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Forum: Music discussion

Topic: I must study to mix?

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Hello.I am a new user of Atomixmp3.I am trying to mix songs with the program but it is very difficult for me.

As I see it,I must know all the structures of the songs before mixing them(for example how many beats there are before a part in which there are no beats,etc...)

My method to mix is the following.First I hear the song and I write down all the structure(I write things like "8888 8888 8888 ....)to know when I have to put songs together.
However it takes a lot of time but It is the only manner (for me)to make good mixes becouse i know what is going to happen.
Second,once I have analysed 10 or 20 songs I start to mix.

What I want to know is:I am wasting my time doing that or I am doing things well? I mean,is there any other manner of knowing songs?Is there fixed structures in which I can include songs?

please answer me soon.If you know some Web with help please tell me!!!

Thanks for everything

 

Inviato Fri 21 Dec 01 @ 12:21 pm
I wouldn't say you have to study so much as practice, practice, practice. First of all, do what I did, find a DJ and get him/her to teach you the basics, but do not try to emulate their style, you will find your own style and way of doing things as you learn. This is what makes every DJ unique.

Once you know the basics, you can be left alone to find your own level. Through trial and error, you will discover the rights and wrongs of mixing, you will start to intuitively know which tunes will and won't mix, and you will develop a style that works for you.

It is very difficult to explain the basics with words, as you really need to be with the person in front of some decks showing them, and letting them hear what's going on. Despite this, one thing that you must understand is the structure of the music you play - if you are planning on mixing house/club/dance music, you need to realise that every tune will follow basic rules and be made up of basic elements. You are halfway there when you right down the beat sequences, but this is unnecessary, with practice you will 'hear' the beat sequences and know when a break is coming on, or whn the chorus is going to start, etc...

Other people on here can explain about the beat segments better than I can, as I tend to just know from listening to the tune and, if necessary, counting the beats down, as they usually come in 16 or 32 beat sequences. Each being split into bars of 4 beats, so a 16 beat sequence has 4 bars of 4 beats (if I'm wrong moderators, please feel free to edit this message as necessary).

When I first started out on the long road of DJ'ing, I didn't know anything about the structure of tunes and so didn't know when to bring tunes in, when to fade them out, or when choruses were coming up. After I learned this, it was a lot easier, but I still had to concentrate and really think about it. Now I just listen to the tune and I know what is happening instinctively, it's hard to imagine this before it happens to you. You begin to think "I'll never be able to do this" and so on.... but you will learn. And once you can do it, the real fun begins. DJ'ing never gets boring.

90% of mixing is knowing your music. It is always good to listen to tunes before you play them and mix them, this way you can work out which tunes will go together nicely. Regarding knowing when chorusus or silences come up on a tune, vinyl DJ's look at the record itself and search for the 'smooth' areas where there appear to be no grooves on the record. This shows where parts of low-activity (chorus/vocals) or silence are. With Atomix, you can just play the tune in the headphones and keep forwarding it until you find a chorus/silence, then you know where it is and it only takes a few seconds to do.

Anyways, apologies for such a long, rambling message, people keep telling me to remember I'm writing messages - not essays... :o)

Hope this helps a bit.
 

Inviato Fri 21 Dec 01 @ 2:42 pm
I made a typo (so much for my proof-reading...):

"You are halfway there when you right down the beat sequences, but this........"

Should have been:

"You are halfway there when you WRITE down the beat sequences, but this......."

Me thinks MixMaster needs to go back to school for a while... ;o)
 

Inviato Fri 21 Dec 01 @ 2:48 pm
When mixing with this prog (like dual CD players), start looking or listening to mix in the 2nd song when the 1st song has about 1 minute left! This doesn't always work, but I would say 95% of the time.

You still need to learn the beat count and your songs, but this gives you a starting point! Good Luck!

 

Inviato Fri 21 Dec 01 @ 3:27 pm
ikkeHome userMember since 2003
That's true: try to pre-listen the next song. What you're curently doing is also VERY important. As a DJ you really HAVE to know your songs, their structure, their BPM, how many beats each part, etc. There are many DJ's who don't realise this, and they'll never learn to make GOOD mixes, I'm sorry.

Greetz, and just go on. Stay practising.
Ikke
 

Inviato Fri 21 Dec 01 @ 5:51 pm
Anothe GREAT thing which helps me....

Listen to other Dj's Perform (live to air on radio...clubs..etc)

Listen to when the mix in and out and to their techniques in general.

When i started using atomix...i knew crap....so with the combination of teaching myself and listening to others DJ's....it is a piece of cake.

After you get really good...you can get into advanced things like harmonic mixing etc.

This will definately help you.

Cheers.
DJ DVP
 

Inviato Sun 23 Dec 01 @ 5:07 pm
dj2nvHome userMember since 2004
with house and clubby-house there is almost always a breakdown at about the 2 mins remainin point...
If U can.... drop the beginning of ur 2nd song right at the end of the break-down.... because followin the 16beat sequence that producers usually use the 2nd song will build up as the 1st finishes up....

kinda like
1ST song -------\________________/----------------
2ND Song --------/--------/


where ___ =breakdown
---- = music
/ = a build up
= a build down (couldn't think of a better word soz)


the diagram is a LITTLE vague but i hope it helpz

.::DJ2nV::.
there is no formula to becomin a good DJ just 1 principle.. PRACTISE PRACTISE & MORE PRACTISE!!!!!
 

Inviato Mon 24 Dec 01 @ 1:09 am
dj2nvHome userMember since 2004
the diagram got stuffed wen i posted the message
i will attempt to illustrate it again....

1st song ________________/------------------------
2nd song --------/--------/--------/


.::DJ2nV::.
 

Inviato Mon 24 Dec 01 @ 1:12 am
dj2nvHome userMember since 2004
the pic is stuffed
soz i cant write it out
plz ignore it
i'll only confuse you
.::DJ2nV::.
 

Inviato Mon 24 Dec 01 @ 1:13 am
ikkeHome userMember since 2003
I think, this is a good way to illustrate a mix. Maybe the team could try to implement a function in this site to easily create such a diagram. I don't know if that's possible.

Greetz, ikke
 

Inviato Mon 24 Dec 01 @ 10:09 am
SyfoonHome userMember since 2001
All I can say is... listen to your songs.. listen to almost stupid amount, so much so that you know it by heart, so you get no suprises. Also, know the "vibe". so when the crowd is begging for more, you can throw them into a frenzy! Most (nigh on all) top name DJ's aren't actually superbly skilled with the tables, they can just read the crowd very well...

I'd also say, I wouldn't write down (I think thats what your doing) how many beats til the mix, do it by time (Left or gone), but its easier to just... know the tunes...

Ah well, I've wasted everyone time :P

I'll get my coat

Bren (Syfoon)

http://www.syfoon.com/
 

Inviato Mon 31 Dec 01 @ 2:33 am
Hi, ive read those comments and even tried to understand that diagram, WTF ? hehe ...

Anyways, a very good and intuitive site is www.recess.co.uk
Theres some really good tutorials for beginners (especially one on tune structure, which is very handy if you are struggling)

Its a good read anyways, Laterz !!
 

Inviato Tue 08 Jan 02 @ 5:04 pm
Grab couple of beers and sit down... :D
You have to feel and don't know the songs!

Don't try to mix songs with big bpm difference.
First time you have to tray to use songs with same bpm later you will notice you can slow down the mixes or speed it up.
Last 20 second is enough for mix the songs. (usuly)
If you want to make a slow part at night the best way to let the song finish then put the slow song. (I hope you'll undestand it :D sorry for poor grammar)

The force and music be with you!
 

Inviato Sun 13 Jan 02 @ 4:08 pm
Hey people thanks a lot for your advices.I have just completed my first session and it has a duration of 77 minutes more or less and it sounds very cool.I am very proud!!!!!
I have included 25 tracks with almost all the actual tracks that are succeding in Spain(I am Spanish!!!!!)

Thanks again!!!!

If you want to contact me my e-mail is the following:
"chuchon75@hotmail.com"
 

Inviato Mon 14 Jan 02 @ 9:13 pm
Nah studying is unecessary. The most stdy U need 2 do is to listen to ure music. Practicing helps you to learn the structure of different tracks and you will find that very soon you will almost memorise them without even trying. I only mix extended commercial dance/club/hi-nrg tracks and i have found that most share a similar structure which i will attemp to explain:

Most club tracks can be disected into 5 main parts. These are the:
1. Intro (build up)
2. Main rythm
3. Vocal build up
4. Main rythm returned
5. Conclusion

^intro (build up)^main rythm^vocal build up point^main rythm^conclusion (build down)^

Basically, the next track should enter at the conclusion stage of the track so that the conclusion of the first song finishes at the same time that the intro of the second sont finishes. Therefore the current playing track will build down while the upcoming track builds up, creating a flowing effect as they do in the clubs. To achieve this, you must time the intro and ending periods of each track and mix those which have around the same length intros and ends.
Inros & conclusions can also be divided into 2 parts:
1. A soft beat
2. A harder beat (usually finishing with a drum fill)
The difference is, in an intro the soft beat comes before the harder beat, while in the conclusion it occurs in the opposite way.

I hope that I have helped you get a better idea of the structures of songs and when to mix them.
Dj Bresc.
 

Inviato Fri 01 Feb 02 @ 12:45 pm


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