What constitutes a "DJ mix"? - Discuss

[sporkles]

The question is in the topic title, really: what elements need to be in place if you want to call a collection of tracks a "DJ mix"? Beatmatched transition between the
tracks? Additive effects (e.g. effect clips played on top of the current song)? Effects that alter the master output (e.g. a flanger on the master channel)?

What's your take? I'm asking cause I just felt like beatmatching a couple of tracks, using the crossfader in Live a couple of days ago - great fun, but surely there
must be more to DJ-ing than that (considering how easy beatmatching is in Live)

[bendybones]

I'd be interested to see the replies to this too

[emef]

trax mixed in sync one after the other for a period of time

thats a dj mix

next we discuss what 4/4 is

[pacmaniac]

a mix of tunes selected by the individual reflecting their personal taste and love of music beatmatched to perfection in order to (hopefully) entertain a crowd.

[nuperspective]

trax mixed in sync one after the other for a period of time

thats a dj mix

next we discuss what 4/4 is

or being able to count to four - if your old school. sorry skool.

[SimonPHC]

A DJ mix is a musical piece with the follow characteristics:

1. It is a closed piece with a start, middle and end and in between start and finish a musical tension arc is created.
2. It is created using whole, or parts of existing musical pieces. It is not a 'original' musical piece, the notes and chords are pre-existing.
3. The used musical pieces are selected for their function within the mix. (it's not 'random')
4. Any sort of collage technique can be used to change, swap, merge, mix, or match the parts for the whole is accepted.
5. The entire mix is as such that a listener might be able to recognise the original parts. (It is not a new piece of music)
6. Whether performed in real-time or in studio time, it has been created with a human being at the highest control level.

Might have more characteristics to add if I come up with them. All criteria based on beat matching, 4/4 or not, used technical equipment and such are bollocks to me.

[trevorc]

the interesting question isn't what constitutes a dj mix but what makes a good one.

djs are essentially just tune selectors - in some genres even the 4/4 beatmatching aspect is superfluous. so if a dj mix is really just a selection of tunes put together somehow, you need to look at what sets some mixes (or performances) apart from the rest.

selection is what really sets the good djs apart imo - set flow, build & energy management, interesting relationships between tunes, character, individuality and originality expressed through tune selection. all pretty subjective qualities...

then there's technique, can be seen more objectively i guess, covering beatmatching, eq, fx, transitions/layers, harmonics - and for me techniques that suit the mix are more important than throwing all the techniques down at once.

the basics are relatively easy, but as the entry point is pretty accessible in djing it's no easy thing to shine in the field.

[sporkles]

Cheers - interesting thoughts, guys. I'd imagine the performance side would be more in focus, so it's very interesting to see that track selection is more important!
I'd also add that what makes a really good mix is when the DJ actually alters the play list to be more in harmony with that night's specific audience - the DJ's
ability to feel the atmosphere of the venue is a very valuable ability. I was at a party some weeks ago - it was advertised as psytrance, the DJ's had to know that
people were there to dance to 4/4 trancey music, and yet, he stuck to d'n'b throughout his entire set, even though the dance floor was empty (not counting that crazy
guy who dances like a madman even during the breakdowns - he's always there )

[Slightlydelic]

as punter, i just like a dj that can beat match well, pick his tunes properly and turn his mix into a journey, their is nothing better than seamless mixing, and when 2 tunes come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.

[SubFunk]

as punter, i just like a dj that can beat match well, pick his tunes properly and turn his mix into a journey, their is nothing better than seamless mixing, and when 2 tunes come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.

+1 the journey aspect is utter important to me. that is why i personally dislike short 2-3 hour sets. and have not great joy anymore going clubbing 4-8 DJs a night? WTF?

real good DJs can spinn all night long and take you on a trip for 8 - 10 hours.

[ChiDJ]

as punter, i just like a dj that can beat match well, pick his tunes properly and turn his mix into a journey, their is nothing better than seamless mixing, and when 2 tunes come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.

+1 the journey aspect is utter important to me. that is why i personally dislike short 2-3 hour sets. and have not great joy anymore going clubbing 4-8 DJs a night? WTF?

real good DJs can spinn all night long and take you on a trip for 8 - 10 hours.

+1!

I've been lucky enough to experience a couple of Danny Teneglia's historic 24 hour sets! (talk a bout a ride, talk about endurance)

Tod

[SubFunk]

as punter, i just like a dj that can beat match well, pick his tunes properly and turn his mix into a journey, their is nothing better than seamless mixing, and when 2 tunes come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.

+1 the journey aspect is utter important to me. that is why i personally dislike short 2-3 hour sets. and have not great joy anymore going clubbing 4-8 DJs a night? WTF?

real good DJs can spinn all night long and take you on a trip for 8 - 10 hours.

+1!

I've been lucky enough to experience a couple of Danny Teneglia's historic 24 hour sets! (talk a bout a ride, talk about endurance)

Tod

yeah Mr. C, L. Garnier, D. Tenaglia, etc.

they all managed to beam me on a trip and leaving the club on a cloud no other drug then the music ever took me.

[starving student]

A mix by a real dj.

[aisling]

as punter, i just like a dj that can beat match well, pick his tunes properly and turn his mix into a journey, their is nothing better than seamless mixing, and when 2 tunes come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.

+1 the journey aspect is utter important to me. that is why i personally dislike short 2-3 hour sets. and have not great joy anymore going clubbing 4-8 DJs a night? WTF?

real good DJs can spinn all night long and take you on a trip for 8 - 10 hours.

+1!

I've been lucky enough to experience a couple of Danny Teneglia's historic 24 hour sets! (talk a bout a ride, talk about endurance)

Tod

how does the dj stay awake fot that long

[Ism]

A good dj set has the structure of a story; a beginning, middle and end. Pretentious as fck answer I know but it’s true.

This Richie Hawtin video is one of the best I’ve seen on Youtube; exploring how software has opened up a lot more possibilities for djs. He's using Traktor Scratch but the principles are the same.