then when you listen back u may from time to time, think. oh that sounded good at the time but now i can see it maybe takes the groove down a little or it was maybe a too bigger jump in energy i should have played that later things like that. The most valubale thing a dj who wants to improve can do IMHO is make a lot of mixes and listen to em, like i said earlier, listen listen listen

[ad357]

recording mixes and listening back to em (a lot).

Excellent advice.

If anyone wants to listen to some my mixes & tell me how shit I am haha, feel free - www.mixcrate.com/ad357