Your question is pretty vague and overwhelming, but, when it comes to how tracks are built, here's what I do:

Assume that every song is built the same, depending on genre obv. I mix mainly house, and there are always a couple of 'standard' builds for each genre.

What I do is instead of remembering how each track is built, I remember the standard builds (and there are only so many). And if I don't know how any specific track is built, I assume that it follows a certain standard, and I use that. If for whatever reason it turns out it doesn't follow that standard, I remeber it as an exception.

In my head I categories my tracks to the standards, and I remember the exceptions. This makes it easier.

Also you only really need to know the lenght and structure of the intro, the break and the main part. Every other part are built the same way as any of those part. The outro for example, are most likely the same as the intro, only reverse. And if it isn't, it's just another exception.


But to your acctual question. When to drop a track in?

When it sounds right. Some transitions sound good only if you loop the final 16 bars of the first track while slowly bringing the other track in over the course of 4 or so minutes. With some transitions, a mash-upy kind of aproach sounds better.

This is just something you have to figure out. It's part of your own personal style, noone can tell you how to do it. We can give you tips of course, but at the end of the day, you end up choosing among the tips as well.

It's about the flow and the energy, the harmonies and the rhytms. Some tracks just doesn't go well in their main parts, but their outros and intros mix extremely well. Some tracks just complete eachother to the extent that you can just play them side by side front to back without even EQing.

Every mix is different

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It depends on the two tracks going together. if you're mixing harmonically you can pretty much mix after the first chorus...but usually it's safest to mix after the last dip - which happens when there's abt 2 minutes to go.

i find that with trance its best to let the whole track play out...i usually like to bring a track in when the bassline kicks in...about 16 bars from the start, and i slowly adjust the lo's on each so that the total level bass remains the same...but again it depends on the tune playing.

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All-time Top 5:
1. Astralis - Solar Flare (Original Mix)
2. Markus Schulz feat. Justine Suissa - Perception (Vocal Mix)
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4. Skytech - Cardboard Box (Ummet Ozcan Remix)
5. David Barnes - Noodler (Original Mix)

I'm sure even if you're not counting, you can tell where each 8-bar transition is just by listening to the change in sound structure within the track. For DJs who have been spinning for a while, this comes naturally. Counting eventually becomes obsolete unless you've got a long, kick-less breakdown over which you choose to sample (or start mixing in) another track.

For trance/prog/house, 95% of the tracks will follow the typical 8-bar "theory", more or less. If you're spinning minimal/techno, sometimes you'll find that the 8-bar transition is thrown right out the window. That's when it gets really interesting. I've taken to making notations in my CD book next to tracks that don't follow a standard pattern.

But back to the initial thread post: A good rule of thumb when you're beginning to spin is to start your next track when the first track comes out of the last break-down. If you're using your cue to beat match the 2nd track while the 1st is still playing, you should have no problem starting to mix in the second track within 32 beats (8 bars). Again, this is just a guideline and you'll find that specific tracks dictate changing your mixing-in points.

Which medium are you using to DJ? If you're on vinyl, you'll have to learn to "read: the grooves of the records. If you're on CDs, try to get your hands on CDJ-1000s and use the graphic display as an extra tool to determine where/when you begin your transitions. If you're using laptop-based software, I got nuthin...

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When you guys say "drop a track in". Do you mean start the incoming track but with no volume. Or do you mean actually bring the track in that has already been playing with volume?

quote:

Originally posted by Neo95gt When you guys say "drop a track in". Do you mean start the incoming track but with no volume. Or do you mean actually bring the track in that has already been playing with volume?

In my post above, I mean start the track with little to no volume and eq/fade it in.
Sometimes there's a good spot to actually drop the track in full volume though. It just depends.

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Last edited by miamitranceman on Feb-08-2009 at 20:31

quote:

Originally posted by miamitranceman In my post above, I mean start the track with little to know volume and eq/fade it in. Sometimes there's a good spot to actually drop the track in full volume though. It just depends.

OK, yeah that's what I thought. I'm always scared to drop it right in on full volume in case my finger was a little off

This is probably not what you want to hear but if you bring in the new song in a way that fits with the one currently playing, whether it's before the breakdown or after, you'll always have a great mix.

quote:

Originally posted by Neo95gt OK, yeah that's what I thought. I'm always scared to drop it right in on full volume in case my finger was a little off

And that's why God invented practice.

Also, If I'm about to do this I usually tap the cue-play button on the beat for a couple of bars before slamming it in. That way I'm getting into the rhytm. Kindof like how you would baby-scratch you vinyls before acctually slipcuing the track in. If that makes any sense at all.

___________________
Check out Crossfade Collective
Sebastian Zander - Hotel Chaplin
Sebastian Zander - Set Two [Electro/Tech House and Trance of some sort]
Paulo Da Costa - AVGN [Prog. House](128kbps])

quote:

Originally posted by PutBoy And that's why God invented practice. Also, If I'm about to do this I usually tap the cue-play button on the beat for a couple of bars before slamming it in. That way I'm getting into the rhytm. Kindof like how you would baby-scratch you vinyls before acctually slipcuing the track in. If that makes any sense at all.

It does and I do the same thing