mixtapes | Digital DJ Tips

March 17th, 2013 Training

Over To You: How Do I Get People To Listen To My Mixes?

by Phil Morse

DJ mixes on the Mixcrate site. But, our reader wonders, how does he get more people to listen to his online mixes – and to listen to them to the end?

Digital DJ Tips reader Westage asks: “My problem is to get my audience listen to my sets. I mean, I am constantly producing new mixes with a big time investment but many of my followers are only listening to parts of them, something my stats show. I think getting your followers to hear your stuff is very important for a DJ’s career because it is your business card, sort of.

“In other genres like photography of course it is very easy because you only have to pin your photos on your Facebook wall and it is done, but listening to a DJ set is much more time-consuming. I know there won’t be a universal answer that applies to all DJs but I would really like to brainstorm how to make mixes more attractive to people.”

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September 11th, 2011 Training

Over To You: Tips For Digitising Old Mixtapes

by Phil Morse

Phil has 50 or 60 old mixes that he did when he was cutting his teeth as a rookie DJ, and now he wants to rip them to digital. Can you help him to make the best possible job if it?

It’s a very special “Over To You” today. Digital DJ Tips publisher and editor Phil Morse (that’s me) writes: “I have recently uncovered about 60 mixes on cassette tape that I made in the early-to-mid 90s, and I want to rip them to digital.

“As you’d guess the quality is pretty poor, but I have a hi-fi cassette deck I’ve borrowed from a friend, and I plan to rip them using Audacity and then normalise and de-hiss them. Finally, I think I’m going to post the to Mixcrate for posterity, because I can’t be bothered working out all the track lists to post them to Mixcloud!”

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February 9th, 2011 DJ Culture

5 Reasons Why DJs Should Make Mash-ups (Not Mixtapes) To Get Bookings

by Phil Morse

With so many mix CDs now becoming landfill, maybe it's time to stop handing out CDs and start making mash-ups to get DJ bookings. Pic: steffenz

Something curious has happened over the past few years – the DJ mixtape has lost pretty much all of its currency as a tool for DJs to get gigs with. (And by “mixtape” I mean, of course, any kind of DJ mix, be it on CD, SoundCloud, podcast or – gasp – even on tape.)

Even when they do seem to work, and a promoter says “yeah, I’ve listened to your mix, I’ll give you a go”, believe me, 9 times out of 10 he hasn’t. Instead, he’s checked your Facebook following, or booked you because of your drive and professionalism, not your music.

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October 17th, 2010 DJ Culture

Best of the Rest: DJ Stories from the Web

by Phil Morse

Dj Gifford Noel, better known as DJ Trend, who was found dead in his bedroom on his 32nd birthday.

UK rap star Dizzee Rascal has paid tribute to DJ Gifford Noel, who was found dead at his apartment in Tenerife, Spain, on his 32nd birthday.

The drum and bass bass DJ, who was better known as TNT and DJ Trend, came to the public’s attention through his collaborations with the Sugababes and the aforementioned Rascal. He was due to celebrate his birthday with friends last Friday – but upon arriving at his home, they found his body in his bedroom. Spanish police have since said that his death was from natural causes.

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September 17th, 2010 DJ Culture

The Definitive Guide To Making a Mixtape – Part 5

by Phil Morse

Brownie points if you can tell us what this is! Photo: zigazou76

All this week, Digital DJ Tips is dedicated to helping you to make better mixtapes. On Monday we showed you how to assemble a fantastic shortlist of tunes for your mix. On Tuesday, we looked at how to plan your mix. On Wednesday we actually recorded it, and yesterday we looked at mastering and burning your mix. To end with, today we’ll help you with ideas about how to get your mix out there to the people.

Do let us know how you get on, and if you’re itching to get going, why not commit now to spending this weekend getting a mix finished and out the door?

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