| Author
|
Advanced mixing techniques
|
Mikkel Pihl
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
15
Posted : Dec 29, 2010 21:22:12
|
So I've been spinning for a good year and a half. I've gotten a fairly good hold of the whole DJ ordeal. But I become tired of just mixing in- and outtros. Just letting the bass drop on the first beat of the outtro gets repetitive and boring.
I lack inspiration for better (or different, if you will) mixes and techniques.
Please, do not leave comments such as "Just play around with it. It will come to you" or "Just match the keys". It is not those I am after. Detailed descriptions of your own techniques would be helpful here.
I hope of usable answers and a good debate,
sincerely yours,
Mikkel Pihl |
|
|
willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
93
Posts :
2822
Posted : Dec 29, 2010 21:46
|
|
Mikkel Pihl
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
15
Posted : Dec 29, 2010 23:50
|
Aaaah, my fault. I use CDJs.
New techniques for other platforms are welcome as well. I figure the thread could be a general inspiration to people wanting to improve their skills, but cant figure out how. |
|
|
|
supergroover
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
1505
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 01:01
|
Quote:
|
On 2010-12-29 21:22:12, Mikkel Pihl wrote:
Just letting the bass drop on the first beat of the outtro gets repetitive and boring.
|
|
Does this mean you are not beatmatching yet?
If so.. youtube is full of video's explaining the concept of beatmatching to you! Find them before they find you!
 soundcloud.com/supergroover |
|
|
|
willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
93
Posts :
2822
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 01:04
|
Doesn't really fall (completely) under the category of mixing per-se, but I've been having a shitload of fun with Send/Return FX while "djing" (otherwise known as mixing songs in ableton in my bedroom....) because there are those minutes where you're just letting the track play out without mixing anything in, but you still want to do something...
Like taking just the high end and sending it to a nice FX chain, like a phaser or flanger or a bitcrusher, or playing with feedback loops then throwing that to a send...very transparent as it doesn't mess with the track that's playing and you get to have fun getting new sounds out of the track!
You can use this for interesting intro/outro/breakdown stuff, like throw the highs of a track to a feedback loop and just play with that as the song fades....then bring a new track in...
IDK how you would accomplish this with CDJs, more of a software thing
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch...you must first invent the universe
www.soundcloud.com/tasp
www.soundcloud.com/kinematic-records |
|
|
|
Mikkel Pihl
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
15
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 01:30
|
Quote:
|
On 2010-12-30 01:01, supergroover wrote:
Quote:
|
On 2010-12-29 21:22:12, Mikkel Pihl wrote:
Just letting the bass drop on the first beat of the outtro gets repetitive and boring.
|
|
Does this mean you are not beatmatching yet?
If so.. youtube is full of video's explaining the concept of beatmatching to you! Find them before they find you!
|
|
You got me all wrong here  I meant beatmatching the track so that the bass drops on track 2 when track 1 hits the outtro.
What I need is alternatives to, for example, starting track 2 when track one has about 2 min left and then making the bass-cut after 16 or 32 bars. Mixing out after another 16 bars. |
|
|
|
daio
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
338
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 06:29
|
|
try to make transitions as smoother as you can,use eqs volumes filters,whatever sounds to your ears better.trust your ears when you mix and experiment whith the parts of the tracks.anyway in psytrance you are much more a selector,smothness and flow is the best skill you could have! |
|
|
|
Blink blinK
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
31
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 11:37
|
Quote:
|
there are those minutes where you're just letting the track play out without mixing anything in, but you still want to do something...
|
|
Just an idea for these kind of moments:
look through the audience, make an eye contact with some nice chiquita, that way you'll have something to do after you finish your set. |
|
|
|
supergroover
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
1505
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 12:06
|
Quote:
|
On 2010-12-30 01:30, Mikkel Pihl wrote:
You got me all wrong here I meant beatmatching the track so that the bass drops on track 2 when track 1 hits the outtro.
What I need is alternatives to, for example, starting track 2 when track one has about 2 min left and then making the bass-cut after 16 or 32 bars. Mixing out after another 16 bars.
|
|
Starting with the beat of the second track when the first hits the outro (beatless part for me) isnt beatmatching to me. Having two tracks with beat and bass running at the same time with both faders open is beatmatching to me. This means you can play around with the mid and lower freaks of both tracks to make it sound good.
If a break is a little long you can also add the beat of the next track in that part to keep the dancefloor moving. Or cut the part out that is too long in your daw.
checking out techno fora might actually be a better idea. They are often doing more as a dj than most psytrance dj's. This doesnt mean they are better, it is just a different mixing style for a different music style.
Check the fx on your mixer and start fiddling with those. Don't overdo it though because too many effects might not help the dancefloor moving..
soundcloud.com/supergroover |
|
|
|
Shiranui
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
116
Posts :
1219
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 12:07
|
It's kind of hard with psytrance.
If you want to have fun mixing, switch to techno, progressive or breaks.
(or make edits of tracks in your collection)
Most psytrance tracks are finished works, not meant to be mixed other than at the very beginning and end. Not that some aren't, but most are not. |
|
|
|
Upavas
Upavas
Started Topics :
150
Posts :
3315
Posted : Dec 30, 2010 13:36
|
Create your own music within mixing tracks, there is so much more possible than letting one track play and then put in another, create your own breaks in a mix and then take the energy up by mixing in crazy counter beats, use eq to compensate for frequency overlapping. Add a third cdj and mix in a melody, any melody, might as well be Madonna or Metallica or Christmas music... anything funny, play with it, use tracks to create your own realm of sound, that is what I call advanced djing!
Upavas - Here And Now (Sangoma Rec.) new EP out Oct.29th, get it here:
http://timecode.bandcamp.com
http://upavas.com
http://soundcloud.com/upavas-1/ |
|
|
|
Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
170
Posts :
3642
Posted : Dec 31, 2010 03:27
|
Find tracks that don't sound good when mixed together the way you are doing it now and try to find a way to make them sound good. That's helped me come up with some good ideas.
Psytrance isn't really a genre of music you can get too technical djing without sounding bad (compared to other styles). Some of the best djs in this genre are those who simply have an ear for the flow of tracks, can read a crowd and don't do much more than basic mixing (while their timing might be more unique than intro/outro, the mixing style is pretty standard).
http://soundcloud.com/ascensionsound
www.chilluminati.org - Midwest based psytrance group |
|
|
|
supergroover
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
1505
Posted : Dec 31, 2010 11:12
|
|
In full on and the faster genres you can do alot more 'techno' style tricks in the mixing than in the slower bpms imho. You can easily switch between tracks quickly and play 3 tracks in a minute if you have them lined up correctly. Because alot of fullon has a more techno style bass/ kick/ percussion feel in the beginning or the end of a track.
soundcloud.com/supergroover |
|
|
|
willsanquil
Offtopic posts:
2
Posted: Dec 31, 2010
|
|
dreadieg
Offtopic posts:
1
Posted: Jan 1, 2011
|
|
blah on all that silliness, just play songs and have a good time. getting caught up in the DJ-y-ness makes my night less fun. |
|
|
|
