Dubstepforum.com

ok, so here it is:
i've got a booking in a bar and i'd like some advices, i've allready mixed in public in some rave parties before but it was 5 years ago and it wasn't dubstep
i mix vinyl only

i'd really like some tips to make it great and to avoid big mistakes
share your experiences!

Check the mixer out before your set!

garethom wrote:Check the mixer out before your set!

thanks i'll remenber this

I've never played out but take your own needles.

good advice!

take your needles as theirs will be non existent/shit.
you might not have a booth speaker so make sure you're ok mixing with just headphones.
do you know what kinda music they play at this night?

they have two booth speaker, I'm playing first (8h30/22h) and i know there's other dj's after me, but i don't really know what they'll play (surely dnb or garage), i planned a set with deep but energic songs finishing with some garage and dnbassish dubstep tracks

make sure you reload every other tune, otherwise it cant be classed as a dubstep mix

fassyman wrote:make sure you reload every other tune, otherwise it cant be classed as a dubstep mix

i think it only works when people know the tunes and real dubstep is quite underground here in Paris

kixo wrote:

fassyman wrote:make sure you reload every other tune, otherwise it cant be classed as a dubstep mix

i think it only works when people know the tunes and real dubstep is quite underground here in Paris

then you have to gunfinger the crowd when the tune drops before you rewind it

good luck! i've listened to one of your mixes in the past and you should have no problem

i think it was gravitational beam transmitter or something along those lines

thanks a lot! i'm glad you like it

don't red line the mixer.

Mr_Frost wrote:don't red line the mixer.

right, when i was mixing in rave parties there was allways this guy that was pushing the bass eq at the maximum, all he was doing was saturate the woofers...
i never go more than 2/3 on the bass eq and i stay on the green with the gains

this might sound obvious, but aside from just "knowing your music", also make sure you are solid on the intros. many dubstep tracks dont start on "1". james blakes rmx of maybes is the best example i can think of right, which starts on the two. other start on the "and-of-4" or whatever. this isnt an issue for people who are working from a computer screen, but when you are on vinyl it can be tricky. the intro can sound great in the blend, but then the drop comes in out of time or whatever. this same thing applies with songs that don't have an obvious beat on the intro. sounds wretched.

and if all else fails, a spin-back on the outgoing track in a blend always sounds better than clashing beats. good luck though, always good to see other working doing the vinyl-only thing

baseband wrote:this might sound obvious, but aside from just "knowing your music", also make sure you are solid on the intros. many dubstep tracks dont start on "1". james blakes rmx of maybes is the best example i can think of right, which starts on the two. other start on the "and-of-4" or whatever. this isnt an issue for people who are working from a computer screen, but when you are on vinyl it can be tricky. the intro can sound great in the blend, but then the drop comes in out of time or whatever. this same thing applies with songs that don't have an obvious beat on the intro. sounds wretched.

and if all else fails, a spin-back on the outgoing track in a blend always sounds better than clashing beats. good luck though, always good to see other working doing the vinyl-only thing

hmm i see what you mean, to avoid any "surprise" i prepare a full set, so i'll know exactly which track i'll play,
the things that scares me is a bad drop, you know everyone is waiting for it and you're slightly off beat when it comes which completely break the effect, otherwise i know i can allways cut the bass frome one track during the mix to avoid train wrecks and then get the records back in beat

for the vinyl thing, it's really all i know, i started with that and it's the only way i know to mix, but recently i watched some tutorials and demonstrations of DVS and CDJ and i sort of discovered the "sync" functionnality and all that stuff that help you beatmatching, i seriously thought about switching to a dvs with timecode vinyl (why bother spending time beatmatching as it adds nothing to the mix itself) but this week i watched the video from the red bull music academy with mala from 2008 (link bellow) and it definitely strenghten my love for the vinyl and the mixing of it, the pleasure you get from manipulate records and build a collection can't be reach with other mixing device in my opinion

http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lect ... perfection

i hadn't seen that mala one yet, thanks for the heads up.

i started trying things out with software/mp3s. then i worked in a night club and learned CDJs and all that stuff, realized how much more i liked that. then i bought a few records and used the clubs (rarely used) turntables and loved the feel/sound of that. now im that "angry old man" who gets upset when a good song doesnt get a vinyl release.

i think it is a preference thing. for people who travel a lot (big name DJs and the like), or need to be able to have a huge collection on hand at all times (wedding DJs), the digital stuff makes total sense. a more convenient way to do your job and earn your money. but for that feel/sound, vinyl cannot be easily topped

baseband wrote:
i think it is a preference thing. for people who travel a lot (big name DJs and the like), or need to be able to have a huge collection on hand at all times (wedding DJs), the digital stuff makes total sense. a more convenient way to do your job and earn your money. but for that feel/sound, vinyl cannot be easily topped

yeah of course, i guess as an "amateur" dj i only see the good points of vinyl, and i don't really think of the inconvenients, maybe i will when i'll have to carry all my records to the bar i'll play at!

my last mix:

http://www.mixcloud.com/kixo/paradigm-shift/

some feedback on my live mix:

it went GREAT, i was a bit stressed during the first part but i managed to relax myself after some time and i really enjoyed it, i made allmost no mistakes and the crowd was quite in it

thanks for all the advices around here