WHat is inovlved in mixing Hip-Hop?

What is invovled in mixing EDM?

WHich skills are harder to learn?

WHy do you think Genre you voted for is harder to mix?

This isn't a poll about which DJs are better (hip hop, or EDM), but a poll about which GENRE, is harder to mix...

the focus is particularily on trance, in the EDM genre.

IT'd be great if you could give reasons why u made the vote you did...

the reality is, as a EDM DJ, many of us are likely to see hip-hop as difficult, as it's something we haven't devoted much time to, and havnet 'gotten used to yet. THat's why i wish to generate an intelligent discussion on the topic...

Think about it.... when u first started using a mixer... or first started beatmatching... it seemed so complicated didn't it? Well similarily, now that you've gotten used to mixing EDM, you mightn't appreciate the diffuculties involved, and when you try out Hip-Hop/RnB it may seem hard....

here's how easy it is to mix hip hop...

play track 1 then mix in track 2(instrimental version) at the beginning of the chorus(usually the second chorus) then at the end of track 1 chorus cut to track 2(instrimental version). Then mix in track 2(vocal version). thats it.


/\ its as simple as that. hip hop chorus' are only a few bars so you're only mixing for a few seconds with makes it super easy to beatmatch. You don't have to know your records the way you do with e.d.m. cuz theres no big breaks, buildups, etc... just verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse, chorus.

e.d.m. is way more challenging and fun and there's a lot more room for creativity.

Last edited by Stealth on Oct-13-2006 at 22:20

quote:

Originally posted by Stealth here's how easy it is to mix hip hop... play track 1 then mix in track 2(instrimental version) at the beginning of the chorus(usually the second chorus) then cut to track 2(instrimental version) at the end of track 1 chorus. Then mix in track 2(vocal version). thats it.

If it only was that easy

Then an argument can be made for mixing EDM. Just beatmatch, cue, and bring in the incoming song. That's it.

What you are saying is the the basics of Hip Hop mixing without being creative. Don't get me wrong, I have been mixing EDM for about 6 years and Hip Hop / R&B for about 3. I luv both genre's and won't diss a Hip Hop Dj vs an EDM Dj.

Mixing Trance without creativity can be boring as well, because then everyone will mix the same. When you said there is much more to edm like big breaks, buildups etc....hip hop has scratching, beat juggling, drops, etc.....

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I see your point but, scratching, beat juggling, etc has to do more with turntablism than mixing hip hop. You can scratch, beat juggle, and do other turntablism tricks with e.d.m. too- just ask bad boy bill, dj craze, etc...

now if the question was 'which is harder hip hop, e.d.m., or turntablism' I would definately say turntablism.


even if we just use your simplistic argument for mixing e.d.m. "Just beatmatch, cue, and bring in the incoming song. That's it." you still have to beatmatch for a much longer time with e.d.m. therefore creating a better chance of drifting off beat.

also 99.9% of hip hop songs have the same format: verse, chorus, verse, etc... on the other hand e.d.m. tracks are much more complex and diverse in their formats which makes it more challenging to know when is the right time to start mixing in the next track.

Last edited by Stealth on Oct-13-2006 at 22:57

quote:

Originally posted by Stealth also 99.9% of hip hop songs have the same format: verse, chorus, verse, etc... on the other hand e.d.m. tracks are much more complex and diverse in their formats which makes it more challenging to know when is the right time to start mixing in the next track.

To my best knowledge, all Trance songs (or just about all) follow the same format: Intro-->Body-->Break-->Climax-->Exit. Also since trance is a 4/4 beat (just like most hip hop) everything happens either 4, 16, 32..etc. By far I think that that hip hop/R&B tracks have more complex beats and more variations on the 4/4 beat.

If Hip Hop/ R&B tracks aren't as diverse as Trance, how come people never say that Hip Hop/R&B songs all sound the same?, and people that aren't as familiar with trance say all the they hear is boom boom boom and all songs are the same?

I hope I don't offend you in anyway, because I don't mean too , but i find that discussing this topic is very interesting. I don't wnat this to become a Hip Hop vs Trance war, but just to compare the 2 and how different or the same they are. I actually love trance and usually can't get enuff, but I have the same luv for R&B too!

But back to the topic of which is harder to mix...I find Hip Hop is, just because there is alot more vocals to deal with. I find that I use the sampler more, and doing seemless drops everytime is very tough as well....

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quote:

Originally posted by Dj Ricky H By far I think that that hip hop/R&B tracks have more complex beats and more variations on the 4/4 beat. If Hip Hop/ R&B tracks aren't as diverse as Trance, how come people never say that Hip Hop/R&B songs all sound the same?,

WTF ??????

You sould listen to some hip hop instrimentals and see if you say the same thing. Hip hop beats are very simple beats some times just a few bars looped over and over..........


Why dont people say hip hop all sound the same?? because the raps/vocals are all different

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Ricky H To my best knowledge, all Trance songs (or just about all) follow the same format: Intro-->Body-->Break-->Climax-->Exit. Also since trance is a 4/4 beat (just like most hip hop) everything happens either 4, 16, 32..etc. By far I think that that hip hop/R&B tracks have more complex beats and more variations on the 4/4 beat. [/i][/b]

There are trance songs that have a format of Intro-->Body-->Break-->Climax-->Exit but the time(or bars) between those varies from track to track unlike hip hop which always(yes always) uses the same cookie-cutter format. Also there are many more variations in the format of trance songs like: Intro-->Break-->Body-->Break-->Climax-->Body-->Exit for example... on the other hand hip hop will always follow the same boring and predictable format therefore making it easier to mix.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Ricky H I hope I don't offend you in anyway, because I don't mean too , but i find that discussing this topic is very interesting. I don't wnat this to become a Hip Hop vs Trance war, but just to compare the 2 and how different or the same they are. I actually love trance and usually can't get enuff, but I have the same luv for R&B too![/i][/b]

Its all good bro, no offence taken. This is an interesting discusion.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Ricky H But back to the topic of which is harder to mix...I find Hip Hop is, just because there is alot more vocals to deal with. I find that I use the sampler more, and doing seemless drops everytime is very tough as well....[/i][/b]

How are vocals an issue for you? And what does that have to do with mixing hip hop(other than having to buy 2 of every song)? Also why do you use a sampler when you mix hip hop? Just curious.

Last edited by Stealth on Oct-14-2006 at 03:09

Both genres have their differences of mixing. I think they would be equally as hard to learn how to mix.


Turntablism on the other hand is just jaw dropping and is probably the hardest thing to learn on turntables.

having actually been to an rnb club (relax, it was the only thing open on a wednesday night, i was on an epic bender and was too fucked up to realise where we were going) I don't have a huge amount of respect for rnb djs. The mixing was very basic, radio fade sorta stuff, no real need for beatmatching, no real harmonics either, there was nothing that made me think at ANY time of the night "this guy aint half bad". It was all basic, i'd suggest there was little skill involved. It takes a lot more skill to do a 2 minute mix smoothly than a 2 second fade into a Missy Elliot track.

Not saying all rnb/hip hop djs are like that, i'm sure there are some out there with actual skill, but from my experience rnb only takes basic skill to master.

(disclaimer, memory may or may not be tarnished by alcohol)

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**Man I'm Pretty**

I find it disapponting that in a trance forum most of the people mix hip hop and RnB rubbish.

The world is in a sorry state.



Jarv

quote:

Originally posted by Jarvmeister I find it disapponting that in a trance forum most of the people mix hip hop and RnB rubbish. The world is in a sorry state. Jarv

I find it disappointing how ridiculously close minded some people are when it comes to music. These same people whine when nobody likes the music they like, yet are eager to diss everything they don't like.

For me, I'd think hiphop/rnb would be easier to mix since I find mixing slower stuff easier as I can hear the offbeats and differences in timing more easily. That might just be me, though.

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