How to DJ with Mixing techniques

Mixing is a pretty straight forward thing. The main objective is to get both the beats to sync and sound like one. In order to achieve this, you need to first set or get your bpms right. I talked about bpms in the previous post. Unlike bpms, where you can start counting the beats at any part of the song, mixing requires you to catch the first beat of the song. It is important to understand that you will need lots and lots of patience. This can be a very slow and frustrating time but once you've mastered this skill and continuously have the passion for music, dj'ing can be very rewarding. Also, before you carry on reading, ready yourself with your headphones. Always remember, one side is to listen to the current song playing on air and the other is for listening to your headphone. So, don't use both cups, just have one on. Learn to differentiate both songs. You need to be able to separate both songs. Its is kinda like tapping with one hand and sliding with the other at the same time. 

Cueing and mixing

• The first thing you do is get two songs from the same genre. Try to get two songs that are instrumental. This will be a lot more easier for you to learn to mix as there will not be any vocals to confuse you.
• Let the first song play and prepare to cue the second song. Now, you need to find the first beat of the song. This is very important. Catching the first beat is very simple. Play the second track and when you hear the first beat 'doop' (beat sound), pause the track. Now slowly turn the platter back until you hear the beat sounding 'doop doop doop doop' really fast. This is the sound of the beginning of the beat, the edge. Once you've got that, hit the cue button. Congratulations, you've just got you'r first cue!
• With the advantage of having a bpm counter on either your cdj (most do), you can already pre-drag your pitch control to the desired bpm. It's a matter of getting the perfect pitch. Since we are only gonna learn to beat mix now, don't concern yourself with bar mixing for now. 
• Ok, once you've got your first beat ready, which should be on standby or cue'd and you've pre-adjusted your bpm, lets mix. Listen to the first song playing, time yourself to the beat. I recommend you tapping your hand or feet to the beat. When your ready, on the next beat, hit play. Now because you've already pre-adjusted your bpm, it should sync with the first song or it may just be a little bit off. Ok, so you got the two songs playing,  

For a more detailed explanation, I will post a video soon (cam is broke) on how to cue and mix. 

Personal dj equipments

Before I get to the dj equipments in the console, I would like to talk about some essential items. These are items that are a must have for all DJs. Besides your tracks or tunes, a good pair of headphones are very important. In my career as a DJ, I’ve had to deal with many DJs who just aren’t professional enough. You are one of the guest DJs to play and you come there with your bags and stuff bu t you don’t have a pair of headphones? Lame! A DJs headphone is like a tooth brush. You just hate sharing it with anyone. Its a very personal thing. So make sure you invest in a pair.

Headphones come in many designs and sizes and sound quality too. Each DJ has his/her own preference. For me, I’ve always been a big fan of Technics. Currently I’m using the RP-DH1200. The sound is crisp and not too much bass. The cup size is perfect for me too. So, go out and try a few headphones and if you can, try out the sound quality. Make sure your comfortable with it. Remember, you will be spinning in a loud and noisy environment, so get the right one for you.

Next, depending on your which way you go, a good bag is essential. If your a vinyl user, go out and get a good padded bag. UDG has some great options for vinyls. And if your into cds, they also have a wide range of bags to store your cds.

Remember, vinyls are very delicate, heat can warp them. When that happens, you’ll notice that the vinyls will not be as flat as they once were. It’ll have waves and make you vinyl unusable. So take good care of them. Also, get a vinyl duster and some liquid to clean your vinyls. It will help you in times when your vinyls get dirty and they need to be cleaned immediately.

If your going for cds, then its pretty straight forward. Not much to say except catalog your cds properly but lets assume your not using cds and going for mp3s, now that’s gonna be a different way. There are many ways to approach being an mp3 DJ and to all those who tell you that mp3s are for losers, just smile at them and keep the crowd rocking!

I will talk more about mps3 software’s in my future post. Till then, leave a comment if you have any questions. Take care!