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RGPARGY - Or anyone else.... I want to be a DJ...Helppppppp

14 replies

geordieminx · 25/06/2008 16:32

Ok so maybe not a dj, but I would love to learn how to mix and stuff properly, purely for my own pleasure.

Dp has just bought me a "dual cd mp3 player/mixer" (whatever that is), but other than that I dont know where to start..

Any ideas/tips/suggestions would be grand.

TIA

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BooshBaby · 25/06/2008 16:34

I can help!

What exactly did your DP buy you? Can you link to it so I can help?

Presumably you want to do CDDJing, rather than actual vinyl mixing? Vinyl mixing is more about listening and skill, DJ mixing does obviously involve listening and a little skill, but is much more about setting times together..

Let me know what you have and I can help from there, if you like.

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 16:40

OOooo that would be wonderful thanks

this is what was delivered this morning

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BooshBaby · 25/06/2008 20:17

Okay, decent little mixer there, should be easy enough to learn.

Now, what do you know already?
What kind of music do you have to mix with?

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 20:42

I know absolutely nothing!! Infact I know less than nothing.. I know the squareroot of nothing!!!

Music? Hmmm well I have loads of ministry stuff/other dancey type stuff cds and stuff on the pc, but is this any good? Do I need any other stuff? If so what/where from?

Like housey stuff, love old cheesy stuff remixed - Armand Van Helden?

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BooshBaby · 25/06/2008 20:49

Okay, gotcha

First, I presume you have CD's burned? Now, you can't use pre-made compilations (ie ministry comps) as these are already mixed, therefore the songs don't have beginnings and ends.

You can have as many tracks as you want on one disc, but they have to be separate tracks.

Does that make sense so far?

You can download stuff if you want from iTunes or Beatport (Beatport much better for more obscure and underground stuff) which is cheaper than going out and buying a whack of CD's, most of which you won't use.

I'm gonna do this step by step, hope thats okay.

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 21:26

Ok, get ya about compliations.

Have millions of songs on pc, lots of which are separte tracks - nothing burnt yet but can be done - or can I just play them directly from usb?

I'm cool with downloading - I understand that.. just about.

I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me.

Are there any books you can recommend?

Just been playing with it - I LOVE IT!!!

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BooshBaby · 25/06/2008 21:42

No problem, I have taught DJing to loads of people. Never without standing in front of decks with them though - so I may not make any sense! I will try my best though..
FWIW - there are not really any books I have ever found that are any use. You're best bet is to find out the basics, and then play around til you get the hang of it.

Now - you can play them directly from USB, but in all honesty, the best way to learn is to actually physically do it, then learn the shortcuts. I always say its like driving a car - you could learn in an automatic, but you are much better to learn in a manual, then you understand how the movements work, and can drive the automatic anyway.

I hope that makes some sense


So, start off with a few CD's, 3 at least.
Put one CD in one side of the decks, and play.

Get another CD, and put it in the other side. Play this through the headphones (not sure exactly how your decks work, but there will be a switch between inputs and outputs for each deck - so you want CD1 coming out the speakers and CD2 coming out a headphone jack output. Best to play arounhd til you have the right sounds coming from the right place)

Now, put the headphones on, and basically get CD2 to match up with CD1. This is called beatmatching. You will need to alter the BPM (speed) of CD2 until it is at the same (or close to) CD1. You can also change CD1 if you need to, but this is playing out remember, so muct be done slowly.
This part is relatively easy on CD decks, as they often display the BPM. However, regardless, this needs a lot of practice.

Once they are at the same BPM, you can skip CD2 back to the start of the track. Now, again listening through the headphones, play it, and when you get to the place you want the song to start, press pause. Make sure when you do this, that the beats are on the same formation. Count this in your head (1,2,3,4..1,2,3,4) and pause it when the beats are together.
This is the really hard part of DJing. You probably won't get it right for a while.. its really not easy. It takes a huge amount of practice to perfect this.

Once CD1 is nearing the end, you can start to bring in CD2. Make sure you have switched it from the headphone output to the speaker output. Un-pause it before the other track starts to fade out, better if you can do it reasonably early (between 5 and 10 bars before the end). If you have beatmatched it well, and made sure they are on the right beat together, then you should not even notice the difference. It will sound like extra instruments have been introduced to the song, rather than a new song has started.

As CD1 fades out, and CD2 is playing, move the fader slowly across toward CD2. Then, CD1 will finish, and CD2 will be playing.

Now, there is a lot more you can do once this is mastered, but that is the basic art of mixing, and without this, you can't do anything.

Let me know if this makes any sense, and if it is at all useful

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 21:45

Havent read all that yet but I wll after a cig!!

Just watched Tiesto on you tube doin adagio fo strings - its made the hairs on my arms stand up... not that I'm a hairy beast or anything

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 21:55

Wonderful - thanks so much.

Can you recommend any cds/tracks to start with?

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BooshBaby · 25/06/2008 22:10

Yeah, any decent music with a 4/4 rhythm and a good, solid beat.

House music is best, techno can be too fast, trance beats tend to bee to long and wavery, breaks is not solid enough, though once you have got it sussed, you will find all of these genres as easy as any other.

Often I find vocal tracks can be good for starting out with, as you have a better idea of how long the track has been on. it can be easy to lose track and get flustered when you are trying really hard to beatmatch! Long tracks give you more time as well, obviously.

Also a good idea to try and mix 2 tracks by the same artist together, even better if they are from the same album, as they will have been produced at the same level and whilst they may not be at the same BPM, they will very rarely be far apart.

I would personally suggest something like Chemical brothers, Felix da Housecat, Fatboy Slim, Deadmau5, Digitalism, SMD.. personally, for a specific mix I would suggest Silver Screen Shower Scene by Felix da Housecat and either Flashdance by Deep Dish or Do it again by the Chemical Brothers, they all mix well together. Thats just off the top of my head, I can suggest some more good mixes if you would like.

If you like Hed Kandi, then try a few of their productions, they are produced to mix together (Hed Kandi DJ's have it easy )

Hope this helps!

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 22:33

i really cant thank you enough! I love mumsnet at times like this, it amazes me that people will go out of their way to help random strangers! I dont suppose you are near glasgow are you? .

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BooshBaby · 25/06/2008 22:41

Ha, Edinburgh! Not that far

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geordieminx · 25/06/2008 22:55

Ha - thats mad!!

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OverMyDeadBody · 26/06/2008 19:25

hi, I can't help with any actual advice, but I can recommend some good old school house that wokrs well for mixing:

Tuff Little Unit You can hear the 1, 2, 3, 4 beat in it really well and it's what I started on when my friend was teaching me to mix.

Plez, can't stop, a personal favourite

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