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Producer to DJ (advice required)

Hi folks,

I am new to this forum but a long term trance producer from the UK.

This afternoon my new hercules dj console came. I decided to set everything setup and installed the latest firmware + drivers. I then booted up traktor...

I delved into my folder of melodic and progressive trance and loaded up the tracks into the two decks. The problem is i am just NOT getting the grasp of mixing and maintaining the rythmn between tracks. I am struggling even todo good fades in real-time!

This is soul destroying because i've been playing piano for over 15 year's now and have been producing for about 6/7 years.

I would post music here, but i am moving host's at the minute and my website is under redesign.

It's ironic because i dont even want todo this DJ night at a local club, but it's a favour for a friend (if anything). The club hold's around 1500/2000 and i can't make a mess of this evening. I will be playing mostly commercial trance and house music. The club i am playing in has already played some of my remixes and productions and i think some people are actually intrested in having me dj for them.

I dont want to look like a complete idiot and not be able to mix or anything. I also want to be able to take at least some requests and now come with a fully automated mix.

The problem is, i am a composer at heart, i don't even handle the final arrangement of my tracks or precussion elements, but work as part of a trio, where i compose the melodys and program the synth patches and my other two friends handle the arrangement, mixdown & mastering stages.

I've tried virtual DJ but the same goes here, the problem is getting everything to lineup and cue right. I am seriously considering putting togther the mix in my sequencer then playing it out live and 'emulating' actual dj'ng. While this is a lie to the public, it's the only thing i can do at this stage and still have some confidence in music.

Any advice is good advice and even just the bare basic's would be useful.

If their any good tutorials (even better, videos) on using the likes of virtual dj or traktor that would be helpful. I have around a week to learn.

i am feeling down at the minute and just can't get to grip's with this whole concept of being a DJ, infact i would be more confident composing my tracks live on the synths (similar to nu nrg / rank1!).

Hopefully someone can offer some advice...

Best Regards,
Dave

though i do believe you should have searched the forum first before posting....

ill make this as clear as i can and im sorry if i come out sounded like a bitch

DJ-ING IS NOT GOING TO COME TO YOU OVER NIGHT...
took me 6 months to grasp the basics...
so if this show of yours is sometime soon, i guess your fuct

all i can say to improve is read what has been said before on this forum, and keep at it... over time your skills will get better

but to also add some producers are good producers, and just dont have an exelecnt ear from DJ-ing, like they are decent... but nothing to really shit your pants over
but if Oakenfold is still thought of as one of the worlds best, im sure you can do it

just takes time

quote:

Originally posted by Cosmic Realm DJ-ING IS NOT GOING TO COME TO YOU OVER NIGHT...

what are you talking about? everybody's a dj! just add "dj" in front of your name. but if you're trying to impress other people, yeah its going to take some time...

it sounds like you have the case of the beatmatchitis... just keep practicing, you'll get it, hopefully sooner than later. :P

quote:

Originally posted by displaced what are you talking about? everybody's a dj! just add "dj" in front of your name.

ha ha ha... nice

It takes a few months of practice to play any kind of decent beatmixed set.

While trying not to sound like an arrogant ass, let me throw my two cents in.

While I am definitely not a composer at heart, I have played a number of different instruments since I was pretty young. When I first tried to DJ on my friends decks I had no luck and it was really frustrating. But after going to his place a couple times I was able to beatmatch pretty consistently (of course it would take the whole record to get it close). I think there is usually a moment when you finally get it and once you can beatmatch a few in a row you will quickly improve. I think that coming from a musical background can really cut down the time it takes to learn the basics, just realize that does not mean it totally eliminates the learning curve.

At first I think it helps if you really focus on what you are trying to do, now this may sound like the lamest advice ever but let me explain. Avoid the temptation of throwing down two tracks and just messing with the pitch until you get it. Instead THINK about what you are doing. Push off (or press play in your case) and get those first couple beats going together. Once you have them together and they start drifting make your adjustments, don�t go changing the pitch until you know which direction they drift after they play together.

One tip I have is once you are able to get even halfway decent mixes out, record every set you do so you can hear yourself later. This will really help you improve faster.

quote:

Originally posted by displaced what are you talking about? everybody's a dj! just add "dj" in front of your name. but if you're trying to impress other people, yeah its going to take some time... it sounds like you have the case of the beatmatchitis... just keep practicing, you'll get it, hopefully sooner than later. :P

Dude,

if ur using the hercuelez, the Dj program u use should come with autobeatmatch anyway...

just read throught the manual... but usually the programs aren't that accurate anyway, i only use the beatcounter on such Djing programs mate. I match beats myself.

there's plenty of help on the net for u, just google it.

if its any time soon....pre record it and pretend to dj live hopefully noone notices unless youd prefer to look like a fool

quote:

Originally posted by displaced it sounds like you have the case of the beatmatchitis... just keep practicing, you'll get it, hopefully sooner than later. :P

Or just take a lot of methodone. Soon enough you'll be addicted and forget you even wanted to be able to mix in the first place.

Im not being mean to you imparticular but it seems you realy have learnt the hard way that djing isnt as easy as it looks.

If you're using the beatcounter, you aren't completely matching the beats yourself

Really once you "get" beatmatching, you just start "doing" it without much thought. Throw a record on, cue it up, and then it's "nope to fast, nope to slow, ahh right there". Then tiny adjustments to get it perfect, and ride the pitch once your in the mix.

Of course now my friends see me do it and they are like "that's not hard"

quote:

Originally posted by Abhay i only use the beatcounter on such Djing programs mate. I match beats myself.

You are really fucked my friend.

:\

Can I ask why you accepted a DJing gig when you don't DJ?

Do you think Jimmy Hendrix started playing an elaborate solo the first time he held a guitar in his hands? He started out by plucking random strings and trying to make simple sounds, just like every other guitarist. Mixing is really not complicated, but it takes time to pick up. You can't just accept a gig and expect to learn it right away.

So your choice is wether you should do it or not because if you play you might make a complete fool of yourself and destroy your dj reputation before you even start.

seriously check out ableton live.


you will sound pro.

Go download someones set who's unknown and play it on a CD Player and pretend youre mixing

quote:

Originally posted by Ryan0751 If you're using the beatcounter, you aren't completely matching the beats yourself Really once you "get" beatmatching, you just start "doing" it without much thought. Throw a record on, cue it up, and then it's "nope to fast, nope to slow, ahh right there". Then tiny adjustments to get it perfect, and ride the pitch once your in the mix. Of course now my friends see me do it and they are like "that's not hard"

yeah, i don't know the word... i think it's phrasing.... "lining up the beat"....

but i find if i do it all manually, my beats are always 1-2BPM off, it's really annoying... and i dont' know how to get it right all the time.... i'm usually within half a beat off like only 10% of the time....


i just need real decks, and more practice....

Re: Producer to DJ (advice required)

quote:

Originally posted by Jigsaw Hi folks, I am new to this forum but a long term trance producer from the UK. This afternoon my new hercules dj console came. I decided to set everything setup and installed the latest firmware + drivers. I then booted up traktor... I delved into my folder of melodic and progressive trance and loaded up the tracks into the two decks. The problem is i am just NOT getting the grasp of mixing and maintaining the rythmn between tracks. I am struggling even todo good fades in real-time! This is soul destroying because i've been playing piano for over 15 year's now and have been producing for about 6/7 years. I would post music here, but i am moving host's at the minute and my website is under redesign. It's ironic because i dont even want todo this DJ night at a local club, but it's a favour for a friend (if anything). The club hold's around 1500/2000 and i can't make a mess of this evening. I will be playing mostly commercial trance and house music. The club i am playing in has already played some of my remixes and productions and i think some people are actually intrested in having me dj for them. I dont want to look like a complete idiot and not be able to mix or anything. I also want to be able to take at least some requests and now come with a fully automated mix. The problem is, i am a composer at heart, i don't even handle the final arrangement of my tracks or precussion elements, but work as part of a trio, where i compose the melodys and program the synth patches and my other two friends handle the arrangement, mixdown & mastering stages. I've tried virtual DJ but the same goes here, the problem is getting everything to lineup and cue right. I am seriously considering putting togther the mix in my sequencer then playing it out live and 'emulating' actual dj'ng. While this is a lie to the public, it's the only thing i can do at this stage and still have some confidence in music. Any advice is good advice and even just the bare basic's would be useful. If their any good tutorials (even better, videos) on using the likes of virtual dj or traktor that would be helpful. I have around a week to learn. i am feeling down at the minute and just can't get to grip's with this whole concept of being a DJ, infact i would be more confident composing my tracks live on the synths (similar to nu nrg / rank1!). Hopefully someone can offer some advice... Best Regards, Dave

You are crazy!!

I guess I 'll take the time to explain some stuff to you.
(English is my second language
so as you can imagine I am putting some effort into making sense
and helping you out).

The '' Practice makes perfect" advise, is true but not original.
Ill have to do better than that and you only have less than a week .
So what advise could I give you that could actually
make this post worth a read?


FIRST OF ALL DJING BASICS :

(you are a trance produser I think you should know
how the dj (media) goes about bringing your tracks to a dancefloor.


You know beats /bars/measures.
Cue the track by

1
hitting pause and using that little jog thingi
to go behind the first beat of the track witch is always a kick drum
(If the track you have has an ambient intro FIND ANOTHER ONE)

2 Hitting cue when you have done this.
Next:
Wait for the beggining of a new part of the ''live'' song
and hit ''play on the one" just like you would hit a key on
a piano (ON BEAT).

Pay attention :

THIS IS THE PART WHERE MOST BEGGINERS FUCK UP.

the tendency is to start counting the rhythm of the
song in your headphones.


IGNORE THE SONG IN YOUR HEADPHONES.

In fact act like there is no song in you headphones
and keep counting Taping you foot
and focusing on the live program material.
This way you dont get lost in the mix.

Make the two song a race.

START IT ON THE ONE AND COUNT 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

The song that finished first is the faster one

Adjust your pitch of the song you are bringing in the mix
accordingly.(IF it was faster pitch it down(-), If it was slower pitch it up(+)
the ammount of correction it needs is related to the ammount of differense
in speed, in other words if it was slightly different make a smaller correction
if it was ''way out of wack'' take a bigger step faster.

Hit cue again wait for the beggining of a bar
hit play and repeat the proccess .
You have already made the differense in tempo smaller with your original correction

This time you will keep the song in you headphones for 4 bars instead of two
(remember you are counting the beats of the song thats live and
going back to the song in you headphones to see where the song you are cueing up
is in RELATION to the song thats live and you are counting)
Now a make a smaller correction & test it again.

next start your song on the beggining of something in the live song
so that the events of the two songs are sunchronized.
Play close attention to finetune the song to get it running at exacly the same tempo
with the live track you do this with the jog
move the jog slightly foward or back and the pitch hairbrearths up and down.


By always counting the beat of the live song you souldnt get lost in the mix.
Now dont assume that just because you set the pitch at one point you
can just bring it in the mix and stop paying attention to wats going on.

Chances are that there are smaller differenses in pitch that your cant
hear yet but are gradually getting more audible resulting to
the tracks falling out of sunch leaving you compleatly lost in the mix
in front of so many people.
If that happens just fade the track out.
I REPEAT AVOID THIS AT ALL COST JUST FADE THE FUCKING TRACK OUT.
no mixing beats trainwrecking.


In your situation I would suggest practising hours with no beatcounter and
using the tempo display when you play live.
If its 134,5
start the track let the computer calculate the tempo
move the pitch till the other song is 134,5
and start again dead on beat.
REMEMBER YOU ARE COUNTING THE TRACK THATS LIVE AND GOING BACK TO YOU HEADPHONES TO SEE IF YOU HAVE TO CORRECT THINGS.
leave the pitch set and use the little jog when you sense that there is correction that needs to take place .
Keep counting till you are done with your mix a, try to be as
persise as posible and try to be smooth with the faders.

It was a situation similar to yours that got me into djing in the first plase.
I got drunk and played my favourite records,stuff I wanted to hear
stuff I hadnt listened to for ages ,shit I grew up with,
No long blends ,just a harsh yet clean transition ,
But the people there loved it and had a wicked time.
I still remember my first night out very vividly.
Trust me you can make a party happen if your tracksellecton is
outstanding but you mixing is a bit dolgy (as long as the transition isnt audibly unpleasent)
but it doesnt work the other way around.

Trance djs usually play records in higher keys.
By doing so the generate an uplifting feeling.
You know music ,use this.

Take a wide variety of music ,dont plan out the set,just
be spontanious and think of what sounds you and the people there want to hear.
Chances are the shit that is putting you in a ''party mood ''
will have a similar effect to the rest of the crowd there.

good luck

True that son

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