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View Full Version : Taking full advantage of DJM800 and CDJ900's



LiveForTheDrop
12-11-2012, 07:30 PM
I have been mixing a couple of months and have been using mixed in key to help me pick tracks that go well together. I understand how to match BPM and use the jogwheel and also go all the way to cue on my headphones to liste to when the next track has its bass vocals and drops come in and I note the time.

I want to be able to use the effects of my mixer, flanger is lame....echo and a quick filter on the sound color effects is about as good as it gets for me...i have not been able to figure anything else out or when to use it. I spin primarily progressive house and electro house.

can anyone give me some tips or tricks to try?

Gryz
12-11-2012, 08:47 PM
From the sounds of it, you should be practicing more on your mixing and less on the effects. Those come only after you have mastered all else.

MIK is a crutch. Get at least some basic music theory down and you don't need much else. Most P/E House is 128 BPM. Try mixing something else in with it, or up the temp so you can learn to beatmatch quickly and efficiently. The best sets I've heard did not include any effects...they were all about perfect transitioning/timing.

Manu
12-11-2012, 11:36 PM
dump mixedinnoob and practice your music more

Era 7
12-14-2012, 04:11 PM
learn your tracks and cut out the effects for now.

myndgruv
12-14-2012, 05:05 PM
i refuse to use mixed in key. It either sounds good together or it doesnt. I will take my ear and a crowd response over a program telling me something doesnt sounds right.

Practive mixing and beat matching... cause if you cant do that you just need to not dj.

Finnish_Fox
12-20-2012, 02:57 PM
From the sounds of it, you should be practicing more on your mixing and less on the effects. Those come only after you have mastered all else.

MIK is a crutch. Get at least some basic music theory down and you don't need much else. Most P/E House is 128 BPM. Try mixing something else in with it, or up the temp so you can learn to beatmatch quickly and efficiently. The best sets I've heard did not include any effects...they were all about perfect transitioning/timing.


dump mixedinnoob and practice your music more


i refuse to use mixed in key. It either sounds good together or it doesnt. I will take my ear and a crowd response over a program telling me something doesnt sounds right.

Practive mixing and beat matching... cause if you cant do that you just need to not dj.

Anyone ever have 2 tracks where most of the elements are in compatible keys but then one track will use an element that is compatible with the track it is a part of but ends up being a really minor clash with the 2nd track?

Manu
12-25-2012, 05:44 PM
Loads of times :lol:

Work on your phrasematching or just dump the combination if it doesn't work and move on. Or you can hop on a sound editor and correct the problem yourself, it's call pre-production.

LALaw
12-26-2012, 03:54 PM
Focus more on practice and less on mixing in key. Very few people notice that sort of thing anyway

I would also recommend that you get comfortable with making hot loops on the fly

ewe
01-26-2013, 11:54 PM
Roll can be a fun effect to use, but as the people above me said, you should master the basics before using any effects.

Nebula
01-27-2013, 07:38 AM
You've only been mixing a couple months and your setup is a DJM-800 with CDJ-900s? You either have quite a bit of disposable income or I call bullshit.

Zafire
01-27-2013, 03:29 PM
You've only been mixing a couple months and your setup is a DJM-800 with CDJ-900s? You either have quite a bit of disposable income or I call bullshit.

My set-up is a DJM 700 and CDJ 900's as a first set up. It can be done if you save your money and want it bad enough. Why not wait slightly longer to get as close to club standard equipment as possible?

finalcoyote
01-29-2013, 09:43 AM
I've been mixing for years as a hobby and I've never been able to justify the expense for a set of Pio's.
At the same time, if you want something bad enough, well.

Sounds like you need to practice. You shouldn't need MIK at all; hell, if you can't understand the theory then it's trial and error and practice. In time, you'll easily be able to hear if songs will work together or not.

I hate to say it, but all house is fairly easy to mix well. Only roll is useful, and even then once or twice a set is enough.

The Blackest
01-29-2013, 10:23 AM
My set-up is a DJM 700 and CDJ 900's as a first set up. It can be done if you save your money and want it bad enough. Why not wait slightly longer to get as close to club standard equipment as possible?

I know a lot of people that start out on "The Industry Standard".


I kinda wish I did.

Buszaj
01-29-2013, 12:52 PM
I'm very happy that I started out with expensive gear. I saved my money, dropped 2k, practiced, and picked things up very quickly. The CDJs I bought then a few years ago are still going strong through plenty of gigs.

As for "taking full advantage", it's not like you have a controller or launch/trigger pad where you can play around with samples and cue points. The main point of a CDJ + mixer setup is to focus on tight mixing.

That being said, you can still make good use of the effects and filter if you use them wisely. One fun thing to do is setup a roll and assign it to an empty channel. Make sure your roll is matched with your live track, it can drift away at times. As your live track is building up, play around with bringing in the roll, cutting it down, and high passing it a bit before a drop.

myndgruv
01-30-2013, 03:21 PM
my first set up was a djm 600 and a pair of 1200s. This was when CDJs were nothing amazing and the 600 was a top of the line mixer.

Nothing wrong with getting the standard to start with.

finalcoyote
01-30-2013, 07:18 PM
I wish I had the money.

CamDaze
02-04-2013, 02:29 PM
Most of the gear-buying wisdom on this site says to not waste your money on cheap gear. Plus, you can get some sweet deals if you're lucky/looking hard enough. I got a pair of 1200s and a mediocre numark mixer for like $500 from a friend.

ampnation
02-04-2013, 02:54 PM
My first DJ setup was CDJ400's and an Ecler Nuo 3. Not far off OP's setup. And I felt like I was cheaping out a bit at the time.