TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- DJ Booth
-- Begin mixing with techno or trance?
Pages (2): [1] 2 »
Begin mixing with techno or trance?
hey guys, I know theres a similar thread just posted before me about to start out with but I do not want to hijack his thread hence posted a new one. Yes same situation though, been listening for a few years and love to listen techno n house mainly from james holden & whole of border community(extrawelt,tobar,fake etc), sasha, prydz, zabs, yunus, moshic, prog house stuff like pole folder, peter martin, derek howells etc and want to get down into djing side of things but I want to ask whether is it best if I start out learning to mix and beatmatch with tracks that are of a more simpler standard structure like trance where I can hear a distinctive intro/breakdown/outro instead of going into techno n house where they are more varied n complicated in terms of mixing where I can proceed on later. And also should I start learning djing with turntables (I could enrol in some djing basics course with turntable and learning beatmatching through the hard way and probably best way, before moving onto digital?) or should I start out on my own self-learning and experimenting with the digital way like traktor with a midi controller like vci-100 or smth which is what I think I could buy soon or at least afford. I think traktor is pretty fun, though with a keyboard is pretty hard to try and learn, thought maybe invest in a midi controller to go with it. Then perhaps later I could move on to ableton once I am more experienced or get better mixers like xone92?
If you like Pryda, try mixing with some Pryda tracks first.
They are well-mastered with clear beats and are pretty simplistic and consistent structure wise, which means they will be easy to learn with.
Mix what you like to mix, dude. It's not gonna matter much.
I would try learning with house... It took me like one week to beatmatch properly
just practice on whatever you are going to play you will have to get used to playing different types of tracks anyway.
thanks..I guess I should go with what I like instead...but if I get a setup like traktor and a midi controller perhaps VCI-100 in mind, is it good to start off first? I know its portable, smaller, cheaper for me and yeah have almost an unlimited access to music but perhaps should I instead start off going through a DJing crash course with turntables to learn the basics and techniques on beatmatching with tables first to get a rough feel before deciding to purchase my equipment or before going straight to digital, hence also easier for me to start (know a few known contacts around in my area and would cost around $300+euros) Or I should save up to get cdjs and a good mixer instead of traktor and a controller?
Grab a copy of Traktor, hook up your PC to a decent external mixer and call it done. You'll keep yourself busy for a few months learning to pull of some decent transitions on real faders.
Then you can decide where you want to go next.. Add turntables? CD decks? throw away $300 for buttons to control traktor? Your call.
I guess I will start getting perhaps the VCI-100 or maybe the Torq Xponent and play around with traktor first...other than that, anyone can recommend other good cheap mixer for a start?
I use Traktor with a BCD2000. These days you could go for the BCD3000 which is also a cheap and effective alternative to the VCI-100. I have also played vinyl for many years and think that although its the proper way imo, digital is so much more affordable and accessible. Its really up to you with what you want but learning both gives you more scope and options.
So true. I tend to keep a larger digital collection, and as I play around with digital, find tracks I really like... Ones that work nicely into sets and are just plain fun to throw down. Those get bought on wax!
if you do not play music that you chose yourself and love, you will never learn much as a dj no matter how good technically you may become
i always wanted to play dnb...but could never get the beatmatching. i ended up doing trance up until i got beatmatching down, then i moved to dnb. as long as you learn how to get the basics down...you'll be able to do it
Hmm thanks for the great advice from you guys...I know I don't have the cash resources but I shall play around with traktor and get a decent midi controller first... then really decide what I wanna do like Meridian5i2 said. I always felt that for djing, you at least need to know how it feels and learn at least to beatmatch properly on turntables though everything is moving in the digital way.
I would fully reccomend learning with your favourite music genre. It might be that breaks is more difficult than trance, or techno is more difficult that house, but you will get there in the end as long as you dont get fed up and quit - which you are far more likely to do if you're mixing music which you have no interext in! They all work on the same principles anyway 
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Schizophrenia Hmm thanks for the great advice from you guys...I know I don't have the cash resources but I shall play around with traktor and get a decent midi controller first... then really decide what I wanna do like Meridian5i2 said. I always felt that for djing, you at least need to know how it feels and learn at least to beatmatch properly on turntables though everything is moving in the digital way. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by i got big pants i always wanted to play dnb...but could never get the beatmatching. i ended up doing trance up until i got beatmatching down, then i moved to dnb. as long as you learn how to get the basics down...you'll be able to do it |
learn on dnb, if u manage that trance and techno will be easy
Beat matching as well as mixing and DJing in general are skills that develop over time. The only way to build on them though is to spin what you like most.
If you are talking about using actual decks to learn to beatmatch and do transitions and stuff, do techno over trance.
You don't get annoying melody clashes with trance (well, not often) in techno.
Can practice stuff like long transitions, layering and all the little neat tricks DJs like to do (after you learn to beatmatch) because structurally, techno is easier on beginner DJs to learn.
I was mixing with Traktor for bout a year before I got a midi controller. Once you get the ear for beatmatching you can adapt to different mediums pretty easily.
Check out some techno from these links :
http://www.broque.de/releases/013mit...ollektione.htm
http://funquedroppings.com/funque003.html
http://www.archive.org/audio/audio-d...y _industries
http://www.archive.org/audio/audio-d...y _industries
http://www.intoxik.de/
http://www.archive.org/audio/audio-d...nob002&from=BA
http://www.no-response.org/
http://www.offaudio.com/iframe.php?len=ES&sec=8&ref=11
http://www.archive.org/audio/audio-d...ionid=stadt002
http://www.archive.org/audio/audio-d...ionid=stadt011
http://www.thinner.cc/releases.php?r=thn035
http://rohformat.smash-designs.de/releases.html
once you find out what you need to listen for in beatmatching...it becomes a breeze. i think thats one of the more difficult things when your first starting off...which is why i had such a problem with dnb.
as others said...stick with it. it'll come to you eventually.
thanks for the links Teezdalien.. will check them out and as well as the useful tips given by you guys. I know I can beatmatch manually in Traktor but just that what I was trying to say that it has a different feel from turntables and it would be good if I had the chance to start with turntables first then move on to digital since theres so much more you can do these days with digital and controllers. I will start fiddling around with traktor with my keyboard and my friend has a traktor tutorial DVD with chris liebing guiding through the advantages of traktor and some mixing tips he has as well. Would like to check it out from him for a start. Oh yeah, the Richie Hawtin's traktor setup is real sickass that has made me sold for traktor. I have to see him live when he drops by here next time.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by palm learn on dnb, if u manage that trance and techno will be easy |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by palm learn on dnb, if u manage that trance and techno will be easy |
The big recommendation is to pick some tracks with a steady constant beat (Benny Bassani "Satisfaction" is a good one) and practice mixing them together.
Basically something minimal with a bass hit for each count. That should get you started in the right direction and then you can go whichever direction you take it.
Just crawl before you start to run. And dont get discouraged if your mixes consistantly sound like crap. It takes time.
Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.