Mixing on 4 decks

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Originally Posted by serox

to play 4 decks correctly you would need to mark all your records on the correct bar. You would not have enough time to program and cue it all.
Each record only has one correct bar to mix the next onto

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I'm not sure I agree here, there's no major reason why you'd need marker points. Playing 3 doesn't require marker points, I wonder why 4 would then?

Also, I don't really know what a 'correct' bar is meant to be? Well I know what you are saying but to assume that there has to be a correct point or place to play or mix in records isn't quite true, sometimes you have to vary from this kind of idea particularly if you are are trying to do summat a bit different or mix at speed.

i think he means when you program your sets really in depth some people mix at a certain point for certain records in order for the records to mix perfectly,.

in reality this is stupid.

Has anyone ever witnessed 4 decks in action sucessfully????

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Originally Posted by Sunil

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Originally Posted by serox

to play 4 decks correctly you would need to mark all your records on the correct bar. You would not have enough time to program and cue it all.
Each record only has one correct bar to mix the next onto

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I'm not sure I agree here, there's no major reason why you'd need marker points. Playing 3 doesn't require marker points, I wonder why 4 would then?

Also, I don't really know what a 'correct' bar is meant to be? Well I know what you are saying but to assume that there has to be a correct point or place to play or mix in records isn't quite true, sometimes you have to vary from this kind of idea particularly if you are are trying to do summat a bit different or mix at speed.

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to mix records so that they are mixed perfect i think there is a place to mix the records.

mixed perfect? so that you have things stoping and starting at the same time. if done right you can one record 1 a beat stop while the 2nd record a sound will start. you have to mix a record ont he correct verse or you have things going off at different times.

mixing at speed? this is the same thing, you just cue things faster. i dont enjoying people who mix records really fast but in the wrong place, anyone can do that. i like to hear a DJ mix and really have to listen hard to where the mix is!

is it not better to watch a DJ cue a record in 4 bars perfect? brings it in and only have to make tiny changs to the pitch? cue it in 4 bars then not do any more untill he needs to bring that record in. that is better to watch/hear than some one who is doing this speed mixing but has his hands on the pitch non-stop.

i saw jeff mills do what i think you are saying. he had som1 handing him records so he could just mix really quick. just slam in a record. but it was in the wrong place and to me just sounded shit and sloppy. every thing was in time yes, but in the wrong place, like a verse or two behind.

I am no good at explaning things, hope this make sense. i have only been mixing 3 years roughly. but i was shown by som1 who i think does some of the best mixing i have ever heard.

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Originally Posted by ampassasinbirmingham

i think he means when you program your sets really in depth some people mix at a certain point for certain records in order for the records to mix perfectly,.

in reality this is stupid.

Has anyone ever witnessed 4 decks in action sucessfully????

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yes, i know som1 who has done it. it took a lot of planning. he had to use small stickers to kno where to place the records.

once you have programmd it correct it can be done. takes alot of planning. the guy i know who did it took months finding records that he could do it with.

lol, he even went to the effort of keeping a sound or noise from each record going through the whole set. even if it was just a bleep or something, it would continue to the next record etc.was amazing.

Christian Varela

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Originally Posted by SummerOfSam

Christian Varela

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hmm, a friend i know saw him doign 4 decks b4 but was dissapointed.

said he used looped records or only had 3 records on and had bass cut on EQ. still good, but not perfect 4 decks sucessfully i think.

i've watched someone mix on six decks at a time... :shock: and it all went smoothly...

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Originally Posted by zigojacko

i've watched someone mix on six decks at a time... :shock: and it all went smoothly...

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Did anyone ever catch Headroom on 6 decks?

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Originally Posted by serox

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Originally Posted by Sunil

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Originally Posted by serox

to play 4 decks correctly you would need to mark all your records on the correct bar. You would not have enough time to program and cue it all.
Each record only has one correct bar to mix the next onto

---

I'm not sure I agree here, there's no major reason why you'd need marker points. Playing 3 doesn't require marker points, I wonder why 4 would then?

Also, I don't really know what a 'correct' bar is meant to be? Well I know what you are saying but to assume that there has to be a correct point or place to play or mix in records isn't quite true, sometimes you have to vary from this kind of idea particularly if you are are trying to do summat a bit different or mix at speed.

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to mix records so that they are mixed perfect i think there is a place to mix the records.

mixed perfect? so that you have things stoping and starting at the same time. if done right you can one record 1 a beat stop while the 2nd record a sound will start. you have to mix a record ont he correct verse or you have things going off at different times.

mixing at speed? this is the same thing, you just cue things faster. i dont enjoying people who mix records really fast but in the wrong place, anyone can do that. i like to hear a DJ mix and really have to listen hard to where the mix is!

is it not better to watch a DJ cue a record in 4 bars perfect? brings it in and only have to make tiny changs to the pitch? cue it in 4 bars then not do any more untill he needs to bring that record in. that is better to watch/hear than some one who is doing this speed mixing but has his hands on the pitch non-stop.

i saw jeff mills do what i think you are saying. he had som1 handing him records so he could just mix really quick. just slam in a record. but it was in the wrong place and to me just sounded shit and sloppy. every thing was in time yes, but in the wrong place, like a verse or two behind.

I am no good at explaning things, hope this make sense. i have only been mixing 3 years roughly. but i was shown by som1 who i think does some of the best mixing i have ever heard.

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understand what u mean, but it doesnt need to use markes to make start the records at the right time ... it just needs to know the track by heart lol ! ... its really better than puting a marker

about mills well actually i know what u mean, he doest throw the records in timing with the sequencings, but actually with loopy tracks it doesnt really mater, and he EQ things in a way u cant hear it, except if youre a dj knowing your tracks by heart ...

i though i would never do this kindof mistake as its my common habit to wait to start the records at the good moment. but there is nothing more frustrating than throwing the record just when the beat starts after a breakdown so that u have both records sequenced ath the right 64 or 128 bars, and then you are vitcim of a needle jump !!!!

beleive me, that happens with loud records in clubs where the decks wieghts are not set up correctly, or when the decks are on very jumping surface, or when i am too drunk (though for this one its my fault).... then after a few time slosing waiting for nothing u just lauch the records and care about the EQ so that the mix is not that crap ...

Listen. Its not worth the hassle.

Buy some drum machines kids.

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Originally Posted by massplanck

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Originally Posted by zigojacko

i've watched someone mix on six decks at a time... :shock: and it all went smoothly...

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Did anyone ever catch Headroom on 6 decks?

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can't remember who it was... was in a dj comp though.

I can barely run my lone single turntable. I agree with the comment about adding a few machines alongside multiple decks for added mayhem into the mix.

4 decks sounds like shit imo

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Originally Posted by tioneb

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Originally Posted by serox

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Originally Posted by Sunil

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Originally Posted by serox

to play 4 decks correctly you would need to mark all your records on the correct bar. You would not have enough time to program and cue it all.
Each record only has one correct bar to mix the next onto

---

I'm not sure I agree here, there's no major reason why you'd need marker points. Playing 3 doesn't require marker points, I wonder why 4 would then?

Also, I don't really know what a 'correct' bar is meant to be? Well I know what you are saying but to assume that there has to be a correct point or place to play or mix in records isn't quite true, sometimes you have to vary from this kind of idea particularly if you are are trying to do summat a bit different or mix at speed.

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to mix records so that they are mixed perfect i think there is a place to mix the records.

mixed perfect? so that you have things stoping and starting at the same time. if done right you can one record 1 a beat stop while the 2nd record a sound will start. you have to mix a record ont he correct verse or you have things going off at different times.

mixing at speed? this is the same thing, you just cue things faster. i dont enjoying people who mix records really fast but in the wrong place, anyone can do that. i like to hear a DJ mix and really have to listen hard to where the mix is!

is it not better to watch a DJ cue a record in 4 bars perfect? brings it in and only have to make tiny changs to the pitch? cue it in 4 bars then not do any more untill he needs to bring that record in. that is better to watch/hear than some one who is doing this speed mixing but has his hands on the pitch non-stop.

i saw jeff mills do what i think you are saying. he had som1 handing him records so he could just mix really quick. just slam in a record. but it was in the wrong place and to me just sounded shit and sloppy. every thing was in time yes, but in the wrong place, like a verse or two behind.

I am no good at explaning things, hope this make sense. i have only been mixing 3 years roughly. but i was shown by som1 who i think does some of the best mixing i have ever heard.

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understand what u mean, but it doesnt need to use markes to make start the records at the right time ... it just needs to know the track by heart lol ! ... its really better than puting a marker

about mills well actually i know what u mean, he doest throw the records in timing with the sequencings, but actually with loopy tracks it doesnt really mater, and he EQ things in a way u cant hear it, except if youre a dj knowing your tracks by heart ...

i though i would never do this kindof mistake as its my common habit to wait to start the records at the good moment. but there is nothing more frustrating than throwing the record just when the beat starts after a breakdown so that u have both records sequenced ath the right 64 or 128 bars, and then you are vitcim of a needle jump !!!!

beleive me, that happens with loud records in clubs where the decks wieghts are not set up correctly, or when the decks are on very jumping surface, or when i am too drunk (though for this one its my fault).... then after a few time slosing waiting for nothing u just lauch the records and care about the EQ so that the mix is not that crap ...

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take ur own needles when playing out;) also make sure the decks are set to how you like them. they will not jump if set correctly.

the markers are needed to be able to place the records in time. without the marks you would not have time to do 4 decks at the same time.

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Adverse
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 4:12 pm Post subject:
4 decks sounds like shit imo

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it can sound good if done right. it is possible to do 4 decks at the same time without using EQ's to hide mistakes and have it sound spot on.

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massplanck
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 3:43 pm Post subject:
zigojacko wrote:
i've watched someone mix on six decks at a time... eek.gif and it all went smoothly...


Did anyone ever catch Headroom on 6 decks?

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headroom were using elements from records to do this (i think). also they did not have 6 on at same time?

this would all depend on whether you where using 'tunes!' or 'tracks'. tunes being stuff with breakdowns and crap, stuff that goes places. tracks being a dj tool that doesnt do much in itself, but leaves you loads of room to hack the crap out of it. i can see why you'd have to drop 'tunes' in the right place, but to mark them, hmmmm. surely you should ahve the skills to know when to drop them if you're even going to bother getting 4 dex out.

Dont have a time to read everypost here...but...some "big stars" djs are mixing on 4 decks, yea think on! I looked a performance on 4 decks of one popular dj, its 3 decks not 4, in 2h set he was maybe playing on 4th a few minutes :cool: its just a market trick on flyer to get the people..IMO..

Cao cao :cool:

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Originally Posted by karlo

Dont have a time to read everypost here...but...some "big stars" djs are mixing on 4 decks, yea think on! I looked a performance on 4 decks of one popular dj, its 3 decks not 4, in 2h set he was maybe playing on 4th a few minutes :cool: its just a market trick on flyer to get the people..IMO..

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good point.
never heard a good 4deck mix so far,
the ones i heard were probably rather 3deck mixes,
but i am not saying it wouldn´t work

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Originally Posted by Tony

this would all depend on whether you where using 'tunes!' or 'tracks'. tunes being stuff with breakdowns and crap, stuff that goes places. tracks being a dj tool that doesnt do much in itself, but leaves you loads of room to hack the crap out of it. i can see why you'd have to drop 'tunes' in the right place, but to mark them, hmmmm. surely you should ahve the skills to know when to drop them if you're even going to bother getting 4 dex out.

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yeh u can know where too, but when u r playing 4 'tracks' in a set and u keep doing it, u need to place markers, only way it can be done in time.

other wise it gets too confusing.

i mean propper records too, not just loopy records :)

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Originally Posted by Adverse

4 decks sounds like shit imo

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deffo!!!! far to clutered

Why bother..
if you really want to take things to the next level, play live...
anyone who think's they're the shit just because they can play 4 decks but can't get a live act together is trading on bullshit...

I lay down the gauntlet now, c'mon, live act, back to back at squat party in london of your choice, anyone seriously up for it, pm me, i'll take you to the f.u.c.k.i.ng cleaners..
Back to back Live with anyone, I only respect those who take me seriously on my offer...

sorry, I've just been round to guy's and got pissed as a cunt..
I'll ave the lot of ya now, outside, yer wankers... hic.....hic

:lol:

Sod it, let`s just have fight.

lol

oooaaaghghhh... not too bad a hangover thank god ;)

I've always thought that though, all this talk of final scratch, efx, 4 deck, whatever, if you're going to go to that much trouble, you might as well drag your studio out and play live... I mean, you'd have to write EVERYTHING yourself.. maybe that's what people find daunting, I don't know... I do think the multi deck thing has been done to death, but I quite like the idea of 2 djs on 4 decks at once though, you get an interesting interaction going on...

me and a friend tried to do 2decks each. but not together :) we did a live stream as he lives in holland and me london. was fun, but would get confusing not being able to see and only hear what the other was doing etc. we set a plan of how we would do it so that was cool, but he kept leaing the channels up to high when i needed them faded out

mixing with locked grooves on 4 decks sounds like it could be fun

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Originally Posted by crime

oooaaaghghhh... not too bad a hangover thank god ;)
I quite like the idea of 2 djs on 4 decks at once though, you get an interesting interaction going on...

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Tony Rohr and I did a double live pa set up like the game "battleship" with our gear in the middle of the table and us sitting on either side across from each other facing in. We could see each other to give nods or headshakes, but just let it flow. We had a sync for clock tempo and then routed all our gear to the mixer for us to get our own separate things going and work the parts. It was a blast and the crowd really seemed to enjoy the candlelit setting.

Boom! YOU SANK MY BATTLESHIP!

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Originally Posted by thetonewrecka

Tony Rohr and I did a double live pa set up like the game "battleship" with our gear in the middle of the table and us sitting on either side across from each other facing in. We could see each other to give nods or headshakes, but just let it flow. We had a sync for clock tempo and then routed all our gear to the mixer for us to get our own separate things going and work the parts. It was a blast and the crowd really seemed to enjoy the candlelit setting.

Boom! YOU SANK MY BATTLESHIP!

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That was a funny night!


As for the 4 decks thing. I did a 4 deck with Ian a couple of times and one with another local DJ on a night we brought Bryan Zentz in. For the most part I thought it worked out rather well and over the course of the 1.5-2hr set we played...we only ****ed up a few times which is good considering it's 4 decks. I think people think that since there is 4 decks there has to be 4 records playing. This isn't true. We were throwing down old DJ Slip on top of Heiko Laux to Kanzleramt to Ben Sims-y shit and it flowed rather fine. You just have to realize when enough is enough and you'll just add to the clutter. A lot of people also think that you need to drop nothing but drum tools with 4 decks, I think that is a huge mistake. We were dropping a lot of bangin' minimal tracks to build layers and recreate songs on the fly instead of just layering drum tracks over drum tracks. I guess this same idea could be applied to 3 decks.

We also used a bunch of "tools" such as ambient tracks, pads, samples, and more to make the 3rd or 4th table an instrument rather than just a turntable. There is a ton of possibilites behind 4 decks but it's rarely explored. I will say that sitting in the studio practicing the 4 decks thing, just jammin' out was some of the most fun I've had behind the decks in a long time. Immediately, the whole Dj thing changes and it feels more "band-related" to rock out with a friend and rely on other new variables. I recommend trying it at home with some friends if you can hold some decks down...but don't try it for a first time at the club...I've seen that happen before unfortunately.

Hell!

I never saw a DJ really play 4 decks at the same time.
I even saw 2 Dj's on 4 decks and 2 mixers. And guess what.
Also these guys didn't do 4 decks at the same time.

But I know it's possible.
I once played a 4 deck set with a good DJ friend.
We are both quick kinda DJ's with similar mixing styles.

We did the following.
He threw in a record.
Than I threw in a record, and after some 10 / 20 swconds an other record.
While the bass of the first record is still playing, it's just a mather of keeping the speed of the other 2 records similar with the first one.
After some while you can even throw in a 4th record.

So actually it is comnstantly mixing 3 records at the same time, and mixing in a 4th record.

i like dustins point about people thinking that to play on 4dex you have to have 4 records playing all the time.

that's what most people think i reckon, but if you can play a balanced set using 4 dex here and there and then just put a bigg tune on for a bit then get back to some full on mixing on three dex etc etc i reckon that'd be a good way to crack it without just being anal or boring about it.
i've played 4 dex with chris a couple of times and we always have a laugh but you got to get on to it first before you can start being jeff mills about it.
if you get too flash too early you in for some nasty mistake action.
personally though you just can't beat 2 records being mixed really well together , everything else is the equivalent of a dj guitar solo.
and we all know how boring brian may is eh kids?

personally, i've not really taken the time out to listen to a set played on '4 decks'. if anyone has any link, i'd love to hear. i do appreciate a good 3 deck mixer (really enjoy ben sims) but i just think four decks is just getting a bit stupid. i'm without a doubt one of those people that would prefer to put an album on, rather than a dj mix and bearing that in mind, you can see why four decks would just not enable me to 'hear' the tracks properly. i appreciate what a dj could do with four of someone elses pre recorded records but why not just still sixteen to thirty two of them together in a true live set or record of your own???

'oh i can beat match with my mind using four decks and six cd's'.. big deal.

i'd rather use 32 of my own sequences and craft my own sounds in a sequencer thank you very much. surely 20 million times more creative?? ;)

two good dj's on 4 decks can often pull of what one aweseom dj can do on 3 decks, so when there are none of the later around, i don't mind a 2x4.

but one dj on 4 decks does seem like the equivalent of the guitar hero doing the tap-on harmonic solo.

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Originally Posted by MARK EG

i'd rather use 32 of my own sequences and craft my own sounds in a sequencer thank you very much. surely 20 million times more creative?? ;)

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I don't know Mark...20 million? I'll give you 19.99 million, but not anything over that.

isnt the record for most decks in a mix held by carl cox. not sure the number but i have a feeling it was double figures :shock: