A couple of my mixes...constructive criticism!?

[rhopkins]

Hi guys,

Long time no post! I've woken up on a Saturday morning and I'm feeling brave. Some of you will know my setup - I went over it here viewtopic.php?f=370&t=22156 and on a few other threads - but the main problem I have is finding time to practice. I've had everything for just over a year now and whilst I've got better I only often get time to practice once a week, sometimes once in three weeks.

I always record my mixes but very rarely share them outside a couple of friends/family. But how would you like to listen to them?

Here's one http://soundcloud.com/teamcooper/february-bass-practice.

I find it hard to say what I like. Some call it dubstep, some just call it techno. Others just label it all under "bass". (I don't like too much WHOB WHOB WHUUUB dubstep )

Here's another, a bit harder http://soundcloud.com/teamcooper2/darke ... o-february.

I'd be very interested in people's thoughts - leave comments here or on soundcloud about anything, would be appreciated. I still seem to create car crash transitions and still worry about most of the stuff I said here - viewtopic.php?f=371&t=20981.

Be gentle, I know I'm nowhere near perfect!!

Cheers guys,

Ross

[Blackbrook]

Speaking for myself I have spent years (!) of practicing till I gave away sets (on cassettes in former times, CDs and the CD burner were too expensive!). Nowadays you can get sets easily online, writing this without any judging!

I like some of you tracks and, for a guy that reduces his own sets to the transitions, I have heard some that are improvable. I don't call myself a perfect DJ and my sets consist of bad transitions too, but it is the fact that we try to build the perfect transition which has to be honored. Continue practicing whenever you have the time for it.

One last tipp:

**This transition didn't work too well....**

Don't write that, people will hear it while others don't

[Activated Soundwave]

Just had a quick listen through the first mix,What you are playing in that, Is a combination of house/house sub genra,
Techhouse,House,Prog (Variouse),and some sub genra inbetween No dubstep , but what you do have is a good head for this area as far as selection goes,The mix itself is not as important as selection as an intermediate hobbiest,we all start somewhere and technique can take some years to master what works best for you, we can all learn basic beat mixing or syncing on software platforms even more so, but its the individuality you will find in yourself that counts, how you feel in your track selection, enjoying this as you do will only bring more confidence with time, just dont be shy at going for it as i have mentioned in another post, then you will learn more, their is no shame in bring a track in and out afew times, infact it is the best way, so let go m8 and learn to weave and with time all the balancing tricks will fall into place.

Very good Track selection, not the same ole same, yet it flows selection wise,i could go on, but No need, so give yourself some credit for this,well done.
lets face it you have djs like annie mac that just cant mix , but the sets are still very entertaining and a good bit of escapism. lets put it this way with your First mix, nothing is over the top, or jumping out at me in any uncomfortable way.

Thank you for sharing.

[rhopkins]

Excellent feedback activated! Thank you, really appreciate it.

[Activated Soundwave]

No worries,
some of my best learning was riding the pitch fader on my decks, playing 80,s funk and soul, street soul or r&b as its known now, may sound simple mixing wise slowed down Bpm and all that, but you in realistic terms this would lead you to here every little mistake, so we just used to egg eack other on as to how long we could keep the tracks going on for weaving these rather lazy off timed beats as most old wax records where, It was a a mission to control, but its through these techniques that enable you to home in your skills, we where talking Rave days, but i still had my old soul collection from my pirate radio days etc. We have the sync now, so it can get lazy, but that is ideal for you to learn how to ride in and out all your mixing controls and Pfl monitoring, Forget the pre setup,Just bang a whole mixture of your fave.. tracks in a playlist at lesat 50-100, hit record and go for it a 3 hour or set or so, then on listening back with your mates ,when you have a a few beers or what ever your tipple is , will help you get in the zone, and understand what its all about,go back to it with a clean set of ears, Listen like a clubber lol, Music runs deep for me,its 80% of my life, Its all about having a good old journey into escapism, that is why we do it, its Special , with all this Cr*p that goes on in the world, its good to share the same vibe,
Whoops! should i have said mixvibe lol.