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How to mix ambient / chillout music?!
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vector_0
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
113
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1189
Posted : Feb 22, 2008 23:44
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^^^lol, so true.... I've made a couple mixes that are beatmatched all the way through, and they sound terrible |
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Yidam
Moderator
Started Topics :
144
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3171
Posted : Feb 29, 2008 09:25
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On 2008-02-10 10:19, Dogon wrote:
listen to this
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On 2006-10-14 01:37, Yidam wrote:
~ Yidam - Shortcut To Nirvana ~
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Thankyou for the mention Dogon but I don't think it deserves "how to mix" credit.
Firstly, this was somewhat of a cheatmix as I recorded it at home after playing around with the tracklist many times to get the desired movement. This was also recorded using DJ software as I couldn't pitch down the Shivamoon track as low on the CDJs... so it was more waveform based.
Ironically this turned out to be one of the better ones recorded ... and I give total credit to the fact that the playlist worked out the way it did. Putting it together was easy as I'd pretty much memorized the intro/outros.
My DJ sets played without any prior planning somewhat always take on that "festival chill" feeling as it inevitably tends to flow with the crowds mood.
The reason I got into mixing chill though was totally for myself. Mixes to me should be mellow journeys, a flying carpet that the audience has to tune into ride. And I find that happening more when the sets are preplanned or when there's an idea of the theme I want to portray.
I've spun some trance as well and in comparison chill/ambient does not require the same technical knowhow and accuracy. Maybe I never reached a point of comfort with Psy but when its mixing 150 BPMs, it's perfectionist mode and palms always get sweaty.
Back to psychill and why its so amazing. Mixing it is ALL about track selection. What makes you a good chill DJ is really how much you've heard in the past... and how much music you've heard outside the generic lines. Chill is wayyyyy more globally open-ended than the trance side. The mixing is really more intuitive, you have the freedom to effect around, pitch around, wah and zip around... even make mistakes and have the ability to cover it up using smart fades. If you do approach the console with a repertoire of popular chill tracks that you intend to mix perfectly, it might work but you'll probably never have an identity.
Whats wonderful about established chill DJs is that each seems to have their own diverse listening experience that they bring into the genre during the sets. That being said ... I have 2 recommendations...
http://forum.isratrance.com/sabi-summitto/
http://www.touchsamadhi.com/nod
Sabi's stuff is just sublime. Perfect track selection coming from a background of IDM and classical music... has been an inspiration.
And Nod is just out there... fusing his quirky dubby mind with the psychill agenda. Really really creative offbeat stuff.
And if you want to listen to what came out of ~Shortcut to Nirvana~ ... here's the updated link
http://divinebalance.com/yidam/Yidam_-_Shortcut_To_Nirvana.mp3
This ones brings classical Hindustani sounds into the mix.
mera do paisa 
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entalamoska
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
128
Posted : Mar 1, 2008 04:49
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PlutoDelic
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posts :
244
Posted : Mar 5, 2008 11:48
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Stregone
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
63
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1252
Posted : Mar 8, 2008 17:08
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pretty good and funny topic 
I never mixed chill out music, but I mixed a lot of dub and reggae music and it goes by the flow, try tu make a "collage" of music by sticking them together in the most fluid and atmospheric way and makesa very good music selection
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TechMonkey
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
41
Posts :
985
Posted : Mar 10, 2008 23:15
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On 2008-02-22 07:15, White Rabbit wrote:
fake topic guys)
chill out dont mixing.. it's mood music;-)
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So is the the dance oriented stuff (mood music). Mixing in a general sense is about maintaining flow and continuity while creating a certain feel that will (hopefully) touch people who are listening in the way you want it to. Doesn't matter whether you're trying to get everyone on the dance floor, or trying to create a relaxing environment. The idea is the same even if the techniques are different. Sure, mixing beat oriented stuff is more technical than blending soundscapes, but that is still "mixing" in my book. I'd even go so far as to say that chill out DJs get a bit more artistic license and room for creativity since their main priority is not to maintain a continuous beat from song to song. Plenty more room to play around and experiment. |
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