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Proper Techno mixing techniques?
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| TheNeonAlien |
well ive been trying to spin techno properly for some time now.
i can do the basics fine, but mixing the songs, and making flow properly is difficult.
i hear lots of techno dj's mixing with the hi's bringing in the next track with hi's only, then bringing in the bass.
should i learn this technic.
also, should i use the crossfader, the volume slider, or the knobs to mix. (i find i work best with the crossfader)
basically my problem is this. when simple techno is playing, i can do an alright mix. When i get more complex techno (ie, Liebing), mixing clashes, but its on beat.
tuface, im looking at you!
HELP!
Vince |
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| Basstard |
| he's gonna hit you with the "mix in key" speech :crazy: |
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| ESMdjm600 |
| i didnt even know harmonic mixing applied to techno |
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| razzi |
| quote: | Originally posted by ESMdjm600
i didnt even know harmonic mixing applied to techno |
it can, depending on the bassline. when mixing techno i find it easier to mix in with eqs very low (using up fader of course, never x fader), and then bring in either treble or bass first, while removing that from the playing track. this reduces the 'clashing' youre referring to. that is for smoother mixes, but in techno cuts and fast switches sound pretty sweet too.. so basically just experiment until you like how it sounds, each mix should be different or it will get boring
razzi. |
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| Zild |
| quote: | Originally posted by Basstard
he's gonna hit you with the "mix in key" speech :crazy: |
Why not? It applies to every genre. |
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| dj_lane |
A big issue is knowing what track you are playing next, Having your set planned out is one of the best ways to concentrate more on the mix.
When I mix techno I slowly move the fader to the middle (at the right time) then I switch the bass (also at the right time) with the kill switches. Its just my own way of doing it, Long mixing is the best way to get techno mixed right.
Holding a track for the longest possible, and taking things as slow as possible.
You dont have to mix like everyone else, you do it your own way!
Also use of FX will make your set more enriched, slight stabs of delay and tape echo makes things more inventive. |
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| Inertia |
there's no "proper" way to do it, i guess. but what i notice most common is:
a) have beatmatching skills which are sharp enough to allow you to: have more than one record matched to a live track at a time, and allow you to match them in a 1-track a minute fashion.
b) know your records well enough to avoid a keyclash. you don't have to go all the way into harmonics and keying your records (though i hear this will really add to your sets) but rather just know how one goes with the other, and a general range for its speed (so as to not have to pitch it up to -6% causing a change in its sound). this should generally steer you clear of that problem.
other than that, you should evaluate on a case to case basis if you should play 2 tracks at once, cut from one to the next, do a bass switch, etc. it's up to you. have fun. |
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| tu_face |
firstly, for the most part, you can ignore harmonic mixing for techno. its very very very rare that a track you select will sound because its out of key, mainly because 90% of techno has no key.
but yeah, there is no real right or wrong way of doing it. but certainly with techno, eq work is essential because a lot of tracks sound cluttered when combined with other tracks if you don't tone down some EQ's. play about to find your feet, swap channel eq's about, swapping one tracks mids for another tracks mids and then keeping the highs from the first track while swapping the bass from the next track.. etc etc
its especially important to keep on top of your eq's if you are playing multiple tracks. its very easy to make 3 deck mixing sound , even if the beatmatching is spot on, by over-doing the highs or mids. this is where knowing your tunes comes in, knowing what to blend with what and which elements of the tracks to use. when having 3 tracks in, i always try to keep the highs down, maybe all 3 are on 4/5 or something, just enough to take the edge off.
as far as crossfader use, although people will (quite rightly) tell you to use what you feel most comfortable with, i am a firm believer that you should use the tools for the job they have been designed for. i.e. a crossfader is for cutting, switching and fast scratch action, faders are for controlled introduction and removal of sound (and maybe a little cutting). so in essence, i would always use the upfaders to bring a track in or out and only use the crossfader for cutitng switching etc. would you use a spanner to do a screwdrivers job? ;)
definitely concentrate on your eq work though, you can make those clashy mixes sound a lot better by using the eq's to full extent. this coupled with good track selection should move you forward with your mixing :) |
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