im gonna be making a rudimentary demo tape.. i have some questions.
1. should i go for different sounds on both sides? (e.g. A: progressive B: uplifting)
2. should i try to really construct a set, with peaks and valleys etc. or throw down large (hooj, if you will) tunes?
KEEP IN MIND that in this case, i live in vancouver, where trance is only starting to come back, and uneducated people love castles in the sky and touch me (rui) right now. we're just SLIGHTLY behind.
3. should i time it so the mix ends exactly when the tape ends?
(45 minutes i guess) ... or shoudl i let the song get cut off, just as the tape runs out. OR should i look at the tape deck and then just cut the turntable power as the tape runs out, scratching it out...

im sure i forgot but that's 3 real important questions for now

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what trainspotters are.

I'd just bang out 40-45 minutes of the best stuff you've got on either side. I'd try to end each side around the 44 minute mark.

yeh dude! show your true feelings! blow it up!! why dont you make a cd instead of a demo tape! a demo tape wont look professional you! Unless you dont got a cd burner. if you do make it on to a cd. Use cool edit or something to record your mix. :}

Umm NO don't bang out 2x45min of anthems !!!
Just play like you would play at a club for a 90min set, let the autoreverse (in case you have it) change direction when you're done with side 1 and just continue on side 2. If possible try to mix so that your last track ends just as the tape runs out ... if that isn't happening then just slowly fade out the last track.

Oh and if you're playing for Van-city kids then play something hard, I don't think there's too much demand for fluff trance there right now.

peace

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djskywarp.com
:: Ways of the Wikkid :: Canada's premiere Artist, DJ, Promoter, and Club Portal ::

Actually I thought about the last post a little ...
The way I told you to do a set is the way I would be doing my tape ... that doesn't necessarily mean you should do it the same way. I really don't want to be going around telling people how to do their tapes, just play whatever feels right.

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djskywarp.com
:: Ways of the Wikkid :: Canada's premiere Artist, DJ, Promoter, and Club Portal ::

hey what is so true skywarp! Spin what ever you feel like! Dont give a damn about what people think about you! you need to have a unique style. You know! well i am out peace

well thanks guys... im still not sure about your advice... a tape of anthems doesn't sound so good to me either... but it depends on if the people who listen to my tapes know their shit or not, right?

anyway. skywarp, the reason im starting spinning is to get away from that hard stuff in VAN, i dont like most of that crap. not picotto, flight 643-ish stuff (which is good), but "phatt bass" and scot project and aquagen... brr. gross. anything reminding me of hard house or the blade sountrack.
fluff trance as you call it, dunno if you're talking bout oaky style or more commercial ferry/tiesto
but im going for a melodic/prog sound (probably one side of tape) and that tiesto-ish on the other.

also, what do you think of my idea for cutting power as the tape ends... kind of n/m what part the song is at... scratching out.

is there such a tape deck that auto-reverse records, so i can make a 90-minute set (obviously with a short glitch) ?

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what trainspotters are.

all depends on where you wanna send, i think
say you live where i live
this shitty city called hamilton
here all the clubs.. they love cheese
if they like it then play it
if you stick more underground stuff onto your mix tapes/cd's they'll prolly put you down since you don't play what the crowd likes

it's all cheese!

Yeah, there are a lot of tape decks that auto reverse record.
You could always consider making a couple of tapes. Make one as an artist and make the other as a technican. In other words, make one from the heart and the other from the brain. Am I making any sense?
If you're making a demo to take to clubs, in search of employment, don't worry too much about the tape ending in the middle of a song. The club owners are more interested in your content and your mixing.

thanks for your input on this johnny
i'll take that to heart (and brain)

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what trainspotters are.

ANYTIME! Another thing to think about when making a demo. Although, I told you not to worry too much about how the tape ends.....do make sure that when making a demo, use a good quality tape. (Maxell, TDK are pretty good). The better the sound quality, the more impressed club owners will be. Also, make a copy for yourself and put it away somewhere....then, a few years from now, you can go back and listen to it and be amazed at how much better you have gotten.