If Beginner DJs did THIS, they’d be 10x BETTER!

Introduction

This tutorial is designed for beginner DJs who want to enhance their mixing skills and learn essential techniques that can significantly improve their performances. By mastering these techniques, you'll be able to create seamless transitions between tracks, ultimately elevating your DJing game.

Step 1: Understand Key Mixing Points

To mix like a pro, you need to know three crucial points:

• The mix in point of your current song
• The mix out point for the transition
• The section of the next song where you plan to mix in

Tip: Most professional DJs mix the next song during the chorus or outro of the current track to ensure a smooth transition.

Step 2: Prepare Your Tracks

1. Load the current song and ensure its deck volume fader is down.
2. Load your next song and match its BPM with the current track.
3. Identify the intro section of the next song, which typically lasts 32 beats.

Common Pitfall: Avoid using tracks that start abruptly; songs with extended intros or outros make mixing easier.

Step 3: Execute a Smooth Transition

1. As the current song reaches its chorus, decrease the low EQ of the current track while gradually increasing the volume of the next track.
2. When the current song's low EQ is fully decreased and the next song's volume is up, activate a half echo effect on the current track.
3. Fade the current song out completely.

Alternative Technique: Use a high-pass filter to create excitement as the new track begins.

Step 4: Master the Bass Swap Technique

1. With the current song playing, load the next song and set its low EQ all the way to the left.
2. As you reach the mix out point, play the next song.
3. Slowly bring the next song's volume in while decreasing the low EQ of the current track back to neutral.

Tip: This technique is effective when the current track has a strong bass presence.

Step 5: Utilize Extended Edits

• Use tracks with extended intros and outros, which allow ample time for mixing.
• This makes it easier to blend songs without feeling rushed.

Step 6: Incorporate Signature DJ Tricks

1. Backspin Technique:

   • Just before reaching the mix out point, backspin the current track.
   • To achieve this on controllers, activate an echo effect for a smoother transition.

2. High-Pass Filter:

   • During the buildup of a track, crank up a high-pass filter to hype up the next song.

3. Noise Color Effect:

   • Activate a noise color effect on an empty deck and blend a noise sample into your transitions.

Note: You may need to enable the noise color effect in your DJ software settings.

Step 7: Transitioning Between Genres

• Focus on preparation and timing instead of beat matching.
• Aim to transition at breakdowns or choruses of the current track.

Steps for a Genre Transition

1. Set the vinyl speed adjust to break on the deck you’re transitioning from.
2. Near the transition point, activate an echo effect on the current track and stop it while starting the next track.

Tip: Ensure the next song has a long intro to facilitate smooth blending.

Step 8: Advanced Mixing Techniques

• Use a formula to determine BPM transitions:

  • Current track's BPM divided by 75 equals the next track's BPM.

• Set up your DJ software:

  • For Rekordbox DJ, access pad effect mode and set pad one to roll, beat rate to 3/4, and level to 100.

Example: To mix into a track at 174 BPM, your current song should be approximately 130.5 BPM.

Conclusion

By following these steps and techniques, you'll significantly improve your DJ mixing skills. Remember that practice is key, and experimenting with different styles and transitions will help you develop your unique sound as a DJ. Start incorporating these techniques into your sets and watch your confidence and performance soar!