Home 2023 Forums The DJ Booth When to bring a new track in without visual and you've lost count?

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  • #34334
    squarecell
    Participant

    Usually you can pick up the end of a musical “phrase” without having to count. There’s usually some kind of build up or let down before the next four bars come in.

    You can also use these cues to help you pick up your count again, if there’s still enough time before the track ends.

    Otherwise just wait for the end of the song that’s playing and drop your next track in one (imaginary) beat after the last beat of that song.

    #34337
    NietzSKY
    Participant

    A few things I may do myself:

    1) when I hear the beginning of a build-up + filter, I will prepare a related track (same instrumentation or same vocal range) and have my cue ready. Right before the drop I’ll switch channels and start the drop of the next song, then after the drop hit my cueue for whichever verse I want to come in on.
    2) I have cues on returns right after drops that I will beatmatch then transition to. EX:
    2 songs I’ve done this with are SMH- Don’t you worry child and Bsharry’s avicii/rihanna mashup (we found your piano on I believe it’s called). When Don’t you worry child is returning after the break, there is a down-filter. Right before the “yellow diamonds in the light” part on the track, there is a down-filter. It makes for a pretty unnoticable transition, other than the change of vocals.

    If anything, it really helps to memorize where you set cueues. worst case scenario, while you are djing and you have a song playing out, refresh yourself on the channel not in use and listen to where your cueues are set up on the next song you plan on bringing in. If anything, fill about 1/2 of your set with songs you have memorized, then in-between these songs play your new tracks. I’d really suggest memorizing your tracks to get the most out of your set, but there’s always that banger you find 2-3 hours before a show that just NEEDS to be in your set that night =)

    #34498
    D Homei
    Participant

    99.9% of EDM has a 4 bar structure, with some sort of music flourish at the end to lead into the next phrase. So you’re pretty safe assuming phrases of 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and so on. Get in the habit of cueing your upcoming mix on one of these “action” points in the song, and you’ll generally be safe. Back in my vinyl days, I could mix two songs I never heard before using this technique.

    That said, it sounds like you’re not really listening to your music. You want to do mixes that happen on interesting moments in the song, not because its measure 16.

    #34509
    aaron altar
    Participant

    Overtime you just learn to hear the difference no matter where in the track it is. If you can’t tell after hearing a couple of bars then you need to listen to your music more carefully. The first beat and fourth beat usually sound different as well.

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