DJ-ing is Hard
DJ-ing is Hard Posted on: 11.12.2012 by Jacqualine Cieplik Simple. It can be fcking hard and annoying. I hope I am not the only one. Spending 20-30 Mins working on single track transitions, practicing beat juggling and effect mashing to then when it counts mess up. Remember it is hard, anyone can sync and go but not everyone can mix and go. Xian. ps. | |
| Brunilda Kora 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Chris Macom
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| Teresia Janusch 12.12.2012 | i remember when i started out 13 years ago, i pretty much lived on my decks, all time not spent at school or college was spent mixing...i dont really practice anymore, i just do it. sometimes though i'll experiment with fx etc... |
| Freida Leash 12.12.2012 | Maybe structuring your practice for a bit is in order. If you have an hour to play, spend the first 20 minutes beat matching no sync and concentrate on intro outro mixes where the phrasing is going to carry the mix because of the last song is dropping down while the new track is building up, go thru the breakdown and the rest of it. Use the time in other parts of the tracks to get new tracks tempo correct, pay attention to cues for a new phrase, drum roll, pauses, a change in the synth. Find tracks that you want to practice with repeatedly and build a play list for this section of your practice, don't be afraid to skip back and do it again if you make an error. The next 20 minutes drop new tracks that you aren't as familiar with, don't build a play list, play the next track you want to hear, dig deep into collection for somethings you may not have played in a bit too. Use sync if you want, but pay attention to phrasing cues and make sure that phrases are properly lined up. Experiment with EQ, the filter, looping to eliminate break downs and work on finding interesting ways to blend the tracks. The next 20 minutes play with cue point juggling and effects. Find the spot to build a routine, then in a later practice session practice putting it into the second portion of your practice in a way that makes sense. It is tough to build a strong routine, even tougher to get it to where you can integrate it to your set, and you will likely be sick of hearing it by the time that it is flawless. Routines really are a ton of fun to make evolve. The one in my practice right now is working Stairway to Heaven into dnb, it has been evolving for over a couple of weeks and I believe I'm going to change the way I'm doing it drastically over the weekend to make it even tighter for the tempo changes. Most of all have fun! If you are really killing it at beat matching keep it going that day, if you are getting frustrated move on to the next part of practicing. Don't beat your self up if you aren't getting something right away. |
| Malka Wickerham 12.12.2012 | I'd say that out of all forms of art that I know of, DJing is the easiest. Production is hard. Breakdancing is hard. Painting is hard. Deaf people can DJ like in that new commercial out now. As long as you have a good opinion on music and can count to 4 then you can DJ. If DJing is hard then maybe you should do more listening and less DJing. Maybe your opinion on music is not that good. Just a theory though. It's not that hard to DJ. |
| Latoria Kavulich 12.12.2012 | @ OP if you spend 20-30 mins practising a single transition then beat juggling and effect mashing should be a lot further down your list. |
| Libbie Orion 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by keithace
If you only work with a small scale of tools that all look pretty much the same, you really arent pushing youself to learn (what do i do if X doesnt match Y ) wouldnt you say? |
| Bunny Sockel 12.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by BrianE
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| Margie Pavell 11.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by antifmradio
I believe if you buy alot of tracks in the same style around the same BPMs then sync is pretty much irrelevant... |
| Libbie Orion 11.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by BrianE
Work as if it doesnt exist. |
| Cindie Somoza 11.12.2012 | Nothing is hard once you know how to do it, some people are going to have different backgrounds that will help them with learning something quicker/easier, I've just started out with the whole DJ side of things, me and a friend have started doing it for fun. I have a background in music (piano & drums for the last 15-20 years) and he played guitar for about 2 years when he was 13-14, I've taken to beat-matching a lot easier than what he has, it's taking time for him to be able to count whilst also micro managing everything else that is going on. |
| Linnie Picchi 11.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by MYE
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| Delinda Canant 11.12.2012 | It's all about playing good tracks, that's it. |
| Bunny Sockel 11.12.2012 | Depends on how much you practice. I practice every evening for an hour and i can mix 3-4 deck tech house/techno easily |
| Lina Rawie 11.12.2012 | It takes several years to become a good, well-rounded DJ IMO. People often underestimate just how long it takes. It's even worse with scratching. I remember telling a guy on DJ Forums that unless he was a very gifted natural, it would probably take him 3-5 years to get to an intermediate stage and he thought I was taking the piss. |
| Libbie Orion 11.12.2012 | just need to find what works for you. It took me a year to get some kind of technique together enough to make me comfortable to make a full 60 mins Man i remember the day i first mixed two tracks together..... like a virgin lol and it was some cheesy radio play stuff. xian how long you been at this now? |
| Addie Engbrecht 11.12.2012 | Its a whole lot harder then most people believe it is, but all in all, it's not really that hard. |
| Ninfa Mazariegos 11.12.2012 | The more you know your songs, the easier it gets. Sometimes when I'm unsure though, I'll create a 16 or 32 count loop where I want to introduce the track and then all I have to do is decide where and how I want to transition. |
| Celine Surico 11.12.2012 | I believe mixing is easy but putting together a show that the audience likes is hard, sync or no sync. |
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