Recording your promo mix...would this be wrong?

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Posted by skytribe on May-15-2004 20:31:

Posted by hooknife on May-15-2004 21:44:

quote:
Originally posted by skytribe
Or, in other words, your PC mixing skills are better than what you can actually do live. Meaning, you're misrepresneting your talent.

We can argue until we turn blue in the face, I make my demos on a computer and I don�t have any issues with doing so. Sorry to upset you.

I like to think of them as resumes and my resume is pretty much perfect.

Posted by skytribe on May-15-2004 22:34:

quote:
Originally posted by hooknife
We can argue until we turn blue in the face, I make my demos on a computer and I don�t have any issues with doing so. Sorry to upset you.

I like to think of them as resumes and my resume is pretty much perfect.

By the same token, your resume shouldn't say that your skills are more advanced than they actually are.

Posted by hooknife on May-16-2004 00:28:

quote:
Originally posted by skytribe
By the same token, your resume shouldn't say that your skills are more advanced than they actually are.

Who says? Last time I updated my resume I had to check the name at the top to make sure it was mine because I could not beleive how much I knew. Most people "sugar coat" their resumes.

Posted by Inertia on May-16-2004 01:55:

well, i wouldnt agree to doing something on a PC you can't back up live. but aside from that, if i were recording a demo and for some external reason were to fuck up on just 1 point, there are quite a few things you can do to erase that. say i screw up the last transition. i stop the recording, start a new one, that starts at 1min before the point of the track i wrecked out of. i record that, and finish my set. i load up the first recording in soundforge, cut out the nasty part and then, load up a the 2nd, and paste it into the mix just at the right point, so there is no pause or discrepancy.

then you have successfully fixed your promo.

Posted by skytribe on May-16-2004 20:32:

quote:
Originally posted by hooknife
Who says? Last time I updated my resume I had to check the name at the top to make sure it was mine because I could not beleive how much I knew. Most people "sugar coat" their resumes.

Yeah, and those people are the incompetents who get hired for jobs they're simply not qualified for.

Posted by Nemesis44 on May-16-2004 21:02:

quote:
Originally posted by hooknife
Answer to your question: I do it because it makes my demos sound the best possible. No other reason.

I have been DJ'ing for 12 years and I am very confident in my skills with mixing live but I am always able to make a better mix on the computer. I know that a lot of kids on this board don�t think its "cool" but I think they miss the point. I'm trying to get hired because I feel that if I can mix one time for the promoter live then I have a good chance of being invited back.

So let me put it another way, I just want one chance and a great demo is what will most likely give me that chance.

I actually have to agree with Hooknife for the most part.

The reality about most promoters is that they couldn't pick out a bad mix if it jumped out and slapped them unless it's real bad. Most of the promoters I know will actually hand CDs to me and ask me if I think the DJ is any good.
The things I look for in demos (And I have head a few...) is mostly to do with tune selection and flow. You can get away with a beat being slightly off but you don't want to hear the correction.

Too many DJs go mad with seamless beatmatching and the truth is that it has relatively little impact on the mix. A promoter is looking for your track selection. Will it work with what he/she (as promoters aren't all blokes) want in their night. That's the main thing they are looking at.

With 12 years of experience, I'm pretty sure Hooknife is pretty tight with his mixing and I would have no problem with him using a PC for demos. I have been doing it for nearly 18 years and don't have any problems with doing it either way but do prefer spinning simply becuase I enjoy it more. Can pretty much whack out a demo in the time it takes to make it with no double take. I will however plan it depending on who I am trying to impress.

The problems arise if you are nowhere near that level. Even if some promoters can't tell a bad mix, clubbers and other DJs will soon let you know about it. You will get a hard time from the local promoters if you fail to live up to the expectation as they will feel cheated and your reputation will be ruined for good as you may will put them in a bad situation.

If you are new to DJing, and by new I mean you don't play out on a regular basis then stick to doing it on the wheels of steel.

As I have to say time and time again, getting a break has feck all to do with your demo in most cases but all comes down to who you know!

In time you wont need to 'sugar coat' your resume either. I get gigs these days because people want me to be there so resume doesn't even come into it, but it's a lot of hard work to get there. I promise you though, it is well worth it.

Cheers
Nem

Posted by Sunnyside on May-17-2004 09:09:

Lame, lame, lame. I cannot see where you would get fun from 'mixing' on a computer. Don't get me wrong, I love technology, but don't pretend you can mix when you can't.

Once again, lame.

Posted by dknylady on May-17-2004 15:18:

ah just thought of one more thing...

why would you spend thousands of dollars on turntables, needles, mixer, amp/speakes, headphones, carts, and VINYL if you are just gonna turn around and bang out a brainless mix on a computer mixing program???

oh and honestly i find computer enhanced "mixes" very boring. stuff like id&t or bitte ein beat. you know these mixes were messed with till they're perfect. i understand the reasons for that and that's fine and all, but i still think it's boring. i love hearing mixes that have been done live, with it's little inconsistencies.

Posted by D Dubya on May-17-2004 17:54:

Posted by KB2 on May-18-2004 00:30:

JUST TO MAKE THINGS CLEAR, YOU SHOULD ONLY EDIT YOUR REASONABLY OFF MIXES. IF EVERY MIX YOU MAKE IS REALLY OFF, THEN YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE A DEMO FOR PROMOTION.

put it this way, the human ear has been trained from listening to all these dj mix cds. Most of them have flawless mixes. That is the problem. The promoters are going to associtate your demo to a mix CD. What you do live is different. AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS SLIGTHLY OFF MIXES, NOT TRAIN WRECKS.

PEOPLE, LISTEN! IF YOUR DEMO IS TRAIN WRECKED AT EVERY MIX, THEN GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM. IF YOUR MIX IS HOT BUT YOU ARE REASONABLY OFF ON SOME MIXES BECAUSE YOUR ARE RIDING THE PITCH, THEN EDIT THOSE OFF MIXES. WHY, BECAUSE THAT STANDS OUT IN A CD. NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR YOUR HANDS ON THE RECORD TRYING TO SPEED OR SLOW IT DOWN. YOU CAN DO THAT IN THE CLUB AND IT WILL NOT MATTER BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN. WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING LIVE AND YOU ARE OFF SLIGHTLY WITH THAT SAME MIX, PEOPLE CAN'T TELL OR DON'T REALLY CARE BECAUSE ITS LOUD AND THERE ARE SO MANY MOVING PARTS. JUST AS LONG AS YOU RECOVER AND ARE NOT SLOPPY. ON A CD, IT SOUNDS REALLY BAD AND PROMOTERS DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT.

ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SLIGHTLY OFF MIXES, NOT TRAIN WRECKS. IF YOU TRAIN WRECK AT EVERY MIX, THEN YOU SHOULD GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM- period.

Posted by DJ Kibon on May-18-2004 01:36:

quote:
Originally posted by dknylady
ah just thought of one more thing...

why would you spend thousands of dollars on turntables, needles, mixer, amp/speakes, headphones, carts, and VINYL if you are just gonna turn around and bang out a brainless mix on a computer mixing program???

oh and honestly i find computer enhanced "mixes" very boring. stuff like id&t or bitte ein beat. you know these mixes were messed with till they're perfect. i understand the reasons for that and that's fine and all, but i still think it's boring. i love hearing mixes that have been done live, with it's little inconsistencies.

I definately agree with this.

For example, I was listening to one of my old Slinky CDs a couple of weeks back, compilations which arguably sold me on trance. Don't get me wrong, I love them, both for the tunes on them and for the direction it pointed my taste in music in, but it does get a bit boring hearing perfect transition after perfect transition.

Listening to a recorded liveset is usually much more interesting. For example, I have one of Tall Paul recorded live at Giant in LA, and it's one of my favorite compilations for that exact reason.

Posted by Boomer187 on May-18-2004 01:49:

This heated debate rivals some in the political forum.

People do what they want, I think they have heard both sides, its your call.

If I could computer mix I prolly would. but til then, ill make my poopy mixes

Posted by Sunnyside on May-18-2004 11:54:

quote:
If I could computer mix I prolly would. but til then, ill make my poopy mixes

Mate, I can guarantee you that most people, certainly DJs, would much rather listen to your 'poopy' mix than a flawless, boring, lifeless, easy-to-make, brainless computer mix. I know I would.

I still don't understand how you could have 'fun' compiling a flawless mix on a PC. Because that's what it's all about, no? Having fun, and improving your skills to enable you to pass that fun onto others.

If you just want to listen to dance music - go to a club. If you want to mix, then at least mix properly.

Posted by chesco on May-18-2004 15:29:

You can't create a promo mix on the computer, maybe edit it, but thats bollocks if you make up a perfect mix without going near your decks.

Do it properly and stop looking for the easy solution.

Posted by Nemesis44 on May-19-2004 18:33:

In case a lot of you folks hadn't noticed, there are tons of really sh!te DJs out there anyways, most of which are too stupid to use a computer for mixing their demos. If they can get work so can any of you.

Network network network and forget about the seamless mix for a mo!

Nem

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