Mixing Different Genres for Promo CD- Good Idea or Bad ?
So i’m started putting together a new promo CD last night. The mix i came up with is all over the place musically. For instance the first four songs are all club hip hop(125 bpm), then transitions into some nu school disco, then into some electro, then into funky uk bassline, then into some dubstep, into some Bmore, then some indie, back to electro with some bangers, more disco, and then some chill summery tunes towards this end. The mixes are all great between genres, and everything seems to flow well, but is this a bad idea overall or does it showcase my ability to play to different crowds.
We need to hear that to be able to judge properly. I think that showcasing your versatility can never be bad! Unless the people you’re going to give this promo to are narrow minded musically.
Say for example you want to get a gig spinning at a house club, are they really gonna care if you can spin hip-hop? I vote make a CD that makes sense to the club you want to spin at. Unless of course its a trendy and chic bar that plays everything
If that’s your style, i’d stick with it. (For example Ean is pretty known for doing some pretty whacky stuff with his mixes) If you’re just doing it to show different styles, make separate mixes.
Great point Nephew!
I was not just putting these songs together randomly.
Ive been hangin out with this new chick lately, and she was defintely on my mind when making this, so most of the songs would appeal as love songs or talking about girls.
For example -
I blend Florida - “Sugar” to DatA - One in a Million into The Virgins “Rich Girls”(Le Castle Vania Remix) into LaRoux “In for the kill”
SO yes most of the songs have the same feel with them.
Thanks for pointing that out!
I would still only use it as a demo ONLY if it was my typical style to do a mix like that. If this is a ‘special occasion’ type mix, I would leave it to being a mix posted on your website or given out at shows. Demos are there to showcase what you’re REALLY like on stage. If they expect you to be all over the place and doing crazy blends, and you just play electro funk all night the promoter is going to feel slighted.
Yeah im very much inclined to agree with Moniker here - when your giving someone a mix tape for a potential mix that mix should be “what you hear is what you get”.
However if you want to do some genre mashing but you see yourself on the night sticking to a sub-genre or two then you could put a couple sets on the cd. Have the first mix on the mixtape what you envision yourself playing like for that night and the second mix on the disk could be a minimix that does some genre mashing.
yeah it’s all about the audience pretty much. last week i did this same thing though, went from rap mash ups->electro->breaks->dubstep->dnb, so that’s a range from 80-165, it’s all possible, just have to be creative to get it to flow.
i personally prefer mixes to have a bit of variety going on with the genres so what your doing sounds great man. As long as it showcases your style,technique,selection/musical taste you can’t go wrong.
do what you want to do man stay true to your original vision, it’ll get you further than trying to conform to narrow interests of one or two clubs.