Mixing a new beat that will blow those stragglers off their barstools and onto the dance floor is the goal of any good DJ. Sometimes it takes some special tactics though. Here are a few ideas to get them up and freaking out:

Start with a popular song and only slightly modify the lead-in. Almost nobody is going to get up and start dancing only to sit down because it’s not exactly what they wanted. Trick them into getting up off their barstools and starting to groove to dancing queen. Then blow their faces off with a brutal drop. Make them think it’s over once in a while and smack them in the face for doubting you.

That’s the second tactic. I love knocking people off their feet with a wall of sound that can be danced to. You need a good drum beat and rhythm that can be heard but above that you can make people jump and they will pay attention. Just make sure that each song isn’t like that. You need to jazz it up. Maybe not literally but why not? Throw some jazz in there. Maybe you’ll be the father of a new style. Kick and snare with some quick cymbals are the basis for anything worth dancing to.

I mentioned jazz but throw in some other styles. Reggaeton infused dubstep is gaining a strong following but hasn’t hit its peak yet. Metal, goth and hardcore has been top dog recently, so transitioning from that to a new style may seem awkward but it’s not impossible. Remix a remix and throw everyone off.

Modulate the hell out of those bass lines. Vibrate the floor and shake those barstools. Make them feel naughty for sitting on those barstools because of how hard they are vibrating. Make them feel it in their chests. Make the old man creeping in the corner worried that he’s having a coronary.

You don’t have to take my advice but this isn’t a formula for success. It’s just what I have had work for me. See you at the club.

Share/Save

This is a guest post from DJ Sean who teaches video DJ Lessons on his popular DJ training blog, How To DJ Fast.

When I was learning to DJ it was with a big bag of records that you’d have to lug over your shoulder. Times have changed but there are a few time-hardened facts that remain the same when it comes to learning how to DJ.

Whats funny about “the facts of life” for DJing is that so many beginner DJs tend to make the same mistakes as I did when I was starting out as a DJ. I wish that an older veteran DJ showed me the ropes so I could become a great DJ that much quicker.

I didn’t have money for DJ Lessons but I wanted to learn how to DJ so I just sort of stumbled my way through the learning process.

So to help you get ahead with your DJing and save you some time and pain through mistakes, I’m going to share with you some of the time-hardened DJing facts:

1) Beatmatching Is Tough

The first time you turn on your Pioneer CDJ or throw a vinyl onto a turntable you’ll know what I mean. The technology is so exciting and you can’t wait to start playing your tracks together.

Soon you will try to play two songs together and the moment you do you’re instantly lost. You were feeling like a DJ with your flashy gear and a decent collection of music but then it hits you.

There is a mis-mash of sounds and you don’t know which are which. It’s just noise. You’re overwhelmed by the sound but you try to focus. You’ll squint your face and press your headphone ear cup harder to try to hear better but it won’t help.

Don’t worry! You’re not alone.

Even the world’s top superstar DJs started out the same. You see the human brain isn’t naturally programmed to listen to two sounds at once. We are good at focusing on 1 sound but as soon as you add another we have a tough time keeping track of both.

The even better news is that its pretty easy to train your ears and your brain to tell two songs apart and to be able to pick out different elements of a song. This is great news because its an essential part of learning to DJ.

So don’t get frustrated. Don’t give up. Anyone can learn to beatmatch.

2) DJ Egos

Once you’re able to beatmatch and mix like a DJ you’re probably going to start trying for gigs. Its at around this point when you’ll start meeting more DJs. And if you have an social intelligence at all you’ll quickly notice that most DJs have egos.

The ironic thing is that the vast majority of DJs have egos. There are even a lot of local DJs that only play house parties for their friends that have the ego of a celebrity.

Don’t be one of them. Not because people don’t like egos (they don’t), but because it won’t help you as a DJ. A lot of my DJ career was advanced because I am a very easy person to get along with. I would be offered big DJ gigs because promoters and nightclub owners enjoyed working with me.

The nicer and more down to earth you are, the better you will fair as a DJ. Don’t believe for a second that you have to be full of yourself to succeed.

3) DJ Training will save you time

For whatever reason a lot of DJs post on message forums asking for advice on how to start. The old wrinkled veterans from the vinyl days will say “teach yourself”. Very few DJs share the advice of “invest in DJ training”.

Yet that is the best tip I can give any new DJ. It took me almost 2 years to learn how to DJ because I took their advice and taught myself. I could have gotten my first gig within 2 months instead of 2 years if I had invested in some DJ lessons.

And I know that DJ lessons are expensive. But online DJ training videos or online dj lessons are cheap. You get to watch them over and over again and you’ll make the $50 or whatever nominal amount it is back with your first gig. So why not save months or years of your life and learn to DJ 10 times faster with some DJ Training?

Investing in DJ training is the best investment you’ll ever make!

Break out your turntables and get ready to mix a masterpiece because OurStage, Rolling Stone, New Era and DJ Irie have teamed up to host a great competition for DJs looking for their big break! The New Era “Fly Your Own Flag” DJ Competition, powered by OurStage, offers aspiring DJs from across the U.S. to guest DJ at a New Era sponsored party featuring DJ Irie. This is a great opportunity for up-and-coming DJs to launch their careers.

OurStage wants to find the best remix of DJ Irie’s samples. The stems are available for download on the website, so all you have to do is create a mind-blowing remix. You have until October 28, 2011 to complete your masterpiece and upload it for the OurStage community. Fans will choose the top 20 remixes and then a panel of industry experts, including DJ Irie himself, will choose the winner! The chosen DJ will win a guest spot at the New Era-sponsored event in Miami, FL on November 21 at Mansion Nightclub. All you have to do is register on OurStage.com and start mixing!

This is an amazing opportunity for any DJ to get the chance to make it and show off your skills. Get started early and take your time to perfect your tracks. There’s nothing else like this for up-and-coming DJs, so be sure to enter!

I have been getting lots of emails and comments lately asking for a post on different kinds of DJ software. So today I will let you in on one of my personal secrets – the beat making software that will teach you how to make beats for your DJ mixes!

The reason I have kept it a secret for so long is that I didn’t want people to know just how easy it is to make really awesome beats for your music when you have the best beat making software. I figured that if everyone knew about this, they wouldn’t be as impressed by my music. But then I decided that I’d rather give out solid tips to my readers than worry about what people think about my own work.

So here you go – one of the best beat making software I know!

For a long time now, I have been using Sonic Producer to make my beats. I had tried a few different programs before, but most of them were not as good as this one, so I stuck with it. If you want to hear an example of what kind of beats I make with Sonic Producer, you could listen to a few samples at their website.

So you can see, the beats sound very professional and high quality. That’s exactly why I stuck with this software after trying a bunch of other ones. But there were 2 other main advantages – lots of features and simplicity. It is so damn easy to make awesome sounding beats with this beat making software that I didn’t want to put it down when I first started using it. I spent hours making one beat after another. In fact, even if you don’t yet know how to make beats, this beat making program will help you learn quickly.

Here’s how it works. You get a screen that looks like this:

You can either record from an instrument that you have, like a keyboard, or just use the built-in instruments in the software. That’s what I do, since I find that easier and quicker. So after you choose what kind of instrument you want to get your sounds from, all you have to do is click on the squares where you want that sound to play. Depending on the BPM you choose, you could think of each 4-square segment as 1 second in real time. So if you want to play a drum once per second, you just click every 4th square in a row. But regardless of your BPM, the cool thing is that with the way this is designed, your sounds will always be properly spaced. So even when you change your BPM, everything is preserved.

This can mimic the sound of having a complete drum set.

Here’s what the other parts of the screen are for:

This is what I was talking about when I said there are a lot of features. You have full control of the volumes on every channel, you could export to high-quality MP3 format, change the tempo and do whatever else you want with it.

I don’t mean for this to be an advertisement for this software. In fact, I don’t think this is the absolute best beat making software. But I do think that it’s one of the best for beginners who don’t yet have the experience in how to make beats in Ableton, Fruityloops and other more advanced software packages. I have just been getting requests to reveal some of the software that I use and this is one of them. It’s up to you if you want to use it, but the point is that it has my recommendation. Another DJ software I have been asked to make a post about is Atomix Virtual DJ, so that will be in one of my future posts pretty soon.

If you want to watch some videos of how to make beats with Sonic Producer, check out their website!

- The Mixing DJ

Hi everyone!

As you all know, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are insanely popular these days. I’ve been aware of this too but have been too busy (or lazy) to get with the program. So today, I’m proud to say that I’ve finally joined the social media revolution. Better late than never, right?

Like and Follow the Mixing DJ on Facebook and Twitter!

Follow @themixingdj

I have also upgraded my email system, so I’ll be able to send better emails to my subscribers. And that means MORE Exclusive Tips, Tricks & Resources! So subscribe right now if you haven’t already!

Share/Save

Hi everyone! I’m really late on this one but wanted to share it with you nonetheless. DJ Sohn has put out another awesome mix – actually he sent it to me over a month ago but I’ve just been super busy and it slipped my mind. Sorry man!

Here it is for you all: DJ Sohn (BD Thursday) – Podcast Episode 50

Enjoy the music and feel free to leave some comments. DJ Sohn will be around to answer any questions and receive your inevitable praise =]

Facebook d.j.sohn | Twitter d.j.sohn

Share/Save

I have a special treat for you today. It’s our first post featuring a brand new mix from our guest DJ – DJ Sohn from BDThursday. He has put together this excellent, uplifting vocal house mix. Give it a listen. You can even download it for free.

Uplifting Vocal House (BDT, Sloatbake Master) by d.j.sohn

Here’s the track list:

1. armin van buuren vs sophie ellis-bextor – not giving up on love (extended mix)
2. alex guadino – im in love (wideboys remix)
3. alex guesta – so much love to give 2011
4. tristan garner ft. polina – fallin (original mix)
5. matisse & sadko – hi scandinavia
6. roger sanchez ft. FM – 2gether (blacktron & antoine clamaran re-edit)
7. gabi newman, dj angel feat. alex senna – hanging from the ceiling (sunloverz remix)
8. tune brothers & plastik funk – groovy baby (hard rock sofa remix)
9. tv rock feat rudy – in the air (axwell remix)
10. john de sohn ft. nick wall & christina skaar – unleash my love (original mix)
11. tim berg vs. michael woods – dynamik bromance (blender bootleg)
12. armin van buuren ft. laura v – drowning (avicii’s unnamed mix) (BDT, Sloatbake extended intro)

d.j.sohn was forged through some mixture of gold, bad decisions and chest thumpin’ club music. He started dj’ing when he took up radio at a small station in Maine. He has quicly begun making a name for himself as a Boston-based DJ with an insatiable appetite for dancefloor pleasing jams, moving crowds at venues such as The Greatest Bar, An Tua Nua, Sanctuary, CBS Scene at Patriots Place, Coogan’s Boston, RISE and Down Ultra Lounge. When he’s not behind the decks, he can typically be found working with the rest of the Bad Decision Thursday team showing off his decision making skills and producing the weekly podcast.

Facebook d.j.sohn | Twitter d.j.sohn

If you have any questions or comments about this mix, feel free to leave a comment below and DJ Sohn will be around to answer your questions.

Thanks for listening!

Share/Save

One of the most common questions I get on this blog is, “What DJ equipment should I use?”. Whether you’re trying to choose digital DJ equipment  or just need some advice on which turntables to buy, I can help you out. In the end, it all depends on your level of commitment and your budget, but here are my recommendations for the best DJ equipment.

When it comes to DJ equipment, I swear by Pioneer. Yes, there are other brands that make excellent equipment, like Allen & Heath and Rane. But from my extensive experience with Pioneer products, I can’t imagine ever buying a turntable or mixer not made by Pioneer. But it all depends on what kind of DJ you are. For electronic music, which is mostly my focus, Pioneer mixers are awesome. For hip hop DJs who do a lot of scratching, a Rane is the way to go.

Regardless of what type of DJ you are, if you are serious about being a DJ I highly recommend the Pioneer CDJ-1000 turntables. They are the industry standard that you will see at almost every club in the country and even the world. Not only are they packed with features, they last a long time too if you treat them well. My CDJ-1000s are a few years old now but they’re still going strong. They’re just a solid piece of equipment and that’s worth a lot.

The CDJ-1000 CD turntables will let you do pretty much everything you want. They have CD and vinyl modes, so you can emulate the feeling of using vinyl, you could scratch, you could even play the track in reverse. There’s a built-in loop function and you can save cue points to a memory card. Think about how cool this is – you’re working on a set at home and you’re saving all your cue points on a memory card. Then, you go to your gig at a club, pop in your memory card into the club’s CDJ-1000s and you’ve got all your cue points right there with you. Awesome, now you’re ready to rock the dancefloor. There are tons of other features and it just doesn’t make sense for me to talk about all of them here. Check out the Pioneer CDJ-1000 for yourself.

I must admit that the CDJ-1000s are pretty expensive, so you’d want to look into getting a used pair if your budget is tight. If that’s still too expensive, the CDJ-800s are a great alternative. They have most of the features of the CDJ-1000s but for a lower price. They’re equally dependable, though not quite as awesome. Still, they’re a great piece of equipment as well.

For your mixer, it really depends on what type of DJing you’ll be doing. Your mixer is your control panel and it’s very important that you choose one that fits your needs very well. I personally use the Pioneer DJM series, like the DJM-600 or DJM-800. It’s a very solid piece of equipment and mine has taken a lot of abuse over the years and it’s still working great. The DJM series mixers are also an industry standard that you’ll see in clubs everywhere in the world. You get 4 channels of inputs, plus a microphone input, you have all the standard gain & EQ controls, you get vertical faders for each channel, and even a switch to turn off the crossfader. I personally just turn off the main crossfader and use the individual channel faders to mix. This gives me a lot of control, especially if I have more than 2 channels playing at once. And of course, the DJM series mixers have some great standard effects built in so you don’t need a separate effects pad.

If you don’t need that much functionality, or if you are just going to be working with 2 channels, you should check out the Pioneer DJM-909. It’s a newer model and it has some amazing features, especially if you’re into effects. There’s a touchscreen effects control that is simply awesome, and you could set the effects to match up to the BPM of your tracks for perfect effect overlays. Plus it has an optical crossfader with fully adjustable curve control. You can definitely use this mixer for scratching, but it’s also perfect for dance music.

So those are my recommendations for equipment. There is lots and lots of equipment out there, so make sure you do your research before purchasing.

Share/Save

If you read my blog, you already know that I am a wholehearted advocate of Serato Scratch Live.

Serato is by far the most reliable, proven and affordable technology for playing your MP3s with real turntables or CDJs.

With that said, I realize that it still costs a pretty penny.

My New Serato SL3

The awesome thing about Serato though is that it pays for itself.

How?

Because Serato enables you to play gigs you previously wouldn’t have been able to play.
Mine paid for itself within 2 months!

Nonetheless, I understand, its hard to shell out $500+ on Serato Scratch Live, especially in this economy.

Fortunately, I have WAY too much money and I’m going to give it to you so you can buy Serato too!

….ok, maybe that was stretch.

Here is what I have done though…

A few weeks ago, my Serato SL1 got stolen…

I was pretty distraught about it because I really didn’t have the cash to buy a new one.
As a result, I spent weeks trying to find the best place online to buy Serato Scratch Live.

To be honest, I was getting pretty discouraged.
Most of these DJ equipment sites are either super shady
or have TERRIBLE customer service.

However, there is one that I think really stands out from the rest,
and that’s where I ended up getting my new Serato SL-3 from.

That site is TheDJHookup.com.

This is the only site that has

* “Live Chat” Customer Service with INSANELY knowledgeable product specialists
* FREE UPS Shipping
* The best prices I’ve seen ANYWHERE (+110% price guaranty)
* RISK-FREE 90 day return policy (like Zappos for DJ gear)
* Quick Delivery! I got my Serato SL-3 within 48 HOURS of ordering!

My Serato SL3 all hooked up!

Thanks to the amazing support from the folks at The DJ Hookup, I have a very exciting announcement

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Crazy Deals on Rane Serato Gear, Exclusively for my Readers!

That’s right, I’ve worked out an exclusive deal with The DJ Hookup to save you HUNDREDS of dollars.

You won’t find these coupons ANYWHERE else online.

Enter these Coupons at Checkout to Save Tons of Money!*

* Save $50 on Orders over $500 with Coupon Code: mixingdj
*
* Save $70 on Orders over $650 with Coupon Code: mixingdj$
*
* Save $150 on Orders over $1000 with Coupon Code: mixingdj$$
*
* Save $200 on Orders over $2000 with Coupon Code: mixingdj$$$

The Catch…

If you thought you were going to be able to save all this money with no downside,
you need to stop eating those paint chips.

The catch is that these exclusive coupons are only good for 2 WEEKS.
After that, you will have to pay full price again.
So don’t procrastinate. BUY YOUR GEAR NOW.
You’ll be happy you didn’t put it off.

Note Sure What to Buy? No Problem

Rane Serato Buyers (Mini)-Guide

Here are my suggestions on what to buy if you’re not sure

“I need Serato”

* Buy Serato SL3 – Save $70 with Coupon Code: mixingdj$
Serato SL3 is the most recent interface for Rane’s Serato Scratch Live technology. If you already have a mixer, it’s way better than Serato SL1, featuring better sound quality, lower latency, easier setup, and includes a carrying case + international power supply. This is what I use and I can’t say enough good things about it. 3 year warranty when you register online. Recommended.

“I need Serato… but I’m broke ”

* Buy Serato SL1 – Save $50 with Coupon Code: mixingdj
Despite the superiority of the SL3, Serato SL1 is still a great product and has been the industry standard for years. If you can’t afford the SL3, this is a great second choice. 3 year warranty when you register online.

“I want an awesome mixer, with incredible sound quality, effects, magnetic faders WITH Serato built in.”

* Buy Rane TTM-57sl – Save $150 with Coupon Code: mixingdj$$
The TTM57 is an absolute beast. It has a load of on board effects, the BEST faders on any mixer in the market, unbeatable EQs, indestructible build quality, and of course, the famous Rane 3-year warranty when you register online. If you’re looking for a new mixer and not sure what to buy, this one is a no brainer. Recommended.

“I want the BEST mixer on the market, with Serato built in.”

* Buy Rane Sixty-Eight – Save $200 with Coupon Code: mixingdj$$$
I am convinced that the Rane Sixty-Eight is the best mixer on the market right now. 4 channels of unbeatable Rane faders and EQs and enough effects to keep the Pioneer DJM-800 laying awake at night, crying in shame. On top of that, this is the ONLY mixer with 2 full Serato’s built in. That means you can simultaneously connect two computers to this mixer allowing you to easily switch between 2 DJs at a gig, or if you’re ambitious, create mind-blowing sound collages with 2 laptops using all 4 channels. If you’re looking for “THE best,” this is it.

Have questions?

If you have any questions or concerns, put them in the comments below and I’ll respond.
Otherwise, you can email me.

NOW GO SAVE SOME MONEY ON YOUR GEAR!

*These coupons do not apply to specials, bundle deals or open box items.

Share/Save

In exactly 11 hours, I’m going to post an awesome opportunity. Everyone who is subscribed to receive email updates is going to get advance notice of the deal, right now. So if you’re not subscribed yet, don’t miss out, use the subscribe form to the right of this text and never miss the amazing deals, opportunities and tutorials that I post!

This is going to be a limited time opportunity, so getting advance notice is important. It’s just another benefit my subscribers get

Stay tuned…

Share/Save