Friday Five: The Art Of The Perfect Mixtape

In this week’s Friday Five, we’re leading with a feature from Decoded Magazine where deck whiz James Zabiela shares his tips for creating the ultimate mixtape. We’ve also got pieces from Electronic Beats, Resident Advisor and Mixmag. Have a good weekend ahead!

1. The Art Of The Mixtape – James Zabiela goes deep and explains the process and thinking that went behind making his latest “Balance” mixtape. Lots of great tips and creative workflow strategies in this piece from Decoded Magazine Read more
2. Are You Making Any Of These B2B Set Errors? – Yes, there is such a thing as B2B etiquette when it comes to sharing the booth with another DJ during a set. Mixmag lists some common mistakes that DJs make: be sure you don’t commit any of them the next time you go back to back with a buddy Read more
3. How AI Is Changing The Way We Make Music – Though we’re still quite far from a “Terminator” or “The Matrix” scenario where robots rule humanity, big strides have been made in artificial intelligence and it’s starting to have an effect on various creative industries including music. Electronic Beats has it Read more
4. Why Pay A Ghost Producer When You Can Make Your Own Track? – Making your own track is a huge part of the artistic journey of being a DJ/producer, and getting that tune in your head out into the world is one of the most creative and fulfilling things you can do. Check out this story from Mixmag on how ghost producers make beats using cheap gear. If someone with an old PC and headphones can do it, so can you! Read more
5. How To Troubleshoot Turntables At Clubs – Even though you’re more likely to see CDJs and controllers than turntables these days, some clubs still have a pair of Technics set up in the booth. They can be tricky, so this piece by Resident Advisor explores the caveats and bugbears to look out for and how to deal with them Read more

Feel free to comment on any of the articles in the section below.