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DJArmani
04-15-2012, 10:03 PM
I know I start alot of threads, but this is the only way I'll learn, and I've searched this up on the internet. Nothing came up. How do you mix hiphop without an intro? There really isn't a way is there? Only cutting and phrasematching? For some hiphop tracks I have an intro and outro but for most the song just starts off with the rapper talking and then it just breaks into a beat with the person rapping. Is there any way you can mix in without vocals clashing from the other track?

braveplayer3160
04-15-2012, 10:21 PM
Learn to scratch. SRS

DJArmani
04-15-2012, 11:51 PM
That's what I'm doing now :blank: . It just takes time . Im trying to learn other ways until I'm good enough to incorporate my scraching into my mixes.

Nick Bike
04-16-2012, 12:12 AM
not every track has to be mixed. quick cuts can be just as effective, if not more sometimes.

Phi
04-16-2012, 03:03 AM
How do you mix hiphop without an intro?

You don't have to mix into the intro. If the song has any breaks at all these are also usually viable mix points.

Sometimes I like to mix into the outro of an incoming track because it’s "cleaner" or "fresher" and at the appropriate moment cuejump back to the beginning of a phrase at the start of the track.

mrkleen
04-16-2012, 09:38 AM
Learn how to edit your own music....to create versions you can mix more easily.

The whole scratching ever track in is boring and lazy and destroys the flow on the dancefloor.

Andrew1207
04-16-2012, 10:39 AM
Use the first several bars of the song as your beat/phrasematching point and do a quick mix into the chorus or verse that follows, depending on the structure of the track and where you are mixing out of the current track.

Also you can scratch or just make an edit as previously suggested.

Phi
04-16-2012, 11:18 AM
Learn how to edit your own music...

+1 great skill to have

Also, if you find any good loop points remember that you can mix into a loop and exit with an On Beat cuejump to any verse, choruse or whatever you can think of.

DJArmani
04-16-2012, 11:31 AM
I was trying to mix into an outro but the vocals still clash because the outro isn't a break. Some hiphop tracks have breaks, but with newer hiphop your lucky to even get a part to mix in. This is why most hiphop DJs nowadays suck, all they do is put an effect and mix in or scratch.

DjDisArm
04-16-2012, 11:37 AM
try different transitions bro. such as power downs, back spins (most effective) or back spin echo's there are plenty of transitions you need to explore different combinations

Phi
04-16-2012, 12:07 PM
I was trying to mix into an outro but the vocals still clash because the outro isn't a break. Some hiphop tracks have breaks, but with newer hiphop your lucky to even get a part to mix in. This is why most hiphop DJs nowadays suck, all they do is put an effect and mix in or scratch.

Go buy some good instrumental hip-hop and use it to mix with.

Or buy the instrumental version of the song you're having problems with.

If you have a pile of accapellas and intrumentals from different hot tracks then you can get REALLY creative.

DJArmani
04-16-2012, 01:16 PM
thanks Phi, +rep. And hyetothesky what are power downs?

Boomcie
04-16-2012, 01:19 PM
Cutting the power to the turntable. The record will start slowing down more and more eventually stopping. It's a great technique when used correctly

Hamza21
04-16-2012, 11:51 PM
From my Hip Hop Mixing Tutorial on djf 1.0



Transitioning Techniques

Transition on the Chorus

Now will get to the good part how to transition the Hip Hop way. This first transition is pretty standard and pretty self-explanatory. You beatmatch your songs and drop your incoming song, which usually would be the intro, on the chorus of the outgoing song, "the live track". You can fade in the incoming song and fade out the outgoing song OR you can just you can just place the fader in middle and wait to until the chorus is over and slide the fader to incoming song which should be right where your 1st verse or 1st chorus comes in.

Transition Squash Technique

Another variation of this technique would be using what I've heard been called a "squash". A squash where you hit the stop button on turntable thereby creating a slight delay effect. You can use the technique same Transition on Chorus but before sliding over the fader to new track . You first hit the stop button on outgoing track right last snare and move the fader over that track and then quickly over to new track.


Transition Backspin Technique

Yet another variation would instead of a squash you use a backspin. A backspin like the name suggests is just spinning the record backwards quickly. From the sample below you should hear to perform this technique.


Transition in Verses

Here is technique not much used and really it can't be used on most songs but it's nice technique to have in your arsenal. Instead of transition on the chorus of the outgoing song, "Live track" you stat your transition toward the end of a verse of the outgoing song.

To make this work you can fade in the incoming track so that by the fourth snare before cutting off the outgoing song you're incoming song is fully heard. Also if you dig deep enough you're find a track where there's no need to fade in. You can just drop the incoming track right on top of outgoing song and it will sound great. You can use the EQ on outgoing track by turning off the lows and lowering the mids to make the live track sound more like acapella to give your incoming track more emphasis.

Sigma
04-17-2012, 12:44 AM
This is why most hiphop DJs nowadays suck
I think it's cos most don't put the effort into learning scratching, trick mixing, and transition techniques other than basic blends. A lot of hip-hop mixes I've listened to on here (and the old site) kinda sound like they were made by average EDM DJs having a go at mixing hip-hop.

If a DJ has Serato then they haven't really got any excuse. You've got instant doubles of all of your songs. You can loop up beats to extend them. You can edit tracks however you like beforehand. Just be careful you don't fall into the pattern of extending out intros and outros and doing the same "do a basic blend of these tracks with a tweak of a bass EQ knob" thing over and over again.

DJArmani
04-17-2012, 12:12 PM
props to hazma21 on the tutorial ! and sigma i forgot about the instant doubles , just got serato lol

AYoo
04-17-2012, 01:49 PM
Short cuts! you can also push the stop button on the 8, 1, 6, 7 whatever works and slam it in. hip hop basics!
but other than that it can help bring up the energy if you cut/blend in a short complimenting beat, loop or instrumental and then slam the verse in.

funkyfresh
04-18-2012, 11:52 AM
Like some suggested, a few basic scratches to drop in at the right time will do just fine. It all comes down to knowing your tracks (i.e. where to cut in/out of a track).

Pri yon Joni
04-19-2012, 08:38 AM
Before the existence of Funkymixes, mixing without intros is how it's always been done.....it doesn't always start on the 1....ever try to mix in the original of In Da Club? its real run....but it really challanges your sense of rhythm.

mrkleen
04-19-2012, 09:02 AM
Before the existence of Funkymixes, mixing without intros is how it's always been done.....it doesn't always start on the 1....ever try to mix in the original of In Da Club? its real run....but it really challanges your sense of rhythm.

Disagree. Most old school hip hop tracks actually had the into built into their tracks.....as they were not made specifically for the radio. Listen to nearly any Eric B and Rakim, Gangstar, LL, Run DMC track - and they had nice clean beats to work with at the beginning.

Then again, if you consider In Da Club old school.....

DjDisArm
04-21-2012, 11:04 AM
:lol::lol::lol:

akswun
04-21-2012, 01:14 PM
I found really knowing your music helps a million fold. Sometimes some tracks have 4 or 2 beats and doesn't give you much time to mix in. But thats where your eq skills and rhythem comes in. Sometimes its a quick 4 beat drum or snare drop. Having it drop in on the last 2 or 4 beats of the chorus on the song you're mixing out of is the key. Its hard to find hiphop dj's doing this and it really takes a lot of knowledge of the music you're playing. As for long intros like C.R.E.A.M for example with Raekwon going on about cash and how its their time yadda yadda yadda... find a word and scratch it up. I usually find a word close to the beat drop or even the snare prior to the start of the beat drop. But as everyone else pointed out... practice makes perfect.

PONTUS.2
04-21-2012, 02:39 PM
if your track has a chorus somewhere in there you can try mixing in with that.

Pri yon Joni
04-24-2012, 03:55 PM
Disagree. Most old school hip hop tracks actually had the into built into their tracks.....as they were not made specifically for the radio. Listen to nearly any Eric B and Rakim, Gangstar, LL, Run DMC track - and they had nice clean beats to work with at the beginning.

Then again, if you consider In Da Club old school.....

You're mismatching what I said. In Da Club was an example of a song that starts 1/8 note early from the first down beat which has no kick drum. A good beatmatcher knows how to throw it in, but intro/outro DJ's will have a hard time.

DjFloMatic
04-24-2012, 07:16 PM
Just start listening to other hip hop DJs mixes both good and bad ones to get a feel. Its the best way to learn hearing what others are doing and the practicing from there...

DjDisArm
04-24-2012, 10:44 PM
also record your mixes and listen to them... ive been doing it lately and its helping me out a lot...

VjQue
04-25-2012, 01:41 AM
look for a instrumental of that song. or find the beat break and come in there.

mrkleen
04-25-2012, 08:12 AM
You're mismatching what I said. In Da Club was an example of a song that starts 1/8 note early from the first down beat which has no kick drum. A good beatmatcher knows how to throw it in, but intro/outro DJ's will have a hard time.

Here is what you said


Before the existence of Funkymixes, mixing without intros is how it's always been done.....

That is NOT TRUE....almost all old school tracks had "intros" - be it intentional or not. And for the record, Ultimix has been around since the 80s.

Austin GoGreen
04-26-2012, 08:04 AM
yeah intro's have been around for a hot minute. most vinyl singles had extended plays....

But there's a lot of good info in here to start with.

#1 - Learn to edit.

I use FL Studio and it works fine. I was able to go back and edit all of the Cash Money, Three Six Mafia, and No Limit bangers that are not available on record pools. Some of my edits have scratch intro's that go straight into a downbeat with words.

Some of my edits have a 32 beat intro that I was able to either a.) use the instrumental for the same track or b.) find a loop at the end of the track.

You don't really have to edit if there is a loop at the end of the track, you can simply use hot cues. Editing is funner because you can then add your own hype or whatever you want.

#2 Cutting/Redruming - Skilled DJ's redrum and cut it at will. It can mess with the dancefloor if overdone.

#3 Effects

#4 Creativity - Track B may have a great acapella intro already on it's own. Find ways to use these natural edits. These tracks are like finding gold to me. Example is that new Ke$sha track called "Sleazy." I play a quick hitter of Beamer Benz or Bently and have a loop set for the end of the track. Once I get to that outro, I scratch in or drop Sleazy over the Beamer beat. Check it out.

DjAaron
04-26-2012, 03:49 PM
also record your mixes and listen to them... ive been doing it lately and its helping me out a lot...

Dead on right. I have been doing that because I have been trying different approaches to my mixing and been playing them back when I go workout and I listen carefully and notice where I screw up and where I shine lol

Dj Pudgey
04-27-2012, 04:47 PM
no one has asked the simple question before giving answers. What are you using to dj with? Serato, cd's or vinyl? With that, we can answer this easier.

DJArmani
04-27-2012, 07:33 PM
Serato & Vinyl...

Dj Pudgey
05-01-2012, 01:33 PM
with Serato you can use the loop function and cue points to create intros. With records, you are at the mercy of the producer, sometime you just have to slam it in.

Pri yon Joni
05-02-2012, 12:42 AM
Here is what you said



That is NOT TRUE....almost all old school tracks had "intros" - be it intentional or not. And for the record, Ultimix has been around since the 80s.

Point I'm making is a good DJ doesn't always need an intro to drop in a song. Yes it's more convenient, but anybody can learn to drop a 16 b intro.

DJ Pyro
07-11-2012, 10:29 PM
Granted the thread is old and I didn't read all the post but I did read a good amount of them. Keep in mind you have the internet which means you have access to a wideeeeeee variety of mixes to listen to and get an idea of different transitions. Also if you network with your local DJs go to gigs with them and see what they do so you can see it done live. Reading does help but there is nothing like hearing it live and watching the crowds reaction to certain transitions and how smooth they can actually be. I use a bunch of different transitions out of songs and the fact I know how to take an instrumental and add 4-8- or 16 bars to a track helps. The more you practice the more you will learn. Also this is in my option one of the most important concepts...

KNOW YOUR MUSIC!!!! If you know the lyrics to songs you can easily play on words and make it look like you're a better DJ. Oh and when I say know the lyrics I also mean be confident enough to drop the current track out completely, finish the current line, and start the next track. You will be amazed at how many people in the crowd know the words too.

Austin GoGreen
07-12-2012, 07:59 AM
A lot of Hip Hop has assorted intro's (OG Version of the track) that you CAN work with.

For instance, take that Ke$sha, Fabolous track Sleazy. It has a 16 or 32 beat acap intro already. I love droping that. Use your cue points to get back to the intro/outro of the song your wanting to get out of so you don't mix words over words.

Echo out. Slam or scratch in the next track.

Cue points have been mentioned, get creative with them. You skip complete verses by hot cueing during a song's chorus.

Loops. and Loops combined with cue points.

Again, some songs may not have the best intro, but they are 90% of the time on beat.

SCRATCHING or DRUMMING. Practice this as much as possible!

I edit tracks in FL Studio that I like to use but can't find intro's or other edits for... check it out:

http://soundcloud.com/deejay-green/gucci-mane-ft-waka-flocka

Mixxed
07-13-2012, 09:51 AM
Granted the thread is old and I didn't read all the post but I did read a good amount of them. Keep in mind you have the internet which means you have access to a wideeeeeee variety of mixes to listen to and get an idea of different transitions. Also if you network with your local DJs go to gigs with them and see what they do so you can see it done live. Reading does help but there is nothing like hearing it live and watching the crowds reaction to certain transitions and how smooth they can actually be. I use a bunch of different transitions out of songs and the fact I know how to take an instrumental and add 4-8- or 16 bars to a track helps. The more you practice the more you will learn. Also this is in my option one of the most important concepts...

KNOW YOUR MUSIC!!!! If you know the lyrics to songs you can easily play on words and make it look like you're a better DJ. Oh and when I say know the lyrics I also mean be confident enough to drop the current track out completely, finish the current line, and start the next track. You will be amazed at how many people in the crowd know the words too.


I'm always impressed when the DJ actually KNOWS his/her music when they play it, as opposed to JUST playing it. You can tell when some folks cut songs in at a perfect segue or mix/match themes of the incoming track with the outgoing... I like to incorporate some of that into my transitions...

Jalapeno
07-13-2012, 09:43 PM
beat match it then slam it.