Last ditch attempt.....really appreciate some advice guys. Mixing nightmares!

5AMBO

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Been trying to learn to mix for ages now and really not grasping it. Getting to the point of thinking of just selling up on all my kit.

I think I am struggling for a number of reasons.....

I have never played an instrument before nor understand music patterns and struggle to count beats and bars.........still a mish mash to me.

I think I am trying to beat match before grasping more basic skills/knowledge but with no real steer from anyone, I am guessing all the time....picking the wrong tunes etc.

Basically in need of some serious help lol. Please dont say practise....I have tried. I think more than anything, I could just do with a few simple tips from peeps and advice before I go insane!
 
Start off simple man. Jumping into the deep end is sure fire way of becoming disillusioned.

What set up you got?


And just the fact your considering giving up shows lack of passion. Which i frown upon. Like this:

obama-frown.jpg
 
use chemical records to find the keys of your songs...similar keys will usually mix much nicer compared to songs in drastically different keys.
Try mixing records with the same bpm at first...just practice using the pitch/platter getting them in time then move onto different tempo's and try to get the beats matched again.
Most songs have a snare on 2 and 4 so try and line up the snares on both tracks however this isnt always the case.
Cue songs in 16bars apart - there is usually a variation at the end of a 16 bar sequence to help you know when a 16 bar sequence is finishing.

would be able to be more specific if you said what setup you were using to mix with?
 
start 2 tunes that both begin with a beat and try keep em in time
then go from there?
 
Start off simple man. Jumping into the deep end is sure fire way of becoming disillusioned.

What set up you got?


And just the fact your considering giving up shows lack of passion. Which i frown upon. Like this:

obama-frown.jpg

I keeeeep trying but i think my prob is that Im jumping into trying to beat match tunes that I am picking out my collection at random with little knowledge of how to select songs that pair up well. I think I just need to start with some simpler things to get to know song patterns better perhaps and get a better feel for it.
 
start 2 tunes that both begin with a beat and try keep em in time
then go from there?

this^
and i know you said dont say it but heres that word again, practise AND research!
look at videos, listen to mixes ect ect. literally anything. ther is some good threads on this very forum that you could learn bars ect on, just search for em.
keep a it, youll will get it eventually, just dont lose hope
 
I'd like to suggest that you get two copies of the same record. I also think that it is easiest to learn to mix with something with a lower tempo then dnb and with a 4/4 kick drum. So two copies of a house track would be the easiest to mix with IMO, especially if you are struggling to count beats and bars this will teach you to count the four beats to a bar.

Even though I knew how to mix for a few years before I got into dnb, when I started to mix drum & bass it took me a while to get the basics of mixing it and I'm still not very great when it comes to mixing it, though I'm good with most other styles.

Oh and watch the ellaskin's (DJTutor) vids on YouTube, beginners and experienced folks alike find them to be useful (although some of the techniques he comes up with are rather odd IMO)
 
Yeah man don't give in, try finding two tunes with the same bpm and practice keeping them in time and getting a feel for holding a mix, i learnt to mix garage first as my mate had a handfull of records all at 140 bpm, so I'd play around with them for ages first.
 

watch this
practise
have fun

everything else will fall into place after this trust me!
you dont need any musical knowledge/experience to learn.

all matey's other videos are very helpfull too
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top Bottom