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  • Mix Club - The Remedial Class

5 days later

I’ve not put out any Livingroom-sets because they’ve sucked lately. Still play every Friday, but listening to the recording they’re dull as fuck, Hernan-level trouble getting to second gear. Yet it sounds great when I’m playing. Weird.

Some of it is probably beer, but maybe I also have too good a sound now, everything sounds intense when you play it loud.

    Maybe you just need a change ?

    I thought your mixing shot up in quality when you started pacing them out over the last couple of years.

    Maybe something different will stretch you again? Freahen it up a bit.Some different styles or a different approach ?

    Not as if you’re a rubbish DJ like Hernan

    Homegrove I think a big part of that has to do with their search functions going to shit over the last few weeks. I think I’ve purchased all of 2 tracks from them since late January just because it’s such a slog to find decent tunes at the mo, and Bandcamp/Soundcloud search functionality is limited at best.

      Homegrove everything sounds intense when you play it loud

      that’s a definite possibility. i know when mixing during production, i try to mix as quietly as i can because everything sounds better loud.

        Homegrove If you’re following the same labels and artists all the time… shirley what you are doing will stagnate a little? I genuinely suggest using different search methods, change it up a little.

          Luckily, I’m fucking dense and use Safari, so no problems at all.

          Seems I needed to introduce a little change to the set up, and powered up Traktor again. I think I got a new mix done yesterday, will still need to listen to it through. Used my old set up, Xone P:X 5, Xone K2 and Traktor.

          18 days later

          changing temp throughout a mix

          Been messing about with more tempo variation in my mixes for the last couple of weeks. I’ve been trying to include tracks anywhere from 110 bpm to 130 in the same set. It’s not something I’ve ever really tried before and I’m finding it harder than I expected.

          As a practice exercise, I’ve been aiming to increase the tempo by around 1 bpm on each track. By the time I’ve faded out the outgoing track and Tried to slowly increase the tempo of the playing track (without it being too noticeable), I’m finding the beatmatching and mixing in of the next track to be a bit of a panicked rush.

          Wondering if anyone has any thoughts or advice on the matter.

          Cheers

            Matt I can’t do drastic changes, they always sound shit. The only way I can do it is with one track that has a beatless outro and mixing a faster track to that with a beatless intro.

            I do however take the pitch up a few klicks (0.8 percent or something like that) after every transition. That way you can get from 118 bpm all the way to 122 in six hours!

            • Matt replied to this.

                Homegrove I’m just experimenting a bit at the minute and seeing how things sound. I’m getting a bit bored of hovering around the same bpm throughout the whole mix. I’ll give the outro/into thing a go though. Cheers

                  …weirdly, I think I’m always bolder with tempo changes when mixing live, not keen on doing too much of it on a recorded mix (unless its deliberately chill/downtempo).

                  Like Hannu says, big changes are tough when mixing…. if you have an ‘end-goal’ tempo-wise, you need to bring it up very gradually over quite a few tracks. I’d also say, don’t be afraid to just do the odd crossfade, you don’t HAVE to beat-mix every track…. something with a nice whooshy intro/outro, preferably in-key, can make for a cool direction change.

                    Unbroken1 don’t be afraid to just do the odd crossfade, you don’t HAVE to beat-mix every track…. something with a nice whooshy intro/outro, preferably in-key, can make for a cool direction change.

                    Yup. Some tracks call for it. If done well can sound great. Especially when the listener is 2mins into the new track and can’t figure out where it came from.

                      Matt Funny. Been researching this last couple of weeks.

                      Obviously can’t beat match owt so options seem to be get creative in breaks etc or, the only other option I saw was small increments.

                      Have seen a lot of references to 1bpm in no less than 30s. Cant see it not being obvious but going to play around with later today

                      • Matt replied to this.

                          Mad_Cyril Good stuff MC! Have your dancing shoes ready for my next mix. Its likely to start with you slow dancing round the kitchen with Mrs MC. Only few tracks later shell be looking on in disgust as you simulate some sort of seizure, bopping away to 170 bpm Drum and bass.

                            Matt Try adding a strong fx and like Damo said you haven’t always gotta mix the bugger. Harvey has the knack of mixing like this.

                                Dan Thats the other one that sounded plausible.

                                Memory like a sieve, thanks for the reminder !

                                  Dan Cheers Dan. Bringing in a new track without beatmatching is something I’ve never even tried to be honest. I can imagine it’s a handy thing to be able to do though. I’ll check out some of Harveys stuff, see what I can learn.