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jlcpremier
06-04-2012, 12:44 AM
Is there anything wrong with mixing this way...

I usually bring the incoming track in on the last major drop or chorus of the outgoing track. Sometimes I'll use the last breakdown to mix, though sometimes that can sound really repetitive with nothing but bass beats for 64 bars or so. I personally like to experience house tracks where I can hear the first buildup and breakdown in the middle and then the final buildup before mixing in the new track. I'll bring the incoming track in with the mids and bass cut about 25% which helps with phase clashes. Over the next 16-32 bars, I'll bring the mids up and start to cut bass on outgoing while bringing the bass up on incoming. Once the incoming track is at full EQ, I'll continue to lower the EQs on the outgoing track until I can cut it out with no huge cut in volume. Sometimes I'll throw a hi-pass filter on the outgoing track to help. Here's a mix I did so you can see what I mean. There are a couple tracks on there where I did find some nice melodic areas to transition in but for the most part it follows that style.

http://www.mixcloud.com/djnvision/edm-sessions-volume-2/

When I go back and listen to the mix, and maybe it's because I listen to my mixes a lot, it seems like it's a little too predictable. Then again it is my mixing style, but do you ever find that you use the same style and it gets too repetitive or is that just normal?

Buszaj
06-04-2012, 08:06 AM
I didn't listen to the actual mix, but based on your description, I mix pretty much the same way. I like to let the tracks play out. Some will call this "just mixing", and as you may have seen in another recent thread, many say that this is one of the best ways to mix EDM. I agree that it may seem repetitive after a while, but I feel that the point is to lose yourself and the crowd in the music, not necessarily the transitions. (A tight mix always helps of course). So for me, whenever I play a big night, or listen to a mix of mine, as long as the programming is good and the crowd is going nuts, I've got the biggest smile on my face.

If you feel you start getting bored, try experimenting with loops and a third deck.

ben mills
06-04-2012, 12:54 PM
If you hit the right cue points, a lot of tracks will "mix themselves."

Then you can start adding new elements to your mix via cuts and such.

Julian
06-07-2012, 12:38 PM
Mix on the first drop, for example, Song A Drops, you press play on song B at the drop aswell, then at the last bars start fading in Song B and voila. Another one: Start song B on Song's A first drop, then use song B's breakdown and start bringing in song A at the buildup and eventually go back to song A (both songs must be on the same key for this to sound good)(Phasing is the key on the second trick, both songs must have the same amount of bars on the second breakdown otherwise you'll have to get creative and loop a part on song B or cut it out with effects to bring song A before it drops)

jlcpremier
06-07-2012, 12:46 PM
I guess what's bothering me more is that once you transition to the next track. Most times I end up with song A playing out from the drop, bringing in song B so the buildup coincides with the last bit of song A being mixed out, and then cutting right over into the next track during the break, but then you have to wait for it to build up again and sometimes the breaks can be real low with only vocals. While it sounds seamless blending tracks that way, it doesn't seem to keep the energy level of the mix going. Guess I just have to play around more and come up with creative ways to transition to keep the energy level up.

DJArmani
06-07-2012, 03:41 PM
Julian just gave you two creative ways to mix, and gave me ideas. Another thing you can do to not bore yourself to death, is try using the buildup of Song A and then use the drop on Song B instead of the drop on Song A. It has to have similiar sound though or it's going to sound weird. Also you can use acapella's and make mashup, etc. You don't necessarily need to produce mashups you can make them right from your set live. Imo, mixing in on the outro of song A bores me to death. Afrojack, and Avicii are masters of this technique. Some creative guys are Chuckie, Laidback Luke, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. Some other dudes who are creative in their sets but do different genres are Diplo, and A-Trak. I usually get ideas and let my mind flow from listening to their sets.