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Dj mixing and EQing.
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Djones
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
267
Posts :
1766
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 09:56:07
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So I thought, let's record a small mix on mine (just 3/4 tracks).
It sounded horrible!
Really nothing, nothing sounded even slightly right.
All frequencies clashing into each other, just a horrible sounding mix.
So my question is, what's really the deal with mixing the high/mid and low?
What are really the most commong things to do for making a smooth transition from one to another track? |
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OhmLine
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
137
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 13:15
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Gotta look for them low frequncies....
Make sure you're beatmatched (or mixing in or out of a part with no beat)
Listen to see if the keys of the tracks match (basically, if the track "sits" or if it sounds weird).
Regarding EQing, the problematic part with frequencies clashing is at the bottom (low mids and lows). Try to avoid having both tracks playing together with the lows fully open on both channels.
For smooth transitions, the sky's the limit.
A smooth transition can be a 2 minutes mix or half a second cross fading, it's down to you, how good you know your tracks and your sense of beat/musicality.
And of course, practice practice practice... (and watch what's the DJ is doing next time you're in a party - once you started mixing you'll find out you can understand everything he/she does)
 YEEEEES! |
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Mike A
Subra
Started Topics :
185
Posts :
3954
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 16:47
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Be sure to match the keys. 
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Djones
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
267
Posts :
1766
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 17:10
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But I wonder, how to do a smooth transition from one to another track if both kicks and basslines are playing?
How do I do this? |
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knocz
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
1151
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 17:59
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Cut the low on one track, it will kill the kick and bass... Like this you can introduce the mids and highs of the next track into the current play.
Then you just have to cut the low on the current track and raise the low on the new one. And it's done!
Depending ont the key notes of the song and the sound of the kick/bass, you can alternately kill each bassline to create your own 2note bassline. For example, if your new track is 3semitones above the old one, try playing the bass of the old track for the first 3 beats, and the bass of the new one for the last beat.. Sometimes you can go on with these arrangments for minutes, using loops. Thats almost goa style.
Or for a normal full on mix, on the last beat kill the old track and play the new one (in Portugal we also call that a "prego", which means a nail...)
If you don't play both songs high and mid for a little at the same time, you and everybody hearing will notice the passage. NEVER play both tracks bass at the same time, it only results in noise. Don't just mix the intros, thats lame and recognisable. Try an use effects , filters and of course, headphones
Super Banana Sauce http://www.soundcloud.com/knocz |
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Dharma Lab
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
342
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 21:46
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It's an art as much as a science, and usually requires knowing your tracks a bit. Just like with music creation, there are no strict rules in my opinion, as I've already broken a few mentioned here in this thread. It's more about what makes sense, and even more importantly, what sounds & feel right.
Basically, you have control over the level of each track, as well as EQ's for highs mids & lows. Just like mixing tracks in a song, generally you probably don't want both tracks duking out the same areas at the same time. Cutting one area leaves room for adding it from the other track. Transitions can be slow, or quick. Each area of highs, mids & lows, should generally focus one track over the other. This is one part that the art comes in, as to what you decide to do.
Don't forget, the basic structures of songs build up in the beginning, and break down towards the end. This is where knowing your songs comes into play. If the song you are bringing in builds up slowly, you can ride that mix, bringing parts in gradually. If the track comes in pretty quickly, you might bring it in quickly, or quickly remove parts of the track you are finishing to make room for the incoming track. If two track are very full, you have to carve things out more if you want them to mix together. Your selection of tracks will determine your options for mixing.
Personally, I only use the crossfader for transforms. Otherwise, I use the channel faders, as they offer more precise control. But when starting off, it might be easier to use the crossfader, freeing up your other hand to do something that might take more concentration for you (like EQ'ing or Beat-Mixing)
Lastly, as a word to people learning to DJ, I find most people learn faster if they practice mixing the same 2 songs over & over a few times until they get it right, rather than fumbling thru a train-wreck & just moving on to the next song. Start your track over, & keep refining it each time you attempt the mix. Doing this, in my opinion, develops the ear for what to listen for (the most important skill to learn first), and the feel of how it sound & fits together.
Good luck!
Keep The Faith,
Christian K. |
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jorge
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
Posts :
50
Posted : Oct 15, 2008 02:15
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i found its more easy to mix tracks over 140bpm.
im now into minimal tech 127-130 and its a little bit more difficult to beatmatch ..
dont you have the same sensation? |
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V3NOM
Inactive User
Started Topics :
131
Posts :
2234
Posted : Oct 15, 2008 06:09
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Control the low ends. Unless they have exactly the same bass kicks and bassline *which hardly ever happens* then you will have trouble to make it mix across without fiddling with the low end sounds.
Hi ends is just personal taste.
Sometimes I find two track or more sound good with all the crazy sounds flowing together, other times it sounds to much like chaos so one needs to be turned down as the other is introduced.or even just flow into a bass line and kick for the first few seconds then slowly fade in the highs and mids.
Practice at home, so when you stuff up it is not that bad, only frustrating, as doing in front of a hundred plus people and making a mixing error can be very bad for ones ego  
And no matter what happens, make sure you look like you have it under control, otherwise you will get a kick in the rear from all involved (promoter, punters etc.)
I find mixing from 148BPM above to be th emost fun and easiest, minimal/tech is hard to mix as it has very individual sounds and progressive is not so hard either, but I find anything below 146BPM makes me bored after half an hour of mixing |
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Elad
Tsabeat/Sattel Battle
Started Topics :
158
Posts :
5306
Posted : Oct 15, 2008 14:52
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i like to use all 3 (4?) eq bands
1 option is to mix in the mid and little of the high
while slightly taking some hi of the playing track
then make the low freqs change , and complete with adding all the hi of the new track and bring down the first track volume...
all this after making sure beat match and playing on the right timing
this will make any 2 tracks to sound pritty tight
for 100% perfect smooth mix also cocider the key , but i wouldnt change the tracklist too much just to fit it to scales.. www.sattelbattle.com
http://yoavweinberg.weebly.com/ |
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smehoparanoya
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
280
Posted : Oct 15, 2008 15:12
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Quote:
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On 2008-10-15 02:15, jorge wrote:
i found its more easy to mix tracks over 140bpm.
im now into minimal tech 127-130 and its a little bit more difficult to beatmatch ..
dont you have the same sensation?
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On the contrary, I find it more creative and easy to do looping and stuff - gives a feel of playing house mix (that with long kick passages) 
Monitoring devices, know where you go
Mass media, total control
Digital delight, desire in megabite
Data overflow, virtual suicide
This information, is disinformation
Truth is hidden, knowledge forbidden |
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Alien Bug
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
27
Posts :
682
Posted : Oct 15, 2008 17:26
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Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
170
Posts :
3642
Posted : Oct 15, 2008 17:31
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I find mixing prog (130-135bpm) to be harder than mixing psy (145bpm+). You have to be more precise with prog and your mistakes are MUCH more transparent because there aren't 800 layers of sound being played at once . Most times when mixing prog I try to make the mix around 2 minutes long, so there's more time for it to slip off beat. Maybe I just have too many tracks that don't exactly match in the +/-0.05% tempo change interval.
http://soundcloud.com/ascensionsound
www.chilluminati.org - Midwest based psytrance group |
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ultraviolence
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
30
Posts :
194
Posted : Oct 18, 2008 14:04
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Quote:
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On 2008-02-20 17:10, Djones wrote:
But I wonder, how to do a smooth transition from one to another track if both kicks and basslines are playing?
How do I do this?
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Work out the beat structures of the 2 tracks and match them on where the beats match, ie if there is a secion in both that goes for 64 or 128 beats that finishes the first track and starts the second then you can match them on beginnings of 2 sections and switch bass half way through, say at 32 or 64 beats respectively Hope I am making sense cos I am drunk
-------------- Dark & Twisted Night Psy --------------
https://www.facebook.com/Ga73k33p3r-322985384842830/ |
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psytik
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
47
Posts :
71
Posted : Oct 26, 2008 13:08
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i dont know but i like to have all eq flat or maybe cut alittle in high & mid
ist that ok ? |
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"42"
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
129
Posts :
516
Posted : Oct 26, 2008 16:59
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When track is playin'-
I also like it flat!
I leave the EQ to the mastering artists...
When the mixing comes in:
1st I switch highs
2nd I switch Basses
(Usually...)
www.myspace.com/42aviv |
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