FAO Sargent

[macca's]

Just commenting on your CD from a promoters point of view...

1) your cover stood out like a sore thumb in Gibraltar, nice one. Some promoters get 100 cd's in a week, and by you making that little extra effort, it leaves a promoter with a good impression, the next thing you could improve from here is to make a print on the cd itself as well, makes a look even more professional.

2) You made track indents, this is also a very good idea. a promoter may not have time to listen to a whole set, and can glide through the tracks this way and get a better idea of your style.

3) The set has a very good build, that first tune is sweet as ****, better than a good day in bed with Ulrika Johnson. But the set progress's up hill and makes it to the top. Id say one thing you could avoid is the way you finished off your set, but still it stuck out very well...

4) I feel if your looking for bookings you'll need to may'be mix 15-18 tunes in about an hour, it shows the promoter your talent but obviously takes a lot of practise.

5) The speed you played the tracks at was quality, lovely and lively, full of energy....

6) I couldn't really fault the mixing, you kept the mixes in ajust about all the right time...

7) thank you very much for sending the cd, its been a pleasure to my ears. The next door neighbours didn't think much of it at midnight last night though....

cheers

James

[K Front]

cheers maccas some good feedback there. are you a promoter then?

[macca's]

no mate, but I have a couple of mates who are, one works for a mainstream club (bah humbug) and doesn't even bother listening to the cd if it comes without any effort on the actual cd itself, like no front cover, or the cd doesn't even say who its by.... (you get them mixed up, book the wrong person etc etc...)

also it helps heaps if you mark the tracks, if you think a promoter gets 100 cd's in one week, he/she can't listen to the whole thing, so it helps to be able to skip through it (kinda defeats the object a little with all the effort you put in)

The other does it for the love of the scene, because the underground is so heaving at the moment, he looks out for things more like loads of tunes being mixed, it shows that little bit of extra talent and also your style....

do you play out already? it shoudln't be to long now if you havn't....

[K Front]

i play regularly in a pub and a couple times in a small club, but nothing special.

[Voorheez]

From my experience with promoters, covers don't really matter all that much. A promotor is after all, only interested in the content of a mix cd. A simple disc image label with your details is suffice (it has to be on the cd, to prevent the details getting confused).
Another small tip is to never include a tracklisting unless it's asked for. Just describe what genre you play, that's enough. Look at it from this direction - a promoter is familiar with all the tracks on your cd, he listens to the first couple of mixes, doesn't think too much of them - your cd is going off. If you don't put a tracklisting, there is a higher chance he is, at the very least, going to skip through the rest of the cd to see where it is going.
Track stoppings are indeed a must, it is rare that a promoter will sit and listen to a full cd, unless you maintain their interest through varied tracks and quick mixes.

[Addict]

Word! 8)

[djjaym]

If his mixing and tune selection are good enought then does it really matter how many tracks are played in an hour (unless of course theres only 2 or 3)

[K Front]

If his mixing and tune selection are good enought then does it really matter how many tracks are played in an hour (unless of course theres only 2 or 3)

i didnt think it really mattered how many tracks were mixed either but i know what you mean about it showing skill. but most of the time i like to use the whole track because there are bits all over the track that i like to have in a mix. especially with trance/hardstyle because the tracks varry a lot from beginning to end.
i dont mix a lot of techno but when i do i find it a lot easy to mix tracks in and out in a short time.

[macca's]

It bassicly shows your skill as a cut above the rest... The good thing i find about hardstyle is that you can mix it in or out really quickly and fairly easily to... The Promoter is looking for two things, firstly he is looking forsome that can mix! and 2 he's looking for someone that plays the right tunes.

If you want to see a dj which will leave you totally shell shocked on his mixing technique, go and see Eddie Halliwell, f'ck me can this boy mix... technically the best DJ i've seen in a long time. his tunes thou are poo...

[Voorheez]

Sargent, just wanted to make it clear that i'm not speaking just in reference to your cd - for all I know that cd is never aimed at promotion, i'm just talking generally here.

To me, making a mix is an extremely articulate process. Pacing is one aspect of it that is very important. Yes, some tracks should be played fully - Julian Dj & Davide Sonar - Techno Noise is (to me) one track that you should always let play completley through. Others shouldn't - a track can be too long, or simply become boring after the first break, and in these cases you should mix out early.
Of course this isn't an easy task, which is why a lot of djs always go for intro/outro mixes. It takes a encyclopedic knowledge of your tracks, or an experienced instinct to be able do it properly, and perhaps more importantly, to know when to do it.

[Addict]

I've just realised after listening to your CD that because i've been blatently ignoring Tracid Trax releases of late I've been missing out on some quality hard trance, I could almost kick myself!!!! You stupid stupid Bastard!!!! :!:

[MARKEG]

this is all fabulous advice... some good stuff to think about... nice 1 ppl!

it's important you get shit like this RIGHT these days.

> track markers. yes, this is essential.

> track listing. doesn't matter but makes you listen to it if you like the tracks.

> fast mixing - doesn't matter. but don't leave everything until the last outro. do what you feel is right.

[DJCraig Ryan]

This is quality advice from everyone.
Keep it up!! :lol:

[darkstar]

Dont take any offence from this anyone, and i am NOT a DJ ok ! but what is so hard about mixing some records together ? after you have prefected the skills of beat matching etc... its just a matter of picking some records and mixing them together, maybe creating abit of a build up towards the end of the set, i cant see alot in it really.

The thing that does my head in is, famous DJ's get really hyped about etc.. saying "oh yea this DJ's really good etc..." but honestly anyone who can beat match could do the same job as any other DJ.

I do have respect for DJ's who are also producers, because this shows that person has skill, but someone who is just a DJ just doesnt cut it for me really!

Thats just my opinion, you'll probably all shout at me now :(

[darkstar]

If this turns into a massive argument im just gonna shut up

[Voorheez]

Mixing records and being a dj is one of those things in life that people assume is far easier than it is. There are many skills involved in mixing your tunes than people think, and it consists of a lot more than just beat matching.
You need to be able to read a crowd - to know what they want to hear next. Not every tune goes on top of another, so you need to pick the right tunes to go together. Then you need to cue up, or beat match to a level where you are confident that the two tunes won't drift apart too much. You need to find a good starting point of the mix, a sequence to start the incoming track where the outgoing track will end a phase at the same time that the incoming track is ending a phase to make it sound really good. With hard trance this can go horribly wrong, other genres are more forgiving.
You need to equalize the incoming tune's levels to make sure it doesn't come in too loud or too quiet, and also that the bass doesn't clash. Then you have to control the mix - making sure your beats stay locked together throughout, whilst fading your track in and perhaps beat juggling a little. Once your mix is finished, it's on to the next one!
There are so many things that can go wrong, and a great dj is one that can avoid them all. A great dj is one that can go for long mixes that fit two tracks together perfectly. A great dj will have the confidence to beat juggle/scratch during a live set. A great dj has his (or her) own style - many people forget this. A great dj is one who can get the crowd to whoop with pleasure after every mix.

What you put in your post does surprise me a little, surely you've listened to many a dj and heard bad mixes? Even people like Dana and Technoboy constantly let beats slip, and if you want to hear truly bad, go download a Scot Project or Kai Tracid set. If all dj'ing truly required was beat matching, then we'd all be dancing to a computer dj'ing in a club.

[darkstar]

Yea ok i see what your saying, like i said im not a DJ so u know....but it just does my head in the way u get people (mainly younger people) sayin oh yea this DJ's really good ect... and this others ones shite, i think the real skill is being able to actually make a decent tune :P

[Voorheez]

I think I know what you mean, that the Dj gets recognition for the tunes when the producer really should. It's an interesting point and perhaps it's the reason why a lot of producers make the voyage into dj'ing. The signs point towards that, as most of them have rudimentary mixing skills and play mostly their own stuff.
The talent of a (good) dj shouldn't be overlooked though. I have a biased viewpoint being a dj myself, but I just hope that people other than just fellow djs can appreciate the talents involved.

[Hakka.]

Good response Voorheez. One thing that sometimes dishearten's me is that your average joe clubber can't tell, recognise or maybe care (which ever fits the bill) to the difference a mix which is timed to perfection, matched beats and smooth from a choppy, late and amature approach.

Bah...

On a more positive note well done to Simon Pitt... your set last night in Dance Academy... it probably would of made Mr EG himself proud! - Nice to see my recent fav's in Mindcontroller 2003 and Wildstyle Generation Part 2 was how your kicked things off! What a reaction the crowd made to those!

:)

[darkstar]

[quote="Voorheez"]I think I know what you mean, that the Dj gets recognition for the tunes when the producer really should.quote]

YES ! this is what i mean and when people say a DJ is good for playing certian tunes it F*cks me off....some thick idiots ive spoken to b4 even think the DJ is actually making the tunes live some how with the decks, i know Lab4 do play tunes live with synths etc.....but u know what i mean.