DJ Forums Sounds of the World Dj Mix Podcast

**Sigma** · 10-01-2014, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Th3Technician

Thanks for the tip man, i think i am going to instate a new rule on quality. The problem i don't think is volume issues, its sound file issues. i think once i compress the final mix down into an mp3 to post it up the individual mp3 files are changing volumes based on the compression. I think if i used lossless versions of each mix and then compressed to mp3 it would come out sounding a lot better.

I highly doubt that it's the result of MP3 compression.

I think it's a combination of things: -

1. Whether the songs people are using were mastered before or after the "loudness wars" began. That can make a massive difference to the perceived volume as the waveforms of some modern dance tracks are sausaged to feck (i.e. over-compressed just to make them as loud as possible, but sometimes at the expense of sound quality).

2. The levels of both the individual tracks and the overall recording of each given section.

3. Whether the DJ mastered their section.

I would say the best way to approach this is to stipulate A) that a DJ should know how to use the gains properly and to set the recording level properly and B) that they shouldn't master their section themselves. Then, when you have all 4 sections, you would lay them out in a DAW in the way you want the overall mix to flow, then you'd adjust the level of particular mix sections if necessary to make sure that the overall perceived volume level is consistent (as best you can) from section to section, and then you can apply some light mastering if necessary, but the last thing you want to do with that is sausage the shite out of the entire mix. I think it's fine if that leads to the overall mix sounding a bit quieter than it otherwise would, as people can turn the volume up - at least the levels would be consistent throughout (or close anyway).

**Th3Technician** · 10-01-2014, 06:48 PM

Thanks a bunch sigma. I'll do that next time.

**Sigma** · 10-01-2014, 06:56 PM

Oh yeah, another thing I would do is change the first post in this thread. Remove the embedded players and use URL tags instead, so you'd have something like: -

The Sounds of the World DJForums Podcast is a monthly collab mix made by DJF members. The mixes cover various styles and eras and a new one will be posted on the 1st of each month. If you're interested in getting involved, post a reply in this thread or PM me.

Volume 1 - DJ Spanner, Thenobjockey, Baller88 and DJ Spunkmeister

Mixcloud (Stream)
SoundCloud (Stream/Download)
Link to some file hosting site (Download)

Volume 2 - DJ Blahblahblah, etc. etc.

That way every episode is in post 1, but post 1 doesn't take up a ton of room with loads of embedded players and info in it. You can edit it every month and just add in the new one at the bottom, as well as posting a reply with a bit more info in it to bump the thread back up.

Also, I think you shouldn't post the track listing in advance. You don't really want people looking at it and thinking "nah, that's not for me" before it's even come out, particularly if you only post a partial track listing as they might not come back to see what the rest of the tracks are.

**Th3Technician** · 10-02-2014, 10:54 AM

sigma, wanna help me run this podcast?

**Th3Technician** · 10-02-2014, 11:10 AM

In just one day Volume 3 has received more plays on sound cloud than most of my other release get during their entire lifetime. Big ups to this community for keeping things interesting and giving support for these lesser known dj's.

**TheRabbitMonk** · 10-02-2014, 11:57 AM

Hi guys, i'll hold my hands up with the quality issue. some of the tracks are diffrent quality, the thing is i worked my arse of trying to make sure they were eq'd properly, but still ended up sounding like shit.

Need to look at my set up as this is a common problem I have and should be well past now.

**Sigma** · 10-02-2014, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Th3Technician

sigma, wanna help me run this podcast?

Not on an ongoing basis, no, but if you think I can help with something specific then just let me know. I think you're doing a good job with it. All you need to do going forward is make sure that the mix sections are at the same perceived volume, but I can help you with that if you need it.

This is the only other advice I'd give you: -

1. Try and use the same artwork for volume 3 for every month, as it looks good. If ATrain is willing to do it, he can make it, as all it would involve for him is changing the DJ names and volume number, then saving the new JPG. I think you could ask him to do versions for volume 1 and 2 and go back and change those too.

2. Ask all the DJs involved in a particular month to repost the mix on Mixcloud and SoundCloud to draw more attention to it. I've reposted volume 3 on both.

3. If you're going to stick with it, consider getting a Mixcloud and SoundCloud account that's just for this. We could have a whip round to pay for a SoundCloud Pro account for it, or you could just put the latest one on SoundCloud and link to Mixcloud where all the volumes are.

@RabbitMonk - I think your bit sounds fine. You're rarely going to get every track sounding identical in terms of volume/EQing. I think, with volume 3, Pacqie's bit sounded louder than mine/yours (his bit sounded a little distorted to me actually - maybe the music is like that though), then Tech's bit was the quietest of all on the end.

**Th3Technician** · 10-02-2014, 01:13 PM

The soundcloud pro account would be a great idea if they didn't take down more than half of what I put up. As for the artwork that will be the official artwork. Atrain and I already worked that out. As for volume issues you can go ahead and pm me some tips on how to do that. I kind of figured everybody would take it upon themselves to share their work with their own fans. I know that pacQie posts the ones he has been in up on his YouTube channel. I understand that some people don't have much of an Internet presence however.