Mixing Using Upfaders???

DJ Spliff

DJ Spliff

Never Enuff Vinyl
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Jul 14, 2009
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Cary, North Carolina
Recently I've gone from using my crossfader to using the upfaders to mix. I have also been focusing a lot latley on tweaking the EQs to fine tune a mix. Now having done both of these it feels like I've kind of gone back to square one and it's really frustrating. Sometimes no matter what I do my mix will sound like shit. Should I attribute this to certain tunes just not going together or can i fix certain clashes with the EQs or maybe bring an upfader down a little bit?

P.S - I know my mixes are in key. Do tunes in the same key still not go together sometimes?
 
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Have a look at DJ Noize's dnba performance (its on youtube), its got a top down view of the mixer which should help you out mate !
 
basically, you should have started mixing using channel volume controls. it gives you a lot smoother transitions into and out of a mix. the crossfader can be too abrupt. as for eq's, i would just suggest reading up on frequency ranges a bit. that should help you identify where you need to eq tunes when they're mixed together and remember the golden rule with eq is take away rather than add to make frequencies more audible.
 
DJ Spliff said:
Recently I've gone from using my crossfader to using the upfaders to mix. I have also been focusing a lot latley on tweaking the EQs to fine tune a mix. Now having done both of these it feels like I've kind of gone back to square one and it's really frustration. Sometimes no matter what I do my mix will sound like shit. Should I attribute this to certain tunes just not going together or can i fix certain clashes with the EQs or maybe bring an upfader down a little bit?

P.S - I know my mixes are in key. Do tunes in the same key still not go together sometimes?
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Yeah sometimes they dont go together the same as sometimes tunes not in the same key go together.
 
This is all a bit of trial and error really but I have felt your frustration myself, and I'm sure everyone else here has as well.

What I tend to do when I find a good mix, listen to the tracks individually and here what the levels in the song do, then can work the EQin into the mix. Also record little like 10minute mixes and listen back to it over and over and jot down what you think could be better and try again.

After a while you'll find your own style of EQin that can be blanked across the majority of tunes but there will always be things to tweak that are specific to every track, you jus need to know your tunes extremely well! When you do this will be a lot easier.

Hope that sorta helps.. Oh and the reason why you feel like you've gone back to square one is because your trying to achieve more now and expecting more from your mixes which is a proper good way to be!
 
Thanks to everyone who had some constructive feedback for me. I will most definetly look up Noize on youtube. I enjoy watching the DnB tvs for that same reason.
 
just an extra note: have you taken into consideration that two tunes recorded in the same key but at different bpm will not necessarily be in key when their speeds are the same!!
 
I've watched a bit of Noize's DnB TV. The first thing I noticed is that he is using the main gains. I always leave them alone. Do I need to incorporate them into EQ mixing as well? What's the general consensus on this?
 
All this mixing in key stuff gets to me a bit, if two tunes are in the same key, but one works around a minor scale and the other a major, they may sound awful together. If the tunes are in different keys, but the keys are harmonicly related then they could sound nice together.

Ellrots point is a good one, a tune thats in say, C major at 175bpm, wont still be in that key by the time its shifted to 178bpm for example, it may not be a long way out, but it'll be out.

The way I see it, is if a mix sounds nice, it sounds nice. If it sounds poor, it sounds poor, regardless of key.
 
motion audio said:
The way I see it, is if a mix sounds nice, it sounds nice. If it sounds poor, it sounds poor, regardless of key.
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Exactly this. Its a good guildline but thats about it imo, if you put in enough practice and know your tunes well then it shouldn't be a problem not knowing or using the key scales.
 
Definately man, sometimes it'll be useful, other times it could stop you finding a really nice mix because it doesnt look like it works on paper!
 
One time it really did shock me when I found out most of Pleasures tunes are in 7A which go sweet with stuff by Commix etc! I'd never think of trying that type of combo but after seeing it on paper, went to the decks, I was more than plesantly surprised! LOL
 
DJ Spliff said:
I've watched a bit of Noize's DnB TV. The first thing I noticed is that he is using the main gains. I always leave them alone. Do I need to incorporate them into EQ mixing as well? What's the general consensus on this?
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Its just fine tuning the volume of the track, just a preference used instead of making a tiny adjustment on the fader.



There used to be some threads on here "how to EQ" "how to dj" etc which you should read, some very good advice in them !
 
Russla-DJ said:
One time it really did shock me when I found out most of Pleasures tunes are in 7A which go sweet with stuff by Commix etc! I'd never think of trying that type of combo but after seeing it on paper, went to the decks, I was more than plesantly surprised! LOL
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Yeah bro i love mixing the jump up with a bit of liquid! Speaking of Commix jump up mix's.. Be True with Shimah- Strike Back is a beautiful mix! Bass off the jump up though standard!

And how do you all know so much about all this key stuff?! I have absolutely no idea!
 
I use the upfaders for cutting in and out of two tunes, and normally i EQ the bottom end off the old tune in a mix once they've both dropped together, or if it's a vocal i take out some mid range as well, seems to take most of the beat out without affecting the vocal too much.

I'm not too good when it comes to mixing in key so i either wait until one track has a ltitle breakdown/is near the end or stay away from mixing two tracks with a lot of harmony in it.
 
^^ Yup all makes sense to me, good advice (y)


muzzadj said:
Yeah bro i love mixing the jump up with a bit of liquid! Speaking of Commix jump up mix's.. Be True with Shimah- Strike Back is a beautiful mix! Bass off the jump up though standard!

And how do you all know so much about all this key stuff?! I have absolutely no idea!
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Dude you seriously won't believe how simple it all is, its not set in stone as dispite the keys matching it may still sound shit, but its a very handy thing to check if ever doing a proper demo or planning a set list.

Check it...

http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/information/harmonicmixing

BOH!
 
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