Mainstream Mixing

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Mainstream Mixing
Posted on: 07.06.2013 by Roselia Grinblat
Hey everybody, new to this community but have been following the website for a while now. Just have a few questions which i cant seem to answer and was wondering if the experienced DJ community could help me out.

The other evening i went to a club and watched the DJ, he was mixing mainstream music, a bit of everything and the way he did it i just cant figure out. The mixes were incredibly tight and he wasn't using sync or anything like that, the BPM's ranged as did the genres. I believe he used mainly EQ's for the transitions as the channel faders didn't move once and it was more complex than a crossfader movement.

He'd often use ending phrases of choruses to then mix in the next song and keep them balanced and then tune them out.

Im just wondering if anyone out there mixes like this and if they have any ways to practice it as i cant really get my head around it just yet.

Also another question, is slamming a derogatory form of mixing? I sometimes do slam when mixing songs which dont fit and im not sure if i should be doing it as often as i should.

Cheers for the help.
Arnulfo Morten
09.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
it's not so bad been doing it for years. Showed up to a gig and all the line faders on the mixer where bleeding.... use EQ's and Channel Gain knob to blend hopefully this helps someone when there in a situation like that.
Dannie Dimora
09.06.2013
Originally Posted by kooper1980
OP didnt mention not touching the platter or pitch faders. He said the DJ didn't touch the CHANNEL faders. This is extremely do-able!!
Oh i completely misread that. Thanks for the clarification. In this case it's very doable indeed.
Kristofer Krauel
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
OP didnt mention not touching the platter or pitch faders. He said the DJ didn't touch the CHANNEL faders. This is extremely do-able!!
Danae Dumler
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
Why is that so difficult? Depending on the tunes you're mixing, you can do pretty well just with EQs.

And it's possible filters were involved or other effects. Was he using a computer at all? Loops, pre-edited intros, and other tricks are possible if so; he might have even had another knob assigned to the volume faders and mixed them internally using an X1 or something. There are dozens of possibilities based on the info that is given.
Dannie Dimora
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by StephanV
4) the mixer had full eq kills and, as OP implied, knows how to use them well.
Originally Posted by StandAlone
The mixes were incredibly tight and he wasn't using sync or anything like that, the BPM's ranged as did the genres
He'd often use ending phrases of choruses to then mix in the next song and keep them balanced and then tune them out.
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
Pansy Shiveley
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
You said you didn't see the faders move, so it's either
1)you didn't see him moving them but he did
2)he was using a premade megamix/podcast that he either made at home/stole from another dj
3) as Noizeimpact implied, he may have been using VIP mixes of tracks with bpm changes already made in the track
4) the mixer had full eq kills and, as OP implied, knows how to use them well.
Isa Erik
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by CountenanT
He could have been doing any number of things to be fair, but it just sounds like he was mixing in a fairly standard fashion, just doing it well. Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, not everyone who spins mainstream music is a cheat or lazy - some of them do it really well and stand out for it, it's not easy to actually mix that kind of music and sound good. But there's probably no real way of knowing without more detail.

Agree. Also, bear in mind that often these resident DJ use same songs evening after evening so they tend to be very good, as you sad - very tight mixing, not a single transition is off beat etc. Practice makes perfect
Roselia Grinblat
07.06.2013		Hey everybody, new to this community but have been following the website for a while now. Just have a few questions which i cant seem to answer and was wondering if the experienced DJ community could help me out.

The other evening i went to a club and watched the DJ, he was mixing mainstream music, a bit of everything and the way he did it i just cant figure out. The mixes were incredibly tight and he wasn't using sync or anything like that, the BPM's ranged as did the genres. I believe he used mainly EQ's for the transitions as the channel faders didn't move once and it was more complex than a crossfader movement.

He'd often use ending phrases of choruses to then mix in the next song and keep them balanced and then tune them out.

Im just wondering if anyone out there mixes like this and if they have any ways to practice it as i cant really get my head around it just yet.

Also another question, is slamming a derogatory form of mixing? I sometimes do slam when mixing songs which dont fit and im not sure if i should be doing it as often as i should.

Cheers for the help.
Arnulfo Morten
09.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
it's not so bad been doing it for years. Showed up to a gig and all the line faders on the mixer where bleeding.... use EQ's and Channel Gain knob to blend hopefully this helps someone when there in a situation like that.
Margie Pavell
09.06.2013		i believe it was all magic...
Roselia Grinblat
09.06.2013		Cheers everybody for the replies, all very interesting to read.

I tend to agree with the people who state that he knows his songs well, has practiced and just mixes well. He was running Serato and barely touched the laptop and had no other MIDI type controllers. The songs all seemed to be close to original mixes aswell and i could hear the EQ being used and frequencies being mixed.

Guess i just have to practice, make a set, know my songs and practice some more. Guess i was just hoping for an easier explanation to face :/

Thanks to everyone guys, was awesome to read your thoughts. Cheers.
Dannie Dimora
09.06.2013
Originally Posted by kooper1980
OP didnt mention not touching the platter or pitch faders. He said the DJ didn't touch the CHANNEL faders. This is extremely do-able!!
Oh i completely misread that. Thanks for the clarification. In this case it's very doable indeed.
Kristofer Krauel
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
OP didnt mention not touching the platter or pitch faders. He said the DJ didn't touch the CHANNEL faders. This is extremely do-able!!
Danae Dumler
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
Why is that so difficult? Depending on the tunes you're mixing, you can do pretty well just with EQs.

And it's possible filters were involved or other effects. Was he using a computer at all? Loops, pre-edited intros, and other tricks are possible if so; he might have even had another knob assigned to the volume faders and mixed them internally using an X1 or something. There are dozens of possibilities based on the info that is given.
Emelina Chillson
08.06.2013		Theres a few kats out there who have the same set they play all the time and remember where the pitch fader must be. Or like my bro Nicro, He BPMs all his tunes and does the math in his head so he can mix without headphones.
Dannie Dimora
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by StephanV
4) the mixer had full eq kills and, as OP implied, knows how to use them well.
Originally Posted by StandAlone
The mixes were incredibly tight and he wasn't using sync or anything like that, the BPM's ranged as did the genres
He'd often use ending phrases of choruses to then mix in the next song and keep them balanced and then tune them out.
Try doing that without touching the pitchfader OR trainwrecking. Even with eq kills.
Pansy Shiveley
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by Polygon
You said you didn't see the faders move, so it's either
1)you didn't see him moving them but he did
2)he was using a premade megamix/podcast that he either made at home/stole from another dj
3) as Noizeimpact implied, he may have been using VIP mixes of tracks with bpm changes already made in the track
4) the mixer had full eq kills and, as OP implied, knows how to use them well.
Dannie Dimora
08.06.2013		You said you didn't see the faders move, so it's either
1)you didn't see him moving them but he did
2)he was using a premade megamix/podcast that he either made at home/stole from another dj
3) as Noizeimpact implied, he may have been using VIP mixes of tracks with bpm changes already made in the track
Isa Erik
08.06.2013
Originally Posted by CountenanT
He could have been doing any number of things to be fair, but it just sounds like he was mixing in a fairly standard fashion, just doing it well. Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, not everyone who spins mainstream music is a cheat or lazy - some of them do it really well and stand out for it, it's not easy to actually mix that kind of music and sound good. But there's probably no real way of knowing without more detail.

Agree. Also, bear in mind that often these resident DJ use same songs evening after evening so they tend to be very good, as you sad - very tight mixing, not a single transition is off beat etc. Practice makes perfect
Yu Santellano
07.06.2013		He could have been doing any number of things to be fair, but it just sounds like he was mixing in a fairly standard fashion, just doing it well. Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, not everyone who spins mainstream music is a cheat or lazy - some of them do it really well and stand out for it, it's not easy to actually mix that kind of music and sound good. But there's probably no real way of knowing without more detail.
Janella Gripe
07.06.2013		I believe he was using some remixes of the tracks which has some bpm transition included. That's the way how a lot of dj's do it.
Dedra Kreinbring
07.06.2013		Agreed
Joesph Kasian
07.06.2013		Could you see what he was mixing on? Alot of commercial club DJs for 'townie' folk don't always mix, but have pre-mixed CDs, but speak over them alerting the punters of things like drinks offers and other news associated with that evening , future shows etc.

And to answer your second question, don't overbelieve about mixing - do it however you want. Although of late this community has fallen into a jealous pit of envy from many members, it is a great community and there are people who mix a million different ways.

Enjoy what you do, don't fear what others believe.

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