Technical DJing Question

[trypset]

I'm trying to better my DJing skills. I'm totally confident with my beatmatching/phrase matching. My question is directly related to how long most try to actually have 2 records going out to the floor. I love holding really long mixes but feel it takes away from some of the "drop" effect that I love so much to hear when done right in dubstep. I have a crate full of wax, and have been putting stickers at the first drop as reference for where I should initially drop the needle...Also have a color coding system...yellow sticker = 120-133...green sticker = 133-146. This helps me learn my records in and out and also keeps from having to cue in, change record, etc...

8 bars blend? 16? 32? I know this is all subjective but really am just asking on what other DJ's here do? I also know it is track to track, but I have a ton of vinyl that is all arranged the same way....same lenght intro, etc...

Also, I have started cueing in from the first beat of a drop instead of the intro, this has helped me immensley. This might sound basic but I don't DJ with friends to often and am desperately trying to take myself to the next level.

The best piece of advice I've read is to KEEP YOUR CANS as low as you possibly can....immediatly helped my beat matching.

[WatchYourStep]

There's no rule for something like this, run wild!

...personally, though, I've always liked short-and-sweet transitions (8ish bars).

[trypset]

word,

that's basically what I am asking, is what everyone else likes to do, personally

[mercules]

honestly mate, for me, i find it's all about personal expression. my set's represent how i like to mix, my style of tunes, when to drop etc. and half the fun if not all of it is finding out myself. don't get me wrong, advice can do you good, but doing it yourself is what gives you an original style. i started mixing around the same time as my mate and we would hook up every day to mix new vinyls, and we both just went different ways with it. he's more into caspa's stuff where it's not necessarily my cup of tea. i think dubstep is one of the best genre's to dj because there's so much variety that there is something for everyone, from dub influence, dnb, techno, minimalist, and many more. dubstep sets, i find, are an insight into peoples perception of the music and because of this, there will be different styles of dj-ing. you could put emphasis on a drop from 16bit for example, but not for some digital mystikz tracks. with your issue, i think the only thing i'd be wary of is the amount of time left on a track if you leave it in for too long.

basically man, without rantin on a bit more, do what you think is right. if you like to hold long mixes, don't stop because someone has told you to. do whatever you think sounds right. it's all about personal preference. your sets, your rules.

[etzel]

The best piece of advice I've read is to KEEP YOUR CANS as low as you possibly can....immediatly helped my beat matching.

What does this mean?

[Rowdy]

Cans is headphones? I think...

[trypset]

yeah, cans=headpones. I get you about doing my own thing, however it is nice to see how others do it as well. I try to piece apart mixes I like and that helps figuring out when to do certain things to get certain results. Thanks, and learning your wax inside and out, really, really, really helps.

[Lurka]

The best piece of advice I've read is to KEEP YOUR CANS as low as you possibly can....immediatly helped my beat matching.

best bit of advice! as well as dont touch the platter when mixing ride the pitch like crazy!

[SKINDAD]

whats all this wax business?

have been putting stickers at the first drop as reference for where I should initially drop the needle...Also have a color coding system...yellow sticker = 120-133...green sticker = 133-146

I dont even know what this means!
does nobody freestyle anymore?

[paolo]

The best piece of advice I've read is to KEEP YOUR CANS as low as you possibly can....immediatly helped my beat matching.

Why is this? I like to have my headphones so they're the same volume as the sound coming from the speakers

[DRTY]

For me it depends on the tunes, if you have a couple that sound wicked together for a long time then do it!

But if you feel you're diminishing a tune by adding bits from another then take it orf

[Lurka]

The best piece of advice I've read is to KEEP YOUR CANS as low as you possibly can....immediatly helped my beat matching.

Why is this? I like to have my headphones so they're the same volume as the sound coming from the speakers

so when u play at a shitty club with no monitoring or a bait mixer and ure headphones are really quiet, ul be used to it.

[jogfuture]

Surely just depends on the tunes? If you think a mix would sound better shorter then mix out quicker next time you mix those two tunes? I know that sort of sounds stupid but you know what you like hearing better than anyone else, just do what you reckon sounds better.

[kidshuffle]

All I gotta say:

[laurent__duval]

whats all this wax business?

have been putting stickers at the first drop as reference for where I should initially drop the needle...Also have a color coding system...yellow sticker = 120-133...green sticker = 133-146

I dont even know what this means!
does nobody freestyle anymore?

i do!