DJ Mastiff,
I would advise not trying to make the perfect mix set, (not yet anyway). In my humble opinion, firstly make sure you work on the essential skill set you will need to one day make that perfect mix set. I know it seems that manual beat matching (beat matching by ear, not by sync button), music theory, and all that other boring stuff is obsolete in the age of the controller but trust me when I tell you, it will make a HUGH difference as you progress on “the journey”.
I liken it to building a house, if you don’t have a strong foundation eventually there will be problems which you will have to go back and fix later.
Secondly, learn to count if you have not already. I know, I know, we all know how to count to 4. But do you do it every time you play or listen to music? If not you should be, make it second nature.
Thirdly, make it your mission to “know your music”. Not just the title and artist, but what the breakdown of the song itself, its structure, how many bars is the intro, how many bars until your kick comes in, where is the build up, break down, where does the outro start and when should you begin your blend, what type of transition should you use to get to the next song.
Lastly, and most importantly. Record yourself when you play. This will help you to identify your mistakes and eventually get you to the point where you can make that perfect mix set.
Hope that helps, best of luck on your journey…
Karlton Bethea
aka “AntiQue”
“If Music Be The Food Of Love…Play On”
-Billy Shakespeare
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