Hi everyone, I am going to tell you about a special DJ technique that is used by hundreds of top DJs. It will help you create a perfect DJ mix that gets heard by thousands of people. If you release and sell your CDs, this mix will get higher review scores. If you're making a mix for your friends, there's a higher chance that they will burn it onto CDs and copy it to their iPods. This magic "sauce" creates the perfect DJ mix. Here is how you do it: 1) Your first track must be an instrumental (no vocals) 2) Your second track must have vocals 3) The duration of your first track must be shorter than 2 minutes 30 seconds 4) The duration of your second track must be shorter than 4 minutes 5) All subsequent tracks must be shorter than 5 minutes Your DJ sets will sound much better. DJ Tiesto has used this technique hundreds of times in his DJ sets. Try it yourself and hear how good it sounds. -DJ Yakov Please Digg This!

Hi yakov, Just curious, Where do you get this theory from ??

I used it on one of my DJ mixes, and it was downloaded over 5000 times. It's also used on almost every Tiesto album out there -- it's a great template for maximum catchiness. People don't skip ahead, because you've got them interested. The vocal in the second song is very important.

Yeah i never saw that on forums but lot of dj's use that. Can i ask you how do you manage your tracks during your set (except the harmonic selection). Do you play more vocals at the start of your set ?

I wouldn't do no.3 The rest seem ok enough. In fact every mix would be the same :( I like to be different each time in some way. (between mixsets)

I just got Tiesto's "In Search of Sunrise: Ibiza" for Christmas and rule 3 seems to hold true. CD 1 First track: 2:27. CD 2 First track: 2:37. When I first got it, I was wondering why they were so short. Now it makes sense. I think it emphasizes the fact that this is a mix cd, and it's going to take you on a musical journey. I think they're all good rules to follow.

Its just what I call close mixes (around 2 mins long) annoy me so much is all, its just personal gripe I've always had. :) Not saying Tiesto doesn't do it like this. Or for anyone else not to do it. I know what they do its a cop out to gain energy, but at the expense of a wasted track. Its not so bad to do it once like this. But its down to structuring in the mix itself too. It usually doesn't sound musically correct to mix about 2 mins in length especially if there 5 to 6 minute tracks even when phrased too is all. Have you always used this Tiesto method before Yakov ?

Sounds a good trick will give it ago . i do have to say though mixed cds have sometimes been shortened like this to fit more tracks on the cds .Almost every mixed album is done this way to fit 20+ tracks on ,eg the first breakdown you hear on the mixed cd is actually the second breakdown in the track (if you get what mean) not heard a cd doing it for a whole album though. cheers ill give it ago

Thats correct Ryan its only done on mix CDs to fit in 20 current tracks in 80 mins. A lot of re-edits of tracks are actually made sometimes too in order to achieve this on occasion. A lot of the time mix engineers plan the mix then the DJ will mix it. (If you see mix engineered / produced by..... on the CD sleeve, not just talking about mastering). Also the label will try & cram in all there own releases that the DJ may not even like & want on the mix if the mix is done for someone else. Something that caused a stir in around 1999.

Come on Yakov.... There is no secret formula to making the perfect mix! So what if Tiesto uses it? He plays cack Euro-trance! Two of the best mixes I ever heard (Fabric 13: Michael Mayer) and Fabric 31: The Glimmers don't subscribe to this lunacy!

Here's my reasoning: As a DJ, you need to establish authority. People must feel confident that you're going to play a great DJ set. When you use this method, you show people that you can mix perfectly. A good intro will make people enjoy your entire set instead of skipping ahead. You'll be in control starting with the third song.

Don't worry Yakov I'm not knocking it we all do our thing etc :) I just don't think I personally could take to mixing 2.00 mins in is all especially with something Progressive like trance / progressive house after all its progressive music :) I would play the intro & a couple of phrases before its got anywhere near the best bit it would be gone! Plus a lot of the time mixing like this is when DJs bring out the galloping horsemen of the apocalypse live, because they have rushed & not given themselves enough time to listen & set the pitch off.

I was watching some videos on youtube, and came across this Tiesto video. It's pretty cool, he's got a guy playing electric violin with him for a portion of it. I'm curious to see what you guys think of this though. It's only 8 minutes long, and I think he mixed in 3-4 different songs (I wasn't counting) but it seemed like he wasn't playing them out, especially near the end of the video. Thoughts anyone?

Most people don't care about mixing (unless you are playing in a 'real club') so it's only about the music for me. I'm not gonna play two minutes instrumental just because Tiesto does it. Tiesto lost my respect when he remixed Pirates of the Caribbean anyway so we can't implicitly trust his judgement. If you play nothing but good music, no-ones gonna go away dissatisfied.

It's not just Tiesto that uses this technique. This works with all dance music genres, and I've heard the same technique used in good Essential Mixes on BBC Radio 1. It's not a rule, obviously, but it's something to keep in mind. You may be pleasantly surprised if you try it.

I've heard famous djs sound nothing like there mix CDs live. & this is usually to go with what direction the crowd is going in. Ok maybe I'll try it Just for you then Yakov I suppose its worth a try at least once just to see how many downloads it gets . I've got a few mixes to post yet but I'll let you all know when i use this tiesto method, my latest had a few percussion issues but its the risk you run when your on the fly..you win some you lose some. Just for the record where did you upload your mix.... because if mine gets over 100 downloads i'll eat my hat :)

Hi, The best places to post your mix are TranceAddict, DI.FM and other dance music forums. See how it goes ;)

Would this exact order be needed? When I read this immediately i thought of one specific mix (I don't have too many tunes with vocals) where the actual order is different. For example I play a tune with a 1.30 intro (instrumental), then there is a breakdown where it goes quiet, vocals kick in; 16 bars after the break I mix the next tune in with an awesome crazy synth and they go amazing together for about 5 minutes (!!!) and makes dancefloors go mad. Eventually I cut to record 2 and mix the next one in. So basically track one has the instrumental itself in the beginning, then the vocal and the crazy synth from tune 2, then change to 2 when I want. Same idea? Are you only talking about recording a mix or mixing out live as well? This particular mix has quite a lot of energy so I wouldn't actually start with it out. cheers Alex

Hi, I find that this method works best for mixed CDs, not live performances. If you've got a technique that works in a club, use it (and post it here!) One of my favorite blogs just posted a quote that comes to mind: [This book] isn’t intended to be a comprehensive guide to [your hobby], and I certainly wouldn’t say that my way is the only, or the “correct” way to do things. Once you’ve developed a healthy obsession with [your hobby], you’ll want to explore many other approaches. The local library, bookstores, and the Internet are all great places to look for information and inspiration. The important thing is to begin.

Will give it a go,CHEERS.

would this work for a Hard House mix? or is it just for Trance and house music? Also if anybody has the song satisfaction - benny bennasi (Vinylgroover remix) please can you upload load it and send the link? its not been released yet and i want to include it in my mixes.

Bad Boy bill uses this style both on cds and live. Sounds much better than Teisto. As far as it in general, its cool if your point is to play a lot tracks and keep it going like a club-ish top 40 dj would. I might use this style for 15 to 20 mins in middle of my set, but I wouldn't do this the whole night. It gets annoying when the dj never lets a track build and finish. Sometimes I don't mind the last min out to the first min in. Brings it all the way down to a basic beat then build it back up, its about the grove and NOT about how many track one djs play, if you want that, go play "top 40" its what all the hip kids do.

I just done on like this on the fly (its hairy). Yes my points exactly, I like to let a track build but a popular track that people like thats been hammered out a lot which is just what I did for the first track. Gets in the mood but not dragged out again. I even chose to make it a 7 step up energy boost, blend! hard mix track 4 (just another groove ,Tocadisco remix) has a really confusing intro to beatmatch anyone agree who has it ?. I Cr*pped myself when I put it on as time was running out. I skipped to a beat further in that was clearer to set pitch then jumped back to the beginning :) (thats something you can use get you out of trouble) I tried my best to do it like that on the fly Yakov & guys but some of the later tunes may have played a little longer than 5 mins ? Sorry about the scratching near the end I thought I would try my new DNS Scratch capability out (I'm not very good scratching) :) Overall I think I was one lucky B on this. M's round up 08 vol 1 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XLIFRELK (copy and paste into browser address column) 1. Sammin - Heater 2. Migrants - I Thought That (Boris Dlugosch Remix) 3. Hott 22 Feat. Angie Zee - Just Friends 4. Mighty Dub Katz - Just Another Groove (Tocadico Remix) 5. Axwell & Ingrosso - Its true (Dalbruck & Klein Remix) 6. House Master Boyz - House Nation (Max Graham Remix) 7. De Souza Feat Shena - Guilty (Eddie Thoneick Remix) 8. Josh Wink - Higher State Of Consciousness (Dirty South & TV rock Remix) 9. Brad Hed - The Girlz & Boyz (Vandalism Club Mix) 10. Salty Fish - In The Air Tonight ( Tim Royko Remix) 11. Peter Gelderblom - Waiting For ( Tim Royko Remix) 12. Moons Flag - Wrapped Around Your Finger

Consider it DUG Yakov.....Respect.

Damn straight, Screw Tiesto.

I dunno that much about mixing to be fair but I've heard alot of mixes. I gotta say though for me the first thing that attracts me to a set is weather a dj knows how to engage the crowd to create the atmosphere thats actually correct for the people to lock their emotion. You say this is a good method for a cd I'm not gonna argue but, theres a rule to mixing that seems to have been forgotten along with Carl Cox as the number one dj in the world and that is people are flippin out of their face on Ecstacy in an Ideal situation. So how the music you play grabs the atmosphere and works it is Important. It maybe correct that the first two minutes of a set should be instrumental, from what I do know about djing(I have decks but I must profess I'm a beginner) posibbally even only percussive with a simple bassline not some ringin 303 whitch carves through the whole track. But when the track hits a breakdown the hook should be the focus, and the choice of hook is so important that it will determine the entire atmosphere of the mix. If you pick a track with a good hook you've then got the attention of your audience. Plus side is you managed it, downside is you gotta work the rest of the set with more wierd emotive catch. I think that alot of emphasis of todays tunes is spent on jingley jangly oh my god were all so happy trancish pap and ompah oomph walalalah hard house that people have lost somthing that was more important to hear and that was the basic. The stripped down raw emotion that carried the scene forward and set the atmosphere for the tunes that defined it. For each genre of dance music, and I say dance music through gritted teeth coz I flippin hate the term, there are paticular factors that determine for me weather its worth playing in a set to begin with. On the general side of what makes a good tune there are atmospheres that haft to be present. What do I mean well you haft to know your music. The tracks that are good are seemingly few and far between. What am I about for my set is somthing you haft to have more knowledge on than the other guy. You could spend your cd making days playing like flippin Tiesto till your old and grey, or you could get with it study for your self every genre from acid house up and figure out what actually makes a good track worthy. How? Well what is dance music anyway. The history of sequenced beats, basslines, and synthesis runs right back to the early 80s and the use of synthesizers back to the 60s. What did those people do with it to make good music. I would start by looking up old school acid house on www.htfr.com and just pick out the elements that defined the rave generation from there. Then maybe you can forget that Tiesto is so cool and actually flippin contribute.

Hey guys kinda new to the site but I think u play hard house & trance & honestly speaking it depends on the kind of mix u wana jam. For instance with a happy mix u play ur tracks faster & ur mixing must b a bit aggressiv,but when u making a deep house mix that people are going to listen to while they read the Sunday paper then u slow ur tempo,play them fully & let them b taken away. I mixed a cd & started with an accapella,16 beats into it I had an instrumental on top of it. I think every dj must use his own discretion & not have everyone sounding like Tiesto & Yakov. Im in South Africa by the way....

No I think its just the hook effect Yakov was talking about I returned to my usual way of mixing later on.

I think every dj must use his own discretion & not have everyone sounding like Tiesto & Yakov. I know that Yakov is a good dj, but I've never heard him compared to Tiesto! What's up with all of the Tiesto bashing anyways? I got one of his mix cd's for christmas, and lo and behold it's got some great tracks on it. Could it be that there is a reason he was voted the number one dj? That's such a silly thing to claim though, the #1 dj in the world. Certainly not something to get your feathers ruffled up about. Could it be that I am detecting a hint of jealousy on this thread? Or maybe everybody just doesn't like trance as much as I do. Cheers, Chad (I'm going to be burned at the stake for posting this, aren't i?)

Ha, ha. No Chad. But to be honest he's only been given this status from the states & elsewhere in recent years. As excellent a DJ he is (I not discounting that). Of Course things have changed now, I remember Armin Van Burren creeping onto the scent too (you forget my Godskitchen connections) :) I, (we) over hear mainly for years (ago) knew him mainly for his excellent production work rather than DJ'ing. In fact his mate Ferry Corsten Was much more prolific over here in the early days. Together they were Kamaya Painters (I think). To which 'Endless Wave' is one of my favourite tracks. I do like both, but like Ferry Corsten (system f). His mixing has probably been the main influence on mine over the years. To a degree I would go and buy obscure white labels to find him play the same tracks for a judgement Sundays or something straight after spooky.

Armin and Ferry are great. Surprisingly, Ferry doesn't use harmonic mixing -- I've always tried to figure out why, but I guess it doesn't work for him. It's a personal preference.

There is a Miguel Migs cd that I like very much.when the current track breaks,he samples the next track.u can feel his happiness from that only.then u listen to him doing deep tempo one,he plays his tarcks fully. That said,I still think it depends on your part of the world.Im still not convinced though that all these big guys do live mixes.I think machines do most of the work.I have no problem with that but if only they admitted.How on earth do u hook up a flawless mix like these guys do?the levels are perfect,mixing is on point & fading is awesome.we all know that no matter how good you are there will be that one miscalculated beat or haevy bassline. There is a lot of great house coming out of SA by the way,which the rest of the world decides to ignore but all I can say is our time is coming... If you want the artists from here drop me a line. Peace

Yakov, have you got Ferry's 'Infinite Euphoria' album? It seems to be completely Harmonically mixed But yes I think a lot of the time its not harmonic mixing in use perhaps to be able to go in any direction?

What kind of house does Ferry do?

Trance / electro now too

I think I got it wrong Kamaya Painters was tiesto but with some one ? I'm sure there was a collaboration between them? Could be Gouryella or Albion but Ferry Corsten was behind these two I remember that for sure. As well as Veracocha, I think Moonman, Vimana, pulpvictim. In fact I'm pretty sure it was Gouryella.

"[This book] isn’t intended to be a comprehensive guide to [your hobby], and I certainly wouldn’t say that my way is the only, or the “correct” way to do things. Once you’ve developed a healthy obsession with [your hobby], you’ll want to explore many other approaches. The local library, bookstores, and the Internet are all great places to look for information and inspiration. The important thing is to begin." I love this worlds nice one. I have another line "NEVER STOP LEARNING COZ THE IS ALWAYS NEW THINGS TO LEARN"

And it is good to develop your own style, it separates you from the pack, because you do have one we all have one. Its the thing I like when I listen to everyones mixes.

I think i agree with yakov, coz even for me when i listen to a set from someone i always want to fastworward to get to the main part or just the beginnin is so boring coz its just verybasic usually at the beginnin imo. but yeh i heard this technique before and yes to me its way better. specially if u put it up on the internet and people who download and want to know what ur really about or the set if they always hear these long intros they mioght get bored or what ever, but i just think nowdays people patience is so much smaller and expectance so much higher coz everything is speedin up in life, so imo this technique is just a good sale/promo for urself or for ur sets or cds. lol about the tiesto thing, thats what i was talkin bout in the other post about mainstream music, whats the deal with all the bitchin about mainstream stuff heh, i dont mind it i just find it curious but i have a topic about that so i wont talk bout it here

If people find the mix boring from the start then then maybe the tracks are crap plain & simple. If the tracks are good tracks they should want to listen ?

I agree, too I like Tiesto's muisic and i went to his first Concert. It was one of the best parties. But i have to say that he did'nt use this way. and in his seccond Concer also not. As far i can remember, he never does it on a set only on CD's I went do Armin van Buuren in Beijing a couple of weeks ago, It was a greet set, his first track was also only 2 min or so, but it was Vocal and his seccond track was instumental.

And in the end we will all be Tiesto? Now seriously, to me this is more a matter of style than technique. I'm sure it works and I will probably try it sometime just to feel it, but I'm sure there are 1000 other ways that is just as good or better. I'd avoid this sort of recipee that will make me a clone of someone else or make me sound like 1000 other people who use the same wonder recipee. Like I sayd MIK and beatmaching etc are matters of technique but this thing I would reather watch it as a matter of style, and when it comes to stile I personally want to just be me. However this is good because it made me think I should probably scoop out 1 or 2 recipees like this of my own that works.

Thanks dude. I'll try it on the next one. Just did one so it won't be for a few weeks. I'm not a fan of Tiësto but I'm definitly intrigued by this formula.

Is it me or in the "Dj tiesto power mix" video, the right deck is still playing the same vinyl despite the songs has changed.

I'm sure it's not just Tiesto. I've seen the same formula on a LOT of successful CDs, anything from Hed Kandi to Pete Tong. DJs do it subconsciously because they know it works in many cases.

I disagree with this. The tunes I play are a minimum of 6 minutes long. I dislike dj Tiesto and I also dislike abrupt mixing, especially when melody's clash because you mixed in or out too early. It's always good to let your mixes breathe. I have posted many of my mixes online and got a lot of really good feedback. Here's some tips I would recommend: 1) Always provide a tracklist of your mix 2) Start your mix more downtempo and build it up slowly. 3) A good mix is like telling a story - it has a beginning, a climax and a conclusion. 4) Make sure your mix stays at steady volume gains throughout and your tunes are all high sound quality. 5) Mix your tracks differentely, for example - Energy boost mixing, seamless transitions, long mixes, quick cuts... 6) Add some effects or tracks that nobody knows or can get their hands on. It's always cool to hear new shit mixed tight. Here's my latest mix: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R711SJS5 This is just my 2 cents... Delroy

It is a sound theory in a sense but you just have to choose a couple of tracks that will work 2 mins & 4 mins in. I tried it recently with a track even though everything is phrased and guess what 2 mins in, right into a breakdown. It just wouldn't work (this time). In all honesty there are many different ways to start a mix. slow and pacing building up, Get it stoked right from the beginning with a mad track, Playing a couple of popular current dance hits first, get things rolling with tunes people know before hitting them with the unkown. Choose a track that is a true starting track, i.e a killer intro that just cries to be the intro for your set. Actually I'm starting to see DJ effects as a novelty fad item thats starting to go out of fashion (at least with me). The effects need to be done at the right place at the right time (in my eyes). Flanger & Phaser type effects sound best where there is no beat present to me. On recordings effects can sound bad but live they can work atmosphere. Unfortunately a lot of people are turning there sets today into clackedy, clack, clacking stuttering load of mess. Its about time it went back to being about listening to the music..& less of the clackety clak crap i'm not keen on that personally.

I think the underlynig principle is, to grab people's attention quickly. In essence you are mortgaging your mix - taking a loan of interest out to start with then paying it back slowly over the remainder of the set. This doesn't mean you have to start with high energy or a fast tempo, just maximise thoughfulness and effort on the mixer controls to begin with to set a conceptual foundation or signature for the rest.

Again not criticizing, just keeping the topic going :) But then again I read in a tips book once mixing tracks short is the sign of an un - confident DJ. (I think this is why I never liked the idea, Though I have been on the floor & said countless times "whys that twat cut it there I was just getting into to that track''). It said un-confident DJs are almost constantly mixing a new track in to keep a crowd happy instead of having confidence in there choice of tracks to do the business on the floor. (I do know this is likely to just be the writers personal view though). Although it does comeback to the point of why purchase those tunes if your only going to play 2 minutes of them ? The poor dudes that arranged them & your only playing it for 120 seconds. Most tunes only come to life after 3 to 4 minutes. Though I have known opportunistic DJs that when beat matching think that sounds tight now, quick I'll mix here sort of thing incase I don't get it that good again (no joke). I think its more about showcasing the music than our mixing ability, you can still play a track and mix well at the same time. After all if you just want to show all and sundry your mixing ability you may as well just play any old rubbish & mix all day long because we don't hear enough of the new shit either with just 2/3 mins all the time. If your doing a mix for a promotor to listen to then yes mixing short is the way to go because your lucky if they will even feel arsed to listen to it they get that many & it needs to strike attention. But this is a different kind of mix set to a normal mix. Don't mix every set you mix that way it wont work on the average Joe. I think also a lot of people are too busy listening to famous DJs mix cds believe me these get planned to hell & a lot of the djs don't mix the same way live either.

What I was thinking these days is that I could go deaf now easily and keep on djing, just as easily. I have serato so I can beatmach based on my eyes, and have all the keys as comments, so i can sort tunes by key with just a mouse click. I think I'm gonna try that one of these days just for fun. A set without listening. :)) My point is, with all these mathematics don't forget yourselves at home. Esle you could really just program a software to do everything and go home. i think that could be easily set these days. Atleast thats what i wanna see in a fella dj his aproach on stuff not if he follows the magic rules or not.

interesting points BUT dont get me wrong i love what mixed in key is doing but since when did we get all these rules in place early this year i did 2 "mixes" for a web site every track was a song every track was played in full and all where over 5 mins long none of the songs where mixed at all! it was an old school soul selection spun in the way i used to play back in the 80's i posted a link on one message board only and did no mail out to date one has been download 18236 the other 16405 this surely blows that theory out of the water no your target audience work hard a build a reputation forget rules play from the heart and be dedicated

Hi Guys. Here is the mix I did with this formula, its in a kind of tec-house styleee. I would have posted this up a long time ago but I've just been so damn busy. Its had a lot of good responses. 24 tracks in 1hr20 mins. http://www.zshare.net/audio/130612785465bd7f/ I promise I'll put up the tracklisting when I go on my other computer. xxx Neil C-Word

hey whats the track thats playin at 08:40 its nice, your techouse is nice im on 9muinutes rite now heh, good stuff man

Im sorry dude, but i think that is bollocks!!! This maybe work for trance, I don't know!! But to me, that is just ridiculous!!! Its copying what another DJ, or other DJ's, have done, then thinking its the script, because it was an awesome mix!!!! There are no rules!! MUSIC is what you make it!!!!! I do agree structure, key, and placing a mix is very important! But following rules for a mix!!! (Somebody else's rules!) Is just bull shit!!!!!!!! How about just trying to feel the Music!!! (Your MUSIC!) You'll know if its right.............

I think the claim of the "perfect DJ mix" may be correct in the case of mix CDs. Short mixes will keep people's interesting in the case where they like the song and dislike the song. In the case where somebody likes the song, playing a shorter version of it or mixing in and out of it more quickly will give the listener less of the song; therefore, they will desire to hear the song more than if they would have heard it in its entirety. I doubt I'm the only one to listen to an entire mix just to hear the build up to ONE SONG. In the other case where the person does not like the song, they can rest in confidence that it'll change in a short period of time, rather than having to trudge through an entire full length tune. This will encourage people to listen to the entire mix rather than have to straddle the music player controls to ensure that a long drawn out crappy song is not played.

Yakov I've been djing for about a 1 year now. I want to make a mix but i'm not sure how long it be? Is there a average time before this listener loses attention? What do you look for when mixing two tracks? harmonically and beat matching? I've been making mixes for a few months now but everytime I'm done I usually delete it because I don't feel like its actually mixed well enough. What editing techniques would you offer to a beginner to achieve a perfect mix?

ok dudes...i think you got a kinda good thing here as in i agreed with having an intro and first track with vocal to grab peoples attention but every track after that being under 5 mins....not everyone wants to be a pop dj... its all well and good selling ure soul just to get gigs but if ure hired on a pop mix and you like your 6-7min long tunes the promoter is going to be alittle pissed off... tiesto was big in his time but now hes a pop dj... a grammy he nearly as pimp as pdiddy.... oakey sold his soul as well....the only djs that have been there from the beginning and still pulling large crowds are sasha and john digweed.... in summary be true to ureself is the only way u will ever make it...

xerorane - You asked a lot of good questions. The best advice that I could give you would be to spend some time on these forums. We are privileged to have many very talented DJs here with lots of experience, and you can learn a lot from them. Do a little digging, read some older posts, you are bound to find some useful information. With that being said, this very thread is a good place to start. Like everything we do, we encourage creativity and breaking the rules, but it helps to know the 'rules' before breaking them. Also, be sure to check out the advanced topics on the How-To page of our website. Happy mixing, Chad

Too right, the idea that there is a secret formula for a successful DJ mix is ridiculous. Tiesto sucks ass anyway. In fact, Im fairly certain that the only DJ's who'd adopt this approach are w**k euro-trance DJ's.

Hey everyone! I am new to the forum and MIK and just wanted to say it's good to be here. Hopefully, we can learn something from each other and continue to make this community a resource for old and new DJs alike. With that said, I agree with most of you that having a "recipe" or "template" for a great mix is crazy. However, I did not interpret the suggestion as 'law' for making ALL of my mixes and it would clearly depend on what material you are mixing for it to apply. Trance, electro, hip-hop, etc. It is important to realize that everyone inherently develops their own style as time goes on and that is what makes them unique. The information/techniques you choose to use in developing your style is a combination that can never duplicated. I never heard or seen a DJ and aspired to be EXACTLY like him or her but rather took elements I enjoyed from their sets or techniques and added them to my 'tool box' of tricks. I started dj'ing in 1985 listening to Chicago DJs like Bad Boy Bill, Julian Perez, and the rest of the Hot Mix 5 DJ team. The standard then was quick-mixing. You would rarely hear a 4 minute (much less 5 or 6 minute) house track on the radio. Jocks would get 2 copies of the same record just to cut the time between intro and outro down! As Trance and Progressive made its way into the city, those rules changed and listeners experienced longer track cuts that allowed the music to be heard as it was intended with its breaks and climaxes. Again...depending on the style, some things work, others don't. My point is that nobody should take what they hear literally and word-for-word try to force themselves into those shoes if it doesn't feel right to them. You tried it....it didn't work for you....move on. That doesn't mean it's junk, it just wasn't right for you, that's all. And for the record, IMO, Tiesto is kick ass because of his (or his engineers) ability to select some choice tracks for his sets and then arrange them so they make sense in their delivery. His mixing skills are ok to me but his tracks make him who he is. On the flipside, I am sure he would suck bigtime if he had to make a House mix! :)

Hahaha, well said. It's much better to keep an open mind. Ok, so some people might not like Tiesto, but ask yourself. If we had associated this technique with your favorite DJ, wouldn't it sound like a great idea? I can't stress it enough people, use it or don't, it's not a rule. If it works for you, great. If not, eh, who cares? It just means it wasn't right for your style, doesn't mean that it's not a great idea for others. Happy mixing, Chad

jus bumped unto dis thread now ...never really tried the theory out bfor. mere reading it makes me feel more proffesional..start off with instrumentals and den vocal(i'd advice a girly girly song)...will definatly suck ur guest into d grovvin mood nice one yakov

Like I say it all depends on the music & the tracks themselves as to whether they fit in to this. & Live play it depends on the crowd / venue & your set. If your warming up its not quite going to work to stomp it from the start like this. (this is for a mix CD though I realize). & yes developing your own style is important & is what makes you individual. Yes very many of the top DJs have used engineers to organize there sets / cds for years I've known this for awhile. Just who does is another question ? I'm not sure about Tiesto playing House but I think he used to play Happy hardcore music at one time in the past. The modern DJ has 3 strings to their bow DJ'ing, Remixing, & production at the minute the latter two seem to be the 'in' area for people getting noticed & recognition even if they can't DJ mix / crowd work for toffee. But the best skill in the end to have must come back down to DJ' ing because after all thats what they / you are. If your a DJ you must be able to DJ ;) (And not just grab hold of Ableton Live & jump on the DJ bandwagon).

Hi Guys, Brand new to this site so go real easy on me. I believe the topic is how to mix it up with no flaws, Below is the link to a mix i think you should all check out. http://www.mediafire.com/?ndmpxtjnigj No Software used to produce it, just a good ear. But!!!! Mixed in key blows it all out of the water, i am a lecturer based in Ireland, i teach a segment of my class on this software. It's a real asset to any DJ working the pro circut, a must have.

Nice mix Seth. I've been awake near 24hours now, playing pc games! So I cannot critisize fairly, it has that clever, clever sasha style drum roll. I'm in love with your mix I bet your well proud. You say go easy because your new, I know how you feel! But there is no need, my respect comes naturally anyway. So remember don't go worrying about throwing a bit of abuse my. I like Chubby Brown Humour. The thing gets me hyped up on this site is you never know who your actually talking to. Which, if not known yet by MIK(MixedInKey), must be very amusing to see. Well I'm IceBerf a "LivingRoomDj", I don't feel comfortable with visual attention and have no desire to be famous. But I love mixing and dreaming. I feel I have a similar style to you as far the use of genres in your mix is concerned. And.. Yakov these ideas of yours are what "Makes The World Go Round". I read this thread ages ago and can't believe I have'nt said thankyou. Well cool method of selecting. I will slowly lower myself in. The waters a little hot . !<(")>! No really, as you know, I like those legal herbal highs (which I'm sorry if I offend) but sometimes end up staying awake too long and find it hard to make decisions. That is also a very important factor of having a method. Ha! "One to us Bums!". I read from an interview with my favourite Dj that for him to gain the perfect frame of mind he had to be tired to really emphasis emotion. Nice replying to ya Seth.

Hey guys... just been harmonic mixing for less than 24hrs.. Penny dropped big time! Anyway I find this very interesting topic and has given me a boost in confidence in what im doing - because my last 3 mix cds loosely followed this rule without even realising I was doing it, as is the next one which am working on as I type this Anyway loving harmonic mixing!!!!

Sounds good in principle, but since when does a CD set sound like a live set? Not sure that happens. The principle you talk about makes sense because it is about colouring the sound to make it more interesting i.e. chopping the length of the song, following with a vocal, then simplifying it with something more basic, then playing a more layered track etc etc. However, if you follow the process then all the time it will become boring.....Good in principle but doesn't really work if you want to sound original and interesting.

is this a link, i cant get onto it...........

> But then again I read in a tips book once mixing tracks short is the sign of an un - confident DJ. (I think this is why I never liked the idea, Though I have been on the floor & said countless times "whys that twat cut it there I was just getting into to that track''). > It said un-confident DJs are almost constantly mixing a new track in to keep a crowd happy instead of having confidence in there choice of tracks to do the business on the floor. It can also be said that it allows *more* classic tunes to be played in a set. (it also allows excellent portions of an otherwise crap tune to be used). It depends upon the pace the DJ wants to set, and is really just another tool in the mixing box... This style (wildstyle) was made very popular in San Francisco on radio station WYLD 94.9 in the mid-late 90s by DJs like Greg Lopez and St. John. It can make for an extremely hyped crowd in the right venue. Mixing is definitely like telling a story; like reading to a child. When reading tense or scary parts, we slow our pace. When reading exciting or active portions, we read aloud faster. This is just another trick to project excitement, like harmonic mixing. Follow me here: just for fun, try cutting back progressively on the length of each track in a set (** just an experiment here, not asking you to change your style! ***). Back it down by 15-30 seconds every other tune or so, going from 5min to 4:45 to 4:15, etc... Once you having the incoming tune on the deck, toss in a tiny sample (taster) of the tune to come (as mentioned about Migs above). Do this until you you're only using 1:30 of each tune. This is where the theory above is mistaken- it takes skill to consistently choose quality, appropriate tracks (at this point we can call them samples) and mix them in and out quickly and smoothly while building tension. With more tracks going in and out there is greater room for error, and greater chance of picking a clashing key or a floor-clearing dud. Now drop it even further - using 64 beats or less - for a tune or three. Scratch over the top of it. At this point your crowd is built up and ready for release, and you can drop a big bomb and let it play on and on. Congrats, you've just earned your bathroom break! ;-) I can mix like this all night. I can also hold mixes for several minutes at a time (vinyl). There are times where each is appropriate, but there is *never* a time when it is not appropriate to expand your skillset. Give it a try, and try to have fun with it.

^^ Interesting proposal ESQ, I'd be curious to hear this in action. Do you have any mixes we could listen to that use this technique? Cheers, Chad

I agree with most of the post here, and I want to share my vision too :-) I think that Rules can be a good help for begginers so them can learn the tricks of the trade, but after that you should brake that mold and free the creativity within. No one can be afraid of bend the rules and make them play for you. Harmonic mixing is great because get us closer to the musicians, producers or remixers. Knowing about music and its chords, scales and stuff is a powerful tool that can be applied in so many ways... The blends that we make with this techniques are amazing for the continuity of the sets. But let us remember that many electronic music have intros and outros with no even a bassline to match, and those shorts periods of time can make the listener to forget what he was hearing. As i readed here, us like djs are delivering a message or telling a story and in that story we use other or our music to describe the situation, we should praise the tracks that we are using by blend them with others in the best way we can, having respect for them. Of course there's a lot of naturally talented DJs but maybe for the rest of us we have to study all those rules that we mention here to gain a new perspective of what we are doing as entertainers or artists, The combination between Talent & Study... You know.... :-D

Well said DJ Tarek!

Totally agreed with DJ Tarek, but its my understanding that many of the worlds best djs put many hours into understanding mixing before they put their sound out live eg Sasha/Digweed. So everyone learns the rules I think. Perhaps one of the reasons this topic has raised some discussion may be around this point... Now that I have been using mixed in key for a year, my mixing has become far more creative and more adventurous. And my live sets are much talked about here. So maybe its that many djs, finding this, dont want another set of rules. I have always agreeed on roughly the format here, although it can be varied a litte. For example my next live set will go like this Intro- Andrea Doria- Beauty of Silence 1 ( mix in at 1 min 20s) Ticon- 1987 2( mix in after 3 min) Jerome Isma Ae -Perfect Harmony So heres the creative part. it doesnt totally follow the rule but does essentially. And here is a techno track mixed with trance mixed with progressive house. And sounds great, the thunderstorm makes for a very cool and suspense filled intro, and the harmonies in all of the mixing are lovely!!! So my vocal track isnt till track 3 but intro is very short. So using mixed in key, and the fact that many songs today are merging genres in their overall flavour, this is great for djs!!!!!

Cool, will you be posting the mix here for a listen?

Hi, I agree with your theory,but, depending on who you want to hear the mix! Promotors- short first track is essential, promotors hate a slow start, dont forget, we are not tiesto/ paul van dyk etc..., so you need to prove your mixing skills quickly. A promotor will hear alot of mixes so a long intro track can make things boring. (anyone just making a cd for their friends may just want to play full length tracks as they maybe more concerned with just hearing the tracks). Vocal after an instrumental/dub is a good start also, as the vocal can provide a lift to just instruments. As for the 5 minute a track max for the rest of the set, id say thats fair comment, unless you want to throw one of your own productions in, if its good let it get some extra listening time! Good post though mate, im sure if everyone follows it they will be pleased with their demo mixes. regards, DJ - Andy Woods

Hi ashley, Have a listen to my mix and if you have any I can download then feel free to drop me the link. the link is: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/612106585/a740caf3078e8dfb0c7dc18dc855b259 tracklist: 1. kenzie & cobain - NAKA ( Andy Woods intro edit) 2. Menno de jong & mark otten - MAD WORLD ( Andy Woods 'LIVE' edit) 3. Technosquirells - ELEKTRA ( Andy Woods 'CUE' Jump edit) 4. Mark Lynch - Paraglide 5. Quadraphonic - I CAN FEEL YOUR LOVE ( Gareth emery remix) 6. Anton Firtich - RAIN OVER THE OCEAN ( Andy Woods 'LIVE' edit) 7. Adam Sherridan - ORGANIZED CHAOS ( Andy Woods 'LIVE' genix edit) 8. Paul Miller - 3UrMind 9. Paul Trainer - Totality ( Andy Woods 'Hot Cue' Edit) 10. Adam Sheridan - OCASO ( Andy Woods 'Hot Cue' edit) 11. Dave 202 - LOUVRA ( original mix) 12. Paul Van Dyk - WAYS AND MEANS ( Andy Woods 'LIVE' edit) ENJOY and drop me a mail and let me know what you think ;-) kind regards, Andy Woods

The guy on the violin with Tiesto is dj Mason. Few years ago he was after my set at the club i was playing. http://www.dj-mason.com/

HI, Andy I'll check it out. as for my most (modern) trance mix I have done you could try this one: neon: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5WWITB0M as for any other mixes there listed in my blog on my myspace page. If you have on feel free to add if you like of course. http://www.myspace.com/ashleymthreehundredess ....... Ok Andy was a decent mix ! & no mistakes either good job :)

I've actually been using a style similar to this for a while Yakov and I agree it catches peoples attention more than track-track-track. Almost every "good" DJ that I have ever heard or met agrees that you should be using portions of songs, not the whole entire track when possible (some songs are exceptions I agree). This keeps the floor going and constantly changing and helps keep energy alive. If I'm hearing track-track-track from a DJ I'm probably not going to be listening to them for very long because I will get bored. keep the flow!!!

yeah well I have never been to hot on DJs mixing every two or three minutes. Or track ramming. It always sounded kind of crammed,amateur, unintelligible & unstructured & so frustrating as a listener / clubber on the floor. 'auto shuffle DJs we call them ' (like setting a shuffle on your cd player) At least with this method its done at the start for a hook then reverts back to usual lengths again. I remember doing one mix I posted on here where I cut only some (to fit them all in,in the time) not really shortened the tracks & I got heavily criticized for doing so. & every time I do such a mix I am told the same. I came to the conclusion awhile back that more really is more people seem to like a bit of length to the tracks. Also you have to listen to the track while its playing & think where feels right (might take time to nail this but it comes in the end) even when you here a track for the first time.

This "technique" has something to it, but I really don't think that you should think like "oh, this track has been playing for 2mins, have to change it". It's good not to play the first track too long, because the crowd will get bored. I really don't think that the first track should be an instrumental track, quite the contrary. I think that you should make the first track really catchy. Play a track that most people like and know the lyrics. Ofcourse this doesn't work with all genres. It's all about the feeling you want to create. I think the best advices are: 1. Make the beginning of your set interesting (intro, good track at the beginning, fast mix etc.) 2. Take into account the feeling you want to create when mixing. If you are mixing music with fast tempo, make the mixes faster, add a few tricks here and there and make the incoming track really kick in. If on the other hand you are mixing a bit less energetic music, make long, calm mixes. 3. Avoid playing too many breakdowns (? the part where there is no drums) in your set. This is especialy important if playing live. It will get very frustrating for the people on the dancefloor when they are just getting excited, there is a breakdown and all the energy disappers. 4. Last but not least: Find the right mixing spots for every combination. It will sound amazing if you get the melodies, the vocals and the structure to fit just right. I'll have to listen to some set that's been made the way Yakov adviced. Am interested in hearing how that sounds :).

hail S.A my broe - wa in s.a. is jy ?

OK sorry for the delay but i have been really busy.anyway i uploaded the set tonight so you can find it here: http://rapidshare.com/files/159036169/octlamuria3.mp3.html 1. Andrea Doria-Beauty of Silence 2. Ticon-1987 3. Serge Devant-Perfect Harmony (Jerome Isma Ae remix) 4. LaBaaz/Elevator- Its You 5. Vibrasphere- 102 Miles from Here (Jerome Isma Ae remix) 6. Dousk- Affectation 7. Antix- Cold Night 8. Sun Control Species- Only Human 9. Placebo- Every Me Every You (Brothers in Rhythm mix) 10.Liquid Soul- The Reason 11.Sasha- Couleurs (Sasha Invol2ver mix) 12. Sun Control Species- Kick Me Shake Me 13. Luzon- The Baguio Track (Bedrock remix) 14. Liquid Soul- 0616am 15.Antix- Little Honey 16. Moby- Natural Blues (Olmec Heads remix) 17. Bruni- Silver Dust (Andy Bagguley remix) 18.Icone- Sintra (Nicholas Bennison remix) 19.DJ Orkidea- Metaverse (Gareth Emery remix) vs Slow Motion (Solarstone remix) ( Broni's Live mashup) 20. Tillmann Ulmacher- The Pride In your Eyes (Om Namah Shaivaya) 21. Allaby- Cloud 9 (Electric Ant remix) Now this is the intention I made for the set. I am always making an intention before every mix, and I choose the music according to that intention. This is one way of finding music that goes together nicely in addition to mixed in key, and a well contemplated intention creates a powerful platform for the music. This is the live set BTW, no post mix EQ. This comes from the Rig Veda "Oh magnificent Sun in the sky, Impella of all that lives grant us the boon of sight. May the highest of cloudswept peaks bless us with wisdom and vision. May the Creator Himself illumine our hearts and shine through our eyes. May you grant our eyes the power, our bodies, the perception, To appreciate the sublime mystery of this world" Now with the discussion on when to mix, I am usually picking 3 mixing points in the track. Depending on how it goes on a dancefloor I will mix at any one of these points. So the length of tracks vary, although the Intro rule I pretty much stick to.

Wow! What a conversation. It is so sweet to see dj's and enthusiasts today engaging each other on a global level. Hi, my name is Brian, I am 52. I began playing in clubs in 1976 and played my "hobby" into a career in Houston's top clubs in the 80's and 90's. Back then the key for us was exactly what I see in this conversation: crossing all borders and building "community" specifically involving all of the dj's (in a town of 3 million) even if we worked for locally competing clubs. Sadly and eventually, our club owners managed to effectively shut down the local community aspect of their dj's not realizing that we were their life-blood only while we had each other. The competition and greed of business and profit overshadowed and conflicted with the message of harmony coming out of the music. What followed was a long period of stagnation for the businesses and for the customers. So I retired in 2000 without ever having had a chance to try all this amazing new technology and apply it to my born talent. Yes, I envisioned the potential for the tech, since I am a Computer Scientist too! I am amazed with the freshness of today's music. The music is pulling me back in. And so is the new community. I am impressed. This site rocks! You guys keep on keeping together! Stay in touch with each other. Do this and you will also build strength in your connection with your audiences, live or not. Come back to these discussions often! What you learn here you can't learn on your own. The new technology may just be the clincher that gets me back into it. Great job MIK!!! Thank you. Chad, you're the man. BTW, I like the idea of a short instrumental intro to a CD set and keeping the cuts short throughout. However, when playing live none of that applies. I've recently fallen in love with AREA 38 on Sirius Satellite Internet Radio, and all of their cuts are short (less than 5 mins) even on Saturday nights when the mixes are from live performances. There is no doubt in my mind that these live mixes were edited to be "radio-like" before broadcasting them. A dance floor likes the full text. So does a dj's personal studio. Anywhere else, no.

The new technology may just be the clincher that gets me back into it. Great job MIK!!! Thank you. Chad, you're the man. Thanks for putting a smile on my face :) You've made a lot of good points here. Reminds me, I need to dig up that introduce yourself thread... BTW, I like the idea of a short instrumental intro to a CD set and keeping the cuts short throughout. However, when playing live none of that applies. Great point, when playing live the crowd should determine what you do.

I like this technique Yakov, but don't agree that it is a MUST to follow... For instance - Track 1 DSK 2 on ISOS 7 features Jes. Track 2 DSK 1 on ISOS 6 - Contact. so on, so forth. Those first track duration times are because they are "themes" for the cd and made solely as intro's. Now I do agree with you that your first track is definitely important as it will set the mood for any one listening. For me, it depends on what I feel when laying it down. I had one promo titled "L.T.F.O." (Look the FK out) just because i throttled you from the start. I made it as a "party never ends" cd. Just keep it going, you know? My latest opens with All the way by Ronski Speed and goes to track 4 with vocals. Look at the track times on ISOS 7 DSK 2. They are longer because of the dynamics of them. When I mix prog house i tend to shorten tracks as well, but big trance I let run. The trick is to actually know how songs work and plan your mix accordingly. I have played plenty of shows where i "quick mix" the opening tracks JUST to get things going and then let it go from there. This topic dives head first into knowing structure, theme, bridging, transitional bridging, etc. Can you make a program that cues that for us?? hahaha.. Thanks MIK!!!! PT

I like this technique Yakov, but don't agree that it is a MUST to follow... Of course you don't have to follow this to the letter everytime you mix. It's good to know the rules so that you can know how/when/why you should break them ;)

It is very intresting to see how people responded to this advice. Very negative. This method has been used for ages. Radio stations play very short edits and DJ's have to use it for the same reason... Poeple don't have long attention spans. Every DJ wants to take people on a journey and play the best set anyone has ever heard. This is great, do that, but first you have to have people that want you to lead them. This is how you do that. You can't force people to follow. Play a good intro and they will follow you down your crazy twisted journey. Thanks for the advice... Its always good to see stuff like this on paper (screen) :)

Hi ! [yes, This is a long reply) ! ] I just bought the soft and I'm very happy of it. Let me present : I started a few (many :)) years ago with the classic 2 vinyl decks plus an Ecler Nuo mixer. Then I've heard about software mixing, wasn't really ok with that in the beginning (you know, the stupid ethics of starting musicians like it's legacy/it's not) , discovered Allen & Heath products, got a XONE and started to go seriously in it this year. The progresses I made are increasing everyday (hopefully), and before going to the A&H site for updates, I've never heard about harmonic mixing. I was picking plates by hear and mixing them intuitively. Today you gave a new bunch of tools (software and harmonic basis, energy boost tip, classic mix construction, etc) to make more rich and intense mixes, and I think this is really great. Some stupid arrogant people are always criticizing the "rules" as something useless because already done before and used by many, so if you want to be different and become a "big guy", don't use them..., and they are not agree with and so on...(I say that because of many years spent in the "electro scene" of my country, its just an observation) : it's okay budy, do it the way you want/are persuaded it's a legitimate one , who cares... The thing is, there are interesting musical theories that can give your productions (i.e tracks and mixes) the final magic spell they need to give you a great "final expressive form", so it's just good for you in anycase, it just serves your own work. No dude, you don't have to follow the "rules" as if it was your mom or you teacher telling you "do that because this is how it is from decades", but you have to understand what they are based on and then use them your way to integrate them on your own context, make them evolve for your domain. Thats why "there is no rule", because there is no rule that you can apply stupidly words for words in every case. It doesn't mean any "rule" or theoretical model is bad... -Ok this is said, I feel better. ;) So today, what do I have : great softwares with progressing well control interfaces, plenty of tracks that I love and bought,digital or vinyls, plenty of ways for mixing them, theoretical models that I can mix with my own experience to create a mix that people will "find a nice way to get into", and that will bring me pleasure when playing it aswell. So i can say ok, maybe it can be interesting to think about harmonic mixing here, just to make the next track mash up more coherent, more connected, more enjoyable, expressing my intentions and feeling in a more efficient way that if I still believing only in my own vision and self intentions... So thank you MIK guys for developing this kind of soft, there is no place anymore for ghostbusters that stay stuck in their own musical values and grandpa ethics, and saying blabla...this "rule" is good... no it's bad ...and so on Every info is great to know and take account of, and OF COURSE needs to be balanced and relativized...and improved !!! Cheers and good continuation over here.

Good Day, Ive been mixing for over 23 years. and never have i had an issue when it came to mixing in or out of keys. And it was NOT much of a thought nor a concern back in the 80's 90's. I will say in regrads to the short fast mixes of 2 min and 5 and 3 minutes. This is a fact.. And great free advice. I wouldnt tell you this if i new you as an opposing DJ. These guys are right. If you want to keep the enegy up up keep things moving. It is ther only way to go....It is the way I keep in charge of my market and the dance floor, getting all the dj jobs and upcharging new clubs when they needed a hot mixer. Im a power mixer by design in the stlye of the Getto DJ many of my co workers out of south fl used this as a club format norm such as Dj laz, felix sama, cool chris, gero etc happy spins Dj Mighty Mike "the latin rascal" Naples Fl Number Hot mixer www.djmightymike.blogspot.com

Hello everyone! My name is Dj SoDown and I've sat down and read all comments on this thread. First off I would like to say, thank you very much MIK for your software. As a club dj I hit a pretty high wall and found myself struggling with my mixes, and improving my style. Then I read about you soft and OMG! Right away I've noticed the change and I was able to do the blends I've envisioned in my head. Now I have consistent shows every week working on a residency with two clubs as well. So once again thank you very much. I'm living my dream. Now back to this thread discussion. I'm very dissapointed to see so many dj's bash on ideas and (lol) tiesto as well. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion that I full heartedly agree. However, to be so negative sometimes just saddens me. It seems alot of people are missing the point...its just an idea. Not a rule or a "have to" jus an idea. And like all ideas you can acknowledge them or not. Heck you can give your two cents too but there is still a postive way to give any opinion even if it is one you strongly disagree with. Now I'm not going to lie, when I first read the idea I was like, "I have had made many demos (mixed cds) and not once have I followed that exact structure idea. I doubt this exact way will make that big of a difference." Then I took a step back and thought about a couple things. Alot of us might already be in the club scene making our money and have consistent gigs. Alot of us also spin different genres and our styles are so different from one another that theres no way for you to use that structure. But whatever if your new? What if your stuck and know you can get better but you cant seem to climb that wall? What if your tired of thinking well i spin trance/progressive house I have to play out the track and do loooooooooong perfect mixes. This information can help alot of people out there fix there problems. It can teach them to think outside the box. Maybe dj joe blow was a OK dj because he did long blends. But what if he had that little push to try something different? He can get that feeling of pure excitement that we all get and love when we get "that mix" and figure out his true style. I'm gonna try this structure cuz hell maybe I'll gain something new (which im sure i will). Because no one is the best and if you think you have no room for growth no matter how good you are or how long you have been a dj then im sorry someone is always going to be better than you. That is just ignorant thinking. Instead think about this...Yakov didn't post this for YOU. It was posted for everyones enjoyment. So dont take a thought process so close to heart. Think how it might help someone who isnt at your progression level yet. Well tis be all that i must say gotta say love the soft and I love the community. It's great that i have a place to talk to fellow Djs/producers/remixers and all in between about my greatest passion on my free time! Happy Mixing! -Dj SoDown

if you are going to use and dj as a barometer for picking up technique, i certainly wouldnt go anywhere near tiesto. .. watch jeff mills for example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUPKPCgaT5E .. then dig up tiesto playing live(not going to waste my time on a link of that) ... comparing the two is laughable considering the amount of money tiesto gets to play.

I think it all comes down to style. If I was a trance DJ, I wouldn't look to Jeff Mills for inspiration, I would look to Tiesto. Whatever floats your boat. Happy Holidays!

I'm not sure i can chew that method. It sounds sorta good, helping people over the first 2 tracks and all that happiness. The thing is that i keep seeing really popular drum n bass djs/producers open with a track that is hip hop influenced w/lyrics. I guess you have to take into consideration the influences of drum n bass. So maybe this theorum isnt waterproofed yet. I feel like as long as you know the bpm and key, then building the statement and overall flow of your set is up to you, and if you cant feel it out then sell your records. If you want to open with a vocal track that portrays excitement or anticipation then do it because more than likely that feeling will transfer into your dancefloor, or if you want people to know you mean business then play something with a commanding vocal sample first. The only rules you should abide by are key and bpm..... if you can make it fit properly(and sound great) then everything else is fair game!!!! Also for example i have a track i use to start sometimes and its vocal verse is at the very beginning, i turn on the echo or filter and use them accordingly to make the intro sound better, remade, deeper, YOURS!!!!

Not sure I agree with this, tracks are produced in a way that they blend together at the end of the track, not half way through. Myself, I prefer to hear complete tracks. My mixing is generally the first 32 bars introducing the next track, 16 bars playing together, then the last 32 bars the outro of the out-going track, it is all so simple but it works. My old DJ pal who was pretty big in the UK - Andy Bagguley mainly taught me to mix, he hated quick transitions and always played the two tracks together as a teaser and it always got a good reaction. Harmonic mixing is great however, every track blend in a beautiful way. In my opinion, it makes no difference if you have a 2 min intro, 10 minutes tracks, if the music is good then that is all I can ask for. There is no such thing as a perfect mix, just damn fantastic music!

i agree that a dj quickly chopping between tracks with about 30 seconds of ride time between is frustrating to listen to. however leaving the track playing till the pre made mixing slot at about 5 mins comes round becomes predictable and poses limitations for creative skill... no matter how much you like the tunes. this is the whole idear of the realm known as harmonic mixing along side eq mixing can create a new tune/sound by swapping bass lines or hi hats, when all in key can be like doing your own production work on the fly. a mix can be brought in early and still sound naturall if the tunes are right for each other which takes research and rembering/planning mixes till there just right, which i know some people will argue that a good dj just naturally mixes with no rehearsing... maybe so in the early 90s but now we have pro djs using ableton and other softwear and creating mash ups and mixing between tunes at the same time 2manydjs for example. as djs amature or pro its our duty to push the barriers. btw there is such a thing as a perfect mix we just havent found it yet. i hope we dont.

broni !! love ur choice of music and the sets couldnt dld ur last one posted as it had expired so maybe u could upload it again for me - thnkx in advance and happy new year.

i know this post is aimed more at the trance/progressive crowd but i just wanted to add my piece. i'm not generally big hip hop fan, but dj yoda is the dj that i find most inspiring BECAUSE he doesn't mix by any body else's rules. on his mixtapes you could hear anything from johnny cash to ice cube. i think everyone should find what works best for them because if we all just followed the same formula that would be boring. however i do agree that you need to begin your set with a "statement" and personally i really enjoy mixes where the songs are mixed faster between because in order to mix in/out of a song halfway through you often need to do something more creative than simply blending an intro with an outro. i don't know why people think that mixing out of a song halfway is "gimmicky" - you could just as easily argue that tagging one song on to the end of another the whole night is just lazy.

my thoughts exactly.

The only trouble with quick mixing is some tracks don't even come 'alive' & Introduce the main hooks etc until after 2.30 min. I usually mix a 1st track around the 3 minute mark as there is usually a start of a phrase around the 3 minute mark for me to enter with. A lot of tracks break down around the 2 / 2.30 min mark in my collection I have found even if its just to remove kick drums before returning them again. Which is actually Why I always find another phrase to mix in around the 3 min mark (after it builds again).

First off let me say "Hello" from the U.S. I have read this thread from top to bottom. I really am a bit surprised at the lack of creativity i am seeing run rampant throughout. It is obvious to me that the formula laid out is a proven method. First let me address the problem of the quick mixes, has any one ever cued a track after the first break? It rids the dreaded lull, compresses the time allotted for each song, and overall gives a much more powerful groove to the set.This also gives the feel of movement within each mix, that is not there in a long monotonus melody. I am new to the harmonic side of mixing but it seems to me if 2 tracks are playing in harmony it could be mixed rather nicely starting from the first break of the incoming track and prior to the last of the outgoing. As for the instrumental to vocal intro, i think this is interchangable, and depends upon the tracks being used.When creating a cd i feel the first 10 minutes are the breath of the entire mix. Creating interest right away is of the utmost importance. I see possibly starting with a vocal as a bit of a better way to ease the listener into a listening posture. One trick i have used is to manipulate the instrumental and accapella of a hot current title and then go to a solid floor filler using the previous accapella to carry through the first measure of the 3rd track .This sets up the general direction of the rest of the mix. I then program aggressivly to about 45 minutes. At this point the mood of the tracks must ease up to create room for a strong build to finish. Creative e.q.ing during the mixes can aliveate any feel of a drop off during the compact mixing. I do not feel this should be done at a performance. When i am coming on in a live situation, I try to come in with the polar opposite of the dj playing before me if he finishes with a strong vocal, i may come in with a big beat type sound or a driving 4 to the floor. If he is really driving the crowd, I will counter with a drop to a soulful groove for about 32 bars to release a bit of tension and then maybe build to a electro-house banger. At that point I have a feel for the crowd and move with them to the best of my ability. This is but a variation of the format recommended at the start of this thread, and though i am not by any means performing at the level of the DIMIGOD DJS mentioned before, i feel i hold my own in my home town of New Orleans. What i am trying to get across with this torrent is that with a bit of creativity the laid out format can become yours .... you just have to own it.... Housefly

I did this with the 1st and 2nd song ,mixing the 2nd song after 124 beats,and it sounds good.The rest were mixed like you said, and it sounds pretty good too.But it can be hard to get everything exact,if you do a long mix and want to end on a breakdown you cant give a time. I also went around the mixed in key wheel.Everything mentioned is to keep the audience dancing and interested,and not bored waiting for a song to end which they may dislike.

WHO CARES ABOUT ANY OF THIS????? You have all wasted your time discussing this subject about a 2 bob trance dj's mix cd techniques that probally does work but your all to busy talking about it to try it and now i'm reading about it when i could be trying it and now i'm confused nd can't spell and its all too much!!! aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh!!!! Help me!

Hello All, I followed the concept so feel free to have a listen to this mix: On one occasion I used the 'energy boost' technique discussed on the forums (jumping 2 keys) and it worked well. the download link is: https://download.yousendit.com/bVlDRm94SU9veE5MWEE9PQ or: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/643267922/84e076c7c74b2cd058cf671245fdc4b1 Tracklisting:( And 'KEY') 1. Ronski Speed -Revolving Doors(Andy Woods Intro Remix) - KEY 3A 2. Paul Van Dyk & Alex MORPH - In Circles - KEY 3A 3. David Newsum - Hydrogen(Sundriver Remix) - Key 4A 4. Ronski Speed - Revolving Doors(Club Mix) - KEY 3A 5. Guanacaste(Mat Zo Remix) - Key 3A 6. Signalrunners - Meet Me In Mountauk( Andy Woods Live Mix) - KEY 5A 7. Paul Van Dyk - New York City(Super8 & Tab Remix) - KEY 5A 8. Signum - Distant Signature(Alternate Mix)- KEY 4A 9. Dan Stone & Phil Young - Summer Tide (Andy Woods 'Hot Cue' Edit) - KEY 4A 10. Michael Angelo Feat. Danny - Test Drive (Nitrous Oxide Remix) - KEY 4B 11. Frase/Ornate - Strikeout - KEY 4A 12. David Murtagh - Introvert/ Extrovert - KEY 5A Enjoy the mix and hopefully will help guide you on this topic. best regards, Andy Woods(trance dj/producer)

hey ashley, any more mixes I can upload? Andy.

interesting... would this hold good for psytrance ?? also the way you work with the wheel.. ?? the rules are somehow always different with psy..

I think this would work good for any music. The whole point of this is creating a good intro. Some tracks have this built in, or you can create it using this method. The idea is to catch the crowds attention. When you switch songs up right away like this, you are showing them that you are going to take them on a journey. Cheers, Chad P

Very useful files search engine. (editors note: Link deleted, we don't support file sharing) is a search engine designed to search files in various file sharing and uploading sites.

Yeah i agree with you !!!!(To CHad p )(luv ya)

I'm guessing this theory is only for professional mixers of the last 5 - 10 years, and HOUSE DJs, too? I tested this theory out on DJ legends from yesteryear and, it doens't hold up! I dug out old mixtapes from Larry Levan, Tony Humphries, Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, Junior Vasquez, Louie Vega, Shep Pettibone, Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Red Alert, John Robinson, Walter Gibbons, David Mancuso, Nicky Siano, Steve D’Acquisto, John 'Jellybean' Benitez, Tee Scott, Hippie Torrales, François Kevorkian, Larry Patterson, Joe Claussell and many more. Disco, House, Techno, Hip Hop, Soul/R&B/Funk - this theory just simply isn't true. I got my first gig @ Fabric with a mixtape that started with an acappella vocal intro! Thank god I didn't read this theory before, otherwise I may have second guessed and changed my mind. To all DJs... Trust your extincts. You know in your heat of hearts what sounds right and what doesn't. If you don't... You shouldn't be DJing ;)

ashley m you dont no what your talking about shut the *&^% up

hi yakov after you have mixed the vocal track in (2ND) can you play no more vocal tracks if you wish or does it have to be instrumental then vocal an so on all the way through the mix

After the second track (vocal) you are pretty much free to pick and choose whatever seems appropriate. I made a mix that pretty much follows the guidelines set forth here, and after the third track alternates between vocal and instrumental tracks. Check it out here if you're interested in hearing how this sounds. Cheers, Chad P

Hey, you mean they make music in Europe??? ;-) Dude, a good mixtape/cd just needs a hype DJ and great tracks. It doesn't even need planning, as long as the first track is the sh!t and the DJ has the good sense to listen and follow through on the vibe. Before recording, start by discarding all tracks that are not 100% crazy-a$$ best of the best A-1 top-of-the-line INSANE sh!t. That will get you on the right track. (Trance DJs may find this difficult!) ;-) Luv yas all mate, aussie aussie aussie oi io oi!!

Couldn't agree more, Scum. I think we should first consider WHAT we are going to mix in that cd, because if the technique is flawless, it means exactly ZERO if the tracks are crap !

I've always been against mixing a tune followed by a tune mixed by the guy from the previous tune. I also don't have two tracks by the same artist in the mix, doesn't seem right to me and I like to think my collection stretches further than that. Your thoughts.

Hmmm, this is my first (proper) post here and I'm afraid it's a negative one but hopefully constructive too! Surely the secret to good DJing is: 1. Matching Beats (basic requirement) 2. Matching Key (thanks MIK for the missing link) 3. What tracks go together (the feeling) 4. When each track should be brought in (based on builds, breaks and how the crowd is reacting) You can be scientific about 1 and 2 in fact these can both be automated quite easily. You cannot automate 3 and 4, those are why we DJ surely? I'm an MP3/laptop DJ, I started well after the death of vinyl and I still get the "well clicked" jibe from old Vinylausaurus' who believe there's no skill in it, but you show me a machine that can do 3 and 4 above and I'll hang up my Sonys for good! Getting back on topic, in my opinion there is no magic formula for a great DJ - just ask the Ting Tings.. the drums... the drums... the drums...the drums... the drums... SWF

Delroy: Just downloaded your mix from 2008. Excellent mix, song selection. Held my interest from beginning to end. This goes on the iPhone.

> The only trouble with quick mixing is some tracks don't even come 'alive' & Introduce the main hooks etc until after 2.30 min. So start mixing from the first breakdown, skip the longwinded intros and get to the meat of the track... standard DJ trick.

cheers for the info sparkswillfly.

www.filedropper.com/djklear001 this method works and sounds dope, ^^all dubstep mix straight from L.A.!!!

I use this method a lot at the end of the night when the club is full and it's close to closing time and they are still wanting to party. It's a great way to keep them interested at that point in the night too after all the tequila and jager shots lol

Hi Yakov, I support your theory 100%. I,ve been a fan of trance for a number of years and anaylizing most top DJs I must say makes Tiesto stand out. In all of his best performances your theory matches his set.

That's a brilliant tip... I can see how that works... I can see this got a bit of stick in the forum, probably because I deals with rules, and everyone wants to think their DJ is above rules... ...but at the same time no one wants to put on a mix and feel they're committing to listening to an entire symphony of self indulgence either... I'll use that one... Nice

Sorry I'm new to this forum though not to this technique. I more than anyone (and I mean anyone) brought harmonic mixing to the forefront. I'm not a horntutter but fact is fact. I wish I can tell you I created it but fact is this was being done in the 70's by some of the best jocks at the time. there was a company (I forget the name now) that use to put out a monthly list of the latest songs in key & bpm. Some of the top jocks at that time use to carry that list with them and you can see them looking through it as they mixed. I was musicially trained so I did it naturally by ear though not all the time but sometimes. But in the early 80's I decided to tag all my records in key & bpm. Everywhere I played people would ask why are your records tagged like that? I'd explain and they were like, cool it must be a lot of work. It was but it started the standard for this technique. When I played with Pete Tong in 1988 he was just as curious and liked the explanation and technique. So yes the technique is good when properly executed and every mix does not have to be in key (one of my more famous mix is not the keys the song are in but rather cause the place where I mix at have the same drum patterns) but I would say like jazz musicians having practice there scales then improvising based on those scales so can mixing in key be another tool in the Dj's arsenal. Remember it's not the mix that is most important but rather the music program put together by the jock. You can have a great mixer with perfect key & mixing technique that is playing the most boring tunes.

This is a great thread, I had to reply. I don't think anyone here would take anything written as something you have to do, at least that's not what you should be doing. However, you should be reading through every post and see if there is anything you can take away from it. It doesn't matter if you've been a DJ for one hour, one week, one year or one decade you'll always learn something if you keep your mind open. Growing up loving music I've listened to every genre imaginable & I like something from every genre (yes EVERY genre). I play music nearly every day, my wife and daughter are both music lovers so when I'm at home and not at a gig or making a mix for anyone other than us I jump through genres from Dance, Disco, Freestyle, Rap, Reggae, Blues, House, Electro, Pop, Oldies, Rock & whatever else we may want to hear within those hours and yes within the same set. I can find something to work and switch seamlessly but I will say I saw a few methods I use mentioned & I'll name just a few but first and foremost they obviously have to be in key but I start out with something to get us in the mood to hear more something slower to get the brain triggered and ready for what is to come, I never ever jump into something fast as later on if you slow it down I find interest seems to decline & I found this out when I myself lost interest and it happened 100% of the time & if I lose interest how would people at gigs or my family feel? They wouldn't want to hear my mixes. So if I had to give advice but I'm sure this is known to many but if I had to give advice to any beginner would be listen to your music & find the down-tempo and up-tempo stuff & separate them then build your sets using in key tunes. Here is the only rules I follow for myself. Before playing I find the max level I am going to play at then before the mixing I turn it down by 5-10%, I start down tempo stuff & work it up as the night progresses I turn the volume up slightly & right about when I hit the peak excitement of the set my volume is now at max. The crowd never realizes the volume changing, it's very subtle but it helps to increase the energy level & then I bring the set back down with down-tempo stuff. I don't fluctuate the levels I build it up then bring it down but it is done subtlety not abrupt. Other than that I follow no other rules I observe what's happening on the floor & know when it's time to start increasing the tempo, there's no time rule involved just watch and learn from the effect of your music as the crowd never lies.