What makes a good mix?

[deadaelus]

Hey krew...

It is deadaelus aka dildar the terrible aka dylan (not the famous dylan but rather the infamous dylan) Just wanted to start a thread about Recorded Mixes...

What makes a good mix?

I know for myself i play off of a variety of styles, and my biggest problem sometimes is fitting in all the choons i want to rinse. Of course my problem would be solved if i could do a 4 hour mix, but that is really not enjoyable for anyone. I think a good mix is about 20 to 25 tracks mixed into a tight little 60 minute mix.

I always like to pitch a fluent style or story as i call it. All mixes should have a flow. ex.) start with something mellow like calibre, build up with commix, slam down some Teebee, get ridiculous with some hard ass BSE or shite from Renegade Hardware, plateau it out and calm the mix down with some deeper sounds like Ill Logic & Raf or Marcus Intalex. Either way the mix should carry a message or some energy with it. (the most boring mixes tend to overkill a particular style and drag on and on and on...)

Keep a general mix of old tunes with cutting edge promo's. I find this really works to get people grovin to a tune that they may have never heard before if the delivery comes off of something familiar (thats right boys, this gives you a reason to whip out the NINE again)

Of course having a well programmed mix is essential...that means you gotta plan the tracks you play. When i rock my radio show it is completely unscripted (albeit a good chance to find new power mixes) but this renders a variable success rate. Plan the mix end to end, have all the choons you want lined up in a pile.

Last but not least, dont be satisfied to hear yourself mix - believe me it gets boring after a while - record something you are proud of. Show you stuff. Your mix does not have to include rewinds, teasers and MC's to be good - tight mixing works just fine.

I wanna know what people think? If i got two loose mixes in a 25 track 60 minute mix are ya gonna go meh, or are ya gonna say that the mix had a bumpin flow with good tracks, BOH?

Just lookin for some input.


(PS: this thread could get insane if people think about a mix as long and hard as i do)

 

[BeyondTherapy]

mixing has no rules !!!!

style has no bounderies !!!

its each to there own as hay its an art form,be yourself behind a set of tables,play the music u like,

like everything in life theres never a set of records that will please everyone @ the same time ........

what makes a good mix .. ?

makes me laugh when people just download a big named dj set then complain on other threads mr so in so traincrashes all the time ??? ...[ cant be easy always mixing at max 10 infront of 10000 or so raving loonies anyway not the point ]

ive d/l in my time some amazing mixes from guys who just play in there rooms,not hungrey for fame n fortune not just placing up wk apon week of all there latest dubs/whites etc etc [ look what i got ooow wow! ] fook off ... anyone can do that just got to have money in your pocket !!!

like i say / if your serious about placing something speacil up !!

take your time / see if the records if u mix go together / personaly nothing worse than hearing clashing vocals and if u dont mix traincrashing beats and if u do mix learning some records just dont go together even if there beat matched !!!! / alot of guys do cd covers that can be downloaded [ nice touch in my eyes ] / some even give times of tracks where there mixed !! / dont place the mix on a yousendit link !! 25 hits !! ghey !! theres alot of people like myself who travel the world finding links on so many boards around the world that it pointless us touching it and spreading it ?? it goes to quick / if u havent your own web space to load it use megaupload/sendspace/rapidshare they last for a life time if u get the hits ../

my personal view on mixes is i dont care if its back 2 back old or new separte or whatever / its about mood im in,i will download from what mood im in,doesnt matter if its a big or small dj / helpful if it has a t/l ofcourse dnb is about the tree of beats so i dont always listen 2 dnb ,most of the time i do but theres days i think ssshhh !! 2 it

anyway id say to you fup it and fup what people think bro,get your ass behind your dex,do a mix your happy with and if u make yourself happy doing it then nothing lost,cant be anything worse than seeing someone upload one of there hot mixes full of the latest plastic etc etc and they say on the thread sorry for the claggs i wasnt in the mood or blah blah ........ fix up !! if your proud then it a bonus if u please more than yourself ...

get a mix up !!!!! [ standard ]

tpi

 

[BeyondTherapy]

sir gunna do if theres enough people wanting a 15 min taster mix fun thing / fingers crossed via 15 mins people can quickly d/l a mix u have done a get a feel on your record choice and mixing skills then if u choose to upload a 1-2 hr thing people will know how u get down and this will help you and your mix get hits fingerscrossed

info in the general section of this forum ...

15min mixes can be placed up when the thread gets made in the tracklisting/mixes pages on this site ok ...

join in sir ..goodluck and have fun

 

[mesh]

deadaelus I really agree with all you said, and it is all about track selection. I love tight mixing, as we all do, and pride myself on trying to get it right everytime, but if you get a speed wobble or two in a nice mix people will be cool, I reckon.
Just don't say "heres my mix but its got a couple of speed wobbles in it" cos people are picky on what they D/L with so much choice. And thats cool too.
The thing is, will YOU be happy with putting up a mix with speed wobbles, regardles of what others think?

 

[Dustek]

What makes a good mix?

A sense of direction and excitement. This comes from having a vibe for the floor, choosing the right records and mixing them competently.

Its easier to say what elements don't make a good mix but too many djs think do:

1) perfect mixing
2) playing all the latest dubplates
3) having 200 records with you
4) trying to be Andy C
5) trying to be Hype
6) playing in the redline
7) playing at the same speed all the time (or just increasing the speed constantly)
8) never playing a track older than 2 weeks

A dj who traincrashes The Nine to a full floor 10 times the dj who never drops a beat to a quarter full floor playing records stolen from Grooverider's dubplate fortress hideout.

I hate recording a mix with a wobble or crash but if I have one on the floor and the punters don't fuck off, I don't care.

 

[El Prophet]

tune selection in a certain order depending on the tunes your playing to build the crowd up and keep em there i think is a big part of it,

smooth mixes with crisp switches, clever tricks & switches and of course a few smart double drops


but then again none of this dont mean shit, you could be the shitest dj in the world but as long as your playing hot tunes they want theyll think your the best

 

[Sammy Dexcell]

no no no no no!
A Good Dj Will Always Ensure;

1. That the VERY first tune they drop, MUST be a double drop. Preferably new tune with old tune. (this makes u come out guns swingin and the crowd will love it)

2. Make sure each tune you bring in double drops if not make the switch un-noticable (that makes a good dj) only if u have to and i mean have to, then do a SWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!

3. it doesnt matter if the tune you bring in doesnt double as long as you have acknowleged it before and decided to either filter it back in or cut the bass out etc ( This also makes a good dj) theres no point in playin a quite bit of a tune with a drop, unless doing it that way sounds better than a well thought out an executed double drop! (99% of the time its better to double)

4. Make sure your selection is chosen carefully (not a snatch and grab with your vinyl collection) and always bring in a few old school anthem tunes.

5. And Finally.......THE key to a good dnb dj, enjoy yourself!!

well theres a few tips there remember always strive to be better than andy c! and mix it up a little listen to loads of sets and grab ideas from everywhere keep practicing and soon you'll be the next andy on the headline of all the flyers.

safe! 8)

 

[mesh]

no no no no no!
A Good Dj Will Always Ensure;

1. That the VERY first tune they drop, MUST be a double drop. Preferably new tune with old tune. (this makes u come out guns swingin and the crowd will love it)

2. Make sure each tune you bring in double drops if not make the switch un-noticable (that makes a good dj) only if u have to and i mean have to, then do a SWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!

)

this rules out pretty much all of the sets i've heard in my entire life, and i'm hard pressed not to call it rubbish.

 

[sdm]

this rules out pretty much all of the sets i've heard in my entire life, and i'm hard pressed not to call it rubbish.

Yeah, gone are the days where a tune dropping on it's own is heavy enough, it's silly.

Still I can't talk, when playing a Jump-up/dance floor style set I like to double drop and tease, the crowd always love it.

 

[mesh]

I'm usually in that crowd with a big grin, but I seriously dont wanna hear a set built on it.

 

[sdm]

I'm usually in that crowd with a big grin, but I seriously dont wanna hear a set built on it.

Certainly not, I like to think I do my own thing hehe. I don't hear many (if any!) other DJ's in my area play some of the tunes I play in a set, I'm quite proud of that!

 

[Radius]

This might spark off a few critisims, but this obsession with double dropping. ...sometimes it sounds good, most of teh time it sounds messy. At least choose 2 basslines that don't just make a messy noise !!! Also develop your own style of mixing, find other tricks ( easier said than done and I do double drop, just not my whole set)
As for pre planned stes...good to a point, and all teh routines ( teasing etc) all well and good, but there is nothing more rewarding than doing that shit offa da toppa da dome..( you know off the cuff , on the spot ). I've found that where I practice a set through 3 or 4 times before recording it, it looses teh spontniaty and feel of the original.
Also cussing someone for trying to keep upfront....although it doesn't make a dj good, and any 1 tune doesn't make a set,BUT fairplay to those who do spend their hard eaned cash on fresh beats...they're keeping the scene going. But don't have a big head just cos you copped hold of something a few weeks before eveyone else, cos teh big boys have already played it for a year !!
Gwan all the DJ's who are gonna put up a 15 minute set for us !!

 

[El Prophet]

no no no no no!
A Good Dj Will Always Ensure;

1. That the VERY first tune they drop, MUST be a double drop. Preferably new tune with old tune. (this makes u come out guns swingin and the crowd will love it)

2. Make sure each tune you bring in double drops if not make the switch un-noticable (that makes a good dj) only if u have to and i mean have to, then do a SWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!

3. it doesnt matter if the tune you bring in doesnt double as long as you have acknowleged it before and decided to either filter it back in or cut the bass out etc ( This also makes a good dj) theres no point in playin a quite bit of a tune with a drop, unless doing it that way sounds better than a well thought out an executed double drop! (99% of the time its better to double)

4. Make sure your selection is chosen carefully (not a snatch and grab with your vinyl collection) and always bring in a few old school anthem tunes.

5. And Finally.......THE key to a good dnb dj, enjoy yourself!!

well theres a few tips there remember always strive to be better than andy c! and mix it up a little listen to loads of sets and grab ideas from everywhere keep practicing and soon you'll be the next andy on the headline of all the flyers.

safe! 8)

theres nothing creative about double dropping every tune that would be the most repetitive set iv ever heard strive to be better than andy c or try to be andy c, grabbin ideas from others sets, whats wrong with being original

 

[El Prophet]

Of course having a well programmed mix is essential...that means you gotta plan the tracks you play. When i rock my radio show it is completely unscripted (albeit a good chance to find new power mixes) but this renders a variable success rate. Plan the mix end to end, have all the choons you want lined up in a pile.

if u you have a special mix be it a double drop or smart switch or really clever trick anything that makes you original then remember it, but as far as playing a set goes say ur playing all liquid and there not liking it well then your stuffed, also try and play different tunes to everyone else

 

[Sammy Dexcell]

you guys obviously know nothing of the crunch!

 

[Dustek]

1. That the VERY first tune they drop, MUST be a double drop. Preferably new tune with old tune. (this makes u come out guns swingin and the crowd will love it)

2. Make sure each tune you bring in double drops if not make the switch un-noticable (that makes a good dj) only if u have to and i mean have to, then do a SWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!

Nope. There are plenty of wonderful tracks that deserve to come in clear without a double drop mixing things up. Also people need to take a rest, drink a beer and say hello that junglette and if the tracks are double dropping one after the other you get a house dj ecstacy chain... and collapsing punters. Sometimes a moment of silence will make the floor explode. Sometimes a blatant switch will make the floor explode. Sometimes a double drop but they are getting boring.

 

[Dustek]

Of course having a well programmed mix is essential...that means you gotta plan the tracks you play. When i rock my radio show it is completely unscripted (albeit a good chance to find new power mixes) but this renders a variable success rate. Plan the mix end to end, have all the choons you want lined up in a pile.

I just noticed this and I absolutely do not agree. This is completely wrong.

A radio set can and perhaps should be programmed. You're there to set out some tunes, educate people and keep them happy on their arses. Good djs have scripted radio shows (since they're playing a programme) but react to listeners (if they're very nice).

You do NOT program dance floor sets.

The needs and dynamics of a dance floor are completely different. You're there to keep people dancing and you have no certain idea beforehand what they're going to react to and how they're going to react. The dj has to go with the flow, otherwise he might have just as well sent in a mix cd. There is nothing sadder than a dj who comes in with a list, plays its and fucks off home regardless of the floor. That's why some people complain about the djs that don't look at the crowd & don't seem to be reacting - the vibe disappears.

You can plan in advance (at home and then behind the mix) what you'd like to drop BUT it has to be spontaneous and you have to be vibing with the crowd. You might have a rough order figured out but you have to be able to react.

You have to be technically competent to keep the mix going no matter what you're dropping especially in reaction to the floor. You cannot practise a set list of tracks beforehand and then go out and try and play it back (see the mix cd suggestion).

The best gigs have the dj & the floor fucking with each other's heads, getting each other high on the beats and provoking each other. This is dance music not a symphony orchestra or Spice Girls concert. Having said that, Tiesto plays 'dance' music but its scripted shit for poppers.

The dj is for the floor. Not the other way around.

 

[djsigh]

make sure you tell a story..

 

[djsigh]

ps. make sure your into what your playing.. because if it doesn't look like your into it.. your crowd won't be.

 

[jboulders]

someone who doesnt just pigeontail all his intros together, and knows how to acctually use the mixer!!