Trying out techno

**drop1** · 07-30-2020, 05:39 PM

I'd really like some feedback.
Im normally a breaks guy but I grabbed a handful of techno/deep techno, melodic house tracks and laid down a set. My sets are always live, no planning ,in the moment.

Listening back there is a track in the middle I regret playing but overall I think it's pretty good but I do admit I don't know the genre as well as I should. I will say there were multiple occasions I really wish I'd have had a 3ed deck. Enjoy.

Come on. There has to be some takes. This set is beautiful and down right evil at times and several mixes are sexy af. I do have 20 years under my belt lol

https://soundcloud.com/user-35800744...?ref=clipboard

**Mark_Spit** · 08-11-2020, 06:41 PM

Hang on Drop, I'm just giving it a third listen. The first 2 I kept getting distracted....

**drop1** · 08-12-2020, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Mark_Spit

Hang on Drop, I'm just giving it a third listen. The first 2 I kept getting distracted....

Thank you.

**Mark_Spit** · 08-13-2020, 01:05 PM

I'm finally able to give some quick feedback....

First off understand that while I may love and play mainly techno (at home), I am in no way a techno aficionado. So take my critique as just an opinion.

Starting off, your first track gave a good vibe to the set, but I thought it was left to play for maybe 1 - 2 phrases too long. The following tracks were OK and made for a descent build-up all the way to the (about) 20 minute mark when you dropped a few good bangers.

I really liked the tracks at 20 mins and 37 mins. I felt that after that 37 min track though, the energy really dropped off. I know from your Soundcloud description - deep techno moody and dark with a peak time feel. - it was what you were going for, but was a bit too much of a drop for me.

Your blends were dead on. I could barely differentiate between tracks they were so good!

Even though I wasn't too crazy about the track selection (only 2 really caught my attention), it's still a solid tech mix.

**drop1** · 08-13-2020, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Mark_Spit

I'm finally able to give some quick feedback....

First off understand that while I may love and play mainly techno (at home), I am in no way a techno aficionado. So take my critique as just an opinion.

Starting off, your first track gave a good vibe to the set, but I thought it was left to play for maybe 1 - 2 phrases too long. The following tracks were OK and made for a descent build-up all the way to the (about) 20 minute mark when you dropped a few good bangers.

I really liked the tracks at 20 mins and 37 mins. I felt that after that 37 min track though, the energy really dropped off. I know from your Soundcloud description - deep techno moody and dark with a peak time feel. - it was what you were going for, but was a bit too much of a drop for me.

Your blends were dead on. I could barely differentiate between tracks they were so good!

Even though I wasn't too crazy about the track selection (only 2 really caught my attention), it's still a solid tech mix.

I think its funny that you think the first track played a little too long. I slammed in the second track full blast and completely removed the first tracks kick and bass at its drop following its main break lol.

As for the rest im not thrilled about it either. These at the time were the only non breaks tracks I had and I chose to order them in a way that they would mix better than paying attention to energy.

What I really wanted to know was if my mixing was still there. Getting more tracks is easy (not really, digging through beat port for hours/days/weeks sucks) but I haven't spun a set since 2016. Thanks for listening.

Oh, also the last 2 tracks. I played a track, brought in another then stole the main riff of the track before it and played with it over the last track using effects and eq which was cool but made the last track sound about 10 minutes long.

Rek , I forget his last name, gave me some advice once on a 3 deck mix. He told me he couldn't tell what I was doing and that I should make my mixes more obvious. I mean thats a compliment for sure when other dj's can't really hear your mixing but it also makes things a little boring.

**Mark_Spit** · 08-15-2020, 06:14 PM

I think Rek (cant remember his whole name either) may be right. That first mix sounds like one long track, no wonder I thought it went for too long.

Your mixing is some of the smoothest I've ever heard. Were you mixing by key as well?

**drop1** · 08-15-2020, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mark_Spit

I think Rek (cant remember his whole name either) may be right. That first mix sounds like one long track, no wonder I thought it went for too long.

Your mixing is some of the smoothest I've ever heard. Were you mixing by key as well?

I mix in key for sure when I have the option. I will mix out of key if the tracks aren't clashing but I am super picky about it. Don't be fooled. I'm not some super smooth mixer, I'm just good at choosing tracks that compliment each other. Put the right tracks together and they almost mix themselves. Im sure you've experienced this. Some trwcks just gell.

Let me ask you something. What did you think about the sound quality? I'm currently using the pioneer xdj xz in stand alone mode using USB sticks. It has the option to record straight from the mixer back to the USB stick. Thats exactly what this was.
I think it sounds pretty good . I had a ddj sx2 and my mixes from that sounded awful to me.

**Heliotropic27** · 08-16-2020, 09:51 AM

Finally I can post here! Been wanting to say that I enjoyed your set. As stated earlier, really nice transitions. As a beginner I am currently focused on listening to how different folks do their actual mixing and liked hearing how you brought the tracks in and out. As you said, you picked the tracks so that they almost mixed themselves, which I think is an important element of building a set, particularly when it's just for listening as opposed to something you're mixing live to get a reaction from a crowd. I guess the one thing I'd suggest is to occasionally throw in a track that is a different genre or key, or just brings a change to the atmosphere. This is a dark mix so a little bit of light could be effective.

**drop1** · 08-16-2020, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Heliotropic27

Finally I can post here! Been wanting to say that I enjoyed your set. As stated earlier, really nice transitions. As a beginner I am currently focused on listening to how different folks do their actual mixing and liked hearing how you brought the tracks in and out. As you said, you picked the tracks so that they almost mixed themselves, which I think is an important element of building a set, particularly when it's just for listening as opposed to something you're mixing live to get a reaction from a crowd. I guess the one thing I'd suggest is to occasionally throw in a track that is a different genre or key, or just brings a change to the atmosphere. This is a dark mix so a little bit of light could be effective.

I listen to dark music. Its my style.i like the dark emotional vibe and 99 percent of the time I stick with it.