DJF Trance tourney 2012

[Rek_Aviles]

Currently planning for 2012 trance tourney.

Convo starts here: http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?254-Announcing-the-winner-of-the-DJF-Trance-tourney-2011-Chris-Hynds/page2

[silentsounds]

Glad someone remembered. Congrats Chris.

[Rek_Aviles]

Yah, bad timing on that battle but I was waiting for the site to come back, to post something about it. :tup:

[silentsounds]

I'll make sure we run it properly this year. Though I think we should only go forward with it once the rules are set out properly and there is enough interest.

[Rek_Aviles]

yah, let the site settle for a bit. I say hold off until the summer, at least. But in the mean time, get all the rules in order.

[gr2daover]

Congrats and shame the site went down what luck right? But we have nothing but time to get another one and many more in!

[Ellissentials]

:tup:

[ChrisHynds]

Thanks for this guys, and yea the timing was a bitch, but hey its all good now. Great to see the forums up n running again!!!!!!!

[OONS]

Congrats from a previous winner! (2009)

[Somedj]

well done chris!

[silentsounds]

OONS (2009), Me (2010), Chris (2011) - A battle for the three of us sound good? Perhaps next month or so?

[mr_ragz]

Good stuff, I will take a listen soon! Congrads mang, can't wait for the next round :)

[ChrisHynds]

Thanks every1, and yea Silent I'm up for that :D lets see if OONS is keen???

[utrolig]

I have a proposal for the required track rule.

What about the person who arranges the competition picks out the required tracks? That could open up the competition for different styles of trance, and could include some tunes that are "different" from your standard top10 beatport cheese trance.
Just a thought anyways :p

[Marc S]

problem with that is, the people would all have to buy the tracks, and i'm not sure 20 people are going to enter if they all have to spend $30 on tracks to do so,

and THEN, the people are not going to want to listen to the same 10 tracks mixed almost the same 20x over. and judge them,

[silentsounds]

problem with that is, the people would all have to buy the tracks, and i'm not sure 20 people are going to enter if they all have to spend $30 on tracks to do so,

and THEN, the people are not going to want to listen to the same 10 tracks mixed almost the same 20x over. and judge them,

We usually have one required track in each round. I think what utrolig meant was that we pick the track as opposed to saying whatever track is number 2 in the top 10 on this and this date will be the required track.

@utrolig - We can't really do that because all of us have some sort of bias as to what kind of tracks we like. Someone is bound to complain if we were to choose. The top 10 method seems to be the fairest. The other option is to have the contestants vote for a track.

[utrolig]

I was just brainfarting. I see your point though, but I figured someone can actually make it so that there is a bit of variety at least. Cause as far as i can remember it has been pretty stale except in the final (Reboot by Ummet Ozcan)

[silentsounds]

I was just brainfarting. I see your point though, but I figured someone can actually make it so that there is a bit of variety at least. Cause as far as i can remember it has been pretty stale except in the final (Reboot by Ummet Ozcan)

I understand what you are saying as well as others' concerns about this. I for one don't think we should get of the required track. It brings something standard to all mixes and gives us another parameter to judge on. We don't have to have it limited to the top 10. We could have each contestant name one track each and submit it to us. Following that, we number each track and have someone outside the competition randomly choose a number for each round.

We'll be discussing this stuff as we go on. I'm not sure whether Ohmega wants to stick around to manage it this time around, but I know we are going to force the rules this time.

[Rek_Aviles]

You could try a top 10 list from another site...


Djdownload's top 10 (100 really) is different than Beat Port's list. DJdownload or another site might have a better, less cheesier selection.

DJd: http://www.djdownload.com/genreTop100.php?genreID=7
BP: http://www.beatport.com/genre/trance/7

[silentsounds]

You could try a top 10 list from another site...


Djdownload's top 10 (100 really) is different than Beat Port's list. DJdownload or another site might have a better, less cheesier selection.

DJd: http://www.djdownload.com/genreTop100.php?genreID=7
BP: http://www.beatport.com/genre/trance/7

That's another great idea. Definitely something to look into. I understand the cheesiness aspect of some of it. Very hard to work it into a set that sounds completely different. But I guess that's where the skill comes in. Ha

[utrolig]

That's another great idea. Definitely something to look into. I understand the cheesiness aspect of some of it. Very hard to work it into a set that sounds completely different. But I guess that's where the skill comes in. Ha

I approve of this. Trackitdown.net maybe?

[Rek_Aviles]

Moved back to Trance forums. :tup:

[Ohmega]

Dont forget about Reinhold!!!! He won the first tournament

[Sedna]

Congrats Chris. You're ass is mine this year, though.

[Ohmega]

:school:

[OONS]

Thanks every1, and yea Silent I'm up for that :D lets see if OONS is keen???

haha bloody hell I just saw this! I am down if you two are still.
Btw, here's the link to my winning mix http://djoons.com/mix/DJ%20OONS%20aka.%20Rogue-DJ%20-%20DJ%20Forums%20Trance%20Championship%20Winning%2 0Mix%202009.mp3

And who's running the show for 2012? If no one I'd like to referee it.

[DJ Nutty]

Sounds good to me OONS, look forward to the next tourney.

[Delta V]

If ya'll are gonna make a new tourney can i just throw a few suggestions out there?

I didn't like how the mixes got longer and longer, like from 30 min, then 45, then 1 hr. I think they should be kept 30 min until the end, then maybe length could increase. But speaking of that championship round, what if each DJ had to mix all the required tracks from the tourney, i.e. using last years tracks they'd have to mix superman, we control the sunlight, not over yet ect.. all in one mix? I think that could be pretty challenging and interesting.

[silentsounds]

Unfortunately I just don't have the time to be as involved in the competition this year. Life is a little chaotic at the moment. However, I'm up for discussing suggestions and rules to help make it a better turn out than it was last year.

[DJ Nutty]

I think the issue with using all the required tracks, is you're probably going to end up with a mix that doesn't flow well together.

Personally am not a fan of the required track, as every one of them before was absolutely awful, and it makes the musical selection limited to whats often in the trance chart, which is usually some kinda Armada bollox.

I wouldn't mind seeing a free-track tourney, you might get alot more variation in trance style that way.

[Delta V]

What about "bonus points" (votes) for using an optional track? Just throwin ideas out there...

[Sedna]

I'm participating in the next tourney, and I also agree that picking a required track off the top 10 in Beatport is terrible. Superman? Seriously? Not even a trance track. Not even close to a trance track. And now-a-days Beatport's top 10 is loaded with even more horse-shit music.

Perhaps we could use Audiojelly's top 10? They usually have more underground stuff.

[DJ Nutty]

Good idea that Sedna

Or how about using either the straight trance, or tech trance, or psytrance chart. As long as you use at least one of those charts.

[M!TCH]

The problem with making it a requirement to mix all the same tracks is that it's going to be monotonous as a listener to hear the "same" mix over and over.

[silentsounds]

While the idea of a required track is great in my opinion, I think it has run its course as far as the trance competition goes. For the last three years where we have had this required track, I have enjoyed listening to the creative ways DJs implement it within their mixes. Unfortunately, most contestants don't do much with it, and I guess one can't blame them. For some people, the track just stands out from the rest of the mix. Either way, I think this year we should give the 'no required track' idea a try. (I enjoyed the challenge it provided though)

[ChrisHynds]

While the idea of a required track is great in my opinion, I think it has run its course as far as the trance competition goes. For the last three years where we have had this required track, I have enjoyed listening to the creative ways DJs implement it within their mixes. Unfortunately, most contestants don't do much with it, and I guess one can't blame them. For some people, the track just stands out from the rest of the mix. Either way, I think this year we should give the 'no required track' idea a try. (I enjoyed the challenge it provided though)

I like this idea. How about setting each round as a Sub-genre section, this will stop people banging out 140bpm in every round. and also this way we still get to show diversity in mixing style's while not having to complain about being restricted to a "required track"

So for example,

Round 1 - Upllifting Trance 136bpm+
Round 2 - Progressive Trance 130-134
etc etc etc

something along these lines????? Ideas????? Im just typing as I think here so feel free to agree/disagree.

[Delta V]

Yeah I like your themes idea Chris.

Couple more ideas...
Tracks from a set year or range of years
Using only one label

[Ohmega]

The required track seemed to put a vise on the tournament. Yes, it put some structure on things, but if you are not experienced with multiple genres/sub-genres it posed a problem for newer DJs (which we need more of in the tournament). I'm all for eliminating that requirement. As for sub-genres it's all a matter of perception. I define progressive and uplifting in different ways than you or anyone else. Which is obvious in our on-going conversations about genres in modern EDM. I say we just let the chips fall where they do. If one guy spins psy trance and one spins progressive trance or tech trance, may the better set win. We all know how critical these tournaments get so eliminating ugly transitions or poor selection material will not be a problem. It just gets tiring to hear people complain about what they do and do not like. Leave it open and let the best DJ win!

Best of luck all, I look forward to hearing the new tunes.

[DJ Nutty]

I dont think the problem is having a required track, just that beatports chart is often full of dross.
Perhaps if someone not participating picked a good track, that might work.

[Sedna]

The subgenre thing is a cool idea, but could also pose the same exact problem as the required track, but even worse. What if the DJ gets thrown into a match where the subgenre is something he/she doesn't play at all? Then they have to do an entire mix based off that. I, for one, really don't have much "uplifting" trance in my library. I have a few great songs, but probably not enough to make an entire mix with.

I think this year it would be best just to do no required track and see how that works out. Let the DJs do what they want.

[Sedna]

Using only one label

If you picked Coldharbour or J00F Recordings I'd be so down. Haha

[login]

A more open format would be nice, there are many styles of trance and it's quite hard. The subgenre idea isn't that bad but, how far really are you gonna take it? goa trance? dark psy? late 90's ibiza trance?

I also have this idea of making the contest a single large mix: lets say there are 10 participants, the mix will have 10 slots that will be asigned randomly. Each participant will have to mix from the end of the previous mix, in theory this would force some kind of strategy for transition between subgenres. the limit of each slot could be 4 tracks.

[JackStalk]

I'm down for this tournament. Doesn't matter what the rules are to me, at the end of the day it's all about mixing anyway.

[Rek_Aviles]

Updated thread title. This should invite others to the convo. :)

[ChrisHynds]

I thought the whole idea of the comp was to be pushing yourself to mix in ways that you wouldnt normally do aswell as implementing your own style , which is why I suggested using the Sub genre's so that we can get a more diverse range of mixing and also test yourself. We would be sticking to the major sub genre's, there no need to get silly with it. Last year was a nightmare with the required track but if you are given a sub genre its pretty open to what you can do with it, even if you dont have anything in your library im sure you can find 30 mins worth of tracks from the sub genre that you like from beatport, isnt this what would happen if you got a gig the requied you to play a diff style from what your used to, you adapt.

[silentsounds]

I thought the whole idea of the comp was to be pushing yourself to mix in ways that you wouldnt normally do aswell as implementing your own style , which is why I suggested using the Sub genre's so that we can get a more diverse range of mixing and also test yourself. We would be sticking to the major sub genre's, there no need to get silly with it. Last year was a nightmare with the required track but if you are given a sub genre its pretty open to what you can do with it, even if you dont have anything in your library im sure you can find 30 mins worth of tracks from the sub genre that you like from beatport, isnt this what would happen if you got a gig the requied you to play a diff style from what your used to, you adapt.

Monitoring something like this will be a nightmare though. What if a contestant has two tracks that don't fall in the sub genre? I generally agree with pushing yourselves to be more creative though.

[ChrisHynds]

Monitoring something like this will be a nightmare though. What if a contestant has two tracks that don't fall in the sub genre? I generally agree with pushing yourselves to be more creative though.

Thats cool, If your not participating this year then are you happy enough to select a track as the required track? Or are we going to just leave it out completely? The only problem I see with leaving it out completely is that........... and I'll use Sedna as an example as I know his mixing and style pretty well by now, Sedna will be cranking out 140Bpm the whole time as this is where he mixes best, and its easy to work out whose mix it is. I think we need some kind of rule that means you have to go outside your comfort zone.

[tekno_violet]

Is this torney open to everyone...?

I think anything more than the required track idea will be too much to referee....which no ones willing to put their life on hold to check up on every ones submissions.

Another idea could be:

'round 1' everyone must use a required track
'round 2' everyone must throw in a classic trance track
'round 3' everyone must use a 'insert artist name here' track
'Final round' - Go for gold....Do what you do.

I dunno.. But I do want in if its not too late.

[Tektonix]

Assuming anyone can enter this, I want in aswell :) Just got into the whole trance thing over the past few months so I think this would be a neat challenge C:

[silentsounds]

Thats cool, If your not participating this year then are you happy enough to select a track as the required track? Or are we going to just leave it out completely? The only problem I see with leaving it out completely is that........... and I'll use Sedna as an example as I know his mixing and style pretty well by now, Sedna will be cranking out 140Bpm the whole time as this is where he mixes best, and its easy to work out whose mix it is. I think we need some kind of rule that means you have to go outside your comfort zone.

I think we're just going to do this without any required tracks or genres. Over the past three years we've had too many complaints about it and there is always someone who is unhappy with it. I enjoyed the required track idea as it meant having to be creative to slot it into your mix somewhere. The discussions here are still on going, so if you have any ideas, share them and we'll evaluate the feedback before making a decision.

Tek and tekno, we've not even started entries for this yet, so you can still join. And it's open to everyone. There are rules to taking part which will eventually be thrown up here.

[Sedna]

You guys wanna know what would make this awesome and remove the necessity of a required track? Make it so that the contestants have to mix the tourney like they would mix the headlining slot in a club. Rules are as follows:

1. The mix must start at < 128 BPM. This is around the low-end for progressive trance.
2. The mix must end at > 138 BPM. This is where the purest of trance begins, though the > means that us Psy-Trancers can keep pushing the BPMs up if we'd like.

Those two simple rules have forced the contestants to create not only a mix, but a journey as well. Just an idea, I guess.

[Delta V]

I don't think I could comfortably pull off a 10 BPM increase in 30 min.

[ChrisHynds]

Yea 128 - 138 over 6-8 trax is pretty tricky to pull off well, are we trying to make this harder than it needs to be? How do the other comps on this forums work?? Delta V, have you done the Breaks Comps before? how do they structure it?

Here's my last Idea,

instead of sub genre's for each round, set a BPM range and its upto the Dj what he wants to spin, but the tracks have to fall within the range.

Eg. Round 1 - 128-132 Anthing within this range is cool, this way you can mix Tech/Prog/Vocal/ anything within this 128-132 bracket

Round 2 - 132-136

Round 3 - 134- 138

and so on.

[DJ Nutty]

That sounds pretty good to me. I think 128 to 138 is a bit extreme. Maybe a 6bpm increase is sufficient, even for an hour long mix.

[Sedna]

That's fine, my main idea was just setting a BPM range to mix in. Splitting it into increasing BPM as the tourney goes is a good idea.

[Delta V]

How do the other comps on this forums work?? Delta V, have you done the Breaks Comps before? how do they structure it?

The Breaks and DnB comps were straight up free for all's. You had NuFunk next to Tearout, Soul & Jazz next to Techstep. Voting for your fav tunes did happen (quite a bit in DnB some of those peeps are so fuckin elitist), but they judged on beat-matching, tricks / scratching / other skills, and general flow. Hard to compare to Trance because I think it's a completely different skill set to mix break-beats.

When we vote in the trance comps we have to give a decent write-up / review of which mix we choose. I think this strongly deters the "I voted for mix 1 cause it had more Anjunabeats tunes lol." [not hating I just needed an example]. Maybe as long as voters justify their choices we can go no holds barred?

[JackStalk]

I agree with having a write-up of your choice. I'm also ambivalent over mixing 128-138 in 30 minutes. I usually mix anywhere between 126-140 it in a <20 minute podcast. It's not the smoothest journey, but it's doable. It would probably be best to have a 4bpm range over 30 minutes to keep people from really stretching their tracks. 128-132 is pretty fair for round one, since a good amount of current commercial "trance" and "progressive house" tracks fall in that space.

[tekno_violet]

what dates are we looking at roughly?

[Ohmega]

The Breaks and DnB comps were straight up free for all's. You had NuFunk next to Tearout, Soul & Jazz next to Techstep.


I agree with this method, sub genres, required tracks and BPM ranges are no good! Just let the chips fall where they do. If Psy beats Progressive then so be it! If Peak hour beats Tech so be it! If Cyber Trance beats all sub genres in one mix, so be it! Get the point!!!!


TAKE THE DAMN GLOVES OFF AND MAY THE BEST DJ WIN.

[Rek_Aviles]

I agree with this method, sub genres, required tracks and BPM ranges are no good! Just let the chips fall where they do. If Psy beats Progressive then so be it!

I don't see Psy betting anything. Psy is to Trance what Kenny G is to.... w.e. he plays. :sleeping:

It would be very hard for me to listen to a Psy set and pic i over any other genre. That other set would have to be an absolute trainwreck. :lol:

[ChrisHynds]

OK so it looks like everyone has different ideas, I reckon who ever is taking charge, just lay down the rules and we run with that, because either way no one is going to agree anyway. Im happy to do what ever we just need someone to set the rules and if your not happy with them then dont take part, I think thats the only way we can move on with this. Silentsound are you still wanting to run the comp this year? Shall we open an "Entry" thread and keep it seperate from this discussion thread?

[Delta V]

^ What he said.

[g-sep]

All I know... is that I want in!

[Ohmega]

JUST FOR THAT I'M GOING TO PLAY PSY-TRANCE EVERY ROUND!!!!!!!!




(just kidding, not sure if I will even participate pending the straight-jacket rules (mix like this, not like how you actualy play!?!), but I will always listen and vote) and if I hear anything from the ARMADA track catalog I am going to slam dunk fail you! Dig deeper that that cheese ball EDM Major label that eats up everything good and turns it into pure rubbish. Just throwing some fuel on the fire!!!!! BURN BITCH BURN!!!!!!!

On a side note, happy weekend everybody!!! DJ roll call...say WHAT?

HOWEVER I DO THINK WE SHOULD DO A LIVE AUDIO/VIDEO BROADCAST OF THE FINALS ON FADERWAVE, WE WERE GOING FOR THAT THE FIRST YEAR!!! (I for one am tired of hearing pre-recorded sets! Guetta, SHM say what!!!)

[Delta V]

..sTuFf...

http://i.imgur.com/X3SQM.jpg

[Sedna]

Yeah, free-for-all imo would be the best. DJ vs DJ. lez do this

Also, Ohmega, if you and I are up against each other we're doing Psy vs Psy. Bitch.

[Rek_Aviles]

JUST FOR THAT I'M GOING TO PLAY PSY-TRANCE EVERY ROUND!!!!!!!!



:uhoh:

[ChrisHynds]

Does anyone want to take control & run the tourney this year? I thought I read that Silentsounds was wanting to run it??????

[Ohmega]

Does anyone want to take control & run the tourney this year? I thought I read that Silentsounds was wanting to run it??????

Typically this duty falls to the reigning Trance champion...which is you bro... :teef:

[ChrisHynds]

:uhoh: I never knew that :facepalm:

Thats cool tho, Ill put something together over the next few days and create an entry/rules thread

[Dave Porter]

maybe a round with a mimium number of tracks in a set amount of time

say 10 tracks in 10 minutes....

or 15 in 20 minutes

[JackStalk]

A trance mix with 10 tracks in 10 minutes? It would be highly difficult to create any sort of listenable mix with a restraint like that. Trance tracks are meant to be played for at least a few minutes, it's all about the journey. Maybe a house mix could feature 10 tracks in 10 minutes, but doing it with trance is really pushing it.

[Dave Porter]

A trance mix with 10 tracks in 10 minutes? It would be highly difficult to create any sort of listenable mix with a restraint like that. Trance tracks are meant to be played for at least a few minutes, it's all about the journey. Maybe a house mix could feature 10 tracks in 10 minutes, but doing it with trance is really pushing it.

http://soundcloud.com/indecentnoise/indecent-noise-dejavu-004-mix

Check this this out. It can be done. With good track selection and some agile hands, it is possible. Admittedly I know that mix was produced, but it would be a good challenge on the decks.

[ChrisHynds]

http://soundcloud.com/indecentnoise/indecent-noise-dejavu-004-mix

Check this this out. It can be done. With good track selection and some agile hands, it is possible.

They done something similar for their year mix, it would be too hard to do this over every 30 min round, it would take a long time to set something like this up

[Dave Porter]

They done something similar for their year mix, it would be too hard to do this over every 30 min round, it would take a long time to set something like this up

I dont think it should be every round. Just one round maybe...

30 minute round structured like this..

10 minutes normal mixing, followed by 10 minutes of 1 minute tracks follow by 10 minutes of normal mixing.

We could spice things up even more by making all 10 tracks in release order by year date or in alphabetical order of the record label for example.

[JackStalk]

It would definitely make the mixes easier to judge, since there are so many transitions and you essentially can't fastforward through the mix. I still stand against it, but it's something fun to think about. I'd have to reprogram all of my cues to do that. At the end of the day, it's infringing on a lot of people's personal styles.

[Dave Porter]

It would definitely make the mixes easier to judge, since there are so many transitions and you essentially can't fastforward through the mix. I still stand against it, but it's something fun to think about. I'd have to reprogram all of my cues to do that. At the end of the day, it's infringing on a lot of people's personal styles.

which is why it is a great idea. get people out their comfort zone.

[tekno_violet]

My skill level can't touch that kind of mixing :blank:

[Ohmega]

Here you go again Dave, I guess we are going to get Trance-Step from you? 10 tracks in 10 minutes right? wub-wub-wub...

[Rek_Aviles]

TRANCE-STEP? Is there such a thing? :facepalm:

[Dave Porter]

Here you go again Dave, I guess we are going to get Trance-Step from you? 10 tracks in 10 minutes right? wub-wub-wub...

When did I say that? I think your assuming to much dear.

Maybe you cant mix like that, which is fine. But instead of attacking me for just making a suggestion, why don't you just say you can't do it.

btw: Trance 2.0 :love: :love: :love:

[Ohmega]

TRANCE-STEP? Is there such a thing? :facepalm:

DUDE!!! Trance-Step rocks, didn't you get the memo? :confused:

[Ohmega]

When did I say that? I think your assuming to much dear.

Maybe you cant mix like that, which is fine. But instead of attacking me for just making a suggestion, why don't you just say you can't do it.

btw: Trance 2.0 :love: :love: :love:

Maybe I can't mix like that...bahahahahahaha you wish dude. I was just giving you a hard time for your Trance/Dubstep thread, lighten up man! :D

[Dave Porter]

Maybe I can't mix like that...bahahahahahaha you wish dude. I was just giving you a hard time for your Trance/Dubstep thread, lighten up man! :D

I found sarcasm doesn't work well on the web. But seriously, Trance 2.0 for FTW!

I think the quick mixing idea is good anyway. It is a good test of someone's ability to select tracks, improvisation and mixing skills without taking a break. I believe it can sound good as has been done by people in the past.

[JackStalk]

I believe this would be the subgenre trance-step. I have been saying "Trancestep" for like two years now, there's a bunch of really awesome chillout tracks in that bpm range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWWopjG9URo&feature=relmfu

[tekno_violet]

A tunes a tune.

[DJ Nutty]

I've never seen anyone make one of those ridiculous number of tracks in an hour mixes done live. Even Armin does his offline in Ableton or something. Theres no way you can mix 85 tracks in an hour by hand on turntables or cdj's without it sounding like a complete carcrash.

[Ohmega]

I've never seen anyone make one of those ridiculous number of tracks in an hour mixes done live. Even Armin does his offline in Ableton or something. Theres no way you can mix 85 tracks in an hour by hand on turntables or cdj's without it sounding like a complete carcrash.

I agree with you Nutty. I was thinking this morning that most of my transitions last 2-3 minutes so how does that track count work unless you are doing 8 beat transitions which does not hold any relavance to long overlay mixing that Trance typicaly employs. In addition I know this 10-10 is more of an arranged type of set in Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools then played out live and tweaked for that DJ feel. But the Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools arranged method is against the standard rules in the tournaments. Im sure there is even going to be a debate on MIDI controllers since some of us "traditionalists" are mixing with 1200's or CDJs without hot clues placed all over the tracks. Ah how times have changed...I remember only using your ears and looking at the grooves on the record! Does anyone even remember that?

[Dave Porter]

I agree with you Nutty. I was thinking this morning that most of my transitions last 2-3 minutes so how does that track count work unless you are doing 8 beat transitions which does not hold any relavance to long overlay mixing that Trance typicaly employs. In addition I know this 10-10 is more of an arranged type of set in Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools then played out live and tweaked for that DJ feel. But the Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools arranged method is against the standard rules in the tournaments. Im sure there is even going to be a debate on MIDI controllers since some of us "traditionalists" are mixing with 1200's or CDJs without hot clues placed all over the tracks. Ah how times have changed...I remember only using your ears and looking at the grooves on the record! Does anyone even remember that?

Nope, I've always used Traktor.....

[Era 7]

But seriously, Trance 2.0 for FTW!

ayayay. i get all my tracks from the TATW playlist. all y'all tracks need more fartbass :blank:

[Ohmega]

Nope, I've always used Traktor.....

With your 4D though right? Doing it with 1200's is not that easy, even if you do use tracks all at the same BPM. I can do that style of mixing with my K1 controller drunk, blind folded, upside down with no headphones, but that is kind of cheating in comparison to my 1200's and CDJ techniques. Controller/MIDI: Tempo sync button, play button, nudge forward or backward button, lock loop button, channel fader up, a dash of Eq work and on to next track...no headphones required (kind of a whack way to mix)! Been using Traktor since V.1 so I dont think I am doing anything wrong or need to learn some new fantastic way of mixing.

I guess it all boils down to ones particular style, but I feel like my statements hold true to most on the forums.

[Ohmega]

ayayay. i get all my tracks from the TATW playlist. all y'all tracks need more fartbass :blank:

:fap: Bahahahaha

[Dave Porter]

With your 4D though right? Doing it with 1200's is not that easy, even if you do use tracks all at the same BPM. I can do that style of mixing with my K1 controller, but that is kind of cheating in comparison to my 1200's and CDJ techniques. Been using Traktor since V.1 so I dont think I am doing anything wrong or need to learn some new fantastic way of mixing.

4d + Mashcine.

[Ohmega]

4d + Mashcine.

Well you are alone in your mixing style if you are going that route. MIDI button pusher DJ's don’t hold much ground in my books due to the ridiculous ease of mixing. That method requires very little practice to do correctly and uses 99.999% of the PC to do the work vs having to use your ears to pull something off. I've played the MIDI way as a lazy 3rd option for my "live" radio show, but it is nowhere near the same as having to release the platter and push/decay with the spindle or ride the pitch fader. I find that these skills are going away these days because people want it to be "easier", who the hell said mixing music is easy? Like playing an instrument is easy? Guitar, Drums, Keys, DJ'ing ect. That is why you practice your ass off till it becomes second nature. Take all that fancy gear away and put a MIDI DJ in front of a SL1200 and they tend to fall apart in minutes. Reason being...they do not have the proper fundamental training. I'm sure this resonates with others here as well.

I look forward to hearing your mixing style though :) (truth). I expect the best damn shit in the world from all the 1-minute hype you talk! :D (sarcasm)

[Dave Porter]

Well you are alone in your mixing style if you are going that route. MIDI button pusher DJ's don’t hold much ground in my books due to the ridiculous ease of mixing. That method requires very little practice to do correctly and uses 99.999% of the PC to do the work vs having to use your ears to pull something off. I've played the MIDI way as a lazy 3rd option for my "live" radio show, but it is nowhere near the same as having to release the platter and push/decay with the spindle or ride the pitch fader. I find that these skills are going away these days because people want it to be "easier", who the hell said mixing music is easy? Like playing an instrument is easy? Guitar, Drums, Keys, DJ'ing ect. That is why you practice your ass off till it becomes second nature. Take all that fancy gear away and put a MIDI DJ in front of a SL1200 and they tend to fall apart in minutes. Reason being...they do not have the proper fundamental training. I'm sure this resonates with others here as well.

I look forward to hearing your mixing style though :) (truth). I expect the best damn shit in the world from all the 1-minute hype you talk! :D (sarcasm)

I would like to drop a few short tracks in, but it might make my mix easy to pick out. So will probs leave it out as no one else will do it.

I'd like to mix on vinyl again, but I cant get what I want on that format, so digital it is. As for it been easier, well thats another discussion. But I would like to point out, I dont use sync, I have a very small work flow in Traktor. So no all that different from CDJ setup.

[Dave Porter]

More suggestions....

If we wanted to go the route of having a compulsory track. How about we all nominate a selection, that we can then pick from. So that way we are not stuck with just one track.

Also in the interest of fairness and to preserve anonymity further. How about every entrant is only identified by a number allocated at the start. The only time after that people could share numbers with each other would either when they are out or they have won. This would require a interdependent person who is not in the contest to moderate this tho.

[JackStalk]

I agree with you Nutty. I was thinking this morning that most of my transitions last 2-3 minutes so how does that track count work unless you are doing 8 beat transitions which does not hold any relavance to long overlay mixing that Trance typicaly employs. In addition I know this 10-10 is more of an arranged type of set in Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools then played out live and tweaked for that DJ feel. But the Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools arranged method is against the standard rules in the tournaments. Im sure there is even going to be a debate on MIDI controllers since some of us "traditionalists" are mixing with 1200's or CDJs without hot clues placed all over the tracks. Ah how times have changed...I remember only using your ears and looking at the grooves on the record! Does anyone even remember that?


The way I would do it "live" is to cut the tracks and re-burn them 30 to a CD with each track being about two minutes. Burn them in the order you're going to play them and have at it. Of course it wouldn't be fun to do that way, it would be highly structuring the mix. I think the megamix posted above was pretty good. Louie Devito can pump out some serious megamixes too. This one is pretty clean, but obviously not live. 20 tracks in like 5 minutes. I mean it's possible to pull this off live....but it's really hard.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwvMtfSUHEw




I'm down for a community nominated track, something epic :D

[Ohmega]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwvMtfSUHEw

This is the type of lollypop cyber vocal trance my wife used to listen to 10 years ago! I think I partied to almost all of those tunes in 2002 when we went to Club Med in Cancun-honest! To the disco they would say...you disco?...yes! I disco. But seriously that mix is so unbelievably outdated it holds no grounds to the megamix idea.

Feels like I'm listening to Happy Boys - Mix Show!?! Remember that one? Ugh!!!! :puke:

[JackStalk]

It brings me back to highschool, it was my favorite mix CD at that time :D

[Ohmega]

Almost takes me back to the Black Fly's - Club Fly CD!!!

3. That Elvis Track - Sol Brothers (Original) (Quote: I think Elvis Presley is a pretty good looking guy" you know you heard it in that guy's accent) Bahahahaha what a line to use in a track! This were so cheesy back in the day.

[ChrisHynds]

There is not going to be a a "megamix" of 20/30 songs in a 30 min round, thats just straight up gay in my book, Trance isnt abut 30 sec clips of songs, its about the progressive build up & trying to create a mood, and it always has been. megamixes belong on top40 radio shows. There will also not be a required track, it creates too much hassle, I will post up an entry thread this weekend and outline rules, which I am open to suggestions on.

[Ohmega]

There is not going to be a a "megamix" of 20/30 songs in a 30 min round, thats just straight up gay in my book, Trance isnt abut 30 sec clips of songs, its about the progressive build up & trying to create a mood, and it always has been. megamixes belong on top40 radio shows. There will also not be a required track, it creates too much hassle, I will post up an entry thread this weekend and outline rules, which I am open to suggestions on.

Laying down the law, I hear you bro... I've been having some fun in you absence. I sent you a PM with the rules that we ran with last year with some modifications since there is no required track.

[ChrisHynds]

Update, Im finalising rules with Ohmega atm, just waiting his reply to one subject then I will upload them and start a seperate thread for the Tourney

[M!TCH]

I've never seen anyone make one of those ridiculous number of tracks in an hour mixes done live. Even Armin does his offline in Ableton or something. Theres no way you can mix 85 tracks in an hour by hand on turntables or cdj's without it sounding like a complete carcrash.

I hate that. I like hearing tracks play out all the way. I don't get that bored that I need a new track every two minutes.


I agree with you Nutty. I was thinking this morning that most of my transitions last 2-3 minutes so how does that track count work unless you are doing 8 beat transitions which does not hold any relavance to long overlay mixing that Trance typicaly employs. In addition I know this 10-10 is more of an arranged type of set in Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools then played out live and tweaked for that DJ feel. But the Ableton/Logic/Pro-Tools arranged method is against the standard rules in the tournaments. Im sure there is even going to be a debate on MIDI controllers since some of us "traditionalists" are mixing with 1200's or CDJs without hot clues placed all over the tracks. Ah how times have changed...I remember only using your ears and looking at the grooves on the record! Does anyone even remember that?

I r a noob. I have never owned a vinyl setup :( I'm hoping to pick up a set of 1200's next year but I learned on CDJs. Mad props to the vinyl people. I feel it takes more skill to rock those than the CDJs.