Mixing Progressive House

F

fmorariu

New member
Any tips for mixing progressive house, I am used to mixing trance, but prog house if a little more difficult to mix, too much going on. Any tipe would be greatly apreciated.

Felix
 
learn how to mix in "keys"

and do subtle slow changes while mixing

oh yea and have fun most importantly :)
 
Harmonic mixing is essential, as already stated. Go the extra mile and learn that skill.

Be able to make minor pitch alterations to ensure tight 2, 3, 4 minute blends.

Thoughtful EQ-ing so you can build in layers.

What I call ‘phrase offsetting’ – ensuring that when a phrase of significance ends on track A, there is a phrase of significance just waiting to be unleashed on track B. This should not be utilised all the time as it is very effective to strip the sound down to drums only at times

Whilst records in play, don’t EVER touch the record to speed up or slow down!!!!!!!!!!

Find the right tunes!!!!!!!!!!!!

PM me if you need any further assistance on any particular matters.

Regards

Ian
 
When mixin house... not progressive, I mean like soulful, funky, jazzy, deep, whats the most important technique to consider? Key mixing also? Thanks.
 
Cosmique

Harmonic mixing is relevant to the styles of house music you have mentioned but not with the same degree of importance. My experience of the styles you mentioned suggest there is an emphasis on vocals, so generally avoid overlaying vocals. There are times you can overlay vocals. For example, fading out a vocal on track A whilst the vocal on track B takes over, but you must know your keys, which brings us back to harmonic mixing!!!!

Also, learn how to alter EQ’s to really bring the best out of the vocal performance on your records. Don’t be afraid to really boost those mids.

Regards

Ian
 
Yeah! Boostin mids is that I do all da time! It seems to help... but not always I achieve that perfect mix where all sounds from two different tracks blend together creating a beautiful mix! I guess key mixin is a great way to improve that, but, I don't know where to start and how to get to it! I have musical background cause I studied piano and guitar! So I know the basic theory of music.
 
I´m not that good at telling what genre of house music exactly is progressive -

today I mixed JJ Flores - Discoteca; Jo Mills - House Arrest; Midnight Society - Drum Drama;

(so this might be called progressive?)

if you ask me, the most important thing with house music is to find exactly the right point to mix and not to make the mix too long: usually 8 measures (=32 beats, about 15 to 20 seconds) should be enough; eq can help, but it is more important to be careful with the faders; don´t try to make too long mixes like you might have done with trance music
 
Long mixes are nice when you spin progressive or deep house, because there is no major changes in tunes of these generes, they just go up slowly (more elements like hi hats, snares, basslines, phrases are addeed), and then down. Funky and Jazzy, maybe soulful house, are more complicated because of those melody lines added like sax, guitar, trupet, etc, and they are more melodic than progressive or deep. So for funky, soulful, jazzy or vocal house, short mixes are better. Am I wrong? :cool:
 
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Jensx

With all due respect, I have to wholeheartedly disagree with the majority of the points you make.

I do agree that the right point to mix is extremely important, that is something that should come natural once you have the feel for 32 beat (8 bar) phrases.

To disregard the importance of EQ's to someone who is seeking advice is extremely poor advice because the adjustment of frequencies is arguably more important to the overall balance of the sound than the actual volume.

As well as the ability to layer sounds with the EQ's it is equally important, probably more important actually, to avoid clashing highs or lows.

My personal style involves completely unsophisticated use of the faders - I don't use the cross fader and I will push the volume faders from 0% to 100% on the beat. All that I will generally allow to be heard initially are the mids. I will then add a layer every 4 or 8 bars. As well as adding layers, I will gradually take elements out of the outgoing record.

This process can take some time (more than 8 measures) but it achieves a beautifully seemless and discreet mix. But I am in the privelidged position to own a Xone:92 which has awesome EQ's, as well as giving the opportunity to mix using the filters only.

The method described above cannot be achieved over the 8 bars you are suggesting and I would strongly recommend for anyone who wishes to pursue the 'progressive' genre to practise those 2 or 3 minute blends, and to master harmonic mixing which is not actually that difficult.

Of course, long blends are not the be all and end all, often very quick cuts are appropriate, but the way producers within the progressive genre make their music it feels like it was written for long blends.

Sorry to have to disagree with you so strongly, I simply want to help in the best possible way.

Kind regards

Ian
 
no problem - I´m just listening to my mixed cd and I´m satisfied; I don´t listen to uk-stuff that much; I mentioned some tracks in my initial post; I would call them tribal house, ny house or something like that (in most cases I get the tracks from sets of Junior Vasquez in a radio show or I have a look at Peter Rauhofers board or watch out what Victor Calderone spins) and I´m happy with the mixing the way I have done it (and I stand to the point that it´s not a good idea to to layer 2-3 minutes with that kind of stuff - at least if your name is not Junior);

often I transfer the record to cd, re-edit it for my mixing purposes - it works great; it´s quite hard finding the right point to mix in and a perfect cut can be as hard to do as long mix
 
skudge - maybe I don´t really know what progressive house exactly is: just name me some tunes, I thought it was about Sasha and John Digweed; Steve Lawler; I´ll check them out

the house arrest track I mentioned is on junior-label, so I thought it would fit
 
Sasha & Digweed epitomise the progressive genre. Check out any of their individual Global Underground releases or joint Northern Exposure releases. In particular Sashas GU 9 (San Fransisco) and GU 13 (Ibiza).

Steve Lawler, whilst being extremely progressive as a DJ, is not what I would call a progressive DJ in terms of peoples perception of the genre. Steve Lawler simply plays damn fine heavyweight house music!!!! And I am going to see him spin next week!!!! Check out ‘Lights Out’ 1 & 2.

Steve Lawlers style is not particularly conducive to long blends and probably leans more towards the style you have been suggesting. One hell of a good DJ. One of my favourites alongside Sander Kleinenberg who kind of sits half way between the Sasha/Digweed and Steve Lawler styles.

Regards

Ian
 
Sander Kleinenberg @ Fokused, Stockholm, Sweden (2004-04-02)


sander is simply the best at long, smooth progressive mixes. do yourself a favour and find that set i've mentioned. wow.

twelsch
 
Sander Kleinenberg is simply the best DJ I have ever heard. For those in the England, particularly if you have not heard him spin before, get yourself along to see him soon:

July 31st @ The Cross, London (5 hour set)
August 28th @ Creamfields, Liverpool
September 4th @ The Bomb, Nottingham
September 25th @ The Cross, London

I will definitely be going to all of those dates. I will keep my fingers crossed that he plays at Fabric in the near future.

Sander truly has blown up worldwide this year. In fact, I would say that this is HIS year!!!!!

Regards

Ian
 
Briggs

Were you at The Bomb when Sander played there last time? Towards the end of last year I think it was.

Nearly tore the damn roof off the place I tell you!!!!!! Particularly when he played 'Ride' by Chable & Bonicci.

See you on the floor on the 4th!!!!

Ian
 
No I've never seen him play there, though I did see him a few years ago when Rennaisance was at Media - I think it was one of the last ever R nights there before the venue decided to cash in on the Ritzy crowd. Ah!
 
First off let me say to Scudge, I've read alot of your posts and it's nice to see someone as hooked on Harmonics as i am. I can no longer mix any other way. also I don't know if it was you or not who did the review on the A&H Xone92 but if it was it was the most in depth review i have ever read which is why mine is on the way. Anyways sorry to get of topic.

I've been mixing prog house and prog trance for about five years now and there are a few things that stand out as being the most important. The first thing is as Scudge pointed out is Harmonic Mixing. LEARN IT! It is really not that hard you can use Mixmeister to find the keys(it's been about 98% accurate for me and the others i can find myself)It will take a little more time now but in the long run will pay off, you'll be able to pull of those 2-3 minute mixes which to me is essential in mixing progressive. Another very important thing is to have the right songs, when it comes to proggresive music some songs can become very drawn out and boring, one song that comes to mind is Shudder by Benz&MD (driving those skies mix)but you take that same song an mix it over Dilation and you have yourself something that sounds beautiful, so song selection is very important. The last thing that comes to mind is EQ'ing. When I go to buy records I get them home put them on and listen to the whole record and make EQ changes to see what sounds stand out to me. After all this is said and done with the combination of Harmonics, song selection and EQ'ing I can make 3 to 6 hour mixes taking the mood from the highest high to the lowest low and back again. Thats what mixing progressive means to mean. (sorry to be so long winded, It's just something that i'm passionate about and spend alot of time with) PEACE
 
Dear DJQues

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad that you enjoyed my Xone:92 review and that it has been of use to you.

I read your post and I agree with every damn word you say!!!! It is great to read words written by someone who is as passionate about progressive music and harmonic mixing as I am.

I salute you!!!!!!!!!!

I will PM you sometime to further the discussion.

Kind regards

Ian
 
I too would like to voice my opinion on the importance of harmonic mixing (for all genres!).

One of the pages that has helped me out alot is http://www.harmonic-mixing.com/index.mv Unfortunately, the site is difficult to navigate, these are the 2 most helpful pages:

http://www.harmonic-mixing.com/charts/keychart.mv
http://www.harmonic-mixing.com/overview/easymix.mv

I don't subscribe to their keying service, but I think their numeric method of keying is a great idea.

Another page that was helpful for keying my tunes/learning scales is: http://www.apassion4jazz.net/keys.html
 
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