How to Create a DJ Mix

Learning how to create a mix is really what separates amateur DJs from professional DJs. Whether it's for a wedding or for a concert, keeping the crowd moving is vital.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Music tracks (records and/or CDs)
• Mixer
• Speakers
• Headphones
• Turntables
• CD players
• Computer with a soundcard
• Cables

Setting Up

1. Decide exactly what kind of mix you want to create. Is it for a gig or is it for a demo? Are you going to be mixing many different musical genres or stay with one?

2. Pick out music. Spend a couple hours with your music collection and figure out what your mix calls for. Get some good tracks that will give your mix a steady flow.

3. Organize your tracks. Generally you'll want a nice mid-tempo track to start the mix, have some slower tracks scattered throughout the middle and then finish with the heavier (and more popular) tunes.

Mixing It Up

4. Start up your lead track. This will be the one going through the speakers. Remember to have your mixer's crossfade in the middle.

5. Start up your second track at a lower volume and monitor it with your headphones. You'll often see DJs with one headphone channel over one ear; that's because they're listening to the second track (the cued track) at the same time they're listening to the live track.

6. Get your cued track in the right spot to be brought in to the mix. You may have to tweak the cued track a little to get it fully in synch with the live track. Adjust the pitch of the track using the turntable's pitch control and adjust the highs, mids and lows of the track using the mixer's equalizer. Anything that is off in the mix can disorient the crowd, and could even damage your speakers (if the two basslines are way too loud for example).

7. Stop the cued track once it's ready to be brought in to the mix. If you're mixing with vinyl, slightly press your fingers onto the record itself to halt it completely. If you're using CD players, hit the Cue button. Once it is stopped, increase the volume of the cued track so that it matches the volume of the live track.

8. Bring your cued track in during a good spot in the lead track. To do this, take your fingers off of the record (for vinyl) or hit the Play button (for CDs). If you're mixing similar genres, beatmixing is crucial. Bringing in your cued track exactly on the beat of your live track will create a smooth-yet-stylish blend. If you're mixing together different or "live" (something that utilizes live instruments like rock or funk) musical styles, you'll probably just want to do a straight cut using the crossfade from one track to the next when the moment is right.

9. Repeat for every track in your mix.

Tips & Warnings

• It's never a bad idea to map out your mix on a piece of paper. Write down the number of tracks, the duration you'll be playing them and a rough estimate of how long your overall mix will be. Write down the beats-per-minute (BPM) of all your tracks on their respective record sleeves or CD jackets to give you a better idea of how you must fine-tune the tracks being brought in to the mix. Record your mix using your home computer (see References). Listen to it and get your peers to listen to it as well to see what your strengths and weaknesses are.

References

• DJ Tutor: Mixing Basics
• How To Record A Mix, Pt. 1 (PDF)
• How To Record A Mix, Pt. 2 (PDF)