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DJ mix

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"Mix (music)" redirects here. For a type of Organ stop, see Mixture (music).

A DJ mix or DJ mixset is a sequence of musical tracks typically mixed together to appear as one continuous track. DJ mixes are usually performed using a DJ mixer and multiple sounds sources, such as turntables, CD players, digital audio players or computer sound cards, sometimes with the addition of samplers and effects units, although it's possible to create one using sound editing software.

DJ mixing is significantly different from live sound mixing. Remix services were offered beginning in the late 1970s in order to provide music which was more easily beatmixed by DJs for the dancefloor. One of the earliest DJs to refine their mixing skills was DJ Kool Herc.[1] Francis Grasso was the first DJ to use headphones and a basic form of mixing at the New York nightclub Sanctuary.[2] Upon its release in 2000, Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto Presents: Another World became the biggest selling dj mix album in the US.[3]

Music

Frankie Knuckles also known as the 'Godfather of House.'[4]

A DJ mix is often put together with music from genres that fit into the more general term electronic dance music. Other genres mixed by DJ includes hip hop, breakbeat and disco. Four on the floor disco beats can be used to create seamless mixes so as to keep dancers locked to the dancefloor.[5] Two of main characteristics of music used in dj mixes is a dominant bassline and repetitive beats.[5] Music mixed by djs usually has a tempo which ranges from 120 bpm up to 160 bpm.[5]

Technique

Pioneer DJM 350 mixer

A DJ mixset is usually performed live in front of an audience in a nightclub, party, or rave setting. Mixsets can also be performed live on radio or recorded in a studio. Methods of mixing vary slightly depending on the music genres being played.[1] House and trance DJs tend to aim for smooth blended mixes while hip-hop djs may use turntablism, scratching and other cutting techniques.[1] Some DJs, particularly those mixing Goa trance may prefer to mix during a break in which instead of beats, washes of synthesized sounds are combined.[5] Further refinement to the mixing quality can be provided with harmonic mixing which avoids dissonant tones during a mix.

DJ Kool Herc at Hunts Point.

In live situations, the progression of the DJ set is a dynamic process. The DJ chooses tracks partly in response to the activity on the dance floor. If the dance floor becomes less active, the DJ will make a judgement as to what track will increase dance floor activity. This may involve shifting the tempo or changing the general mood of the set. Track choices are also due, in part, to where the DJ wishes to take his or her audience. In this way, the resulting mixset is brought about through a symbiotic relationship between audience and DJ.[6] Studio DJs have the luxury of spending more time on their mix, which often leads to productions that could never be realized in real-time.

Traditional DJ mixing with vinyl required the dj sync tracks tempo and the modify each tracks volume and equalisation to create a smooth blend. DJs can use a mixer's crossfader to switch between tracks or use the volume control for each source with the crossfader permanently positioned in the middle. Mixing is usually done through the use of headphones and a monitor speaker or foldback as basic aids. At this basic level the dj is required to develop a specific auditory skill where each track's tempo had to be distinguished while listening to more than one piece of music. The use of compact discs and players such as the CDJ by DJs brought technological advances for the DJ performing a mix including a readout of the bpm and a visual representation of the beat. Modern computer technology has allowed automatic beatmatching and led to debate regarding its use, which is sometimes described as cheating. DJ software such as VirtualDJ provides automatic beatmatching and key detection which simplifies harmonic mixing.

Distribution

DJs often distribute their recorded mixes on CD-Rs or as digital audio files via websites or podcasts for promotional purposes. Many popular DJs release their mixes commercially on a compact disc. When DJ sets are distributed directly via the Internet, they are generally presented as a single unbroken audio file; cue sheets may be provided by the DJ or fans to allow the set to be burned to a CD, or listened to, as a series of separate tracks in the way it would be produced as a commercial mix.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Snoman, Rick (2009). Dance Music Manual: Tools, Toys and Techniques. Taylor & Francis. pp. 471–472. ISBN 0240521072. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  2. ^ Vorobyez, Yakov; Eric Coomes (2012). "How to Use Harmonic Mixing". Beyond Beatmatching: Take Your DJ Career to the Next Level. Mixed In Key. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  3. ^ Webber, Stephen (2009). DJ Skills: The Essential Guide to Mixing and Scratching. CRC Press. p. 40. ISBN 1136123105.
  4. ^ "Frankie Knuckles". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d Attias, Bernardo; Anna Gavanas; Hillegonda Rietveld (2013). DJ Culture in the Mix: Power, Technology, and Social Change in Electronic Dance Music. A&C Black. pp. 2–3. ISBN 1623564379. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  6. ^ Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton
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