Mix Club - The Remedial Class

Mad_Cyril I have 2 portable external hard drives 2TB each. I’m probably a bit unusual in the fact that everything is RB analyzed and in my rekordbox. Tagging is your friend. It’s the only thing that keeps 40K + tracks manageable.

Mad_Cyril Are you using Rekordbox? If so don’t rely on the key analysis 100%. Mixed in Key is more accurate. If the harmonics on your transitions sound discordant it could be that.

Mad_Cyril Have been battering away on a mix for a couple of months now, couldn’t quite get the selection right for a few different reasons. Spent a fair bit of time listening back on headphones, room speakers and car speakers, making sure the feel was right… just keep at it, it’ll come.

Good example of this; it used to take me ages to get tracks in key, can do it pretty quick now, few seconds, just knock them up and down a few semi tones until they ‘click’.

Mad_Cyril always sounds great when I’m mixing it - different gravy re-listening. I’m guessing it’s practice etc.

What’s helped me a bit is mixing the same two tracks - it sounds funny when they’re perfectly beat matched. How that’s helped is knowing what it sounds like when they’re nearly beat matched

Mad_Cyril Using memory loops is a good way to make sure that you don’t run out of track.

Mad_Cyril
I used to set the cue points on where the second track was going to start and where you want to start the track. I’ve been using hd25’s for years with no problems. Like Amps & Grant have already said. Practice as much as you can and it will come. You can do it.

Mad_Cyril hd25s are great for mixing, that’s definitely not the problem. how are you monitoring before and after bringing the new track in? all headphones, headphones and monitors? when you cue the incoming track how do you have the sound split in headphones between the outgoing/incoming tracks?

If beat matching is the problem, then getting two copies of the same track and relentlessly mixing between them is the way to go. Removes any distractions about key or phrasing. You know they go together, so can just focus on getting the beats aligned. It does take practice though. Lots of it.

Mad_Cyril maybe try this, see if it helps with some practice … when you’re beat matching play both tracks at equal volume in your cans, independent of the master output, and after you bring the new track in initially, take off the headphones and mix purely off the master output. you want to check back if the beats start to slip, but that will ensure you’re focused on the actual mix. also, if you’re ever playing out, you don’t have to worry about the cue features on the mixer (although that’s probably less of an issue now than when i was learning).

Mad_Cyril i think the other thing might be just to practice mixing tracks that you know are exactly in the same key and practice the transition in various places - it all depends on the tracks but start with track A say just after the last drop so maybe 32 or 64 phrases from the end and Track B from the beginning - so a long boring mix but in the same key and see how it sounds - then try at places with more complexity and build from there. there is no right answer - we all have different ways of hearing things - what sounds harmonious to me might not to you - for all i know i might be tone deaf!
To check the key of a track i run it through MiK and sometimes use the little keyboard feature so i can hear the key in the abstract just to convince myself it is the right one. but the other thing is this: WTF is wrong with the odd key clash of the tracks are good and it keeps the energy up? i reckon when i was going to the Gallery of a Friday night that the guys playing there were not massively programming by key all the time - just slamming in Madagascar to get the energy up !!!

Mad_Cyril
You are starting it on the first beat of a bar.

Mad_Cyril for years i mixed in the new track on the EQ in the order of bass - mid- treble i got much better when someone pointed out to me that i was doing it in the wrong order!