High quality SAMPLES with miscelanous sound effects for using in sound productions of trance, techno, house, breakbeat, rave, elektro, ambient and more...
Joined: Jan 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 8 Location: Miami Florida
The Art Of BeatMixing. « Result #8 on Jan 28, 2004, 5:42pm »
Since the early-90's, it’s been much easier for DJ's to learn beat mixing. This is because most of today's dance tracks have long intros and outros with computer generated (no live drummer) beats. In addition, the increasing availability of DJ equipment at lower prices has made it easier for newcomers to get started. The "art" of beat mixing is the utilization of several turntables (or CD players) and a mixer to blend pre-recorded sounds while maintaining a constant beat. Because a DJ can blend tracks in a way that may not be the original intention of the artist (i.e., taking the vocal of one track and overlapping it with the beat of a completely different track), a DJ can create new and unique versions of pre-existing songs. While it's difficult to explain the "art" of mixing (aka "beat matching") on a web page, this section shall present the basic rules of mixing. A few suggestions regarding places to learn beat mixing will also be addressed. General Beat Mixing Rules for New DJ's * A DJ usually listens to the drum beat of the song (i.e., 4/4 time). * Most dance tracks have an intro (where you mix into it) and a break or "outro" (where you mix out of it). * Be sure to read about "cueing" a record in the Scratching section. Cueing CD's is similar to the vinyl slip-cue method (you cue the CD just before [almost on] the first note of the song). You must have a professional disc jockey CD player with "instant start" (so the song begins exactly when you hit the play button). * It's important for you to understanding the BPM (beats per minute) of a song. Here's how you determine BPM: (1) For example, play "Good Times" by Chic and (2) starting with the first beat (a bass drum), start counting to the beat of the song. (3) After one minute on a stop-watch, determine how many beats you've counted? This song is 112 beats per minute (and you should write that on the cover). To save you time, some mixers have a BPM counter on the board. As a rule, most hip hop songs are under 115, most house songs are over 115, and most trance songs are over 125. * As you listen to the song being played (song one) on the dance floor, cue the song that you want to beat match (song two) through your headphones on the other turntable or CD player. When song one "breaks" to end in its outro section, start the new song at the first beat of its "intro" (thus, you're matching the "intro" of song two with the "break" or outro segment of song one). As you match the drum beats, place your hand on the turntable or CD player's pitch adjust to gradually adjust the speed. As one hand adjusts speed, place the other hand on the mixer and gradually slide the crossfader so that song one's volume declines and song two's volume increases. * When the mix is finished, be sure that the new song's volume is exactly at the volume of the previous song. Even if the new song seems as loud as the one being played, watch the bass or high-end volume (of the song you're "bringing in") to make sure you don't muddle-distort the mix. You should be aware that not all songs are recorded at the same volume level. * When you're new, you should only attempt to beat match songs that are plus or minus three (±3) bpm from each other. Thus, you would mix Chic's 112 bpm Good Times into a song that's between 109 and 115 bpm, but not into a song that's 125 (that would sound odd). * Since every song is in the key of something (i.e., C-sharp), some DJ's only match songs with keys that compliment each other (in addition to matching bpm). * A DJ should always keep his or her hand on the pitch adjust when mixing. As flashy as it may look, you may not realize that touching the vinyl may create swoosh sounds that only a trained (and sometimes untrained) ear could detect. Thus, NEVER touch the vinyl to adjust its speed (unless you're scratching or trying to manipulate the note). Breakdown of a Typical Song Perhaps the most important thing to know about mixing is the construction of songs (see chart below). You should know the song(s) you are playing cold, such as when the song begins, when the vocals start, when the song breaks, etc. Typical Top-40 Song Construction (12" mix) INTRO The Intro may begin with drum beats and gradually progress as instruments are added and the melody may be introduced. Begin mixing into the song here. POST The "post" is a radio term. It's usually the part of the song where the vocals kick-in the first verse. It's where you want to end your mix (and be completely out of the last song). VERSE 1 The first verse is the first vocal segment. It may be something like whining about the rent, an ex-girlfriend, or describing the subject in the chorus. CHORUS Chorus includes the melody (the part you hum along to) with vocals that may offer a simple solution to Verse 1 (like partying or a new BMW). It usually is the subject of the song (like love, a girl's name, the name of a dance, etc.). VERSE 2 The second verse is the second vocal segment. CHORUS Chorus repeats the same melody/solution. SOLO/EFFECT It may be a vocal solo, keyboard solo, break down/drop, or nothing at all. In the 70's, a guitar solo would go here. Do not mix out of the song here. VERSE 3 The third verse is the third vocal segment (In many cases, the words are more intense than the other verses). CHORUS Chorus repeats the same melody/solution. BREAK TO END/OUTRO The outro segment is when the song breaks down into simple beats so that you can begin mixing out of this song. Potential Places to Learn Mixing Finally, as stated above, here are a few suggestions regarding places to learn beat mixing: * Obviously, if you're old enough, you want to visit nightclubs where you can watch the DJ from a distance. Avoid revealing your desire to be a DJ (until the DJ is finished) because s/he may spin differently if they know you're watching (i.e., s/he may be intimidated). Many raves also offer the opportunity to watch world-class DJ's. In addition, try nightclub afterhours and parties. * Try a local record store that sells vinyl for DJ's. These stores often have a DJ mix set-up. Watch other DJ's until you feel comfortable asking someone for tips. Remember: DJ's like to help other DJ's. * You may want to consider getting a job as a mobile DJ. Depending on where you live, these companies are often eager to hire and train new DJ's. If you choose this route, be sure to work at a company that teaches beat mixing and formatting. * Get a job as a nightclub light-jock. While the pay is relatively low, a light jock is in the best position to watch a DJ's success and failure at getting a dance floor. You may also have the opportunity to practice during the off hours (i.e., daytime).
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