x

First time mixing = too much fun

Home 2023 › Forums › The DJ Booth › First time mixing = too much fun

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • June 26, 2011 at 5:12 am #695
    Adam Sharizman
    Participant

    Here’s some small tip if you have yet to figure out how to listen to your next song: (Cueing?)
    Go to your local computer store, buy some cheap USB sound card and some cheapo computer headphones. Then set the software to use one as cue channel and another as the out channel. I only know how to do this on Virtual DJ. Perhaps someone with better knowledge would assist me?

    Collect some cash and buy yourself a controller. You deserve one. Cheers and good luck!

    June 26, 2011 at 5:24 am #1000434
    DJ GRE
    Member

    pilotmike327, post: 683 wrote: So after watching some tutorials, browsing the forums, and RTFM, I gathered my few tracks together and started mixing before the 30 mins expired on the traktor demo.

    I had no idea it was going to be this flippin awesome. Yes, between using the laptop mouse and a few hotkeys, some trainwrecking obviously occured. However, overall I reallly feel like it went great. Simply transitioning between tracks (and choosing the right tracks) was my main goal. I did use a couple of fx and played with the EQ a bit, but I didn’t want to do that too much. I’m pretty sure a common beginners mistake is overusing these controls.

    For the next few weeks, i’ll be setting up cue points on my tracks, expanding my library, and continue to learn the basics of transitioning between decks.

    I’m Hooked.

    Taking Adam’s suggestion into consideration, if you like traktor purchase an Audio 2 DJ for about $80 comes with traktor LE, you can cue up your songs in the headphones and to an external source and you can upgrade to pro for about another $80 or so when you feel like LE is limiting you, the soundcard works awesome at home and at a club and it was one of the better investments I have made in Djing.

    June 26, 2011 at 6:11 am #1000438
    Phil Morse
    Keymaster

    Search the blog for “$1 sound card” for more info

    June 26, 2011 at 7:35 am #710
    mailman
    Member

    Can’t wait for my first mix…should be picking up a numark controller and traktor at the end of the week. I’ve got so many ideas and inspirations at the moment, just really wanna start mixing.

    June 26, 2011 at 10:03 am #1000442
    Paul Cook
    Member

    +1 on the traktor audio 2 DJ, its litterally the best and smallest 2 channel card on the market, and is good enough for club gigs, heck, i use one for my smaller gigs 🙂
    You use one channel as your main out, and another as your headphone cue, this lets you listen to your track through your headphones and beatmatch it into place, then when your ready, either using a controller, or just your mouse, fade your track in and hopefully it will still be in beat,

    And abusing EQ’s ? not a beginers thing mate 🙂 its all about your style, you think it sounds good and your not abusing the track too much? go ahead and have fun with it 🙂

    Another thing about the Audio2DJ is you can hook it up to an external mixer, and use the mixers own headphone out for cueing, i started off with a $40 behringer 2 channel and absolutely loved the thing, and it means you can have a real feel on your EQ’s and your fading

    June 26, 2011 at 1:53 pm #739
    Adam Sharizman
    Participant

    mailman, post: 699 wrote: Can’t wait for my first mix…should be picking up a numark controller and traktor at the end of the week. I’ve got so many ideas and inspirations at the moment, just really wanna start mixing.

    Love the positive vibes coming off this thread. DJing is definitely fun especially if you have a love for music

    June 26, 2011 at 4:04 pm #773
    pilotmike327
    Member

    Thanks for all the positive feedback guys, really appreciate it. From what I’ve read, It looks like the Audio 2 is where it’s at! I could get this thing as soon as next week so that’s gonna be the plan. Next step would probably be a very simple mixer (just something as basic as a crossfader and 3 band EQ) something like an M-Audio XSession Pro or Numark M3. I don’t want to invest too much in a mixer because I really want to get the S4 by the end of the year.

    June 26, 2011 at 4:14 pm #777
    DjSpekz
    Member

    @Mike if you are not trying to invest too much look into a numark mixtrack. Only $150 and the mixtrack pro for $250 and it comes with it’s built in sound card. Still I would go with regular mixtrack and audio 2

    June 26, 2011 at 4:25 pm #780
    Illinoize
    Member

    Another tip I would offer is to watch sets of your favorite DJs online, and try to emulate/imitate them when you practice, maybe even down to the exact same tracks. It’s a common tip on the production side to try and recreate your favorite tracks so that you can familiarize yourself with any given DAW, program, and the advice also applies when it comes to mixing. It’ll help you identify mix points and will definitely give you loads of inspiration and ideas. YouTube is an amateur DJ’s friend. I can say this because I’ve only been at it for 8 months or so, and have learned a TON from milking the infinite resources available through videos. All the instruction is out there, you just gotta grab it.

    June 26, 2011 at 5:52 pm #786
    DJ GRE
    Member

    Agree with Illinoize, youtube was a big help when I was looking at the basics, and listening to other dj mixes that you like, find out the track listing and, if you can, mix those same songs together too for practice – this helped me when I was focusing on “mixing” techniques as the track selection obviously already works. and check out some other blogs too – DJTT might be a bit technical but they have some great articles on there that really inspire me.

    June 26, 2011 at 8:21 pm #805
    Emma Partnow
    Member

    Hello Mike :);
    This is wonderful News to hear your Enthusiasm and Excitement; as this is what it is All About :);
    With those Feelings used as a Foundation to your DJ’ing; and your Increasing Willingness to Explore and Learn; Everything else will come to you Naturally :);
    Even after 10 years DJ’ing; when a Gorgeous Transition comes off I still ‘Punch The Air’ 😀

    June 27, 2011 at 12:38 am #859
    pilotmike327
    Member

    again, great advice guys. Hadn’t really crossed my mind of actually checking out DJ sets on youtube :confused: (which is the opposite of what I did when I learned to play drums. I literally would start and stop those videos till i figured out EXACTLY what they were doing). Will deff. apply that process to DJing.

    And now that I think about it, that mix yesterday gave me the same feeling I used to get when I would learn a song I really liked or came up with a sick solo.

    June 27, 2011 at 12:41 am #1000453
    Adam Sharizman
    Participant

    A tip my friend taught me was to listen to sets of DJs you love and copy EVERYTHING and try and replicate their set. He said it’s a good way to learn how to mix well. I haven’t got the resources to start though.

    June 27, 2011 at 6:30 am #901
    Phil Morse
    Keymaster

    Adam Sharizman, post: 850 wrote: A tip my friend taught me was to listen to sets of DJs you love and copy EVERYTHING and try and replicate their set. He said it’s a good way to learn how to mix well. I haven’t got the resources to start though.

    Good advice.

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • The forum ‘The DJ Booth’ is closed to new topics and replies.