Most of us DJs are also producers, or have at least dabbled with ProTools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro and other DAWs. The overlap between DJs, producers and music technology lovers is strong. Strong enough to bash out some tips for mixing the next original track you plan to use in your set on your way to getting more gigs as a DJ-producer. Here we go.
The DJ mixing basics
Each track part should have its own role and space. The instruments shouldn’t fight each other for loudness. Only one thing is in the spotlight at any given time. Everything plays nicely together. When mixing your tracks for DJing in a live set, make sure any vocals are front-and-center, mono and sufficiently more present than anything else. When it comes to pop music, the vocal IS the song. Here’s a good 40-minute video on mixing dance music that you’re never gonna watch, but do it anyway.
Thinking in frequency
Use EQ to avoid too much ‘frequency bleed’. That’s when you’ve got a bass patch being too loud in the mids, or a vocal with too much bass in it. There’s a limited amount of space when mixing. Think of it like stacking items into a room. The louder and bassier the instrument, the more space it takes up. If any part seems to be dominating the rest, use compression, volume and EQ to beat it down into place! Boss your mix.
DJing for emotion
Maybe you’re collabing and have received stems from an artist. That means you aren’t able to change much of the track content, but you can mix it for emotion. Mixing for emotion means prioritizing any vocal fry (which sounds great on a record). Do include any instrumental power moments or happy accidents that contribute towards the feels. Recording “mistakes” and ad-libs often end up being the best moments. Any moment where personality shines through should be considered gold for your mix.
Like DJing itself, mixing is really just about selection. What goes in, what gets left out. The technical aspects of the mix are simple enough to learn. The challenge is being bold enough to craft a mix that says something about who you are as a DJ-producer. Learn by copying others, but make it your aim to slowly craft your own way of doing things by breaking rules. That’s the way we become better DJs!