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How do u build a tracklist
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| djsphere |
How do u do it?
What are your goals when creating it? |
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| _Nut_ |
Depends on your style
Depends on the feeling you are trying to get across
Depends on what vinyl or CDmaxi or mini's you own.
After that it comes down to what goes best with what dependant on the emotion/feeling you are trying to spread across. |
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| Vlad |
Building a tracklist is something that cant be taught - _Nut_ is totally right when he says its about style and feeling. Another thing that I need to stress is dont just play anthems, dont just play songs that you particularly like. You need to keep in mind that although you might not like the track your playing, it would make your mix flow alot better. You also need to have a good ear for building a tracklist, you dont want to be going out on tangents when mixing tracks, you dont want sounds within both songs clashing. Its ok to bring it up and down and up and down, but be subtle.
I use the program MixMeister3 to build my tracklists - it helps me choreograph all my mixes. This program will NOT help you beat match. Ive been using this program for a year now and for the first time ever - I can listen to my own mixes a number of times and not get bored of it. When I remodel my room and set up my equipment, my goal is to transfer these mixes I made on computer into realtime with turntables and CDJ. |
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| djsphere |
| What about BPM? Do u start your set with a low BPM tracks and build up to higher BPM tracks in the end, or do u try to keep a constant BPM during the hole set? I guss starting with high BPM and ending with low one gives a lost of energy do the transitions and no progresion to the mix. |
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| Vero |
| i allways pick out a few tracks that i want to throw down, and then just find others that transition them together. i have a few that i allways start with, and a few that i like to end my set with. its all about the vibe you are trying to get. |
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| Vlad |
BPM is totally up to you, whether you what to start slow and build or you want to alternate, or you want to keep a steady BPM.
I dont suggest you use the alternating BPM because is screws up the feeling and emotion. You could throw in 1-2 tracks if you want, I would just to give the crowd a track to relax and catch their breathe to, and than hit them with the hardest track I have and just pound them from then on until the end.
It all depends on YOU... Heres a question for you, when you go out clubbing how do you like the DJ to spin? What do you like to hear? When do you like to hear it (as in beginning, middle or end?)? |
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| Shad0wmaster |
just like vlad said, your tracklist depends entirely on what kind of mood you're trying to create and where you're trying to take your listeners. what do you want them to feel? what vibe are you trying to send?
vlad- i disagree with what you said about not necessarily playing songs that you like, though...it definitely helps motivate you and boost your mixing and energy if you're playing tracks you like the whole time. if you don't like it, don't play it. it's really all about having a lot of tracks to choose from, and knowing your tunes forwards and backwards. but yeah, definitely don't play just anthems (unless you're spinning an anthem compilation hehe :p) |
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| Nemesis44 |
Hmmm, interesting question.
'Creating a tracklist' or 'Set programming' as it's also called.
It all depends on who your target audience is i.e. your car stereo, your friends, a club promoter or a a dancefloor. The types of mix you can do for these different guys is very different.
I must confess that when I play I don't often mess around with the BPM too much so it's pretty constant. It kind of depends on the DJ that was playing before me if I'm playing out.
By all means go off on a tangent (sorry Vlad) but make sure it's creative and 'works' as originality is very often something that will get you noticed. There are too many DJs out there who are clones who will only play what's expected of them. Don't be afraid to hunt down some obscure but quality tracks because everyone has basically heard what the big boys are playing already and while it's good to keep some of those tracks in there you need to break it up with your own style too.
In a club senario it's not really about what you want it's more about what you feel the crowd would want and what they need. Keep an eye on the dancefloor dynamics to see what's going on. If people are leaving then it may not be because you are bad... sometimes we DJs tend to clobber people with energetic music so they need to rest sometimes. If you see this happening bring the intensity down a little and build it up again, you will have the people there again soon enough and then hit them with a feel good anthem.
Reading a dancefloor is something that takes time to perfect and you do have to have some natural skill at this too.
If you can mix harmonically and know how that works you can really create a good flow and take people on a journey. The thing to remember is that the journeys end needs to be a higher state than the beggining of it.
I get handed a lot of demos when I play out and sadly the majority of CDs sound more like a Ministry of Sound anthems compilation rather than a DJ set only not mixed as well. It's a common mistake that the compilations are partly to blame for. Even most of them do tend to have a thread working up in intensity.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Nem |
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| dJohn |
How do I do it?
After lighting up a big L, I just put on the first record that I feel like playing and go from there...
No, seriously though, there's alot of good points made on these replies. I myself am still learning how to perfect my own tracklists, but in the end, it all comes down to what you want to present to the hearing audience, NOT what they want to hear, what you want to hear, but your presentation...chill out ISOS type, banging live set-ish, or steady pumping beats...tracks are a factor, but as long as you can hold and keep the concept of your mix, your in the clear.
As far as the statement by Vlad, I completely disagree. Once again, a mixtape is your personal expression of what you feel. Eventually you'll learn to formulate your own style and approach, but you can't reach the top without starting from the bottom, right? Keep mixing what you think sounds right(and good!) and you'll find yourself filtering out and eventually shaping your own sound.
As far as Nemesis's comments on the harmonic mixing, I disagree with that too. I know many quality albums and mix comps that start and end witht he same note and feel...it's the stuff in between that matters. You can send people on that journey however you want..remember, that mix tape is YOUR story that YOUR telling.
On the BPM note, I find mixes with a constant BPM tend to flatten out during the middle of the mix...if your creating a mood, emotion or journey, then tempo is your first and most natural way to get some blood pumping or to chill out. Generally, slowing down a mix is a little trickier than speeding it up, but with the right harmonics and right placement, it's possible and can be a very effective trick in setting an alternate mood or state of mind. |
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| Nemesis44 |
Harmonic mixing isn't playing tracks that are all in the same key!!!!
It's knowing how keys interact with eachother and what sort of mood they will create when put together. Far more powerful in the long run than any tempo change could ever hope to be. Keys and harmonies is what trance is all about, it's what creates the mood. Using it in the mix is the next logical step in mixing in my opinion.
Obviously not everyone wants to do it which is fair enough.
Looks like we have to agree to disagree on this one Djohn :)
Cheers
Nem |
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| DeleriuM2K |
Im taking this all in :)
I plan to send out demos to clubs around toronto this year |
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| Nemesis44 |
Feel free to send me a PM if you want to hear my weird and whacky views on it.
Cheers
Nem |
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