dj nerves

[Blackdown]

i just did an 'all mala' mix as a present, first time i've tried hard to beatmix in a while, six month or so since Japan and the Bleep thing in the Coronet. it turned out ok in the end.

planning sets is essential. i mean, why not? as long as you dont show the crowd your bpm chart and dont assume because two records were +4 apart in your house that the two tunes sounding like a galloping horse troupe must be in synch (aka using your ears) then you'll be fine.

beat mixing is essentially an iterative process of matching the tempo and the bar cycles of two records. you can explain it in about ten steps and as people said upthread, you can learn to do it in weeks. production, now that's another kettle of fish, sadly...

 

[petergunn]

Has anyone got any advice on short cuts to give the impression of beat matching?

quick cuts are the key...

if you can't beat match to save your life, practice quick cuts, i.e. at the end of a bar in one song, slam the crossfader over and release the second song... yes, the tempos won't be the same, but it sounds better than a slow fade...

 

[Guybrush]

Beatmixing is one of the most potent tools in the skilled DJ's armoury, it should not be disregarded as ‘wanking for the like-minded’, or what have you. The way I see it, it fills three functions: 1) It prevents dancers from leaving the floor by locking them into a hypnoticesque groove, 2) It makes it possible to mix songs from wildly disparate genres while preserving a common thread (the tempo, the groove), 3) The DJ who is adept at it exudes assurance and a titillating virility (‘You can serenely confide in me. As is obvious, I've done this many times before; you will indulge’ ). This last point chimes with what Droid wrote upthread (‘theres no reason to think the crowd wont notice fuck ups in the mix.’), and I furthermore agree on that the opposite opinion (‘it's all about the tunes, maaan’) is one of the most shop-worn phrases out there (people who say this are generally crap both at mixing and at sequencing). Beatmixing on a big system is infinitely harder than doing it at home, but the difference gets much less stark if you get used to mixing with just the headphones (i.e. without using a monitor).

 

[petergunn]

Beatmixing on a big system is infinitely harder than doing it at home, but the difference gets much less stark if you get used to mixing with just the headphones (i.e. without using a monitor).

i learned this way as well, the problem is not all mixers allow you to control the volume between channels when cueing, so sometimes one track is much louder than the other and thus hard to mix well...

 

[Guybrush]

i learned this way as well, the problem is not all mixers allow you to control the volume between channels when cueing, so sometimes one track is much louder than the other and thus hard to mix well...

Yes, that's true. I usually try to work around this by amplifying the "weak" track with its channel EQ while matching the two records (a razor-sharp hi-hat is a handier, and often better, reference than a muddled mid-heavy mush, for example), restoring everything to normality just before I let it into the mix.

 

[DJ PIMP]

hihats are great for beatmixing. you kind of hear them tune together as they get in time?

mind you, now that i can beatmap a tune in traktor in about the same time it took me to lock in pitch on vinyl, i don't care.

 

[Logan Sama]

I went with Jammer to Westwood's show.

I had to play records for him.

They have the CDs and Decks on some random allignment of channels on that miixer

That was fun working them out on the fly

 

[nomos]

sounds like a nightmare.

 

[elgato]

I think a couple of drinks is the way forward. I never ever blaze before a gig, it makes me too introverted, and can make me feel sort of vulnerable. Wheras with a small number of drinks you can just let it out. I think good djing is a lot about flow and confidence, often if you flop a mix in a major way it takes a massive step to get back into good mixing, and a drink can help to keep a flow I find.

I do also think its helpful just not to care too much. Not to the point of contempt, but just seeing it for what it is… playing tunes to a crowd of people who want to have a dance. Theyre not there to judge you or root against you, they want you to smack it, and have fun. I would disagree that most people notice poor beatmatching, in my experience observing crowds most simply do not clock it. But either way its kind of by-the-by, in my opinion the gains of having the confidence boost will in most cases far outweigh any carelessness which results.

 

[Guybrush]

I would disagree that most people notice poor beatmatching, in my experience observing crowds most simply do not clock it.

This is true, but what I was hinting at upthread was that I think they react to bad mixing in a subconscious way (or rather: they react to good mixing in a subconscious way). A good mixer, much like a good lover, exudes a natural confidence that makes the dance floor relax and let loose. You can accomplish this without being a good mixer (and you can be a good mixer without beatmixing), but it helps matters immeasurably.

 

[elgato]

This is true, but what I was hinting at upthread was that I think they react to bad mixing in a subconscious way (or rather: they react to good mixing in a subconscious way). A good mixer, much like a good lover, exudes a natural confidence that makes the dance floor relax and let loose. You can accomplish this without being a good mixer (and you can be a good mixer without beatmixing), but it helps matters immeasurably.

i agree 100%. i guess my point is that if you see the crowd as a room full of razor-eared pedants then you're not going to feel confident, and i see confidence as key to good performance (for me anyhow). but i certainly agree on the subconscious issue

 

[PopMobile]

Hahahhahaha this thread is funny. Brought back a lot of memories

My first paid set was in summer 1994 on my 17th birthday at a club called The Steering Wheel in Birmingham. For the first few records, my hands were shaking so uncontrollably that I could hardly move the pitch slider. I had the shakey hands thing for the next few times I played. Then a few months later I got to play a little club in Wolverhampton where there was a really good atmosphere and friendly crowd. I pulled off a wicked first mix (Real Love by Asend & Ultravibe into The Helicopter Tune, since you're asking) - crowd went mad, got the rewind, and I never had shakey hands again after that!

 

[nomos]

so it went pretty well, all things considered. i had no monitor at all (booth or headphones) and the sound in the room was kind of muddy so neither me nor the small crowd could tell if the beats were quite matched or not. that and beer took the edge off a bit. now we're talking about doing a monthly

 

[minikomi]

i think well mixed badly sequenced sets are much worse than unmixed well thought out sets..


(glad to hear it went well eh!)

 

[Blackdown]

so it went pretty well, all things considered. i had no monitor at all (booth or headphones) and the sound in the room was kind of muddy so neither me nor the small crowd could tell if the beats were quite matched or not. that and beer took the edge off a bit. now we're talking about doing a monthly

gwann paul!

basically with beatmixing in general, it's better to avoid it until you know you'll be fine than to clang badly thinking its ok. just fading and cutting is fine esp if your selection is on point.

 

[nomos]

thanks guys!

if your selection is on point.

it was all quite new for most of the people there so i ran the gamut from 'gorgon sound' and hatcha's 'bashment' to 'curious' and shack's 'new dawn' (that's a really jackin' one isn't it?) with lots of dmz and skream, plus some terror danjah and eski stuff thrown in as well.

 

[wonk_vitesse]

the falling paint moment

I think Blackdown sums it pretty well. played a squat do last night and got incredibly nervous a few hours before but actually DJing was fine, everyone there was really into it, you messing up a mix isn't gonna ruin their evening.

Mind you it was quite comical that this particular Zombie breakcore track seemed to make the paint start falling off the ceiling

Sure enough a noise abatement notice was served half way through the next DJs set, i felt quite chuffed!

 

[Parson]

shaky hands are the worst

still happens to me at the most random times, even after djing fairly regularly for about 9 years

the best remedy i find is to be very prepared and don't smoke

 

[zhao]

to be very prepared and don't smoke

ha! I always want to be "very prepared" but always turns out the gig is in 1 hour and I'm rummaging through my piles of music... I did prepare for the pan sonic show this summer and that turned out awesome.

when I'm mixing are the rare occasions that I do smoke... nothing like weed and turntables!

 

[Pangaea]

nothing like weed and turntables!

I definately like a smoke and a mix...but only whilst mixing at home. I get pretty damn nervous on the rare occasions I've played out. Remember doing my first set when I was 16 to a pretty packed room and hardly being able to put the needle on If there's any kind of audience I'll get the old shaky hands it seems...