Silvercue Master

cool – shout here or on soundcloud and I will take a listen 🙂

Thanks for the kind words about my mixing.   The way I get the mixes  tight is down to a few things:

1. Bet mixing must be perfect – I find this quite easy.    I have only been digital djing a couple of months, but used to dj on decks years ago, so understand the principles required.

2. I understand how to mix songs in terms of when to cue and what elements to mix and when to drop the outgoing tune.

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3.I make sure I never mix sounds that will not sound good no matter how in sych/time they are.

4, I try to keep sounds “clean” – don’t have loads of noises clashing when mixing – never have 2 basslines that are “fighting ” each other.  In another of my mixes you can hear an example of where two songs are playing together and when one bassline kicks in I simply drop the bass only on the outgoing track – this can sometimes create an amazing transition for example without clashing basslines.  I don’t mix like that often – it is just one technique that works in certain situations…other times it sounds poor.

4. Know what songs go well togethor

5. Know what sounds go well togethor

6. I use various different techniques to mix, not the same type each time.

7. I often introduce elements of percussion (with bass down) at a part of a track that has a natural change itself, so that the sound already has elements of incoming track before it  has full bass and hookline – often makes transition seem like it is all part of the same track.

8. Lots of other reasons – just practice and you will get that too.

reason I didn’t play the original is I only have a limited library of tunes as I am new to digital djing and just play what I have at the mo.

Maybe my comment didn’t come across right – if you are uploading to get feedback, you are doing the right things – sorry for misunderstanding 🙂

Drop me a note when you do another mix and I will listen…but I think you should always try to do these things first before you upload:

1. use all the tools you have – so get the sound and headphones and levels right before you start

2. know what songs you want to play so you are not searching for tunes during your mix

3. Keep it shorter if you want people to critique.  It is much easier for me (and probably others) to listen carefully to 35 minutes than an hour+ set….I am just so busy (job, kids all that 🙂 )  It also allows you to plan the mixes better in advance as you have less to plan.

Your song selection was good – just need to sharpen those skills 🙂

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Silvercue Master.

Point 4 by D-Jam is really important and interesting.   When I first  used to DJ on 1210s the outro and into were where I learned to beat mix…they give an opportunity to bring sounds in smoothly.

But, if you are making a mix recording and rely on them it means you will have some songs in there just WAY too long.  This is far more obvious when you listen back IMHO as (for me anyway) listening back afterwards gives a different perspective than when you are playing.

….actually even if I did live near Leeds I get about 3 hours a week to myself….Mondays usually when the GF is at Salsa!!!!

My advice is do not be in such a hurry.  I know that is not what you want to hear, but you are very young, take your time.   Enjoy.  You will be better at what you do in more time and it is better to start when you are even more accomplished.

My personal view is networking is the way to get a set at a bar/club…don’t just think your skills, set etc will work…they work when you are more established I guess.  Biggest advice is don’t focus on getting a gig, but focus on having fun.  if the gigs come then great!

I don’t use facebook, so can’t check your link, but i have twitter and soundcloud account and happy to listen to your music as long as it isn’t a 2 hour mix 🙂

looks like you have found the right place 🙂

I have listened to a bit of the first mix.

Question – why did you not use headphones? I wouldn’t paint my house with only one some of the required equipment, especially if I was a beginner.

A couple of points:

1. Sort volume levels out prior to recording. Make sure the record level is in the right zone (green/yellow or at most just touching red) but basically remember where the gain volume level is on your mixer or controller and try to keep it there as a max. Your volume is up and down and that makes for poor listening and sounds sloppy. This is a VERY easy way to improve the overall mix quickly.

2. Use headphones EVERY time you make a mix

3. You need to practice beat-mixing. I would do a lot more practice to get this improved before focusing on uploading too many more mixes. There is plenty of advice and courses here.

4. Listen to peoples mixes on here if they a responsive to you I am sure they won;t mind talking you through some of the mixes on their sounds and it may help explain how/what and why a little better. I use a number of techniques to mix in some sets. I tried to talk my girlfriend though some in the car the other day, but I think she nodded off 🙂

I hope that helps.