Beginner mixing techniques

[kami]

Beginner mixing techniques

Alright, basically I’m really in to mixing and I use Virtual DJ. I don’t have a controller yet but I have some effects mapped out on my keyboard.

So far, the only mixing technique I’ve really been able to do is mix in the breakdown of the track… I’m sure it’s the simplest and most overused technique out there. Sometimes I beatmatch and then play with the EQs as I cross over to the next track.

This really impresses my friends cause they have no idea how simple it is, so… How can I advance these techniques? I mix mainly electro house, prog house, etc etc?

[photojojo]

DJ Essentials- 5 Mix Techniques

[fullenglishpint]

Experiment!

For one thing read up on harmonic mixing as this makes your job as a DJ much easier, but I’d say the main thing to get the hang of at the beginning is working out where the sections are in the music. You’ll notice that most electronic music has a 4/4 time signature and different parts of the track tend to change at multiples of 4 or 8 bars (a bar is 4 beats).

For example, you might have a track with 8 bars of intro at the beginning before it drops, so if you can time this to coincide with a drop in the previous song and transition between the 2 using EQs in the intervening 8 bars it sounds like it was always meant to be that way.

[kami]

@fullenglishpint

Experiment!

For one thing read up on harmonic mixing as this makes your job as a DJ much easier, but I’d say the main thing to get the hang of at the beginning is working out where the sections are in the music. You’ll notice that most electronic music has a 4/4 time signature and different parts of the track tend to change at multiples of 4 or 8 bars (a bar is 4 beats).

For example, you might have a track with 8 bars of intro at the beginning before it drops, so if you can time this to coincide with a drop in the previous song and transition between the 2 using EQs in the intervening 8 bars it sounds like it was always meant to be that way.

Yeah that’s been my #1 transition so far, just using the ‘drop’ from Track B in the breakdown of Track A… With the right tracks you can really fool some ears haha…

[photojojo]

And record yourself a bunch. Then listen to the whole thing to see what it sounds like. If you don’t like something figure out how to change it. Another thing I think is important when practicing is not to automatically start over if you mess up. Practice getting out of screw ups so if you make a mistake live you’ll be better prepared to cope with it.

[Maxted]

@photojojo

Practice getting out of screw ups so when you make a mistake live you’ll be better prepared to cope with it.

Learned the hard way myself, no matter how well prepared and rehearsed you are, it will happen lol.

[wrong_chris]

yeah i agree with fullenglishpint and photojojo. best way to learn is by experimenting and analyzing the shit out of your own work.

also, listen to tons of dj mixes, go to events where the djs are known for their djing work - really pay attention and study what these guys are doing and apply it to your own sessions.

tutorials and sharing tips and tricks with friends or on forums is cool for beginners, but if you really want to develop your own style the best way is to just practice lots, study lots and don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas.