question for the djs

[VinylAnimal]

does it help if you know the tune you are playing

its a serious question

i know that there is a technical aspect so does that mean a top man can mix 2 tunes hes never heard before (fuk - or she )

or does it help if you know the tune :|

 

[ilovepiano]

I don't see why not. But I suppose it depends on what type of music you'd be mixing. If it's newish housey / trancey
stuff I find it all tends to be quite predictable in terms of where it's going to change, so yeah, I wouldn't have a problem with that. But some records you might only get one chance at starting your mix and if you miss it you're fekked!
Try it out. Just dig out some records and try mixing with the remixes that you never listened to! Got to be good for a laugh if nothing else!

 

[butty]

its easier when ya know ya tunes inside out coz u know if a) a bird is gonna start singin over yer other bird singin b) if 2 pianos r gonna make an entrance at the same time n sound like a octopus on the keyboard and apart from that just generally knowin what sorta tune ur best bangin in for a flowing erm flow

apart from that aye its dooable - half the tunes i played at maximes last i hadnt played b 4. its a bit like birds really when ur mixin u just hope to god that theyl play with u

 

[sirius]

I used to know all my tunes inside out and back to front, and thats when I was my best at mixin', but when you get past the 5000 records mark youre brain just loses it!!!.
In fact, I think theres a 'special' amount of tunes you need to have and know when youre at yer best, then from there you can wing it a bit. Once you get a huge collection though, the possibilities of a good combo go through the roof and theres no possible time in the world to try them all without going insane - trust me!

Since loosing the plot record wise and not djing so much anymore, my mixing ear has definately left the building..........


Sirius.

 

[Biskit]

You tend to find all your dance tunes now are somewhat DJ freindly, you can pretty easily predict where the break to mix is gonna be!
Just looking at the vinyl itself, you can see the instrumental breaks or fade outs, which can help, if its not 'dark'. But more often than not, its dark in a club!!
Now your dance tunes, say, from '87'88 onwards to '94 ish, weren't always DJ freindly, so, I think mixing back then, you did need to know the tune layout a bit more!
Were it comes to chopping & cutting the mix, as long as you can judge in the headphones that these tunes will go, then you can go ahead and cut a mix without worrying about where the next break is!
I used to listen to DJ Nipper in the clubs, and he did a lot of this in a true pro style!!! Good DJ, sure he has 'Hip hop' roots!!

 

[whatyadoinsucka]

**********************************************
I used to listen to DJ Nipper in the clubs, and he did a lot of this in a true pro style!!! Good DJ, sure he has 'Hip hop' roots!!
**********************************************

biskit if you like hiphop i'll send you a tape from the man like

totally cut up and scratched to bits
one awesome tape


and your spot on he loves his hiphop
and i'd say ice t
every warp track he did robbed a lyric from an ice t album

 

[butty]

can u send me a dub of said tape by n e chance bud?

 

[Dj Britalian]

I have come to learn that all tunes are basically in the same format, e.g:

if you have had a piano section for the 2/3rd time then there will most probably be a break after it (i mean just beats n base)

Thats my theory anyway, i know my records inside out anyway so,

giv it a try it works

 

[Red Mancunian]

b) if 2 pianos r gonna make an entrance at the same time n sound like a octopus on the keyboard

LOL you've been listening to ME mix, haven't you mate!

 

[R J]

There's a bit of everything in all the answers above that makes it happen.

Knowing a tune does help without doubt , knowing where a breakdown or drum solo is always makes life easier.

Knowing how tunes are made and constructed also helps , if you know how this works it makes it easier to predict what a tunes going to do and when it's going to do it ..