Mixing Liquid

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Rock*

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I'm not always a big fan of Liquid (eg Hospital etc) type mixes like London Eleks essential mix even though I love the music. Don't get me wrong I enjoy listening to them, but cos theyre usually dealing with ultra melodic stuff, or tracks with lots going on, that a lot of the transitions are ok, they don't particularly clash or anything but theyre just pretty average and rather than really creating sick mixes of tunes theyre just adequate sounding transitions that probably actually hinder the tunes rather than taking them up a level. Not sure how much sense that made but I know what I meant.

I'm quite fussy when it comes to liquid mixing as the tracks have to be spot on to actually sound really good together. I've got a few good liquid mixes that I really rinse, Together VIP > Be True, Be True > Days Go By, Days Go By - Tear You Down, Tear You Down > The Trip, Cosmonought > Gold Rush, Avalon > Textures & Sound by KG (try em all out out!) that I think bring out the tunes and add something but all these tunes are so melodic that I find 95% of tracks ruin them a bit really when you stick em in the mix.

This is why I think that whilst beat matching liquid is usually fairly easy, its the hardest sub genre to mix really well and effectively cos when I mix Tech or Jumpup or ICESTEP, the tracks are much more versatile and far more tunes go with each other. So yeah, bit of a random (and many will say pointless) rant, but big up all you Liquid DJs, it aint easy! (y)
 
i duno man, without getting into a discussion about genres and all that... i'd look at what you stated as dancefloor liquid to an extent.

and people like perez, spectrasoul et al rollin out proper liquid sets.

at least that's how i see it.
 
i should add it's all just drum and bass to me. it all get equal amounts of riisu's special kinda lovin'
 
riisu said:
i duno man, without getting into a discussion about genres and all that... i'd look at what you stated as dancefloor liquid to an extent.

and people like perez, spectrasoul et al rollin out proper liquid sets.

at least that's how i see it.
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Yeah dancefloor liquid is probably more on the money with the tracks I listed. But still, I find that with most of those tracks and similar tracks, you have to be very very careful with what you mix them with. Whereas mixing within Jump Up or Icestep is much easier as a far higher percentage of tunes compliment eachother. IMO of course.
 
Rock* said:
Yeah dancefloor liquid is probably more on the money with the tracks I listed. But still, I find that with most of those tracks and similar tracks, you have to be very very careful with what you mix them with. Whereas mixing within Jump Up or Icestep is much easier as a far higher percentage of tunes compliment eachother. IMO of course.
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i think ur right to an extent. i think the big epic and euphoric dance floor liquid needs an epic melodic mix to make it stand out in a mix. but i think that jump up tunes are very hard to find two that will double drop well as they have alot going on. alot of jump up dj's make it all about the switch and drop.

personally when i'm mixing and putting a set together i throw the sub genre rule book out the window and love to splice clean with dirty, liquid with solid, jump up with groove down. its not about keeping to sub genres. its all about switching up the flava throwing in tunes people aint expecting and at the right time. its all about experimentation and u gotta practice and take time to find tunes and mixes that work well.

all apart of being a dj!
 
DJ Wizz said:
i think ur right to an extent. i think the big epic and euphoric dance floor liquid needs an epic melodic mix to make it stand out in a mix. but i think that jump up tunes are very hard to find two that will double drop well as they have alot going on. alot of jump up dj's make it all about the switch and drop.

personally when i'm mixing and putting a set together i throw the sub genre rule book out the window and love to splice clean with dirty, liquid with solid, jump up with groove down. its not about keeping to sub genres. its all about switching up the flava throwing in tunes people aint expecting and at the right time. its all about experimentation and u gotta practice and take time to find tunes and mixes that work well.

all apart of being a dj!
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Couldn't have put it better myself, fucking :word:.
 
DJ Wizz said:
i think ur right to an extent. i think the big epic and euphoric dance floor liquid needs an epic melodic mix to make it stand out in a mix. but i think that jump up tunes are very hard to find two that will double drop well as they have alot going on. alot of jump up dj's make it all about the switch and drop.

personally when i'm mixing and putting a set together i throw the sub genre rule book out the window and love to splice clean with dirty, liquid with solid, jump up with groove down. its not about keeping to sub genres. its all about switching up the flava throwing in tunes people aint expecting and at the right time. its all about experimentation and u gotta practice and take time to find tunes and mixes that work well.

all apart of being a dj!
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Nice post man! I like to switch up styles too, I was mainly referring to liquid mixes in my original post like Hospital mixes that stick to a couple of subgenres and saying why I find them to be a bit hit and miss. And I spoke about mixing within genres as although mixing up genres is sick, you'd have to say that most of the time in clubs, home mixes, CDs, Podcasts etc, two tunes from the same or similar genres will be mixed as its just the done thing really. Very rarely would you hear a set going all round the houses from one extreme to the other, but obviously I've heard your mixes and you pull it off well so fairplay thats a good unique flavour you've got going! (y)
 
What the fuck is Icestep?

As Wizz said, Mixing it up is the key to a good set. Diversity in your tune selection makes much more interesting sets/mixes than just sticking to one genre.

I mean, who wants to go to DnB night and listen to Jump Up all night?

icon_rolleyes.gif
 
Liquid is a far more melodic type of music, therefore you have to take more care when mixing it.
As Wizz has said previously its really not about playing one type of dnb.... which alot of bigger name DJs are doing at the moment. Doesnt help when you have new guys coming in to the scene..... seeing the likes of Original Sin banging out 2 hours of b2b jump-up....

Anyway its all about switching it up.... if any of you have seen us play live, we very rarely only play one type of dnb.... we play everything that bangs up a dancefloor plain and simple... whether its liquid, glitch, jump, tech, jungle... what ever.... good thing is that alot of promoters are recognising that it isnt about just having jump-up the whole night....
 
DJ Wizz said:
i think ur right to an extent. i think the big epic and euphoric dance floor liquid needs an epic melodic mix to make it stand out in a mix. but i think that jump up tunes are very hard to find two that will double drop well as they have alot going on. alot of jump up dj's make it all about the switch and drop.

personally when i'm mixing and putting a set together i throw the sub genre rule book out the window and love to splice clean with dirty, liquid with solid, jump up with groove down. its not about keeping to sub genres. its all about switching up the flava throwing in tunes people aint expecting and at the right time. its all about experimentation and u gotta practice and take time to find tunes and mixes that work well.

all apart of being a dj!
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we should put this in a bible,

nice one wizz
 
i have to say that i see where your coming from i think your right in saying you have to be carful, over laying vocals and that alot of the time does'nt work and i also think that the apparent lack of Liquid/not Jumpup tunes is quite a big factor as well on places like redeye.

It seems to me that the liquid Dj's you do listen too with all the new liquid dubs etc like Alix Perez and Spectrasoul seem to be able to make the mix sound more 'interesting' coz the next tune is summin 'different' sounding.....unlike jump-up where a Dub can sound like any other Tom, Dick and Harry jump up promo of which you could go buy 25 tunes off the first page on redeye and they would all sound the same!
Someone above said about jump-up being about the switch and the drop etc etc, well that sounds like mixing happy hardcore to me........clown step we call it!
Liquid is harder but its also about knowing your tunes and practice and not getting pissed off with a tune that is to someone, the best thing since sliced bread, and to you a pain in the arse coz you have heard it 100 times over lol

i dont think ive even answered your question Rock, lol this has been a stoned mumble lol
 
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Snipaz said:
i have to say that i see where your coming from i think your right in saying you have to be carful, over laying vocals and that alot of the time does'nt work and i also think that the apparent lack of Liquid/not Jumpup tunes is quite a big factor as well on places like redeye.

It seems to me that the liquid Dj's you do listen too with all the new liquid dubs etc like Alix Perez and Spectrasoul seem to be able to make the mix sound more 'interesting' coz the next tune is summin 'different' sounding.....unlike jump-up where a Dub can sound like any other Tom, Dick and Harry jump up promo of which you could go buy 25 tunes off the first page on redeye and they would all sound the same!
Someone above said about jump-up being about the switch and the drop etc etc, well that sounds like mixing happy hardcore to me........clown step we call it!
Liquid is harder but its also about knowing your tunes and practice and not getting pissed off with a tune that is to someone, the best thing since sliced bread, and to you a pain in the arse coz you have heard it 100 times over lol

i dont think ive even answered your question Rock, lol this has been a stoned mumble lol
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LOL I didn't even ask a question I don't think! I wouldn't worry - most of my postings on here are a stoned mumble.

Whilst we're on this liquid dancefloor topic, here's a mix I did for Wizz's podcast a while back with a lot of this genre in it, with a few other flavours thrown in. Its quite a bit different from what I usually play really, but I remember being pretty happy with how it came out. Its got quite a lot of the mixes I mentioned above in it, feel free to check it out (y)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NFNNVVDM

T/L


Chase & Status – Brazil
Logistics – Together VIP
Commix - Be True
High Contrast – Days Go By
Brookes Brothers - Tear You Down
Nu:Tone – Balaclava
Break – Lead The Way
Commix – Bear Music
Chase & Status – Take Me Away
Eric Prydz – Pjanoo (High Contrast Remix)
Brookes Brothers – Dawn Treader
Chase & Status – Street Life
Commix – Electric
Nu:Logic – Trademark
Zinc – Take Me With You
Logistics – Cosmonought
Danny Byrd / Brookes Brothers – Gold Rush
 
its odd how 'Liquid' as a genre has soooooooo many different sounds, like again Spectrasoul, Calibre, Alix Perez, Mutt, Lenzman etc etc id set them apart again from what you have been mixing? i dunno maybe its all i my stoned little mind, checking out the PC now dude on the DL
 
Knowing your music is so key to mixing a nice mellow liquid set. I have a really dope liquid mix a did a few years back i should toss on the forum. Making sure vocals don't layer up, and the melodies aren't fighting is the hardest thing to do when sticking in a liquid genre.

Props to some great comments in this thread. Lots of really good info. Especially the comment of moving through different genres of dnb to create more variety, better moods, and easier transitions is very important to playing live, but if you want to do a solid liquid studio mix - it will require some planning.
 
Snipaz said:
its odd how 'Liquid' as a genre has soooooooo many different sounds, like again Spectrasoul, Calibre, Alix Perez, Mutt, Lenzman etc etc id set them apart again from what you have been mixing? i dunno maybe its all i my stoned little mind, checking out the PC now dude on the DL
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Yeah, those artists are some of my favourites. If I had to categorise them I'd probably say liquid funk meets icestep haha :D

And cheers bro, fedback appreciated (y)
 
I just buy what I like and find a way of mixing it all together, I like variety :)
 
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