a few questions. would like feedback.

So dj'ing and mixing has been something I've always been into since I was a young lad and I'd love to get into it, but have a few questions.

1) I don't have any actual mixers, or controllers, but I just use FL just to learn the basics till I can afford a traktor S4 or something similare. What do you guys reccommend?

2) I have used DJ'ing software. I currently have tried traktor, deckadance and VDJ. All programs have their pros and cons and I'll probably use one once I get an actual controller.

3) I'd like to mix dubstep as I'm really into that right now, but I know all have to be well versed (is that the correct term?) In all genre's of EDM.

So any feedback? Am I going the wrong direction with this? It's more of a hobby really and a chance to show people the music I enjoy.

I also have a few mixes I made in FL if anyone's interested.

if your going to learn REAL mixing, then youve gotta learn to mix by ear. please dont be like all the other fuck heads that think just cuz they can use auto sync that they are a dj. scrap all programs and start with the basics.

but if (like you said) its just a hobby, then use whatever you want. doesnt matter because your not taking it serously.

now if you want to take it seriously, buy yourself a set of pioneer cdj's (since that is club standard, youll need to be well versed in them), and damn near any mixer will do, but prefferably pioneer, rane, allen & heath, etc. some cheaper mixers like vestax, numark, etc will give you problems over time, especially with slider/fader wear. they are good to start with but if your in it for the long haul buy something with some quality.

(imo) there are 2 kinds of dj's:

1. sucks at djing but the crowd doesnt know it cuz theyre all too fucked up and stupid. he got to where he is because he has hot, well known tracks, and he knows people. chances are he took it up the butt to get his spot.

2. took a few years to actually learn how to mix, blend, cue, all of the nuances of beat patterns, developed a style, has unique tracks, is smart and well informed about the music he plays, etc, etc. booty bitches and drunk assholes cant distinguish this dj from shit dj's, but if you want to be respected by the edm community then you have to pay your dues.

what you said about being well versed in all forms of edm is absolutely true. if your a dj you need to know what your talking about. also, you should imrov every set, so youll need to be prepared (depending on the type of crowd your playing for) if your tracks arent working and you need to progress to a different sound. youll need to know what type of sound you want to progress to, and how to get there comprehensively.

plus to make matters worse, there are alot of problems in dubstep, mostly its not very dj-friendly:

1. some tracks are highly melodic in the intro drum area that you would be using to mix. you have to make sure that the keys of each track match before you play it, if not it will sound off pitch and weird.

2. they have alot of vocals, so you have to know that your tracks wont have vocal clashes while your in the mix.

3. alot of intro drumlines are too quiet, or are real stripped down to something simple like just a set of cymbals. its fine when using serato or whatever, computer does all the work, but if your a REAL dj you need to crank your headphones up to booth monitor level if you want a chance to hear it.

4. intro drumlines are sometimes too short, or non-existent, or a fucked up beat pattern that will make your drop happen at the wrong spot. these types of tracks you need to improvise to make the mix work. imo its best to edit them before-hand so all of your tracks drop at the same spot, though some people disagree with me, thats up to you to figure out.

i could go on and on about dubstep, there is alot to learn, and imo its the hardest genre to spin (if you want to do it RIGHT). its almost like the producers TRY to make you fuck up, and that is why most dubstep djs out there SUCK. they do quick short shitty mixes just to get them into the next track then jump around like assholes. sometimes youll be lucky if you hear them mix at all. a dj is all about keeping energy, and that is done by proper mixing, if you throw in a shitty quick mix then your next track plays for 30+ seconds of intro drums and you lose all of your momentum until your next drop. you dont want that to happen. you want the crowd to not lose attention.

that is why you need to PRACTICE. start off with something 4/4 like techno, or house music. get used to mixing, then move to break beat, and dnb, etc. build your way up to dubstep. too many guys just jump right into it not knowing what theyre doing and its ruining the idea of what a dj is.

dont be one of them assholes that just wants to be appreciated by the masses, have some integrity. hope this helps some, any more questions hit the thread up.

Thank you I appreciate the input.

Dubstep is hard to mix I won't deny that, but i've heard it being done right. But ya I agree with you.

also from the dubstep mixes I've heard that were done right you should use songs that sound similar and share a common theme or mood. Does that make sense? It is pretty tough to jump from track to track that completely sound different.

also from the dubstep mixes I've heard that were done right you should use songs that sound similar and share a common theme or mood. Does that make sense? It is pretty tough to jump from track to track that completely sound different.

depends on what kind of mix you want to do. imo if you make a mix for a demo and its all one common theme or mood, it gets boring, unless the mix is like 30 min, but thats not a fair demonstration of how good a dj is, all mixes should be no longer than 1hr and 14min (just long enough to burn onto cd).

mixes needs to have highs and lows, and the track selection needs to demonstrate the fact that you put thought into it, that one track flows into another, elevating and lowering energy, yet keeping their attention. that is where the creative aspect of being a dj comes into play, not just throwing a bunch of tracks together just cuz they sound similar. i say play around with it, dont be afraid to take chances, but also (like you said at the end) you dont want to jump from track to track if they sound completely different. i like to look at a mix as a complex puzzle, each track kinda tells you if its going to work with another, almost like they were meant to be, others you have to force. dont bother with the ones you have to force, instead try to make everything fluid, but still interesting.

live sets are a little different though, i like to feed off of the crowd and see what they respond to, base what your doing off of that instead of focusing on taking your listeners on a trip (like in a demo). throw in some mixes that you know will get the party hyped, but keep the majority of it improv so its fresh to you and use that energy to motivate the crowd.