A troubling trend....

[dubplaya]

Ok...I will withhold names so as to not start some sort of drama thread.
This is what I see happening in the jungle scene..I don't know if it's happeneing in the other genre's, but it is getting quite prevelent in the jungle scene. Please feel free to make comments and what not.

What I see happening is a number of locals who have had plenty of time behind the decks seem to be not mixing very well. OK..well is putting it lightly. The mixing has become horindous(?) All to often these "top locals" just throw one the newest tracks and forget to either bring it in with the other tune and "force" the mix or just do it because they can. I for one am getting upset by this. We all need to remember as dj's that your first priority is to match the beats. I was at a party this weekend and mosst of the dj's could'nt even do that properly. Literally most of the beat matching was off. Now..to your "just there to dance untrained ear" that may be fine and it may get you gigs...but what we ALL need to remember is that at least 25-30% of the crowd are dj's. We don't miss these things. I feel that you are cheating the crowd of the music and the mixing and blending of tracks. Honestly it angers me. You have new dj's in the crowd who here this and think "If so and so can do that..then I can do that and get gigs" It's just plain wrong.

Lets get back to the basics. I was appauled. I hope that these things can be corrected.

Peace
Mike

[djowns]

Maybe your just a bit too picky man. You can only get so accurate with turntables... espescially in a live environment where there is a lot going on around you and a lot of distractions, ambient noise and other things really.

Slips really don't bother me that much, it's misphasing or poor programming that really bothers me. Thats something a DJ has far less variables influencing.

$.02.

[dubplaya]

Originally posted by TheLiquid1
Maybe your just a bit too picky man. You can only get so accurate with turntables...

Slips really don't bother me that much, it's misphasing or poor programming that really bothers me. Thats something a DJ has far less variables influencing.

$.02.

Trust me..if you knew me it'snot that I'm picky..literally most of the people i talked to at this party were upset about the the mixing. It wasn't newbies up on stage either. These were some of the top locals. People that have more than a few gigs under thier belts. I don't by it that they ALL had a bad collective night. I dunno...thanks for the imput though.

Peace
Mike

[djowns]

Word. Bad system maybe? Wierd acoustics? It's quite pausible? Did you ask the DJ what was up?

Eh who knows, but perhaps your right.

[djsteel]

I agree.

most the jungle DJ's recently I have watched have forced their mixes, and it's pretty hard to watch.

[brainCandy909]

there are alot of awnsers to this... too manny in fact.. the distractions, the acustics, the fact that some djs just suck, there are so manny reasons for that tingel down your spine when you hear to records off beat.. over the years i have noticed that a few too manny well know and or popular djs suck ass.. as well as djs that are yes good but, not as great as people say. yeah there good, they keep it on beat, and it sounds nice but there not the greatst thing.. i think the best out of all the awnsers are maybe: the lazy dj, the awkward acustics, and maybe the dj that sucks? last one, not to sure havent heard to many super great djs in my travles in that neck of the woods... as TheLiquid1(giving credit where credit is due.) said, WHO KNOWS kinda cool how you brought this subject up "your name here"

[eric n]

the only reason I haven't put out an "official" cd yet is that whenever i get the timing, samples and scratches just perfect I listen back thru it and hear the slightest little slip somewhere. Then I get pissed and scrap the whole thing. The next time I'll "play it safe," all the mixes will be on, but when I play it back it's missing the "flava" from the added scratching and whatnot. Maybe I can get away with a little innacuracy if everyone else is, eh Mike? j/k

I don't make it out enough to either back you up or argue but if that truly is the trend SHAME ON U LAZY BASTARDS! We all can have a bad night here and there but shit! Man it's hard enough for an upstart to get booked as it is, we don't need people getting sloppy on us and discrediting our art form. Just cuz you've been on a fatty flyer does NOT mean you should quit practicing at night by yo damn self to keep everything tight. I know whenever I've slipped in public it's made me just want to hit the decks harder to lessen the chances of it happening again. Funny how you can play the same shit 50 times and the time it's [A]- an important show or [B]-the record light is on it can go to shit way too fast ;)

my 2 an' a half cents

[djowns]

Maybe you guys are just too used to listening to "proffesional" mix cd's, which aren't done live and infact are studio made.

[Jizosh]

Originally posted by TheLiquid1
Maybe you guys are just too used to listening to "proffesional" mix cd's, which aren't done live and infact are studio made.

Maybe you're just making excuses for poor mixing?

I'm not in the "jungle scene" and I haven't witnessed any poor mixing recently, but I don't believe there's too many valid excuses for poor mixing. And no, being drunk isn't one of them.

[dubplaya]

Originally posted by TheLiquid1
Maybe you guys are just too used to listening to "proffesional" mix cd's, which aren't done live and infact are studio made.

No..like I said, these are "top locals". People I know who can mix very well. Proffesional mix cd's?? Trust me...I know I'm not talking about the big boys..who even mess up from time to time. I understand that we all have bad nights. I know that the acoustics can fuck with you. I've played three times at this particular club. I have never had a problem hearing the monitor.

Peace
Mike

[dubplaya]

Just cuz you've been on a fatty flyer does NOT mean you should quit practicing at night by yo damn self to keep everything tight. I know whenever I've slipped in public it's made me just want to hit the decks harder to lessen the chances of it happening again.


Thank you Eric. That is exactly my point. I just feel as of late, the "proffesionalism" of some of the bigger dj's seems to be slipping.
I constantly practice. Maybe I'm being way to hard on these guys? No..I think we deserve better rom these guys.

Peace
Mike

[milgramShock]

you all should come to the 1201 this thursday for good mixing.

it will be quality, trust me.

[brainCandy909]

hmm a "profesional mix cd"? havent heard one in a long time.. got tierd of mix cds cuz you will always have that "pshh wtf i could of done that better! those records dont go togeather!" delemma. music as far back as anyone can remember as always been a popularity contest so i look at it like this. if paul okenfold can be the "richst dj in the world" lil kil, perry feral(janes addiction) and other twats can be famous for spinning records, and sucking at it, whats there to stop a local nobody from doing the same? right?

[dubplaya]

Originally posted by brainCandy909
hmm a "profesional mix cd"? havent heard one in a long time.. got tierd of mix cds cuz you will always have that "pshh wtf i could of done that better! those records dont go togeather!" delemma. music as far back as anyone can remember as always been a popularity contest so i look at it like this. if paul okenfold can be the "richst dj in the world" lil kil, perry feral(janes addiction) and other twats can be famous for spinning records, and sucking at it, whats there to stop a local nobody from doing the same? right?

For real. I guess I'll just stop practicing. If they can do it..I guess I can do it too. These guys are just making it harder for us newer dj's. It's time for us to raise the bar....show some fucking skill.

peace
Mike

[eric n]

Originally posted by dubplaya


It's time for us to raise the bar....show some fucking skill.




WORD to that bro. And with that, Mike, you need to come over so we can record the illest 2x4 dnb cd seattle's heard in many moons. Fuck mediocrity.

[Loki]

Originally posted by dj420
the only reason I haven't put out an "official" cd yet is that whenever i get the timing, samples and scratches just perfect I listen back thru it and hear the slightest little slip somewhere. Then I get pissed and scrap the whole thing. The next time I'll "play it safe," all the mixes will be on, but when I play it back it's missing the "flava" from the added scratching and whatnot. Maybe I can get away with a little innacuracy if everyone else is, eh Mike? j/k



Yeah the same thing happens to me too. I get done with a recording, think it's decent, listen to it, and throw that POS out. I feel this unknown pressure whenever I know the computer is recording but yet I feel pretty comfortable playing house parties even when there's people I don't know there. I think it's cause I feel a recording has gotta be just "perfect" like you said for some strange reason. Playing in front of people doesn't bother me though cause I'm just having fun.

But I've noticed my standards have gone up as I've gotten better and I'll notice the little things about mixes that make me cringe but non-djs probably wouldn't notice.

And yeah I think there's some djs out there that are pretty weak... ah the power of networking :rolleyes:

-Scott

[iammay]

More into the house side of things myself, but the issue seems to be prevailent in all genres. Sometimes i think maybe i am too picky, but i don't really think that's it. I have a lot of complaints about alot of the DJ's i witness. From new kids just gettin' started to our "headliners" that we fly in, pay big money and expect a quality outing from. Now i'll leave track selection out of this, because, as i said, I beleive this to be a cross-genre issue and to each his own on deffinition of a quality track.

The number one issue is beatmatching, can you get it on and keep it on. If not, don't do it in public. Now i'm not expecting every or any DJ to be perfect (I'm certainly not) but there's a certain level of on pointness that one must have to do the job. Also i feel that if a DJ is working hard at what the're doing, if they're really tearing it up, there is a bit more leway in what is ok as far as the beats being locked in. As an example, I've seen Mark Farina mix somewhere around 20 times, track selection usually sick, mixing always excelent, but i have never not seen him bring in a (or many) record off. The thing is I don't mind it so much when i hear i track come in a little off, but within a few second it's on and the mix is sick. These things happen when you play fast and hard (and i don't mean fast and hard music).

The second issue, and the one that i find goes a lot more unnoticed, is that of the slow DJ. These records, for the most part, are not to be played by themselves, they are there to be mixed. I think it's kind of a stretch to call yourself a DJ when all you do is mix the set up intro of one track with the set up outro of another. Yes i know it is common place for producers to give us the spot before the fist break and after the last that is mainly a simple beat and is easy to mix. Unfortunately those utilizing only these areas, may not sound bad (of course they're clean, i hope), but they sur as hell arn't creating anything interesting. Mix the middle of two tracks together, yeah the part where there's actually music happening, then you can start to call yourself a performer. I actually think that this may bug me out more than the other issue just for the simple fact that a majority of the DJ's that would notice the non beatmaching, don't seem to notice or care about this. Maybe it's because that's the way most of them mix.
Maybe it's just me but when i go out, as a knowledgeable music consumer, I want to not only see a DJ that plays good tracks and can beatmatch, but one that uses thier music and ability to create a unique and enjoyable sonic environment. Anything less is a waste of me leaving my house and my own turntables.

To put it simply
Come with skills and use them or don't bring your shit to my motherfucking ear hole.

I AM A DJ
I AM An Artist
I AM not an overglorified jukebox

~miles

[Loki]

Originally posted by iammay
The second issue, and the one that i find goes a lot more unnoticed, is that of the slow DJ. These records, for the most part, are not to be played by themselves, they are there to be mixed. I think it's kind of a stretch to call yourself a DJ when all you do is mix the set up intro of one track with the set up outro of another. Yes i know it is common place for producers to give us the spot before the fist break and after the last that is mainly a simple beat and is easy to mix. Unfortunately those utilizing only these areas, may not sound bad (of course they're clean, i hope), but they sur as hell arn't creating anything interesting. Mix the middle of two tracks together, yeah the part where there's actually music happening, then you can start to call yourself a performer. I actually think that this may bug me out more than the other issue just for the simple fact that a majority of the DJ's that would notice the non beatmaching, don't seem to notice or care about this. Maybe it's because that's the way most of them mix.
~miles

Yeah I'm glad you brought that up cause it irritates me too. I find that the mixes that really impress me are the ones where the dj mixes in/out at unusual places and still makes it work. I find that for me personally I try as often as I can to start my mix at a different place each time. There's a few exceptions of course with a couple tracks that are really bitchy to mix in, so for those I tend to do the same thing each time.

I dunno, quite honestly I'd get bored real quick if all I ever did was mix the intros and outros together the same way every time *shrug*

-Scott

[Nicknack]

well ive only ben mixing for a bit less than a year now----i totally hear you guys about low quality mixing when you go to clubs---im not saying that i can mix flawlessly yet but thats why im not trying to play out at this stage...I think its better to take my time and learn all the skills at home and then try to play out when i can rip shit up like i want to.....

as far as mixing in different parts of records-----some tracks it seams almost impossible to do this with----im shure that some day i will be better at this but i think that is one of the toughest part of djing.

anyhow I think that lots of cats just figure they can mix decently enough and know someone who will hook em up with a gig==making lots of nights suck ass cause there shit mixing skills