Just mix anything you feel like. The main thing is to keep at it. When I am bored, I will mix songs like Madonna or Micheal Jackson with a trance beat. It just keeps things interesting for me. Ever heard Thriller to the bass of Mauro Picotto? It's just experimenting, keeps it new and fun. Soon as you learn to beat match the sky is the limit really. I woudn't really say practise this way and you will get better. Just do what ever you want, and keep it fun.

when i get a new record i listen to it a few times to get the feel.

but what i find works best is just mix... try to know your records and mix em.. try to vary ur set day to day so u get each record a little spin.. and whatll probly happen is if its a new record you'll miss the cue point, or you'll come on too early or one way or another you'll mess up. but messing up in a mix helps me cuz i remember where i SHOULD have brought the other track in or played with the eq's or what not... i think screwing up a mix is a better way to learn my tracks than just sampling the tracks..

thats just personal tho.. and mixing regularly like u would at a club will force u to beat match in a timed matter which is good for the real thing.. screwing around and beat matching too late and then restarting the record will prob hurt u if u do it enough...

but thats just me

dazzed

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"to be intoxicated is to feel sophisticated but not be able to say it"

As practice, until I could beatmatch pretty well.. I used to start a song, pick the HARDEST F#@$n spot in the whole song, to try to mix into another song (usually pretty early) then I'd pop on a new track, and do it right over again bang! bang! bang! ehh maybe its just me, but I think its fun!! you get a lot of practice trying to beat match in shhhittty spots

i doing a live set in my bedroom
i recording it
and listen to my transfers and see what i nedd to parctice on...

I tend to mix it up a bit. Sometime's I'll just throw on some dope tracks and mix it up like a set and see how it flows. Another thing I like to do is try and rip off a set with all the remixes I never really use -- all the B-sides and shit I didn't necessarily buy the record for. Not only does it give you a different set of tunes to work with, but saves your good tunes and sometimes can give you a different sound (alot of remixes of trance songs tend to lean towards progressive sounds and such). I like to work on my "DJ Badass-ity" too. I saw Sasha and Digweed live a few months ago, and learned a big part of owning the crowd if how you present yourself in a god-like fashion -- Sasha in particular was amazing at this. So I mean, point to your favorite poster or your dog when your killer build kicks in and stuff too.

Maybe I'm a dork bit that's my thing.

I'm with Dj Moriano on the record and listen theory. I do the same thing and it is helpful. It is difficult to step back and listen when on the decks.

Also, I enjoy drinking a beer or drink while I'm mixing. Helps relax me a little.

dont you just love it how time flies when youre mixing

i agree w/ the guy who said to mix it up and vary your set.. personally i get tired of hearing the same set all the time (my practice sessions usually consist of putting together a set that im going to spin) so i try to mix all of my records to eachother at one point, that way you can get good at being able to mix two records together that you haven't before.. this is good practice for those 2x4 sessions when you never know what your partner is gonna throw on.. i dunno, just an idea

quote:

Originally posted by TranceGeek dont you just love it how time flies when youre mixing

Yes i agree. It also releives my stress, although i dont mix as well when im stressed.

quote:

Originally posted by Dmatrox Yes i agree. It also releives my stress, although i dont mix as well when im stressed.

So true.........you've got to relax.....and breathe.......

Be one with the Groove............




i find that when im a great mood i spin my best sets.....stress really can take a toll on your abilities......although i spun one of my best sets once under a lot of stress

guess thats just life for ya

Ckerr is absolutely right...mix anything and everything you have. go to a used vinyl shop and buy a cart of old vinyl, usually you can get about 30-50 used old records for around $10-20. im not talking about electronic dance, more like 60's - 80's w/ an occasional early 90's pop tune thrown in. experiment with those tunes...i think one of the things that helped me learn to beatmatch was mixing records with slower bpms, then moving up. every try to mix a record with a live drum track =P

anyways, the point of this so far pointless post is, dont restrict your mixing to just trance music....wurd