The DJ Thread

[Alistairr]

question for the djs out there...

do u prefer searching for tunes or having a mix?

you cant choose both...and why?

if i had to choose it would be making a mix, i havent figured out why yet, i just feel really at home when putting together stuff and after finally finishing a mix the satisfaction of completion is impossible to measure. Whilst searching for tunes i do enjoy, but it takes A LOT of time and energy to find precisely what you want, if you know your sound well, you end up becoming an electronic simon cowell- dismissing hundreds of efforts jsut to find that one gem- so for that reason i prefer mixing innit.

Definitely prefer having a mix. Nothing quite like getting your own little mad blends going with tunes that you wouldn't expect, potentially limitless combinations and so many ways in which you can blend. Nothing quite like finding that unexpected mix that's a hundred times better than you thought it ever would be, that can make 2 mediocre tracks sound sick together.

"potentially limitless combinations"

im afraid i disagree with this statement, as there are actually very few "decent" combinations, there are loads of medicore combos and thousands of standard ones, but the mixes i often remember, that stand out for me at least have, have that magic quality about 'em....those mixes are on point in terms of there transitions and that comes from experience and judgement.

Experience will get you far but u have to that some sort of musical judgement to know what to mix where and how, i think, especially these days with the competition so great. That musical know-how is particularly important, i think its a talent of some sort and thats why i feel certain djs deserve the praise they get, like i dunno Optimo for example, this mix in particular :

http://www.mixcloud.com/whitelightmixes/white-light-54-jd-twitch-optimo/

is mind blowing, the way it weaves through genres like play-do, not many people i feel at least could make a mix like this and for that reason amongst others, its amazing.

[PsycoCarrot]

Pulled the trigger on a Mixtrack Pro, cuz I can't afford decks/mixer. I will be liberally re-mapping the controls though, including sync, as I feel like sync is cheating. Same with waveriding.

Is digital still worse even if you don't use all the crutches? Obviously it is different from manipulating vinyl, but I'm trying to get the closest approximation.

[PsycoCarrot]

Pulled the trigger on a Mixtrack Pro, cuz I can't afford decks/mixer. I will be liberally re-mapping the controls though, including sync, as I feel like sync is cheating. Same with waveriding.

Is digital still worse even if you don't use all the crutches? Obviously it is different from manipulating vinyl, but I'm trying to get the closest approximation.

I've received my Mixtrack Pro and I've been messing around with it for a few days. Beatmatching is hard, but it's fun. Do you guys beatmatch the kickdrum or the snare? I find the kick is often hidden behind bassline, and hard to distinguish from the rest of the track. I beatmatch with the snare mostly because I can pick it out of the tune much easier, but I'm having problems beatmatching songs that have the snare in odd places, for example Loefah - Root.

Besides that, I'm struggling to get the tunes beatmatched and the second one dropped before the first runs out of time, and also trying to learn how to bring in the second track so that it sounds good.

[PinUp]

Just keep trying new things, you'll develop your own style!

[baddis98]

Do you guys beatmatch the kickdrum or the snare?

i've heard that question a few times recently and i still don't really understand it. certainly you would cue/beatmatch on whatever instrument/sound is on the first beat?

[Zambezi]

Pretty much what baddis said: bar goes 1 2 3 4, beat match the 1... doesnt matter if its a snare, kick or kazoo.

[PsycoCarrot]

Pretty much what baddis said: bar goes 1 2 3 4, beat match the 1... doesnt matter if its a snare, kick or kazoo.

What I meant by beatmatching the snare, is that I beatmatch in my headphones with beat 3 instead of beat 1, since beat 3 is usually a snare and easier to hear for me. Of course, I know to cue the incoming track at the 1, or else the mix will sound dumb.

Basically, I'm a newbie at listening to 2 diff tracks at once, and I sync the 3 beat instead of the 1 beat because snares are easier to distinguish from the rest of the track. Plus, my speakers/headphones aren't very bass-focused, so the kick is sort of muddy.

[Juturna]

Pretty much what baddis said: bar goes 1 2 3 4, beat match the 1... doesnt matter if its a snare, kick or kazoo.

What I meant by beatmatching the snare, is that I beatmatch in my headphones with beat 3 instead of beat 1, since beat 3 is usually a snare and easier to hear for me. Of course, I know to cue the incoming track at the 1, or else the mix will sound dumb.

Basically, I'm a newbie at listening to 2 diff tracks at once, and I sync the 3 beat instead of the 1 beat because snares are easier to distinguish from the rest of the track. Plus, my speakers/headphones aren't very bass-focused, so the kick is sort of muddy.

When i first learnt to mix i owned a pair of belt drives and crap headphones, i also found it hard to begin with to make out the first kick or kazoo so mainly use to mix with the snare. I improved over time and found it easier to make out bar 1. I then got some 1210's and nice headphones and thought, what was i ever struggling with?

[baddis98]

mixing with the snare surely has some advantages (like not missing the 1 when cueing on the 2nd drop). on the other hand a lot of tunes (that i'm playing) don't even have a snare or sth like that in the intro, but only quiet high hats, often only on the first beat of every bar. so you literally got no other choice than beatmatching on these.

[Cybertrash]

I usually listen to the snare when beatmatching, at least when mixing Dubstep, if I have the option. But as baddis98 said, sometimes there are no snares, or the snare is on the 4 (Mala likes to do this...), and then you have to mix the track on the kick, or just the general sense of rhythm.

[PsycoCarrot]

So I've been practicing, I'm to the point where I can string two or three songs together. Figuring out beatmatching still, but I heard of a method called "riding the pitch". Up until I heard of this, I was using jogwheel frequently to bump the tracks back in time, and then adjusting the pitch fader to a place that would be closer to the correct value.

Example:

Do any of you use this method? I'm finding it tough to learn because I'm still sloppy with the pitch fader, but after reading around, I hear it's some people's preferred method because it is supposedly faster and more accurate.


Searched and found a good thread on this: http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27484

[DJoe]

Definitely stick with using the pitch fader it may be sloppy now but in two weeks it wont be. you can keep the two records in time a lot more accurately as you're getting the tempos matched rather than just adjusting the beat. It also makes beat matching a lot faster as you're directly addressing the difference in pitch.

[Terpit]

Definitely stick with using the pitch fader it may be sloppy now but in two weeks it wont be. you can keep the two records in time a lot more accurately as you're getting the tempos matched rather than just adjusting the beat. It also makes beat matching a lot faster as you're directly addressing the difference in pitch.

This. With technics, I cant do it with cdjs tho, need that nice resistance.

[smokeybeenz]

Has anyone got a maschine, if they have could they pm me im getting one and i wanna know if its worth it thanks.

[Cybertrash]

I guess I played my first "gig" this Saturday. Threw an open-air party with a mate, booked a bunch of DJs and gathered some people. Played b2b with aforementioned friend, doing a couple of hours long vinyl-only set, which was really fun. Was so dark I couldn't see the dancefloor, but we got a couple of compliments on our set afterwards, so I'll take that as a sign that people enjoyed it. Great deal of fun either way, but was absolutely knackered at the end of the night.

[Immerse]

i cant seem to get that "riding the pitch" technique working. just picked up a cdj 800 today and im loving it. its a breeze compared to mixing vinyl haha! how accurate is the bpm counter..? i played multiple tune i knew were 140 that were registering as 142, 143, 137, etc. dont know if i should trust it or just go by ear..
also, im new to djing, anyone have any tips on phrasing and/or matching up tunes to mix well together? or is that an acquired thing..

[Terpit]

i cant seem to get that "riding the pitch" technique working. just picked up a cdj 800 today and im loving it. its a breeze compared to mixing vinyl haha! how accurate is the bpm counter..? i played multiple tune i knew were 140 that were registering as 142, 143, 137, etc. dont know if i should trust it or just go by ear..
also, im new to djing, anyone have any tips on phrasing and/or matching up tunes to mix well together? or is that an acquired thing..

I would recommend ignoring the bpm counter completely, i see tracks come up at 150 bpm, 107 bpm etc, its way more beneficial to just use your ears.

[foxtrot]

always use your ears, those bpm things arnt always right.

[Mr_Frost]

got a question to the vinyl djs:

do you bring your own systems/needles when you play out? and do you always check the adjustments of the decks (weight on the tone arm, anti skate) before playing?

I always bring my own needles. Check tonearm weight to if you change needles. Just remember to take them back after your set.

[Immerse]

alright thanks for the tip.