i open up dj software, i load music into the player, i press play, and then I let the fail wash over me.
yeah, and it was so good..
How many of you pre listen the incoming track?? I don’t use it that much when I practice, not even when I’m recording, I know I should, you can adjust the gains,do some eq, maybe some effects, try different tunes…
quick check to see where im at in the track and that im in teh right spot. the ill fade over to full headphone mix to see how its reacting as im bringing it in, maybe cue the track a bit more then bring it all the way in.
mapping the headphone mix was one of the best things i ever did. 
I find that it helps me to plan my practice time before I turn anything on. When Im still at work or on the way home I think about it. There are four or five questions I usually try to address;
what was my favorite moment during my last set and why
what was the most exciting drop during my last set
which track would i like to include but havent yet
what could i have done to make my last set go more smoothly
which parts of my set didnt fit well together and why
i dont always have answers for these questions, or end up focusing entirely on one answer for days at a time, it does make my practice time more productive though. I play thursday and friday nights each week and i consistently spend mon & tues working on music. taking the weekend off gives me fresh ears when i listen to things again, its much easier for me to hear what worked and what didnt. i dont have a set tracklist but i find about 30-40% stays the same.
Turn off phase meter and never hit the sync button. Eventually I’ll have bpm reader off as well.
I like to challenge myself.
Nesquigs and Procks nailed it for me as well (I forgot to mention it ).
I do the same thing (as Nesquigs), I think it’s extremely important to listen to the incoming tracks and make sure it’s in the best spot to drop it in next (although I like to use loop in the new song most of the time).
And as for Procks post, I do the same thing and it helps a TON. Not to mention whenever I am getting ready to mix, I go into iTunes and pick out the tracks i’m going to use and create a new playlist with a set of songs 15 - 20 and as I go through I just wing it, but then whichever (as I am playing) fit better than others I write down and then re-do that transition to the song until I figure out the happy medium. If you see my iTunes playlist you’ll see a bunch of different playlists that are named “Remix One, Remix Two, etc.”
I find it also helps after I create a playlist if I play it in my car the next morning (just the songs, not my mix) on the way to college (and in college) which helps me hear songs that will mix better - keep in mind though my drive to school is about an hour long, and I wait 2 hours in the college itself before my classes start. I just turn on shuffle and repeat and let it go.
Generally practice for about an hour or less every other day. About 3-4 hours on the weekends.
Generally I just pick up a genre that I’m feeling that day. Whether It be some Soulfull/Disco house, Electro House, Deep House, Trance, Top 40, Hip-Hop/Rap and go with It.
I’ve come to find that I really dislike making a play list unless I’m making a mix. I’ve found that literally just winging it helps me find more constructive ways of mixing in/out of songs.
Also Pre listening to a track is a must for me. Cue up usually goes as follows. Beatmatch, gains, eq’s if needed. Lately I’ve been trying to find more ways to constructively use loops and FX for transitions rather then just adding spice/ruining a good track.
How do you sort through the million songs you have off each genre? Is it just like a spur of the moment thing? Like you know what song you would like to hear next? Or just pick randomly? Cause when I go through my playlists in my head I have to select the songs that I think would flow together in general or sound similar, hence the playlists.
Sadly enough no millions of songs here yet =P. About 600 atm.
BPM and key first. I try to emulate a club setting the best that I can. Hence the no playlist thing I have going. Generally I try to do It all by memory. Its all 50/50 spur/randomness and memory. Usually I have a good idea of where I’m going next, but because I try to emulate a club I want/try to mix things up and go in a totally different direction. This idea on practicing is usually for top 40 though. For most other genres you aren’t going to have many requests (at least from what I’ve seen).
With crowd requests and watching the flow of the crowd/crowd reading things can become a mess and chaotic.
I’m not picking up 30-40 songs a month. Usually its around 10-20 at the most. Gives me more time to memorize songs and such.
Not trying to bash on having a playlist. I just like to be prepared for anything.
A family with a young kid moved in downstairs and his bedroom is below my man-room. So selfish 
memorizing…
do all of you guys know your tracks? i try to “freestyle mix” (no preselected songs) but when i go through my tracks, i have no idea what a lot of them are. i would have to prelisten to random tracks until i find a good one that may go well with the one that is playing on the speakers. Any good ideas on how to memorize songs or a good way of organizing?
I just did this…
I Keyed all my tracks/made sure traktor only took from itunes (Filled in most of the tags – genre - artist - spellings … gotta love applescripts – www.davesapplescripts.com)
then imported em into traktor, made folders/playlisits separated by
Genre - Key - BPM - Intensity (when listening to tracks, i rate them 1-5 on their intensity so when your browsing you dont put on a chill song that seems to be in key and tempo range and blow the mix).
ive been at it for 2 weeks… and im still working on it but it gets easier as you go on, and when you just automatically do all of this to new tracks you dont have to go back and do it, and your music is wicked acessable.
I just kinda wing it.
Usually it’s amazing, I hate how well I do until I turn on the record function that is. I guess I need to work on being relaxed at all times. I jump the gun when I know somebody besides my self is going to hear the work. I’m too self-conscious.
My other thread on similar topic got closed. (Damn Mods! 
)
Anyway, I had found this one but seemed to be more aimed towards practise of the actual techniques rather than what I was asking. So, I’ll post my question here again…
Do you just do it in your bedroom/home/garage/home studio etc or do you go down to a rehearsal room a few times a week?
I’m having issues at home with this cos I live in an apartment with my girlfriend. She regularly pops into my home studio, which is obviously distracting. Or I sway off and start looking at the net. Or start drifting into playing with Ableton and Reason instead of practising DJing.
Have been thinking of taking my laptop and controllers down to a proper rehearsal studio, hooking up to the PA system there and rehearsing like that so I can concentrate more on it.
Just wondering how everyone else rehearse in terms of location, putting yourself in the scenario etc rather than actual practise timetable/techniques etc…
I just spin in my office. Used to be my bedroom, but yay for new place.
Practicing is different based on my goals. If I want to mix new tunes I usually sort by genre and see how they fit, what kind of EQ is required and how the vocals layer over other instrumentals. If something awesome happens I usually jot down notes for the next time.
I only use playlists if I want to put together a fancy mix with tons of stuff happening. I do a lot of improv when spinning live, but the cost of that is I don’t do as many tricks, mainly because I’m busier focusing on how the next song will work.
Though, once I get the sample decks utilized as necessary, that might get easier.
My home “studio” is set up so I’m standing behind my desk, looking out on the room and not at the wall. I find this gives me a lot more focus towards performing as this is how you do it in a club. I also practise with headphones and turn it up, as if to “immerse” myself. As for the girlfriend / wife distractions… I mix when she’s watching the TV!
Normal practice routine is bust out some vinyl, bit of beatjuggling and scratching, fire up Traktor, mix a few tunes, load up Ableton and mess about with a few new tunes. Everyday pretty much. With several bottles of beer.
@Bunford: The best advice I can give there is to not take it too seriously. I would find mixing in a dedicated practice studio is full of constraints and pressure to do well as you paid for the space and time. At least if you have a bad day mixing by home you’ve only lost a bit of pride and not money by hiring a studio.
[quote=“theory28, post:6, topic:19176, username:theory28”]
weekends for a bit.
and whenever i feel the urge on weekdays.
in prep for a recorded mix:
i mix 2 songs together.
pause.
find the next track, find mix in/out points
repeat.
then every few tracks ill take it from the top without stopping to make sure it still feels right and keeps a flow.
then once my playlist is set ill run through the whole thing at least once, then record it.
[/quote] +1
I do online classes so when im not writing music im doing mixing. Yes i know I live a sad boring life.
I like this. My desk is in front of my studio window. If I open up the windows it opens up onto pretty much central Cardiff so it’s like playing a free gig to everyone who passes by
It’s when the light outside fades and only the blinking LED’s and the target lights are all thats illuminating my desk, with my headphones on max chat that get’s me on the high!
I personally started a podcast for practicing. I’ll do the whole song selection by key, set cue points, mix and record once a week. Then uploading it so I can go back later and listen to what I can work on in the future. Also putting it out there for your friends to listen to and critique is encouragement for me.
But then again I am very meticulous with my mixes. I don’t like to just throw songs in on the fly. I’m pretty planned and organized.