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View Full Version : Need help with Dubstep/EDM Transitions



djslik
05-12-2013, 03:56 PM
So I usually mix and scratch Party Breaks, R&B, Hip/Hop, Electro, Reggae, Etc. But I'm building up more of my Trap, Dub Step, and newer electro sets and it seems that some of these songs have weird breaks or no consistent intro's/outros. I find myself using some effect like echo out and dropping an intro over that for some of the funkier songs or I'll use my dicer to loop roll while tapping the new songs cue point in rhythm while fading out the other song looping. I feel like for some of the electro sets I need another DJ just to handle the effects of the second song while I'm dicking around with effects on the current song.

I was hoping to get some inspiration from you guys for finding good transition methods for some of the weirder dubstep tracks. Also it seems like a lot of the songs I am getting lately have a very slow melodic build up until the beat just slams so it's a weird transition and I don't want to start when the song drops hard, at least not always.

broshades
05-30-2013, 02:14 AM
Double drops! If you can match up the buildups before the drops you can start to tease in the new track as the original is getting built up. Sounds lame if you do it all the time, but always an option. If you have a 3rd deck cued up at the drop you can switch to that one too, so once everyone thinks they're going to hear the second track you've been bringing in, bam, it's totally new. Really need to make sure everything is harmonically compatible though, and don't do it all the time.

When I want to listen to Andy C style 3 deck mixing, I listen to Andy C. Still, it's a fun way to mess around. And depending on your medium, good practice for keeping a bunch of tracks beatmatched at once:)

Fultron
05-30-2013, 11:06 AM
Slamming tracks together is always fun with Dubstep :lol: Try mixing in key too, it can help transitions sound pretty smooth.

DJArmani
05-31-2013, 07:35 AM
You could put in the buildup of the next track on the break after the drop of the 1st track. This is how i mix most trap and dubstep. Also remember u can beatmatch a track with half the bpm (Ex: 70bpm into 140 bpm)

jamesmington
06-14-2013, 12:51 PM
I'm a fan of said "teases" and slams.

Meer
06-18-2013, 04:53 PM
If your mixing electro i love to use the intro of song B in the drop of dong A when the A breaks B starts and can make for some mean mixes especially when song A has vocals and B is non vocal and rises/builds with song A before the two apex and track B comes in on the drop seamless. !!!!! Not all songs have the same structure as what im saying but it works with alot of electro and progressive.
To explain
An intro is 64 beats 16bars 2 phrase
The drop tends to be 96 beats 24bars 3 phrases
so
step 1 : let song A play to the drop
step 2 : from the first beat count either 32 beats or 8 bars
I prefer bars 1234,2234,3234,4234,5234,6234,7234,8234,1
step 3 : on the one after the eight bar you want to cue in the intro of next song through your head phones. From this point the intro and remaining build up have exactly the same amount of beats
step 4 : beatmatch
step 5 : here you have a choice dont bring the song in till the breakdown Song A or mix en elements of song B's intro.
step 6 : let them ride and mix through the eq's
step 7 : optional at the main part of the build up where the beats keep skipping back and getting faster an echo effect can be used to make your own dynamic build up if your mix has too many sounding the same.
Step 8 : make the final transition at the right point

NB: some drops are 2 phrase some are 4 phrases this all comes down to your knowledge of the song so dont be afraid to mix it up in your bedroom if you want a better explanation pm me i writing this eating me dinner so it's not greatly explained.

NB: just count the phrases of the songs in your bed room if you want to know exactly what goes together i write down songs i really likes structure in a maths copy with say
| Intro | Intro | Start (no bass) | Rise (soft Vocal's) | (Hard Vocals With base) | ---each | word | is a phrase -----i use my own terms there not globally friendly as no-one else other than myself can understand it but thats all that matters. By doing this you can see the structure of your songs and work out mixes on paper before hitting the mixer . . ideas ideas


Anyways i hope this helps you with some idea's

Peace, Love & Tunes

kaushun
07-30-2013, 12:44 PM
I'd suggest finding a track that combines an electro tempo with dub step, such as that track skrillex and Wolfgang gartner did, or there's a track on the latest kill the noise ep. Unless there too heavy for you.
But yeh if u find a track u can let the song tempo change and mix out of the dub step part or vice versa