Guest Vekked Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 I've never mixed before, but I reckon I should learn, as I might be able to get some gigs when I'm off to uni in the fall... I have a few dozen hip-hop records right now, some battle records, and then like 1000 old records... so I reckon I'd learn on the hip-hop records... so how do I go about it? do I just throw on some random records and start trying to beatmatch them? somebody said that you don't even beatmatch hip-hop much? hook me up with the 411 pz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Learn beatmatching first. You don't have to beatmatch every track, but you could do with learning that skill. Choosing the right tracks to play is the most important part though and being able to get people on the dance floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vekked Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 ok, so to learn beat matching, do I just take a couple of hip-hop tracks and try and make the snares hit at the same time? should I bpm a couple tracks and pick some that are similar tempo to try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattnice Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 try and get the bass drums in time.maybe start with 2 copies of the same tune and just practice goin back and forth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 ok, so to learn beat matching, do I just take a couple of hip-hop tracks and try and make the snares hit at the same time? should I bpm a couple tracks and pick some that are similar tempo to try?Yeah. BPMing your records is very useful. Try using a couple of instrumentals at first and don't worry too much about the song structure. Just try and get the beats to match. Once you can do that with a fair amount of precision, then you can work on timing and counting bars so you know when to bring tracks into the mix. Watch the levels on your mixer too so you're not bringing tracks in too loud/quiet. The first thing I usually do is find the loudest point in the track and set the gain so it's peaking at 0 on the LEDs. Then I put the needle back to the start so I can get it beatmatched. I think you'll already have an advantage being a scratcher, cos you should have good control of the records and be able to release them in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
$a!n+ Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Yeah, you need a good way to BPM records. I use a tap counter on my Boss Sampler. Some programs have a tap counter like Ableton. Learn to count 4/4 timing. Then all you have to do is match BPMs and then match your "1's, 2's, 3's and 4's" from your 4/4 count. After that jusat let your ear tell you if it sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pand Malone Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I'd love to help on this.. but i'm shit at explaining things!! lol Just pretty much do what the ladz have said so far and basicly get into a groove! It is hard to beat match at first.. but once you've sussed out basic beatmatching then you just need to get into a groove. Like gabe said.. your ear will do the rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I've never mixed before, but I reckon I should learn, as I might be able to get some gigs when I'm off to uni in the fall... I have a few dozen hip-hop records right now, some battle records, and then like 1000 old records... so I reckon I'd learn on the hip-hop records... so how do I go about it? do I just throw on some random records and start trying to beatmatch them? somebody said that you don't even beatmatch hip-hop much? hook me up with the 411 pz<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ah, well, you take a whisk in one hand, and curl the bowl using your other arm. Using the whisk, stir in a counter-clockwise motion until all the air bubbles dissipate. All jokes aside - here's a link - http://www.djrecess.co.uk/techniques.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lam Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 There is beatmatching... and there is harmonic mixing ... u guys know about harmonic mixes?? I know a bit about it. Correct me if im wrong cuz its been quite a while and it's not like i tried ahah but : The first step is to find a way to know the key in which the song is played (like the notes that's used to build up a melody)... if u did a bit of piano u might know what's a chord.. and what's a key.. But if u didn't, then just go over the internet.. There's some pretty nice explanation!... since u'r into old music i think ull get it fast). Now the fun part : Now that u know the key of a song... u can use this bit of knowledge : each time u change the pitch by 5%, u change ur key by a semi-tone... (lower or higher.. depending on ur tempo variation). So a perfect-promiseland-mix would be both beatmatched and harmonized beats! ill let u do the math! I'm really really dumb at mixing.. but a veteran turntablist friend of mine explained all this stuff to me and i was able to get it *well if im not wrong* cuz i play a bit of guitar and my ex-girlfriend used to explain me that piano stuff (mad props)! Some programs like Traktor.. automatically give u both the pitch (key) and the tempo (bpm) for a song.. so u can calculate all that stuff! Plus, u can use it with final scratch...to play whatever song u like without paying a single buck... and make artists poorer.. and fuck up the whole musical industry... ahaha no seriously.. if ur like me ur not into that digitalscratching thing.. but it can be a useful alternative! But like they said.. start beatmatching, once u get used to it it's not that hard! But that's kinda advanced stuff Im out! peace yall.. and if im wrong.. please corect me:D Lam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smyrx Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 there's a book called HOW TO DJ RIGHT that has this key-matching table, but i don't know how else to help you out with matching melodies. when i'm mixing hiphop sometimes i know the keys don't match but i still just beatmatch into the next track anyway, fuck with the EQs to clean it up. its a good book though, i bought it long before i really got into this shit and it gave me a good foundation. its all-around and applies to any style of dj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smyrx Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 and that book is by frank broughton & bill brewster good shit, i'm tellin you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smyrx Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 but if you want to learn to beatmatch, take two of the same record and throw the pitch off one, then try to match it back up. its a start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBearOne8III Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 i never got into all the technicalities of mixing. i guess i had an unfair advantage. an older friend of mines used to make mixtapes back in the early 90's. so i've listened to them for years before i got my tables. his tapes pretty much showed me how to mix. i never took the time to bpm my records. i didnt start by trying to beatmach doubles. my very first mixing experience was just trying to find to records that blend well together. 1). mixing hip hop is mostly about the snares. you gotta match up the snares. but you want your mix to groove. so you cant pick a normally fast song and try to blend in a normally slow song. your shit is gonna end up sounding like the chipmunks rap album. you wanna pick songs that are pretty much the same tempo. 2) start the mix on the hook. most hip hop songs are structured the same. the hook of song A is usually the same length as the begining/intro of song B. im terrible at counting bars, but i think its about 4 bars long. so if you start song B when the hook of song A starts then by the end song A's hook, the lyrics of song B starts. this way you keep the groove going. some people take the time to count bars. but if you listen to hip hop everyday all day like i do, you just know when the hook is coming. like i said, most hip hop songs are structured the same. 3) get quick at beatmatching. hip hop songs are short. this isnt house music. you only get like 3 minutes. 4 minutes tops. not alot of time for trickin off. and thats only if your gonna play the whole song. alot of people only let 1 verse play. so after you drop song 2, put up song 1 and start on song 3. theres not always enough time to start checking out asses and taking sips from that heiniken. 4) this shoulda been number 1...... selection. a good mix is not just good songs. but songs that blend well together. it should be one continuous groove. some people say you gotta know your crowd. im a selfish dj. so fuck the crowd. all they wanna hear is whats on the radio anyway. you could dial in your local top 40 station and just stand behind your decks frontin, they wont know the difference. 5) this one is gonna fuck your head up. people at parties and clubs dont give a fuck if you can mix or not. ive been to plenty of spots where the "dj" had no skills what so ever. he just slam mixed every song. no beatmatching. horrible selection. some even trainwrek every mix. the people dont care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Dongbot Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 don't mix 2 tracks which have melody as it will sound shit. Pick a track which has melody all the way thru & your next record should really start with just beats & vise versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-Se7en Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 i was a mix DJ long before i started scratching so it comes kinda natural thesedays.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rygon Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 yeh its all practice. once youve worked out the correct bpms then you have to work out when to put in the next song in. get the record on the on the 1st beat and then play it and count the bars (4 beats to a bar normally) after 16beats you may hear a little change in the music (ie a cymbal crash) after 32 you will hear a little more significant change and after 64 you will hear a big change in music direction (ie when it changes from the intro to the verse or something) this is where your next song wants to be started at. i never mix in keys..cant see the point as you are limiting yourself to what you can play.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr j Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 look out for key clashes too. its like when you have say a piano playing in "c" and the tune you mix has a piano etc in the key of f the result will be a god awful sounding mess. its something a lot of people dont really deal with but i have heard it happen on countless tapes and it sounds terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-Se7en Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 most of this releates to dance music though, so i'd say concetrate on matchine beats and snares etc before worrying about key clashes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Dongbot Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 i was a mix DJ long before i started scratching so it comes kinda natural thesedays....<{POST_SNAPBACK}> same here mate... I wish I was as good at scratching as mixing!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vekked Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 werd, thanks for all the replies guys, I guess I'll bpm some hip-hop tracks and give it a shot tonight and report how I make out, haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Dongbot Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 werd, thanks for all the replies guys, I guess I'll bpm some hip-hop tracks and give it a shot tonight and report how I make out, haha<{POST_SNAPBACK}> I know it might be your cup of tea but to mix house music at about 130bpm is about as easy as it gets cause the beats are normally really simple & it seems to be a good speed to start on. Maybe give it a try if you get your hands on a couple.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rygon Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 i also found listening to live mixes and see/guess where they put the next record in and also how tight there beatmatching is helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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