Hayward
Mixing for Newbies
Lets make a few assumptions.
1. You have read the manual (even if its outdated).
2. You have read the other ‘mixing tips’ posted on this site.
3. You are using a valid copy of VDJ.
4. You have scanned your HD so you VDJ database is updated w/BPMs.
5. You are using the default skin (at least for this lesson.)
6. You are a Newbie.
7. You need patience.
Sort your songs in BPM order.
If you don’t have any experience mixing then first practice by placing the same song on both decks, with both decks playing move the slider on the mix table from left to right, you will ‘hear’ during the cross over from deck 1 to deck 2 whether or not the beats for the songs are in sync. Use the ‘SYNC’ buttons VDJ to get the beats in sync.
As you progress you will realize that SYNCing is not enough to get an accurate mix. You also need to align the start of the beats, which is shown in VDJ by the CBG (computed beat grid). The large square is usually the first measure of beat cycle and it occurs every 4 beats. With practice (many hours) you will learn how to shift the CBG to your needs as you become more proficient in VDJ.)
Lets get started:
With the mix slider all the way over to deck 1 hit the ‘play’ button to start your practice.
Use your headphones to listen to deck 2 (this is called cueing) while deck 1 is playing from your speakers. What you want to do here is find a good “mix in’ point on deck 2 while deck 1 continues playing to where you feel is a good ‘mix out’ point. To get the two points to sound like one (mixing) requires modifying the pitch and adjusting the eq faders as required. This modification happens on the deck that can be heard in your headphones so the audience cannot hear what you are doing.
Cueing the songs:
There are other ways of doing this, here is one; When you find the ‘mix in’ point of the song playing in your head phones put it in a 4 or 8 beat loop.
Use the SYNC button on deck 2 to sync the beats with deck 1.
Use the skip beat buttons or drag the wave form to align the CGBs if they are not already aligned.
When deck 1 gets to where to want to mix out, move the mix table slider over lets say 25% toward deck 2, release the loop move the slider progressively to deck 2 to create a ‘smooth’ transition.
Load new song in deck 1 and repeat the cuing process.
With practice and listening to other DJ mixes, you will learn the proper mixing point for songs you will also develop you own style of mixing but timing and patience will play an important part in how you mix sounds.
With more practice you will use the LOOP functions more, SAMPLES, EFX, EQ fader and setting CUES.
Sometimes you can loop a song for 16/32/64 beats and bring in the other song with no BASS and create a totally new sound/song.
Once you get the ‘hang’ of VDJ you’ll just do you own thing with the different features that sounds right for you and your crowd.
Lets make a few assumptions.
1. You have read the manual (even if its outdated).
2. You have read the other ‘mixing tips’ posted on this site.
3. You are using a valid copy of VDJ.
4. You have scanned your HD so you VDJ database is updated w/BPMs.
5. You are using the default skin (at least for this lesson.)
6. You are a Newbie.
7. You need patience.
Sort your songs in BPM order.
If you don’t have any experience mixing then first practice by placing the same song on both decks, with both decks playing move the slider on the mix table from left to right, you will ‘hear’ during the cross over from deck 1 to deck 2 whether or not the beats for the songs are in sync. Use the ‘SYNC’ buttons VDJ to get the beats in sync.
As you progress you will realize that SYNCing is not enough to get an accurate mix. You also need to align the start of the beats, which is shown in VDJ by the CBG (computed beat grid). The large square is usually the first measure of beat cycle and it occurs every 4 beats. With practice (many hours) you will learn how to shift the CBG to your needs as you become more proficient in VDJ.)
Lets get started:
With the mix slider all the way over to deck 1 hit the ‘play’ button to start your practice.
Use your headphones to listen to deck 2 (this is called cueing) while deck 1 is playing from your speakers. What you want to do here is find a good “mix in’ point on deck 2 while deck 1 continues playing to where you feel is a good ‘mix out’ point. To get the two points to sound like one (mixing) requires modifying the pitch and adjusting the eq faders as required. This modification happens on the deck that can be heard in your headphones so the audience cannot hear what you are doing.
Cueing the songs:
There are other ways of doing this, here is one; When you find the ‘mix in’ point of the song playing in your head phones put it in a 4 or 8 beat loop.
Use the SYNC button on deck 2 to sync the beats with deck 1.
Use the skip beat buttons or drag the wave form to align the CGBs if they are not already aligned.
When deck 1 gets to where to want to mix out, move the mix table slider over lets say 25% toward deck 2, release the loop move the slider progressively to deck 2 to create a ‘smooth’ transition.
Load new song in deck 1 and repeat the cuing process.
With practice and listening to other DJ mixes, you will learn the proper mixing point for songs you will also develop you own style of mixing but timing and patience will play an important part in how you mix sounds.
With more practice you will use the LOOP functions more, SAMPLES, EFX, EQ fader and setting CUES.
Sometimes you can loop a song for 16/32/64 beats and bring in the other song with no BASS and create a totally new sound/song.
Once you get the ‘hang’ of VDJ you’ll just do you own thing with the different features that sounds right for you and your crowd.
Posted Fri 21 Oct 05 @ 7:19 pm
dj_spangle
Good tips!
Let me add some other ways of mixing 2 tracks (note: this is how I call them... just creative names from myself :P):
1. Stop-Play: Make sure both tracks play at the same (or close enough) speed. Cue track 2 at the start of a beat, and when track 1 comes to the end of a beat, push stop at deck 1 and play at deck 2 at exactly the same time. Another way to archieve the same effect is pushing play at the right time and using the crossfader to cut deck 1.
2. Brake-Play: First, you need to find out approx. is a beat in a certain track. Most of the time, I set different times for different styles, independent of the specific song you're playing. Set the braking time to some 100ms. longer than a beat, and then sync the braking with the start of the other track. The crossfader should be in the middle.
3. loop-out: Sometimes (most techno songs anyways) have a comedown after a chorus or verse... You can loop this (4 or 8 beats most of the time) and while its playing, slowly fade in to the next track... If you're in sync this should be seamless and it works really great.
4. cue-in: While track 1 plays, you have deck 2 cued at the start of a chorus, or some other notable part of the song. Sporadicaly (but noting the sync), make a temporary play (RMB on play) and let one beat play. Repeat several times, and at last, play the second song in.
Hope it's helpful!!
Spangle
Let me add some other ways of mixing 2 tracks (note: this is how I call them... just creative names from myself :P):
1. Stop-Play: Make sure both tracks play at the same (or close enough) speed. Cue track 2 at the start of a beat, and when track 1 comes to the end of a beat, push stop at deck 1 and play at deck 2 at exactly the same time. Another way to archieve the same effect is pushing play at the right time and using the crossfader to cut deck 1.
2. Brake-Play: First, you need to find out approx. is a beat in a certain track. Most of the time, I set different times for different styles, independent of the specific song you're playing. Set the braking time to some 100ms. longer than a beat, and then sync the braking with the start of the other track. The crossfader should be in the middle.
3. loop-out: Sometimes (most techno songs anyways) have a comedown after a chorus or verse... You can loop this (4 or 8 beats most of the time) and while its playing, slowly fade in to the next track... If you're in sync this should be seamless and it works really great.
4. cue-in: While track 1 plays, you have deck 2 cued at the start of a chorus, or some other notable part of the song. Sporadicaly (but noting the sync), make a temporary play (RMB on play) and let one beat play. Repeat several times, and at last, play the second song in.
Hope it's helpful!!
Spangle
Posted Thu 27 Oct 05 @ 6:23 am