Mixing without headphones?

[Jiglo]

I've been reading a few posts on the internet recently about people claiming they're doing this and it's the new big thing. Headphone users are regarded as dinosaurs and not down with the new technology.

I can't see how it can even be done unless you've done a lot of preparation and beat synced everything.

Anyone using or seen this technique in action?

 

[adamz]

I mix without headphones but also use vdj with sync alot so guess im dissqualified.
Most of good blends i managed to pull would be impossible if i didnt knew thing or two about track before pressing play. So it's partly memorisation (writing down on paper some more important info even) and partly actual LIVE mixing. I can't see any other way for mixing without headphones AND sync button.. wich also means i can't see any way for playing in front of real crowd, not radio only.

 

[reetdad]

i use headphones

 

[djperkins]

Maybe they use "buds" now and that's what they mean...u gotta be able to monitor, how would u ever learn? I really like the idea that new dj's use sync and other technical aids...makes me feel skilatchi

 

[siman91]

I use cans however mixing without is a really good training tool and I have done it in the past. Makes you very aware of you cue points, pitches and vocals. My style of mixing suits cans as Im more of a blending style rather than cut and scratch madness.

S

 

[djperkins]

I tell you from personal experience, in a big club without phones:...you would be , too many sound reverberations going on and when the crowd is in, and it's a heavin' away with people buzzing around you, you can't even hear yourself think let alone the sound of a needle on a record, scratch masters with tagged up discs are obv a different breed and may well be able to pull stuff like this off, but no way can everyone do it all night without falling off....I'm talking about straight vinyl without any waveform display of course.

 

[U31]

Yeah, i can waveride if i 100% know the choon inside out Jimbo, but i dont set cues or beatgrids personally, so its just knowing what to look for on the waveform to recognise the breakdowns/ phrases and work out the first beat from where you wanna bring it in... for something unknown it has to cans to cue and beat match tho

 

[Shooms]

I can understand a scratch & drop battle styleeee mix... but a long blend ? Without headfones ? Really ?

 

[Superdan]

At the end of a mash I sometimes don't bother with the headphones. Mainly because I'm that smashed it doesn't make sense, lol.

Yeah it sounds a tad awful when you first throw it in but ya can usually get the beats near enough quite quickly. Wouldn't dare try it at a club tho

 

[BOD]

I mixed without any music the other day, I was fuckin ace!

 

[reetdad]

mad head

 

[Superdan]

I mixed without any music the other day, I was fuckin ace!

did you use ya headphones tho?

 

[BOD]

course I did, I aint that good silly, only ballsed 2 mixes up too phones:

 

[Riddler]

I remember back in the day Carl Cox used to mix off 3 decks without headphones by using the monitor in the DJ booth. If you listen to some of his mixes from that era you can certainly tell he's not beat matched before he brings in a new tune.

 

[U31]

Moulinex, or Kenwood chef, Boddstar?

but a long blend ? Without headfones ? Really ?

Hell yeah
The joys of phase meters, Shoomie,
you roughly know bpm of the choon you're cuing, and the BPM of the tune coming out the master, line fader down, cue up visually on the wave and find first beat, and hit play/ nudge off on beat, bring it in -just ride the pitch fader or jog / platter to keep it near as damn it dead centre, happy with it rewind to cue repeat, rinse and bring the fader up... sound familiar? Been done that way since the 70's but purely by ear and tune knowledge
With your cans & traditional method your listening for one tune going off beat, and catch it with pitch or platter, with the meters in software there a visual reference too.
Take it up a level and learn to read the meters, like you learned to hear which tune was running out, know whats slowing or speeding by looking instead of hearing- and I shit you not here, the meter will pick it up long before its audible- you don't need cans for blends.
BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW THE TUNA 100%.. Unless your using cue points

Like it was always done matching in yer cans in the PFL stage of the mixer and using yer lug oles, beat match before bringing in & fine tune the pitch as yer go , now you can learn to pitchride on phase meters too

Remember kids, all this modern shite can be turned off in software, and for most Oldschool, most auto shite like synch is next to fuckin' useless as the beats are all over the place, even before it was mastered and laid down, and this is exasperated when the tune is from a vinyl rip due to the decks inherent wow n flutter or any warpage.

The modern shite is a tool, there to be used if its useful. If it aint, fall back on your oldskool skills of doing the job

One caveat i will say about not using cans, LEVELS. When setting gains and cutting EQ's, nothing beats your ears for that, in software, SO FAR - and ive tried all kinds of gaining software, there, at least, lug oles n brain are best

 

[brown29]

In a club you really don't want to be forgetting your headphones when you have a 1000 people in front of you.

 

[sample_city]

ive recently stopped mixing using my headphones, i found i could never seem to get my egg whites fluffy enough, i now use a whisk bought from my local supermarket for £2.99! ....i'll get my coat

 

[Benny-Digital]

I remember back in the day Carl Cox used to mix off 3 decks without headphones by using the monitor in the DJ booth. If you listen to some of his mixes from that era you can certainly tell he's not beat matched before he brings in a new tune.

That explains a lot, great factoid.