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Dave Porter
04-11-2012, 05:47 AM
Thread title says it all really.

I come from a background of Trance / house music. So I am familiar with phases, keys etc etc.

But whats important to know when mixing DnB..

Is it normal to mix two different types of DnB together? Such as liquid and jump up.

Is mixing harmonically important?

Should I read anything into the fact that tracks range from over a range of BPM's?

Aside from keeping the tracks in time with each other is there anything else I need to worry about?

Is the mixing of breakdowns very common? Or do people tend to mix when there is a beat?

cant think of anything else right now, but I will ask if I do....

BTW, the dummies thread was very useful.

Dave x

Synergy
04-11-2012, 06:57 AM
I have mixed some dnb before, it seems that a lot of drum and bass has huge intros and outros which is annoying. I tend to skip right to the music and avoid the intro/outro mixing.

The Blackest
04-11-2012, 08:00 AM
I have mixed some dnb before, it seems that a lot of drum and bass has huge intros and outros which is annoying. I tend to skip right to the music and avoid the intro/outro mixing.

:freak:

WAT



Seriously, unless you have a problem mixing, the "huge intros and outros" isn't a big deal. Just as long as it sounds right, you can mix different sub genres of dnb. I along w/ other djs, do it all the time.

The current DnB tempo range is 174-178ish. I mean there are a few artists that make it slightly faster, but thats rare.

Honestly, I learned how to mix drum n bass by listening to tons and tons of mixes. I highly recommend doing that.

Dave Porter
04-11-2012, 08:09 AM
:freak:

WAT



Seriously, unless you have a problem mixing, the "huge intros and outros" isn't a big deal. Just as long as it sounds right, you can mix different sub genres of dnb. I along w/ other djs, do it all the time.

The current DnB tempo range is 174-178ish. I mean there are a few artists that make it slightly faster, but thats rare.

Honestly, I learned how to mix drum n bass by listening to tons and tons of mixes. I highly recommend doing that.

Mixing in key isnt important then?

The Blackest
04-11-2012, 08:14 AM
With just about every genre of EDM, it is important to mix in key. Some people do it and some don't. Personally, I don't use any type of mixing in key program or diagram or anything like that.

Just learn your tunes and figure out different combinations for each of em.

Skware
04-11-2012, 10:40 AM
How to mix DnB:

Play Airhorn sample
Backspin
Yell "Lighters up!" (You can alternately yell "Big ups to x crew!")
Drop next track in


Seriously though, I tend to follow the snares more when mixing DnB. Mixing the breakdowns together works great. Try to get the breakdowns synced up so the drops come in at the same time(called a double drop). Sounds great, lots of energy. Just make sure its EQ'd and leveled properly or it'll distort to hell and back. The big intros are good when you want to let the incoming song play in the background of the current track.

Carter
04-11-2012, 10:48 AM
As with any style of music, there is no one right way to do it. It's important to be in key with dnb as it pretty heavily features horns, strings or synths. Not to mention the focus on bass, where basslines are produced and heavily effected to get a certain sound. It's ugly when basslines don't mesh or flow from one to another. Not strictly mixing in key is probably more forgivable in dnb than any other style, though. I don't use anything to determine key, I just use my ears.

The intros really aren't any longer than most other styles... of course there are some tunes with long intros where the drop doesn't come until nearly 1:30 into the track... but a pretty common intro time is 45 seconds. I think dnb in particular is produced in a way to tease and mix the intro portions of a track though, much moreso than other styles where when you hear something new in the palette of sound it means that track is bumping in to stay in short fashion. Many dnb dj's will play intro portions of tracks they never fully drop into the mix. And that's because dnb intros typically have a good lead-up to the drop of the main groove and bass... giving little previews, if you will, of samples or sounds more heavily featured later on in the track.

You can't really mix any other style exactly the way you mix dnb. Before I got into dnb, I mixed house and breaks of different styles. After I had been mixing only dnb for a long while, I remember I agreed to a few battles on here of breaks and tech stuff and even progressive house. The only style where my mixing didn't stick out like a sore thumb was breaks, where the structure is somewhat similar to dnb and a drop can be emphasized more the way it is in dnb mixing. House and trance both are manufactured in a different way, tempo aside. They both seek to establish a groove and carry it on pretty consistently with few notable change-ups in the flow of the mix. Change-ups are a big part of dnb mixing, so you will need to break out of the habits in style that you have established with trance and house.

I'd get into more right now but I gotta go... I'll be back! :)

Adzy
04-11-2012, 11:03 AM
Honestly, I learned how to mix drum n bass by listening to tons and tons of mixes. I highly recommend doing that.

ditto that! listen to andy c mixes, that guy can be nuts. but listening to various djs is great for getting ideas of how to put tracks together.

Blueprint
04-11-2012, 11:29 AM
usually a bottle of pepto bismol and an underlying love of shoes in the dryer.

mars.shosh1n
04-11-2012, 11:42 AM
It should be said, that mixing is all about YOUR take on the music. All of your questions are about style -- which can be interpreted. That said, here's my .02 ....


Is it normal to mix two different types of DnB together? Such as liquid and jump up.

Yes. Sometimes, thats when you come up with the best mixes.


Is mixing harmonically important?

Yes. That's like asking whether 'harmony' is important to 'music'.


Should I read anything into the fact that tracks range from over a range of BPM's?

Any form of music spans some general range of BPM. The two things you need to consider here are: 1) do the elements of the song work together for the mix (otherwise, don't mix 'em in the first place), and 2) with the tools you're using, will such a change in BPM goof up the sound of the music to a point that isn't worth mixing (aka, does it come out sounding like alvin the chipmunk vs. barry white?)


Aside from keeping the tracks in time with each other is there anything else I need to worry about?

Uhm ... phrasing? But you already said that ... Bass drops? I mean -- thats the same as with mixing any form of music, I'd say ...


Is the mixing of breakdowns very common? Or do people tend to mix when there is a beat?

Only if you're good :)

Double drop ftw.

Doppelganger
04-11-2012, 11:47 AM
ditto that! listen to andy c mixes, that guy can be nuts. but listening to various djs is great for getting ideas of how to put tracks together.

My advice would be please don't listen to andy c mixes intensely. Too many DJ's in the scene try and copy him and it's so boring! Felt I should point this out to you before it's too late.



I have mixed some dnb before, it seems that a lot of drum and bass has huge intros and outros which is annoying. I tend to skip right to the music and avoid the intro/outro mixing.

Iknow of hardly any dnb that behaves this way. Unless you mean atmospheric stuff, but this is a tiny percentage of the dnb genre.


With just about every genre of EDM, it is important to mix in key. Some people do it and some don't. Personally, I don't use any type of mixing in key program or diagram or anything like that.

Just learn your tunes and figure out different combinations for each of em.

:stupid:

I have never used a key program or BPM counter in my djing "career". It's just another distraction. Like above says just feel the music and remember how it works.




BTW, the dummies thread was very useful.

Dave x

Glad you found it useful :)

Surprised everyone has failed to mention that dnb has 16 bars to a phrase, instead of 8. Shame on you all! :argh:

Hausgeist
04-11-2012, 11:58 AM
Surprised everyone has failed to mention that dnb has 16 bars to a phrase, instead of 8. Shame on you all! :argh:

House does as well. You CAN mix in after eight measures, but it is going to sound tons better (because it will be phrased properly) if you wait for the actual "turnaround", which generally happens at 16 measures. The eight measures to a phrase thing is a common misconception when it comes to mixing. Carry on.

Carter
04-11-2012, 01:09 PM
I enjoy Andy C mixes a lot myself but I would advise against using him to "figure it out" so to speak. His style is very popular and too many people try to emulate him... it takes a lot of practice to get close to what he does, but at the same time no one really does it like Andy C and it's annoying to hear so many folks trying to be him. Friction is an outstanding DJ as well. State of Mind and Alix Perez are some of my personal favorites based on track selection... their mixing skills are good but they have a different style of mixing from Andy C or Friction.

DTR
04-12-2012, 02:28 PM
The eight measures to a phrase thing is a common misconception when it comes to mixing. Carry on.

I'm with JJ, I've always thought that house had eight bars to the phrase. Will have to have another listen.



I enjoy Andy C mixes a lot myself but I would advise against using him to "figure it out" so to speak. His style is very popular and too many people try to emulate him... it takes a lot of practice to get close to what he does, but at the same time no one really does it like Andy C and it's annoying to hear so many folks trying to be him. Friction is an outstanding DJ as well. State of Mind and Alix Perez are some of my personal favorites based on track selection... their mixing skills are good but they have a different style of mixing from Andy C or Friction.

Agreed on all counts, especially on the plague of bedroom DJs trying to be Andy C.

CC Ricers
04-12-2012, 04:49 PM
I think it's unrealistic for a beginner to DnB to try to mix like Andy C anyways, because he changes songs every 1 to 2 minutes and that's just challenging to do right, and leagues apart from trance mixing. Now Dieselboy, his blends are long but his timing is on point. Most of my DnB mixing tends to have blends of 3 or 4 phrases between songs, just over a minute long.

Carter
04-13-2012, 02:56 AM
I actually take much of my influence in style from Dara... when I was first into dnb, I would listen to his mix cd's on repeat. I mean I really don't try to emulate any dj, but I think I focus a lot more on track selection than technical wizardry because of how well his mixes all flow.

Dieselboy is a really good dj as well, but he plays more hard stuff than I prefer.

Used to loooove POTD tour time. Those dudes all brought it proper.

Minksy
04-13-2012, 03:12 AM
Dj dp!

Minksy
04-13-2012, 03:12 AM
And dtr!!!

Doppelganger
04-13-2012, 11:39 AM
I actually take much of my influence in style from Dara... when I was first into dnb, I would listen to his mix cd's on repeat. I mean I really don't try to emulate any dj, but I think I focus a lot more on track selection than technical wizardry because of how well his mixes all flow.

Breakbeat Exercise 1 :dance:

Rek_Aviles
04-13-2012, 12:05 PM
I have mixed some dnb before, it seems that a lot of drum and bass has huge intros and outros which is annoying. I tend to skip right to the music and avoid the intro/outro mixing.




I know of hardly any dnb that behaves this way. Unless you mean atmospheric stuff, but this is a tiny percentage of the dnb genre.




Yah, I think thats what he meant, the atmospheric stuff. I came across some of this myself when first digging through liquid stuff and found it annoying as well. Wouldn't say I came across one often, but more than enough to notice.

Carter
04-13-2012, 02:41 PM
Breakbeat Exercise 1 :dance:

Hells yeah... and Future Perfect was a classic mix, that one got played to hell and back. The Antidote was cool too... I think that was his last mix cd release though, in 2004. Which was 8 years ago. :eek: Time flies...

Mahatma Coat
04-14-2012, 03:31 AM
I don't know what anyone's opinions are on long mixes, i.e. 2 minutes plus with DnB, but that's how I tend to mix house & techno, so began to do it with the old drum & bass records I have.

I find it really hard to keep to the long mix style, because there are so many drums going on its much easier for things to clash. I use vinyl too, so with the drifts those clashes can appear extremel quickly.

Might try adjusting my style with DnB to quicker mixing; not sure I can recall to many DnB djs using the long mix style either, they mostly seem to chop and change really quickly, not really keping the blend going on for too long.

The Blackest
04-14-2012, 05:19 AM
I mainly do long mixes and don't think there are clashes in my mixes. It just really depends on what the tunes you are mixing though.

Mahatma Coat
04-14-2012, 05:38 AM
Yeah, guess you're right, its about tune selection. You have to keep it real tight though eh? Th slightest drift and the drums start to clash; thats my problem though, I have to learn to mix better!

howitzer
04-14-2012, 07:14 AM
Youre right, with so many hi hats going on it can be quite obvious when they start drifting, but that just makes it easier to hear whats going wrong eh! ;)
My personal preference is long mixing, as long as I can make it. Sometimes I'll have 2 decks going for the entirity of both songs, bringing in and out the separate elements of the tunes. Then bring in the 3rd deck for a bassline switchover when the first tune is coming to a close.

Switching tunes underneath an acapella or strong vocal is a nice technique too, people dont know whats hit them, they just know they like it!

Once you start getting the hang of 3 decks though, a single tune on its own generally doesnt have enough weight. The added percussion from the second tune really amps the energy.

Dantron
04-14-2012, 08:02 AM
3 decks is really the only way to go after a while. 2 gets really boring.

The Blackest
04-14-2012, 08:30 AM
I mean it just really depends honestly. You don't need to play on 3 decks to kill it. I mean personally I love playing on 3 decks because its fun.

I can enjoy a Andy C/Friction/Dj Hype/Crissy Criss set and at the same time enjoy a set w/ bangin tunes minus the double drops and teases.

Dantron
04-14-2012, 09:34 AM
I mean it just really depends honestly. You don't need to play on 3 decks to kill it. I mean personally I love playing on 3 decks because its fun.

I can enjoy a Andy C/Friction/Dj Hype/Crissy Criss set and at the same time enjoy a set w/ bangin tunes minus the double drops and teases.

I meant more that 3 decks is the only way to go with mixing after a while because it's just so much more fun that way. Before I added a 3rd turntable I would be standing there with 2 tracks mixing thinking "oh I know what I could be mixing right now if I had another deck to use".

Doppelganger
04-15-2012, 04:30 PM
I meant more than 3 decks is the only way to go with mixing after a while because it's just so much more fun that way.

Or you could just buy more records like the rest of us do:rolleyes:

Dantron
04-15-2012, 07:37 PM
Or you could just buy more records like the rest of us do:rolleyes:

Huh? How does buying more records allow me to mix 3 of them at once on two turntables?

Doppelganger
04-16-2012, 02:33 AM
I don't see the point in mixing on 3 decks. Every 3 deck mix I've heard just uses the third deck to tease, the nine, planet dust, true ******* etc into the mix and it's so old and boring.

For the price of an extra deck your could buy so many more records that imo would be used much more than posting up mixes saying "I made this mix with 3 decks" doesn't add any weight to me downloading it.

The Blackest
04-16-2012, 05:59 AM
I guess so. I see what Danron is saying w/ 3 deck mixing. I guess its because I do it. It just adds that extra sound if done right(like someone pointed out).

LOL you know I don't even play True *******, The Nine, Planet Dust, Pendulum rmx of Bacteria and a few others on their own anymore because of all the upcoming djs trying to sound like Andy C. Yeah, when I mix, I double drop, but I sound like myself, not like Andy or any of the other big names that do that.

Dantron
04-16-2012, 09:10 AM
I don't see the point in mixing on 3 decks. Every 3 deck mix I've heard just uses the third deck to tease, the nine, planet dust, true ******* etc into the mix and it's so old and boring.

For the price of an extra deck your could buy so many more records that imo would be used much more than posting up mixes saying "I made this mix with 3 decks" doesn't add any weight to me downloading it.

Ah I see what you're saying. Well, buying an extra deck never stopped me from buying the same amount of records I normally would have. And yes I agree that a lot of 3 deck mixing is like that, but there are some DJs out there that use 3 decks to enhance rather than to copy Andy C.

CC Ricers
04-16-2012, 02:48 PM
Never did three deck mixing, but I would probably see myself mixing three decks more often when I want to do long blends but still throw in a track flush at the end of playing another one. For example I play track A and start mixing in track B, then eventually cue in track C in my headphones. When that's ready to go, quickly cut A and start C, with B still playing. That means track B will always be mixed in with one track or another. That's more interesting than just using track C to tease/quickly fade back out.

Carter
04-17-2012, 10:02 AM
It's all in what you do with it, much the same as the laptop dj's hooked up to Serato or something else. It doesn't add or take away anything unless it's used in an exciting or boring way, respectively. If all you do with a 3rd deck is tease popular tracks, you're just doing it a disservice. If all you do with digital mixing is sync or play pre-recorded mixing, you're just doing yourself a disservice.

2 decks, 3 decks, 4 or whatever... doesn't matter if it isn't genuine and doesn't sound good. My opinion anyway. I'm impressed with someone who can rock 3+ decks and sound good... but no more impressed than I am with someone who rocks 2 decks and leaves everyone craving more. Technical skills are important but don't outweigh the value of the actual music imo.

tgunn897
04-21-2012, 07:19 PM
3 deck mixing and doing it well is simply one of the hardest things to do with DnB, av only seen and heard a handful pull this off with success, with that said i think you should master the art of 2 deck mixing but with whatever you choose start practicing advanced techniques after the basics, double dropping successfully without "sync" and the aid of software is hard enuff. Anyways, heres some inspiration for you, better than andy c, crissy criss, bla bla. Love this view cuz you can see some mixer techniques and such but beatmatching as quick and as well as him just simply takes loads of practice mate, good luck

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9mgSP_4_Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvNVI6h_8ho i hour in to amc

Carter
04-23-2012, 12:18 AM
3 deck mixing and doing it well is simply one of the hardest things to do with DnB, av only seen and heard a handful pull this off with success, with that said i think you should master the art of 2 deck mixing but with whatever you choose start practicing advanced techniques after the basics, double dropping successfully without "sync" and the aid of software is hard enuff. Anyways, heres some inspiration for you, better than andy c, crissy criss, bla bla. Love this view cuz you can see some mixer techniques and such but beatmatching as quick and as well as him just simply takes loads of practice mate, good luck

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9mgSP_4_Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvNVI6h_8ho i hour in to amc
Agree it's difficult to do well with drum n bass. I think 3 deck mixing suits a genre like techno or house much much better than dnb, personally. Nearly all 3+ deck mixing I've heard with dnb is straight up attention deficit disorder material... doesn't keep a good focus or a good flow on the actual tunes being played. Like the DJ is just too bored playing music and it comes through as a jumbled mess of good tracks and recognizable teases that don't really mesh well.

Technical skills can be impressive but it's not everything. You can get bored as a DJ, but doing too much just bores the crowd. DJ Craze is one of the most amazing DJ's I've seen live, but his sets are snoozers because his technical skill is just on another level with scratching and what not that he never really establishes a strong vibe for people to dance to. I saw DJ Swamp not long ago and he was much the same, though later into his set he began to play more of tracks and the crowd responded huge to it.

Blueprint
04-27-2012, 11:45 AM
3 deck mixing is overrated, dnb takes enough headroom with one track, you gotta be careful with even two much less three decks play simultaneously.

steeevo
04-27-2012, 04:50 PM
i like 2 decks and a mixer, i cant even think about the 16 track sampler on torq. i have enough to worry about with 2 tracks playing

howitzer
04-29-2012, 08:21 AM
Its just nice to double drop tunes, it adds that extra bit of shuffle. The trouble is, when you double drop, thats both the decks going. When you bring one of them down, you lose energy and volume on the dancefloor.

Having that 3rd deck ensures you can cue up another tune so you dont have to rush to get one record off and another on and in the mix. Its something I'd have trouble doing quite so smoothly without the aid of my lappy & traktor though.

Spar
04-29-2012, 11:04 AM
double dropping is alot of whats its about.... know you're tune tooo.

if you go three deck you don't have to play all three at the same time, use the third to mixer quicker.... drop tune 1 and 2 together * make sure there tight, then get the track 3 mixed in on the headphones on the breakdown get ready to drop tracks 2 and 3 and cut out track 1

always keeps two tracks playing and defo keeps you busy.

I'm not sure how well i explained that though

BelgianJungle
05-22-2012, 04:36 PM
How to mix DnB:

Play Airhorn sample
Backspin
Yell "Lighters up!" (You can alternately yell "Big ups to x crew!")
Drop next track in


Pissed myself laughing at that :P
It also reminds me of the Major Look podcast I listened to a while back
http://www.mixcloud.com/itsmajorlook/the-major-look-podcast-1/

BelgianJungle
05-22-2012, 04:37 PM
On a serious note, 2 mixes I thoroughly recommend you listen to and learn from are Danny Byrd Hospital Mix 7 and Cyantific's History of Hospital Mix. Should give you a good idea of how it's done

Dantron
05-22-2012, 07:39 PM
Trei DOA mix is a good'un, too.

Lodiodrive
07-04-2012, 08:41 PM
On a serious note, 2 mixes I thoroughly recommend you listen to and learn from are Danny Byrd Hospital Mix 7 and Cyantific's History of Hospital Mix. Should give you a good idea of how it's done
Danny Byrd - Nuff Said :D

Doppelganger
07-05-2012, 01:49 AM
On a serious note, 2 mixes I thoroughly recommend you listen to and learn from are Danny Byrd Hospital Mix 7 and Cyantific's History of Hospital Mix. Should give you a good idea of how it's done


Listening to Hospital mixes won't get you very far imo. Most are a bit lacking in technical skill.

Lodiodrive
07-05-2012, 03:05 AM
When I was saying Danny Byrd all cheesy faced. I was thinking more in terms of production but I guess I should have made that clear.

Edit: Check out some of cutlines mixes too.

DJNIXONGUY
07-11-2017, 03:42 AM
I'm new to d'n'b so I need to keep trying. If you know any thing else could you please tell me.

Parallel Motion
10-25-2018, 01:08 PM
If your mixing liquid or tracks with big musical intros etc then mixing in key is very important. Not really important for jump up. Selection is paramount not everything goes together so well thought out tracks makes for a better flow in the mix. And then its just loads of practice!! :)