How to mix - tutorial

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• Publié par: Urzoe
• Nombre de lectures: 56
• Langue: English

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Early DJ techniques

In the early seventies the DJs’ tools began to improve as the market for dance music began

to expand. Yet, the beginnings were hard, for there were only two types of records

available, 45s and 33 1/3 LPs, which had "A" sides and "B" sides, and different songs were

recorded on both sides. A record which allowed more creativity, namely 12" dance mixes

specifically intended for DJs, had not yet appeared on the market. DJs had to manage

without basic equipment such as DJ mixers or headphones. What is more, the turntables ran

only at two speeds, 45 RPMs and 33 1/3 RPMs. It was impossible to vary the speed, so the

turntable moved continuously. In practice, it could be described as follows: DJs started to

play one record.

Then they took it off the turntable, prepared another record, put this one on and played it. In

reality, "putting on and taking off" the record cannot be called mixing. As expected, DJs

needed time to change the vinyl disc and thus dancers had to wait between the records.

There was, however, one way that helped DJs overcome these technical problems. This

method was called slip-cueing. The main part of the trick consisted in a duplication of

records. In other words, the record collection needed to be copied. DJs had two good

turntables at their disposal. They rigged the two tables with a switch into the amplifier so

they could move from one to the other. Then they put the same recording on each turntable,

to try to extend the mix somehow.

The least DJs could do was play the same record twice in pretty rapid succession, which

was better than making the dancer wait until they changed the record. Instead of playing the

record twice, there was yet another possibility, namely to build the mix by isolating various

instrumental, vocal and drum segments and extend them by jumping from record to record.

This technique was probably invented - or at least given currency - by DJ Francis Grosso

and widely used by radio station DJs. It required much practice with individual recordings,

great agility, and nerves of steel. Great turntablists of the seventies like Kool Herc and

Grandmaster Flash developed such techniques into an art form.

Mixing in the history of House

Scratching in 1937? Believe it or not, sound mixing was not born in the 1980’s. Take a look

at the important dates and recordings that have defined music mixing.

1937 Artist and experimental musician John Cage discusses the merits of sound

manipulation using the phonograph.

1948

French avant-garde composer Pierre Schaffer champions turntable-based music.

1973

Bronx DJ Kool Herc originates hip-hop by DJ’ing with two turntables and extending beats

by "looping".

1977

Grand Wizard Theodore invents "scratching" by rocking a record back and forth while the

needle was resting on it.

1983 Herbie Hancock’s hit-record "Rockit" features scratching by Zulu DJ Grandmaster

D.S.T..

1987

The first Disco Mix Club World Battle (DMC) is held, establishing DJ competitions

world-wide.

1990 "Beat Juggling" is pioneered by Steve D. and introduced at the New Music Seminar.

1992 Rocksteady DJs pioneered crew routines at the 1992 DMC.

1996 Legendary battle between the X-Men and the Inivisbl Skratch Piklz

Adapted from: http://twix.com/music_in_history.html

Mix Terms

If you want to learn to style with the best of them, you have to know the difference between

a "tear scratch" and a "chirp scratch". Here are mixology words that will help you get your

"act" together.

Baby scratch

: Simple pushing and pulling of the record back and forth under the needle in a

rhythmic manner. This scratch is the basis for all other scratches.

Breakdown

: A basic beat juggling technique consisting of a manual slowdown of the beat

by using the hand to rhythmically pause the record on every beat count.

Chirp scratch

: Pulling the record backwards with the crossfader on, turning it off at the end

of the sound, and turning it back on as the forward stroke is initiated.

Crab scratch

: Popularised by DJ Q-Bert, this is a three-click flare scratch using a drumming

motion of four fingers on the crossfader to create faster, syncopated sound.

Drag

: A slow, long pushing or pulling of the record.

Fills

: A basic beat juggling technique performed by playing one record and cutting in a

sound element from the second, such as a snare or bass drum. For example, the kick drum

of the second record is used to double or triple the kick drum of the first record.

Flare scratch

: A scratch consisting of turning the fader on, moving the record forward while

turning the crossfader off and on in a quick rhythm, then moving the record back to the start

of the sound in two stages while still moving the crossfader back and forth in a rhythm.

This complex scratch has many variations.

Forward scratch

: The record is pushed forward with the crossfader on, playing a sound,

then cut off with the crossfader, rewound to the beginning of the sound silently and played

again.

Hydroplane

: A scratch performed by pushing the record in any direction with one hand

while applying counter pressure with a finger from the opposite hand. The finger should

bounce along the record surface, creating a "bubbly" sound.

Looping

: A basic beat juggling technique. The DJ plays one section of a record and then

switches over to the same beat on another copy of the record while rewinding the first

record, then switches back to the first record while rewinding the second one.

Orbit

: A term used to descrie any scratch that can be performed forward and backward.

Rub

: Similar to a hydroplane, except the forward and/or background strokes are slowed

down as if the sound is decelerating.

Scribble

: A very fast, vibrating sound created by holding the record idle and tensing the

muscles in the arm, causing the record to move back and forth very quickly over a small

distance.

Stab scratch

: Similar to forward scratch, but the sound is cut off and repeated faster.

Tear

: A tear is performed by moving forward or backward with pauses between strokes, all

within a single sound or sample on the record. A two forward tear would be forward, pause,

forward, pause creating the sound "ahh, hhh, hhh".

Transformer

: A scratch performed by moving the crossfader to a rhythm while dragging the

record back and forth or letting it play by itself.

Adapted from: http://twix.com/mix_terms.html

How to Mix

It is all about technique. That is what separates the players from the posers in the world of

DJ mixing. Check out the essential scratches every mix master should know.

Baby scratch

Creator: Grandwizard Theodore

Style: Push and pull the record back and forth in a rhythmic motion at a slow speed. This is

the foundation for all scratching.

Flare

Creator: DJ Flare

Style: Turn on the fader, move the sound forward, then turn the fader off and on. Continue

moving the record forward and back while turning the sound off and on quickly.

Tear

Creator: Unknown

Style: Move the record forward or backwards while creating pauses. Keep your hand placed

on the record at all times.

Transformer

Creator: Spinbad

Style: Move the crossfader to a rhythm while dragging the record back and forth.

Chirp

Creator: Unknown

Style: Start with your fader open, pull the sound backward, close the fader, open the fader

and push the sound forward. Your hands should move together at the same time.

Adapted from: http://twix.com/how_to_mix.html