PDA

View Full Version : Mixing Breaks



Mjay
04-20-2014, 12:38 PM
Ok, well I want to ask you guys specially Vernski That has repeatadly told me about this. Mixing breaks get's boring, I have a few ideas in how to stop doing so, like playing out both songs after the break while eq'ing both track before fading the outgoing track. But I haven't practised this enough so I want to know what techniques would you use two mix two electro songs, that is the main genre that has long breaks. Open to suggestions or at least someone to throw me a stick in the direction I should head, to stop usin this beatless technique that has a noob stamp printed on it hahaha (;

Tobias Enstrom
04-20-2014, 01:00 PM
Have a listen to this album for mixing ideas: I'm hoping I've got the right Electro…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGPjILTAyQc

Or


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKshovQtmaQ

You can do chop mixes, cut in the incoming track rhythmically, record stops (sudden or slow), backspins… that's all I can think of at the mo.

Vernski
04-21-2014, 03:36 AM
I'll try to help if I can. I mentioned this in the battle threads, by blending on breakdowns/buildups - no one is ever going to improve.

Since you're in the noob category, I recommend that you tackle beat matching head on

You'll have to play around phrasing and find the best points to start a track and when to start it in relation to your current track.

These lessons, you really need to explore yourself. There's only so much verbal info you can get, before you just need to get in there and experiment and learn.

I also recommend that you listen to other mixes from different dj's. Some of your dj Heroes as well as some of the guys on here. You can really learn a lot from listening to other mixes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Skasja
04-21-2014, 05:52 AM
You'll have to play around phrasing and find the best points to start a track and when to start it in ration to your current track.

^^This

Copypasta from previous advice I gave Diceallion:


try to limit your song selection to matching patterns and tempos. (...) Spend a few hours mixing those tunes back and forth... Play 1, cue up 2, mix over 2 bars, cue up 1, mix back in, and so on... Record your session and listen back to it. Wait for the AHA! or Eureka moment... Repeat the next day, slowly work in a third track over the course of the week...

It comes down to this: take two songs that are very similar and have a flowing structure, (psytrance, deep house are better suited for this than EDM). You want intros with sparse instrumentation and breakdowns that maintain the beat. Repeat and keep repeating until you completely ace those transitions. Record all your attempts and listen back closely, take notes on your progress if you feel it helps. TAKE YOUR TIME! Learn to get a feel for what your EQ's do, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Don't settle for "good enough."

Learn the structure of a few songs by heart: how many bars intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, verse, chorus, outro... Write it on separate pieces of paper and overlay them to see where you could set your cuepoints.


Added: take for example the first track in Mix 1 of your battle with DJVeaux: that would be a good song to pick for practice. It starts with a sequence of eight 4-bar sections (16-counts): 4 bar naked drums, 4 bar intro, 4 bar chorus intro, 4 bar repeat intro, 4 bar verse, etc...

You can actually see it :)

https://soundcloud.com/prettypink/chapeau-claque-schoner-moment-pretty-pink-remix

Mjay
04-21-2014, 05:59 AM
I will carry on practicing my phrase matching in different areas of a song and see what I come out with hahaha. I will try the techniques mentioned above

Skasja
04-21-2014, 06:16 AM
See my edit above while you were posting... I think it clarifies what I was trying to get at. Good luck!!

Mjay
04-21-2014, 06:40 AM
Read it, I'm busy now so I can't check it out I will have to wait to have my time to work on what you said... Hope I can practice today hahaha

Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk

Vernski
04-21-2014, 09:02 AM
Hey, I just want to pass on a little perspective to you or any other noobs out there that may follow this thread....

I was telling Dice about my very short quest so far to improve and get better at Djing, I'll give you a brief rundown.

This time last year I considered myself a noob, having only joined DJF a month before. I had picked up the book "DJing for Dummies" which I recommend to anyone as reference to the basics to DJing.

Just like every other noob, I posted a mix not long after joining and surprise, surprise.....no one commented at all :P

I didn't comment on all threads that I read on here, but I did take note of lots of things and listened to tonnes of music ranging from Markus Schulz's Global DJ Broadcast, Armin's State of Trance. Along with guys from here like Chris Hynds, Sedna and M!TCH. When I wasn't listening to them, I was practicing all the time. Any spare time I had was on my controller, beatmatching, doing transitions over and over and over. Moving phrases forwards, backwards...back tho the first way again etc.

My Pioneer DDJ Wego was flogged so hard that within the first 3 months my cross fader stopped working, 6 months in and my EQ's were playing up as well. 9 months my channel faders stopped working properly. So I know in myself, by the state of the controller that a heap of hours were clocked up on that poor piece of equipment.

I entered the Trance tournament last year as a noob and came out the other end with knowledge you just can't get from a book or random forum post. Following all the other battles during the tournament and reading the critique from everyone made me aware of things I had not seen myself or highlighted different methods to approach a mix. If they hold another tournament, I recommend entering, but also follow it to the very end, even if you get knocked out early. There's so much to learn from the tournament itself, rather than just your own battles.

At this point in time, mixing is really getting to be more about enjoyment rather than "I need to practice" Tracks seem to come together easier, lots of guys have made this analogy....It's like in the Matrix when Neo starts to see everything in binary and begins to control the world around him.

My short story isn't very different to anyone else on here I suppose, however I felt it was important to share as I was in your position this time last year.

I have a huge respect for noobs, especially guys like you that fearlessly started battling not long after joining.

Enough rambling from the geriatric former noob who's turing 38 tomorrow :P

Skasja
04-21-2014, 09:31 AM
It's like in the Matrix when Neo starts to see everything in binary and begins to control the world around him.

Yes, and yes, and yes... It will eventually become second nature, but you have to be relentless with your practice.

Happy birthday Vernski, I'm still 10 years ahead of you :teef:

Vernski
04-21-2014, 09:47 AM
Haha, thread hijacked :lol:

Vernski's Birthday Thread!!!!

Thanks Skasja

Just kidding about the hijacking

Mjay
04-21-2014, 10:59 AM
Hahaha well I like your story, I want to learn and I want to master djing that's why I'm so enthusiastic about battling and asking questions. This Easter was the perfect chance for me to do so because I have held parties in my house where guess who was the DJ haha me. It was a great feeling to have my music heard and trying out different things

Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk