Check out my mix... and I'll check out yours...

D

DjJinx

Guest
Hi!!! I'm new to this web site... It's great to be able to join such a nice community!!!

I figure that this would be a great place to get some real responses and opinions about my mixes or the music that I made. So, I made this Real Video of myself mixing on one of my practice sessions. If you have some free time please check it out at

http://www.nolensvolens.com/

or...
just click on this link to wactch live stream of my mix...

http://djjinx.hypermart.net/ram/Mix000916.ram

My newest mix is "Techno Mix 2" or you can just click on the "Play" button on the top of that web page. I have some off-beat breaks in there but like I said before it's just my practice mix. If you are so kind to critique it, it would be great; so, that I would know how to improve myself.

If anyone wants me to give my opinion about his/her mixes, please let me know also. I wouldn't mind giving my little humble opinion about people's materials...

Thank you,
DjJinx
 
Review

Hello DjJinx

Since you went to the task of putting yourself on Real Video the least someone can do is review for ya eh?
Here is my Review:

You appear to have the beatmatching down so now you should work on mixing. Making the mix from one record to another smooth. Your mixes seem to stop and start again in places. Drop the effects and tricks. They are taking away from the main focus which is the music. I think you might be putting useless attention to them rather than the mix. Effects and tricks are ok but use them very little or else they will kill the music. You went through the first few records pretty fast - did not give me time to get into the song. Take your time and dont rush - relax. If you are in the mix then work on not touching the platter. Use that pitch control. It is an instrument in itself. When DJing take us on a ride. Give us a couple off slammin tunes then ease back a little, then hit us again etc. Peaks and valleys are what makes a good Dj.

Couple of questions -

How long have you been spinning?
Do you have any knowledge of time signatures and phrasing ?


Hope this helped you and good luck with your Djing!

chrisH
 
Thank you, chrisH, for analysing my stuff!!... Phew... I thought that noone was going to review it becuase it has been a couple of days already!!! haa haa...

Cool cool... You really gave me a lot of good points. And I'll keep your advices in mind to improve my mix. Yes, I should cut the use of my effects down. I think I will still be using the effects but in a much less noticable way. I'll make it subtle.

Haa haa... It's funny that you mentioned it... I DO get impatient to put on the next song, don't I?? I don't like to wait for the next song. I always wanted to hear the songs blend in and never wait for the breaks... I'll make sure to put more "peaks and valleys" and crank down my energy just a bit once in a while! 8o)

I have some basic knowledge of time signatures and phrasing. Please explain how I would utilize that into my mixing...

Thank you and hope to hear your response soon...

(p.s. do you know how to do the "crab" scratches?? Please shine some light on the subject if you do... )
 
Remember that the song itself already has effects in it so dont overdue it. Get INTO the music not the fx. Since you already know a little about time sig. and phrasing that is good. Let your records play and dont cut them short. The best thing to do is listen to mix CD's and listen to there mixes and how they mix in and out of songs. When mixing in drop the bass on the record playing, then bring your cued record in with levels on norm. Use the channel volume to mix and not the crossfader - this will make your mixes smoother. Use crossfader for scratching. Also remember to not have both volumes at the same level. One should always be higher than the other because when you bring in that new record the volume is going to be a little louder because you have 2 records playing instead of one. I am not really into scratching, I leave that up to the hip-hop DJ's but there is plenty of info out there on the net.

When mixing let the records play together and ride a little to get a nice transition. Then as the song breaks or such you can punch the new song in by switching the volumes then mix the other song out.I am working on a book about mixing to give people some guidelines.

Keep practicing and listen to other mixes!

chrisH
 
Woo Hoo!!!!

Thank you chrisH!!! Wowowow, many great tips! I really appreciate your advices... 8o)

I listens to a lot of mixes, actually. I listen to more mixes than I do my own mixing!!! haa haa haa... The guy that I love the most would probably have to be the king of three-turntable mixing, Mr. Jeff Mills... 8o) Other dj's that I admire would be Stacey Pullen, Surgeon, Juan Atkins, Gemini (aka Spencer Kincy), Eddie Mills, Takkyu Ishiino, Ken Ishii, Fumiya Tanaka, Claude Young, Krust, The Usual Suspects, Grooverider, etc...

Actually, if you have some free time, I have another mix that I made live using three turntables. (I guess I wanted to be like Jeff Mills... haa haa haa... dream on!!!!) If you can take a listen to that and let me know what you think I would be even more greatly appreciative!! Please click on

http://djjinx.hypermart.net/ram/HMix3.ram

I don't know if I would continue doing mixes with three turntables because it is so tiring!! haa haa... It's like... matching the beats on two records is not so bad... but after I threw in the third record... YIKES!!!! haa haa... but it was a lot of fun - contantly matching beats for 30 minutes... literally..

Thanks so much!!!
 
Stick with 2 tables. You really shouldnt be using 3 tables until you master 2 tables. Its natural you want to jump right in and start doing everthing but take it slow. Work on making your mixes smooth. Usually a good mix is no longer than 16 bars. Keep it simple, a simple mix is usually the best mix. Remember 95% of your listeners are not familiar with how to Dj and are listening to you because they like the music so again, keep it simple - make your mixes smooth and take you listener on a journey of your style. Ease back on the efx, this is really important. No matter how much you want to fiddle with the efx just groove with the music and not the efx. You dont always have to be movin will Djing. Most of the time you will be waiting to mix in the cued record after you have it cued up. After you can mix smoothly then you can work on efx and other areas. Dont try to be anybody but yourself. Its also helpful if you watch other DJ's mix. Usually they are pretty cool about watching them in a club if you go about it the right way.
Make friends with some Dj's who play out and watch them in action.

chrisH
 
Check this out!!!!!!!!!!

www.DJFRESCO.COM <-Pleasego to my site and listen to my mixes. Thanks.....

[Edited by FRESCO69 on 09-28-2000 at 11:45 AM]
 
Hey Fresco, no need to post your URL again man, its in the title of the thread already :)
 
No worries mate, its part of the game and everyone understand ;)

see you around, nice to have you onboard
Take care man
 
Thank you chrisH for the comment... 8o)

Actually, I've been djing for 7 years. But since I graduated from college and started working several years ago, I haven't been working in any night clubs - just taking some guest spots here and there. Last summer I got sick of my style of mixing. So, I've been experimenting with new styles... That's why I recently bought the filter unit and the third turntable. I think I can mix with two turntables fairly okay - it's just that I'm bored with that. I just wanted to do something more exciting... but I guess I'm overdoing it. Here's what my mix used to sound like...

http://djjinx.hypermart.net/ram/HMix2.ram

(sorry for the long intro)

Anyhow, thanks again for the great comments - you've been a real help... 8o)
 
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